Francis Kurkdjian APOM Femme and Homme and two more!

We come to the last four of the Francis Kurkdjian scents today.  I’ve very much enjoyed discovering them.  I like some better than others, but it s a good mix of complicated and uncomplicated, differing price points and approaches.  And each of them has a nice surprising twist to it that takes it out of what you think it is at first.  Beautifully and creatively done.

Cologne Pour le Matin has notes of Bergamote from Calabria, Lemon from Sicily, White Thyme from Morocco, Lavender from Provence, and Orange Flower from Tunisia.  This is a lovely, crisp, refreshing day cologne in the style of 4711 or Eau de Cologne from Chanel.  No surprises here, but it’s well done for what it is and smells delightful, like you just bit into sunshine.  The drydown blows off some of the cheerfulness and reveals more of the herbal notes.  This, like the Soir, I could happily spray everywhere in my house.

Acqua Universalis is billed as the universal water, something you can use anywhere, any time, on anything.  I really expected to hate this because I was sure I’d be met with that TFA that makes my lower lip curl up.  Yeah, it’s got that a little, but almost like an inside joke. Notes of Bergamote and Lemon from Sicily, White Bouquet (Lily of the Valley and sweet mock orange), and Light and Musky Wood.  the Lily of the Valley and woods save it from my hate until it gets to the part I like. It’s got some quirky turns in it that I read as that fresh thing, but then I get some musk.  It’s much  more interesting than I thought it would be.  It’s that chipper girl that used to smile big and chirp a big “Heeelllooo” every morning at you in the coffee shop when you were still asleep and more than mildly cranky that you grudgingly grew to like and look forward to seeing.

APOM (short for A Piece of Me) Pour Femme has notes of Orange Flower, Cedar wood, Ylang-Ylang flower.  this is just lovely. Perky and still elegant, the orange flower and ylang unfold beautifully into a more woody feel so it doesn’t stay over the top in the white flower range, but it keeps a very heady feel all the way through, but not obnoxiously so.  There is just the lightest touch of skank in the drydown that unfurls slowly and adds a whole new dimension to white floral and then it brings in an incensy feel too.  Again, restrained, just like the big white florals in this scent.  It takes a pretty neat trick to make a big white floral skank monster that is all those things, but restrained so it is none of those things in the way I usually think of them. The scent was inspired by Kurkdjian’s trip to Lebanon.

APOM Pour Homme has notes of Orange Flower, Cedar wood, and Amber.  There are similarities between the two, but the Homme deepens with the amber and has much more emphasis on the woody notes.  If a guy found the Lumiere Noire Pour Homme just a little too ambiguous to wear, I think the APOM would be a perfect fit.  It has a restrained, warmed-up elegance.  Not to worry, the skank note isn’t in this, it’s got much more of a cuddly guy vibe radiating off of it.

On the APOMs, how unisex are they?  Honestly, I see no reason why guys can’t wear the femme and girls can’t wear the homme.  Gender transfer as you will.

Okay, last drawing for another set of MFK set, so just drop a short comment if you want to be entered. for those of you that were at Sniffa and smelled them, if you’d like to talk about them a little and give your favorite, that would be lovely.  I’ll announce the last two winners in next Tuesday’s post.

  • Theresa says:

    A good cologne is always so appealing. Please enter me in the draw. Thank you!

  • Joe says:

    At the bottom of the pack here once again, but I’d love to be in the draw! Thanks!

    APOM Femme sounds delicious… bring on da skank!

  • Debby H says:

    Hope it’s not too late – I would love to be in the draw (I asked to be in the draw the other day for these as well – not trying to win twice, but would love to win once!:x Thanks for all the great reviews!

  • Mikael says:

    Again, would love to be in the draw. All of these sound test-worthy 🙂

  • sunnlitt says:

    I would love to be entered in the draw.
    And, thanks so much for all the great reviews!!

  • Eric says:

    I have to say, none of these are making me pant. Honestly, my eyes glazed over once I read the names of the perfumes. I dunno. I just haven’t been wowed by anything about them yet. Maybe a sample set would help me to be swayed…. ;3

  • Karen says:

    Please enter me in the draw. Thank you!

