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vlad_d – :
Since declaring my attraction to decidedly unusual scents, M/Mink has become something of an urban legend-cum-holy grail, unfailingly brought up by other perfumistas when discussing divisive, difficult fragrances. It was on my “must try” list for ages, but kept getting pushed to the back burner in favor of perfumes that I knew would be unique but still wearable.
Well, the day finally came. My M/Mink decant arrived in the mail, and I prepared myself for an “experience.” I must’ve stared at that little atomizer for a good thirty minutes, re-reading these reviews and psyching myself up for what would certainly be a stomach turning disaster.
Turns out I worked myself up for nothing.
The second that crisp, inky note hit my nose, I knew it was love. I smelled warm sheets of paper straight out of an ancient copier, beads of sweat on my forehead after a long shower in a windowless bathroom on a hundred degree day, Royal Pine air fresheners dangling from the rear view mirror of a beat up car. It smelled hot, humid, sexy, pungent, yet oddly antiseptic. The way a man with expensive taste in cologne might smell after a long day of physical labor. The scent of a rich woman’s well worn designer stilettos after being re-soled and polished by the cobbler. That irresistible union of dirty and clean.
As the day wears on and my own pheromones get into the mix, M/Mink only gets better. It eventually dries down to something resembling my own skin, with the lightest touch of smoky incense and electric air right before a thunderstorm. I receive nothing but compliments every time I wear it.
@DoveGrayismyfavoritecolor, I think you owe me a hat tip! 😉
Update: Got my husband digging this now, too. (And wouldn’t you know it, it smells even better on him.) He associates it with “a floral version of Chinese calligraphy ink*” and “the interior of my old ‘84 Toyota van on a really hot day.” A FB to share has been acquired.
Supranik – :
This is one that I would call daring, and that many others definitely would also. In fact, I would probably call it tame in comparison with what many (even here) would call it. I don’t see what all the fuss is about with this, but I do see what some of it is about. On the few occasions on which I have worn this I have felt like a piece of furniture that has just been heavily polished.
I would have thought there is oil of Cypriol in this.
Ramzes 1999 – :
Have you ever expressed your dog or cat’s anal glands? A necessary but grotesque part of pet ownership. Well, this perfume smells exactly like the discharge from said procedure. Absolutely fecund and repugnant. My cat sniffed the sample vial and opened his mouth in truest insulting cat fashion.
If this smells quite nice on anybody, they must be magic or have that rarest of chemistries. My hat is tipped to them.
pavlus91 – :
Old catholic church. It’s weird… and interesting. I actually really like it but it took a while. There’s definitely an animal stinkiness that’s offputting but also intriguing. Also salt, metal, calligraphy ink, and a dusty patchouli. As it dries down (yes, the ocean funk can be a bit eau de public bathroom in the beginning) it moves from briny stink to more of a dirty incense. There’s something of a really, really old dusty church, unused and pretty much uncleaned for decades if not centuries. While it’s reminiscent of some Comme de Garcons ink fragrances it’s got a very different feel, more earthy and organic than any CdG’s I’ve smelled. I’d say it has more in common with Salvador Dali pour Homme with it’s dirty antique store vibe. It’s no surprise that it’s so polarizing; if modern fragrances are obsessed with being clean and inoffensive, M/Mink is a big f-you to all that. Antiquated and strange.
gyg232speagoessenda – :
As much as I like Byredo and its creations, M/Mink has the opposite effect. It is absolutely disgusting to me. This is the smell of dried salted meat on a cold metal platter, like Parma or Serrano Ham. The scent of the ham is bearable when you know you are going te eat it, the taste is so beautiful. To bad you can’t do that with a perfume.
M/Mink also reminds of the inhabitants of the sea. Once again, I love fish to eat, but not raw ones to smell.
Ok, the opening is horrid. How about the drydown? I have been wearing it for 15 minutes. No signs of improvement or change. I know, the drydown takes more time, but I washed it off..
It sure was interesting to sample this perfume.
speedhelp – :
Opens harsh and metallic. Then yep it smells like ink.
Has some kind of headache inducing aromachemical screech (is it ISO E?)
