Bel Canto

Here's my full review after good three weeks of testing. Without any second thoughts, I prefer Vibrato over this one, and that scent is an easy blind buy, but don’t let this statement fool you. It is also a less complex fragrance, and if you want a deeper niche experience, Bel Canto is a better purchase. Anyway, as a big lover of sandalwood-based fragrances, I love how this smells, and with the inclusion of musk and earthy notes, it just gets deeper as the fragrance progresses. TOP NOTES With vibrant and fresh citric notes, followed by a punch of powderiness, these initial accords leave a bold impression and will quickly help you decide whether this fragrance is for you or not. Complementing the zesty freshness, floral touches, and powder, this infuses the composition with uplifting energy. HEART NOTES In my experience, the herbal accord and violet are buried deep under the powdery aspects, and the only way you’ll feel the violet is by burying your nose into the place where you have sprayed the fragrance. Interwoven with these central elements, heart notes also reveal a woody facet coming from the base notes, mainly a sublime sandalwood note. Together, this creates a certain and much-needed juxtaposition while transitioning to the part of the fragrance you will smell for most of its life. BASE NOTES The dry down is by far the best part of this scent. This grand finale is mostly about sandalwood, musk, and earthy notes, with a reminiscence of powder that lingers until the fragrance disappears from the skin. Enhancing the base further, musk and the earthy accord add a soft and subtle animalistic undertone, which is the reason why we buy niche fragrances—to experience something unusual in seemingly familiar scents. OVERALL I have found Bel Canto in the upper echelon of niche perfumery, but it has some weaknesses that prevent it, in my eyes, from reaching a masterpiece status. As for me, I will gladly wear it more when the temperatures outside start to cool down and see how it behaves then. Read the full review at scentgrail.com

This one is extremely delicious to me. I heard that infamous fragrance YouTuber - who I personally have literally no issues with but you know I’m not up on all the controversy - compare it to two of my favorite perfumes (Gris Charnel and Santal Complet) so I ordered a decant from a website I had never ordered from before and although their decanter bottle leaked everywhere I’ve had enough juice left to give this a real go and I have liked it progressively more every time I’ve worn it. The sandalwood/Amber/vanilla/musk base is a little bit nutty - like the food nuts - to me. And to my nose it’s not at all like either GC or SC buuuuuuuut I do see why if you like those two you may very well like this. The opening is a little bit fresh, those are the green, citrus and voilet notes I think, but it rather quickly settles down to a creamy very delectable vanilla/sandalwood beauty. I really really like it. I just bought myself a FB, and that was a pricey investment. However I find myself drawn to that damn 10 mL decant over and over and it’s almost gone. I am happy to spend $$$$ on fragrances as long as I love and want to wear them. This one is unique to my collection as well, don’t have a dupe or semi dupe comparison. However if you are a sandalwood lover, I recommend getting a sample and trying it out. I am looking forward to that FB landing at my door soon. I also got a decant of Ylang in Gold around the same time so ended up combining them and I really love that combo. I think it’s a decent performer, not eternal but the creamy slightly nutty scent bubble sort of wafts around me for hours so that is good enough for me.

Last year's release, still flying under the radar with couple of reviews, the fragrance embraces its lack of hype. I haven't had the chance to try Santal Complet or Gris Charnel, so I can't make that comparison, but I can share a few words for those interested in this one. I received it just yesterday and wore it throughout the day. The fragrance boasts very good longevity and projection, lasting around 8 hours based on my experience. Its scent profile is a blend of woody, powdery, musky, and fresh notes, making it a truly unisex fragrance that doesn't lean towards any particular side. The ingredients exhibit a niche-level quality, but comparable to some of the best offerings from Dior or Chanel so take it as you want. While this initial impression is promising, I will provide a comprehensive review on scentgrail.com in the coming weeks for a more detailed description. I also sampled Vibrato yesterday, which is an easy blind buy, whereas Bel Canto offers a more complex experience that may require multiple wearings to determine if it's worth your hard-earned cash.

‘While, as a style, it is full of sublime beauty, it is also extraordinarily simple. The characters say what they feel and talk about what they want. ’ -Fred Plotkin- Bel canto, a term used in opera, focuses on the music, particularly the voice. ‘Beauty' is the key word when it comes to bel canto. The artist plays a central part, enriching the character with nuances. Bel Canto is a fragrance, soft, airy, that opens in a hesperidian tone but then becomes soft, mellow, slightly powdery, involving. I would call it a cloud of olfactory notes. It has an intense evolution, wait for it and enjoy it, it is really wonderful. It's on the wishlist.

I have absolutely fallen in love with 'bel canto.' It is the fall scent l have been looking for. It is easily unisex but l find a feminine leaning; however, I think it depends on the woman. If you give off a sexy, sensual, sex goddess vibe, this is for you. I wasn't sure at first but l kept going back and it kept drawing me back. It makes me feel libidinous and seductive. My man says it was the catalyst for the best afternoon EVER! Not for girly girls unless you are in the mood. I wish the longevity was a little better. 4.5/5