  • hongkongmom says:

    HA!! the posse is making me crazy…so many things to smell..the
    Lumiere Noire Pour Femme seems to have the notes that most attract me, but wait a minute patty, do u think if i spray APOM all over and then go forth with “you wanna piece of me” attitude to my rambunctious…non-listing (as woody allen says) “inchworm” kids..they might buckle in horror and OBEY their graying mother!!! I need to build up an armoury of fragrance only for that purpose…so u see, i kinda need to try this:>

  • Fernando says:

    I’d love to try these. Please enter me in the draw as well.

  • Elizabeth says:

    I sure would like to try these! Haven’t heard a negative review yet…please enter me in the drawing. 🙂

  • Denise says:

    Please enter me in the drawing. I’m sure I’ll find something to love here, since FK is responsible for so many of my previous lemmings.:)

  • Liza says:

    That Cologne sounds lovely! I have yet to find a cologne I want to wear so having high hopes for this one.

    Count me in, please 🙂

  • grizzlesnort says:

    Cont in for your draw! xxoo

  • carter says:

    At the moment I am somewhat obsessed with figuring out how to get my paws on a bottle of Amouage Al Shomukh Attar and the MKs are like pretty shiny objects twinkling on the periphery. Please enter me in the draw — I need to smell these so I can maintain focus :-b

  • mariekel says:

    Yes, please — would love to be entered in the drawing. There are so many new ‘fumes on the market right now, my head is spinning. Good thing DC has such a pathetic lack of perfumeries (esp, if you don’t have wheels)…

  • Hilary says:

    Again, *drool*. These sound so wonderful, especially APOM – and I’m not really a white flowers girl, so that’s saying something. I looked up the prices, and they’re way more reasonable than the VCAs or the Cartiers, the other new releases that I’m interested in trying (but probably shouldn’t for the sake of my budget.)
    Thanks for these generous giveaways, Patty.

  • Aimee N says:

    (~~)Wonderful review (again) Patty. I’m glad you didn’t “hate” the Acqua Universalis because this was the one that appealed least to me but now I kinda want to give it a try….Please enter me in the draw!

  • Nina Z. says:

    The Posse makes me want to smell EVERYTHING. So I’d love to be included in the draw. Thanks!

  • zeezee says:

    Would love to be included in the draw! APOM slightly scares me what with the ylang, but I’ve been hearing such high praise I can’t resist wanting to try it.

  • Tiara says:

    Just when I think I couldn’t possibly want another of his scents, along come these.

    Would love to be in the draw – please enter me.

    Sure hope he considers a sample set. Fell in love with several Delrae fragrances through a sample set.

  • elizablue says:

    I also like the term “skank monster” and TFA is priceless–please enter me into the draw!

  • Brigitte Smith says:

    Of these APOM is the most lust worthy to me. I would love to be entered in another draw. Super envious of the sniffa escapades.

  • PetronellaCJ says:

    Thanks for great reviews, making them all sounds soooo nice! I wonder what the olfactory equivalent to “salivating” would be ;)…Please enter me in the draw!

  • violetnoir says:

    Hi Patty! I would love to get this set, so please place me in the drawing, too.

    Thanks!

    Hugs!

  • Roberto C. says:

    I’d really love to try this new line, please please enter me in the draw.

  • court says:

    I’m very eager to try these — it’s interesting to see what perfumers come up with when they’re not working to someone else’s specifications. Please enter me in the draw!

  • Shelley says:

    Appreciate the FK travelogue you’ve provided. I think if I were earlier (read: less bottle filled) on my fragrance curve, I’d be following up more vigorously. As it is, I’ll keep my eye (and nose) open for them, but not stress at the lack of them not being here RIGHT NOW.

    Hey, I like this calm… o:-)

    • Patty says:

      It’s a good place, Shelley. Given the quality, they’ll be around for a long time, so no need to rush out to try them!

  • aubrey says:

    I must be slow… what’s the “TFA” that makes your lip curl? I really have to know.

    I really, really want to try these. The APOMs sound perfect, but so does the Acqua Universalis. Please enter me!

    Do we think he’ll sell a sample set?

  • EileenS says:

    Huh.. none of these last four appeal to me as much, at least by description. Cologne Pour le Matin sounds the most promising, with the herbal notes and such. But, you never know without smelling them, so I’m not giving up yet. [ Not that any of these will appear for live testing in the backwater in which I live.. My perfume life is vicariously lived through the Posse! :d:(( Thanks for keeping me in the loop! ]

    • Patty says:

      At first blush, i wasn’t sure I liked them as well, but after spending time with these, I very much appreciated them. They have a more moden feel than the Lumiere Noires, but I didn’t find that to be a drawback in the long drydown. They were pretty charming.