Why would anyone want to smell like this?
Poobolvejed – :
I don’t think these comparison to inorganic compounds, like metal, sea salt, or toner, are accurate. This IS metallic and salty, boy is it salty, but it’s very, very ORGANIC. Which is exactly what makes it so gross. It’s like nose burning urine, the floppy, savory flesh of some grotesque dead sea creature, nothing you’d mistake for man made or sterile. It’s perhaps the grossest thing I’ve ever smelled outside of a public bathroom.
Although I must admit, I believe the opinions on this to be somewhat dictated by culture and upbringing. I’m born and raised in America, my mother is born and raised in Eastern Europe. Our palettes and preferences for food and scent differ. I hate this, and actually likes it, and she’s not even one for complex or challenging scents. I suspect that those of Eastern European or Scandinavian persuasion would like this a lot more than anyone else.
enot4ever – :
Dirty diaper washed up on the beach.
confederate – :
Quite possibly the worst fragrance I’ve ever smelled.
Naomi_fromAF – :
M/Mink is fascinating to me I don’t find it that odd or weird like a lot of people do. The opening of M/Mink is where it smells like ink the most the blend of honey, patchouli and incense are responsible for that ink accord to my nose it’s very strong as if you were to stick your nose into a bottle of ink. After about two hours the incense note fades into the background leaving the honey and the patchouli behind. The mid part of the fragrance is where the sea notes and the aldehydes emerge to my nose here is where M/Mink show two opposite sides to it the dirty, dry side that comes from the honey and the patchouli and the clean, sparkly side coming from the sea notes and the aldehydes. The base mainly consists dry honey it’s the the driest honey you will ever smell nothing sweet here with a slight touches of patchouli, sea notes and smoke. Both projection and longevity are huge.
M/Mink is one of those fragrances that works as a protection shield to those who wear it (meaning people won’t bother you) not because it smells bad but because it’s hard to understand since it’s full of contradictions where sometimes it’s super nice and clean and other times it’s dry dirty. I think if M/Mink was a person it would be a very misunderstood one but it would also be more than happy with the few who understand and love it. Just because someone is different doesn’t make them bad.
lenya123456 – :
Lol @ the negative reviews on this. Off the bat I love how this smells. To me it is all about the patchouli, incense and sea notes. It is supposed to resemble the smell of ink and my oh my I guess I’m a sucker for ink smell. The one time I wore it, I was at the pool just vibin’ and my friend said to me “jeez how much perfume did you spray?” hehe, I wore a lot of it and boy was it pumpin’. This is a very unique fragrance. If you like unusual, daring scents then try this. It is a scent with balls. If you like Straight to Heaven from Kilian you may like this (my scent memory took me there). Try it.
Instagram: @fucci.bless
TrustYourNose™
imperio – :
This fragrance is truly an abomination. The scent encompasses the whole of the men’s restroom. Bleach, ammonia, urinal cakes, and indeed, urine itself. The scent to me is aggressively clean smelling, not in a pleasant way, but like literal cleaning solvents and chemicals. My friend said it reminded her of gay sex… As a gay man I can tell you it inspired no sexual feeling in me whatever. The idea that anyone could truly wear this unsettles me to my core. The only person I can think of smelling this way is Patrick Batemen.
legionere – :
super sexy best ever top beast
Wolfmer – :
M/Mink is to me the anthesis of Bal D’Afrique. Where Bal D’Afrique is a saint with fruits in her hands, this is the devil carrying a knife, ready to stab your back.
The combination of notes ends up smelling like rubber and burned wood. It’s dark but not complex. I’m shocked no one has mentioned Marc Jacobs Bang, as they smell very much alike in my opinion.
easy75 – :
I tried this because of the conflicting reviews and I have to say I hate it. To me it smells like a mix of shoe polish and really really strong old wooden furniture. It lasts and lasts forever on the skin, which is a shame because it’s such a strong, off-putting smell. Unique but not for me! Couldn’t wait to get home and scrub this off my wrist.
ludochkad – :
I wanted to like this after reading some of the comments it has received, but I have to agree that it smells like pee on a leather jacket. I certainly respect the byredo name and the attempt to create an original fragrance though.
