Note Pyramid
Poker Face
Nine materials, no theatrics: Ted Lapidus Poker Face Eau de Toilette 50ml is a plain, well mannered men's scent and it does not pretend otherwise.
Lavender leads the opening, clean and slightly camphorous, with bergamot brightening it and mint making the first few minutes genuinely cool. This is the classic barbershop arrangement and it is handled here without any modern sweetness laid over the top.
The middle is the interesting part. Iris is dry and cool with a faint powder to it, which is an unusual material to find at this price. Cardamom sits beside it, dry and camphorous, and black pepper adds a prickle that keeps everything alert. There is no fruit and no flower sweetness anywhere in the composition.
The close is soft and warm. Tonka bean brings a powdery sweetness, closer to plain pastry than to anything syrupy. Cedarwood is sharp and dry against it, and patchouli adds damp earth underneath. The finish is quiet and clean rather than memorable, which is the point of a fragrance with this name. Dated 2018, it sits at the affordable end of the market and behaves accordingly: four to six hours on skin, modest projection, and no objection to being sprayed generously. The 50ml bottle is easy to keep in a drawer at work or a bag for the gym.
It is aimed at men, works all year, and is particularly useful for an office or an interview where something heavier would be a liability. Ted Lapidus was a Paris couturier, trained with Dior, who started his label in 1951 and became known for tailoring and for safari and unisex styling. Haute couture under the name stopped in 2000, after which it has appeared mainly on watches and fragrance. The designer died in 2008.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
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