  • karin says:

    Unfortunately, I have yet to attend a Sniffa, but some day, somehow, I hope to go! Sounds like so much fun! What could be better than 2 days surrounded by wonderful scents and like-minded friends? Would love another chance on the draw. Thanks again, Patty.

  • Leslie says:

    Thanks for reviewing these; I’ve been waiting for reviews that give me some idea of how these things actually smell. The Matin & the Acqua sound very interesting. Please enter me in the draw!

    Have you had a chance to try out the bubbles?

    • Patty says:

      Have not tried the bubble. They look really cute, but I’m jus tnot sure I’d pay for scented bubbles?

      • Leslie says:

        I tend to agree, and yet…I’m probably being a bit dorky, but I think it would depend on the price. For something that is pure, silly fun, at a reasonable price point, I might be all in! Most likely it would be one time, one bottle, just to play.

        (Dunno what ‘reasonable’ would be, though :d )

  • JAntoinette says:

    I’m really excited to try Kurkdjian’s line. I do love several of his previous creations, but what really intrigues me is the fact that he just seems to be a very likable person. I enjoy the artistry of perfume, but I also love to see a perfumer that doesn’t take everything so seriously.

  • Dusan says:

    Pleeeeeeeez pick meeeeeeee! :-*

  • Maura says:

    LOL…”chipper girl”! Hey… I know her ;-). Thanks so much!

  • Jirish says:

    Please enter me in the draw. I’d love to be introduced to a restrained skank monster, after having already made the acquaintance of several of its unrestrained relatives.

  • Ines says:

    APOM pour femme sounds great. 🙂 Please, enter me in the draw.

  • Andrea says:

    Oh, please do enter me in the draw!
    Thank you!

  • Alica says:

    Yes, I would like to be a part of this drawing, thank you very much 🙂

  • Laura M says:

    Please enter me also: thanks! I was at Sniffa day 1, but it was my first and I was… how shall I put it? Completely overwhelmed! I tried a couple of the FK’s and thought they were quite nice. Would love to sample the others too in a more relaxing environment! (Somehow I missed the leather bracelets entirely, not to mention the bubble blowing, which must have been at breakfast.)

    • Patty says:

      My first Sniffa was as overwhelming, and I’d been to BG and all the rest before on other trips. So many people, it is just craziness.

      • Laura M says:

        Sorry I missed saying hello and thanks for all your great writing, Patty, at Sniffa! Didn’t see you or March or probably lots of others whose work I read often and appreciate.

        🙂

  • Janet in CA says:

    I can’t wait to try these. We need a Sniffa in San Francisco!

  • pinkfizzy says:

    I know I’m hopelessly gauche, but APOM reminds me of that Britney Spears song. Is it just me? I can’t help that they play Top 40 Webradio at my gym!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piece_of_Me

  • Cynthia L. says:

    I love orange flower, so the last two sound like my thing. Please enter me in the draw!

  • anna says:

    please consider me as well 🙂 APOM sounds like a very cute name and i love fragrances that have orange flower in it

  • Julie says:

    You’ve got to love a scent description that includes the term “skank monster,” right? I’m curious about that one, and the Pour Homme as well, so I’d like to throw my hat in the ring for the drawing if I may!

  • zeram1 says:

    I wish I was at the Sniffa. Would you consider these scents as EDT? Please enter me in the drawing as well.

    • Patty says:

      The two colognes I would put in as an EDT on strength, but I’ve been surprised at how long they last. The bottles didn’t say, or I didn’t find, whether it was EDT or EDP, but the APOMs and Lumiere Noires feel much more like EDPs.

  • Michelle H says:

    sounds like you had a great time!!!!! they all sound nice, please sign me up 🙂

  • Natalie says:

    I’m a bit leery of the perky girl in the coffee shop, but a bite of sunshine sounds divine — would love to be entered in yet another draw, and thank you!

  • sheo says:

    All of the ones in this group sound interesting – a lot of brightness and light, which is oddly tantalizing for fall. Being a big fan of the Chanel Eau de Cologne, I think I could love anything high quality in that tradition. Please enter me in the draw.

  • Parisa says:

    I would love to enter the draw…great reviews!