Lapidus Pour Homme Black Extreme by Ted Lapidus

The big mistake of testing a 2012 perfume in a tester is that it smells different from the new sealed bottle away from lights and sun. I made that mistake years ago and it was horrible; now I have the new one and it’s totally usable. Testers are only good for current fragrances; they’re exposed to sunlight and sprayed hundreds of times, full of air that oxidizes them. If it’s been discontinued for five years, testing it is almost useless. I remember testing the original Boss Number One, what a horror. Now I have it in its new bottle and it’s my favorite fougere (like Azzaro Pour Homme). Don’t make that mistake, don’t let yourself be guided by rotting testers. Order decants or buy it and if you don’t like it, sell it. Back to Ted Lapidus Black Extreme, it’s not spooky or for Halloween, don’t believe the YouTuber lies. It’s a modernized Ted Lapidus Pour Homme, sweet, thick, dark, slightly synthetic, with a tangy edge at times, and the clean vintage part is significantly toned down. If you like the classic, you’ll surely like this one. But if you don’t like the classic, I don’t think you’ll like this one. Of the two, this one is a bit harder to love. The Pour Homme was loved for decades; today it might smell old but it was never ugly. That’s why it’s still being made 40 years later. I recommend starting with that one, and if you like it, go for the Black Extreme and Sport if you’re looking for something for summer.

An acquired taste, for sure. But once you learn to enjoy it, there’s no turning back. Perhaps you need to have explored some aromatic monsters or mutants; or maybe you just need a greater inclination for classic perfumery, especially the 70s and 80s stuff. If you prefer current trends, more focused on sweet blues, it will be harder for you to appreciate its undeniable beauty. However, it’s not a relic at all: I feel it’s youthful and party-ready. It’s the party version of its mother fragrance, which is more adult and serious. Lapidus perfumes have excellent performance; the price-to-quality ratio is almost unbeatable.

It’s not unpleasant, but it’s not appealing either. Maybe one day it could make sense as part of a costume. At first, it smells very much like the DNA of my grandfather’s Floïd aftershave. Then it evolves into those withered flowers everyone mentions—I can’t pinpoint which ones. It reminds me of the smell of a bowl my mom used to have with dried flowers and leaves. I only found it repulsive at one point: when I tried to wash it off with water and soap. Just a splash of water brings out strong urine notes that make my stomach turn. It’s like dry urine in a dark alley where someone is trying to cover a nauseating smell with a dandy-era perfume. Try it and let me know if you get the same gross smell, because it’s always clear to me, so I’d rather avoid it just in case I get wet. As for longevity and projection, it’s more than enough.

I remember when I was new to perfumes; smelling it for the first time, I thought it was a nightmare. Years later, with my nose trained on hundreds of designer, niche, and even low-cost scents, I decided to give it another shot. It does smell weird. It’s a beast in longevity and projection, a perfume likely to disgust 80% of people who smell it. Once I wore the classic Lapidus Pour Homme (which I love), and a girl sitting next to me on the bus got up and switched seats. Here, I sense the DNA of the classic Lapidus, but in a dark, heavy way—very heavy. It’s like an opening with a bit of tar, mixed with something floral (the typical orange blossom from Lapidus), blended with violet (which doesn’t smell like Fahrenheit). So, the title Black Extreme fits perfectly: a dark, gothic version of the original aroma, much bolder but without losing that vintage 80s essence. I like it, though it took me time to understand. I can say it’s an extraordinary perfume, something that breaks all known rules.

I ended up giving it away. I had it for a year and didn’t even use 10%; it’s too strong and uncomfortable. It smells like a cemetery vase with rotting flowers. A hard perfume to accept; many people around me don’t like it. It might acquire a pleasant scent only in its last hours. It leaves a floral trail. The Ted Lapidus Pour Homme predecessor was strong, abrupt, and masculine, but this is something strange and dark. Maybe in the future they’ll use it for witchcraft, love spells, and black magic, haha.

Works great for me, though it’s a taste you have to get used to. I understand why some find it weird because that strong opening of violet and black pepper smells a bit like cobbler grease, but it stays fairly linear until the dry down, which is pure luxury.

No vampires, zombies, cemeteries, or milks. I don’t get certain criticisms. This exquisite perfume smells like orange blossom, violet, and incense, though I don’t see the incense note up top. The opening is quite alcoholic but evaporates quickly, and this gem starts working like few others. You could say it’s sweet, but no, it’s more the smoothness of tonka bean and a very comfortable wood that gives it that warmth. But a mischievous, sparkling warmth, I suppose from the pepper and saffron, which act as a perfect counterpoint to the obvious flowers and woods. This isn’t a wild Marcianada at all. In fact, it’s one of the most wearable and versatile perfumes I own. It’s potent, not something you wear right after a shower to feel fresh. No, you wear this to “perfume yourself” as God intended. And go out to conquer the world, work, a fancy dinner, or something informal. Always dressed up, not in sweatpants, but jeans and a cool t-shirt works. This perfume dresses itself, and if you like it, it will guide you and make you feel like a real catch. I wouldn’t say it’s extraordinarily original. Maybe it was, but today it doesn’t impact through transgression. Although it’s not something you smell around every corner, by no means. Its performance is outstanding. Projects, lasts a long time, and the dry down is delicious. You always get bursts until you get home. To me, it’s a beast from head to toe.

