Project Renegades Perfume Review

Back in February, I was very lucky to be invited to the Project Renegades launch in Harvey Nichols and to meet the incredible founders of the range. It was an early morning event which is always tricky for me because I work full time but I am glad I was able to make it. From the name alone, I sensed it Project Renegades would be out of this world and I was not wrong at all. The event was held in the Beauty Lounge in Harvey Nichols which is such a beautiful place for an event as the lighting/aesthetics is perfect. I have been to two events in the same venue and it always looked fabulous. When I arrived, I spotted the creators of the brand and some bloggers I knew and everyone was just having a great time. There was a brief introduction by their PR brand and the creators behind the brand gave us a short presentation (I will talk about the founders later in the post).






I really enjoyed listening to these amazing creators as they sounded so passionate. You could tell they put in so much effort in creating these perfumes and it is totally evident in the quality of these fragrances. I was very kindly gifted all the fragrances and I have been enjoying them all. I have used these fragrances on their own or layered on top of each other and each time they all delivery amazing results. They are definitely one of my current favourite fragrances and I don't think any week has passed without me using at least one of them.




Brief Overview of Project Renegades
If you are a perfume lover, I am sure you must have heard about or come across Escentric Molecules, Acqua de Parma, Penhaligons and Comme de Garcon at some point. I am sure you are wondering what the relationship is. Well, the creators behind Project Renegades are expert perfumers who have created fragrances for these brands so they have so much experience in the industry. Their names are Mark Buxton, Bertrand Duchaufour and Geza Schoen. They have created so many fragrances over the years and finally came to a point where they wanted something more from the industry. They were bored of the industry churning out very similar fragrances and decided to create something that will shake up the industry. And they totally nailed it all the way, if you ask me. They came together along with Paul White (who created the visuals for the brand) and developed Project Renegades. I can imagine them having so much fun in the laboratory while creating these fragrances. There was no brief holding them back so they put in all the passion and creativity they could muster and the end results is absolutely incredible. Most importantly, they are so unique and you can be sure that you don't own anything similar to these fragrances in your perfume stash. The lasting power of these fragrances are out of this world as they last all day. The good thing is they are not overpowering both to you and to others; they are just the perfect balance of how you want your fragrance to wear through the day.



Packaging
There is no way I could skip talking about the packaging of the Project Renegades fragrances. I think it'd be an absolute crime to do so! The creativity behind the design is just inspiring and I don't think I have come across any other perfume with such stunning packaging. There is an outer sleeve which has a colour scheme to match the individual fragrance. It also has all the information about the brand and the ingredients list. Next up is the second packaging which has such beautiful eye catching illustrations.


The illustrations (the avatar design) on second packaging are similar to the avatar of fridge magnet mascot on the actual perfume bottle and it represents each of the Project Renegades creators. I absolutely love it and I will be keeping them all even when the fragrances have run out. The good thing is this packaging has an enclosure which keeps the perfumes safe and snug so it does not move around in the box. While this packaging is not particularly travel friendly, if you do end up travelling with them, you know they will arrive intact without any damage.




Each bottle has a fridge magnet mascot which represents each creators as avatars. They are removable so you can choose to leave them on the bottle or stick them on the fridge; it's up to you. I have left them all on the bottle because I think they add so much character to the perfume bottles. The perfume bottles don't have lids which reminds me of Escentric Molecule fragrances which I actually don't mind.  I have travelled with them a few times without their outer packaging and surprisingly, they were no accidents.  Each bottle has 100ml of fragrance which is pretty standard for fragrances. I would say that these fragrances are unisex and I love that anyone can wear them. My choice of fragrance depends on my mood however I have always had something for woody, musky almost androgynous fragrances. I think it goes right back to when I was a kid and my Dad let me and my siblings spray his fragrances. I still love feminine fragrances but androgynous and unisex scents will always have a special place in my heart (or let's say perfume heart). 





Project Renegades- Bertrand Duchafour* //Link //£155
"Renegades isn't edgy; it's over the edge"- Bertrand Duchafour. 
Bertrand Duchafour is a perfumer-in-residence at L'Artisan Parfumuer and also specialises in working with other brands like Comme de Garcons and Penhaligon's to name a few. He currently works from his laboratory in Paris. From the name of this fragrance, you can guess he created it. The top notes are Bergamot, Pink Pepper, Cardamom, Gin, Cassis and Galbanum. The middle notes are Red Berries, Frankincense and Hinoki (Japanese Pine). The base notes include Fir Balsam, Driftwood and Amber. 




