parfums de marly

Kalan by Parfums de Marly

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Kalan is a Parfums de Marly release, that I never got around to when it came out back in 2019. I’ve had the sample for a long while now, just sitting in a box, so I figure it’s high time that I gave it a full review. How does this one smell? Does Kalan last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Kalan Smell Like?

Notes include: blood orange, black pepper, spices, orange blossom, lavender, sandalwood, moss, woods, amber, tonka bean

Click here to try: Kalan by PdM

kalan marly review

My Full Review

Here’s how PdM describes it: Intense and subtle at once- Kalan surprises with a sparkling opening, blending black pepper and spices with fresh notes of blood orange. The fragrances is embodied through a heart of orange blossom and lavender, while it evolves as facets of white sandalwood unfold and drape into notes of moss and precious wood.

The opening is a blast of the blood orange note and the spices. The black pepper is going to be the most noticeable under the juicy and sparkling citrus. But, there are some other spices lurking about.

Two other notes that I pick up early are: orange blossom and moss. The mossy aspect of this really comes through in the opening act, on my skin.

The next phase will be a mix of the moss, lavender, and the remaining blood orange influence. For me, most of the spice has dissipated by this point in the wear. It feels like a woodsy floral blend with some sweetness and amber peaking in.

As we move forward in the wear, earthy woods that is softened by lavender, with hints of amber is basically what I get. Lots of sandalwood, moss, and just sort of damp and generic smelling wood notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

With Kalan, I do get a pretty bold start. A strong projection and solid scent trail in your wake for an hour or so.

After that, it stays above average with its performance. I can detect it a good 4-6 feet from where I sprayed Kalan on a t-shirt, after a few hours. It of course will diminish into something more intimate, but it takes a while to get there.

On my skin, this will go up to about 9 hours. It may last a little longer or a tad less than that, but eight or nine is what Kalan seems to be capable of. Not too bad with its longevity.

Seasonally, this could be worn basically anytime outside of the height of summer. It’s fine when it’s temperate to warm out, but the hotter days wouldn’t be ideal for Kalan.

It’s spice, citrus, and woodiness to provide a good blend that can work in autumn and winter, while also being fine when things get somewhat warmer.

With that, Kalan can work in daytime and nighttime, but I don’t find it to be a particularly sexy fragrance. Again, it has the boldness to serve as a nightlife option, but there are better fragrances for that.

It’s not so heavy that it can’t work as an office scent. Though, I’d still go light with it, in that situation.

Overall Impressions of Kalan

Overall, do I like Kalan? Honestly, it’s not for me. It’s a pretty unique scent, isn’t going to have mass appeal, and this PdM isn’t one that I enjoyed wearing. It wasn’t terrible, but I never got into it.

Even as something with a unique style, there’s nothing about Kalan that I liked all that much. The lavender, amber, moss, and woods in the dry down is probably the best part to my nose and even that isn’t too exciting.

The opening feels messy and off-putting. Peppery moss with blood orange, isn’t all that appealing.

The performance does well enough for something at this price point. It’s not amazing, but if you do happen to enjoy the smell, it doesn’t just completely disappear in an hour or whatever.

This is a fragrance that I suggest testing before you buy, to see if you’re one of the people who will actually love wearing this. Most of you can skip it and not miss anything, though. At the high Parfums de Marly price, it’s not really one to blind buy for the majority of people.

Safanad by Parfums de Marly

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Today’s review is going to be of Safanad by Parfums de Marly. Now, I still have three or so fragrances from this house to do a write up on, from the samples I received a few months back. I’ve tried them all out, just need to organize my thoughts and post them on here.

Anyway, Safanad is our target for the moment. This PdM perfume was released in 2013. As usual, I will cover: what’s inside, how does it smell, develop, perform, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Safanad by PdM Smell Like?

Notes include: orange blossom, sandalwood, vanilla, pear, ylang ylang, iris, orange, and amber

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Safanad for women Eau de Parfum 2.5 Oz./75 ml

Before we start let’s see how Parfums de Marly describes this perfume: Safanad “the Pure” Arabian breed, is personified through this Orange blossom note, leading to white flower bouquet, settling in a very sensual oriental base of sandalwood and vanilla.

My Full Review

So, the opening blast from Safanad is led by the orange blossom note and is flanked by ylang ylang and that familiar aroma of iris. It’s quite floral and does produce that bouquet effect that Parfums de Marly described it as.

The composition is dominated by the orange blossom, however, and the vanilla note emerges with is own sweetness to go along with the other floral notes. I do get a bit more of the iris than the ylang-ylang, but neither is particularly massive within the mix.

