The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Carlos Benaïm designed My Way Intense. He reached for Indian tuberose absolute, the material perfumers call when they want presence without apology. Paired with Madagascar vanilla and New Caledonian sandalwood, the composition delivers an intensified floral warmth that feels both opulent and grounded. The tuberose brings a creamy, almost indolic richness that anchors the opening, while the vanilla adds a sweet, enveloping quality that softens the edges. Sandalwood rounds everything out with a smooth, milky woodiness. The result is a fragrance that commands attention while maintaining a refined character.
What makes Intense work is the tuberose-to-vanilla axis. Indian tuberose absolute is creamy, almost indolic, lush in a way that demands the right counterweight. Benaïm gives it bitter orange blossom at the opening for brightness, then lets vanilla and sandalwood anchor the base. The result is a fragrance that moves from luminous to lush to warm without losing coherence. It's structured around contrast: the cool citrus top, the hypnotic white floral heart, the sweet woody base. Three acts, one story.
The evolution
The opening presents orange blossom and bitter orange creating a crisp, luminous first impression. Clean enough to seem restrained, but there's already something underneath waiting. Then the Indian tuberose absolute takes over. One moment it's citrus-bright; the next, the air is thick with creamy white floral. This is the fragrance's defining move. By the second hour, vanilla and sandalwood emerge, warm, sweet, woody. The drydown settles into something skin-close and intimate by evening. The creamy, indolic richness of the tuberose fills the heart, while vanilla adds a sweet, almost edible depth that lingers beneath. Sandalwood keeps everything grounded with its smooth, creamy woodiness, ensuring the fragrance feels cohesive from start to finish.
Cultural impact
My Way Intense presents bold florals with tuberose at the forefront. The composition pushes past polite and lands in memorable territory. The creamy, indolic richness of the tuberose gives the fragrance a distinctive character that stands apart from more conventional floral scents. Combined with warm vanilla and smooth sandalwood, the overall effect is one that lingers in memory. This is the kind of fragrance that gets remembered long after you've left.
