We have to say, we’re immediately impressed at how well Absolute Aphrodisiac lives up to its rather ambitious moniker. Fresh-cut white flowers burst forth at first spray, swiftly making way for lush notes of cotton candy and burnt sugar, the true curtain openers for Initio’s Absolute Aphrodisiac. It’s soft and sweet, yet seductive and bold.
Lashings of high-quality vanilla, amber, and musk make this scent playfully alluring as it settles in, with castoreum invoking a carnal leather note that ensures this scent leans more towards delightfully heady than cloying. Put this all together and you’ve got a serious love potion here. It’s an incredibly sexy scent, but not in a super saccharine, Victoria’s Secret-cheap-mall-fragrance way…we’re definitely in darker, more adult Agent Provocateur territory (but what we’re dealing with here is much better than their fragrances, in our opinion). It has a Serge Lutens vibe about it (think Ambre Sultan meets Un Bois Vanille) but we feel there’s more complexity in Initio’s offering. We’d put this firmly in the gourmand category. If you like Mugler’s Angel, this could be a nice niche upgrade to try.
Be warned, Absolute Aphrodisiac is more boudoir than boardroom so apply with caution…this is serious date night material. We’re head over heels.
We discovered Absolute Aphrodisiac by Initio via YUNIQU, a high end, niche fragrance subscription service.
YUNIQU ships worldwide (but if you’re in the UAE, remember to use a PO Box instead of a home address). Subscription pricing starts from 17.95 Euros per month for an 8ml decant shipped worldwide – save more by upgrading to two or three fragrances per month. Readers of TheLuxeologist.com are eligible to receive 25% off the first month of any YUNIQU subscription with the code THELUX25 – click here to find out more about the incredible scents available.
Notes:
Top: White flowers
Heart: Vanilla, White Musk
Base: Amber, Castoreum, Leather
Season: Autumn, Winter
Destinations: Paris, New York, Milan