This is a great office fragrance! And received many compliments at a party that was held at Atlantic Records. This is an interesting unisex fragrance that leans masculine. Expressive is in between personal and bold, and Commodity characterizes it as striking the perfect balance of longevity and projection., The more Commodity can express fragrances in a simple way, it will broaden it to a wider audience who will enjoy what it has to offer., Arslanian emphasizes Scent Space is not about the concentration, its about the effect. Vivek Bhatia, creative director and partner at Ico Design, says, In the English language, there isnt a huge amount of words to express certain smells.
Theres a difference between what they are saying and what they are feeling., To align words capturing fragrances with preferences about them, Ico Design and Commodity came up with the concept of Scent Space, a system of delineating fragrances that replaces the classifications eau de toilette, eau de parfum and extrait de parfum to focus on scent projection. Opens up with cucumber, citrus, and sweet woods. The term modern American perfumery is very important to me because it really expresses the three pillars of what I love and what I want to express with Commodity that I hope people gravitate toward, says Arslanian. Oh, for me, its definitely the old book smell. Very smooth, rather cool, but nicely-finished synth sandalwood. Book has very good lasting power, and its sillage is intense for the first hour but then turns more subdued. The sweetness reminded me of the same opening of CH Men with the grassy sugary texture but much lighter. That being said, there is still something oddly addictive about it. 
| Deutsch | Espaol | Franais | etina | Italiano | | Polski | Portugus | | | Nederlands | Srpski | Romn | | | | |, Copyrights 2006-2022 Fragrantica.com perfumes magazine - All Rights Reserved - do not copy anything without prior written permission. And almost everything is "too cloying." 
Fragrances in the personal family are depicted with a minus sign, and fragrances in the bold family are depicted with a plus sign. I have to see how it smells of the husband before I rule it out completely, though as it is pleasant, just manly on me. I love so many of their scents from Whiskey, Gold, Velvet, and Book. by Elena Vosnaki, Yi Shang ( ), Stefanie Jhn, John Biebel. Here's our privacy policy, and a handy emoticon chart.
It may be the personal library of a wealthy person (which may be scented with potpourri and has other objects that can give off strong odor, such as leather chairs, and many books bound in leather) that people are thinking of when they come to a fragrance with a old book note. it is worth every cent. At first, it smells like an excellent aftershave, but once the top notes dissipate the warm and more unisex notes arrive. Bold describes evidently noticeable fragrances sported by wearers intent on making their presence known. Not terrible but not for me. It is made out of high quality ingredients and has more impact then you realize. When I opened the box, which contained four fragrance samples, I immediately smelled a dirty scent, putrid and mushroomy. Subscribe to followup comments via email. Will update with impressions later (I plan to go to the gym and am curious how my sweat reacts with it!). It just smells like a less concentrated version of Le Labo's Santal 33. The amber becomes more and more apparent as it becomes less peppery. Acquired in 2019 by Europerfumes, an Englewood, N.J.-based niche fragrance distributor led by founder and president Vicken Arslanian, after it disappeared from the market due to financial distress, the brand resumed direct-to-consumer operations in late 2020, and now with its reappearance at retail imminent is on track to generate around $10 million in sales in a year. Its pleasing that Book is much cheaper. I almost like this, except that I can't help but associate the combination of cucumbers with the other notes to pickles. Longevity is really weak--this lasts an hour, maybe an hour and a half on me, even if I douse myself in it. You'd think it's a nation of undiagnosed allergy sufferers but they gave you pecan pie, carrot cakes, and Melissa Mcarthy so you shut up about it. 2022 Indie Beauty Media Group LLC. ), In the Scent Space system, there are three fragrance classifications: Personal describes intimate fragrances noticed only by the wearers and people very close to them. Not only does Book not smell like a book, but it smells uncannily like another perfume that I detectall-too-frequently on my fellow New Yorkers, on the subway between Manhattan and Brooklyn, in upscale clothing boutiques, in cocktail bars. I tried this today. 
Which can give off an interesting sweet and milky vibe too it. It's hard to describe for me, but there's just something about it I can't get enough of it. (Manufacturing, packaging, branding, etc.
