Ayala Moriel
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The apple blossom and bergamot emerge with unexpected brightness, almost cheerful, before black pepper crashes through like someone slamming a window shut. That initial sweetness is immediately complicated, caught between candied fruit and a peppery snap that feels deliberately confrontational.
The papyrus becomes vocal here, lending a dried, almost archaeological quality whilst palo santo builds in depth, transforming the composition into something smoky and faintly resinous. The spice settles into a warm, sustained burn rather than a sharp edge, and the woody accords begin to dominate completely, creating a soft haze that feels more contemplative than the opening's assertive stance.
The musk emerges finally, but with surprising discretion—it tethers everything to the skin rather than projecting outward, creating a close, intimate cloud. What remains is primarily woody and slightly smoky, the spice having receded to a whisper, with just the faintest amber sweetness suggesting the fragrance isn't entirely devoid of warmth.
Musk Malabi inhabits a peculiar space between culinary warmth and architectural restraint. Catherine Selig has constructed something genuinely unusual here—a fragrance that treats musky sensuality not as comfort but as a structural element, something upon which to build rather than into which to sink.
The apple blossom and bergamot opening promises accessibility, but this is a feint. Black pepper arrives quickly, asserting itself with an almost aggressive clarity against the stone fruit sweetness, whilst papyrus introduces a dusty, papery quality that prevents the composition from ever becoming soft or feminine. This is where Musk Malabi reveals its true character: it's a scent built for those who find conventional florals cloying, who want their spice angular rather than diffused, who appreciate fragrance as intellectual exercise.
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3.9/5 (86)