The girlies love Parfums de Marly.
And if you’re wondering who the girlies are, it’s me. How could I not? After they gave us Delina, which is basically the “it girl” perfume of the century, they could do no wrong in my eyes.
So when they launched their Les Extraits collection last month, I had high expectations. I’ve been living with these three new fragrances for a few weeks now, and I’m happy to report they didn’t disappoint. The collection marks what the brand is calling a new chapter, pulling inspiration from 18th-century French craftsmanship and the legacy of the Château de Marly. These are Extraits de Parfum, which means high concentration and serious longevity, and I’m here to say, they definitely deliver on both fronts.
The collection includes three scents: Carios (an amber fougère), Eragon (an ambery spicy), and Valero (a woody fougère). Each bottle features intricate details inspired by elements from the château, from cobblestone patterns to sun motifs to chevron flooring. The level of detail here is impressive, and you can tell the brand really leaned into the whole “quiet luxury” aesthetic they were going for.
Carios is my favorite out of the three, by a pretty good margin. The scent features bergamot, saffron, roasted tonka bean, and vetiver, but what really comes through is this beautiful interplay between the fruity opening and the warm, almost fluffy drydown.
When you first spray it, you get this rosy, fruity blast, which I’m pretty sure that’s the pink pepper and geranium working together, with aromatic notes that feel bright and uplifting. Then it settles into a gorgeous mix of tonka and ambroxan that has excellent projection that’s not overwhelming.
Eragon has a different approach altogether with its spicy amber profile. This one is built around cardamom, cinnamon, leather, and vanilla bean, and it’s meant to evoke the energy of Louis XIV (the Sun King, hence the sun motif on the bottle). The brand describes it as an “olfactory talisman” for creative types, which feels a bit lofty, but I get what they’re going for. There’s definitely an intensity here that speaks to confidence.
Valero rounds out the trio as a woody fougère with bourbon geranium, lavender, sandalwood, and ambrox. The brand positioned this one as being for people who respect tradition but are looking toward the future, which tracks with the overall composition. It’s more grounded than Carios, more contemplative maybe.
What surprised me most about Carios is how unisex it feels. All three of these lean pretty masculine (they’re even listed under the “men” section of the Parfums de Marly website), but this is definitely the most unisex of the bunch, especially if you’re someone who leans towards these types of scents. And I’ll admit, I’m not someone that typically does. Give me all the fruity, gourmand and feminine scents galore. But the geranium adds a feminine touch that balances out what could have been a more traditionally masculine fougère. It’s clean, it’s sweet, and there’s just enough fruitiness for this to be good for everyday wear. I kept thinking it reminded me of something while I was wearing it, and I finally placed it (there’s an echo of Angels Share Paradis here). They’re not duplicates at all, but there’s a similar warmth and approachability to both.
I’d seen some reviews mentioning that Carios smells like Oud For Greatness, but honestly? I don’t get any oud here. My guess is people are picking up on the tonka and saffron combination and reading it as oud, but to my nose, this is much more about that roasted tonka bean doing the heavy lifting in the base.
Why I love it: There’s a few things that make Carios stand out for me. First, the performance is exceptional. I mean, you can get a 8-10 hour scent bubble easily, with projection that’s noticeable and not too aggressive. Second, it’s incredibly versatile. I’ve worn it to dinner (a date, ahem), on casual weekend days, and a concert, and it has worked every time. I’ve gotten compliments, even. The fruity-floral opening keeps it from feeling too heavy or serious, while the tonka base gives it warmth and depth.
I also appreciate that it has its own identity. Sure, there are similarities to other fragrances (that Angels Share Paradis connection I mentioned), but the roasted tonka bean note is what really sets Carios apart, because it’s by far not your typical sweet vanilla situation. There’s a slightly nutty, almost caramelized quality to it that makes the whole composition more interesting and distinct. Oh, and I love that both me and my man can wear this. I’m not sure why, but there’s just something I find adorable about that.
Perfect pairings: Now, these are extraits, so they’re already incredibly concentrated and don’t need any help in the longevity department. But if you’re someone who likes to layer fragrances to create something more personalized, Carios plays surprisingly well with others. I’ve been experimenting with it over the past few weeks and found some combinations that really work.
Layering it with Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 might sound like too much at first, but a light spray of BR540 on your clothes with Carios on your skin creates this gorgeous sweet-woody effect because the saffron notes in both really complement each other. For something more subtle and skin-like, I’ve been loving it over Glossier You because the ambrox in both blends seamlessly and makes the whole layering routine feel even more wearable for everyday. But again, Carios is beautiful on its own, so layering is really just for people who like to play around with their fragrance wardrobe.
Final verdict: I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to love Carios as much as I do. I went into this thinking Eragon would be my pick (for a man, not me) based on the notes alone (I’m always drawn to spicy ambers), but Carios won me over completely. There’s something about that fruity-floral opening combined with the warmth of the tonka that just works. It feels modern while still nodding to that fougère heritage, and I think that balance is what makes it so wearable.
If you’re in the market for a new signature scent or just want to treat yourself to something special as we move into the cooler months, I’d definitely recommend checking out this collection. Fair warning though: these cost a pretty penny at $550 each, so keep that in mind if you’re on a budget. But if you’re looking for that luxury extrait experience, Carios in particular deserves all the attention it’s been getting.