It really does remind me of being in a large, old, antique library. Which sounds unappealing, but it's what makes this smell like books to me. Enticing review, Jessica, thank you. I have tried a few book scents but none have really given me the tactile pleasure associated with the real thing. If you don't like green fragrances you won't like this. This smells very expensive and reminds me of very chic bookstores - like the Taschen store in Paris. I was 100% positive Id hate this fragrance when it arrived in my Sephora package yesterday. Book really just smells like a toned down Santal 33 to me. I prefer it to Santal on me--a little less rubbery, a bit more crisp. Like you, I was unimpressed. Epicene Gamma IFF: The Common Part of Spicy Men's Colognes of the 1980s. Leave a comment, or read more about commenting at Now Smell This.
Also see Olivia Fleming, "That Perfume You Smell Everywhere is Santal 33," The New York Times, November 15, 2015. The ingredients smell organic & original. I, on the other hand, find this scent to be perfect for me. Out of all of their original 10 in the "Black"/masculine line, Book was in my top 3 (Whiskey is still my #1 though). It mixes well with Mimosa. Both have this mysterious dill smell (like the herb) however it is not listed in the notes (obviously) so perhaps it is the bergamot playing with the cypress. Thats whats in this, along with some dusty galaxolide balsamic notes. It's very clean and fresh and it doesn't smell like books to me, but it totally DOES smell like the pages of a glossy magazine. For some people it seems those other notes makes the cucumber sour and they say "pickles". It's fresh, clean, and comforting and warm at it's center. (Says Christopher Brosius: "So much of who I am, what I've discovered and what I know began with a book. I spent a few years as a grad student among stacks of old books, and while it wasnt outright unpleasant I never thought it was especially pleasant. I love my scents woodsy and animalistic with hints of sweetness. Earlier this year, Bois de Jasmin alerted me to aGuardianarticle about a recent scientific study conducted at University College London's Institute for Sustainable Heritage. Indeed even becoming a perfumer started in the main reading room of the New York Public Library.").
That, plus the silhouette of the Commodity bottle, reminds me of yet another niche perfume house that's been around for most of the twenty-first century. That's okay though because it smells great. The whole concept is just old hat for perfume-obsessives whove been around for a while. Let me tell you the experience. This really is a great substitute for Santal 33 and is surprisingly similar. Opens very cool, like entering a forest at night, but then evolves and becomes much more dynamic. Lovely refreshing woodsy scent. Start your day with Beauty Independents free daily mailing of top headlines in indie beauty, and gain the knowledge to help your business grow. My favorite out of the inoffensive American perfumes category. Filed Under: perfume talk Tagged With: commodity, ketrin leka, wood. I have the CBIHP In the Library, which is appropriately quiet. It's not like Demeter in that it does not attempt to create a photorealistic imitation of common scents.
All rights reserved. 2022 Commodity Inc, & Commodity Fragrances. Instead, it captures the basic essence and air of the item being portrayed. Historically, when consumers say, I dont like this or that fragrance, they are not necessarily referring to the scent, theyre referring to how strong it is, he says. And the actual papery smell. sephora Much of what makes it stand out drops away fast and the result is a little more nebulous than I would like. Please read the Terms of Service and Privacy policy. Perfumes: 73,887 I bet if this was toned down and mixed with wool it would be spot on. Your video channel for behind-the-scenes insights and entertainment. That said, I have 2 Commodity discovery kits still shrinkwrapped.
Definitely a unisex fragrance. Having worked my way through the entire Commodity collection, Id say that this is one of the more impressive in both its verisimilitude and its creativity, but Im not entirely convinced that its an appealing scent unto itself as its quite weird. Not sure I'd spring for the full bottle price but the 10ml travel spray works. Wonderful concept, fun packaging, smart and affordable scents! Book was a great and cheaper alternative to Santal 33.
), The Patch Parade: Personal Care And Wellness Brands Offer Lo-Fi Wearables Addressing Health Concerns, 5 Italian Indie Beauty Brands To Put On Your Radar, 5 Exciting Sexual Wellness Launches To See You Through The (Possibly) Impending Economic Slump, A Dozen Indie Beauty Trends Coming To The Fore In The Second Quarter Of 2022, NielsenIQ: Small CPG Brands Are Set To Gain Market Share As Consumers Increasingly Engage With Them, How Raw Sugar Living Became A $100M Brand Without Its Own E-Commerce Website, Indie Beauty Media Group Returns To Live Events With Adit Live, Expands Adit Membership Services. I think theres still a long runway for the niche category to penetrate into the mainstream, he says. To me it smells like the fresh clean pages of a new book with kind of a resinous warm amber base. size. It's not oriental to me because I don't smell any spice in this. Many people say it doesn't smell much like books but if you took an old paperback from a hidden shelf and maximized the scents each characteristic, I feel like it would be incredibly close. Its aesthetic must be a big part of its appeal.
