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Алекандр – :
Okay, I don’t know what to think of this one. Firstly, the sample spray comes in a great sprayer. Just have to say that. The scent itself isn’t too bad. Primarily citrus, but mildly oudh and sandalwood. Doesn’t really progress, though. After the first ten minutes, it’s pretty stagnant. All in all, though, it’s really not a bad scent at all. I probably wouldn’t buy it, but its definitely more interesting that most oud scents out there in the West. The price is definitely right.
BigOr – :
An oud/citrus combination primarily as advertised, Kerosene’s first offering (I believe) in R’Oud Elements involves a heavy use of orange bitters to offset the oud, and this mixture is also smoothed over by a melange of creamy ingredients like amber, vanilla, lavender, and iris.
It doesn’t have much evolution, though I never think of this as a bad thing, necessarily, but it usually seems worth pointing out. Except for a slightly harsher opening few moments, the balance between the oud and citrus remains the main story for the life the of the fragrance, with the creamy notes sitting in the background. I get vanilla and iris more than amber and lavender, but I can vaguely detect bits of all four.
This is a nice fragrance, an under-discussed offering from a house with some more boastful options like Copper Skies and Broken Theories, and more pronounced gourmands like Follow and Blackamil.
I’m not yet sold on R’oud Elements to the point of wanting to buy a bottle but with some additional sampling, I might eventually be on board. I see this is as a slightly masculine option for cold weather days. I doubt I’d wear this in the summer or at night. It seems to be cold weather scent that is also bright, usually a combination that I don’t perceive in fragrance, but one that nonetheless makes me think of this as a casual or daytime wear for colder days.
Performance is solid, not quite as beastly as some of the other cold weather options but reasonable close.
Overall, at $140 for 100ml like the others, a reasonable consideration for a winter option that I’d recommend that others try.
7 out of 10
kpot87 – :
I had a short visit in Parma in Italy, and in my third perfume store was shown the Kerosene fragrances. R’oud elements stuck out from everything else I had smelled, and I fell asleep that night in my hotel room intermittently sniffing my forearm that had been sprayed earlier in the evening. the bright and bitter orange citrus I felt in the store, and the woody oud amber with hints of vanilla came out in my hotel room.
After getting home, I went online and researched it, and discovered the backstory, but I came at it as it was just another bottle in just another perfume store, and I had to have it. Now that I got my bottle I ordered online from the kerosene store, it smells just as good as I remember, but now I noticed the metallic aspect of the citrus opening that I didn’t percieve before. The drydown is just great, with everything I could ask for. it is still present, waking up the next day, and the oud reminds me of oud wood from tom ford, just fainter and wrapped in a slightly sweet cozy amber.
I really like it, and plan to use it for my signature scent this fall and winter. I also recieved a generous 5 samples with my order, so consider ordering direct if you want to sample more of the Kerosene line. The bottle is beautiful and looks great on my shelf. very classy. One last note… I was in a local perfume store and tried the Carner barcelona Black calamus. the drydown was similiar, but I think I prefer R’oud elements.
TRACCINNY – :
AFter sampling literally dozens of oud fragrances for 48 hours each (and more whilst at boutiques) and springing for 5 tiny vials of various actual oud oils, I feel I am starting to get a bit of a better sense of oud than I had when I first smelled the department store ouds at sephora and bloomingdales that got me interested in niche perfumery in the first place.
With that intro, I believe Kerosene is one of the more interesting, and definitely among the most discernable, most unique oud fragrances I have ever smelled (I want to say ‘out there right now’, but there are so so many, and I am only one nose in one place–the bay area–what the hell do I really know).
I feel like it deserves an award of some sort, some kind of recognition. I want so badly to want it and to embrace it as a signature. Yet it smells a little too vinegar-y, a little too acrid, for my taste, ultimately. I keep wanting it to round out, to be a tad more smokey, a little more warm, and yet ir retains that grapefruit-rind/balsamic cinegar top half over the oud bottom even hours after application. I really applaud this achievement, although it does make the fragrance not the one for me.
It is provocative.
