It has never crossed my mind that I would spend some money on luxury items. I wasn’t taught to love luxury items, instead, I was taught to appreciate things that have good qualities whilst also being affordable… but here I am! 😀
I get to know this brand from Tiktok and many were raving about their Baccarat Rouge 540, which people had also said that it is too expensive so they went for Ariana Grande’s Cloud as a dupe. I was tempted to get the Ariana Grande’s perfume. However, it is way more difficult to purchase her perfumes as compared to buying MFK because I would need to use a shipping agent to get the AG perfumes but the cost will end up almost 2x more expensive whereas MFK perfumes are already available within Malaysia.
Maison Francis Kurkdijian
Maison Francis Kurkdjian (MFK) was born in 2009 from the encounter between Francis Kurkdjian a renowned master-perfumer, with scores of successful creations to his name, and Marc Chaya, ex Ernst & Young Advisory Partner. Together, they fulfilled their desire for a sensual, generous and multi-faceted landscape of free expression, creating a new emblem of French know-how and lifestyle.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian has since developed into a key player in the luxury fragrance market with a presence in ultra-selective retail locations in more than forty-five countries.
There is only one (1) official licensed importer in Malaysia which is the Bakhache (pronouns as ba-kash) Luxuries Malaysia Sdn Bhd that is founded by Antoine Bakhache who is a certified gemologist from the prestigious Gemological Institute of America. Other stores like Kens Apothecary buys the stock from Backache and resell them. (As told by the staff in the Pavilion store when I visited on the 9th of Dec)
Backache has also opened the one and only MFK boutique in Pavilion, being the only store in Malaysia (or even Asia, besides the three boutiques in Taiwan).
The only MFK boutiques in the world are:
- Paris Marais – France
- Paris Saint Honoré – France
- Miami Design District – USA
- Kuala Lumpur Pavillion Mall – Malaysia
- Kaohsiung City Hanshin – Taiwan
- Taichung City ShinKong – Taiwan
- Taipei Breeze Xinyi – Taiwan
- SKM Xinyi A9 – Taiwan
- The Dubai Mall – Dubai
I wanted to test all of the scents but it isn’t possible to do it all in one day. Besides, I might make the staff feel annoyed after a couple of days so I went to search for samples instead. After doing a few quick searches, apparently, only Bakhache’s website has the samples.
Each sample sets are 14.00 € or RM70 and I had purchased 3 sets which is a total of 12 vials. Each vial is at 2ml and they have a sprayer head (some brands’ samples do not have sprayer head).
It was pure curiosity but I also wanted to know how it’ll look like when wrapped in gift wrapping and boyyyy I’m glad I did. It’s so pretty and they used the brand’s own wrapping paper and ribbon! The gold details on the ribbon are somewhat satisfying to look at.
Anyway, I am not an expert in perfumery and it has been rather difficult to imagine the smell from how people have been verbally explaining it. So, I figured that it may be another better method that could help people to imagine the smells. Below, I’ve gathered a bunch of amazing photos that depict what visualization that flashes in my head while I smell the scents.
Visual Interpretation
What I will be doing
- I will put each perfume on my inner elbow (usually in the evening)
- Shower once during usage
- Go to sleep with the perfume
There are some Extrait perfumes within my list. If you are uncertain about what it means, it is basically the concentrated version of the fragrance that has between 15 and 40% of oil concentration.
For the interpretations, they are just from my personal experiences so it may differ with yours. I’d highly recommend visiting an official boutique or reseller store to check on the scents so that you can experience the smell personally. The images I’ve used are closely related to the visions/feelings that flashes in my mind when I smell the scents.
Amyris femme
Amyris femme
Eau de parfum
Natural spray
1.2 fl.oz. at 90.00 € (35ml at RM450.00)
2.4 fl.oz. at 150.00 € (70ml RM760.00)
6.8 fl.oz. at 295.00 € (R200ml at M1490.00)
Engraving available for additional 25€ or RM25
Inspiration:
A floral, woody and luminous fragrance born from the flamboyant encounter between Amyris tree from Jamaica and rare Iris from Florence.
