It's not often I'm relieved to discover that a perfume is less than spectacular. I've got so many 'must buy' Amouages on my list, that the prospect of yet another one was giving me serious cause for worry in my all-too-rare moments of idleness. So, perversely, I am grateful that Beloved Man won't tempt me to part with my cash. When compared to last year's Beloved Woman - a far-reaching chypre composed by Bernard Ellena - it feels like something of a let-down. But taken on its own terms, it's a solid, competent, ambery-wood masculine.
Fans of Guerlain's Heritage and Cartier's Declaration will recognise several elements of those scents here, but Beloved Man adds an 'exotic' twist, mainly through the use of pepper (always warm; never sneeze-inducing) and a strange, grapefruit-inflected, melting plastic note, not unlike that displayed by Interlude Woman. In combination with cardamom, the aforementioned amber and a disappointingly prominent dose of abrasive wood materials, this curious facet unsettles the wearer and diminishes the romantic effect implied by the scent's name. But it settles down before too long and makes room for an innocuous, musky drydown.
Perhaps Creative Director Christopher Chong asked Symrise's Alexandra Carlin to give him what one might call a 'safe' masculine. If so, I'd say she's served the brand fairly well. Short-lived weirdness notwithstanding, Beloved Man is sturdy, predictable and it doesn't attract much attention to itself... attributes for which my wallet will no doubt be thankful. Now I'm holding my breath for the arrival of Opus VII...
[Review based on a sample of eau de parfum provided by Amouage in 2013.]
Persolaise.
Perhaps Creative Director Christopher Chong asked Symrise's Alexandra Carlin to give him what one might call a 'safe' masculine. If so, I'd say she's served the brand fairly well. Short-lived weirdness notwithstanding, Beloved Man is sturdy, predictable and it doesn't attract much attention to itself... attributes for which my wallet will no doubt be thankful. Now I'm holding my breath for the arrival of Opus VII...
[Review based on a sample of eau de parfum provided by Amouage in 2013.]
Persolaise.
I have tried this twice now (thanks to the testers they have at the stores) and really enjoyed wearing it. Maybe it is not as amazingly unusual as you might expect from Amouage but, I love the amber and woody dry down, which I don't find overly masculine. I feel like it would make for an excellent everyday scent and it does last forever on my skin. I am not sure I will be able to resist it if the purple box is as nice as it looks in pictures! I am with you on eagerly awaiting Opus VII though!
ReplyDeleteDubaiscents, I'm glad you like it. No, it's not especially unusual, but then I guess every brand needs to have a few 'safe' entries in its portfolio.
DeleteI had a sneaking suspicion that most exceedingly strange grapefruit accord in Interlude Woman would pop ug again...;) Nevertheless, I kook forward to trying it, making up my own mind and trying to wrap my words around it, too! And yes...Opus VII...Can. Not. Wait.
ReplyDeleteTarleisio, I'm looking forward to seeing what you make of it. And yes, the anticipation for Opus VII just keeps growing!
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