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AntyGamer – :
This is the type of scent that defines the word ‘niche’ for me, because it is so very different from mainstream releases. Namely I’m kind of annoyed with the supposedly ‘niche’ or ‘high end’ brands that release mere upgrades of everyday designer scents (and then hike up the prices). If something is ‘niche’, I expect it to be original and different from the mainstream; and this is where Costes fits the bill. Having said that, I have to admit that Costes is not my cup of tea, because it is too masculine and somewhat medicinal. It opens with spicy notes of pepper and coriander, but about half an hour later other notes emerge that redirect it towards the herbal/woody territory. To be precise, lavender becomes very prominent, paired with juniper, laurel and whatnot. I’m not a fan of lavender, it always reminds me of moth repellents, and paired with the barbershop woodsy notes, it screams ‘an elderly well-groomed gentleman on a holiday in an expensive hotel’!
medik-35 – :
i think, for me, this perfume will be an acquired taste…that it will take me a few wears to ‘accept’ the mixture of notes-tey aren’t unpleasant-just unlike anything i have ever smelt.
i am still a relative ‘newbie’ when it comes to niche and scents that aren’t ‘mainstream’ ….
there is a deep richness at the base of this scent-OMG-i am hitting the drydown-WOW! what a change-i think i am starting to ‘acquire’ this-the white pepper is fading a bit, along with the corriander, and i can start to smell the rose and lavender-truly beautiful!
SCIF – :
I find myself gravitating (back) to scents that I sampled or owned, in 2004-2005, and immediately, or later, ditched, despite the “niche”-hype surrounding them at the time. I wasn’t ready for the love of Costes yet, and so I sold my little 50ml bottle back then, after a few uses, and I eschewed my now-near-obsessive olfactory love, L’air du Desert, and also Idole….all released around the same time—2000–2005, great years for music, scent, design… I trip up memory lane a lot, not with regret, but with fondness…plus a dash of melancholy, which greases the cogs of creativity, that in turn, keep me from occasionally bashing my own head in.
I’m revisiting Costes, with a 100ml bottle, as it’s not wallet-bustingly pricey, and I reapply it in near-soaking doses, because I love it with the same abandon that I douse myself in it. THIS is what a 19th century Turkish bath would smell like; copious armloads of lavender, pollinated by fat bees under a Spanish sun, Bulgarian rose petals so red, they’re almost black, spiky, grey-green bay leaves, steaming in clean wet cotton, until their cinnamon-oily aroma mingles with peppered smoke, trailing from hot stones and pine embers. Costes is simultaneously cool, warm, hot, demure, sexy, clean, spicy, deep, airy, feminine, masculine, a passionate sonnet in hushed tones; there’s literally NO ONE who couldn’t, or shouldn’t wear it; it’s universal, and although there are a few others in the same vein, it’s unlike anything else. You may not get noticed for its scent trail, but you’ll stand apart for the slight smile it will bring to play upon your lips.
I can’t imagine what I didn’t like about it over a decade ago, but it may have had something to do with the intense, sweet bay (laurel) accord, as it instantly conjures the same image that L’air du Desert, and Idole, had: My late, and immensely missed father, who passed too soon, in 1978. He was the only person who ever loved me with abandon, unconditionally, and without question or judgement, enveloped my crooked spirit and body, wholly, in warmth, and although we had no money, I was more secure with him, my first love, than with any other human, and certainly than I ever was on my own. He was 6’5”, with dark, wavy hair and a beard, so handsome, very stylish, and he always smelled of Royal Copenhagen, Bay Rhum, Pierre Cardin, and a fragrance by Avon, that came in a novelty bottle, shaped like a pheasant—which, in hindsight, may have been too cheesy for him, but the contents were, just, Dad. He taught me how to never be bored, no matter how little money there is.
