Avon
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
A citrus burst that's almost violent—lemon and mandarin spring forward whilst bitter orange provides breadth, immediately flanked by pink pepper that creates a prickling, almost tingly sensation across the skin. The opening demands attention rather than requesting it.
The woods arrive with purpose; Texas cedar becomes the dominant structure whilst bourbon vetiver reveals unexpected honeyed undertones, and cardamom echoes the peppery intensity from the top. The fragrance transforms from aggressively bright to architecturally complex, with orris root adding a subtle powdery depth that prevents it from becoming one-dimensional.
Vetiver and oakmoss dominate whilst musk and patchouli create a soft, earthy foundation. The ambergris adds a whisper of animalic warmth that keeps the base from turning musty, though the fragrance has shortened considerably—the drydown is intimate rather than projecting, and what remains is more whisper than declaration.
Be Daring cuts straight through the noise with the aggressive brightness of bitter orange and bergamot, immediately establishing itself as a fragrance that refuses whispers. Martin Fuhs has constructed something genuinely peppery—that pink pepper doesn't sit quietly alongside the citrus; it creates a sharp, almost prickling sensation that keeps the top notes from ever feeling safe or comfortable. This is citrus with an edge, like biting into a blood orange and finding chilli powder on the rind.
What distinguishes Be Daring from countless other citrus-forward fragrances is its refusal to prettify itself. The heart introduces Texas cedar—a dry, almost dusty timber note—alongside bourbon vetiver that carries a subtle sweetness without becoming gourmand. Cardamom adds a spice that echoes the pink pepper, creating a throughline of peppery intensity that prevents this from dissolving into generic freshness. The orris root provides a whisper of cosmetic powder, a touch of vintage restraint, whilst grebzor (likely a synthetic or proprietary ingredient) adds something faintly unusual, slightly off-centre.
Add fragrances to your collection and unlock your personalised scent DNA, note map, and shareable identity card.
3.8/5 (74)