Some fragrances should be weaker

So I had a thought today. Decided to revisit Frederic Malle’s Portrait of a Lady after getting a little 7ml dabber bottle of it with a purchase on the website. I’ve tried it before on a blotter and immediately dismissed it as faintly grandmother smelling. Even so I thought I’d give it a spin on skin after so many men saying that it’s surprisingly unisex… And yeah. I liked it.

Won’t bore you all with why but initially I was loving the dark, spicier notes that appeared on my skin. It’s got this gothic vibe. Like a Type o negative song or something.

But it just didn’t go away. It keeps going. The spicy rose just doesn’t quit, even 6 hours in I’m still smelling it strongly and I only dabbed a bit on my neck and arm. Can only imagine how hardcore this stuff is out of an atomiser.

It got me thinking that it would be better if the performance wasn’t so quite as bombastic. It would actually be better put together if the spice died down a bit and the rose blended with the incense.

I feel that we’re a little too obsessed with performance in this game. Felt the same when I tried matiere premier. Sometimes at the detriment of the perfume.

What do you guys think? You guys feel the same way sometimes?