Ambilux by Marlou

It is a threshold. Exploring fragrances has led me to seek challenges that go beyond mere scenting, offering new experiences. I enjoy bold animalic aromas with a clear statement, such as La Tsarine by Senyokô or proposals from Francesca Bianchi; I like to test myself. With Ambilux, I have reached a ceiling, and honestly, it was my first time. The first twenty seconds were glorious: the initial impact recognises what makes Kouros interesting but with superior quality. I am referring to the nitrogenous aroma that some reviewers recall as urine or a public toilet, but here accompanied by a subtle note of caraway that gives it a human touch, yes, of sweat, but of a healthy, clean person. There are other notes very much in the background that smooth out the rough edges. The first impression is a very sensual and sexual body scent. I will make a parenthesis: in my line of work, I have heard hundreds of times the urination of healthy and sick people, and I do not know where some reviews get the idea that a perfume smells badly of urine or the sweat of the elderly, as if their own secretions smelled great because they are not old. Gentlemen, your secretions are not glory for most, and especially not if they are ill. Returning to Ambilux, after those twenty seconds, the costus enters, and this is where things become complicated for me. Perhaps this note has become too prominent. The base remains suggestive, but the costus has defeated me; I, who tolerate unpleasant smells quite well, have given up. That note leaves a strong imprint of dirty hair, specifically the dreadlocks of the nomads of the 70s, 80s and early 90s who wandered through dangerous cities in Latin America. At my secondary school, I met girls with dreadlocks that smelled of dirty hair, patchouli, sweat and adventure. The acrid, greasy and slightly metallic scent of their hair did not please me, but the morbidity of letting myself be carried away into a crazy world was stronger. This Ambilux has that dreadlock smell very present and vivid. In the first test, I could not cope with it. It is not a powerful product; after twenty-five minutes, it sits right on the skin as an intimate layer. Over the hours, the costus mellows and leaves a scent similar to the beginning but less sexual, closer to the sweaty skin of someone who has done physical work, welcoming. A niche product, with more than enough quality, very demanding and not very accommodating. Perhaps it requires an acquired taste, but if you like it, it can be worn in society due to the subtlety of its aura. I do not know why, but I have bought a bottle. For now, I wear it with another perfume to cope with the costus and enjoy its animal aspect.

This was a gift from my favourite perfume shop, but the truth is something I would never buy. It smells repulsive, very animalic and of urine. If you are looking for an olfactory experience, you must like it. I would not wear it on any occasion or circumstance.

If I had to recreate the scent with accessible images, I would say it is like combining animal leather with earwax and dry sweat, the kind left on the collar of a shirt. As I understand it, that accord is formed by caraway, incense and castoreum. In Ambilux, all those aromas are calibrated with great sensitivity; they do not soil or project more than necessary, making wearing it super intimate and comforting. Although Carnicure smells stronger and may point more towards faecal notes, Ambilux seems more difficult to wear as it could pass for your own body odour. I find that the other two perfumes from the brand are much easier to accept, especially Poudrextase, by moving further away from body scents. I think it is a very interesting proposal.

It smells like total piss on my skin all the time; I radiate a urine odour.

Ugh… far too much for my body! One of the wildest animal scents I’ve ever tried. Of the few I’ve sampled, I have to be clear: I don’t like it. It’s the first time I’ve felt the urge to wash my wrist. It smells exactly like the scent left on skin after my dog has licked me. Far too indie for me. That said, if you like scents like Kouros but find them too soft, give this a go. As an olfactory experience and a collector’s piece, it could be a good option, because the truth is, finding anything quite like it is difficult. Scent: 4, Longevity: 10 (or 12 because it won’t go away even if you scrub with a scouring pad 😂), Projection: 6, Value: 5 (I don’t like it, but I recognise the quality), Versatility: 3, Originality: 10, Overall: 4.5.