I like to smell fragrances before looking at the pyramid or learning the notes or much of its background, so that I can form an unbiased first and second opinion before returning to it more informed. So I feel confident and affirmed to find that not only are the orange bitters a priminent note in this cocktail, but that others also found that that note trumped the oud. I found it longer lasting and with more sillage than the average rater on here, but its unisex nature and lack of conventional ‘sex’ or ‘musk’ or animalic elements makes it appropriate for work or situations where people are confined in close quarters and stronger perfume might be discouraged.
Try it out. IT could become your signature. PEople would remember you for it. It isn’t dirty; it isn’t barnyard. It isn’t incense, either. I don’t smell any lavender nor vanilla, but I do smell more than orange bitters and oud, so Kerosene has succeeded in making something that is far greater than the sum of its parts–more so than some far more lauded, more experienced and celebrity noses have (such as the 6-piece oud line Cartier currently has that is wonderful but, after smelling things like R’oud elements, a trifle over-hyped). This frangrance deserves more hype. It smells very niche, not mainstream. It is pretty novel, in a class of its own. Not powdery enough for me, but perfect for somebody…
I DO keep returning to the sample I got to use it as a point of reference and compare it to other scents. It wouldn’t be good for layering–it is too mcuh of a fiished cocktail already–but I know it is a Good Thing and has the signature of its maker all over, and stands the test of time, and when I’ve smelled too many other samples and gotten confused about what is too much to expect of a Good Fragrance, I use this as a staple to remind myself that, no, something that falls short is not just me being too demanding: fragrances that are complex and enticing and difficult and masterful (yet affordable) do and can exist, and are not too much to ask. I hope the maker lives long and prospers: more than anything else, R’oud elements makes me want to smell all the rest of his creations in hope of finding something I absolutely NEED for my fragrance library. I would like to meet its maker. This is a scent that I would feel proud wearing, if that makes sense. That is why I wish the orange bitters weren’t a bit of a turn-off for me: I feel really proud of the scent and wish I were in a position to show it off more. If I had a boyfriend or female roommate and he or she liked it, I would, for instance,gift it to them and push them to wear it often.
Most significant is that the oud and the orange bitters seem to last equally long, and neither dissipates or overtakes the other as time goes on. It lasts for hours yet doesn’t hit other people in the room in the face, I don’t think. It’s right on the cusp between heavy and enormous sillage (but I’m always dissatisfied with sillage and longevity, so my votes may lean toward under-representing the average experience).
slavdei81 – :
R’oud elements, the first frag from the Kerosene line is a nice one. The bitter orange note mixed with the lavender/Iris is what immediately hits you in the beginning. Then bit by bit the sandalwood mixed with the oud ( synthetic but nice smelling) and amber notes come in. Basically the bitter orange and sandalwood is what I smell for most of the scent life and it’s very nice. The ambery oud kind of holds it all in place.
Sillage and projection are kind of soft on me, I have to sniff my shirt to smell it most of the time but I do get occasional wafts of it so I know it’s there. Longevity likewise is about average on me as well, so this is one of those that needs a couple of extra sprays to get through the day but this is so nicely blended that it does not get cloying, so that is no hardship. I just wish it was amped up a bit though.
If John Pegg’s aim was to make an oud frag for non oud lovers, he’s gotten the job done on that front. Conversely, for a frag named R’oud Elements, I wish he had not played it so safe but that’s not a gripe, just a wish. If He were to make a stronger, edgier version of it, a ” R’ouder” version, I would be all over it! Somebody looking for a safe starter oud type frag, this is a good choice. Actually, anybody looking for a good smelling mild,woody orange and sandalwood combo also, check this out. very nice.
Stanoc – :
Absolute gem 10/10. Masterfully blended with high quality ingredients. This is a smoky dry woody fragrance. I don’t get any Oud out of this as it’s in the base just like Adp colonia oud. I don’t get the orange peel much either and it’s a great thing. But there’s this bomb of a note the legendary mysore sandal note the peppery dry yet creamy and overtly dominant note. This dirty sandal tones out every other note and makes a very well balanced strong masculine masterpiece. The best and the most generous use of the highest quality of a sandal note. That’s why even though its harsh woodiness could be overwhelming at the beginning it tones down astonishingly into this airy sandal woodiness done to the level of perfection. Its Roud and loud. Hats off John Pegg. I have 8 other fragrances from this house as decanta and each one is unrealistic olfactory experience. This guy is the master of woody frags. I got a full bottle of this before it is watered down cos this is some really high quality stuff.
