Potion by DSQUARED²

Dsquared2 Potion is woody and amber. At first, it smells of amber, cinnamon, herbs, and a touch of leather reminiscent of Burberry London. Over time, it shines more with musk and florals, but the amber remains dominant. After four hours, it fades to skin scent and becomes creamy. As @arp told me, it works for formal or casual events, not for sports. I like it, but it lacks presence; the longevity reached 8 hours, though the last 4 hours I could only smell it on my skin.

I love the concept, even though it loses a bit on functionality. So original! I totally agree with Drake about its sillage and longevity. It has a polyhedral structure: as you smell it, you discover different facets that go together, sometimes even smelling of incense. The Lempika reference comes from that initial sweet and medicinal tone (maybe angelica?), but it doesn’t muddy the mix, which for me is basically amber.

A pleasant surprise. It smells different, agreeable, warm, and sweet in a very masculine way, without being cloying or medicinal. It’s quite linear. There’s one note I can’t identify, but based on other reviews, I think it’s cashmere wood (I’ll have to smell more perfumes to confirm). At first, it smells a bit like powder, then that disappears and highlights the amber, cinnamon, and that cashmere wood. Is it original? Yes, nothing mass-produced. The downside: being an eau de parfum, its longevity and sillage are moderate to weak. Still, highly recommended.

I really liked it. The opening is sweet and spiced, then the amber and cashmere wood stand out with musky undertones, all wrapped in a sweet warmth that isn’t cloying; very well executed. It’s a pity that as an Eau de Parfum, it doesn’t last much (3-4 hours) and the trail stays right up against the skin from the start.

A linear fragrance where the most noticeable notes are amber, then angelica, and finally cinnamon, perceived with the same intensity in that order. The combination gives a slightly powdery and sometimes warm scent. I experience something strange with its use: it’s not for formal occasions, but not casual either; not for sports, yes for daily wear, but it unfolds a certain acidity that could get tiring if worn daily, something contradictory but that’s how I felt it. As for whether it’s generic, I didn’t feel it much, but it has a resemblance to the ‘watered-down’ version of Kenzo Jungle for men, just without that soda-like sensation, almost the same. Another similarity is with Guerlain Heritage, but that one has woody notes and lacks the acidity that Potion has. A strong point is that the ingredients feel natural, not very artificial, which gives it quality. Although it doesn’t smell cheap, I think if it were of good quality, it would have better sillage; for me, that’s a requirement of quality. I had low to medium sillage, but good longevity (7 hours and I still feel it with that low sillage). For intermediate seasons; in the cold, it could get overshadowed by the acidity, and in the heat, it could be annoying. For people over 30.

Very much in the style of Davidoff Silver Shadow, Puig Sybaris, or Lancome Miracle Homme: loaded, spicy, and complex, for temperate or cold climates. I thought Francis Kurkdjian made it, not Annick Menardo. Its dry-down reminds me of the opening of Lagerfeld Jako (which I like more) and has that ‘powdery’ effect upon application. It’s not my style, but it would be a crime to call it a bad fragrance; I think we should separate our personal taste from the actual quality assessment of the fragrance. I give it 4.0/5.0.

For me, one of the best designer perfumes in years, and Annick Menardo nailed it. Very spiced and balanced, without being too harsh or overly sweet. Angelica, thyme, and a prominent cinnamon note, closing with soft patchouli, wood, and amber. Forget the anise; it has nothing to do with Lolita Lemp. Dsquared2 really takes care of their fragrances; I also say this about He Wood, which isn’t my style (I find it boring), but it’s well-made and doesn’t smell synthetic. My issue with Potion is that, despite being an EDP, the trail is very light, and after the first hour, I have to press my nose against my skin to smell it. The longevity isn’t great either (4-5 hours if you’re generous), which frustrated me. The good things in life tend to be ephemeral…

In its evolution, I sensed anise, even though it’s not in the note pyramid, which is why it reminded me of the opening of Lolita Lempicka for men, or maybe it was just a reminiscence from the moment.