Pure Azure

An absolute barnstormer. Overwhelmingly seductive, expansive, lush fruity floral with a great big basket of fig on top. Then truckloads of the most redolent, reeky, assertive jasmine you can imagine. It all sounds a bit loud and a bit much - yet somehow it steamrollers any possible objections. I surrender! I don't even like fruity florals and I especially don't much like fig. Yet I am hopelessly in love with this perfume, against all my usual instincts. So what does it have that the others don't? I'd guess, some very clever heads at Phaedon (I've also fallen hard for their Tabac Rouge recently so I guess their noses chime with my taste) and really good quality control. While they're never quiet, the ingredients are so natural and complex they don't cloy or suddenly start smelling vaguely 'like perfume' - they keep smelling like notes of real things. Initial projection is ENORMOUS and longevity fairly astonishing too. So this is absolutely not a shrinking flower and you might think it too dramatic and diva-like for work. Could it be unisex? Not sure. Smells definitively feminine to me, but it's such a wonderful aroma all in that anyone who falls for it can - and should - wear it. If it can convert me so completely, I think it could win anyone over.

This is THE summer fragrance for me. It's white floral forward on my skin, but the fig, vanilla and tonka give it a softer edge that avoids it being screechy. It's classy, smells clean and expensive, but also feels youthful and not stuffy. I think you could easily wear this both day and night in summer, but it might not be quite the right sent for a night out vibe. It also evolves so much on my skin - there's a beautiful period of time in the drydown where I get such a nice fig note, which is followed later by lots of green leaves. I can't wait to wear this on holiday. I'm 90% sure I'm going to splurge on a full bottle of this but I'll get through the sample first.

Its giving: ‘ I-have-stewed-in-the-sun-for-days-and-slathered-the-✨MOST✨-expensive-bodylotion-on-me-in-the-evening’. I’m definitely here for that vibe. Its rich, it’s creamy and luscious. There’s a hint of salty vanilla that gives it the summer vibes. Definitely present at an arms length, and most certainly present in the room, without being cloying or overpowering. It carries well in hot weather without being offending. Wouldn’t wear it to an evening event, but it is definitely among the ‘office safe’ and ‘wear by day as a staple’ categories. Wouldn’t call it a safe blind buy. Its unisex, bordering on feminine.

Almost a soli-note formula, Pure Azure is built around the orange flower essence (neroli) highlighted by salt, jasmine and fig tree leaves. The neroli oil is derived through steam distillation of orange tree blossom as opposed to much spicier and honeyed absolute obtained through Co2 extration. The neroli oil smells richly green and woody, as well as citrusy with a tenderly sweet floral nuance. Pure Azure is a good alternative to classic colognes, and much superior to these in terms of longevity. Viva fresh forever.

Pure Azure - The grown up Neroli Portofino. Sorry Tom Ford, I'm a huge fan of your line - but this blows Neroli out of the water with its maturity, dense forage and wet root aromas. This is beachy all the way, an over cast Italian coast brimming with plant life. Salt and Neroli perfection. Not for the light hearted, this takes some 'getting used to' but after your first few wears, you'll swear by its magic.