Madar

Day 3 - Madar - Poesie So let me get some quick notes out of the way. Yes, I’m still grabbing a random perfume sample out of my stash every morning, wearing it and rating it. Yes, objectively, this is the safest scent yet. I was going into the office this morning so frankly it was for the best. And yes, it is a light and warm gourmand. BUT I am going to stop right there. This is the BEST light gourmand perfume I own. Lets break it down, There is nothing I hate more than a Yankee Candle Vanilla Cupcake smelling ass light gourmand. If you can smell like anything in the world I don't understand picking straight up cake batter. While vanilla has a purpose and is a great note I find most instances are just too crowd pleasing to the point of being forgettable. I personally don’t love sweet notes for sweet’s notes sake. Like all things in life moderation and balance are paramount. The thing about this scent is, there are so many like it, but this formulation is the one that has perfected the category in my opinion. Anyway, Madar. The Farsi word for mother (mādar (مادر ). I love this title and I think it is incredibly fitting. The lactonic notes are devine! When navigating a sea of creamy and milk notes in the fragrance world, this formulation has a distinct rice pudding feeling. These rice based lactonic notes are somewhat a motif for the brand as the stripped back “Soft” fragrance by Poesie is the same rice formula without the aromatic additions like pistachio and orange blossom. I at one point had a vial of soft but cannot locate it, so I made sure to add a vial to my latest order to reevaluate as it is a crowd favorite. That being said, I love the warmth that the aromatics in Madar deliver. My all time favorite note cardamom really shines in this blend, but is supported by saffron, cinnamon and pistachio. The result is inoffensive but interesting. The warmth really cuts through the sweetness and it smells like an Adeni chai with condensed milk. Like most warm, cozy scents it wears very close to the skin. It is a very intimate scent that I find works amazing well for a day time scent, or layering. In the morning I wore it on its own, and by the evening I layered a bit of Orebella - Nightcap on top and I smelled so yummy I kept smelling myself as I went for my evening walk. That being said, sillage is light and longevity is weak. Regardless,I think it is perfect for what it is. I am going to leave this in the bathroom and dab it on before bed for the remainder of my vial.

I’ve got so many expensive bottles of perfume, but I wear this oil more frequently than I wear anything else really. I love it! However I rarely wear it alone. It’s a bit to cloying solo, but mixes so well with bitter scents. I often layer it with Poesie’s Twice to Tea (so good!!!) or today I’ve layered it with Mizu’s Palo Santo oil (also great!). All the notes listed are present. It’s a base of rice pudding, and within that base you can distinctly pull out the cardamom, the saffron, the cinnamon, the rose, the orange flower. It’s so good. But the overall impression is warm thick milky rice pudding. When layered with other oils it just becomes: warm and milky base layer. Side note, I’m very particular about how my actual bottles of fragrance look together on my vanity. They’re all rather minimal and monochromatic and well design-y. So I keep my Poesie oils in a drawer out of sight because the packaging looks amateurish. And even the scents themselves (I’ve got samples of dozens of Poesie oils) all smell very naive and almost juvenile. Especially Madar. But I think that’s really the appeal!! I would’ve loved wearing Madar in middle school, as much as I love wearing it today at 35, as much as I can imagine wearing this one day when I’m a grandma. Its composition is just so human and relatable and universally, cross-culturally connected to warmth and comfort. This isn’t some hipster shit. Its not trying to be a thing that it isn’t. It’s just brilliant and not making a big deal about it.

