Ambra Aurea

Time to reach out more for the scents that cut through the cold. I wear whatever I feel like all year round, but there are a few scents that fare better in the cold. Ambra Aurea is one of them. Not necessarily because it is an amber scent, but because it is so thick and oily that it often becomes suffocating in the heat, while it envelops you like a warm cocoon during the cold Winter months. It is one of the most renowned Amber perfumes on the market, and rightfully so. Among the true amber fragrances in my collection, it is the least dynamic and unique, but it delivers in quality what it lacks in diversity. My main complaints with Profumum Roma scents are: 1) they are rather linear, and 2) too sweet for my tastes. Boy, they sure love their sweetness. However, Ambra Aurea, while it is sweet, never gets on my nerves. There is a strong bitterness from the myrrh, as well as a saltiness from the ambergris to help offset the sweetness. Surprisingly, this is an amber scent that is rather complex, going through several transitions along the way. I think it is one of the strongest creations in their line, at least for my tastes. It opens up with a strong note of myrrh that smells bitter, medicinal, and earthy to the point of feeling fungal. It has this oily texture from the get-go, almost like you're applying essential oil rather than perfume, but then these Profumum scents are very concentrated. There is also a saline quality with a hint of muskiness and tobacco-like facets, most likely attributed to the ambergris. As it settles down, it becomes sweeter, smokier, and more toffee-like. It gets significantly sweeter compared to the opening, but is kept in check by the other factors. Another thing that becomes more apparent as it evolves is the smokiness. For the first two hours or so, I wouldn’t call this a smoky amber, but in the dry-down, it gets really smoky. I like how it progresses, and I appreciate the quality of materials and the ratios used to create the perfect balance. As mentioned, it’s not a unique take on amber, but surely one of the best interpretations on the market, and of very high quality also. IG:@memory.of.scents

"Best Organic Amber Fragrance" Profumum Roma is what I call the quintessential of a no nonsense house. Fragrances from this house don't have middle and base notes. There are only 2-3 top notes that are easily detectable. However, they are executed in a simple yet elusive and perfectionist manner. If Amouage Opus VI is the most sophisticated amber based fragrance, Ambra Aurea is the most raw and organic amber fragrance in the business. Unlike most amber fragrances that are mixed with vanilla, Ambra Aurea is mixed with smoke and has a dark and earthy element to it. It reminds me of handpicking a large chunk of amber from nature in a cold day and placing it among wood branches in a woody fireplace. Ahhh, it is so beautiful. It glows for hours and hours and keeps getting better and riper with time. Apply no more than two sprays. I applied three sprays at 6:30 am when I left the home and was called a French whore at least three times during the day. The last of which was at 3:15 pm. This thing is even stronger than Amouage Interlude in some ways. It is really powerful with nuclear projection and is pungent enough to fill a large conference or ballroom. You will get noticed, and heads will be turned to say the list. The facial expressions of my coworker when he walked in my cubicle to ask a few questions but instead was exposed to the powerful Ambra Aurea will last in my mind for a long time. This is a dragon, a beast, but also a beast with a good heart. Oh God, I love this fragrance <3. Amra Auera is expensive, but totally worth the money. If you are an amber lover, you must add Ambra Aurea to your collection. 10/10 for a world class fragrance.

I usually don't even like Ambergris... I tend to find it a bit funky and gross. But in this fragrance it's just really great. (According to the official site the amber note is in fact Ambergris, not just "Amber" as listed on this page.) This has a slightly boozy and sweet opening which sort of reminds me of a ginger ale cocktail or something. However within just a minute or two this initial vibe quickly evaporates (although that opening does last much longer on clothes) and the fragrance settles into being warm, dark, resinous, woody, cozy, slightly sweet in a sort of dry and powdery way... And also salty which makes it a bit animalic but not in a funky or gross way, more like a warm and slightly gamey kinda way. It doesn't smell like "perfume", really... Just like many other Profumum Roma fragrances, it feels natural, raw and rugged. I definitely see why some describe this as The Best Amber. It's very rich and possibly a bit challenging, but really smooths out as it dries down. In the far drydown, about 6-8 hours in, it almost gets a bit of a headshop incense kinda vibe as a skin scent, with a subtle vanilla peeking out. The longevity is amazing, it's one of very few fragrances that I can still clearly smell on my arm even after a full night's sleep. I would actually say that it just gets better and better the more it dries down. It's almost at its best the day after wearing it, when it sticks around as a subtle, resinous vanilla skin scent, especially on clothes where it just lasts forever. Definitely unisex, but the raw ruggedness probably makes it lean masculine. It would take a certain kind of woman to pull this off.

I often wear my most coveted, most beloved fragrances at bedtime (okay nightly) as aromatherapy. I'm going through a rough spell. I find certain fragrances help me sleep, help me remain asleep. I was feeling ill and very nauseous the other night. I couldn't bear the thought of spraying an uber-sweet, sticky, vanilla gourmand. I thought, "I would love a full, pure, dense, natural, lovely amber-centric fragrance." Nothing more, nothing less. So, I purchased Profumum Roma "Ambra Aurea" and Histoires de Parfums "Ambre 114." Not sure how to compare, or rate Ambra Aurea because I know very little about amber fragrances. Any amber based fragrances I ever tried, were worn way in the past, like nearly a decade back. I always thought amber perfumes performed very masculine on my skin. With this said, I own and love Chanel "Coromandel." I also owned and love By Kilian "Incense Oud." Ambra Aurea is beautiful and other-worldly. Truth-be-told, the perfume is glorious. Ambra Aurea wears as a smooth, dense, non-cloying, woody, (sorta) boozy fragrance. AA develops into a creamy, woody, smoky, resinous, amber-vanilla scent. The base notes are wood, vanilla, beautiful incense and some spice (from the myrrh, I assume). And there's lovely, golden amber (of course), start-to-finish. Duration and silage are enormous. I did one spray on each wrist when the fragrance arrived and my husband could smell me from the next room. I love it. It is gorgeous. I hope to have Ambra Aurea for life.

The most exquisite amber perfume I have encountered to date. If you are familiar with Tom Ford's Amber Absolute, you have a vague idea of what this perfume smells like--a high-quality woody amber. Oh but there is so much more to this one [rubbing hands together mischievously]. The woody amber forms only the base on top of which sits an undeniably natural note of precious, increasingly rare, ambergris. The ambergris here reminds me so much of that which is used in Guerlain's Encens Mythique d'Orient--a whale's breath, shimmering sea water on a dancing whales back. It is sweet, ethereal, translucent, and salty enough to cause one to salivate. Adding another twist to this already exquisite creation, the ambergris smells as if it has been smoked or partially burned (I understand ancient Egyptians burned ambergris as incense). The whole concoction is like a smooth, woody amber mixed with roasted vanilla salt water taffy. It is just on the cusp of being gourmand, but the ambergris' slightly animalic scent renders it entirely inedible. This really is an amber masterpiece. It is highly recommended for amber lovers, particularly those who wish to become more familiar with the scent of ambergris in particular. Ford's amber, although good at what it set out to accomplish, IMHO cannot hold a candle to this.