Olfactory description
- Lemon blossom
- Pear accord
- Sweet pea accord
- Iris oil from Florence
- Amyris oil from the Caribbean
- Musky amber accord
Fragrantica review here.
It smells like Shakespear’s literature, mainly in Juliet’s point of view. A vibrant pink with elegant gold and a hint of classiness. I love that it is soft, sweet and gentle. Almost like a sweet caress.
Starting to wear it around 12pm. The smell dropped significantly at around 10th hour mark.
Amyris homme
Amyris homme
Eau de toilette
Natural spray
1.2 fl.oz. at 85.00 € (30ml at RM430.00)
2.4 fl.oz. at 140.00 € (70ml at RM700.00)
6.8 fl.oz. at 275.00 € (200ml RM1380.00)
Engraving available for additional 25€ or RM25
Inspiration:
A luminous eau de toilette, born from the flamboyant encounter between Amyris tree from Jamaica and rare Florentine iris.
Olfactory description
- Mandarin oil from Sicily
- Rosemary oil from Morocco
- Saffron accord
- Iris oil from Florence
- Amyris oil from the Caribbean
- Cedarwood oil from Virginia
- Tonka bean absolute from Brazil
Fragrantica review here.
It smelled of masculinity and purple. The picture of a knight in silver armour and surrounded by the purple ambience. It’s almost like the right amount of masculinity but it does not necessarily have a gender to it.
Starting to wear it around 12pm. The smell dropped significantly at 13th hour mark.
Aqua Celestia Forte
Aqua Celestia forte
Eau de parfum
Natural spray
1.2 fl.oz. at 105.00 € (35ml at RM530.00)
2.4 fl.oz. at 175.00 € (70ml at RM880.00)
Engraving available for additional 25€ or RM25
Inspiration:
Gazing at the horizon in an ambience of absolute serenity, you notice a dazzling space between the blue of the sky and the blue of the sea. It widens to allow a sparkling sun to burst forth, featuring accents of petitgrain and jasmine. Aqua Celestia forte embodies the radiance of a fresh, citrusy fragrance.
Olfactory description
- Lime from Mexico
- Cool Mint (Mitcham)
- Petitgrain Bigarade from Italy
- Blackcurrant bud absolute from Burgundy
- Mimosa absolute from Provence
- Jasmine absolute from Egypt
- Musk accord
Fragrantica review here.
I pictured the oasis, the sight of aqua and cactus together with a hint of elegance from white flowers. It smells very fresh and lovely. The smell does remind me of water.
Starting to wear it around 7pm and showered at 12am. Smell dropped significantly at 10th-hour mark. Still has some faint smell at 7pm
Aqua Universalis
Aqua Universalis
Eau de toilette
Natural spray
1.2 fl.oz. at 85.00 € (35ml at RM430.00)
2.4 fl.oz. at 140.00 € (70ml at RM700.00)
6.8 fl.oz. at 275.00 € (200ml at RM1380.00)
Engraving available for additional 25€ or RM25
Inspiration:
A fragrance that is quite simply luminous, to be used by everyone, everywhere and at all times. An exquisite sense of freshness in an all-purpose Eau de toilette.
Olfactory description
- Bergamot from Calabria
- Citron from Sicily
- White flower bouquet (lily of the valley and sweet mock orange)
- Light and musky woods
Fragrantica review here.
It’s a simple smell which gives me the impression of a lemon tree (not necessary the smell of lemon) with blue sky. It’s the colour combination of green, orange, blue and white that paints heavily in my head when I smelled it.
Starting to wear it around 7pm and showered at 9pm. The smell had already dropped significantly by then but still remains if sniff closer.