Filintech – :
What a fragrance!
I honestly do appreciate this fragrance as an art, however, I would never wear it (again), nor would I suggest any of my friends wear it.
It is elaborate and emotional. Animalic and savage.
Imagine being attacked by a dirty dog, in a handsome garden on a hot summer day with blood everywhere.
che809 – :
What an interesting fragrance. I really enjoy the scent of M/Mink, but preferably on a blotter or someone else. While I can just about wear it myself, it seems to sit better on the male of the species. This is probably the biggest incense frag I have been able to handle without wanting to scrub off. The notes, listed above are present but I needed a little more floral to come out, in order to be very comfortable with wearing M.
Camila_fromAD – :
My oh my! It’s quite funny reading the reviews on this one. Anyway here are my thoughts:
1. It stands out, yes, in a very unpleasant way. It sure will turn a lot of heads but probably people think you’re having a very bad day.
2. Patchouli + incense + aldehydes + sea notes: opening a closed wood case fills with animal urine and sweat.
3. If you like it, I guess deep inside you like to play “dirty”
4. If you really like this, I suggest you try Musc Bruno Acampora, much much better in term of animalistic scent.
VladimirI – :
This is a mess. I’m not going on about the notes bc I don’t care for this fragrance at all. Smells like someone’s house who just gave up on life and pisses their pants on the couch. It’s rancid smell highly suggests one samples prior to purchase. This house is great though, this is just their lost soul.
Kaitlyn_fromAD – :
I bought this perfume without smelling it first even after reading the mixed reviews because I was sure I would like it. I have used a number of Byredo candles and love them all and I enjoy incense scents. But I have to say this perfume does not work for me. Like urine on concrete on a boiling hot day. It frankly made me nauseous and I retched every time I smelled myself. I thought it would develop into something unusual and beautiful, there is some potential there, but it never did, smelled like wee the whole day. Having said that it smells nice enough in the air and I spray it in my room and that’s nice but it’s an expensive room fragrance.
qwertyas – :
Really! is this really that bad?
i really wonder about the hype of disliking this fragrance here! i’m not a fan of Byredo but this one here is quite different! and to be honest i was completely afraid to try this because of that dislike hype!
In easy words, it’s more like a medical vibes, something like a nylon manufacturing, or a devise you just opened from a brown paper carton covering a vacuumed nylon bag! i can’t smell the honey, aqua, and i can’t smell anything artificial. all i can smell is an amusing quality notes.
This fragrance is very interesting, neither stinky nor filthy & it is for the nylon, freshly made devices essence lovers 🙂
wimp – :
One of those love/hate scents.
lunodolofwawj – :
I DON’T UNDERSTAND ALL THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS HERE. IS IT DIFFERENT? YES! BUT THERE IS NOTHING OFF PUTTING .I THINK ITS LOVELY AND I WANT A BOTTLE.IT REMINDS ME STRONGLY OF MY CLASSROOM WHERE I TOOK OIL PAINTING. I GET A LITTLE LINSEED AND TURPENTINE IN A GOOD WAY. LOVE
ppj292Diobtetty – :
I get this. Its supposed to be daring and different and there is no doubt in my mind that is it. Is it wearable? That I can’t say. I get the dirty kitty litter references and there is a strong dirty vibe to this. It starts off pretty shocking, ink with kitty litter and a hint of ammonia. Even the saleswoman who was unfamiliar with it made a face when she asked to smell it on me. Her reaction was natural and her expression was priceless. The dry down is softer and I get a dusty clay, dry dirt mixed in with sweet chalky baby aspirin. I appreciate it, but I wouldn’t necessarily want to smell like it. For anyone adventurous, I say go for it. You won’t forget it.
kudivik – :
Absolutely outstanding. This is the ugly duckling in my collection that I view as a swan!
It’s the “dare to be different” fragrance that isn’t conventionally pretty or pleasant but..I’m a huge fan and this is very special.
The biggest tip I can give you is…WAIT!! If you spray this on your hand in a shop, don’t sniff your hand immediately or…at all. Let this develop and come to you, then you may see the beauty I do.
