Scent Intense
Costume National (2002)

To review Scent Intense I would have to revisit a dozen darkened hallways leading to the back room of some rock club or other that doesn’t exist anywhere anymore besides the memories of the people who remember that place and that show, that night.

I’d trace my own steps on the skin of every night-stained street of this city I’ve lived in that has given me my whole life, remember every scream and squeal of laughter in the sidewalk shadow clusters past the entryway of bar after bar after bar as I walked to a cab, a truck, a bike, or a bridge within intimate distance of that evening’s co-conspirator.

I’d have to travel bleary eyed and hungover (or still drunk) as the sun rose the next morning, witnessing my semi-futile attempt to get to work on time still wearing the previous nights clothes, still smelling like scent intense.

In my mind it will always be associated with my own smell; vitality and concupiscence; the luminous luminescence of moonlight on my sweaty black skin, traces of commingled sweat on that early morning commute after waking up in another where, oh I don’t know, but it was good meeting you sort of way. Sex, cigarette smoke on crumpled, unwashed fabric and the ghostly almost whiff of flowers in the distance.

By sunset I was showered and wearing it again, going out again, somehow repeating without intention or want, the night before, a chance encounter with a different person on a different street in a different place.

That was my life when I wore scent intense most of the time, a time I don’t even remember that well anymore. All I remember now, through the collages of memories of venues and people and streets and words and bodies, is that when I wore this I was a god.

I had to consciously stop wearing it because of all the life complications that ensued when I wore it out. No scent in my collection has roused the passion and desire of my opponent like this. I say opponent because this is not a scent for partners, only intimacy; a perfect scent for a chance conversation while seated on a banquette in the darkest corner of the bar, waiting to use the restroom, in those moments when both parties realize they will be leaving with each other whether they feel like it or not. There is an aura of inevitability that Scent Intense lends to certain first meetings. If you don’t “get” this you’re focusing (perhaps justifiably) on what it is; never knowing what it does.

I still wear it sometimes, usually before bed. Smelling it with nose too close to skin I am frustrated. It still occasionally mesmerizes me, although my bottle now old doesn’t retain that pitched, hibiscus in the top; the heart - more buttered than I remember. And in the dry down the amber becomes powdery.

I'll probably give this one just about a thumbs up.

Scent Intense gets a fair bit of hype in the fragrance community. I really can't see why. Firstly, the fragrance is very synthetic. Secondly, I find it rather quiet. It stays on the skin for a decent period of time but It's really nothing more than a skin scent. Thirdly, It's really quite unremarkable. I was expecting to be blown away but found it quite safe.

Overall the scent is pleasant but I suppose my expectations had been raised and they were not met!!

6/10

Bitter, herbal tea and a berry-like note in the top mixed with a dense, sweet amber. As it dries down, a hint of candle smoke or incense starts to appear. The clean amber base keeps making brief appearances after you thought it was gone into the 8-9 hour mark. It's very light and clean on me but doesn't seem to project much.

Good for a casual atmosphere. Not thrilled.

I'm a newcomer to the world of fragrances but I doubt I'll find many perfumes to blow me away quite like this one has.

It's a sumptuous gothic feast, a lavish medieval banquet with all the mystery and allure of a dark moody cathedral.

It smells utterly unlike anything else I've smelt. I spray it on very liberally as my skin seems to gobble perfumes down like a hungry beast. After a few short hours I can't smell it anymore, although of course it lingers for weeks on clothing.

Five stars.

This is a dark, dense, woody amber with very low projection and, for me, very little interest. There are subdued hints of fruit & patchouli for the first half-hour, but after this it fades fast & in very linear fashion, barely there after five hours. I don't detect any floral notes at all.
I expected something much more special or unique here, but I'm sorry to say I simply found it dull.