Equus No 8

So subtle and so delicious. It has some familiarity to it that I can't place. It's a bit like sitting round a fire on christmas, not at all pungent or astringent in its dark smokiness. The cloves, rosewood, and vetiver do a very nice job of balancing everything out. This scent is rich and a little sweet and I love everything about it. Intimate in its trail, it will stick with you for hours but never overwhelm. Fantastic blend.

How wonderful is this world of perfumes 🙂 So, let the title be and remain just that. This is more of a perfume story, a sense of admiration that has now grown into a recommendation. I see all sorts of things being recommended—beautiful gifting gestures, discounts, and the like—so I decided to contribute in my own way, with my experience, my recommendation, and, conveniently, it’s on sale. Let's go back to last year when I ordered a sample from the brand YeYe Parfums (USA). It was a sample of Golden Aura, which turned out to be too sweet for me. I quickly gave up on it and passed it along, but something about this brand kept nagging at me. My next step was another sample, Equus No 8. I found it somewhat intriguing but kept it in reserve, not really finding an occasion to wear it. So I decided to let it sit on a test strip, where it could linger without judgment. On paper, it was both a yes and a no, but my constant sniffing of the blotter was a sign that something about it was tempting me. Or, as we might say in more modern terms, it was "triggering" something in me. It was last Christmas Eve when I decided, for the first time, to actually wear this perfume on my skin, on my neck. Three sprays...a good moment, good timing, a cool wintery atmosphere, with a Christmas vibe in the air—decorated trees, the scent of mulled wine, roasting meats... And this rascal on my neck followed all that nicely, refusing to fade, and as time passed, it somehow got better and better. I found it interesting, secretly wanting it, but the universe never aligned with me for an online purchase. I didn’t really bother checking when the fragrance was made or anything; I googled a little, but there wasn’t much info about the brand—just a few reviews here and there. And now, today, Saturday afternoon, October 5, 2024, I thought I'd use the time to reorganize my perfume samples, reshuffling things on the shelf, sniffing a few again, letting them sit...and so on in a loop. Once again, I visited the online shop, looking at it in the virtual display while sniffing it off the blotter, when—what do you know?—it’s on sale. Not everything, just a few items, but Equus No 8 was one of them! Okay, I let my mind wander again, listening to music, doing other things around the house, and now, in the evening, I decided to google it again. I’m reading all sorts of things, and with the blotter still under my nose, I think... Alright, let’s search it on YouTube, turn on the subtitles (even if they’re bad, you can catch the gist through both the text and some of the spoken words). And there, I find an honestly beautiful review by some fun people who are completely natural, free from any stereotypes, reviewing the perfume I like. The guys said almost everything I was thinking, what I was sensing, and I’m translating it all in my head from that strange English-Croatian translation, haha. I look down at the video description... Video posted 8 years ago!! My God... Where has this perfume been all this time?? It came out 8 years ago, and I only discovered it last year... Wow, I’m really late, I think to myself. How many other creations are there like this around us, which maybe didn’t come out 8 years ago but are still hidden somewhere, waiting? In my case, timing is key—letting things sit, which I love doing even if something gives me an initial hint of liking it. I let it wait... Maybe it’s just my whim, maybe it’s my mood at the time. Let’s try it, for example, when I’m in a bad mood, tired, without much enthusiasm. And if it wins me over even then (as it did today)? Then I think there’s nothing more to add; it’s either bought or seriously considered for purchase. Especially with the discount—from €185 for 100ml down to €139. For this kind of gem? Totally worth it. I’d just like to note that you don’t have to take my excitement personally. This is simply my answer to myself, confirming my theory about how I approach and contemplate certain perfume structures that aren’t in our immediate surroundings and aren’t always within easy reach. But they are reachable in certain moments or at least in our thoughts. Today, I got my answer: Equus No 8, released 8 years ago, and I’m buying it now 🙂 This is not the type of scent that will be worn often, it’s not a fragrance that will be a crowd-pleaser, nor something designed to stand out and appeal to others. This is a perfume that strives to appeal to you. A fragrance that demands observation, study, patience, and maybe one moment or another, perhaps a different day, or like in my case, even a whole year. I’ve decided to embrace it and accept it as something unique, which this perfume truly is. I’ve adopted it as something for me, for myself. For some things, I don’t have the words, but I do have feelings within me that quietly speak for me. I navigate myself in terms of observing and balancing myself with the perfume: where, when, and how much to wear it? For instance, this is an autumn and winter scent. It’s for a rainy fall, with a cozy sweater, just two sprays—something quite unique. For perfume enthusiasts and niche experts in the group? Let me openly say this... Buy it, and thank me later. I draw a parallel to music: we listen to a certain genre, as individuals among ourselves, but everyone prefers something different, something personal and unique. We might agree on certain genres because they are foundational to us, and we might accept others because they come recommended by people we trust, whose refined tastes we believe in, giving new things a chance. Out of all the albums, at least one track will hit you hard and sweep you off your feet, while something else might turn you off. But you’ll accept it because...a certain solo won you over, even though you rate the whole album a 6.5 out of 10. Sentimental reasons come into play too—maybe you like the album cover or something else nostalgic about it... The moment you listened to that album and with whom. There are many factors. I’m doing this alone, I don’t have a "record player" for nostrils to play you this album...But here’s one recommendation from a perfume enthusiast who writes in a strange language, writes reviews, and takes photos of perfumes... Equus No 8, from me to you. Ig: frag_explorer

Smells so familiar but so different. If you find yourself face to face with Equus, it's probably because you've entered the Encre Noire portal years ago to get here. In the opening, it appears that YeYe tried to make good on their promise to deliver something tantalizing as this starts out like rubber that's been exposed to flame. While this never becomes a forest fire, it does maintain skin scent strength. To be honest, the other notes doesn't contribute enough oomph to satisfy or pacify hence leaving a trail of "boring" into the atmosphere further debunking anything tantalizing. As you sniff your skin for validation, you'll notice a minty nuance which is likely created by the white musk. With myrhh and patchouli muted, this kinda allowed the musk to become the most interesting thing here. Indifferent. Christmas Tree.

I am going to be very happy prancing around in a cloud of Equus (which has to be one of the oddest names for a perfume EVAH) and nothing like the clouds described in their pub above! More of a cloud of smouldering campfire smoke from eucalyptus and pine wood, tempered by a bit of Middle Eastern Spice perhaps, and a curious hint of camphor — hence the eucalyptus wood. This scent defines DARK and could use a teeny lift, like finishing a rich sauce with a bit of acid, but it's delicious on its own. It smells oddly natural, with none of those synthetic BLACK aromachemicals I always like in theory but make me cough. Perfect for a rainy winter in Paris!

This is probably one of the best "smoky" scents I've ever tried. The smoky vibe is certainly more subtle (think along the lines of Tea for Two). The main notes I seem to pick up are rose, leather, and myrrh slightly sweetened by the saffron. Very well blended. If this sounds at all appealing to you, I'd suggest sampling it.