Update: I get an airy Lavender, A nice juicy orange too. Sandal is spicy woody. Still no oud.
dajmons – :
Oh!! another weird one… yes baby keep them coming weird and CRAZY.
As i know how difficult the oranges to be mixed up with other notes & ingredients because of it’s strength and powerful sharpness that may overcome the whole atmosphere and eliminates any other notes unless you use it creatively and experiencingly. And i guess this house did with this fragrance here.
I smell a dark clouded skies and a smokey haze in a field of oranges in a silence after the storm. You don’t know what might jump on you as you expect the worse case sniffing this dark haze and don’t believe that it will remain this good for long!
Incense and amber is there but the oranges and the oud is conquering. Superbly amazing combination.
igor ig – :
I purchased a sample pack of Kerosene’s line awhile back. This is the sixth one I have tried so far, but the first I am reviewing. I have not been good at leaving reviews for fragrances I try. I typically note if I feel the scent is bottle worthy, if so I buy a bottle, if not I move on.
A friend told me that he reviews each fragrance he tries, more to remember what he thought about it when he wore it. That made a LOT of sense (and scents) to me. I have to admit I don’t remember a lot about the ones I passed on, just that I did not care for it at the time. I have also discovered that some there are some scents that I do not like at that point in time, but may come to love at a later date, (I sample a lot of different fragrances) So I decided to adopt my friend’s philosophy.
Let me start by saying, I don;t understand the bashing of Kerosene that I have read. Where he comes from, what his background is and his time in this industry are irrelevant IMO. The question is do you like the product or not. Plain and simple in my mind.
So what do I think of this one?
I get a dark, dry incense vibe from this one. As others have noted it is a very easy oud and amber scent to wear. It is very well blended IMO. The notes play off of each other very well. Hats off to Kerosene for that. Having said that, the scent does not knock my socks off. Don;t get me wrong, it is a decent scent, but does not stand out in my collection. Unlike others, I get moderate longevity and projection on my skin.
I may revisit this one some day, but it is a pass for me at the moment. Definitely worth a sample to see how it works on your skin though.
pirat55 – :
So I received this as a birthday gift from my lady. I actually told her I wanted it, so I got it. What can I say? If you’re a little nervous of trying Oud, this is a safe Oud fragrance for sure. It’s beginning to get cold in NYC, so I’m curious to see how this is going to perform in the cooler months.
gymnAmittee – :
Oud & amber = love at first sent 🙂 sophisticated, captavating, brilliantly blended. this dry down is also amazingly cozy. I’m a fanatic for sweet smell, but if sweet scent was my lover this would be my mistress lol. Blind buy YES, Loud not so much, worth the ticket you won’t regret it 🙂
murzinvla – :
At first it’s predominantly a softened ,slightly westernized oud but that settles quickly into a woody scent with a very faint hint of powder. Sandalwood is noticeable, but it’s quite mild.
As it ages it becomes more feminine in tone.
I couldn’t detect any citrus.
The sillage was good but it only lasted an hour which is unfortunate because otherwise this would be full bottle worthy.
Ideadegrelf – :
Short but sweet here. A challenging bitter orange, amber and oud opening, backed up by a sandalwood base with hints of barely perceptible iris. Each note is quite clearly delineated and identifiable, but also combine together in a very unusual, kind of post modern, industrial way. Projection is fairly moderate and it’s not so tenacious, but it’s skin hugging dry down is lovely, warm and does stay with you. This is a great fragrance that certainly stands out in a crowd. A stirling first up offering indeed.
Guardian_ – :
I bought a sample of this from MiN and, I love this scent. It’s an oud that you can tolerate. I will buy a bottle of this once the fall/winter season begins.
tqm441Unlogrere – :
didn’t like this when I first tried it, still on the fence right now but it has grown on me a little bit. it still has a bitter medicinal quality, but I began picking up on the other elements. bitter orange and oud are still the main players, but I felt some more brightest pop through with the orange. amber also added some sweetness as it developed, and sandalwood-lavender some powdery tones. definitely need to give this another run. longevity and projection were decent.
