DesirToxic by M. Micallef

I bought a 2 ml tester of Hule from a barbershop. I don’t like it. I’ve seen many comments saying it’s a bit like Layton. I own Layton, and in my opinion, they bear no resemblance. I’d say it suits people over 40 better.

Sprays like Drakkar Noir and dries down like Safari.

Desirtoxic opens with a citrus note spiced up, and from the very first moment, that mentholated touch (perhaps cannabis-inspired?) makes it unique. It’s its most distinctive note. After the first hour, it sweetens slightly and shifts tone without losing that initial menthol freshness; it’s just added sweetness. The trail and projection are noticeable for the first three hours, then it becomes a personal bubble lasting around 6-7 hours. Performance isn’t bad, though it doesn’t stand out for an EDP. While marketing targets evening wear, I see it for anything: office, party, date, event, or gym. There will always be better options for specific situations. Its best trait is versatility and year-round wearability. The downside is the price and that I don’t see it excelling in any particular area. Overall, I’d give it a 7 out of 10.

After finishing an 8ml decant, this scent excited me enough to purchase. However, I’d never pay the official price; at €90, it seems like a good buy. It has a fresh part, a green part, and a spiced part, all three well-harmonised, successfully taming the sweetness of the tonka bean to hit the perfect balance. Yes, in the dry-down it reminds me of Layton, but in its best version, the one that doesn’t rely so heavily on vanilla. For those who like Layton but aren’t fully convinced yet, I recommend trying this Desirtoxic; for me, it does it better and is easier to find at a better price.

Niche hype because it was reviewed by those critics who get excited just hearing about it, because it’s an expensive and exclusive perfume (from the French house Micallef), and voilà, because it has the cannabis note (which I can’t detect anywhere). If you think this smells like weed, forget about this Desirable Toxic. Blue bottle, cool, artisanal-looking, hand-painted. That’s it. Normal scent, herbal, woody, and slightly cinnamon within the mighty realm of tonka bean and cardamom. I repeat, for those who get hyped and confused by hype. The cannabis scent, if it’s there, I certainly don’t smell it. Let’s see if it’s my nose. And everyone knows, or has heard, that cannabis smells ten metres away. Nothing like that, your honour. I expected something else from Desir Toxic. Something more groundbreaking, original, and edgy. It surprises little or nothing. It’s a mix of previous scents like the herbal and the forgotten Fan de Fendi, and a bit, watch out, don’t get excited like some talking elsewhere about a clone (NO, sir, it resembles it and that’s all) of the ubiquitous fresh floral amber Layton by Parfums de Marly, which already seems like the bloody Creed Aventus given the daily hype its fans spread across land, sea, and air. PD: I don’t like Layton; I think it’s an overrated fragrance in every aspect, price being first. Mid-range niche perfume. Although, to Micallef’s credit, they offer test vials and 30ml to 60ml bottles at very reasonable prices that are truly excellent. Normal duration, 6-7 hours, nothing to write home about. Trail more moderate than the left-wing rhetoric of an 80s PSOE leader.

Neither here nor there. DesirToxic, which launched almost five years ago, hasn’t aged well and has faded into obscurity among enthusiasts; it lost its punch and deflated, something that happens when hype-balloons burst. Everything that rises… 🎈 ➡️ The opening is a sweet (vanilla-infused) scent with a very aromatic nuance that seems to be lavender (though not listed), slightly spiced with citrus notes in the top that welcome you. It’s totally unisex, versatile and easy to wear, reminding you of youthful designer perfumes you’ve smelled dozens of times in the department store perfume aisle, at parties, clubs, gatherings, etc. Performance is modest. It smells like a designer fragrance but at niche prices of US$229, which is what the bottle costs. Does it resemble Layton? No. Could it remind you of Layton? Possibly, due to the vibe it exudes: youthful, sweet and aromatic, ideal for the same situations. An DNA I insist, you already know. Resembling Opium by YSL? Good heavens, one would need a broken nose to suggest such nonsense. It offers nothing new and its cannabis note shines by its absence. An offering that will delight less demanding users. No thanks.

It’s not that the perfume is bad or good, but for my taste, that dominant sugary note doesn’t appeal to me.

I refuse to believe it’s the same as Layton; if I had to find a relative, I’d say it’s Sauvage Elixir with a sweet twist. Are they the same? Not in a million years. While the cinnamon and cardamom are similar, Elixir is more spiced, whereas Desirtoxic is sweeter and patchouli-heavy. It was a huge hype that has since faded into obscurity, and I don’t know why. After a while, the musk comes through; it’s nothing unpleasant like in Bad Boy Le Parfum, nor as realistic as Narcos’ Is. In Desirtoxic, everything blends well; underneath, there’s a resinous note, I believe it’s benzoin. Overall, I’d give it an 8. No one will tell you they don’t like it; the longevity is good, though the projection is short. It smells different yet accessible, which isn’t bad; sometimes we overthink originality when the wheel has already been invented. I never recommend buying blind, but if you must, this wouldn’t go amiss.

You can tell it’s very Layton, but with more complexity. In the end, I still prefer the original. DesirToxic looked better on paper than on skin, so I wouldn’t buy it.

I absolutely loved it. It has the Layton vibe but without so much vanilla, which can sometimes be overwhelming. The combination of notes is extraordinary once it dries down. An exquisite aroma with tremendous longevity and projection. I see it as a winter PDM fragrance combo, all in one.

A curious fragrance, probably new given the lack of comments. It’s an aromatic scent with character. At first, right upon spraying, it smells toxic and didn’t convince me, but after ten magical minutes, everything changes and I love it. Then you can really detect the bergamot, lime, cardamom, and blackcurrant. It’s my first cannabis-based scent, so I wasn’t sure if it would smell bad, but it doesn’t. Is it worth saving up for? Absolutely, every penny! For the price, longevity, and trail, it’s excellent.

I’m wearing it right now and it has a very pleasant sweet citrus opening that then gives way to a herbal note, perhaps due to the cannabis. It lasts quite well and leaves a delicious trail, although it doesn’t project much. After a month of use, I’m still delighted with it.