FLORAIKU
BOYISH

2023

PERFUMER
Alberto Morillas

Bergamot
Lemon
Pink Pepper
Muguet
Iris
Cistus Absolute
frankincense
Vetiver
Amber
Cedarwood
Patchouli

‘For Boyish, the vegetal notes take on a new guise with the intensity of woods. Textured woody notes and the earthy, smoky tones of Vetiver Haïti Essence enwrap the floral heart, giving the composition a new, woody identity.’ – Alberto Morillas

‘Boyish laughs at convention, leads the beauty of ingredients to new places and flaunts flowers that play on a dual personality with a mix of sensuality and character. Its playful citrus fruit hides a woody elegance. Its name, a nod to fashion shows, sends us into the golden light of the runway. Its couture-driven composition steps outside the gender box and reveals bursting top notes of bergamot essence, a heart of elegant powdery iris, and a vetiver disposition that ushers in a radiant and spicy trail. Inspiration: A denim-coloured bandana with its iconic paisley motif adorns the neck of the bottle. A fashion accessory that goes beyond masculine or feminine, one that is easily lent to others and brings people together. Perfectly paired with a well-worn pair of jeans, it transcends time and cultures. A sign of belonging, it has become a true classic, a timeless fashion piece, beloved by men and women the world over. Boyish wears it as an expression of freedom, the mark of a ravishing rebel.’ – Floraiku

I’ve been less than impressed with Floraiku throughout the years, with scents ranging from uninteresting to nice, but the nice ones seemingly always with performance so bad, that even though I usually don’t care about performance, it was an issue for me. One Umbrella For Two being the stand out and I do quite like Between Two Trees (but there are better alternatives for that). However, Boyish was a pleasant surprise. Very pleasant and very surprised.

Opening unusual; no idea how to describe it. Floral, spicy, fruity. A few minutes in, the citrusses start to shine, but not in any conventional way. It’s very creamy, very oily and dense for a citrus scent, yet also fizzy. A lot of bergamot to my nose and a lot of resinous smooth incense.

Muguet (lily-of-the-valley accord) is listed, but I definitely get rosy vibes from Boyish. The bergamot is probably still the stand-out and its longevity for such a bright note is impressive.

It’s equally hard to describe later on. There’s a sort of smoky edge to the whole composition. Not daring, but definitely unusual. Perhaps my closest reference is the beer/hops facet from Zoologist Harvest Mouse. Eventually this fades and you’re left with a citrussy, floral woody scent that excels in its texture, but gets very sweet.

My only negative would be that it gets sweeter than I would ideally see it, with an ambroxan-y and non-distinct woods drydown. It does take on some of the ‘vegetal’, rooty qualities that vetiver brings to the table and the longer I wear it, the more spiciness I perceive. Pleasant, but the sweetness overshadows the beauty of the citrussy and floral tones from the opening. Performance seems average on first impression.

I don’t think I’ve smelled anything too similar to this recently and based on my first wearing, Boyish is my new favorite Floraiku. It has retro facets, but it feels very contemporary in style. Then again, it’s creamy, smooth textures and slightly quirky combination of notes make this deviate a lot from most releases we’ve seen this year. Thumbs up and even a potential wishlist item for me.