Meajc330bedyWelty – :
I like this very much. On my skin, the opening is a wonderful bright orange, modified by the accord that lavender makes when blended with a citrus, and then some iris. The oud is not so noticable at that stage. After about 30 minutes the oud and sandalwood become more prominent in the drydown, and they become the main players, just modified with some sweetness by the orange/lavender/vanilla/iris, but it’s mostly about the woods. I am guessing that the oud is tamed or softened and made creamier because of the sandalwood. I find it quite ‘close’, and the projection is modest, but what happens is that from time to time you get a waft of it. Soft, slightly sweetened woods. It’s really pleasant and the longevity is good. The opening is more unisex and the woodsy drydown slightly more masculine, but a confident woman could easily wear it. I wish the drydown had better sillage and projection but it’s definitely worth a try. Wearable any season I think, although I have not yet tried it in the full heat of summer. It’s well mannered and feels subtle but classy
nalsur09 – :
DOWN & DIRTY OUD
There is nothing subtle about this oud. Comes on very strong and it takes over an hour to calm down to a non offensive level.
(My sister said ‘wash that off NOW!)
I did not detect the orange as others have – but I did get this kind of ‘sparkle’ – esp. after the dry down.
Not sure I’ll pursue this fragrance – but if I do end up using the rest of my sample – I will dab just a bit on my chest, neck and wrists an hour before I plan to be near any other humans.
котофеня – :
This is an interesting one: an oud for non-oud lovers. Contrary to other reviewers, I find the sandalwood/oud elements most prominent, rounded and softened by the orange and amber. I would have actually have preferred it to be slightly darker and denser. R’oud starts out roaring, then calms down to a soft, woody, and inviting skin scent; and yes, it’s unisex.
mikrob35 – :
How can I write a review when I am bad ad dissecting a fragrance…? Well… I just want to add to this list of reviews that the “for men” doesn’t do justice to this scent.
I had my arm sprayed liberally at nine o clock at night en the next morning my arm still smelled sooooo good, faint, yes, I had to really press my nose to my skin, but wow did my skin smell enhanced skinlike in a very good way!
Now this is of course subjective stuff but at least on my female skin and to my female nose this is completely non-masculine, yes not overly femme like uber feminine flower fragrances (whatever that may be, also subjective of course, my first thought would be Ponte Vecchio W by Nobile 1942 which I only know for one day but strikes me as totally feminine from A to Z) but this fragrance could do without the gender label because half of the fragrance population might miss out on this one, this fragrance deserves attention from any scent lover. IMO. 🙂
небосклон – :
A blizzard of bitter orange is my initial stance to this stunning scent by Kerosene. It immediately brings to mind unsweetened marmalade and within moments warm woods shadowed by amber are revealed, then completely envelope the brief yet acerbic onslaught.
A beguiling fragrance of developing soft and smooth ouds with good sillage and a longevity that is excellent upon me. For those who usually do not like ouds – as mentioned by others including Kerosene – I would certainly recommend trying this striking fragrance, which is neither exceedingly sweet nor smothering and has nothing of the barnyard that can deter the tender-hearts like me.
This is a distinctive and good EdP that has remained close to the skin half way through my day – drawing me into a comforting and balmy golden haze. Put quite simply, I like it, this warm and golden oud. Do give it a try.
SllisoCaton – :
What a surprise. The first fragrance from John Kerosene, already known from his You Tube reviews, brought a considerable amount of novelty and freshness to the always staler and massified fragrance market.
The main concept behind R’Oud Elements is to compose “an oud for people who don’t like oud” (his words). What comes out is an incredibly well blended and delightfully woody ambery concoction juxtaposed to a sparkling bitter orange note and lavender. Vanilla plays a relevant role as well while the oud is remarkably present but it’s neither dominating nor overwhelming. Qverall, R’Oud Elements has a dry quality with just the right amount of sweetness. Modern and with a chemical twist (expecially during the opening) yet incredibly catchy and original.
