Fragrance Review #8 - Byredo Gypsy Water

Byredo’s Gypsy Water has premise. Here is how Byredo describes this scent:

Gypsy Water is an ode to the beauty of Romani culture, its unique customs, intimate beliefs and distinguished way of living. The scent wakens a dream of a colorful lifestyle made of innate nomadism. Woody notes of pine needle and sandalwood associated to intense amber and fresh citrus evoke the fever of gypsy nights spent in the forest.

Notes:

• Top: Bergamot, Juniper Berries, Lemon, Pepper
• Middle: Incense, Orris, Pine Needles 
• Base: Amber, Sandalwood, Vanilla 

This fragrance is so interesting and overall, I think it’s a slightly edgier take on the traditional sandalwood-vanilla scent, but not so extreme that it won’t appeal to a lot of people. The opening notes are fresh and a little zesty, while also remaining earthy and green (earthy and green will be a reoccurring theme here). The “greenness”  is not the lush, wet green, that you get in the springtime, but a slightly drier green - think autumn leaves as the weather cools down and the air is crisp and less humid. None of these top notes are overbearing; they are all well balanced. The  citrus notes are fresh, while the pepper and juniper berries add a touch of spiciness. The middle notes in Gypsy Water are what make this fragrance for me. The combination of the incense with the pine needles adds a unique smoky layer to this fragrance, while still remaining earthy. You know that smell when you’re walking outside in the fall and winter over a layer of pine needles that have fallen? That’s the note I’m getting. It’s so naturalistic and evocative. I’m not detecting much orris here - orris is a violet leaning scent that tends to add a powdery element to fragrances. There may be a hint of powder, but it translates to something that smooths out the incense and pine so neither is too sharp. The base notes are gorgeous here - warm and inviting. The amber is mellow and the sandalwood and vanilla are both a touch sweet but not cloying. This is not a gourmand, bakery vanilla - it doesn’t smell like cake. It’s a natural leaning vanilla, more reminiscent of a dried vanilla bean pod, rather than vanilla frosting. 

Season: Gypsy Water has Autumn and Winter written all over it - it’s warm and inviting. This is not a heavy incense, woody vanilla scent - it’s actually rather light, so it may get lost under a lot of winter layers. The lightness of this also makes it lean more casual, so I see this working best during the daytime. However, a light spritz on your garments will make this more present. 

Wear Time: The performance on this one is low to medium. It definitely lingers for quite some time on clothing and on my skin, I notices it’s faded quite a bit after about 4 hours. Some people have complained that it’s gone on them after a couple of hours. This is where I’ve noticed something very interesting about the two Byredo fragrances I own - I may no longer be able to smell them on my self and I may think the fragrance has dissipated, but people around me keep complimenting me on how good I smell. I had a coworker come find me one day that I was wearing Mojave Ghost, because she was “following the smell because it was so good.” I was wearing Gypsy Water a few weeks ago and I forgot I had it on until my dad randomly said, “Wow. You smell good!” He wasn’t even standing that close to me and all I did was walk past. Byredo’s fragrances, from what I’ve experienced so far, definitely intrigue people. They are subtle but attention grabbing; they sit close to the skin and seem to envelope the wearing in soft wafts of fragrance, rather than a cloud.

Recommended for: This is definitely a unisex fragrance that leans more androgynous and masculine. Don’t let that deter you, many women enjoy wearing this fragrance. I like more androgynous scents during the colder months, so this it right up my alley. If you like edgier fragrances, woody/vanilla/sandalwood/incense fragrances, then you may like this one. If you like vanilla perfumes, but want something a little different, this may also appeal to you. If you are a fan of Diptyque Eau Duelle (an all time favorite of mine) then I think you’ll really enjoy Gypsy Water. Also, if you like fragrances that lean a bit more sexy and make you more intriguing to other people, this may interest you. When I smell this fragrance, I see two different outfits in my mind - both can be worn by men and women. This first outfit is a pair of black jeans, a black Moto leather jacket, a V-neck tee and a pair of Chelsea boots. The second outfit is a black cashmere turtleneck, black slacks, bold glasses, delicate gold jewelry/accessories, black loafers, (and I’d throw on a bold red lip). There is something classic about Gypsy water, just like the aesthetics of these outfits, bit there is also an interesting texture to this scent, something that makes you pause. I’m really enjoying Gypsy Water and I think it’ll become a permanent fixture in my Fall and Winter fragrance rotation. 

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