PH FRAGRANCES
IRIS & MUSC DE LIBERTY

2018

PERFUMER
Nisrine Bouazzaoui Grillie

Milk

Tonka Bean
Vetiver
Jasmine

Musk
Amber
Sandalwood

I wasn’t familiar with the brand pH Fragrances, until they reached out to do a review and was positively surprised. The brand focuses on ecology/sustainability, natural ingredients and simplicity. But how does it smell?

As the name suggests, this is mainly a woody fragrance, but with a strong gourmand twist. The brand actually describes it as gourmand first. Which isn’t surprising when looking at the note breakdown, which includes a hot milk accord, tonka and amber accord.

Hot milk is definitely prominent. It’s not just ‘milky’ as in a creamy sandalwood; it’s distinctly lactonic and it has a condensed milk vibe. The tonka adds the sweetness, but to me the woods are center-stage as well. On my first wearing I mainly got sandalwood, but the more I smell it, the more I get a greener undertone, presumably from the vetiver. It doesn’t get heavy or dark, but it feels quite dense overall. It reminds me of old (café) furniture.

The composition smells close to a mix of Jousset Gourmand Bakhoor‘s milk accord and Teo Cabanel’s Oh La La woody notes. If you’ve smelled those; picture the combination and add a green tinge.

It’s very nice overall and it’s a good gourmandish woody. It feels a little bit old-fashioned to me somehow; maybe the woods or the musk that’s also in here causes that. Performance is solid, but didn’t wow me. Vetiver & Santal Of Leather seems pretty clear cut; what you see is what you get… and that happens to be good. I did prefer their Iris & Musc de Liberty over this.