I’ve seen some other reviewers say that they get a lot of the ylang-ylang, but on my skin, it’s much less potent for whatever reason.

As it moves along, I do indeed pick up on a pear note in Safanad, it’s really not my favorite ingredient by any means but it is nice here. It’s there at the start, but gets overshadowed in my opinion, until things settle. A good little sparkle, but that’s about it.

About half an hour or so into the wear, it becomes a creamier sort of scent, with the iris and vanilla notes wrapped up in a warm and embracing amber.

It’s very well done and held together by the sandalwood base note. I’m not exactly sure what it is in this fragrance, but there is a very slight boozy element to Safanad, if I’m really paying attention. Can’t quite put put my finger on what is creating that vibe.

At the end, I get plenty of amber, vanilla, sandalwood, and orange blossom. Those are the notes that make it through and form the last dry down period.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Safanad has a moderate to strong sillage. I don’t find it overpowering, but wouldn’t want to go nuts with the sprays either. It’s exactly what it should be, not too powerful, but not wholly weak.

The longevity was decent on my skin, maybe 7 hours, but not more than that. Somewhat of a let down for something at this price point.

Not that you always need a perfume to go much longer than this. Though, it’s nice to know that it can when needed. I was expecting more, after it started off so strong.

Seasonally, this is a fragrance mostly for cooler weather. It’s like a comforting blanket, rather, than some airy fruity scent you’d find in the summer. It works for the autumn and winter. You could probably get away with it in springtime, also. I just wouldn’t like it in the high heat.

I don’t find this Parfums de Marly perfume to be particularly sexy, but it is attractive, and pleasant to smell. I’d say it’s a good daily wear, casual, or even formal.

It is definitely a more feminine fragrance and has a well put together vibe. Lovely, creamy, just not mouth watering.

Overall Impressions of Safanad

Overall, do I like Safanad? I do. It’s a nice floral scent for the wintertime and doesn’t go full on ‘green’ garden or bouquet the entire time. You get some lovely floral notes, amber warmth, creaminess/powdery, and a solid sandalwood peaking through.

This is a sweeter type of floral, without going full on sugary or becoming a cloying or immature mess.

The sweetness of the pear and the great orange blossom note are really a highlight. As is, the amber. I don’t have too many complaints with the way that this fragrance smells.

Again, maybe you’ll get more of the ylang-ylang than I do, but I also usually favor an iris note over that yellow flower. Just a preference and I also really enjoy orange blossom, in most fragrances.

The longevity isn’t amazing, but the performance here is pretty darn good overall. It’s a really pretty fragrance and one that has a unique-ish aroma, that will help one stand out from the crowd, while not being too in your face about it.

Safanad is among the better releases from Parfums de Marly. It gets overshadowed by Delina and some of the others, but is very good itself. If it sounds interesting to you, it’s well worth a try.

14 Great Perfumes Like Delina (or Exclusif)

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Delina is a very popular fragrance from Parfums de Marly. It’s blend of rose, lychee, rhubarb, and more are a sweet and powdery take on the classic rose perfume. PdM is a higher quality niche brand and their prices match, which can scare some people off.

As such, it can be worthwhile to find something that smells like Delina and/or Delina Exclusif without breaking the bank. Or, maybe you want something similar that’s not exactly the same. On this page, I am going to keep an ongoing list of scents that can provide alternatives that can almost duplicate the experience.

Perfume Alternatives that Smell Similar to Delina

Fruitier with a Similar Style

Very Good Girl 30 ml Eau de Parfum, 1 fl oz– This flanker to Carolina Herrera’s Good Girl, does have quite a lot of overlap with Delina, and is a good option for those who want something similar.

Litchi, rose, vetiver, and vanilla are notes that are shared by both of these perfumes. But, Very Good Girl isn’t an exact match, just closely related.

It opens up with a fruitier aroma that has an added tartness added by red currant. On the whole, Very Good Girl is fruitier and the rose is less prominent than in the Parfums de Marly scent.

The litchi and rose will take over the composition and the vanilla will serve a minor role. It’s somewhat powdery, less so than our target, and has a lighter freshness to it. I got about 7 hours of wear from this fragrance when I tested it out.

It’s a cheaper alternative, that still provides a designer level experience. Very Good Girl Review

Arabian Rose

Rose 01 by Swiss Arabian–  Rose 01 is a very nice and less expensive alternative to the original Delina. The opening with the lychee, citrus, and pink pepper can be sharp (even more than Delina), but it will settle down to more sweetness, rose, and a tad creamy.

Up top, though, it is a sharp tartness…but very rich, also. I think it is interesting, almost like a different take on Angel Nova.  The musk actually comes in with the rose, peony, and vanilla notes to calm the intensity.

