At first breath, Explosive unfolds with a dazzling burst of Calabrian bergamot. Harvested from sun-drenched groves along Italy’s southern coast, this bergamot has a luminous, citrusy brightness, tinged with green bitterness and a slight floral softness. Calabrian bergamot is particularly prized for its complexity and balance—less sharp than other citrus oils, more rounded and elegant, with natural sweetness and a touch of herbal freshness that sparkles on the skin like golden sunlight.
Immediately following is Russian coriander—an herbaceous and slightly peppery note that lifts the citrus with an unexpected twist. Unlike its counterparts from Morocco or India, Russian-grown coriander seeds have a cooler, drier profile, bringing a refined, aromatic spiciness that feels both silken and brisk. It adds a piquant sharpness that feels like the crisp air of early morning. Threading through these top notes is a shimmer of aldehydes—synthetic compounds that act like a bolt of electricity in the composition. Clean, slightly soapy, and effervescent, the aldehydes here don’t overpower but rather aerate the top of the fragrance, lifting the natural citrus and spice like champagne bubbles rising in a flute. Their presence creates a sense of volume and light, allowing the fragrance to "breathe" and sparkle before settling.
As the top notes melt away, the heart of the fragrance blossoms into a floral accord that is richly textured and unexpectedly lush. The Damask rose, sourced from Bulgaria or Turkey, is the centerpiece—honeyed, full-bodied, with a velvet-like depth. This is no shy, dewy petal; it’s a rose in full bloom, heavy with its own perfume.
Interlaced is Alpine lily of the valley, which imparts a green-white freshness—crisp, almost watery, with a silvery coolness. Grown in high mountain climates, this variety carries a sharp clarity, almost crystalline, that balances the opulence of the rose. It's important to note that lily of the valley cannot be extracted naturally; what we smell is a synthetic recreation using aroma chemicals such as hydroxycitronellal, which mimics the plant’s delicate, springlike scent. Here, the synthetic enhances the blend by providing a structure that’s both ethereal and long-lasting, impossible with the real flower.
Adding body and lift is Bourbon geranium, distilled from the leaves grown on Réunion Island. This geranium is exceptionally rosy, minty, and green—like crushed rose stems and lemon rinds—supporting the rose note with a fresh floral sharpness and giving it dimensionality. It's slightly metallic, slightly citrusy, and entirely alive. Anchoring the heart is Florentine iris root (orris)—a prized and rare material aged for several years to develop its scent. Powdery, buttery, with a nuanced earthiness that borders on suede, the iris adds a melancholic elegance to the bouquet. Its whispery softness contrasts beautifully with the bright florals, adding an element of antique luxury.
As the fragrance deepens into the base, it turns warmer, darker, and more seductive. Maltese labdanum, derived from the sticky resin of the rockrose, offers leathery, balsamic richness. The labdanum from Malta is known for its depth and slightly ambered smokiness—a deep brown warmth that evokes sunbaked stones and worn leather. Wrapped around this are curls of Venezuelan tonka bean—syrupy, vanillic, and coumarin-rich. Its toasted almond and soft tobacco notes lend a sweet, addictive quality that blends seamlessly with the florals and woods, softening the harsher edges.
Singapore patchouli appears next—not the dark, dank kind from Indonesia, but a cleaner, slightly camphorous version with a cooling herbal woodiness. This particular origin is known for a smoother, more refined character, free of the musty heaviness that sometimes dominates patchouli oil. Then there's Haitian vetiver, dry and smoky, with hints of green roots and cool earth. It's more elegant and polished than vetiver from Java, and here it adds a mineralic, almost flinty dimension that anchors the lighter notes.
The sandalwood from Mysore, India, is a hallmark of true luxury. Creamy, resinous, and mellow, it hums softly beneath the composition, lending a sacred warmth that envelops the wearer. Mysore sandalwood is renowned for its rich oil content and buttery, long-lasting aroma—a far cry from its modern substitutes. Yugoslavian oakmoss brings the chypre structure into clear focus. Dark green, mossy, with an undercurrent of inky forest floor, it gives the perfume its shadow and structure. Compared to oakmoss from other sources, Yugoslavian oakmoss has a richer, almost leathery nuance, making it the perfect counterweight to the bright floral heart.
