Fall Into Stars

I really find it hard to convey how much I love this fragrance. It's absolute magic, it's exemplary perfumery yada yada all that gushing stuff. In reality though it costs an absolute fortune and begs the question is any perfume worth dropping this kind of doe for? In a moment of weakness/stupidity....? Yes, I could be convinced. Obviously I'm not saying you are stupid if you buy this, because we all have our budgets and if you are a high roller then you can't get much better than this, truly. I mean there's plenty more expensive perfumes than this and if I had the money perhaps I would buy them all, but maybe I'd also drive a Ferrari and never wear the same pair of draws twice...? So there's that. The way it behaves on skin is amazing too. I mean initially I said about it 'filling a room' and being long lived on the strip and 'brutally strong' 'only one spray required' etc... but there's a clue in the expression there 'brutal' and that doesn't suggest a great perfume necessarily, certainly not what I'm looking for anyway. Fall into stars however only seems that way momentarily before settling into one of the most rewarding experiences only delivered by the very best perfumes in my wardrobe. I'd like to say this is only for special occasions but in reality I could wear it frequently and for any purpose and never tire of it's themes. I didn't quite know that straight away (like I said I thought it would be too strong) but wearing it today has cemented the positive feelings I had from first sniff. That first stiff is laden with oud, I mean characteristic, animalic, mild cheese, aged wood, fruits, dark booze it's a cracker and it just develops and develops. Crucially what Laudamiel has done here is make a modern seeming composition that has the heart of a middle eastern, oriental, oud attar, squarely front and centre. It has a honied depth which just keeps on giving. Then it shimmers into a gorgeous leather faceted, skin enhancement, with a huge amount of sweetness but never saccharine and no spikes from pink pepper or anything whatsoever in fact. The leather doesn't even bite, nor is it cliche smooth, you can't (at least I can't) smell any one particular material, it's a big rounded mass of a thing twinkling away like a fine cut opal or the stars the title has you falling into. Just feels like it might be a masterpiece. Thoroughly blown away by it... And being the cantankerous, misanthrope I am, I really didn't want to like it. I mean the flacon's looked average (they are actually lovely in person) the brand sort of came out of no where (don't they all?) what I mean is there's not the heritage story of a Nicholai for example. Also, I remember thinking 'she's pretty' at a lady in the pictures of the Strangelovenyc lab without realising it was Helena Christensen(!) Who is creative director. Not that it has any bearing but an interesting factoid I suppose. Also the sustainability aspect and choice of Oud as a focus may seem a bit passe now but having had a quick sniff of the other ones I can say that the quality and wonder carries through the line. The choice of Givaudan and specifically of Cool, renegade, perfumer Christophe Laudamiel was a wise one, as he seems to be teasing out the magic of oud and the other fine materials they have chosen to work with. I actually feel superior wearing it, not in a ego sense or flexing about opulent, pricey bottles or anything. I genuinely feel pity for others who don't (and really can't) smell better than me today. (wow that sounds patronising and needlessly competitive... haha) This is how I feel though, like greatness is emanating from my person. It's not fair. It's like taking an AK47 to a fist fight. If I come into some money I might buy the tiny bottle because Fall into Stars is too good not to. I think Oud lovers will like it's authenticity but I don't see it being a darling of the Attar crew. This is more about composition as as such will have a broad appeal. It's mesmerising, I am well and truly under it's spell. ps: Oh....Bless the lovely Tanja and Phine from Perfume Lounge in Amsterdam for giving me a precious sample of this stuff.

