Profumum Scents
October 18th, 2006
The Profumum line was founded by Italian artisans Celestino and Lucia Durante shortly after the Second World War. The exclusive fragrances were officially launched in 1996 by their grandchildren. Profumum scents have already been reviewed on perfume blogs, and it’s now my turn to add my two cents. I’m afraid two cents it will be, both in what I think of them, and what they’re worth to me.
Acqua di Sale – aroma of salt on the skin, myrtle, cedarwood, marine algae. An aquatic scent, slightly minty, slightly salty. The myrtle gives it a green quality. Not really my taste but quite impressive, as far as marine scents go.
Acqua e Zucchero – orange blossom, wild berries, vanilla. Syrupy-sugary-vanilla sweet. Very much gourmand. The drydown reminds me of lots of other candy-sweet perfumes (hello, Pink Sugar!).
Antico Caruso – citrus, almond, sandalwood. This one has a sort of old-fashioned cologne feel to it (it’s said to be inspired by a barber shop). The almond smoothes all the rough edges here. Very “masculine” in effect and quite nice.
Fiori d’Ambra – ambergris, opium. Starts out as dry, smoky amber. The drydown is slightly herbal and languid. I should love this but I somehow don’t. I find nothing wrong with the scent, it just doesn’t grab me.
Ichnusa – myrtle, fig tree, cut grass. This smells just like cut grass and fig, nothing more, nothing less. Well, perhaps the myrtle adds a slightly bitter green accord. Otherwise, it’s pretty, invigorating, brisk.
Patchouly – patchouli, amber, sandalwood, incense. Dusty, earthy patchouli that reminds me of some antique piece of furniture. I like it quite a bit but not enough to shell $180.
Santalum – sandalwood, myrrh, cinnamon. This is my favorite Profumum. The love affair of sandalwood and myrrh, with cinammon adding that spicy kick. If I ever find $180 on the street, you know what I’ll spend it on.
Thundra – leaves, mint, patchouli, white musk. My first thought: it smells like mushrooms when you first pick them. Very damp, chilly in effect. The musk in the drydown turns it into an aftershave. Meh.
Profumum scents seem to have decent staying power, and, while I find a couple of them quite appealing, for the most part, they seem to lack that quality that gets my blood going, so to speak. I seriously find them well made and pleasant, just not much more than that. As far as I know, in the U.S., the line is available exclusively at Luckyscent.
Image source: www.luckyscent.com
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20 Comments
1. Nina | October 19th, 2006 at 3:41 am
I liked several of the Profumums, and would buy like a shot if they sold them in 50ml sizes. The Acqua di Sale is unlike any other marine scent I’ve tried – it really does smell of fresh sea breeze and seaweed, in the most pleasant way. ‘Pleasant’ sums up most of the line, but I’ve come to realise that I will pay a premium for a really well-done scent that I can live with hour after hour – and which has lasting power, rather than a stunner that I sniff reverently from the bottle. I’m probably Profumum’s ideal target customer! N
2. March | October 19th, 2006 at 6:56 am
Um…. you’re not moving me to whip out the Visa. Thanks.
3. Elle | October 19th, 2006 at 7:05 am
“I’m afraid two cents it will be, both in what I think of them, and what they’re worth to me.” What a wonderful thing to read about $180 scents first thing in the morning. Happy sigh. I can see myself getting decants of a couple of these, but if I find $180 on the street (will be diligently staring at the ground henceforth), it’s going to my Rose en Noir fund and not one of these.
4. Patty | October 19th, 2006 at 7:30 am
Pretty much what I thought of them. Mostly well done, but not one of them really moved me to break for that much money.
5. chaya ruchama | October 19th, 2006 at 7:35 am
Luckyscent was kind enough to send me a few samples w/ my order.
Just too rich for my blood, although I liked the Fiori and Patchouly.
Not enough to blow the wad, though…
Thanks for sparing your sisters !
6. Marina | October 19th, 2006 at 8:25 am
“I should love this but I somehow don’t” sums up my feelings about Fiori and a couple of other scents from this line. I think if I found $180 on the street (sigh) I’d spend it on a bell jar or something or other or on a Malle.
7. Robin | October 19th, 2006 at 10:12 am
Still working my way through the set, but don’t adore any of them yet although the Santalum is nice. I expected to love Ichnusa but in reality, it was very nearly a scrubber — not sure why, I love grass & love fig.
Love those bottles though.
8. Leopoldo | October 19th, 2006 at 11:01 am
Mushrooms you say? Plenty of scents do a mushroom thing when sprayed on me – at the moment Dzing! and Fumerie turque. Strange but true.
9. Tom | October 19th, 2006 at 11:15 am
I liked Santalum best as well. But $180? Not so much.
10. Victoria | October 19th, 2006 at 12:44 pm
This kills any interest I had in exploring this line. Granted, it did not appeal that much to be to begin with.
11. Ina | October 19th, 2006 at 4:52 pm
Nina, I agree with you. A smaller size and a lower price would be perfect.
12. Ina | October 19th, 2006 at 4:53 pm
March, glad to please!
13. Ina | October 19th, 2006 at 4:53 pm
Elle, well, that was just hypothetically speaking.
14. Ina | October 19th, 2006 at 4:53 pm
Patty, amen!
15. Ina | October 19th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
Chaya, glad to know I’m not always an enabler!
16. Ina | October 19th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
Marina, yes. Same here.
17. Ina | October 19th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
Robin, Santalum is really the best.
18. Ina | October 19th, 2006 at 4:55 pm
Leo, you get mushrooms in Dzing! and FT?! The tricks of skin chemistry…
19. Ina | October 19th, 2006 at 4:55 pm
Tom, I wish they dropped the “0″.
20. Ina | October 19th, 2006 at 4:56 pm
Vika, well, they’re worth trying but that’s about it.