The main difference between Rose 01 and our target is the lack of rhubarb. Not a big deal and might even be preferable to some. The muskiness is elevated here, the performance is good, and the price is right in comparison.

Dua Exclusif Inspiration

Miss Congeniality by The Dua Brand– Dua has a whole host of their ‘inspired’ fragrances, based on popular perfume formulas. Miss Congeniality is the one that does a great impression of Delina Exclusif.

I also like, Adeline by Fragrenza (listed below), and both of these scents strike very close to what you get with the Parfums de Marly.

The opening with the pear, lychee, and citrus hits the mark very well. I think that the Fragrenza version might be a tad more powerful, but the Dua is no slouch either. Plus, the pear itself is fantastic in this blend.

Another Inspired by Option

Duchess by ALT Fragrances– If you’re looking for a cheaper option with an aroma near that of Delina, Duchess from ALT fragrances is going to possibly be one of your best bets. ALT has its series of perfumes that are ‘inspired by’ the best sellers, with Duchess being the ringer for Delina.

Lychee, rhubarb, and rose providing that same sort of blend as the expensive PdM. Fresh, sweet, and a lovely rose. As close as you’re going to get, outside of picking up the real thing.

Exclusif Aroma

Adeline by Fragrenza– This is a sample that I picked up recently, which smells more like Delina Exclusif, rather than the original. But, it is actually really close to being identical in terms of smell, and matches its performance too.

Seriously, Adeline is powerful stuff. I sprayed some on a shirt laying in my bedroom and could smell it in the next room, for the opening act. So, not too many sprays needed with this one.

The lychee, the rose, and that rhubarb up top are all here. Adeline does a great job at being similar to the development and layers of Exclusif and does so at a fraction of the price.

Rose Inspired

Madame Rose by Oakcha– Oakcha is another brand that is doing some inspired takes on popular niche and designer fragrances. Madame Rose is their version of the Delina formula.

Now, I haven’t tried this one out as of yet. I will update if I do in the future. But, I’ll add it to the list for those who want to try Madame Rose out.

I’ve heard good things about this brand and this Delina inspired scent has a ton of positive reviews about it. So, it’s probably a good option for currently $30-45 per bottle, depending on the size you choose.

Imperiale 

Club de Nuit Imperiale by Armaf– This one is interesting. It is very similar to Delina, while at the same time, has enough difference to make Imperiale its own thing.

Mainly, the powdery aspect in the dry down is more intense in this than in the Parfums de Marly best seller. But, also this has a creaminess that tends to separate this Armaf perfume even further.

Imperiale is an affordable fragrance with a massive performance. So, if you like the style here, you’ll get your money’s worth. More like a mix between Delina, Delina Exclusif, and it’s own blend.

A familiar start then getting into a rose, vanilla, amber blend with the remaining litchi providing the fruitiness. The opening is probably not as good as Delina, but the back half makes up for it.

 

Lady Rose

Lady Diana by Alexandria Fragrances– Another inspired creation that I haven’t tried, but I’m more familiar with this brand, and they’ve produced lots of great stuff in the past.

Their version is called Lady Diana, and while still being cheaper than the PdM perfume, this is a higher price when compared to the other scents seeking to mimic our target scent.

Rhubarb, peony, nutmeg, vanilla, rose, litchi…all of the ingredients are there to strike up a close comparison and I highly doubt that it’s very far off.

La Rosee Possibilities

Aqua Allegoria Forte Rosa Rossa by Guerlain– With the Delina La Rosse now becoming a pretty popular fragrance, I thought that I’d add some alternatives to it.

Forte Rosa is apart of the Aqua Allegoria collection by Guerlain. Aside from having an extremely long name, it has a very similar, yet distinct aroma from that of La Rosee.

The PdM fragrane has that fresh watery note, along with a sparkling pear, which only adds to that quality. The Guerlain comes out with a peach note and some cassis.

La Rossee and Forte Rosa are lighter and less overwhelming rose options for the summer. Again, not entirely the same, but they do hit a very similar chord overall.

Delina La Rosee with More Florals

Chloe Eau de Parfum– Delina La Rosee does end up smelling quite a bit like this best selling Chloe fragrance.

It’s no surprise when you share lychee, rose, and peony as main notes. Chloe and Delina La Rosee both have an aquatic sort of finish to them, but with the Chloe, it comes from the use of freesia and lily. Less of a pure water and more of a dewy floral sensation.

A very clean rose and peony blend is the dominant force here, it also doesn’t have that same massive fruitiness that some of the Delina scents do. Easy to wear, classic, with a powdery aroma playing off of the dewy lightness.