Fall Into Stars is my final Strangelove sample to try, and it is a contender for my favourite, second only to the iris-chocolate gem that is Melt My Heart. Featuring the high-quality oud that this house is known for, it is a rich, smooth, woody scent that features yellow florals prominently. The oud here is strong and dark, but not quite as pungent as in Dead of Night. It is multifaceted, at times amber-y, leathery, medicinal, woody and animalic. It is an unusual, slightly challenging composition, but is an unapologetic masterpiece. FIS has a balsamic, boozy opening, thanks to the dominant oud note that makes its presence felt from the beginning. Here, it resembles sweet amber, and rosy pink pepper adds spice. The opening of FIS brings to mind a wooden bowl of overripe fruit with a side of strong cheese, sprinkled with soft spices. It becomes dry and medicinal as it develops, the oud becoming more woody. At this point, it smells like an acupuncturist's office with old, dark wooden furniture. The yellow florals follow, hazy and pollen-y, adding soft sweetness. There is a grassiness to it here, perhaps due in part to the narcissus, resulting in a successful rendering of the whole flower. It is smooth and creamy, with vanilla adding sweetness to the florals as it develops further. The oud becomes increasingly leathery as FIS progresses, but the sweetness remains. I get some rosewood during the drydown phase - a lighter, sweeter woody note alongside the oud. Here, it almost shimmers, yet is smooth and well-blended. It fades to a musky, woody skin scent. Sillage is strong and longevity is long-lasting. It is unisex, and is best worn in cold weather. FIS is well-rounded and full-bodied, decadent but refined - utterly elegant and just the right amount of sweet. It feels like an attar, given its rich, oily texture and strong concentration of natural-smelling ingredients. This, alongside the high-quality oud, gives more than a nod to Middle Eastern tradition. Intriguing, rewarding and opulently beautiful. 5/5.

Contemporary complexity, this mostly natural rare gem is exquisite and interesting. If you haven't had the chance to smell real oud this is a good place to start. The natural funk of oud is well tamed by sweet and sour notes that enhance the fragrance. It is very unique and long lasting, the only fragrance that has this depth and complexity and similarity (that I have come across so far) is Aoud by Roja. Both are luxurious, rich and exceptional, but Roja is the classic rose-oud combo whereas fall into stars is oud-rosewood which provides a more woody, slightly spicy or smokey scent. This is why I think it is more contemporary and complex. If you are expecting instant gratification, that may just not be the case here but if you allow yourself to be inspired by the majestic night sky, the luxury will win you over. One hallmark of this is the dry down, high quality has a way of getting better as it twists and turns with your body chemistry. This is no exception and delivers and exceptional leathery smooth dry down. Only real knock is price, but I believe quality and value are interchangeable so if you get a chance to sample, take the leap because for me it is full bottle worthy.

Most of the long reviews below capture the experience better than I can, so I won't provide my own soliloquy on that. Rather I'll just state my opinion on wearability. I've tried all the Strangelove fragrances and in my opinion this one is the most wearable for men. Overall "lost in flowers" is probably actually the most wearable, but for women. While I personally like "dead of night" better on my own skin, it's not something I'd feel like a casual passerby or co-worker would necessarily find pleasant. They might just wonder "what is that smell", and that might be an even bigger problem for "silence the sea". To me "dead of night" is more addictive and sexy, and is better for wearing for those who are closer to me... but this fragrance ("fall into stars") can easily be a signature scent. "Dead of night" is still my overall favorite, but as a male fragrance wearer, "fall into stars" is the most practical, from among the Strangelove fragrances. Edit: After giving this a few more tries from the sample, I've soured on it a bit. There's too much of a Vicks vap-o-rub vibe going on with this one. It's a variation on that theme so perhaps you'll be the hit of the nursing home?

Fall into Stars is the perfect name for such a sublime fragrance, housed in a modest and unassuming bottle - it really does feel like I can fall into this one. On initial spray it casts a bitter, sticky aroma with Peru balsam, pink pepper, bergamot and ginger - before developing a thick, waxy layer of henna flower and rose. Soon after, a soft and dry oud emerges - not particularly animalic or fecal in any way, but with enough unique nuance to indicate some degree of real oud in the composition. The base is also comprised of a leathery, smoky labdanum and smooth saffron, with subtle touches of a sweet, resinous amber accord in the background. This is a masterfully blended fragrance which is wonderfully smooth and lasts all day. To me and some others I’ve mentioned this to, it almost smells like hyperrealistic black olives at times which can be a bit weird. Overall however, this scent is beautiful and captivating, but not quite enough to justify £760.