A complex and captivating discovery set from a promising Turkish niche house.
I purchased this discovery set from Lumina Cordea nearly a year ago, and for each fragrance I wrote some notes about my observations. I wore each scent on a separate day, starting with the one I thought I would like least, and working towards the one I was most looking forward to. There were some unexpected twists and turns along the way.
After I tried all five perfumes in the set, life got a bit chaotic and I didn’t revisit them again until winter had arrived. When I finally had a chance to smell them each a second time, I updated my notes accordingly. Once again I was pleasantly surprised at the results, and one of the fragrances has even made it to my list of all-time favourites.
Alchemy
First impressions in the spring: This is one of two scents marked as “masculine” (which is a label I like better than “for men”), and for me it was a very challenging introduction to the fragrance line. The opening featured a lot of unlisted notes I wasn’t fond of — something rubbery, layered with a metallic petrol smell, and also something vaguely eucalyptus or menthol. It was certainly eye-opening, but to me it was almost like someone asked “what things smell masculine” and then started chucking random items in like sacrifices to a perfume volcano.
Fifteen minutes later, the scent profile was already much less confrontational, and by an hour in it was quite ethereal and aromatic. At the six-hour point it was downright smooth, and although I applaud the longevity, I’m not sure I’d want to wait six hours for a scent to reach its most pleasant state. That said, I recognise that I am not the target audience for this fragrance, and I know there are many people out there who will really enjoy the bold uniqueness of this scent. Would I want to take a long train ride sat next to someone who smelled like this? Not so much. I’d say it’s not safe for office workers or any close-quarter public spaces, and it’s in no way a safe blind buy, but it is absolutely worth exploring if you like your scents confident and unapologetic.
Update in the winter: Still a no for me, but I do think this one is much better in the colder weather, and the drydown is quite nice. This one will definitely have its fans.
Remembrance
First impressions in the spring: This is the other scent marked “masculine”. This had a similarly assertive opening, but overall this fragrance was much more readily palatable. I’m not a fan of anise, but it’s the first of the top notes to burn off, leaving the lovely sage and lavender combo to linger awhile. The sage note lasted even longer on the mouillette than it did on my skin, which makes me think it would also persist well on clothing.
Niche aficionados will find much to admire in the complexity and precision of this fragrance, but it’s accessible enough that even newbies will be able to understand it and appreciate how well-blended and balanced it is. Every note has its place and nothing is overpowering. Coffee, vanilla, and cinnamon comprise a clever base note combo that’s particularly effective with the middle notes of honey, clove, and tobacco layered over. The effect is comforting and nostalgic; I first tried this on a day that was rainy and a bit chilly, and that was great weather for this scent. Heading into the summer there will be fewer opportunities to wear a fragrance this substantial, but it will be one to revisit in October or November.
Not only would I enjoy sitting next to someone who smelled like this, I could see myself wearing it in the winter months. I understand why they labelled it as masculine, but I think there are some women out there who would really rock this scent. Still, it’s not a safe blind buy for any gender, and be careful of overspraying. Even after taking a shower I could still detect the fragrance on my skin, and on the mouillette it created a scent cloud that permeated the entire room for two days. So if you’re looking for a true beast-mode perfume with unbeatable longevity, projection, and sillage, this is one to check out.
Update in the winter: I like it even more now, and the opening is less in-your-face after having sat in the vial for a few months. That said, it’s still an incredibly powerful scent, and I found one spray dabbed on the wrists to be more than enough.
Wound of Heart
First impressions in the spring: Now this is interesting. It’s the only scent in the collection labelled as “unisex”, and I do think it would be appropriate for anyone. It’s a spicy fragrance that might be better suited to colder seasons, though with the floral and fruit notes it might wear okay in the summer as well.
Again it is very well-balanced and well-blended, which seems to be a theme with this brand. Saffron notes can be tricky, but this one knows its place and doesn’t stick out. The patchouli note is also skilfully controlled, which I appreciate because it’s so easy for a perfume to become a loud mess as soon as patchouli enters the chat. Caramel and ginger round out the middle notes, and then the woody base is supported by amber and vanilla. It’s as delicious as it sounds.
This scent is not quite as assertive as the other two, which I actually prefer, but it still gives a good eight hours of wear ending in a beautifully warm and cosy drydown. This will be another one to revisit after the summer passes, when the evenings are getting cooler and the mornings crisp. So far this is my favourite of the set, but of course we have two more to go.
Update in the winter: Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. This is perfect now, absolutely gorgeous. I can’t get enough of it, and I would love to have a full bottle.
Subrosa
First impressions in the spring: Subrosa is Latin for “under the rose”, and it’s a term that was often associated with secrecy. As such, the naming of this fragrance is perfect — it’s rosy but not overwhelmingly so, and the blend of notes is subtle and gentle and darkly feminine. It’s quite different from the other three fragrances I’ve tried so far, more easily accessible and less demanding in the opening, but no less interesting or complex.
The prominent rose note evolves so beautifully going into the drydown. It’s very dusky and muted, playing into those ideas of secrecy and being “under the rose”. I love how this fragrance tells a story as it develops; it’s extremely well implemented and probably my favourite of the collection so far. [note: this was before I revisited Wound of Heart]
Update in the winter: I actually like this one even more with rose-oud body lotion layered underneath it. Wound of Heart has now surpassed this as my favourite of the set, but Subrosa is still a strong second.
Grace
First impressions in the spring: This final fragrance is a very pretty and citrusy floral, definitely appropriate for spring and summer. It’s got a lot of delicate notes dancing in step with each other, creating a fresh and energetic vibe with a feeling of sunshine and relaxed weekends.
The blend of base notes is inspired. I’m a sucker for a well-placed vetiver note, and the balance with the musk and patchouli is perfection. Again they kept the reins on the patchouli, so it doesn’t overpower. Overall this is an extremely youthful and bright scent, a real girly-girl perfume. I personally wouldn’t choose it over the darker and moodier Subrosa, but I know a lot of women are going to love the floral and citrus profile of Grace, especially in the warmer months.
Update in the winter: Oddly I like it even more now, which might be down to maceration more than it being a winter-appropriate fragrance. The citrus note seems to be leaning towards grapefruit, which is a plus is my book.
Conclusion
This was a beautiful set to explore, and I’m glad to have experienced these fragrances. They’re all delightful in their artistry, but Wound of Heart is the standout for me. It’s so gorgeously complex and unusual, with every note blended perfectly. Now that spring has come around again, I’m finding that it’s holding up well as the weather gets warmer, and we’ll see how it fares as a summer perfume. Either way, Wound of Heart has me spellbound and I’m looking forward to buying a full bottle, but I could definitely see people falling in love with any of these fragrances.