My Wild Ride with Avada Kedavra: A Perfume That's Out of This World

I'm completely hooked on this unique fragrance from Wild Drops Parfums, and I'm not the only one who's stumbled upon it!

I've always been fascinated by scents inspired by the Harry Potter universe, but this one's a departure from the norm. It tells a completely different story.

Don't expect a ton of specifics in this review – there will be plenty of tangents and associations. If you're not a fan of wild, fantastical descriptions in perfume reviews, you've been warned.

A few words about the brand

Wild Drops Parfums is all about pushing the boundaries of niche perfumery. Their scents are raw, unapologetic, and often inspired by everyday life – think garage smells, repair shops, and burnt plastic. They've even got a scent dedicated to Dr. Lecter, called Hannibal. The creator isn't afraid to put unconventional things on the perfume radar, like gasoline. And who says gas is only meant for the gas tank? The 'Gas Station' scent is a real showstopper.

They also have a range of scents inspired by nature – think forest floors, black earth, rain, and mist.

And then there are the gourmands – like Caramel Apple and a remarkably realistic cola scent called New Year Cola. It's so good, it makes you forget about the likes of Maneser cola.

The author's vision is all about:

Avada Kedavra - the most powerful non-forgiven curse, where only Harry managed to survive. Given that this curse is represented as a beam of green light, in my imagination, its aromatic form blended into something green and poisonously sounding. I have a collection of plants with sap of varying degrees of toxicity. The most memorable by scent were slices of two Philodendrons: 'Red-leaf' and 'Narrow Escape'. The first smells of ultra-fresh, bitter spring greenery with a metallic undertone, while the second is very reminiscent of pink pepper with green flashes. The shades of scent of both these plants laid the foundation for the aroma. Even more, the dark green atmosphere is evoked by the gradually emerging cigar-like nuances of Galbanum, the bitterness of fig leaves, and the earthy undertones of wet peat. The scent is green, bright, with a gradual unfolding, during which a sense of bitter terpiness is constantly preserved.

xa0

More official information

Gender: unisex Direction: green, floral Segment: author's perfumery Country: Russia Perfumer: Anna Nikishina Release year: 2025 Volumes and prices: 1 ml (splash) - 400r 1.5 ml (spray) - 550r 2 ml - 700r 3 ml - 1000r 5 ml - 1650r 10 ml - 3600r 16 ml - 5400r 20 ml - 6500r 30 ml - 9100r 50 ml- 14400r Place of purchase: official brand page on VKontakte

Pyramid:

Top notes: pink pepper, elemi, ginger, galbanum;

Middle notes: styrax, violet, fig, earth;

Base notes: moss, peat, patchouli, poisonous greenery.

Packaging

I've got two of these small sets with violet bottles. They're wrapped in thick paper with a sticker. I already have a big branded box specifically for these little sample bottles, so I ruthlessly get rid of the paper.

This time, I took one 5ml fragrance and picked some new ones to get familiar with. The one that impressed me the most was Mara. Maybe I'll do a separate review later.

The violet bottles are made of dark glass, close tightly, and don't leak.

WHAT DOES IT SMELL LIKE? MY IMPRESSION OF THE FRAGRANCE

Fragrance profile

I'm absolutely not into green and aquatic fragrances. The vetiver green note is not even in the picture. Galbanum and petitgrain are my least favorite notes in perfumery. It smells like a high aloe tree to me – the one that's notorious for its stench. Plus, I deliberately avoid all melissa nuances: melissa itself, lemongrass, and palmarosa.

Avada Kedavra – my personal comfort zone exit strategy, a step into enemy territory. The cactus I unexpectedly devoured

Emotional-sensory core

My first reaction was: what the heck is this? I won't wear this! Wild, unbridled, glowing green ink with a metallic spoon taste in my mouth. No, I'm washing my hands!

But then the fragrance settled on my skin, and weird, captivating images started playing in my head – the kind you can't tear yourself away from.

I'm not exactly thrilled about the weather today. The low-hanging grey clouds are ominous, and the distant thunder rumbles through the air. The corrugated metal roof is shining with a mesmerizing sheen, like the metallic armor worn by the tributes in the Hunger Games arena.

As I step into this world, the razor-sharp green foliage of the gabbro leaves me with a sense of foreboding. The air is thick with an eerie, vibrating energy. It's the pungent aroma of the gabbro that creates this unsettling atmosphere.

Underneath the gabbro lies a thin, lacquered backing. The scent of a crushed guava leaf hits me, and the surreal jungle closes in. A chill runs down my spine, like a splash of ice water, followed by a metallic aftertaste, as if I've bitten my tongue.

The rain starts pouring down, and the air is filled with ozone. I'm climbing up the slippery corrugated metal roof, occasionally losing my footing.

I'm no Katniss Everdeen, that's for sure. I should've trained more and eaten less.

I slip again, barely managing to grab onto a nearby tree branch. I yank it off, and it's a tall ailanthe tree, but its branches are softened by a powdery coating.

I spin around, holding the branch, and see a dragon flying overhead, with an apple in its mouth. I think to myself, 'this is it, I'm done for.' Someone's got a pork chop with an apple on their plate, someone's got a duck, but I've got a live dragon hovering above me. And it doesn't seem like it's going to be my lunch.

I frantically try to shoo the dragon away with the branch, but it's futile. The dragon has long since devoured me, along with the branch, and polished me off with a layer of apple on top. I'm completely digested, and the beast is breaking me down.

I have to say, Avada Kedavra has this unique aftertaste, like breathing in after eating a green apple. The green apple note is blended with some musky component and lily notes, which gives it a fantastical feeling 'in the belly of a beast.'

There's also an obvious aldehyde base in the composition, which gives it a metallic, wet sensation and highlights the green note, making it neon-like. It's sharp, edgy, and surreal, like Maal's Synthetic Jungle, those surreal jungles on the edge of a volcano.

The galbanum note lingers throughout the composition. On the dry-down, it gets a bit rough due to the blackberry leaf, but it remains convincing.

Technical Specifications

I couldn't accurately assess the diffusion due to my packaging format, so I'm not sure how long the trail will be in the spray.

The scent lasts around four hours on the skin, but I imagine it will be louder and more intense in the spray. The composition has good density.

Season

I'd say it's perfect for early spring, when you want to shed your winter hibernation and shake off the cold.

Recommendation

I'd recommend it to fans of the Harry Potter universe, for a comparison with the original idea.

Aromas in a row: Viper Green Ex Nihilo, Synthetic Jungle Frederic Malle. Keep in mind that these are just aromas in the same direction, with completely different structures. Avada Kedavra is a craft scent, without the conveyor belt smoothness, it's raw and unrefined.

After trying it, I had a strong urge to buy Amazingreen Comme des Garcons and stay in it forever.

FINAL VERDICT: Avada Kedavra was not a traditional perfume for me, but a strange olfactory adventure. I'm having trouble rating it, so I'll settle on a neutral four.