Finally, the scent is suffused with the enigmatic softness of Tonkin musk. While the natural form is no longer used, its synthetic recreations—crafted from muscone and other white musk molecules—are warm, slightly animalic, and enveloping. The musky base binds every element together, enhancing the longevity and caressing the skin with a skin-like sensuality. These synthetics allow the musk to linger in a way that natural musk never could—soft, clean, and persistent without being cloying.
Explosive is not a mere sequence of notes, but a story told in scent—from sparkling aldehydic brilliance to the velvety florals and the shadowed woods beneath. It’s a perfume that celebrates both natural beauty and the precision of modern perfumery, each element enhancing the next in a carefully constructed crescendo.
The Explosive/Provocation fragrance line was released in a variety of product forms, each offering a different level of scent concentration, texture, and intended use. These various iterations allowed wearers to experience the perfume in multiple ways, from the purest expression of the scent to lighter, more functional versions suitable for layering or daily use.
At the top of the intensity scale was the Parfum—the most concentrated and luxurious form. This version contained the highest percentage of fragrance oils, often around 20–30%, suspended in a minimal amount of alcohol. Parfum, also known as extrait de parfum, is typically dabbed onto pulse points rather than sprayed. Its rich composition allows the deepest base notes to unfold slowly over time, making it ideal for evening wear or special occasions. The parfum version of Explosive/Provocation would have provided the most intimate and long-lasting interpretation of the fragrance, revealing its facets with great nuance and depth.
Next was Feu de Nuit, a unique variation labeled as an Eau de Parfum, but with its own identity. “Feu de Nuit,” which translates to “Night Fire,” likely suggested a more intense or sensual twist on the original scent. While still classified as an Eau de Parfum (typically containing 15–20% fragrance oils), Feu de Nuit may have featured a darker or more mysterious interpretation of the original fragrance notes, possibly with amplified base accords or a warmer character designed specifically for evening wear. It stood apart from the regular Eau de Parfum in tone and emphasis.
The Eau de Parfum was a more accessible, sprayable form that retained much of the fragrance’s complexity and longevity, yet was lighter than the parfum. This concentration, typically between 12–18% fragrance oils, was ideal for daily wear. It preserved the richness of the floral-oriental structure while providing a more diffusive trail than the parfum. The Eau de Parfum would linger throughout the day, offering a strong presence without being overpowering.
The Eau de Toilette, by contrast, was the lightest version among the main fragrance formats, containing around 5–12% fragrance oils. It offered a fresher, brighter take on the fragrance, often emphasizing the top and heart notes while toning down the richness of the base. Eau de Toilette was perfect for day wear, warmer weather or more casual occasions, and often required reapplication to maintain its presence throughout the day. It offered a more airy and sparkling wear of Explosive/Provocation, suitable for those who preferred subtlety.
The Shower Gel was a scented cleansing product, designed to envelop the skin in a light veil of fragrance during bathing. While it offered a relatively low concentration of the perfume itself, it served as an important layering element. Using the shower gel would enhance the longevity of the fragrance when followed by other products in the line. It gently cleaned the skin while introducing the perfume’s character in a refreshing, foamy texture.
The Silken Body Lotion was a moisturizing product infused with the scent. With its creamy consistency, it helped hydrate and soften the skin while subtly perfuming the body. Body lotions typically hold a light fragrance concentration, but they play a key role in prolonging the scent when used as part of a layering ritual. Applying the lotion before spraying an Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette would anchor the scent and allow it to last longer.
The Perfumed Soap offered a nostalgic, tactile way to enjoy the fragrance. Usually triple-milled for a long-lasting, high-quality bar, the soap released the perfume as it lathered, leaving the skin lightly scented and clean. This product also made a refined addition to a vanity or guest bath, offering both function and fragrance in one.
Finally, the Deodorant Spray provided a more functional use of the scent, combining body odor control with a hint of the signature perfume. Lighter in concentration, it was designed for underarm application but still carried enough of the Explosive/Provocation identity to complement the rest of the line. It was particularly useful for maintaining a cohesive scent profile throughout the day without clashing with stronger fragrance applications.
Together, these products allowed users to tailor their fragrance experience—whether through the indulgent richness of the parfum, the sensual warmth of Feu de Nuit, the daily elegance of Eau de Parfum, or the casual lightness of Eau de Toilette. The accompanying bath and body products added further dimension, creating a complete scent ritual that aligned with the wearer’s mood, setting, or time of day.