Baccarat Rouge 540
Baccarat Rouge 540
Eau de parfum
Natural spray
1.2 fl.oz. at 115.00 € (30ml at RM580.00)
2.4 fl.oz. at 195.00 € (70ml at RM980.00)
6.8 fl.oz. at 385.00 € (20ml at RM1940.00)
Engraving available for additional 25€ or RM25
Inspiration:
Luminous and sophisticated, Baccarat Rouge 540 lays on the skin like an amber, floral and woody breeze. A poetic alchemy. A graphic and highly condensed signature.
Olfactory description
- Jasmine
- Saffron
- Cedar wood
- Ambergris
It’s a smells like warm amber and orange sky with a glass of orange-coloured beverage but make everything subtle and soft. It does have a hint of citrus in it but it isn’t very strong. It’s rather pleasing to smell this.
Starting to wear it around 7pm and showered at 9am. The smell dropped significantly around 6th-8th hours mark.
Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait
Baccarat Rouge 540
Extrait de parfum
Natural spray
2.4 fl.oz. at 295.00 € (70ml at RM1490.00)
6.8 fl.oz. at 585.00 € (200ml at RM2950.00)
Engraving available for additional 25€ or RM25
Inspiration:
The Baccarat Rouge 540 extrait de parfum augments the strength and radiance of the fragrance’s amber woody floral aura. In this exalted version of a signature scent, jasmine blossoms and woody musks engage in an alchemy of the senses. A profusion and fusion of the elements that can only be tamed by the art of the perfumer and time-tested wisdom.
Olfactory description
- Grandiflorum jasmine from Egypt
- Saffron
- Bitter almond from Morocco
- Cedarwood
- Musky woody accord
- Ambergris
Fragrantica review here.
It’s the same as Baccarat Rouge 540 above but make everything more vibrant and warmer. It is really an amazing smell under colder weather.
Starting to wear it around 7pm and showered at 9pm. The smell had dropped significantly at the 8th-10th hour mark.
féminin Pluriel
féminin Pluriel
Eau de parfum
Natural spray
2.4 fl.oz. at 150.00 € (70ml at RM760.00)
6.8 fl.oz. at 295.00 € (200ml at RM1490.00)
Engraving available for additional 25€
Inspiration:
The quest for an eternal feminine, recognizable quality of major classics, inspired the creation of féminin Pluriel, a grand floral bouquet. A beautiful creation composed of a multitude of facets, designed to evolve with freedom and sensuality, unbound from fleeting fashions.
Olfactory description
- Iris from Florence
- Violet
- Rose from Grasse
- Jasmine from Egypt
- Lily of the valley
- Orange blossom
- Vetiver
- Patchouli from Indonesia
It gives me the visual of a modern lady, living in the mid-higher end of the spectrum with a good sense of style. This smell reminds me of a lot of pink flowers, pink modern buildings and polished yet simpleoutfit.
Starting to wear it around 7pm and showered at 12am. Smell dropped significantly at 12th-hour mark. Still has some faint smell at 7pm
Grand Soir
Grand Soir
Eau de parfum
Natural spray
2.4 fl. oz. at 150.00€ (70ml at RM 760.00)
6.8 fl. oz. at 295.00€
Engraving available for additional 25€/RM25
Inspiration:
Dress in your finest attire and polish your look. Wander in a never-ending night and enjoy the daring radiance of a magnificent Parisian evening, over and over again. Bridges and monuments shine like a thousand stars, standing majestic in a twilit sky carried away by the soft vanilla warmth of benzoin from Siam and a tonka bean from Brazil that has been jostled by the deep darkness of cistus labdanum from Spain.
Olfactory description
- Cistus Labdanum from Spain
- Benzoin from Siam
- Tonka bean from Brazil
- Vanilla and amber accord
Fragrantica review here.
The moment I took a small sniff, it gave me a very strong impression of masquerade ballroom dancing in a golden venue (possibly within a palace), sweating smell but in the noble way. It’s quite masculine but much in the men’s way.
