Mirages Babylon

Now I’m going to have to update this when I’ve had more experience of this fragrance but from initial sampling I absolutely adored this. My love of Prada and Andrier is well documented but I have to say the quality and creativity of this day/night line is very impressive. Now they are all pigeonholed, quite literally into catagories Leather, patchouli, Amber, oud/rose etc.... The smell of the top notes of this fragrance remind me of a friends house when I was a kid, taking me right back there, it’s not the first time I’ve had this olfactory total recall either but it’s not one note that does it, more of an accord. I don’t know whether it was my friends mum’s perfume or they used to burn incense or a combination of other things, I’ve no idea? The main thing I can attribute it to is my favourite catalyst ingrient in all perfumery Labdaum, forming a complex and luxurious opening. It then dies way back when settled to be honest, coming more into a subte sandalwood in the perfumers signature understated style. Also considering the night line are some of the more opulent feeling scents, makes me think Andrier was told to leave nothing in the lab, likely relishing using materials outside of her usual comfort zone. I loved it. I will update when I’ve worn it more comprehensively but imagine high quality sandalwood and resin with a minimalist feel of something like a Santal 33...but smells nothing like it. If you get me? Anyway...I’m encouraging fans to try this line because I liked them all.

This is a beautiful sandalwood/amber fragrance. I blind bought it. I love sandalwood and already had a couple from this line so when I found this at 50% off brand new I grabbed it. This is a very smooth fragrance. Creamy and comforting. I will have to update after spending more time with it. But it lasts on my skin (in August) over 12 hours. At 12 hours its soft bur still very detectable. This smells nothing like Le Labo Santal 33. Which is a good thing because when I tried it in the past, I hated it. It's not spicy like TF Santal Blush either. Think creamy and somewhat dark. I tried layering it with TF Lost Cherry and it goes great together for a more "late summer " day. This was worth every penny! Can't wait until fall/ winter to wear this again.

Basic in composition as this is purely sandalwood and amber to my nose, but it is strangely complex. It is more of a cold weather fragrance but can be worn all year round IME (except for hot and humid summer days). I bought this at a Prada boutique in Paris for full price as it was love at first sniff. It is expensive but the online discounters get it from time to time and it is definately worth checking out. I wouldn’t blind buy this one though as it likely isn’t for everyone. Packaging is cool and very high quality if that is important to anyone.

Definitely more masculine - it has a nice sandalwood, but sports that kind of fresh aftershave vibe. Cold amber, pungent even. The Labdanum is actually at the back the whole time. Softens at 2nd hour. Can be wore in all seasons for sure, as that cold-ish vibe allows that. Not for me, but superb quality again (I own Midnight Train) - message me if you'd like 80-85ml of the 100ml bottle.

Crispy caramel amber... I get a crispy caramelized spices and some amber on the base that i can barely sense! but it is there. I believe the drydown has a touch of green added to it that can't be defined unless you focus into the depth of the scent with some hints of labdanum, traces of sandalwood, & drops of cedar oil. This is another beautiful creation indeed. Beautiful.