Gold is an original fragrance. Online, the brands distribution stretches beyond the U.S. to Europe, the United Kingdom and Australia. Another thing we were looking at is the terminology for top, middle and base notes, says Arslanian. My most cherished scent memories as a childwere in the library experiencing real books whichcreated a world of wonder and exploration. Not only that, but I can't imagine this scent not pairing well with almost ANYTHING in my collection (if by chance I wore something strong the night before). Not entirely inaccurate as a book scent.
It's nothing that a cup of tea and a good book won't fix. How could I resist, right? I actually think I prefer the smell to Santal 33 because there seems to be an incense accord somewhere in this, but I'd still buy Santal 33 over this because this just doesn't perform at all. The perfumers reference to the fresh air here is really weird, since the windows in the NYPL reading room are never open!! The same name, but a bit different scents. As it dries down, there are more musky and woody notes that come into play and the cucumber takes a seat in the back. Beautiful fragrance, but very very poor performance. I dont remember walking in those stores and thinking, this smells like old books.. First: it doesn't smell anything like a book. size, and Archive fragrances are priced at $125 for a 100-ml. We've created Scent Space to give you greater control over the intensity and projection of your scent; over who else experiences your fragrance. Many Brands Have Spoken Out In Support Of Abortion Access. I have a scentbird vial of this and it's running out very quickly so I hope to purchase a full size soon. I don't think it is on-point, but rather reminiscent of a book smell - a new book smell, not an old one. I have had that issue with other fragrances that have cucumber notes, which is such a shame because I love the scent of cucumber. So, I think the more Commodity can express fragrances in a simple way, it will broaden it to a wider audience who will enjoy what it has to offer.. Seeing the uber-chic brand being undercut in that manner makes me smile. It's unobtrusive definitely, but still strong enough to wear a good six to eight hours, and by then it's an all new scent completely consisting mostly of cucumber, vevitiveir, and a soft whisper of lavender, eucalyptus, and amber at its end. Ive skipped trying them in the past, but next time I wander into Sephora I will look for Book. The Middle East is on the docket for later this year. This is Santal 33. For me its fresh cucumber mixed with other notes. I for some reason always get rotting orange whenever I smell this. Interesting! And, of course, CB I Hate Perfume, long known for its storytelling approach to fragrance, has offered a scentcalled In the Library since 2005 or so. Commodity is also expected to open a standalone store in New York within six months. I decided to try this on at the beginning of my day when I went to Sephora. 1. This quickly setteles into a very subtle warm damp ceder wood, like being in a sauna. Commoditys current bestsellers are the warm gourmand Gold in its expressive version and the creamy, calming Milk in its expressive version. Last month, Puig revealed it acquired Byredo for about $1 billion. What a wonderful scent! Wearable, unisex, inoffensive, good for layering yet not complex or rich enough to be a real winner on its own IMHO. Compared to Santal 33, this is much damper and more sour (though not unpleasant), possibly because it doesn't have the violet or iris to lift it up. I love used-bookstore smell, which is very different from the smell of the Morgan Library, for example but both intrigue me! HATE IT and it is entirely because of the cucumber. My favorite thing about this scent is that as it dries down throughout the day it becomes sweeter and warmer. Longevity not bad at all. That Perfume You Smell Everywhere is Santal 33, Jardins dEcrivains Orlando ~ fragrance review, Scentings Elizabeth Bennet ~ fragrance review, KyotEau: Bottled Memories ~ perfume books, Rgime des Fleurs Chlo Sevigny Little Flower, 100 fragrances every perfumista should try, And 25 more fragrances every perfumista should smell, 50 masculine fragrances every perfumista should try, 26 vintage fragrances every perfumista should try, 25 rose fragrances every perfumista should try, How to make fragrance last through the day, Fragrance concentrations: sorting it all out, On reformulations, or why your favorite perfume doesnt smell like it used to. Replies to my comments The door opening often in the small spaces (as occurred in the used books stores) let it much more air as well. Can see the Santal 33 resemblance for sure. I wanted to love this as well, however I cannot get that cucumber to burn off.
