Rifaaqat by PARIS CORNER

Rifaaqat makes you doubt your decisions in the first ten minutes. An opening so plastic and chemically alive it seems like the breath of a melted doll. Then a change occurs, as if the air opens up and torture turns into fascination. It is perfumery redemption made liquid. The resemblance to Babycat is there, but its story is different. Babycat has evolution and nuances; Rifaaqat does not: it appears suddenly, throws incense, vanilla, and wood at you, and stays there. It has an almost narcotic charm. The incense scrapes and the vanilla bites, forming a dry, spicy accord that clings stubbornly. It demands space and respect. One spray is acceptable, but two in summer or in a closed room is olfactory terrorism. It recalls warm plastic, industrial resin, addictive artificial warmth. It’s the version of the overheated cable, hypnotic and dangerous. As if the Barbie from your childhood had gone through a crisis and was now smoking oregano in a windowless bar. Rifaaqat is meant to provoke. It has fetish in its lack of refinement, deformed beauty that only reveals itself by accepting its rarity. It’s not versatile or kind, but it leaves a mark. The small bottle will last you an eternity. It’s an experience revisited with guilt and morbidity. It prefers a false, brave note to a cowardly, pretty accord. In a world of harmless copies, it has the merit of being an imitation with its own soul.

The opening is a bit synthetic, confirming what other reviews say about that plastic and smoked-leather sensation. A few minutes later, black pepper comes out, tickling the nose a bit. Then that plastic sensation calms down and fades, revealing that resinous, powdery vanilla of Babycat, like rich powdered black chocolate. I notice three clear notes: base leather, powdery vanilla, and incense. Compared to Babycat, in the dry-down they are identical if you smell them from a distance, but up close, it feels less polished, with fewer nuances and a slightly more synthetic edge; the leather is also more prominent. Still, it’s 85-90% similar, the same scent but less refined. Although I’m not a fan of dupes, for the 17€ I paid, it’s an incredible buy; I wouldn’t pay 300€ for Babycat with this in hand. The longevity is a bomb: with 3 or 4 sprays, I cover 10-12 hours, projecting strongly at first and leaving an amazing trail. -Scent: 8.5 -Longevity: 10 -Projection: 8.5 -Versatility: 6.5

I just received it but I still can’t see myself wearing it. That said, I was dying to get home and spray it on my hand. The opening, the first 20 seconds, is a super resinous smell, almost like wood varnish. The first time I thought: I’ve messed up my blind buys again… Then all that softens and the incense becomes more prominent. The dry down is already more noble and sweet. I need to keep testing it and let it mature. I don’t know if it’s very similar or different from Babycat. Unisex, leaning masculine. Only spray once because it’s very strong; if you spray too much, you might end up in the ER. Edit: It’s leaving my collection. Are there any easy, enjoyable scents to make it through this? I think so, come on 🤣 I let my boyfriend try it; he’s a huge fan of fishing and diving and said it smells exactly like a wetsuit shop 😅.

It’s not the bomb I expected; on me, it stays very close to the skin, almost no projection. In the opening, it’s just like Daimiris from Laboratorio Olfattivo, though the latter is fresher. They share the saffron as an opening note that gives it a touch similar to iodine. Maybe that’s the most complicated part, but it doesn’t make it bad. It’s sweet from start to finish. In the dry down, it leaves a marked resinous scent; I’m surprised that elemi and incense aren’t in the base because on my skin, they’re the ones that stand out the most, along with the vanilla. It’s unisex, maybe more masculine, but a woman can wear it perfectly. For the price I found it at, 20 euros, I’d buy it again, though due to its performance (3-4h) and projection, I’d use it for personal enjoyment.

Rifaaqat stands out for its unusual character from the first spray. The opening is sharp with resins and woods, reminiscent of the inside of a church with a medicinal touch. A challenging opening, strange for those not used to such ceremonial compositions. Over time, it reveals a warm, enveloping vanilla: not sweet or gourmand, but dark, dry, and elegant, with depth without being cloying. This stage is the most enjoyable for me. It lasts 8 hours on skin with moderate and uniform projection. To me, it’s more masculine than feminine. Although it doesn’t fit my tastes, I value its originality. An interesting option for those seeking personality and something different from the common.