So... This is pretty much the best thing I've ever smelled. Like, I went and changed my favorite perfumes shelf within 5 minutes of putting it on. Gorgeous, gorgeous rice note. It's my favorite note in general and I've tried, and typically loved, pretty much every variation I can get my hands on, but this is far and away the best I've found. I was a little concerned because both cardamom and pistachio can go really soapy on me, but these stay true, the cinnamon stays delicious and bakery instead of going incense, and the florals are present but flit gently around the edges giving a bit more dimension, but not muddying the gourmand heart. Also hits that tricky balance of warmly sweet but not cloying or syrupy. Overall an absolute soft gourmand delight, cuddly, comforting, warmly spiced and nutty, I'm in love!

letting this one sit is important. original review: (ranked as "ok") suprised i did not love this one, cause i love love love gourmands, rice, and nuttiness. but this one did not smell like how i thought (spiced, sugary rice pudding/lebanon nights). (<-did not smell like that) it smelled like REALLY SWEET CARDAMOM. im happy everyone else likes it though!! have a nice time you guys (without me) review after letting it sit for a year: it smells like spiced, sugary rice pudding and lebanon nights now!!! smells sooo oo good. cardamomy, sweet, floral, milky, savory opening and it gets better (but quieter) as it dries down. the sickly sweetness it had a couple months ago has softened into something delicious. having a nice time enjoying this one with everyone else ♡

Delicious and captivating! I just have a little tiny dabber sample but I might need to bathe in this scent somehow. The tiny drops I put on my wrists are fading quickly, but as it fades I'm picking up a glimmer of Kayali Elixir 11, probably the rose petals. (In general this is not similar to Elixir 11 in any way - except for in the deep dry down the beautiful rose comes out. This is much more of a warm, cozy scent than Elixir 11, which I also really love but in a different way.) Madar is a beautiful composition of the notes listed above. Comments below mention a wish for greater sillage beyond a skin scent, so I'll try really layering on the oil and see if I can treat myself to a heavenly scent bubble of Madar today. Highly recommended!

Madar is incredible. Joelle graciously included a free sample of it with my February Lucky Day order, and I promptly full-sized it. The rice is actually rice pudding, not just rice. It's very present but not too strong. It dries down and the rice pudding fades somewhat, and the spices rise. It lasted z good percentage of the day. (I put it on my wrists and was wearing a long sleeved t-shirt, so it did get on my clothes a bit, which may have contributed to its longevity.) I think Madar is cozy in cool weather, and fresh in warmer weather, although I haven't had warm weather since receiving my sample. I think it would be appropriate in basically all settings and in basically all weather. 5/5.

On first try, I didn't care for this fragrance. The owner of the company talked me into giving it a second chance after the juice had settled for a few days. I'm SO glad I did. Madar is now one of my top favorite scents. I actually crave it on especially rainy/snowy days, or when I'm in need of comfort. The rice pudding, cardamom and pistachio make this a gourmand lover's dream, while the touch of rose petals gives it a certain quiet elegance. Frankly, I can't wait until cooler weather arrives again, so I can appreciate this beauty's full potential.

the description is spot on. makes me think of my grandma and family gatherings. joy and coziness. too foodie for me to wear but love using it around the house. i don’t expect most people to interpret it as literally food-like unless, like me, you grew up with florals-infused rice pudding & have that association. otherwise i’d expect people to perceive the florals as the dried flowers you’d sniff and not the ones you’d eat haha. universally, i’d describe it as a warm, creamy floral, gently spiced, lactonic-starchy gourmand.

madar is a comforting, warm, blanket enveloping you in a sea of cinnamon rice pudding. i was immediately met with cinnamon, saffron, and lactonic top notes. the rice pudding is an absolute star here and has an eternal lasting power. reminds me of walking in a metaphysical store. there’s an almost smoky palo santo quality here. when i wear this i picture tarot cards, chai tea, crunchy orange leaves on the sidewalk, and a cozy knitted sweater 8.8/10

This scent reminds me of my great grandmother's house. it smells of the coziest warm rice pudding. When i close my eyes, Im 5 years old again and sick, and my grandmother is bringing me her arroz con leche and shes wearing the sweetest rose perfume. Poesie is excellent at making perfumes that are both cozy and nostaligic and this one is no exception. In fact, i'd consider it one of their staples. When I think Poesie, I think Madar.

