At The Barber’s by Maison Martin Margiela

I absolutely love it. It fulfils its aim of capturing the barbershop scent: the opening is superb, but the dry-down also smells fantastic. It has brought me good compliments. It’s a good option for a signature fragrance in all seasons, although in winter I would look for something else. Ideal for days and semi-formal or more formal events.

I partially agree with @monsieurleather that this smells very similar to Drakkar Noir. To me, it’s a softened version of Drakkar Noir, where the musk gives it a much creamier feel; it’s a ‘tamed’ DN and more contemporary. Even in the dry-down, I notice something fresh/mentholated. Truthfully, it has a genuine barbershop scent, with its soaps, shampoos and aftershaves. Unlike Drakkar Noir, which reminds me of the air fresheners from my childhood, this brings to mind more of a shaving cream, because that’s exactly what you’ll smell of – a pleasant shaving cream. As with other references from this brand, it’s an ‘olfactory experience’, but unlike others from the brand, this is one I would actually wear. The only drawback is the price, which I find excessive for what it is. That said, if you like it, then go ahead.

The comparison to Le Labo Replica is spot on – a replica of Drakkar Noir. Imagine basically a DN with better longevity and you’ll have a very close idea of this fragrance, which is nothing innovative. Only at the end does something change with the musk, although in this phase it also gets dangerously close to unisex. Furthermore, it’s considerably more expensive (80-100eur/100ml, whereas Drakkar Noir in Spain can be found for around 50eur/200ml) with a perceived quality that’s similar. Au revoir!

Lavender, basil, a touch of musk, and a lovely herbal blend with a hint of leather underneath. It smells rich but very soft; people won’t smell it unless they’re right up close. It doesn’t scream designer quality, nor does it feel niche. I suppose the longevity is decent, around five hours, but the projection is minimal, fading to skin within an hour. For such a clean fragrance, it should be noticeable, especially since it’s so safe for the office, yet it remains undetectable. If you’ve tried something similar like Invasion Barbare, you’ll realise within seconds how far apart they are. Despite being in the same category, my advice is: if you like it, go for the MDCI version without a doubt; it’s superior in every way.

At first, it has a clear similarity to Rive Gauche with that fresh rosemary note. The issue is that what dominates for many hours is a somewhat sweet musk, which I think I’ve heard in several feminine perfumes, though I can’t quite place it. It doesn’t smell bad, but as a perfume concept, I expected something else.