I truly think 90% of the comments are from paid people or those who think they’re experts. I’m not an expert, but I have a good nose. Those who say it smells like vanilla, wood, subtle, and refined… nothing. Along with Asad Zanzibar, it’s the worst fragrance I’ve owned. It smells like plastic, tar, and car oil factory. I let it macerate for three months and it smells stronger. I haven’t smelled Baby Cat, but I doubt a niche perfume smells like this. It’s disgusting. I gave it to several people and everyone agreed it’s repulsive, smelling of burnt plastic, tar, and oil. Absolutely none of those complimentary comments; it’s impossible.

The first 5 to 10 minutes smell literally like church myrrh (olibanum incense and elemi). A bit smoky, yes, but not excessively like others say. Then comes the ‘sugar,’ that sugary vanilla that is what I smell. Agreeing with Junesuke: the sweetness reminds me of Bianco Latte (in my case, Eclaire de Lattafa, an exact copy), and that smoky incense doesn’t leave. It’s not for everyone; I like it, though I’m not obsessed because I expected something unique, but it isn’t. If you like Eclaire or Bianco with orthodox church myrrh, you’ll love it. Power 10/10, longevity 10/10, trail 9/10.

Exquisite fragrance for the price. I’ve been collecting perfumes for over 30 years and I think people have a distorted vision; not everyone is a professional. A perfume like this, very similar to Babycat, only an expert sees slight differences, but for street wear they are identical. Superior quality/price to the original; I own both. It has dry, spiced vanilla, lasts about 6 hours, the bottle is well-finished, and the price is unbeatable. Highly recommended. Everyone perceives it differently, like sight, but it’s a perfume to enjoy for little money.

Extremely cloying and strong sweetness; be careful with how many sprays you use. I don’t own Babycat to compare, but in this scent, the first 10-20 seconds of the opening smell pretty bad, like fresh wood varnish. After that, an alcoholic vanilla emerges and opens up more over time. It’s not a commercial sweetness and can get cloying easily; clearly not for daily wear. I’d use it more for nights out, like at a bar or an outdoor gathering. Don’t buy it blind just because you like sweet scents. Obviously, this is for winter and night.

Honestly, it’s not what they promised. Smells like cheap plastic with vanilla. The longevity and projection are good, but the scent makes me want to take it off in 5 seconds. I sprayed it 4 times at 2 pm, and by 7:45 pm it had improved significantly, going from a 5 to a 7, but it still isn’t worth it. I tried it in-store and found it unpleasant. Maybe it needs to macerate for 5 months, but I won’t do it. I’ve lost interest. If it’s the same as Babycat, I’m not missing out.

My review is the only valid one: It smells good. After a month of maceration, it lasts 3-4 hours on skin and projects almost nothing. I have a love-hate relationship with this perfume; I find it very similar to Lattafa’s Eclaire, but simpler, with worse notes in the other two aspects. One could say it’s a slightly more masculine Eclaire that projects less and lasts shorter, but it still smells phenomenal during the hour and a half it projects.

Without having heard YSL’s Babycat, I’d say this is the child of Margiela’s By the Fireplace and Tom Ford’s Eau d’Ombre Leather. The opening is strange, balsamic, and spicy, with a smoky aroma reminiscent of the first, and quickly reveals a light, tasty vanilla like Tom Ford’s. I’ll let it age for a few months to see how it develops. Overall, interesting, challenging, and something I’d smell before buying. Nighttime and cold as hell.

It has something I personally can’t define. I share the opinion of those who say it reminds them of plastic, especially at the start. However, when it dries down is what really throws me off; generally, I don’t like it and it’s one of the scents in my wardrobe that captivate me the least, but sometimes it gives me a delicious burst of incense. I’ll give it a few more chances, but clearly it’s on my discard list.

I love it. To me, it smells like what Umberto Eco’s book ‘The Name of the Rose’ would smell like: a medieval monastery where monks make little pastries, use incense all the time, and have many dark secrets. Vanilla, incense, smoke, leather, sugar… I really love it, though more in its dry-down than in the opening, but the opening has its point too. It’s like a witch’s perfume. 10/10.

It arrived with a black liquid, nothing like the caramel color in the photos. The worst part was the strong smell of a new car interior and plastics mixed with vanilla. It took 8 months of maturation and enduring the hate from those who recommended this. Now I love it 🤩. Be patient if it smells terrible even 4 months after buying it. More patience than usual, but it’s worth it.