It opens with a very powerful animalic note, very unpleasant most of the time, but that’s not what it’s about. Wait for the magic of adoxal to weave it’s spell. It has an incensey animalic tone, and it feels dry in texture. It’s slightly waxy, otherworldly and addictive.
The adoxal in this scent does it’s job wonderfully on me. It’s meant to make things smell like fresh laundry and when this settles, these are the wafts I get. It’s like clean laundry, infused with incense, a floral tone I cannot describe at all, and just a whole bunch of weirdness.
The other trick with this is not to over spray. it works it’s magic if you don’t over do it. Again..a little bit…and wait!
The drydown unfortunately for me is not so great (only because I hate honey in perfumes). This takes all the worst parts of honey (clover honey in this case) and it smells like an unpleasant honey that’s slightly verging on urine. YEP! Sounds absolutely awful doesn’t it? But thankfully by this stage it isn’t radiating off of your skin like a beast.
Still…get to know this fragrance and appreciate it for what it is and it’s MAGIC! I’ve had more compliments on this than people saying it’s horrible!
MisledGore – :
Certainly, there’s a lot going on here, and I know it’s not without its devotees. Personally, I prefer not to smell like a cat’s litterbox, but to each their own. Makes me wonder if I could bottle some sort of litterbox accord and peddle it on the internet for hundreds.
I’m not averse to weird, complex, animalic and dirty ‘avant garde’ scents. But at least Secretions Magnifiques is interesting. This just smells like piss.
ferrari_vip – :
ink for pen with some animalic, pardon human, note. the name is very indicative especially for a sicilian guy :)))
kxo961bedyWelty – :
Well M/Mink is one of the best surprises I’ve had this year. I blind bought it, almost as a dare, to see if it was really as shocking and strange as the hype made it out to be.
I’d have to say, it is, and it isn’t. Don’t get me wrong – This is certainly not your average fragrance. It is however, still perfectly wearable, masterfully crafted and utterly enchanting.
M/Mink opens with an inky matte sweetness, animalic, metallic, incense, salted black manuka honey and shimmering cold aldehydes.
As others have noted, it’s quite linear, not a lot changes. The first half is dominated by a slightly sour incense playing out over velvety, dry, dark honey and patchouli. Patchouli is a note I often struggle with, but here it is simply stunning. Black-green and tarry, thick and rich. As time wears on the incense softens and the dry, dark honey comes into play bringing with it a surprisingly dirty animalic note. This animalic honey is what keeps M/Mink grounded in reality, offsetting the otherwise industrial feel and tying the whole shebang together wonderfully.
Overall, the impression is one of cold, dark grey velvet. Classy, slightly gothic, a little aloof and austere. I don’t know what all the fuss is about honestly, I’ve smelled fumes from Kerosene and even Slumberhouse that are far more ‘challenging’ than this.
Performance is excellent. Sillage is loud for the first two hours or so and settles nicely to the lower end of moderate for the rest of the wear. Longevity is outstanding. It hums away for an eternity as a bizarre skin scent.
Worth a try if for no other reason than to experience a heavily animalic frag that isn’t based around musks. An eccentric genius of a perfume. Completely unisex. Enjoy on cloudy, brisk days, when dressed in black and feeling arty.
murtaza – :
The first time I smelled this perfume, it was on a female co-worker of mine. My first impression was that it smelled classy and sophisticated, and also like nothing I’ve ever smelled on anyone else. That was one of the intrigues I had for buying this perfume; given the high price and the unfamiliar designer, I assumed that none of my peers would be wearing this scent. Also, it smelled wonderful.
I bought the 3.3oz bottle of M/Mink from Neiman Marcus for $220 plus tax (free shipping). When I first sprayed it on myself it was as most people have described it; strong, overpowering, spicy, etc.
HOWEVER, this is most definitely not the kind of perfume you need more than two sprays for. My guess is that if people are offended by the smell, they are using too much. It is certainly very potent upon first spraying it, but as it rubs off on my clothes, and my hair, and the scent grows softer, it smells AMAZING. The first time my sister smelled it on me, she had the same impression I did. She said it smelled high end, and classy. I would also say it is more feminine than masculine.