Marissa Zappas Announces A New Collection + A Giveaway! Very green and vibrant. I Like the cucumber, woody, mossy opening so muc!h that I almost bought a full bottle then and there, but the drydown turns very Barbasol-shave gel masculine on me, with the bergamot, lavender and wood dominating. Getting mostly the sandalwood on this one, not picking up the cucumber or pickle smell being tossed around. Its a quite difficult thing to describe in English, but its actually easier in other languages. I really enjoy all your reviews. Heaven. Theres clearly a new cucumber molecule in town as Ive smelled it pop up in about a million new compositions as of late (Land of Warriors by Vagabond Prince was the last sighting). At first spray. It has a warmness to it but I think this scent is good for any season. Given my paired bibliophilia and aromaphilia, you'd think I'd fall hard for Book. It's nice and light and inoffensive. Living now in atechnological world filled with iPads, Commodity Book takes you into theNew York Public Library to recapture the experience of yesterday;turning the pages and breathing inthe smell of dry paper mingling in with the open fresh air.
And the books were turning over, since they were being sold. Does it remind me of LE LABO santal 33 this is a 90 percent equivalent at a cheaper yet not cheap smelling. If I presented 20 niche brands to 10 of my friends not in the fragrance industry, I can almost guarantee they havent heard of any of them. I even feel that way about tuberose and gardeniaI love them in a vase, but not on my skin. Not on my skin anymore, obviously, but on my coat and scarf. Quite dry too, usually my skin sweetens stuff up but this is dry all the way. I tried the range at Sephora and the very first one I picked up to smell was Book because I have yet to find the perfect book scent. First whif is like a musty attick, not entirey unpesant, but more nostalgic. Wow!! We were fascinated by how people thought they liked one thing, but ended up liking another. Initially founded in 2013 by Yo Santosa and Owen Gee, the brains behind branding and design agencyFerroconcrete, Commodity is boosting its profile again (it was previously stocked by Space NK and Nordstrom along with Sephora) as beauty industry insiders are eyeing the market for the next Byredo, a brand that went from being a small business to worthy of a big exit in 16 years. It smells more woodsy, earthy, and as someone else said, outdoorsy. Within one wearing, a second cause forambivalence dawned on me. Yes, I did guess it. I hate this scent. Having smelled a number of book-themed perfumes (and as somebody whose line of work involves reading many, many books), Id say that the opening of Book" is one of the more authentic takes on the book theme that Ive come across. Yes! sephora scouted roebuck Scent Space went a long way in helping people find what they like., In the future, Commodity may continue reimagining the language of fragrance. And I have several of the Imaginary Authors line! It's made by Dove. Its funny, I didnt think of Book as being cheap (at least, not the full bottle), but given the prices of Le Labo, its a relative bargain!?
I like androgynous scents, but I find Book to be too masculine for me. Smells exactly like old books on my husband, on me it smells like dill pickle sunflower seeds. There is also a woodiness, some citrus, and something that reminds me of..not a church but a place. Sillage is moderate. It's a unisex scent so would work well on both a man and a woman. Despite being synthy it does have very recognisable notes of forest and woods. Click here to buy Book from the Commodity website the original guaranteed! Thank you for what you do!! Free* Milk 5mls for you and your friends just refer them to our newsletter. I'm not sure what happened to this brand, but their final stock is being sold and then it's gone for good. Im sure Luca Turin discusses this in one of his reviews.
I'm also noticing thatCommodity's website includes black-and-white photographs of all the perfumers who have created its scents. I tried the Commodity fitting set and was pretty unimpressed. Commodity Book is available as $105 (100 ml) or $26 (10 ml) Eau de Parfum at Sephora and the Commodity website. Seems like a brand for people who are more interested in their minimalist aesthetic than their actual smells. In select stores, the full complement of Milk (its personal, expressive and bold versions) will be carried. All Im fond of Imaginary Authors too. At first whiff the cucumber, sandalwood, and bergamot are what hit you hardest. It's not quite what I was expected from a fragrance called book. Literally just like a new book first opened. . We will send you an email to reset your password. This is one of those many fragrances that make you say 'I've smelt this before'. Milk joined Commoditys product lineup under the ownership of Europerfumes. After I read the reviews likening this scent to pickles, all I can smell is pickles and magazines! I'm not getting the sour or the pickles at ALL that some other reviewers have mentioned. For those interested in an old book layering idea, I sprayed vintage Chaps to the middle of the chest and less than a half spritz of the Fantasy the Nice Remix just above the navel, and I got more or less what I would want from this idea. While the niche category is booming, and its seen great expansion, its still just scratching the surface of where it can go.. It's very woodsy. They were much needed in the perfume industry and seemed to have something for everyone and at a better price. Thanks for the link, Kanuka! There are many people in America who say they dont like fragrances, but, in my opinion, its not that they dont like fragrances, its that they dont like strong perfume like their grandmothers perfume.
