Encore

This is so lovely, very soft, sweet and powdery. I was sure I smelled pear while testing it, after I looked at the notes I realised it’s peach. The beginning is a little rough and intensive for a second but as it dries down I can smell carrots, more like carrot cake but not like heavy gourmand but more like juicy. After that the pear (obviously peaches but to my nose it’s pears) and then at the finish really lovely powdery and sweet iris. It’s so well blended. But I don’t think it’s a safe blind buy blind buy because you really have to like very sweet perfumes to like this one. And I wouldn’t call it a gourmand more fruity floral.

I really like it, it’s fresh and comforting, probably my favourite from the sample set. I think I really enjoy the carrot seed for me it’s my first with this ingredient. It’s not ground breaking but it can be for me an easy reach in spring. Last on my skin around 6h, but definitely stick to my clothes 12h+.

Encore opens quite earthy from the carrot note (definitely more carrot seed, there's nothing cake-like about the opening). It starts off very unisex, but becomes a little more feminine as it develops on the skin. A soft and powdery note emerges with a hint of sweetness, a mix of iris and milky sandalwood with a bare touch of vanilla. I found the vanilla note needs milder weather to blossom, because when I tried this in winter I didn't get any vanilla at all. Very casual, easy going scent that would be good for every day. Definitely a "white T-shirt" kind of vibe. Sadly the staying power is pretty average on me, and it has almost no projection. It's a skin scent, so good if you work somewhere where loud scents are not welcome. Encore reminds me a lot of Santal Du Pacifique from Perris Monte Carlo with that carrot and iris combo. While lovely, it's not on the wish list mainly due to the performance and that I have a few iris scents I like more (such as Bois d'Iris.)

I own two Teo Cabanel fragrances (Oh La La and Je Ne Sais Quoi), and enjoyed many others from their lineup, so I was very excited to try Encore when I saw it announced. The notes seemed to be right up my alley. The first thing I get from Encore is a punch of powdery iris/orris, which might turn off some people. That phase goes out quickly and then the "creamy carrot cake" idea/accord comes in. Not sure how much I'm influenced by the marketing photos but I do really get the carrot-y dough and the cream cheese icing. I love carrot cake and I found myself salivating when it kicked in -- it is very realistic IMO. To my nose, there's sweetness for sure, along with a very light spiceness and milkness. I can't smell the peach at all. At the dry-down, I get the sandalwood. For now, I've been wearing Encore before bed and it's a great comforting, "chill" kind of scent designed for those who like light gourmands.

The most beautiful part of this perfume is the chai latte (or masala), milky and spicy, quite persistent for the top accord, it stays on me for at least two hours. And then there is the wonderful orris/carrot, at first it's like a sweet soft boiled carrot, and after a while you can smell the wonderful fresh carrots with earthy notes. We had the opportunity to smell the chords on the launch party, and there honestly was a smell the freshness of a real vegetable with little pinches of earthy scent, it's so original and beautiful! The base is made of milky sandalwood accords. When the chai latte disappears, a rather spicy and very noticeable sandalwood comes to play a first role. The transition between the chai and sandalwood is really smooth and elegant. I thought it would be more gourmand, but it's not sweet at all. It lasts on my cold skin for 4-5 hours, which is more than enough.