Starting to wear it around 7pm and showered at 9pm. It is very strong and I tried to wash it off with a drying shampoo but unfortunately it did not strip much of the perfume and it still smells very strong. It smelled bitter to me and I’m not really a fan of it.
l’eau À la rose
l’eau À la rose
Eau de toilette
Natural spray
1.2 fl.oz. at 90.00€
2.4 fl.oz. at 150.00€
Engraving available for additional 25€/RM25
Inspiration:
Like the caress of rose petals gathered at daybreak, this eau de toilette unfolds on the skin with delicate floral fruity freshness. This drop of perfumed water reflecting a bouquet of four hundred newly bloomed roses is radiant and airy.
Olfactory description
- Lychee accord
- Damascena rose oil
- Peony accord
- Centifolia rose absolute
- Musks
Fragrantica review here.
This is a very simple but elegant smell that is very feminine. When I sniffed it, all I see is rose gardens in my head. The smell is very feminine and it does not feel very overwhelming. I would really recommend this scent for testing.
Starting to wear it around 7pm and showered at 9pm. It is kind of decent and not as strong as the previous ones. It has probably worn off a lot by the 6th hour mark.
l’Homme À la rose
l’Homme À la rose
Eau de parfum
Natural spray
1.2 fl.oz. at 105.00€ (35ml at RM530.00)
2.4 fl.oz. at 175.00€ (70ml at RM880.00)
Engraving available for additional 25€/RM25
Inspiration:
L’Homme À la rose is Francis Kurkdjian’s free interpretation of a rose for men. In the first few seconds, very fresh, green and bursting notes paired with a grapefruit accord and essence of Damask rose from Bulgaria create a sensation of natural vitality. Then come the middle notes of a rosy, very woody accord, gradually enhanced by woody amber notes which infuse the sillage with sensuality. With this fresh and bright eau de parfum, Francis Kurkdjian gives men the power to wear a rose.
Olfactory description
- Grapefruit accord
- Essence of Damask rose from Bulgaria
- Essence of sage from France
- Amber woods
- Absolute of Centifolia rose from Grasse
- Essence of cistus from Spain
Fragrantica review here.
It may be the smell of roses but you can sense the masculinity within the scent. It is quite pleasant and does not feel overwhelming. Personally, I like it but I like it more when a man has this scent on them. It is rather attractive.
Starting to wear it at around 7pm and showered at 9pm. It is kind of decent and not as strong as the previous ones. It has probably worn off a lot by the 8th-hour mark. The performance of this is slightly stronger l’eau À la rose.
OUD satin mood
OUD satin mood
Eau de parfum
Natural spray
2.4 fl.oz. at 195.00€ (70ml at RM980.00)
6.8 fl.oz. at 385.00€
Engraving available for additional 25€/RM25
Inspiration:
OUD satin mood conveys the desire to bring a shimmering Orient to life. You’ll want to wrap it around you, lose yourself in the depth of the moment and suspend time.
Olfactory description
- Violet accord
- Rose essence from Bulgaria
- Rose absolute from Turkey
- Natural oud from Laos
- Benzoin from Siam
- Amber and vanilla accord
Fragrantica review here.
I’m not going to lie, the OUD Satin Mood reminds me of using the luxury bathroom from a very expensive vacation accommodation. That’s… really all I can say.
Starting to wear it around 3pm and showered at 9pm. The performance is not bad and I could faintly smell it during the next morning.
OUD silk mood
OUD silk mood
Eau de parfum
Natural spray
2.4 fl.oz. at 195.00€ (70ml at RM980.00)
Engraving available for additional 25€/RM25
Inspiration:
Fascinating and full of contrasts like a piece of colorful wild silk, the OUD silk mood eau de parfum unfolds in an airy and sensual fashion. Woven from oud from Laos – a rare and precious natural ingredient – rose absolute from Bulgaria and bergamot from Calabria, its aura blends freshness and enchantment in a harmonious balance between Orient and Occident.
