Psychedelic Love by Initio Parfums Prives

At first, it hit me hard; I sense an incense not listed, or perhaps it’s that myrrh dominating the opening, but once it settles on the skin, it’s totally floral. The white floral is cloyed with rose and heliotrope, which feels heavy at first, but the dry-down is lovely. It’s not a buy-blind fragrance; you need to understand it to enjoy it from start to finish.

I ordered it based on the reviews, and when I opened it, I was taken aback: it smells a lot like Black Phantom. I tested it on my skin and everyone said the same. Strange things about the ph, I suppose.

I’ve used it again and I reiterate what I said: a poor-quality perfume that’s too expensive. Paying that much for something that doesn’t last or leave a trail isn’t justified. I’ve tried two from this brand and both have been disappointing.

Psychedelic Love: A floral opening of ylang-ylang soaked in bergamot. The heart maintains the ylang-ylang, adds cloyed heliotrope and a Bulgarian rose that dominates the middle phase. The final dry-down: a purpuric floral dominated by the rose over a sweet base of sandalwood and myrrh. Projection and longevity: about 6 hours of projection and 10-12 hours of longevity. Conclusion: it’s a floral bouquet where the rose leads. It has a very pleasant evolution, like a walk through a floral garden where you eventually find a corner to rest while a bit of sandalwood and myrrh burns. With occasional cloyed and almond touches, it can be overwhelming at times, but it doesn’t tire or saturate. Without doubt, it’s one of the best florals I’ve enjoyed.

Psychedelic Love: Floral opening of ylang-ylang soaked in bergamot. The heart maintains the ylang, adding a talc-heavy heliotrope and a Bulgarian rose that takes over the middle phase. The dry-down is defined by a purpuric floral dominated by rose over a base of sweet sandalwood and myrrh. Projection about six hours, longevity ten to twelve. Conclusion: a bouquet floral aroma where the rose leads. Very pleasant evolution, like a walk through a floral garden ending in a corner to rest with burning sandalwood and myrrh. With occasional talc and almond touches, it can be overwhelming at times but doesn’t tire or saturate. Without a doubt, one of the best florals I’ve enjoyed.

Dear Psychedelic Love: I smelled you almost a year ago at a collector friend’s house, and since then I haven’t forgotten you. That night I spent it sniffing my arm until I fell asleep with your memory. Never has a scent marked me as much as you; I kept your essence in my mind waiting to see you in a bottle for me. You’re the second perfume I can recall without smelling it in months; the first was my signature fifteen years ago. Psychedelic Love doesn’t play at discretion: it’s potent, with great sillage and longevity. If I wear it without going out, it gives me a headache. Although I use much unisex, I struggle to imagine it on a man; in my mind it highlights femininity with its sweetness, creaminess and sensuality. It opens with a splendid, creamy ylang-ylang, bergamot passes quickly, then comes a talc-heavy accord with a stench, the rose almost imperceptible. Minutes later, something very provocative animal note that comes and goes, I don’t know if it’s castoreum or civet, but it gives that sensual halo. Suddenly, the myrrh with its sweetness and slight smokiness, and that sandalwood, what a wonder. I also sense vanilla, but not for very hot days.

Starts with a synthetic, explosive ylang-ylang, draped in that soapy, talc-like cosmetic scent. As it dries, it becomes less intrusive, moderately provocative and very aldehydic. It’s a repetitive ‘makeup powder’ formula: flowers at the start, musk at the base. Well-constructed? Yes. Elegant? Certainly. Innovative? Nothing; I expected more. Like others, I see it as more unisex-feminine.

I want to say so many things about this wonderful perfume, but I’ll sum it up in a few words: masterful, sexy, seductive, addictive, magnificent. I love it.

I was keen to try it for the notes I adore, except heliotrope, which I can’t quite place but suspect is the culprit. It’s a cheerful, original floral; I haven’t smelled anything this engaging in ages. It doesn’t smell of musk but is very sweet and persistent, sticky as another reviewer noted. Zero subtlety, zero refinement, yet pleasant. I detect the sandalwood giving it a creamy touch. At first, I swore I smelled vanilla and was surprised to find none, but research revealed heliotrope smells vanillic, which accounts for that sweetness. Life’s little quirks; that sweetness repels me, as I noticed with Kilian’s Black Phantom, which also carries heliotrope. It seems that note and I simply don’t get along. To men wary of sweet-floral unisex scents: be warned, this leans far more feminine than masculine.

I don’t understand why it’s categorised as unisex (I have more unisex than masculine); this is directly feminine.

Excellent perfume. To my nose it’s 60% feminine and 40% masculine. It reminds me a bit of Zadig & Voltaire’s White for women, though this is more unisex thanks to the ambered notes that make it shine. Flowers are the protagonists accompanied by myrrh resin; very welcoming, ideal for days where delicacy wins over aggression. But watch out, nothing clean: it’s sweet and sticky. An excellent option for floral lovers.