Liquid Brun by French Avenue

Super addictive scent, the perfect blend of sweet and floral. Lasts forever, though not many people can smell it on my skin.

Very sweet and clean perfume, rich vanilla with cinnamon and chocolate notes. I guarantee it smells 95% identical to Marly’s Althair, but at a much more reasonable price point, just with less longevity. If you love Althair but don’t want to spend a fortune, this is your best bet—it’s identical. Worth it for sweet lovers, though it feels a bit cloying to me. The best part is the value: it’s cheap and lasts about 5-6 hours.

At first, I smelled burnt plastic, but after letting it mature for two weeks and trying it again… wow, wow, and wow again. An exquisite aroma of cinnamon, vanilla, and cardamom. For the price, it’s excellent.

Liquid Brun is a fragrance with its own personality: warm, elegant, and enveloping. It offers a spicy gourmand interpretation that grabs attention without feeling vulgar and positions itself as an excellent option if you’re looking for quality scent without paying a fortune for niche fragrances. Ideal for autumn-winter, dates, or moments when you want to make an impression.

Liquid Brun is a fragrance with huge hype due to its striking resemblance to PDM’s Althair, another product that got a lot of buzz. Speaking from my experience and comparing it to Althair: the opening smells like airy vanilla, that sensation of opening a dessert fresh out of the oven—warm vanilla accompanied by citrus bergamot at first, then the clean, fresh touch of orange blossom with a spiced note of cardamom and caramelized praline. In the dry down, which is fast, it retains that pastry vanilla with praline and orange blossom, which balances the sweetness and provides a clean base. That’s Liquid Brun, uncomplicated, a gourmand from toe to head that’s easy to notice in the first two hours; it leaves a heavy trail that fills spaces. Whenever I’ve smelled it on someone, it was in an enclosed area, which is a shame because it ends up filling the room and becoming a bit overwhelming. Now, onto Althair: here there’s no citrus opening; it goes straight to the sweetness. The only difference I notice is that PDM’s has more evolution; hours later, the resinous elemi becomes more noticeable and adds a tiny smoky touch, which I like more. Still, I wouldn’t buy either of them; they feel too sweet, too gourmand for my taste, and I don’t feel comfortable with either. Finally, Liquid Brun is very well executed; the differences are small nuances in the final dry down that you won’t notice unless you smell them side-by-side trying to pick them out, and the price difference is astronomical. It’s a fragrance with brutal value, but it’s not for me, nor is Althair.

I bought it in December to let it mature. I tried it on nights and it’s a beast, a unique scent I’d never felt before. Sweet and elegant, not cloying. Perfect for dates or night outs. On my skin, it’s a 10/10.

Beware of those who bash it for being different. I had my doubts; the first time, it was shocking, an aroma I’d never sensed. But once I wore it, I understood: it’s a GREAT PERFUME. I own 40 fragrances, 25 of them Arabic, and Liquid Brun stands above the recent hypebeasts. The ingredient quality speaks for itself. Beyond the chocolate and praline, its bourbon vanilla is extreme and defines everything. It’s not masculine; the guaiac and althier give it a smoky, elegant touch. It’s for special occasions, not for everyday wear.

If you haven’t smelled it, imagine literally smelling praline: soft, warm chocolate, sweet but not cloying. Longevity is good, it’s oily. No one tells you that upon application it smells like sharp, synthetic plastic or rubber that later transforms into chocolate. I don’t know what it is, but it smells like synthetic grease before turning sweet. Over time, only the creamy part remains. For me, it’s not a perfume. Smelling like synthetic praline doesn’t fit a man or a woman. It’s not like Stronger With You or Scandal, which have wood and personality. This just smells like dessert, not a fragrance or a person.

I rejected it when smelling it from the cap, but months later I sprayed it and it was a whole different story. It’s an exquisite gourmand, it pairs easily with Khamrah and similar scents. It balances power without being cloying, featuring caramel chocolate and bourbon vanilla. It’s one of the few Arabic scents I’d buy for cold weather. It never smells like burnt plastic; it’s well-finished and nothing is missing or excessive.

Liquid Brun is a warm embrace that wraps around your skin like a soft blanket on a cold night. The opening is spicy and luminous, with a cardamomo that’s peppery yet gentle, awakening without being annoying. Then it turns creamy: silky, sweet vanilla with a resinous nuance that adds depth and balance, far from an obvious gourmand. In dry down, praline and woods create a comforting refuge, like a cabin in the woods. On skin, it’s spicy vanilla over a sweet, woody base, radiating determination and confidence. I bought it without smelling the original (Althair) and knew I didn’t need anything else. It’s addictive. This DNA will never be missing from my collection.

DEFINITELY NOT FOR BLIND BUYING. IT’S NOT FOR ENJOYMENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO NICHES. IT SMELLS LIKE BURNING PLASTIC WITH MELTED PRALINE ADDED. WHO WANTS TO WEAR THAT? TERRIBLE IDEA.

Sweet, with good longevity and projection. Maybe it’s a bit linear for my taste, but it works wonderfully in cold weather. For the price, an 8.5/10.

I tried it and loved it; it’s worth the hype. I can’t say more because I haven’t worn it extensively yet, but I’ll definitely buy it in the future. What I can confirm is that it smells like chocolate mixed with vanilla, and I love that. For me, 9.5/10; I still need to test the sillage and long-term longevity.

Similar to PDM’s Althaïr, though the quality isn’t identical. From the first use, people have asked me about the scent; it lasts a long time on skin and clothes with a good trail. It smells edible, almost like a vanilla cupcake, simple but sweet. If you like sweet scents, this is for you. I wouldn’t pay more than $40-50 because the hype skyrocketed and it’s not the eighth wonder of the world; better to wait for a reasonable price. Ideal for night or cold/temperate climates.

I tried it and sold it. I bought a split of Althair before and could compare them while wearing. They’re similar, but the quality difference is noticeable: this one is weak compared to the original. Since that one is discontinued, there’s no variation in the scent journey; it smells the same from the top to the base. Average longevity and projection.