Olfactory description
- Bergamot from Italy
- Blue chamomile from Morocco
- Rose from Bulgaria
- Hedione
- Guaiac wood
- Oud from Laos
- Papyrus from India
Fragrantica review here.
The OUD Silk Mood, however, reminds me of using the luxury bathroom of a very expensive place that someone stays in (metaphorically, my own home) with a hint of citrus smell that adds a refreshing feel to the bathrooom.
Starting to wear it around 3pm and showered at 9pm. The performance is not bad and I could faintly smell it during the next morning.
Verdict
Many of the scents have really good performance and scents to it. While the other scents are amazingly great, I laid my eyes on Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait heavily.
At first, the scent does not stand out much as it is best to be a cold-weather scent and I was constantly in a room-temperature environment. However, when I finally visited the Pavilion store on 9th December, the staff sprayed the Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait on my arm and neck. The smell feels so much more different in a colder environment and it really does smell lovely. It has a citrus hint that smells really elegant
My top favourites
- Amyris femme
- Aqua Universalis
- Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait
My least favourites
- Grand Soir
- OUD Satin Mood
- OUD Silk Mood
With the choices that I like, I find that the Fragrance Wardrobe for Her 2020 is the best set to purchase because it has more extraits than the 2019 versions. Their Wardrobe sets are apparently holiday sets that come out every Christmas season (according to the staff).
The 2019 version is at RM760 (three more sets left as of now; available in the Pavilion boutique store) and the 2020 version is at RM880. Both of these sets come with 8 bottles at 10ml each. You can get it from Bakhache’s website right here.
This set is officially in my wishlist because it has my top favourites as well as the extrait versions of the Amyris Femme and Baccarat Rouge 540.
- Amyris femme Extrait de parfum (worth about RM190)
- Aqua Celestia forte (worth about RM100)
- Aqua Universalis forte (worth about RM100)
- Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait de parfum (worth about RM220)
- gentle Fluidity Gold edition (worth about RM110 [EUR150 per 70ml])
- l’eau À la rose (worth about RM110)
- OUD satin mood Extrait de parfum (worth about RM200)
- Petit Matin (worth about RM110)
Actual worth in total would be around RM1140 but the retail price is RM880 instead.
(Prices are calculated by using the price for 70ml bottle to get the price of 1ml)
Helpful reviews that may further help you to decide which perfume to go for:
- 12 Best Maison Francis Kurkdjian Fragrances For Men by Jasper Pieterse from Fragrance Today
- 12 Best Maison Francis Kurkdjian Fragrances For Women by Jasper Pieterse from Fragrance Today
- 10 of the best Francis Kurkdjian perfumes by Emily Scrivener from GlobalBlue
These are the websites that I came across which give really good perspectives on the perfumes and I hope that these reviews could help you to find one that you like. You can also visit the Pavilion store to physically smell the perfumes.
That’s all for this blog post! I might update this blog post when there is any new information. Thank you for reading and if you are interested in the perfumes, you can find them from the following point of sale:
Point of Sale
Official Malaysia Branch
Boutique Pavillion Mall
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang
Lot P2.15.01 – Level 2, Pavillon Mall
55100 Kuala Lumpur
T: +60 3 21 10 50 55
www.pavilion-kl.com
Monday : 10h00 – 22h00
Tuesday : 10h00 – 22h00
Wednesday : 10h00 – 22h00
Thursday : 10h00 – 22h00
Friday : 10h00 – 22h00
Saturday : 10h00 – 22h00
This store is opened by Bakhache Luxuries (M) Sdn Bhd as the sole licensed importer in Malaysia.
Bakhache Luxuries
Bakhache Luxuries (M) Sdn Bhd
No 35-1, The Highway Center,
Jalan 51/205, Petaling Jaya,
46050 Selangor, Malaysia.
Phone+60 3 7785 5755
Customer Service (Mon – Fri: 0800 to 1700) +60 17 6356 755
Update: July 2021
They no longer sell samples as the Main HQ do not allow them to do so any more 🙁