What a bomb! Pure 80s style, just so you know: if you stick to today’s brands like Sauvage or One Million, better not. It’s not for those looking for the perfect niche perfume because this isn’t one, but for many it is. And watch out for those who think higher price means better perfume; this is incredibly cheap for what it gives and beats many 300-euro bottles. Fantastic, though a shame it won’t be found soon.

The opening with violet smells like strong and annoying incense, but by the hour it drops to a pleasant sweetness that I love. Not for heat, use it in cold or at night; it lasts the first hour but then gets tiring, so I don’t recommend it for consecutive days. The good thing is the price: it keeps you smelling for twelve hours.

Ted Lapidus aren’t for everyone, they’re strong and mysterious, obviously not for kids. No more than three sprays, don’t buy blind. The scent is very uncommon and mysterious; honestly, I smell pure incense. The price is very comfortable, I think around 18 dollars and you get about 10 hours of strong opening. It can be uncomfortable, smells a lot like incense, like a funeral crown. To give you an idea, a similar scent to a flower called queen of the night, a type of white poppy, I think they also call it angel’s trumpet, which smells at night. At first it smells like incense, then later like that flower. It has a bad opening, then becomes sweet and pleasant, but at the beginning it smells like a black mass.

I don’t know where to start with this masterpiece. It’s a great misunderstood fragrance: you don’t buy a perfume just to smell good, but for a changing olfactory experience. You either fall in love or hate it. Forget ‘black’ perfumes with citrus openings; this TL is another level: you see storm clouds, hear a wolf, and the sparrows are bats. It’s truly gothic. It leaves Encre Noir looking like a beach cologne. The problem is that it transports you instantly. I debuted it at home lying down: a sweet, melancholic opening with wet violets that fade to leave dried flowers in a vase, not rotting, and a smell of wet cement. It’s rare and special. It’s gothic to the point of rage. It lasts 10 hours projecting (2 hours at 2 meters, 8 hours at half a meter). It’s for night or cloudy afternoons; it won’t work in the heat. It’s my only reason for not having it among my top 3 (it is in my top 10). For me, it’s 10/10. Cheers! Follow me on TikTok: Chuliá Parfum Reviews @chulia.my13parfums

Classic Ted Lapidus box and bottle with a good atomizer. The citrus opening isn’t fresh but fermented. Then the violet appears, not fresh but decomposing, creating a funeral coronet scent over a crypt with the touch of orange blossom. As it dries, old wet wood and a dark monkey note emerge, giving a crypt vibe. It’s bottled Castlevania, the smell of Carmilla’s cemetery in the old game. Finally, it turns sweet with tonka vanilla, vanilla-heavy, talc-like, and soapy, 80s style. It lasts and projects a lot; be careful with dosage to avoid getting dizzy. It’s for night, cold, or rain; in the heat, it can overwhelm and make you vomit if you’re not used to it. Value for money is acceptable, though some synthetic components can be intense if you’re heavy-handed. If you like strong, vintage aromas and olfactory experiences, buy it. But don’t do it blind if you don’t meet these requirements.

Interesting, rough, and severe—no easy compliments here. It reminds me of Ted Lapidus PH but with less fruit. It opens with a synthetic, earthy vibe, like drying plaster, mixed with eugenol and slightly wilted flowers (but in a good way). The base lavender rounds everything out, adding a sweet touch to the citrus. It evolves into a floral accord where the violet seems tainted by that initial mix. I get why it evokes a gothic vibe with this blended violet; over time, it turns into a dark, dense incense. Projection is high, it lasts a long time, and it’s very noticeable. I’m not sure exactly when to wear it, though it would work well at the office, while riding a motorcycle, or to make an impression. It pairs perfectly with a leather jacket and jeans. It leaves a mark that’s a true statement; you need a certain temperament to pull it off since it’s not simple and might seem strange to the uninitiated. Very masculine and rare these days. If you’re new to this, test it before buying. Curiously, the TL house transports me back to the 80s and causes me anemoia, even though I was born after that era. If you want to relive that time, TL is the way to go.

I liked the perfume; it’s not the horrible black sheep they painted it to be. It’s a masculine opening that’s somewhat dirty and smoky, but well-integrated into the fragrance, mixed with a synthetic lavender-like note that this house often uses and is only present at the start. True, nothing unpleasant as I expected (at least for the batch I could try). The smoky or dirty sensation is at a very balanced point; it doesn’t smell like sweat; on the contrary, it’s very pleasant. It resembles what L’Homme Ideal Intense by Guerlain does (it’s not the same scent, but it shares that smoky spirit).