Book was launched in 2013. I think I can like the smell of old books without wanting to smell like them myself. We take it for granted in the fragrance industry, but, if you dont explain what a top, middle and base note is, nobody understands it.
Fresh, woodsy, not sweet, not too herbal, very unisex. Eau De Parfum strength & you know it & feel it when it radiates from your skin. I do get the impression of books here, mostly from the sandalwood and vetiver. I read about it in GQ magazine and bought a sample pack. I hate to admit it, but my primary impression / first thought after spraying was "sushi restaurant". Meh. Fragrantica Trends is a relative value that shows the interest of Fragrantica members in this fragrance over time. Santal 33 but with a cucumber opening. ), I catch certain phrases that could also apply to Book: "some entangled cedar and sandalwood with a dash of turpentinea weird, but not unpleasant, dill-like notean inexpensive-smelling, candied, slightly floral musk aroma. Its a hyperbolic impression every aspect of the book from the paper to mustiness to the binding is amplified into something that resembles more of an autonomous perfume. Subscribe to our newsletter for 15% off your first order, Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device, Free International Shipping on Orders of $500 or more. But if Santal 33 has it, it must be intentional. Perfume lovers: 792,177 The brand is working to achieve that mission by changing the language of fragrance to make it more accessible to American consumers and reentering Sephora in the United States, where its slated to roll out to 150 stores in September. Once again, I'm just getting cranky when I see ideas being appropriated and recycled for a new audience. This started out green, fresh.
The salesperson at Sephora touted this as a unisex fragrance and gave me a sample. Maybe I'd like this better on a man though. It lasted on my fragrance-eating skin for 10 hours. If you're a book-lover, you know that books especially old books have a unique smell. Right now there are 2 items on or Many items for sale on, Perfume rating3.92out of5 with332 votes. Agree, the perfect book scent is elusive! Since the Scent Space system debuted in October last year, Arslanian reports the reaction to it has been extremely positive. Because, all romantic thoughts aside, books do give off a chemical or musty smell, depending on the age. Thanks for that review Jessica. Plenty of green and fresh nuances, not masculine in my opinion. So, howdoes Commodity's Book smell? commodity sephora Scent Space fragrances are priced at $105 to $145 for a 100-ml. Fresh, soothing scent, very aromatic. There is something about the way paper breaks down as it ages that produces a woody-vanilla-like effect, apparently. Musty, a bit mildewy, even, but also dry and somewhat dusty. Longevity is long.
At a moment in which niche fragrance brands are ascending (Phlur, Abbott and The Phluid Project recently launched at Sephora), Commodity aims to democratize the niche fragrance segment as Americans have done with countless consumer goods, entertainment properties and cultural ideas. I am not sure how the longevity could be poor on anyone. If anyone reading this has smelt The Soft Lawn by Imaginary Authors, very identical scents!
But in the opening in the background I got this sweetness coming in slowly developing. Well, I'll be all right.
LOVE IT!!!! I thought it was so bad Id throw it away rather than give it away as I usually do with samples I dont like; -a scent that bad must be rancid. Or not. Any way this has become my new favorite scent. Copyright © 2005-2022 Now Smell This. Did I? God I adore this product! Umema: The Perfume That'll Never Be Smelled, Carner Barcelona - the Summer Journey Collection, Jean Paul Gaultier Scandal Pour Homme Le Parfum, Amber and Ambergris are Two Different Notes, Rice Perfumes That Stand Out From the Crowd, Should You Smell Someone Before Talking to Them? Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
Not really, for two reasons. this is an odd one for me; it switches between a green almost herbal and woodsy blend then morphs to a warm woolly aroma. Female reviewer, and I think this one is unisex but tilting more masculine.
This is how I picture my stack of student loans smell.
And turns into creamy, more rounder pass 3hrs mark. It smells vegetal, crisp, grassy, and slightly herbal, yet its all a tad too chemical smelling to really survive on its own. One of the admins told me I smelled like Delicious. Fragrance Reviews: 1,286,811 Im re-interested in trying the Commodity scents to see if any of them float my boat. The cucumber adds a bit ofcool sourness? To my nose, Book begins with something unexpected that smells like a freshly sliced cucumber. Each fragrance is available in three different Scent Space strengths: Personal, Expressive and Bold. Ico Design developed icons and graphics to illustrate the Scent Space classifications.