Ambilux by Marlou

It’s a threshold. Exploring fragrances has led me to seek challenges that go beyond simple scent and offer new experiences. I love bold animalic scents with a clear statement, like La Tsarine by Senyokô or Francesca Bianchi’s creations; I like to push myself. With Ambilux, I’ve hit a ceiling, and honestly, it’s been my first time. The first 20 seconds are pure glory: the initial impact recognizes what makes Kouros interesting but with superior quality. I’m talking about that nitrogenous note that some reviewers compare to urine or a public restroom, but here it’s paired with a subtle cumin note that gives it a human touch—yes, sweat, but from a healthy, clean person. There are other notes in the background that smooth out the rough edges. The first impression is a very sensual, sexual body odor. Side note: due to my job, I’ve heard hundreds of healthy and sick people urinate, and I don’t know where some reviews get the idea that a perfume smells like bad urine or the sweat of the elderly, as if their own secretions would smell great just because they aren’t old. Gentlemen, your secretions aren’t glory for most people, especially if they’re sick. Back to Ambilux: after those 20 seconds, the costus enters, and that’s where things get complicated for me. Maybe this note has become too prominent. The base remains suggestive, but the costus has broken me; I, who tolerate unpleasant smells quite well, have given up. That note leaves a strong impression of dirty hair, specifically the dreadlocks of 70s, 80s, and early 90s nomads roaming dangerous Latin American cities. In high school, I met girls with dreadlocks that smelled of dirty hair, patchouli, sweat, and adventure. The sour, greasy, slightly metallic scent of their hair didn’t please me, but the thrill of being swept into a crazy world was too much. This Ambilux has that dreadlock smell very present and vivid. On my first try, I couldn’t handle it. It’s not a potent product; after 25 minutes, it sits right on the skin like an intimate layer. Over time, the costus mellows, leaving a scent similar to the start but less sexual, closer to the sweaty skin of someone who’s done physical labor, cozy. A niche product with more than enough quality, very demanding and uncompromising. It might require an acquired taste, but if you like it, it can be worn in society due to the subtlety of its aura. I don’t know why, but I bought a bottle. For now, I wear it with another perfume to get through the costus and enjoy its animalic aspect.

Ugh… too much for my body! One of the wildest animal scents I’ve ever tried. Out of the few I’ve sampled, I have to be clear: I don’t like it. This is the first time I’ve felt the urge to wash my wrist. It smells exactly like the odor left on skin after my dog licks it. Way too indie for me. That said, if you like scents like Kouros but find them too soft, give this a shot. As an olfactory experience and collector’s piece, it could be a good option, because honestly, it’s hard to find anything quite like it. Scent: 4, Longevity: 10 (or 12 because it won’t budge even if you scrub it with a scouring pad 😂), Projection: 6, Value: 5 (I don’t like it, but I recognize the quality), Versatility: 3, Uniqueness: 10, Overall: 4.5.

This was a gift from my favorite perfume shop, but honestly, I would never buy it myself. It smells repulsive, very animalic and like urine. If you’re looking for an olfactory experience, you might like it. I wouldn’t wear it on any occasion or under any circumstances.

It smells super animalic, like sweat and urine. A mix of wet animal and pee. Of course, no one can deny that Marlou is a bold proposal. As an olfactory experience, it’s good, but I wouldn’t wear it.

It smells like pure pee all over my skin; I radiate a urine odor.