Persian sweets, Persian ice cream. Everything about this scent is spot on, and if you like Persian desserts, this will be 100% gourmand for you. It’s exceptionally spot on. If you like Persian sweets, a safe blind buy. If you’re not sure, go to an Irani food shop lol. Need to try more to determine longevity and spillage, but I love it so much that I’d get a bigger size regardless of those factors.

The people are right! This is a creamy rice pudding scent with cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla and pistachio. The florals just round it out a bit keeping it from being a cloying gourmand. It's very cozy and comforting. But as others have said - there is absolute no silage whatsoever. It sits very close to the skin making it a great skin scent to wear to bed. Especially in the fall and winter.

Ahh Madar, a cozy creamy rice pudding scent, the cardamom is so beautifully done (poesie is known for their cardamom accord), has the perfect balance of spice and nuttiness. I normally don’t like rose water or orange blossom water but it lingers so gently that it adds an ethereal fragrant fairy vibe. Overall this is a beautiful everyday soft sweet milky fragrant scent.

This and Comfort (seasonal in 2022) are so so good. I’m very glad this is part of the permanent collection. I tend to wear this to bed but it is gone by the morning, so I can tell it doesn’t last the night but that doesn’t matter to me much given my use case. Used up at least a quarter of my 2ml very quickly. Will definitely order full size.

As user chewedgum so aptly put, if this is in my signature and favorite fragrances, it is because Soft isn't on here! However this is actually my number 2! It is incredibly similar but definitely warmer and spicier. It is a realistic rice pudding without being too heavy or nauseating. Very lactonic and nutty. I love it so much.

Cardamon is dominant. There is a milkiness at first. But the spices take over like in a smooth pudding. Saffron is second in line. Then the faint taste of cinnamon, not overpowering or spicy. A little blend of rose and floral swirling, like rosewater in Middle Eastern sweets. Very pretty in a gourmand oriental manner.

Soft, creamy, and so delicious! This fragrance smells like cardamom rice pudding with a hint of cinnamon and rosewater in the background. I absolutely love it! I’m considering purchasing a full-bottle when I’m done with my sample. It’s like a warm hug. Yet another good sweater scent by Poesie. :)

If you are hesitant to reach for gourmands like I was I’d definitely try this. It’s not too sweet and has a lot of complex spice to balance out the vanilla sweetness it does have. And, unlike a lot of “nutty” scents that are trending right now, this actually does smell like pistachio.

This is such a beautiful creamy, almost custardy scent with lovely layers of cardamom & pistachio. On the dry down I'm getting faint whiffs of the floral notes, but not overly powdery. The rollerball isn't my favorite way to wear a fragrance, so I plan to transfer this to an atomizer.

I blind bought this as a random pick when I did a sample pack from Poesie and I'm so glad I did because I think this smells divine. It dosent last long unfortunately but when I wear it I can't stop sniffing myself, it smells comforting and creamy, like a soft nutmeg. 10/10

Another winner from Poesie. Soft sweet gourmand, delicate not too sweet. Not foody or cakey. Like perfume version of rice pudding. Really lovely. Extremely similar to Soft, but with that added hint of flowers that makes me like it more. Just beautiful, calming, soothing.

A true kheer (rice pudding) scent! Very well balanced, not overly sweet nor overly spicy at all. I'm in love! Note: The alcohol-based parfum does NOT smell as accurate to rice pudding as the oil-based, so make sure you don't get the alcohol-based one!