It’s a sliver of days from the 40th anniversary of his death, and not a single, 24-hour period has passed in that time without my thinking of him. Yes, I tried, in my dry-well-bottom-scraping moments, to cut the threads that keep the memories sown into every pocket; mental clips that run fast and hot, like oil and meteor-tails. And not to “join” him, or to punish the living, or “end it”, whatever “it” is. No…it’s when you feel so small you could fit into a mailbox, that it seems an easy task to quiet the ghosts of regrets, maybes, and should-haves, and whys.
Maybe it was my escape into the looking glass that’s the rolling green of England, feeling one ocean closer and one farther, or maybe I’m too tired to raise a fuss anymore, the time for re-opening well-licked wounds has passed, and I can see beyond my head and heart. Could it be that I’ve “found” myself, and it just doesn’t matter, and never did? Either way, I’m spinning a new web, holding memories, and the smells of them, like lamplight in my hands….illuminating my path, and if not loving, at least not dreading, every pebble in my shoe.
And man, I smell great.
Thanks for reading. Now go and get yourself some Costes.
grourpomi – :
Have you ever smelled a perfume and immediately thought “Hold the Presses! This is it!” Now I can say I have. This is other worldly to me; the blend of spices and scents in this is perfect. I see that people are saying it doesn’t last long so layering with their lotions or oils would maybe be a great idea.
On me the rose is not strong, which is a good thing! It’s woody, spicy and not too sweet like a gourmand.
This smells completely unisex to me, and I’m so glad it does!
Edit: After 12 hours of putting this on, I took my dog for a walk. Whenever a breeze could come up I could still smell it! Sure it’s mostly a skin scent by then, but if I could smell it with a breeze, I’ll bet other people could too. It’s longer lasting than I thought.
xserhxxx – :
Given that I love 10 Corso Como, and own the Hôtel Costes CD, I was naturally delighted when a generous Fragrantician included a sample of Costes in a swap.
And yes, there’s definitely a similarity between the two — especially in the opening. Further down the road, 10 Corso takes a deeper resinous-sandalwood turn, whereas Costes keeps things light with aromatics. The lavender-laurel-juniper make the difference for me. In short, they’re not identical twins, but can easily pass as close siblings.
They’re alike, performance-wise as well. A++++ for scent quality, C- for sillage. Still I love it, and will keep coming back for more. Please consider releasing an Eau Intense version? 🙂
yurik.tug – :
This smells totally generic to me and does not seem to play nice with my body chemistry. I don’t get incense or cinnamon or anything spicy for that matter, I just get clean and vaguely woody. I have seen this compared to 10 Corso Como a few times, but to my nose they are miles apart. Still on the search for a 10CC cousin with more oomph.
azazaze3010 – :
Cinnamon, spice, wine, and rose. Thats what this smells like to me. Reserved and expensive smelling. A staple in my collection now.
SOMIN – :
It’s a soft medley of clove, cinnamon, pepper, and ivory soap bar. Very calming and natural smelling. The musk really brings all the spices together. I hope they never stop making this. It’s humbly, classy. Like I’m classy but I’m not trying to let the world know. Not gonna offend anyone.
monolit2000 – :
Costes is like a spicy incense bar of soap. It smells like clove and musk, two of my favorite notes, so I am glad I stumbled upon it. I love the woody, herbal undertones. I can see why it is used to scent the hotel’s own toiletries, as it smells like expensive soap and smells quite sexy. It’s hard to imagine anybody finding Costes objectionable.
finxxxx – :
This is a very special and distinctive fragrance that will certainly keep you in a nice warm mood while creating a warm vibe around you!!!! It’s magic!!!
blooleWircuri – :
Sprayed on my sample, noticed something I recognized but couldn’t place and went straight to the Hôtel Costes website to purchase(I know, not good practice…).
But I just couldn’t stop smelling my wrist…
It’s something right in the middle between cool spices-mostly pepper-and that fresh-out-of-the-shower smell for me, with a darker presence underneath. Unlike everything else I own. Might become a staple come summer.
ksa48 – :
Costes is such a comfy and cosy perfume! It starts with a quasi-Chai Latte smell, I can smell the cinnamon, dried, not that sweet or sharp; I can smell a milky undertone too, but not as hot or vanilla-y, overall, the beginning is like a nice quite Chai Latte.