I would describe this fragrance as a woody spicy one with hints of  the freshness of sea breeze. It is a good unisex fragrance and I reach for this for weekdays when I am working because it just makes me feel very classy, professional and elegant. I know it sounds silly that a fragrance can make you feel that way but fragrances play a large role in my mood. I feel this fragrance is a good example of a unisex fragrance. My Dad was a big fan of layering his fragrances so no one could tell what exactly he was wearing and this fragrance reminds me so much of him. I think that's why I am so drawn to it and it is actually a special one for me. If you are into woody or exotic spiced fragrances, you'd totally adore this scent.






Project Renegades- Geza Schoen*//Link //£155
"Renegades is about playing around, not taking ourselves too seriously"- Geza Schoen. 
Geza is the creator of Escentric Molecules which is often referred to as the "anti-fragrance fragrance brand". He is also the creator of the Beautiful Mind Series which are scents that celebrate women for their brains, not just their body. He works from his own laboratory in Berlin. Geza Shoen's Renegades fragrance is centred around pink pepper, creating a portrait of the whole tree including its berries, bark and leaves and this is evident in the notes. The top notes are Pink Pepper Oil, Pink Pepper Absolue, Cassis, Lemon, Lime and Bergamot. The middle notes are Fir, Juniper, Osmanthus Absolue, Hedione, Hedional, Iris Pallida and Mate. The base notes include Iso E Super, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Labadnum, Incense, Moss, Myrrh, Castoreum and Musk Ambrette. 




I was instantly drawn to this fragrance right from the launch mainly because I am already a huge fan of Geza's Escentric Molecules (read my review here). I love the notes in this fragrance because it incorporates woody, spicy and citrus scents. The fragrance in itself has a light green colour which I really love. I don't know why but I find this fragrance very sexy and sensual. The funny thing is it still works out well as a unisex fragrance and honestly, it's just one of those scents that you can't completely describe unless you experience it yourself. I save this for weekends, outings, nights out, etc. It's like my feel good scent and I absolutely love it. If you are into unique notes of wood, spice and citrus, you'd adore this fragrance.





Project Rengades- Mark Buxton* //Link //£155
"Fragrances are not daring enough. We are the freaks who are going to change that."- Mark Buxton.
Mark Buxton is the perfumer most associated with Comme de Garcons. He actually created their first fragrance, Eau de Parfum, and went on to mastermind many others in the Comme range. He also has his own brand, Mark Buxton Collection, and is a partner in Perfarium which develops fragrances for private labels. He works from his own laboratory in Paris. Mark Buxton's Renegades fragrance is a unique blend of woody, spicy and smoky leather rose. The top notes are Basil, Lentisk, Black Pepper, Cassia Flower and Galbanum. The middle notes are Bay, Rose and Leather. The base notes include Labdanum, Guaiacwood, Vetiver and Amber. 




I am always attracted to anything with Amber and I don't know what it is about it that just makes me feel so happy. This is also another unisex fragrance but it feels slightly more masculine than the others. Nevertheless, I still reach for it because it is beautifully unique. The unusual addition of the smoky leather rose really makes this fragrance special and I love it. I currently have this fragrance in my Travalo and I love giving myself a quick spritz of this fragrance. If you love woody/amber scents but you want one that is unique, you definitely need to check out this fragrance.



Where to buy// Link //£155 (each)
As far as I know, they are sold only on Harvey Nichols in the UK. If there any other retailers, I'd add more links. They are quite expensive at £155 but I have to say they are totally worth every single penny. First off, you need a tiny spritz which really lasts all day so you are looking at a fragrance that can last for almost a year. During the launch, the perfumer/creators told us that they have still kept the price as affordable as they could even with the high quality ingredients they used. It's not just their word for it; the quality of these fragrances speak for themselves.


Overall Thoughts
I definitely think these fragrances have quickly made it into my top 5 fragrances because they are so unique and I always get compliments whenever I wear them. People have come into rooms where I've been and walked up to me to say they love my fragrance. It's so difficult for me to choose my favourite from the trio because they all bring something different to the table. However, I think I am drawn most to the Bertrand Duchaufour's Renegades fragrance because it reminds me so much of my Dad (I am unashamedly a Daddy's girl). If I could wear it everyday, I would but I still love to switch it up every now and then. I have also layered all three fragrances and the end result was so beautiful. I tend to do this layering more on outings or weekends because I feel more playful and relaxed. I really hope you enjoyed this post. Have you tried the Project Renegades Fragrances?
*PR Samples + Affiliate links used, read my full disclaimer here.