WHAT I SMELL: Warda Al Oud opens with a thick and heady osmanthus that feels as if it’s dripping off the skin. It’s big, bold, rich and completely overwhelming but in the best possible way. While the main star is the osmanthus, jasmine begins its ascent to the osmanthus mountain by adding hints of the light and bright. After a bit, a buttery note makes its way in making it feel more like a lotion than a perfume. I don’t want to call it pretty at this point, instead it’s beautiful in a seductively exotic, erotic and carnal way. Here the perfume resides for quite some time, it’s rounded and voluptuous and it’s hard to believe that there’s any oud in it because it’s so smooth and just slightly earthy. As the perfume slowly continues to develop, the jasmine and a slightly soapy metallic rose dance intertwined in a lilting manner off of the skin. In the end, Warda Al Oud exquisitely embraces the wearer and anyone lucky enough to be near them.
From the Xerjoff website:
Warda al Oud opens with pungent osmanthus and seductive jasmine. Hints of Cambodian oud and tobacco notes are married to bitter roses and establish their auburn scent reign.
Warda al Oud is an attar composition of condensed metallic rose embracing the smoky oud and musk which intensifies the incense.
OLFACTORY NOTES
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- Bergamot
- Osmanthus, Jasmine, Bulgarian & Damascus Rose
- Vanilla, Cambodian Oud, Amber & Musk
Actress Peggy Drake, 1941.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Seduction.
THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE WARDA AL OUD: thickened, creamy, rapturous
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT WARDA AL OUD: Scented Intuitions
BOTTOM LINE: It is very rare for me to make a blind buy anymore. But this offering was on sale and combined with a very generous coupon allowed for this beauty to end up in my collection. I was a bit worried that with “oud” in the name the perfume would be too heavy, but Cambodian Oud is much softer and that’s very true in this case. Warda Al Oud is so wonderfully beautiful and it blooms off the skin in the hot environment that I live in without becoming cloying and heavy. But what I love most about this perfume is that it stays with you in a very quiet manner throughout the day and into the evening…and even the next morning. Actually, it’s like a haunting tune that you can’t get out of your head.
- Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
- Scent: Amber
- Nose: Chris Maurice
- Classification: Unisex
- Expense: $225 for 10 ml attar
WHAT I SMELL: Desiria opens with a soft and beautifully haunting magnolia that’s sheer, light and airy. It also feels as if it’s been infused with puffs of cotton as it’s warmed with a light ambered hue. As the perfume slowly exhales like a deep breath off the skin, a rounded rose quietly comes to the forefront as if a magic wand had been handed over from the magnolia to the rose. The rose is lightly sweetened, but for the most part, it stays mysteriously wrapped up in the sheer cotton just like the magnolia was. Here the perfume remains, projecting nicely but with an ethereal persona. Desiria isn’t complicated, but she’s sheer magic.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Rose colored feathers.
me that it was Desiria. I told her how nice it was but that I was surprised how soft it was for a perfume for men. Of course, not needing another perfume in my collection, I did what every perfumista does…I asked for a sample. When I got back home, I looked up the perfume on the Bvlgari website. Interestingly, it can’t be found on the US site, but it is available on the Bvlgari Mexican site (for international sales only?). I also found that there is Desiria for women (pictured up at top) and Desiria for men (see bottle to the left). In looking at the website copy it appears to be the same, but the notes are slightly different (but I do think it’s the same perfume). What is crazy is that the 100 ml for women is approximately $440 and the 100 ml for the men’s version is approximately $500. In any case, if anyone knows if they are the same I would love to know. And as much as this is a beautiful perfume, it does not justify anywhere near the price they are asking. I am so confused!
WHAT I SMELL: Melody of the Sun opens with an herbal lemon and grapefruit that’s semi-juicy and lightly warmed. It’s an intoxicating mix of fresh fruit that shines over an ever increasing green tea note along with a ripened osmanthus. The perfume really draws you in with its positive energy and it’s also rather sexy in a “come-hither” way. As it continues to develop, a powdered jasmine infused musk blends masterfully with a warmed amber so the perfume manages to retain a wonderful depth. But after some more time, the perfume turns to the “bathtastic” as it begins to resemble the remnants of bubble bath that still lingers in the tub. In the end, Melody of the Sun moves away from the bath and rests in a floral musk that’s pretty and very easy to wear.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: 1950’s pinup sun bathing beauty. It’s clean, fresh, pretty and kind of sexy in a flirtatious way.
The Scented Hound 