Got this over a year ago and I am still in love with it. I love all the notes in it and I think its the perfect scent to use to get comfy for bed or help when you get sad. I bought it in mist spray form after getting it as a sample <3 perfection

This smells exactly like rice pudding and I’m absolutely in love. I was expecting a dirty rice by BTSO kind of lactonic rice but THIS... this is what I was itching for and it’s absolutely scrumptious. I will be purchasing a full bottle

I got this as a free sample in my order and loved it! I do not usually gravitate towards very sweet perfumes but this one is so comforting and beautiful. It's got the perfect balance of the sweetness of the rice pudding and the spices

The smell is fantastic- lovely rice, milk, spices. Exactly what I was looking for but the longevity is terrible. Smell 10/10 longevity 1/10. I really like it but have to wear it with something else because poof it's gone in 2 shakes

I absolutely love this scent. it's warm and floral with sweet undertones. The pistachio just gives it a slight nuttiness that compliments the cardamom and florals so nicely.

This one is different, not a scent you'll find easily. It smells like all the notes it lists. It's warm, cozy, sensual and makes you want to eat your arms.

I love rice notes, and this is no exception. Just so comforting, sweet but not too sweet, spicy but not too spicy, warm, soft, and unique.

I am obsessed with this fragrance, it's my favorite Poesie scent (so far...)

Photorealistic avena/rice pudding/horchata scent, lovely and perfect

I didn’t stumble upon this fragrance nor hear about it in one of the many groups I frequent - rather, I went hunting for a perfume that smelled like my favorite Persian dessert and was thrilled to actually find it. Milk, rice and skin musks are my usual go-to comfort (see:bedtime) scent choices; whereas during the days and evenings, my preferences can lean heavy on the fringe side of things. My taste is all over the place, actually. 20+ years ago I met my ex who’s Iranian and I began my whirlwind romance with Persian food. Sholezard turned into an instant comfort food for me and still is to this day. I wanted to mention it here because if you love this scent, you should absolutely give the recipe a try. You can enjoy it both warm or cold - I love both, depending on my mood or the weather. If you like rice pudding, you’ll love Sholezard. If you don’t like rice pudding, you should try Sholezard instead because it’s way better anyway! 😄 Seriously, Google the recipe - it’s super easy to make. About the perfume: It’s absolutely lovely, though as already mentioned, the performance is very disappointing. I’m still giving it a good review because it’s quite literally exactly what I was searching for. If you’re Persian or familiar with their foods - this smells exactly like the taste of Sholezard!! I’m hoping to find another one day and that one at least last a few hours and have a better projection. Nonetheless, I still think this is worth buying. If it were a more expensive fragrance, I’m sure my review wouldn’t be quite as positive.

I’m on my second wearing of Madar, a blind buy from Poesie—a new niche company for me. Recently I read Beth’s article about favorite rice perfumes here on Fragrantica, and I read a positive review when someone commented about loving Madar’s rice note. My curiosity was piqued. On my skin, I do pick up basmati rice but it’s not dominant. Madar is all about pudding, and smells like Indian custard—with vanilla, cardamom and spices—and it’s present through all the stages. The scent of rose water and pistachios is unmistakeable. What is most remarkable to me; the floral notes weave in and out, and just when I think they are gone, they come back. I don’t know of another scent that behaves this way. I’m wearing a roller ball ( I don’t know if this brand sells atomizers) as it’s not my favorite way to wear scent. I plan on decanting into a sprayer later today. Right now Madar is a strong like, but I have a feeling it will be a love once I’m able to frolic in Madar’s exotic mist. Edit: As suspected, this is wonderful sprayed from an atomizer. A completely different kind of gourmand, and to be experienced if you like gourmands with rice notes.

They weren’t kidding when they wrote in the ad copy that you might want to eat rice pudding when you wear this. I don’t know how, but it’s like they bottled the smell of the rice pudding the Indian restaurant near where I grew up made. It’s a very, nostalgic cozy scent that smells like basmati rice, sweetened milk, rose water, and cinnamon. Longevity is fairly weak, I get about an hour and a half out of it before it fades to a slightly rice-y scent only, silage is intimate. I want to eat it, but being perfume, it probably wouldn’t taste good, so I’ll have to settle for just smelling it!

this is just straight up potpourri to me. old rose buds that are dusty and beginning to sour, dried sugary slices of orange rind, cinnamon sticks and a melange of other warm pungent spices. there is definitely a sweet creamy rice pudding note, but the rose & orange really dominate and it feels pretty one-dimensional. not a bad smell, just very specifically reminds me of the lace potpourri heart-shaped pillows my elderly neighbor growing up used to cover her couch in. will use up my sample, but not gonna repurchase.