If you like M7, A*Men, L’Instant Pour Homme you’ll very probably dig this. Ok, the fragrance doesn’t share many objective similarities with the aforementioned crowdpleasers but, somehow, it fits the same bill…
R’Oud Elements would make a HELL of a designer fragrance. Honestly, put on the bottle a designer’s logo (Therry Mugler, Jean Paul Gaultier or whatever you want) and it will turn into a blockbuster in no time…Good job, Kerosene.
My only complain, if I can call it so, is that from a house named Kerosene and a fragrance labelled as “Rude Elements”, I probably expected something more uncomprimising (but it’s just me, don’t worry). That said, this is still pretty darn good. Maximum support
Rating: 7.5-8/10
Lirpenox – :
I do not consider myself an Oud fan, but it doesn’t matter when it comes to this fragrance. He did a great job of creating unique blends of very high quality that still remain pleasing to the mass market. A lot of times we go into niche and the people around us wonder what the hell kind of stink bomb we are wearing. I have gotten compliments from wearing this fragrance as well as others from his line.
I think he creates a really nice balance between uniqueness and smoothness and this oud is very wearable and pleasant. The orange bitters give it a kick and than it transforms into a creamy oud that isn’t overbearing.
jaja777 – :
This is by far one of the best wearable Oud fragrances out there. I despise the smell of oud and quite frankly, I find it extremely unwearable. Kerosene, with his unique ability, was able to make a beautiful fragrance that makes it safe for everyone to wear. The oud is present in the fragrance, but it is mainly in the background and is represented as the undertone of this beautiful artsy. Similar to Royal Oud by Creed, this is by far more edger and daring with amber and vanilla notes to sweeten things up a bit.
To breakdown this fragrance by notes at first sniff to drydown, Orange Bitters slightly mixed with Oud to Amber and Vanilla also slightly mixed with Oud. This has drawn compliments from many when I was wearing it and I am a proud owner of a bottle. Keep up the great work!
dienestinnyut – :
Excellent scent, safe Oud with orange bitters. Totally unique and appealing. I love this juice!
mortimorsem – :
We (The Fragrance Bros) received a bottle of R’oud Elements right at release; as a matter of fact, we have bottle #2! I must admit, I (Jer) had preconceived notions of the fragrance before smelling, mostly influenced by the comments Kerosene made in his announcement video for the fragrance, and from my own concept of what a fragrance that was created by one of our own would smell like. Some of those notions proved correct, some did not. But I digress!
When I first spray R’oud, I get A LOT of orange bitters. It’s underpinned by some amber, which sweetens it a bit and adds warmth, and sandalwood, which gives it a sort of powdery feeling. As reported by Kerosene himself, the oud in this fragrance is great for those who do not normally like oud. It hangs in the background, giving a mild medicinal feeling to the fragrance, and a little bit of depth. If I’m being honest, I begin to lose interest as the fragrance dries down. It is fairly linear and doesn’t change much, and after 3-4 hours, I feel like I’ve had enough of R’oud Elements for a while. Like, for a few weeks. I appreciate the fragrance, its origins, and what it is intended to do, but unfortunately, I just don’t think it smells very good.
The scent of this fragrance is definitely niche, both in ingredients and in the level of appeal it will hold for the average person. I can’t imagine a regular man or woman (who isn’t a fraghead) sniffing this and being smitten with it. It will hold value to those who know notes and accords, and who can appreciate its composure. It is rough around the edges, and my fellow Fragrance Bro said it best: “Maybe it should have been named ‘Rude’ Elements.” While the overall slant of the fragrance is masculine, I do think the softness of the sandalwood and the warm amber/vanilla combo could work on a woman as well.
Overall, I maintain my initial assessment of this fragrance: it is a great freshman effort for Kerosene and his house which has niche quality and is interesting but isn’t really in my wheelhouse for fragrances. At the original price of $80 for 100ml, I would be more inclined to suggest a purchase, but at the new price of $155 for 100ml from MinNY, I’d recommend seeking a sample or a decant from a friend before dropping cash on it.
KiSSik – :
KEROSENE! He’s the youtube reviewer and now he’s out with his own fragrance! I hope to try it and good luck, Kerosene!