Ombre Nomade by Louis Vuitton

Ombre Nomade is one of Louis Vuitton’s unisex offerings that was released back in 2018. I actually received two sample vials of this perfume a while back and have been testing it off and on ever since. How does it smell? Does it have good longevity? Is Ombre Nomade even worth a try?

What does Ombre Nomade Smell Like?

Notes include: raspberry, oud, benzoin, incense

My Full Review

Before we start with my review, let’s see how Louis Vuitton describes it: Swirls of oud wood for a journey into the heart of the desert. As the day passes, the path of the sun creates shimmering patterns of shadow and light on the dunes. Whilst everything else seems motionless, the desert comes alive and draws the traveler into a passionate odyssey.

After the very first application of Ombre Nomade, I’m immediately hit by the aroma of incense and oud wood. It’s smoky and dark with that usual distinct oud aroma, taking center stage.

However, that aspect of Ombre Nomade is pretty short lived. It’s as if the smoke clears up and makes way for the raspberry, rose, and leather. Leather isn’t a listed note anywhere that I can find, so maybe it’s saffron blending with the other notes that is putting out that vibe. I think the benzoin plays a major part in that.

I do get a bit of that dry desert and leathery smell, something along the lines of an Ombre Leather by Tom Ford or with the raspberry, Tuscan Leather. But also, hints of Santal Royal by Guerlain. Much less of a pure oud and rose mix and more of a dry and slightly sweet freshness.

Ombre Nomade is a very rich and smooth fragrance. The rose and raspberry check the oud from getting out of hand and give it that really nice sweetness that doesn’t get too heavy either. Great balancing act.

The final dry down for me, is basically devoid of that raspberry. Actually, the incense makes a bit of a come back. It’s incense, that leathery aroma, some oud, and a nice big dose of benzoin. Smooth leather, incense, with a resinous finish.

Ombre Nomade has depth, but isn’t super complicated.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage of Ombre Nomade packs a punch. If you’re looking for a strong scent, this one will deliver. It’s not the most powerful fragrance that I’ve come across, but it is in the upper echelon, especially when compared to the mass designer perfumes available.

I can apply it to some clothing and pick up its aroma from across the room, 10-12 feet away. Not a weak one.

The longevity is very good, but not super marathon level on the skin. For me, I get about 9 hours out of it. On the clothes, it lasts forever. But, since I never apply it to clothes outside of old t-shirts for testing, it’s basically 9 hours.

Seasonally, this is an autumn and winter perfume all the way. It does project itself very well, but doesn’t feel totally heavy, while wearing it. Nonetheless, go easy on the trigger if you’re planning on wearing it in enclosed spaces around others.

It’s versatile enough to go from the office to out at night. Ombre Nomade is unisex, but will skew to much more to an older person, and isn’t going to be the top pick for many teenagers. It has an appealing aroma, but isn’t really sexy, and still kind of niche in who will want to wear it.

Overall Impressions of Ombre Nomade

Overall, do I like Ombre Nomade? I have to say, yes. I’m generally not a huge fan of oud and rose fragrances, but this didn’t completely go in that direction. Actually, the more that I wore this the more that the perfume grew on me.

When I first tried the sample, it didn’t appeal to me. Now, with more time spent with Ombre Nomade, I’d say that I enjoy it but not completely in love with it. Still, not really my style of scent, outside of a few occasions.

For those who are fans of the oud based fragrances, this is one to absolutely try out, especially if you want a balanced example. The performance is awesome and this Louis Vuitton perfume, doesn’t really have any weak points to speak of…maybe it’s limited use outside of the colder temps?

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.