Warm and cozy. Potential to be the best bedtime scent too. I’ve been looking for something gourmand and not in the literal vanilla heavy cake way. This is perfect and smells a little like an incense shop that serves spicy rice pudding dessert in the best way. I got a lil vial and I want a whole bottle. And this pairs so well with the method body (coconut, rice milk, and she butter line), and the dove (crushed macadamia and rice milk), and coffee break by maison margiela for the coziest layering combo ever.

Gorgeous scent. This was recommended to me when I inquired about a fragrance that smells like cooking cardamom pods in coconut oil. It really is an authentic, milky Indian rice pudding. My only complaint is that there is no projection. I wish these bottles came with a spray option as roller balls never project for me. I’m going to try transferring to a decanter. If I can get more silage this will be a top favorite perfume of all time.

A super cozy, spiced bready scent. Smells like a natural food co-op in the best way- a bit of a granola/nutty scent mixed with cardamom and nutmeg and what reminded me of a looseleaf oolong tea. There's something a bit earthy- bordering on patchouli- in the drydown. It's a warm, comforting witchy scent that imo is perfect for fall and winter nights.

First impressions: This scent makes me a little hungry lol though it is beautiful! So many delicious layers:) Sometimes I'm not sure where I'd wear a gourmand, but I can see this being a comforting daily scent. edit: rice pudding + florals + pistachio. i feel like the pistachio sticks around longer than some of the rice milk notes i prefer

yes yes yes yes... instantly a new favorite!!! sooo delicious, sample bottle has no throw so i have to stick my nose right up against my skin but i can't stop going in for more whiffs ... perfect for a bedtime scent, or for getting cozy on a snow day, poesie at its best and coziest — i want to wrap myself in madar like a warm blanket

got this as a free sample in my first custom discovery set from poesie and was pleasantly surprised! its a really gentle rice milky sweetness, nothing heavy or cloying about it. but again, like most poesie perfumes, its very intimate. a good skin scent tho!

I wanted to love this because I love kheer, the indian rice dessert flavored with milk and cardamom. However, the pistachio and orange blossom, at least on me, overwhelm the notes of rice and cardamom and the whole thing leans too nutty and floral.

this made me go "mmmmmmmm" bc it is very comforting and tasty. i do not like typical gourmands because they are always too vanilla heavy, but this is just lactonic and cinnamon heavy. very soothing, rich, warm, nostalgic.

this is lovely... i only just ran out of my sample vial and i already miss it. very warm and cozy. i wish it was sweeter smelling, but that's my personal taste as somebody with a sweet tooth... it's very well balanced

This is the perfect spiced rice pudding, however, I dont really smell any pistachio, not much floral either.. if you are looking for a nice saffron scent, this is it, but maybe not a photorealistic scent!

It's cozy, like a day in. Rice pudding with a hit of spice.

Sweet, cozy, nutty, rice pudding scent.

cozy and comforting and well-suited for lounging around the house. smells exactly how you’d imagine but idk that this is how I personally want to smell. further into the wear, the starchy rice scent fades to leave a pretty fragrant floral dry down

The rice pudding scent is ridiculously good, but for me, the florals are generic and get in the way, and they're all that's left after a few hours.

yeah no--maybe my sample is off, but it's not cozy or gourmand. it smells... old. like your grandma's resinous garage and a bit unfamiliar to my western senses (could be the cardamom/saffron mix). as I let it sit on my skin, it's getting increasingly sweeter, not overtly or sickly but better than at first spray. nonetheless, still unlikeable. not for me