Jul et Mad Stairway to Heaven

Stairway to Heaven by Jul et Mad came onto my radar when I was looking for suggestions for perfumes that smell icy, like cold air. I know it's an abstract idea but I really had been craving that atmosphere or feeling in a perfume especially during the humid Mumbai summers.

To me, the opening of STH reads like fizzy orange soda. The fizziness is ticklish, like a carbonated orange drink with bubbles popping close to my nose. That's probably the aldehydes, they've been blended quite differently compared to the other retro aldehydes that read harsh to the nose. I like it!

As it settles, it transitions into a metallic powder that feels distinctly cold. I'm guessing the gunpowder note is part of that effect. I had been worried that the gunpowder note might smell acrid or burnt but that's not what's happening here. It wears as a metallic, clean, controlled powder. The overall impression is very white and airy, like a clean cold surface, mineralaic with a powdery texture.

I love how uniquely STH delivers that freezing-air idea. It does not morph into something cozy or sweet, nor does it have anything spicy, green or earthy. It stays cool and white, and it genuinely makes me think of cold air in a way that feels more like atmosphere.

I typically get around 6 to 7 hours of longevity, with moderate projection for an initial hour and then it's pretty much a skin scent.