WHAT I SMELL: Rubikona seems to glide on the skin with a warm, mysterious mandarin and a rather buttery grapefruit which is quickly met with the most creamy layer of florals that seems to pour out from an ancient vessel. Intermixed, the florals seem to weave in and out, highlighted between a muted combination of rose and ylang-ylang. The creaminess is incredibly unique and it makes you wish you could bathe in its silky beauty. As the perfume continues to develop, a thin veneer of cloves begins to hover below the florals. The cloves add just the right amount of mystery as the perfume begins to warm the creamy florals while it greets the addition of an unsweetened vanilla and tart patchouli. Even though the perfume moves to this new stage in development, it continues to retain it’s creaminess as the perfume really begins to radiate. Here, Rubikona will put anyone under her spell who falls in her wake as the perfume swirls and dives as it comes off of the skin. As the perfume continues to develop, the creaminess begins to dissipate and the woody and slightly soured patchouli begins to intensify. In the end, Rubikona radiates a soft, yet powerful aura of exotic mystery. Rubikona is boldly beautiful and quietly commanding.
From the Puredistance website:
RU BI KO NA … Four distinct sounds that together form their own small symphony. Much like a perfectly cut RUBY that fascinates by the various shades of red and intensities of light. Puredistance Rubikona is a deep, warming perfume with a gracious, warm heart – safely embedded in deep blue satin. Elegance in every vein, in line with the sophisticated character of Puredistance. Rubikona is ‘Chic Inside Out’.
Top Notes – Grapefruit, Bergamot, Mandarin.
Circe, The Temptress – Charles Hermans
Middle Notes – Rose, Iris, Ylang, Clove, Orange blossom, Creamy notes.
Base Notes – Patchouli, Cedarwood, Vanilla, Solar notes, Musk.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The red temptress.
THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE RUBIKONA: creamy, exotic, enticing
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT RUBIKONA: PerfumManiac, The Fragrant Journey, CaFleureBon
BOTTOM LINE: Rubikona is an exotic beauty with a creamy heart that is beyond gorgeous. I would say that the perfume is not oriented to being an everyday perfume, but instead should be released to entice during those evenings on the town…or maybe just when you’re trying to weave a spell on that special someone in your life.
- Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
- Scent: Oriental
- Nose: Cecile Zarokian
- Classification: Unisex
- Expense: Starting at 175 Euros for 17ml parfum extrait (28% perfume oil).
WHAT I SMELL: Garanat opens with a hint of spiced cinnamon that very quickly turns to the rose. The perfume is soft and creamy, yet at the same time it grabs the wearer because it demands attention as it grows in volume and its middle eastern gravitas. There’s not a lot at play with Garanat, the perfume is a straight shot of incense infused deeply intoxicating beefish oriental rose. As such, it doesn’t change much except for the incense becoming a bit more pronounced along with a woody timbre. But from the beginning to the end, Garanat is masculine and incredibly sexy all while being a perfect gentleman. Who knew rose and incense could be so incredible? It’s a simple as that.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Middle Eastern sexiness; Egyptian actor Yasser Galal.
WHAT I SMELL: Solo’s opening is a nicely warm one with a lightly herbal lavender that is quickly met with a brightened patchouli that sits between earthy, funky and cottony fresh. There’s also an underlying citrus note that helps to keep the patchouli in an uplifted manner. Pretty much from the first spritz, the perfume is fresh, rather dewy and light with a wonderfully positive persona. As the perfume continues to develop, it begins to move to the more spiced with a lightly sweetened cumin, nutmeg and cinnamon melding with the patchouli. Thankfully, the perfume remains light and airy as the spice is kept at the right depth. Soon afterwards, the perfume begins to dry and it takes on a hazy finish. For the most part, Solo remains true to the lavender, patchouli and lightly spiced heart, but it starts moving towards a clean musk finish. But as soon as I thought it would end there, a flattened slightly sour woody note comes to the forefront and that’s unfortunate as the perfume prior to this development was very likable and now it’s just… OK.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A careworn ranch house from the 1950s or 60s. When it was built it was a beauty, but over time it has become a bit tired and dated and needs a little sprucing up.
The Scented Hound 