Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Review: Better Than Baccarat?

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There comes a time in every person’s life when they find The Scent.

Sometimes it takes decades of effort. Sometimes it takes hundreds of trips to department stores. Sometimes it takes thousands of dollars.

Regardless of how you get there, you know you’ve arrived at your aroma heaven instantaneously. It took one spritz of Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris’s Gentle Fluidity Gold Eau de Parfum to know I wasn’t just knocking at the gates of my promised land, I was already in it.

This National Fragrance day, I wanted to craft an ode to the scent that’s carried me through the year. Its warm notes of vanilla, nutmeg and amber always strike my senses first. They’re sweet but not aggressive, kind of like a piece of luxurious dark chocolate that reminds you of your favorite childhood treats but tastes much mature and profound. The Gentle Fluidity scent coats my skin in an aroma that was neither feminine nor masculine, but human.

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See, the Eau de Parfum is part of a dual-line, called Gently Fluidity. It consists of a gold and silver scent, each made from the same ingredients: nutmeg, vanilla, juniper berries, amber woods, coriander seeds and musk. But, somehow, the luxury fragrance brand found a way to make each fragrance uniquely profound. In my opinion, the silver is much sharper and more biting, while the gold aroma slowly builds. I love how, with the gold, it takes time to recognize each flavor note. It helps me appreciate the layers it has and continues to allow for a unique experience every time I wear it.

Gentle Fluidity Gold Eau de Parfum

I wear this fragrance on any occasion but particularly like it for date nights. It has a rich, sexy aroma to it that makes me feel like a million bucks. I like to spray it on my neck and in my hair so that the scent lasts as long as possible. I’ve found that if I do this, it’ll stay on for a day or two (if I don’t wash my hair, of course). Otherwise, it always lasts between showers.

This is the kind of perfume that outlasts gym sessions, too. When I go to my favorite HIIT classes after work, I can smell the vanilla and nutmeg notes in between push-ups, which I’m sure is a welcome change for the instructor who’s used to being around sweaty, smelly people all day.

$From $235

Now, this might not be your first introduction to Maison Francis Kurkdjian. The brand is most famous for its iconic Baccarat Rouge 540 scent (which is simply exquisite), which I’d be remiss if I didn’t say is rumored to be Rihanna’s absolute favorite. The TikTok-viral sensation has garnered well-deserved recognition, but in my opinion, it’s Gentle Fluidity Gold’s time to get some praise.

Though it’s a French brand, you can buy its luxury fragrances in the U.S. at places like Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus. The scent comes in 2.3 oz and 6.7 oz size options, and I, of course, recommend the larger. In part because I know this will become your new go-to perfume and also because it’ll save you money. Since the 2.3 oz size is $235 and the 6.7 oz size is $435, you’ll get much more bang for your buck with the bigger (opting for the 2.3 oz size first, then going back to get another of the same size costs more than one of the 6.7 oz size alone).

I know the price is steep. Trust me, I didn’t get the appeal of designer fragrances before I tried it. But the 2.3 oz. size lasted me five months and I wore it every single day. To me, it’s no longer just a perfume, it’s a sense of self.

Spraying it each morning is an act of self-care that I look forward to each night. The act of spraying this scent lets my mind and body know that a new day has begun and that it will be a special one. When I step out the door wearing this fragrance, I feel confident and powerful. A big part of how I present myself to the world, whether it’s at work or elsewhere, is through this scent. It lets others know that I am warm, inviting and special. And that’s something I will never give up.

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