FRAGRANCE | Absinthe EDP by Franck Boclet: An interesting green but with performance issues

halfwhiteboy - Absinthe EDP by Franck Boclet

Franck Boclet's Absinthe is my first from this house, a blind buy with which I took a risk. Even as I've already set my sights on Tobacco, which seemed like a sure-fire hit in my book considering how I love tobacco-based scents, I chose to look the other way all in pursuit of trying different scent profiles.

Absinthe opens with a brief blast of alcohol. I don't know if it's meant to somehow recreate absinthe the drink but to be honest it isn't the most pleasant opening in a fragrance. Good thing it dies down really quickly and then comes an herbal, green concoction with a bitter undertone, but not as bitter as, say, Sisley's Eau de Campagne. It's a moist kind of green, almost creamy, and is quite distinguishable from other green scents.

All this mellows in an hour or under, still characteristically green but now with earthy nuances. Well, Absinthe isn't loud to begin with, so this transition isn't drastic; more like it's settling down after a moderate, initial blast. Sometimes I don't mind fragrances with soft projection, especially if the scent profile calls for it because there are scents that are best enjoyed up close. Unfortunately, Absinthe doesn't seem to fit the bill because it's not a sexy, intimate scent.

Too bad it also doesn't last long, which is disappointing for an EDP. I need multiple resprays throughout the day to fully enjoy it, which is a shame because it's an interesting fragrance, a good year-rounder, not one to offend either, and it's also not expensive. The bottle's thick and sturdy, and there's some effort in terms of presentation. I like it but I'm not head over heels for it. Not a must-have but still worth a try if you have the chance. Who knows if it works differently for you?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LOOKBOOK | Barong Tagalog and sneakers for 'Buwan ng Wika'

Image
Looking oh, so dignified here. Although the celebrations are normally concentrated in elementary schools, August is Buwan ng Wika (Language Month) in the Philippines. Along with dressing up in various traditional Filipino costumes, schools usually hold programs and contests showcasing the national language and traditional Filipino songs and dances. Our department decided to join in the fun by designating a special day yesterday where everyone was required to wear a traditional Filipino costume reinterpreted for modern times. Two years ago when we first held this event, I found myself wearing an ethnic-designed shirt with a malong . This year I decided on a Barong Tagalog , considered our national formal wear for men. But no one wants to go all formal on a Friday, so I wore my Barong Tagalog with sneakers . I thought, if a full-on suit works just fine with sneakers, a barong would be just as perfect with this type of footwear.
Read more

FRAGRANCE | Green Cedar EDT by Bench: An environmentally-conscious offering from the Philippines' premier retail brand

Image
A few weeks ago, I found myself wandering inside Bench Powerplant Mall. And what else would catch my eye but two fragrances by their lonesome twosome, positioned far away from the rest of the brand's scent offerings. They're Basil & Neroli and Green Cedar , both EDTs and part of the  Bench Better Made line . The frags are purported to be vegan and cruelty-free. They come in 125ml dark brown glass bottles and brown paper cylindrical boxes. Nice packaging there except for the cheap, plastic cap. No big deal, though, since they're just Php 428 apiece. 
Read more

FRAGRANCE | Rajo Uno EDT by Bench: An inexpensive local gem

Image
Philippine retail giant Bench has been many a high schooler's go-to shop for cheap colognes, myself included. And even during my college years, Bench has remained a staple. I remember  Bench Ei8ht was very popular with many people back then although my favorites were their body sprays Cielo and L'Amoureux . Through the years their roster of fragrances has only grown by leaps and bounds, with a lot of them made in collaboration with celebrities and fashion designers like Rajo Laurel .
Read more