OVERALL, given how little of the perfume you actually need to use to achieve a desirable scent, I’d say, you really are getting what you pay for: a quality, excellent smelling perfume, that has GREAT longevity, and if you use as little as you need, you’ll have the bottle for a long time as well.
artakart – :
i went into this perfume fully expecting some kind of monstrous ooze-being á la ‘the blob’ to erupt forth and assimilate me – however, what did greet me was… something that my nose couldn’t quite make sense of, but intrigued me. pleased me! it was animalic, yes; slightly marine-salty, fresh and sharp, sort of waxy… beeswax! this smells like completely de-sweetened beeswax, almost candle-like, (i remembered in smelling this, as a child, i was taken to a candle-making factory and able to make my own – perhaps that’s where i get the association!) a little of the unprocessed honey, (a black, viscous honey – indeed like ink!) and some lemon-y frankincense for good measure. i can indeed see the connection to ink in a weird way; it has a wet stickiness to it which is uncanny, possibly caused by the patchouli / honey that is giving this impression, though personally i find what connotations i have to ink to be sweeter / even more floral-ish. it’s a world away from anything in comme des garcons 2, in my experiences, at any rate!
i find this entirely pleasant anyway. it is strange, and i can see why it divides opinion, but really? unless it dries down *very* quickly on my skin, or the initial impression is ‘blink and you’ll miss it’, i get none of the connotations to ‘dirty water’ or ‘cat urine’ or anything vaguely human for that matter on my skin. later on into the drydown, the honey becomes slightly more sweet and the incense dies down, leaving a hint of freshness resting in salty beeswax with hints of the patchouli showing through, giving it an earthy edge. on my skin, it’s almost… strangely edible at this stage, like some dense, sticky, mildly salted, honeyed concoction. i don’t honestly know quite how to describe it, but i love it!
lasting power is excellent with two sprays, though it tends to flit in and out of presence quite a few times. trying it on in the morning i could clearly smell it, albeit softly, after 12 hours. it is a soft perfume though; as i said, after the first hour or two, it tends to come and go in bursts and quiet wafts, but nevertheless it was still there. my personal view of a beauty!
437908 – :
This is a case where the perfume is very true to it’s name,
Someone made a comparison to printer toner, that’s about as accurate a comparison as you can get.
Sharp, inky, metallic, but addicting
almost like sniffing cleaning chemicals from under the sink
(do NOT try this)
at one point it did remind me a little of the smell of my friend’s ferret.
15272 – :
Been using this alot the past few months and the only one who seems to like it is myself haha. I think it’s super gorgeous, it is sort of crude and simple in it’s construction in one way but i loooove it’s boldness, it really puts me in a great mood and I’ll keep using it, works great all seasons but definitely a daytime scent. Very unusual, bold, great longevity and silage, quite linear. I’d never wear it to anything formal where people come together because I don’t want to offend. But its really a masterpiece! It’s like a picasso painting, an uncompromising genius.
gen1384 – :
It smelled so amazing on my skin at the store.
Unfortunately, M/Mink did NOT translate in the real world. It was sharp and overpowering at work–one person actually recoiled in horror!
I wear alot of unisex fragrances and I prefer that neutrality. This one–although initially really exciting and cool–is much edgier than I am.
VLaqryP – :
Instantly set apart from the pack – this is lone wolf howling after a casual kill. The chase was set not in darkness, but in bloodless menagerie tangled in pulsing white electrical wire. The adoxal seemingly subverting and extending simultaneously. The prey willingly offering a free taste. Amber and honey add subtle lusty afterthoughts.
If you are getting bored at the smelling outpost, I’d suggest indulging this bold concoction.
Ontorntexyfex – :
Byredo’s M/Mink is often described as foul, metallic and unwearable. Even the sales assistant shied away when I went to spritz this fragrance onto my skin. She said that it was created to smell like ink and blood, but funnily enough all I smell is a rich blend of earthy, green patchouli, smoky incense and syrupy honey.