Not Exactly, but in the Same Vein

Rose Extase by Nina Ricci- Pink rose, red berries, and vanilla. This Nina Ricci perfume is pretty affordable and hits a lot of the same chords as our target does. But, they don’t smell exactly the same. 60-70%? Perhaps.

The opening is a mix of being super sweet and actually fairly tart. The raspberry and red berry blend, do come on strong. But, it settles, you get more rose, vanilla, and musk. At times, it feels creamier. Then, you get bouts of powder.

Clean and pretty easy to wear once it settles. Not nearly as high as quality as the Parfums de Marly. It just gives you another option to consider, a decent price, and solid overall performance.

Focused Rose and Vanilla Exclusif

Atomic Rose by Initio– If you want something closer to Delina Exclusif, but without all of the sharper fruity notes, Atomic Rose can be a good choice.

This one does have light citrus note (same bergamot), but that litchi and pear aren’t present, which allow for a more focused concentration on the rose and creamy vanilla.  With a pretty strong pink pepper, early on at least.

Though, Atomic doesn’t give you a price break and can actually sell for more than the PdM perfume that it resembles. The performance, however, is outstanding.

You still get some great sweetness here, along with a developed jasmine note, and the wonderful amber without the underlying oud or other woody-like notes.

Raspberry Lychee Rose

Angel Nova EDP by Mugler– Now, I’ve only tried Nova EDP, as of now. However, the EDT version is supposed to have a greater use of the rose note and be a closer comp to Delina. So, you might want to check that one out.

Either way, Nova EDP has a similar style and construction, without being the same. This one takes the fruitiness early on to another level. The lychee is the same, but Nova adds a very sweet and juicy raspberry note.

Actually, to my nose there also smells as if there might be a mango in the mix. Nova has vaguely tropical smells, early on.

The fruitiness will settle and reveal the Damask rose note. There’s some spice, earthiness, and a resinous quality during the dry down. Patchouli and benzoin.

Very strong sillage early on, that will settle into something moderate. But, I got about 9 hours of wear from Nova EDP. It isn’t an inspired by rendition of Delina, but it’s got enough overlap to bear a resemblance. Nova EDP Review

Another Option

Delilah by Maison Alhambra– Delilah is another inspired by Delina fragrance, that seems to have a good reputation of coming pretty darn close to the original for cheap. If even comes in a similar looking bottle.

Now, I haven’t actually tried this one out, but I figured that I should include it for those who want a less expensive alternative perfume. It seems to sell for around $45, with positive reviews about its resemblance to our target.

I’m not familiar with the Alhambra brand, so I can’t actually speak to its quality. Nevertheless, there it is for those who want to try.

Akaster by Parfums de Marly

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Still moving my way through this box full of sample fragrances and also have a handful of Parfums de Marly scents to do write-ups on. Today’s entry is a review of Akaster, another cologne from the horse named French line, this one released in 2015. What does Akaster smell like? What are the notes? How does it perform? Is it worth a purchase? Continue below for my full take on this Parfums de Marly fragrance.

What does Akaster Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, Bulgarian Rose, agarwood, sandalwood, cypress, and more

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Akaster, 4.2 Fl Oz 

My Full Review

While there is a lemon top note to Akaster, it is very subtle and just a hint of citrus to what is otherwise a very woody and rose-laden fragrance. There is a crisp forest element and a bit of spice, just to change things up somewhat.

However, the two main attractions here are the rose and the oud notes.

I’m usually pretty hesitant with rose colognes, because it’s not my favorite note, and it can be absolutely too much. However, I think that Parfums de Marly really did a great job of blending this cologne.

The oud isn’t too powerful and the rose isn’t too overbearing, there is a firm balance between the two, and it makes this fragrance better than it otherwise would’ve been.

Akaster is a very straightforward, linear, cologne. You are going to get a oud base that is flanked by a fresh and crisp array of other tree notes. Other than the oud, I get a good deal of the cypress. Very green.

This is all surrounded by an air of roses growing in a garden and a squeeze of lemon. Simple, but actually quite effective.

Sillage, Longevity, When to Wear

Projection wise, Akaster is pretty strong. One spray was plenty detectable and any more than 2-3 would be overdoing it. Spraying this on clothes, it leaped across the room, with its projection and the trail on skin was also awesome. Great sillage. Well, at least for a time.

Akaster is one of the fragrances that I’ve come across, that has a massive projection, but the sustained performance just isn’t there. Burns twice as bright, but quiets down rather quickly.

The longevity is ok/good but not great, it seemed to not want to last more than six hours, both times I wore it around. Actually, it’s kind of disappointing, at this price point.

