Alana Estelle

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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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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