I do get the ink reference and I like the artistic vibe that this fragrance gives off. Unique scents are hard to come by in a world where generic fruity florals flood our market. I welcome such scents like M/Mink with open arms and hope that more scents like it are soon to come.
M/Mink smells like a cross between Le Labo’s Patchouli 24 and Serge Lutens’ Miel de Bois to my nose. All three of these fragrances are hard-hitting and unforgiving. Patchouli and honey in their most potent form can be a little shocking, and such a blend can smell ‘inky’ and damp. It’s the high concentration of these notes that is turning so many people away from this fragrance. If you tell people that what they’re smelling in M/Mink is blood, they’ll start believing it.
I find M/Mink brave, dramatic and funky. It might not be the easiest scent to wear, but it is sure to make a loud statement. It has introduced a new fragrance note to me, adoxal, a synthetic compound that is supposed to smell a lot like lily of the valley. And while I don’t smell anything remotely floral in this composition it has managed to open my eyes to new and modern perfumery.
valeriobass – :
Not super impressed by other Byredo scents, this one blew me away, potent stuff, very animaistic and to my nose, also a powerful rhubarb, is anyone else getting that? I dont much like sour notes but this one is fantastic!
10/10
Edit: I just bought it today, 3×12 cl (0.4 oz) for 110 USD in Stockholm and love it love it love it love it! It’s just a dream!!! I can wear quite heavy orientals so for me this will def be a quirky casual day scent, wouldn’t use this for clubbing or dinners. No idea how others might react to it but you know what? I really don’t care! 😀 La Tulipe is supposed to contain rhubarb and I tried that in the shop but that one’s too girly to me and in M/Mink I definatelly pic kup lots of r-h-u-b-a-r-b (maybe that’s the component some refer to as urine), resin, metal and incense…something god knows what animal, maybe that’s the sea notes making it just slightly sweaty– I’d call it SEXY. Powerful it may be, but still it’s clean and very modern. I suppose this might smell like ink, certainly theres similarities with solid blocks of watercolours and it sure is black. Black and dry. Can’t see this scent wearing well with girly, bright, flowery clothes. Glorious!
baron8cocaine – :
M/mink gives you two choices. Read the story and believe the myth, or smell the perfume. I’d recommend smelling perfume. It’s wonderful.
The story goes that, in lieu of a traditional brief, the perfumer was asked to translate a block of solid ink into a perfume. I’m cynical enough to believe that this sort of premise is intended more for its ex post facto story value than for any actual artistic impetus. The block of ink might have been a motivating factor in the conceptualization of mink, but it is a fallacy to believe that the perfume continues to be ‘about’ ink. For the wearer, the ink bit is just a back-story. After the fact, such stories actually make a perfume appear contrived or a producer pretentious, and to get hooked into this sort of narrative even before you’ve smelled the perfume is limiting for the wearer.
Please don’t get me wrong. I’m a fan of Mink. I simply disagree with everything I’ve ever read about it starting with the PR from Byredo. I don’t find it linear. I don’t think it’s an assault on the senses. I don’t find it anything like Sécrétions Magnifiques. It does share a cool, object-like quality with Comme des Garçon 2 Woman. While it does have a matte sweetness to it that suggests an inky quality, this is just one of its many abstract attributes. Like Bvlgari Black by Annick Menardo, M/mink is a successful creation of a new, beautiful scent that neither imitates a botanical scent, nor attempts to to offer you a recognizeable fragrance.
from scenthurdle.com
cfif62 – :
What on earth is this, so discusting. Like someone hadn’t take a shower for a long time, smelling so dirty and nasty.
Edward – :
Just smelled this at Barneys NYC yesterday so the experience is still fresh in my mind.. The first whiff literally made me wince my nose and face up in agony, and ask what the hell was that??!! It smelled disturbing almost unnatural like a female Werewolfs vagina in heat. Or maybe a sweaty horse after running at a big race..Animalic is an understatement whew!! But like a train wreck or a beheading on live TV, I couldn’t turn away.. I kept going back to this seemingly primitive scent.. Guess what? It became lighter, a little more bearable, and dare I say more intriguing with each passing half hour..I don’t think I would ever purchase this, but I did ask for a sample for the shock value.. There is something tempting and alluring about this smell like forbidden taboo desires ..I both recommend and forewarn, but experience for yourself.. You too will either howl at the moon in torment or bliss..
bromgi – :
First, this is definitely a masculine fragrance, although I don’t really adhere to fragrance distinctions: but this is strong, deep, earthy and powerful.
