Note Pyramid
Homme Marine
Not one of the three materials in Kenzo Homme Marine Eau de Toilette is what the name leads you to expect: ylang ylang, sandalwood and musk, and that is the whole of it.
Ylang ylang is the centre. It is a heady, creamy tropical flower with a faintly banana like sweetness and a slightly rubbery edge, and it is far more usually found in perfumes sold to women than at the heart of a men's scent. Quentin Bisch composed this, and using that flower as the main event is the decision the whole fragrance rests on.
Underneath, sandalwood gives a smooth, creamy, slightly milky depth that flatters the flower rather than fighting it, and musk provides a clean, soft, skin like finish that keeps everything close to the body. The base is minimal and it is meant to be, there to support the ylang ylang rather than to introduce a second idea.
This is a short composition and it behaves like one. There is no opening phase to speak of, no progression through tiers, and what you smell early is what you have throughout. That makes it easy to live with and limits how interesting it can be, which is a trade worth understanding before you buy. At eau de toilette strength it is moderate in both projection and length, suiting daytime, warm weather and anyone who wants something soft rather than sharp. It reads as unisex in practice whatever the name says.
Kenzo is a French fashion house opened in Paris in 1970 by the Japanese designer Kenzo Takada, who started with a jungle themed boutique in the Galerie Vivienne. It belongs to LVMH, which lists the fashion side and Kenzo Parfums separately, so the fragrances are made within the group rather than licensed out to anybody else.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
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