BYREDO BIBLIOTHÈQUE BAL D'AFRIQUE & ROSE OF NO MAN'S LAND REVIEW

Byredo was the first stop in my fragrance journey because it's the first non-designer perfume house I tried. The brand is beloved and constantly mentioned in favorite fragrances, signature scents, what's in my bag, and most complimented perfume videos. I've only tried Blanche and Flowerhead over an extended period, and I was not a fan. I desperately want to like and appreciate Byredo because it's a well-respected brand.

To properly illustrate my desperation/insanity, I have an excel sheet listing all of Byredo's available fragrances, their notes, whether I am interested in it, whether I bought it, and my opinions. I would share the sheet, but the formatting is absolutely hideous, and it's one sheet of many. 

BIBLIOTHÈQUE

Plum, Cinnamon

Leather Accord, Violet

Birch Woods, Patchouli, Vanilla

"One spray is enough to bathe the neck in the atmosphere of a world suspended in time. A world of old books, the scent of their leather-bound pages arranged on dark wood shelves."

I tried most of these samples in-store before I purchased decants from Lucky Scent. My friend Anna said this reminds her of the fruit-scent pencils, Smencils, that they sold at Book Fairs in elementary school.

It's sweet, woody, warm, and ever so slightly spicy. Mainly sweet (somewhat naughty) plum, cinnamon, birch wood, and vanilla. No leather or patchouli. I'll attribute the powderiness to the violet. Somewhat reminds me of cough syrup.

From the description, I was expecting something less sweet and more musky. The description and the notes conjure a Dark Academia imagery, but it smells more like a baby nursery with picture books. I like it, but completely unexpected. Would've preferred Dark Academia more.

I agree with my friend Anna about the Smecils comparison, i.e. artificial fruit. It's a very ripe, juicy plum, and my mind immediately goes to that peach scene in Call Me By You Name, which is why it said it's somewhat naughty. It's not the fragrance itself that's naughty, it's what it makes me think of. I'm the problem.

Who would wear this? Because of its sweetness, this fragrance leans more feminine. It's a sweet girl that has a little edge - she tried leather pants one time. 

BAL D'AFRIQUE

African Marigold, Bergamot, Buchu

Cyclamen, Violet

Moroccan Cedarwood, Vetiver

"Ben Gorham's love letter to Africa. The fragrance celebrates the influence Africa has had throughout history and the world. 

This is the very first Byredo scent I tried, and I didn't like it, which gave me an existential crisis because of how beloved it is. I'm retrying, and... I do not remember it smelling like this. Oh wow. I like it! What did I try that day in SoHo?! Maybe I'm getting mixed up with Gypsy Water?

Mainly getting bergamot. Very refreshing, clean, soapy, and subtle. It's no surprise why almost every Korean fragrance collection or "what's in my bag" video includes this perfume. 

Also, I'm noticing the brand's affinity for violet notes in their fragrances. 

I accidentally got the decant all over my fingers while typing this post. I'm sniffing my fingers as I type this—what a weirdo. The longevity is awful. The sillage is intimate: a skin scent. This might be because I'm not spraying the perfumes. Instead, I'm conservatively dabbing this onto the skin. A few reviewers have also complained about the lack of longevity, so it might not just be me.

The second time I tried it, I noticed how sweet it is. It's mango-y, which is very bizarre because there are no fruit notes, and floral notes, to my experience, don't express themselves this way. 

ROSE OF NO MAN'S LAND

Pink Pepper, Turkish Rose Petals

Raspberry Blossom, Turkish Rose Absolute

Papyrus, White Amber

"Rose of No Man's Land is the nickname given by soldiers to the nurses who saved thousands of lives during WWI. The scent is a tribute to selflessness and compassion."

But Vivien, you hate rose! Think of this as expensive and ineffective exposure therapy. 

Pink pepper, subtle rose, reminiscent of You by Glossier/Thé Noir 29 by Le Labo, woody/earthy, light, and airy. 

The rose is generic. However, it doesn't reek of cheapness, nor is it excessively synthetic like the ones you would typically find in mass-produced toiletries. It's luxurious and a bit more mature. I agree with the reviewers that say this fragrance smells vintage.

This is a romantic daily fragrance. After saying it's a romantic everyday fragrance, I immediately associated it with the Kibbe Romantic body type—no sharp features or angles and usually embraces curves, rounded edges, and a more hourglass or voluptuous frame (Gabrielle Arruda.)

On a somewhat related note, there's a new feature on Fragrantica showing the pros and cons. One user said, "good cleavage and curves." Guess they also thought of the Kibbe Romantic style.

This fragrance evokes Marilyn Monro, Sophia Loren, and Jayne Mansfield. But, there is a cool, edginess to her too.

Overall thoughts:

I'm glad I enjoyed these Byredo scents and can't wait to try more. I've had bad experiences in the past. From favorite to least favorite: Bal D'Afrique, Rose of No Man's Land, then Bibliothèque.

Next on my list: 

• La Tulipe: Cyclamen, Freesia, Rhubarb. Tulip. Blonde Woods, Vetiver. (seen this in many videos)
• Mixed Emotions: Blackcurrant, Mate. Violet Leaves, Ceylon Black Tea. Birch Woods, Papyrus. (big fan of tea frags)
• Mojave Ghost: Ambrette, Nesberry. Magnolia, Sandalwood, Violet. Cedarwood, Musks, Vetiver. (a popular frag)
• Pulp: Bergamot, Blackcurrant, Cardamom. Fig, Red Apple, Tiare. Cedarwood, Peach Flower, Praline. (sounds delicious)
• Gypsy Water: Bergamot, Juniper Berries, Lemon, Pepper. Incense, Orris, Pine Needle. Amber, Sandalwood, Vanilla. (very popular)

I am on the fence about Velvet Haze and Casablanca Lily. Have you tried it, and is it worth trying? What fragrance did I skip over that you love?