On paper, it smells fantastic: an incredibly potent and vibrant grass note, the deepest patchouli note that I ever encountered,a bitter incense, the intense salty oceanic note that makes it so original.
On my skin, unfortunately, this fragrance turns a bit too much melon-y (although the melon note isn’t listed), the honey note stealing the scene in a not so good way, the floral notes getting in the way without a proper role.
A good fragrance from a house that I really like, a must try especially for men.
astanin – :
I’ve been wearing this 2 days in a row (all day) to really get to know it, so I guess I’m on my 5th or 6th wearing of M/Mink as I type.
I can see how it’s jarring to some people. The 1st time I tried it (sample) I was reminded of a ferret’s fur, musty with a semi sweet touch, like after you feed a ferret its vitamin oil supplement. I must’ve been getting the honey there but sadly, I’ve never gotten it since that 1st try.
Nowadays I’d put the note pyramid like so:
***very intensive: sea notes, aldehydes
**intensive: patchouli
*noticeable: incense
and that’s all I get. In 3 words M/Mink is cold, musty, and salty on my skin, though there’s an oddly cooling/fresh aldehydic quality that makes it seem a contradiction to this musty saltiness. My boyfriend described it as ‘almost ammoniac’ upon initial application and he’s not wrong.
Pleasant? I suppose that’s in the nose of the beholder. I found myself craving the smell, haunted by it after the first 2 samplings. Since acquiring other salty scents this one doesn’t seem so unique, but it’s worth sampling if you want something briny and different. I do wish that mysterious honey would come back… I think I’ll hold my 12ml until warmer weather and see if that brings out the magic of ferret fur again (I love that smell).
[Edited 11/10/14]
Kefaliy – :
Like the aftermath of a train wreck, still smoking from the metal on metal carnage, you want so dearly to look away in disgust but your sick sense of curiosity compels you to keep looking. Staring, actually. This is the effect of M/Mink. At first you’re repulsed. The second and third sniff totally screw with your mind and make you think, is it really that bad? Subsequent sniffs make you wonder, what the hell is that? I can’t stop myself from going back for more because there’s something beautiful hidden beneath such an ugly exterior. If MMink was a person, it would be a repulsive dirty old man with a kind old soul and bright personality. Like him, don’t run from this one either. Honeyed smoke and earthy patch smothering floral aldehydes, strong marine notes and gentle florals. So odd, so unique, so captivating. This could very easily be a signature scent. Not for the faint of heart or crowd pleasers. Try it.
werad12 – :
Love it.
It’s a hate it or love it one.
Upon the first sniff, there was something that reminded me of ink and steel. Maybe a little rubber.
Industrial was the word that came to my mind when trying it.
But this is a fragrance for a person who knows what he likes and is proud of that. It’s definitely not a crowd pleaser. And little boys look away this is not for you, this is for a man, a confident man. Maybe a little sinister man. A bad boy. A rebel.
kazap – :
Smells like you are in a wooden cabin on a hot summers day, and you’ve peed yourself.
evonokia – :
I don’t know why there’re so many people hate this one, I love it and my friends also love it. It’s bitter, animalic and bold as a slap in the face! it’s exactly what Chinese ink smells like. The most unique and artistic perfume in the world! Gorgeous packaging.
димыч72 – :
I must say, that I really get a kick out of the reviews for this fragrance!
I’m sure it’s revolting to many people, especially the initial opening, though I’m not sure why the first wiff is being compared to cat urine?
I’ve had several cats and have spent time around big cats and this doesn’t smell like that to me at all.
Instead it smells exactly like squid/octopus ink to me, but sharp and dirty.
Maybe like spoiled ink from a calligrapher’s ink well too?
That said, that’s probably what BYREDO intended, resulting in a very unique and controversial, musky scent. If you hate the opening, then it’s best to leave