Vanitas
Profumum (2008)

Vanitas is undeniably sweet—at times, it borders on being sickly sweet, but it teeters just on the edge. When the sweetness seems like it might be too much, light white floral notes emerge, providing a soft, airy balance. As the fragrance dries down, the sweetness mellows, so if the opening feels overly sugary or overly feminine, it’s worth giving it time to settle. ClaireV aptly describes it as having an “aspartame effect,” with its heavy dose of white sugar and cotton candy vibes.

If you’re looking for a natural vanilla, there are better options out there, like Eau Duelle. Vanitas, on the other hand, piles on sugar over a fairly generic vanilla base. It does smell pleasant in the air, but up close, it’s reminiscent of something you’d find at Bath & Body Works. So, does it live up to niche standards? I’d argue that it does, to some extent. While the scent is one you’ve probably encountered a hundred times before, it does a decent job of avoiding the overly cloying, candy-floss sweetness.

Don’t get me wrong—this is 100% cheap, synthetic vanilla. However, it manages to round out the rough edges and smooth things out, making it a bit more tolerable. That said, it doesn’t quite match the quality of the brand’s best sellers. Still, every brand needs at least one unapologetically sugary scent, and Vanitas fills that role well.

Would I purchase this fragrance at its given price? Absolutely not. However, I think it’s a fun sample to test and wear. It’s pleasant and non-offensive, as long as you moderate the sprays. Personally, I would only wear this in the winter—it’s far too sweet for the warmer months.

Vanitas by Profumum is built along the same lines as Montale's Vanille Absolu, Arte Profumi Sucre Noire, Mazzolari Vaniglia, etc., etc., meaning it dries down to a big, old plain synth vanilla (vanillin). Now, the scent of white sugar being stirred into a bowl of hot milk or cake batter is far from unpleasant, especially if you yearn for the simpler comforts of a childhood where your mother baked, her kitchen warm with the aromas of butter, sugar, and (if you're European) those little Dr. Oetker sachets of vanilla sugar. It's a monolith, this accord, but if you like it, it can't be big enough.

However, Vanitas innovates on the model by pairing it with a sharp, latexy myrrh and orange blossom that gives it a quasi burnt (almost singed electrical wire) slant that makes it borderline ugly in the first hour or so. It reminds me of artificially sweetened things like candy or syrups that are so intensely sweet that they can seem intensely bitter at the same time. Call it the aspartame effect. Vanilla lovers can do better.

Profumum Vanitas for me roughly falls into the category of "powdery vanilla" though there are some woody and floral elements as well. The note breakdown is allegedly quite simply: vanilla, myrrh, orange blossom and sandalwood.

So the floral comes from the orange blossom, woods from the sandalwood, and I'm left to believe that the sharp powderiness I detect is somehow and offshoot of the mix of orange blossom and myrrh. The vanilla is still front-and-center but it's an experience of vanilla that I seldom enjoy all that much, as it leaves me pining for a different expression of the note.

About as close as I've gotten to liking a powdery vanilla is in Guerlain Cuir Beluga, and Vanitas pushes the powdery floral aspect beyond Cuir Beluga. Regardless, you're relatively likely to like one if you like the other.

As expected, the performance is very high, as is the standard expectation of the Profumum Roma house by many. Certainly worthy of sampling if it sounds good.

6 out of 10

A sweet, light vanilla with not much depth and no woods to my nose. Perhaps slightly more feminine than masculine. Doesn't smell natural enough for me to recommend it.

I was silly and mixed this one up with Victrix (spicy & green) on a split. I was bummed when it came. I don't care for many vanillas and with its hyper sweet candy floss vanilla this is one of those. I gave it to my favorite lady and she digs it. It's such a thumper that I've had to ask her to dial it back a little... more than once.

So, red + green = yellow.

One of my favorite fragrances. It's sweet and very rich with vanilla. The lasting power with this is incredible. I get a caramel/chocolate note, but only if I put on alot.