Seriously, after that massive start, I was thinking it’d be around for double digit hours like other PdM fragrances. Akaster just dies out, on my skin. Maybe other people get this one for a long time, but it’s pretty mid on me.

Seasonally, Akaster is one for the colder months. Think a crisp fall day and into the winter time. It has an airy freshness to it, but isn’t really all that ‘warm’ and enveloping. It is somewhat versatile, but not an every occasion sort of scent.

I like it in a dressy casual to dressed up scenario. Not a night club fragrance, but could probably be worn at the office. Pleasant, but not particularly sexy. More one to enjoy as a niche perfume, than a mass crowd pleaser.

Overall Impressions of Akaster

Overall, do I like Akaster? Yes, much more than I though that I would when reading the notes. It’s a simple fragrance from Parfums de Marly, but so well put together that it just works.

It does have some limitations in terms of its longevity and versatility, but it also smells quite nice. Almost a reverse of what I expected with it. I thought that the performance would be amazing and that I wouldn’t really like the smell.

Rose and oud have a great balance in this blend and I like the additional woody notes, like cypress. Not very complex, but still fairly enjoyable.

Is that good enough for the associated price tag? I guess that depends on your budget. I wouldn’t personally drop hundreds of dollars for it, but I enjoy wearing it well enough. It’s an well above average scent, but I wouldn’t put it among the best from this design house.

Herod by Parfums De Marly

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So, I’ve got a ton of Parfums de Marly reviews that I need to write up, and post on the site. I received a good 10+ sample vials of this design house’s fragrances and have been testing them out. The first one, and the subject of this post, is Herod. Herod is perhaps their most popular cologne but does it actually live up to the lofty reputation?

Herod by PdM Overview

Notes include: tobacco leaf, musk, cinnamon, vanilla, vetiver, cedar, patchouli, pepper, incense, and labdanum 

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Herod Men’s EDP Spray, 4.2 oz.

My Full Review

From the opening, Herod is an absolutely captivating fragrance, and one that is right in my wheelhouse. The tobacco note in this one is superb and reminds me of Pure Havane, in that respect.

Although, this Parfums de Marly scent has a slightly different type of tobacco and better smelling (and no honey note).

Herod really seems like an amalgamation of other scents that I’ve enjoyed. Other than Pure Havane, it has elements of Man in Black, Burberry London, as well as B Men.

Man in Black has an especially similar profile, with the spices and tobacco notes playing off of sweet ingredients. Are they exactly the same? No, but I’ve worn them both enough to recognize them as close cousins.

Herod is a warm fragrance, the vanilla note envelops you, and the cinnamon/pepper combination gives you that heated spice. It opens with those two notes being on prominent display.

Yet, it is never harsh. The smooth smokiness of the incense makes sure that the spice isn’t like a punch in the face and simply adds a relaxing texture to the aroma.

Tobacco, labdanum, and vanilla create a smooth and somewhat sweet trio which grows in strength during the wear. Another way the spices get brought under control and don’t become overwhelming.

In the dry down, it is a dark and resinous scent with a sweet heart. I really love it at this stage, as it lingers softly in the air, and I can catch whiffs of Herod throughout the day. This is where I think that the incense note shines through and earns its spot.

Ultimately, I get a mix of spicy/sweet tobacco, with smoky and resinous undertones. It’s warm, cozy, and very attractive.

Sillage, How Long it Lasts, and Versatility

Projection wise, it can be strong, but I think that it dries down into more of a moderate cologne. However, it is noticeable throughout the day. Also, the longevity is really great.

This is easily a 10+ hour wear and a scent who’s performance actually lives up to its price. Using my sample vial over the course of months, I never got a bad performance from Herod. It works extremely well with my skin and sticks around for as long as I would want.

Seasonally, Herod is one for the cold weather. I’ve been mostly testing this at night here in the summer, as it just doesn’t fit during the sweltering heat of the daytime. Update: I’ve worn this in the colder weather, or even the lighter days of autumn, and it fits perfectly.

It also has great versatility. It is a mature and refined type of fragrance that can fit well in the office but also has a level of sexiness that would work during a night out or date.

Overall Impressions of Herod by PdM

Overall, do I think Herod is worth it? Yes! This Parfums de Marly scent is a total winner in my book. I don’t personally need to buy a full bottle at the moment, due to the season, but it could definitely be a play for me during the autumn. Smooth, spicy, and tobacco laden.

Herod is one of the best PdM releases, in my opinion. Definitely a top 2 or 3 pick for me, from this designer. It smells great, has an interesting blend of familiar notes, and performs extraordinarily well for me.