BDK Parfums

[productsample/affiliate] Coming across BDK makes me realise why corporate fragrance brands are so worried about the rise of independent brands carving into their profits – this one has been cleverly snapped up by Revlon although there is no whisper of corporate about it. I have to say BDK is exceptional and exceeded my expectations one hundred fold because the box doesn’t exactly shout ‘buy me’. In fact, I realise as I write, I didn’t even photograph the box!

Founded in 2016 by David Benedek, I can quite imagine that big brands were lining up to buy it. You know when you come across someone and think, yes, you were born to do this…that’s David, with Romanian/Moroccan heritage and Transylvanian grandparents who became the first authorised distributors of fragrances such as Worth and Dior in the 1950’s. There is very much a thread of that period running through the fragrances and they’ll feel both familiar and other when you smell them.

I’m not overly sentimental about fragrance but this one, Rouge Smoking, had my eyes pricking because it’s both my grandmothers rolled into one sweetly heady, lipsticky, cherryish arrangement that I would love to share with them – they’d completely adore it! In fact, it’s really a bit strange that they suddenly feel so close and that a perfume can really do that.

These fragrances are powerful and potent – there is no sign of Rouge Smoking dissipating although it’s changed over the hours on my skin to a more mellow vanilla with the sweetness rounding out a little bit. I have Tabac Rose in full size because it’s a Harrods exclusive – I really wish there was a discovery set for this brand because if you’re a fragrance lover, it would be the most exquisite journey. Tabac Rose isn’t moving me in the same way as Rouge Smoking, but it’s distinct in both mentioned notes as well as having a hint of chocolate and plum. The entire brand is intriguing – there’s so much more to it than I can cover in a post so worth doing some further reading HERE. Of course, the downside is that it’s super expensive – £150 for most and £195 for Tabac Rose and French Bouquet. You can find them at Harrods HERE.