Camel by Zoologist Perfumes

Curious, to put it mildly. The first thing I smell is a warm, sweet hint of diabetic feet. Fortunately, it quickly develops and becomes clearly an oriental amber, spiced, and animalic perfume. Cinnamon, dates, and nuts stand out, and I can also detect, in bursts, a tiny touch of dried rose petals. Its projection and longevity are atomic: use sparingly. A purely winter and mature (leaning vintage) unisex scent for people of great personality who can wear a perfume not for the masses with their heads held high. I see it more as a personal enjoyment scent or for situations with people who love you unconditionally. My partner, for example, likes it a lot. As for me, I have mixed feelings: I’d love it if the civet accord weren’t so evident, as it would be easier to wear, though I recognize that’s precisely what makes it so special: the combination of sweetness and dirtiness feels very cozy. It’s not one of the weirdest in the brand, but I wouldn’t wear it to work. Pleasant: 7/10 Interesting: 8/10 Versatile: 5/10 Original: 8/10

I’ll start with the official description because it hits perfectly: an olfactory caravan toward a distant market, where rose, dried fruits, and jasmine join incense, myrrh, amber, and cinnamon, only to be surrounded later by musks and oud. CAMEL Perfumer: Carbonnel (the same one from Croxato Man 😅). I stumbled upon this perfume with a surprise; it has Tolu balsam in the drydown and smells delicious 🤤, placing it in my top 3 of the brand. In my judgment, with recent launches, it has stopped doing what characterized it to focus on ‘mass appealing’ perfumes 😑. Personal note: It doesn’t try to recreate the animal scent; it doesn’t smell like a camel (I’ve ridden several just in case you ask), but rather transports you to the desert ecosystem. SALUTATIONS 🖖🏻

The essence of exoticism, period. Beyond the Camel field by Zoologist, there is nothing else. Thanks to nose wizard Christian Carbonnel, this perfume is an oasis of complexity in the mainstream desert. Between notes of frankincense and myrrh, it’s as if your nose embarks on an olfactory caravan. It makes me feel like Lawrence of Arabia in the middle of the world!

At first, it literally smells like urine, lol. Although animalic accords usually work on my skin, I wasn’t sure if that opening was normal, but I see I’m not the only one. Fortunately, it disappears in less than two minutes, leaving a warm, oriental, pleasant, and intimate base. While it’s nice, it’s not enough to personally win me over.

Pure amber, warm and sweet. You can detect frankincense, myrrh, cedar, cinnamon, and a lovely orange, but also something dirty and animalic. I imagine a city near the desert with dusty streets and spice markets, or cowboys riding horses in the afternoon. It’s interesting and wearable; I like that dirtiness.

I bought a sample because I loved the date note in the store, but when I used it at home, it only smelled like urine. Horror.