Well, yes, I feel lucky today. Do you know why? Blauer's Un1t3d States is a perfume that I have been observing since it came out. One year after its debut, the Blauer line returns with the famous twin of men's women's fragrances in a whole new guise of significant visual and olfactory impact. An on-the-road journey towards that American dream that continues to fascinate, in a casual, young, and fantastic mood expressed in two complementary fragrances. Of course, I already own the OG Un1t3d, so Blauer is not a new brand for me.
Nevertheless, I've always been a bit biased and reticent about buying Un1t3d States as many reviewers compared it to "Le Mâle (Eau de Toilette) | Jean Paul Gaultier". Don't get me wrong, I love it, and I have a few flankers in my extensive collection. And that's why I didn't feel like adding another clone to the originals I already own. But just today, as Black Friday is approaching, one of the shops I frequent has discounted the 100ml size by over 70%, so compared to the retail price of over €60, I just paid a ridiculous price of €14, I can not believe it! That said, I think the time has come to tell you about my experience with this perfume, which perhaps went a little too unnoticed.
No matter how hard I try, I don't seem to find too many similarities with one of Francis Kurkdjian's masterpieces, and I'm talking about Le Mâle. Un1t3d States is green and woody, and it opens with a beautiful balsamic, resinous, mentholated aroma, typical of green cardamom. Here it is intense and dominates the citrus notes of bergamot and the more sweet notes of nutmeg. I perceive these notes during the first moments of the perfume's life, but the cardamom immediately pushes them into a corner as soon as it takes over, and the herbaceous lavender oozes from the heart notes. The opening is so obscure that I can catch licorice nuances in it.
Let the strength of the cardamom fade a little, and I get the floral or better herbaceous notes of the lavender. Velvety dusky geranium leaves support these greenish notes, which I perceive as very moist, watery, almost musty. Unfortunately, amid this riot of dark flowers and leaves, the shy orange blossom struggles to emerge. I find this fragrance much closer to the recent reformulated version of "CH Men (Eau de Toilette) | Carolina Herrera", especially in the heart, where the greenish and musky aspects have more space to express themselves. There is a heavy aqueous component, not marine, which makes me think of the presence of the unmentioned violet leaves. Furthermore, the presence of coumarin gives off a powdery touch without making the fragrance too sweet, edible, or gourmand. This dusty talcum sensation occurs about half an hour after the first application.
A veil of woody, musky, and slightly leathery accords remains in close contact with the skin as soon as the perfume goes past the opening and heart phases. It is something very sensual, intimate, almost voluptuous. With my skin, it creates dirty accords of damp musks mixed with warm and passionate woods. There is a hint of leather and oakmoss till the dry-down. The spicy, green, and flowery undertones have given way to something more gory, forceful. If there is musk, it certainly isn't white, spotless, or soapy by any means, rather animal and sinful. It is a wild, naughty, and raunchy musk.
Blauer Un1t3d States is one of the best, if not the best, mainstream perfumes I've smelled recently, modern yet far from the gourmand and ambroxan trendsetters. It's not a skin perfume, even if it doesn't exactly make its way into a room. I wouldn't call it subtle, but neither would it be sumptuous. I find it quite interesting, sober, and intriguing. There is no marine accord nor earthy patchouli, clean or not. The leather is somewhere in the background, complimenting the violet and geranium in ways that remind me of "CH Men (Eau de Toilette) | Carolina Herrera". Its composition and the resulting arrangements make me prefer it during the misty autumn days and evenings, perhaps to go to work, but also for an outing with friends—and I would not exclude dewy days of Spring. Performance is pretty decent, not a beast mode but acceptable. It sticks to your clothes if you spray on them. This scent is stunning and is massively underrated. It has a beautiful wet violet vibe with a touch of suede and plenty of moss.
I base the review on a 100ml bottle I have owned since November 2021.
-Elysium
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