Luxor Summer

Scent Breakdown

Luxor Summer kicks off with a blast of candied grapefruit; quite sweet and lacking the natural zest you'd find in the real fruit. There's a lemon cleaner aspect initially, a sharpness that borders on caustic. The rum note in the heart is more of a synthetic rum flavoring, like you'd find in cheap candies, rather than a boozy warmth. The promised rose is a whisper, drowned out by a dominant sandalwood accord that smells distinctly of pencil shavings. The drydown fares slightly better, with the vanilla emerging, but it’s a powdery, almost medicinal vanilla that battles with a persistent, slightly acrid coffee note. It diverges heavily from its inspiration by being overtly sweet and synthetic throughout.

To Buy or Not to Buy?

This fragrance is best suited for warm weather, specifically daytime. However, due to its sweetness and lack of subtlety, it might be too cloying for high heat. This is a casual scent, perhaps for a beach day or a picnic, but be prepared for a synthetic edge that never fully dissipates.

Projection Power

Longevity is moderate, clocking in at around 5-6 hours. Projection is initially strong, filling a room for the first hour, then quickly settles down to a skin scent. I wore it during an outdoor barbecue. The sweetness attracted some unwanted attention from wasps.