Byredo Mojave Ghost launched in 2014. This fragrance was inspired by the beautiful, yet rough terrain of the Mojave Desert in California and the rare plants that are able to bloom there.
Notes:
- Top: Sapodilla, Ambrette
- Middle: Magnolia, Violet, Sandalwood
- Base: Cedar wood, Chantilly Musk, Crisp Amber
I would describe Mojave Ghost as a fresh, fruity musk. One would initially think that fruit and musk would clash and when looking at the list of notes, that Mojave Ghost is one giant ball of a headache inducing, cloying musk. Ironically, Mojave Ghost is the exact opposite - somehow Byredo was able to perfectly blend these notes into something light, clean and even a bit tropical. The sapodilla and ambrette at the top are light and airy. Sapodilla is a fruit native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. In this fragrance, I am reminded of a freshly cut pear - the pear is perfectly ripe and a little sweet, meaning it’s not too ripe and just made that overnight switch from being almost ready to eat. The ambrette is a little warm, musky and animalic, in a way that evokes the essence of freshly cleaned skin. The middle notes are tastefully done. I’m not a big fan of big florals and for me, even white florals can be a bit too much. However, here, the magnolia is clean and light, almost a touch fruity. The violet here is also soft and adds a touch of powder to the composition of the fragrance - think of a pastry being lightly dusted in powered sugar, not doused. The sandalwood to me doesn’t smell too “woody” at all, it adds just a touch of sweetness. The base notes are sophisticated and luxurious. I actually cannot detect the cedar wood at all, which is a bit disappointing because it’s one of my favorite fragrance notes. I find that cedar wood is a clean smelling wood note that can sometimes be aquatic and even a little spicy; perhaps it’s helping this fragrance to also remain clean. The musk and amber are soft and delicate. Neither are overdone and add more warmth and depth to this scent. If I had to sum all of these notes up, I’d say that Mojave Ghost smells like a luxury shampoo that would be used at a high-end salon, and I mean that in the best way possible. Mojave Ghost is soft, light, elegant and clean.
Season:
Despite this being a fragrance primarily composed of musk, wood and amber, this fragrance is most appropriate for spring and summer and perhaps very early fall, when it’s still warm outside. This scent has a warmth to it, not in a vanilla and spice way that is very common in a lot of winter fragrances, but in a way that evokes the warm of the sun as it heats up the skin. This is a fragrance that will get buried under layers of clothing and will perform best on exposed skin and lighter fabrics.
Sillage:
Mojave Ghost has low projection from the body but it is present. This scent is not cloying and will not fill a room, so it’s office appropriate and safer to wear around those who may have fragrance sensitivities or allergies. This will garner comments of “You smell nice.” Versus “Your fragrance smell nice.” There is a subtle, but important difference there.
Wear Time/Performance:
Even though Mojave Ghost has low projection and is quite a light scent, it performs quite well. It’s soft, but it does linger for a while on skin and clothes. You think it’s gone and then hours later, you randomly catch a whiff of it. There is something about it that clings to the skin. I sprayed this in the crook of my arm at around 4:30pm one day. I showered at 12:15am and when I woke up at 7:00am, it was still whispering on my skin. I see why the word “ghost” is in the name…
Recommended For:
This is definitely a unisex scent, due to the nice balance of woods, musks, and florals. I think Mojave Ghost would intrigue people who like Jo Malone Wood, Sage and Sea Salt and fans of ambrette. These fragrances are not similar, but the ambrette that is present at the top of both, will be familiar and nostalgic. If you are in the market for a warm weather scent that is fresh, but a bit more unique and interesting, this may appeal to you. It’s difficult to pull off musks and ambers in the heat, because they can get cloying and even stinky, but because this fragrance is light and the sapodilla evokes something a bit tropical, it is perfect for the spring and summer, without being cliche. I would say Mojave Ghost is a safe “blind-buy” because it’s a clean scent. I will say, that Byredo’s fragrances are very expensive and as much as I enjoy this scent, I think it’s difficult to justify the price tag - I’ve known of Byredo for a while and just bit the bullet a couple of months ago. Do I regret it - NOPE! Would I repurchase - YEP! If you are in the mood to splurge on a luxury, niche fragrance, then Byredo may be a fragrance house worth checking out.
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