L’Interdit by Note33

Look, everyone smells what they want, but on my skin, this is a strange beast. Very raw green notes with a sandalwood that fails to tame the harshness; it grabs you and pulls you back to the 80s in a whirlwind of sensations that take your breath away. You can’t tell if it’s for a man, a woman, or both. The good thing is that it changes depending on the moment, shifting between flowers, herbs, and spices. Few houses manage that: a complex, uncommon fragrance that lasts well and leaves a trail. It’s difficult, so don’t buy it blindly. The pyramid is original and far from commercial; surely not everyone will like it. I found it interesting and uncommon, but it hasn’t made me jump for joy to buy it.

L’Interdit is one of those perfumes that, although I like it, I wouldn’t buy. Let me explain: it smells splendid, it’s an exquisite unisex, delicate and elegant, which would make the happiness of many on Fragrantica, but it leans a little towards the feminine. It’s not serious, but it bothers me, and that’s despite wearing unisex perfumes without problems; I don’t enjoy it enough to use it regularly. It’s a nonsense, but it conditions me. Upon spraying, there are a few seconds of floral, sweetish, and lovely freshness, but it passes quickly and reveals a very distinguished French dressing room aroma: powdery, elegant, and sober, a mix of rose and lily of the valley over spiced sandalwood that evokes luxury. Then, the floral dilutes, it becomes more spiced and spicy, and the base warms up with slight leathery nuances, more velvety suede than leather, quite nice. This dry-down is warm, dry, spicy, and ethereal, fresh and spicy in equal measure, with a good dose of ambroxan that, in my opinion, loads it and makes it a bit generic. More than oriental floral, I see it as a spiced floral and subtly woody. It’s unisex and wearable by men, although it tends towards the feminine. It reminds me of vintage feminine perfumes that are no longer so today, but if it came out today, it would be undeniably feminine. The performance is good, lasting 6 or 7 hours on skin with moderate trail; it’s not spectacular but for a niche it’s fine. I applied it from an échantillon without a spray; with a sprayer it could last longer. It’s a good option for fresh and temperate climates, day or night, versatile and elegant, ideal for the office. As I say, it hasn’t fully convinced me, although it’s beautiful olfactorily; perhaps because I feel it as vintage feminine and that conditions me. It’s rare, because I have enjoyed wearing Youth Dew, Tabu, Opium, and Shalimar. I cannot deny its beauty; on a woman it would be a spectacle, but I wouldn’t recommend it for men without trying it first.