D.S. & Durga First Light Five Boroughs - Opinios Reviews

First Light Five Boroughs


FLFB is a woody floral with a powdery base. It’s soft, but not light. It’s a heavy, but pleasant scent that matches up with its creator’s description.

An initial burst of powdery violet quickly softens into its musk base. There are some creative terms in the notes description, but I can sense where he’s leaning with “dock water.”

This one leans feminine, but like most D.S. & Durga creations, there’s a fluidity. If you’re a long time fan of the brand, this is (thematically) the pleasant sister to Sir. Less sharp, quieter. It also reminds me of Longshoreman, a J. Crew collab from several years back. The idea of NYC’s dock water is present in both. They are all of the era of the late 1800’s and represent a sort of armchair time travel, to steal from the brands tag line.

I perceive this to be one that settles differently on skin for everyone. Mine was a blind buy, but I’d recommend sampling first.

I appreciate the artistic endeavor here. And as a fan of The Alienist I can imagine I’ll be dousing myself before each new episode. But this isn’t my favorite of the line.

Of late, Moltz has given his hand to powdery florals; Jazmin Yucatán, Crystal Pistol, Duzina Rozi. None of these are bad creations, but the category is the least appealing in perfumery for me. I miss some of the older creative veins of Barbershop, Bowmaker, Mississippi Medicine and Cowboy Grass. But if powdery floral musks are your thing, this one is worth exploring.

Also worth noting, the packaging of the limited release frags feels a little subpar to that of the central line. Labeling in both box and bottle are on a glosser material that feels like an at home attempt at photo printing. I much prefer the matte labels. Not a huge deal, but with the price tag I’d expect a little higher standard. Especially when the brand design is practically flawless.