Cuir Absolu Elie Saab for women and men

I tend to project leather notes (good thing I like leather). On my first wear to trial I got deep leather and a hot almost roasted ants smell (Formic acid type scent). Knowing this is meant to be a “deepening” agent for other scents in this line I wasn't too worried. It really does project. An hour later the roasted ants calmed down. I then applied my Cuir Ylang. Wow is all I can say. It really adds depth (layers of scent) and a creaminess. The ylang really sits up (which is wonderful) above the leather and is creamy, sweet and very clean. I enjoyed Cuir Ylang. But layering felt like putting glasses on and finally being able to see clearly. Quite an experience. Would love to hear others experience.

Smells like it has other notes, I get some subtle honey sweetness in the background, a lot of warm spices, reminds me a bit of tauer L’air du desert, but not as animalic and bold. Still a touch animalic, dry down is really nice though. Leans mature but not excessively so. Masculine.

5.5/10

The name Cuir Absolu is spot on, given that there are no other notes/ingredients/accords in here but Absolute Leather. An airy intense masculine leaning affair. Performs well - Projects for 3-4 hours and lasts up to 6-7 hours.

Note card inside packaging said it can be worn alone or paired with the rest of the line Cuir Bourbon, Cuir Patchouli & Cuir Ylang and while this is true, I feel for the connoisseurs it would lack cohesion if worn singularly so would certainly need to be layered with the others in the line (which I do not own)

Btw, I don't get anything animalic at all. It's quite a linear one-note leather with no natural ingredients that I can tell and unless you're an expert at layering I wouldn't recommend layering this with any random frag.
But for the price, a good pure leather amplifier is what I'd describe this as being.

I owned this perfume. It was the strangest experience i ever had with a perfume. First time when i tried it i was in heaven, i thought i found the perfect leather, after a while i tried it again, and it was very animalic and nasty, repugnant, bad. I cannot see myself wearing this while saying "i want to smell good so i'll just spray Cuir Absolu", i just can't.

So, to conclude, this is a very simple leather, but unusual, animalic, nasty, don't put your nose where you've sprayed cause you'll get a headache! Not good for a blind buy. I want to mention that i tried layering, it got worse lol.

SO: my rating:
- 1 stars out of 5 unfortunately

This has a very vintage-y feeling overall and strangely reminds of Dior's Jules and some other 80's masculine leather scent, which I can't get into my mind at the moment. This was a blind buy for me and not exactly what I was expecting, but nevertheless very well done and different than the other leather centered fragrances in my collection. And it's driving me crazy that I can't figure it out which scent it is that I find very similar to this! I know I have had it, but don't have it anymore...

This has an angelique leather notes with slight suede, honey, slight animalic, tobacco, and bit of spices. This is quite interesting coming from Elie, and it really has Francis's stamp in here.
As a designer fragrance, i see this is quite impressive. Not quite natural and quality ingredients but it has good depth and balanced blending.