Byzance (2019)

To me, Rochas Byzance (2019) is a complete Masterpiece! Let's start with the bottle design - so good and luxurious when you hold it in person! It's real pleasure to see so high quality presentation by Rochas! This blue color is stunning and the contrast with the gold nuances is so captivating in reality... About the smell - wow, wow, wow!!! It got soft and rounded opening - fresh, gentle, slightly juicy, creamy, mild and...cold. Yes, this cold accord at the beginning is very well put and it gives elegant and stylish, slightly mature touch. Later, the magic happens! When the vanilla note, becomes the Queen of the composition - mmmm, no words to describe it! So cozy, so creamy(almost ambery), deep and incredible sexy/naughty... It's not too sweet or overwhelming, but the vanilla note is done in the best possible way in my opinion, because it gives depth, but at the same time playful/modern sexy approach. And I found very interesting moment - despite the vanilla and the attractive juicy, and creamy character, the scent keeps a long time the clean-musky accord which makes me crazy about Rochas Byzance (2019)! I'm very impresses with it, because this is a modern scent, very attractive, sensual, deep, sexy, comfortable and at the same time it brings some elegance and classy feel. I know it sound confusing and controversial, but that's how I feel it. Bravo Rochas! Excellent fragrance in a stunning bottle!

I recently purchased this as a blind buy based on reviews and a distant memory of the original formulation. I've had it on for about six hours, and here are my thoughts.... The first few minutes were very challenging. I got a strong blast of alcohol and heliotrope and was convinced that this was going to smell cheap and horrible. But, after about ten minutes, the alcohol dissipated and the warmth of the vanilla crept in. I'll admit that, at this point, I started to see some resemblance to Dior Addict. And then it changed again! Twenty minutes in, and I could smell the woody notes and a musk note not unlike the one in Narciso Rodriguez's Narciso. But, ultimately, this actually reminds me a lot of YSL's Manifesto. Is it safe for work? Maybe... but I wouldn't spray this and leave the house immediately. In my experience, it needs time to settle down and develop. Is it suitable for going out? Probably... it's strong enough to leave a light trail but not so overwhelming that it would become cloying. In all likeliness, I'll wear this one in the fall, daytime on the weekends and the weekdays that I work from home. It gets closer to the skin as it wears, and as other reviewers have noted, it dries down to a beautiful vanilla. I'm not sure that I would rush out and buy this again, but I'm not unhappy with my purchase. The bottle is stunning! It's a big "like" from me!

First thing first: this doesn't have any resemblance to the original Byzance; this is a completely new fragrance. Secondly, you have to try this scent on skin, warm skin, in order to make it bloom: I think the pyramid doesn't show all notes as it is much more complex and with a more interesting evolution than the notes would suggest, but it needs to be on skin. If L'Instant Magic and Hypnotic Poison had a baby, this would be it. Immediately after spraying you may think that this is very similar to L'Instant Magic, including the anise and iris notes, a beautiful, heavenly powdery vanilla scent with something you may identify as the Guerlinade. In the drydown though it transits from that angelic fluffiness, typical of what some people may associate to baby products, to a sultry sensual undertone with some more carnal flowers, the almond and the sandalwood notes, moving into a rather makeup/boudoir scent territory and becoming a true oriental. It is a beautiful, truly addictive and actually quite modern interpretation of the genre. It has a quite good longevity: sprayed on my neck 4 times in the morning, I could smell it until night and stayed on my hair til next day. The bottle is to die for, maybe even better than the original one, if this is possible.

I was so excited when I found out they were making a new Byzance. I loved the original and was so sad when it was impossible to find anymore. Many say that it doesn't resemble the original but I disagree. I think it has some of the same notes though not as strong and spicy and doesn't last as long (which as for days!) I wore through 5-6 full size bottles of the original over the years, so I'm very familiar with what it smelled like. I can't complain about the longevity of the new version as compared to other fragrances on the market right now. I've had it on for 9 hours and it is still subtly detectable under my sweater-so I see that as a win. I use 5 sprays-3 on my stomach and two on my chest and it is only heavy for the first 1/2 hour or so. When I initially sprayed it I immediately felt something so familiar. So again, I disagree that it's NOTHING like the original. It's got its similarities, but I agree not as spectacular. I'm not getting that much vanilla from it but perhaps that is because it is tempered by the bergamot, heliotrope and freesia. Gotta admit that I love this, wish there was more power to it and will purchase it every chance I get lest they discontinue this as well. At least now I have something that's almost IT.

Ce doux Byzance, qui se dévoile après quelques minutes en une douce vanille élégante et poudrée est vraiment différent. Il me parait être à Byzance ce qu'est Shalimar millésime vanille est à Shalimar : l'héritage vanillé du rêve oriental. Bien que l' ADN soit perceptible, c'en est fini du goût du siècle dernier ou les nez anesthésiés par le tabac se relevaient au passage d'une magnifique outrageusement parfumée. Ce nouveau Byzance est une renaissance moderne réussie et pas une rénovation vintage. Le flacon joue le rêve. J'ai comparé ce nouveau Byzance à l'ancien dont j'ai gardé une miniature pleine et je les ai testés sur chacun de mes poignets. L'ancien Byzance était pour moi un parfum dans la veine du nouveau Poison... je ne le supporte toujours pas. J'ai acquis ce nouveau parfum, qui n'a rien a voir avec l'ancien, avec plaisir.