Soon it gets cosier, and spicier and woodier. Somehow it can easily be a unisex perfume, or be a less bodied perfume from Amourage, for men.
The dry out is just closer to the skin, and less spicy.
I don’t have much to say about this perfume, because it is just pretty by itself, nice as a cup of Chai-Latte.
Worth trying!
puzat – :
I’m just not a fan of this peppery minimalist type scent. It is well created but it doesn’t make me feel good or sexy and that’s what I expect from my perfumes. In fact it smells rather masculine to me, although I know it’s not. I do like the soft lavender that peeks out from the base, but no sale.
Quietly – :
Very cinnamon on me and my mom, we both love it, its a rich and deep perfume but all can smell is delicious spiced cinnamon and a little amber. I just ordered her her own bottle 🙂 My roommate said it smelled just like big red and I completely see the resemblance, its the most spot on cinnamon gum I have ever smelled but the amber and sandalwood gives it a little grown up edge. If you are looking for something cinnamonny I suggest this!
The room spray is much more masculine, less cinnamon and an entirely diff frag, I do not suggest, it is not as good as the edp.
aauris258 – :
I found this gem when I was looking for something similar to Diptique L’Eau that I have fallen in love with, and which was unavailable when I tried to make a purchase.
Costes Costes was recommended to me, and also, it was a love at first sniff. And I dont know what it is about it, but there is something that makes it a percect winter (and Christmas) scent.
Costes for me is, above all, a wonderful, spicy rose. I love all sorts of roses, in Costes it is presented to us with an air of smokiness. The incense is not too strong, but it creates an aura of mystery. it makes me think of an old room with heavy, red curtains, dim light, jazz music coming from next room, quiet laughs, quick footsteps. Pepper and coriander are responsible for this spicy, dry feeling Costes has to it.
Everytime I spray it on myself I think of gingerbread, but not the moist, chocolaty one; Costes is not gourmand. I think of Christmas tree, maybe because of th woody notes, I think of cheerful atmosphere, elegance, something refined. I would compare it to dry (red) wine- might not be to everyone’s taste, I sometimes need something a bit sweeter, nevertheless, there are times when I am really enjoying it.
Katrusya60 – :
Caliente!! Yes this goes on very hot and spicy. I almost feel I can use it before meals to assist with digestion. Once it dries down its all woods and spice. I just enjoyed this perfume with some fava beans and some nice Chianti. Its very enjoyable with wine. Really, I felt the perfume added to a serene ambiance of pleasure for pleasures sake.
jnadvor – :
Costes is a sophisticated, minimalist scent. It creates an aura and a mood of a spa and of modern elegance as well as echoes the opulence of the past, like ancient Roman palaces.
Rose is prominent in the scent but is not the center of attention. All the while you catch wafts of bay, coriander, and pepper gives the fragrance texture. All while floating over notes of incense and transparent white musk. This fragrance is sublime!
GoampagogBiob – :
Costes is a well-crafted fragrance that evokes the spa. Picture fluffy white Turkish towels, steamy water rising from the toasty coals of a wooden sauna, soft linens soaking in warm water strewn with freshly-crushed herbs, with occasional wafts of the long-stemmed roses in a vase by your bedside.
Costes is a unisex fragrance, but smells more masculine to my nose, with the spicy pepper notes very prominent right out of the bottle. It dries down to a soft woodsy-herbal. Men will find this one a safe choice, perhaps a little less sharp than the spicy woods they have used before, and women who detest fruity/sweet fragrances may find this to their liking as well.
I was very intrigued when I had a chance to sniff a bottle at the store. I later purchased a small decant and after a few wearings, I find that, while it’s lovely, it’s just not quite me.
Costes is all about clean lines, simplicity and understated elegance. (Look at the packaging!)
I guess I’m all about curves, bright splashes of color and too much of a good thing.