Invasion Barbare

Beautiful fougere.

When I’m in the mood for a “barbershop” fougere I reach (across many years) for Pinaud Clubman aftershave because it’s a simply lovely thing and cheap as chalk. Invasion Barbare comes at a much higher price point, is pretty enough to splash around but leaves me feeling somewhat empty. The violet leaf, lavender and cardamom tick the right boxes. The citrus notes, to my nose barely register but a bit of vanilla down below anchors the fragrance for a little longer than it might otherwise have lasted. It’s nice enough but doesn’t really add anything new to a classic genre.

This is a fougère built around lavender, cardamom and violet leaf, creating a unique character. The composition is exceptionally well put together. At times it comes across as warmer and creamier, while at others the cleaner, drier cardamom-lavender profile takes over, which I find quite addictive. Timeless.

Beautiful fragrance but decidedly barbershop-y. Strikes me as something a person who enjoys classical things would appreciate (I find the branding indicative of that). For me it lacks that "signature scent" quality because of this, and in general I can see this being harder for younger men to pull off.

Another example of very hyped, almost mythical scents that I am glad I did not end up blind buying. Finally tried it on skin in the store, first impression: 'uuuh!!!'. Like many of us, perfumes lovers, we test and explore hundreds/thousands of scents, you get to the stage where you rarely feel impressed and engaged. From first spray: this smells class, well done, interesting and unique enough to get attention. However, it is not the 'WOW this is unbelievable' people (reviews) make you think it is. There is something in the dry down that is spicy/peppery/sharp that I just did not like, without losing appreciation to the entire creation. No full bottle, no decant for me, but I can see people really enjoying this.

Either they reformulated this or some of you are getting fake decants…or your nose is broken lol. Because even as someone not particularly drawn to this scent profile, this one achieved a legendary status on the merit of its beauty, quality and execution. I was very captivated by how vivid and crystal clear each note is as the kaleidescope turns and brings a new accord front and center. It’s the Beethoven you’ve heard a million times on public radio, only this time heard live on a spring evening at The Colosseum. Unforgettable perfection. Just ordered a new bottle so fingers crossed it’s still awesome. 5 out of 5.

One of the most disappointing samples I've ever bought. Seeing this heralded as the GOAT barbershop (or overall masculine frag by some), I thought this would be the sparkling lavender foamy scent of my dreams, but yeah, no. The scent itself is very underwhelming. There's nothing here that is interesting, like at all. If you put this in a generic no-name brand tjmaxx brand cologne bottle, it would fit right in. It also almost smells like nothing to me. What do people see in this??

Beautiful cooling lavender barbershop style opening. Unfortunately the fragrance becomes too round and sweet after about 15 minutes. Would be best on a woman.

Smells NOTHING like Sartorial, Rive Gauche, ATB, or anything else similar in that barber vein. I get violet, patchouli and musk. Not a huge fan.

My first impression of Invasion Barbare is elegantly spicy, herbal-lavender-fresh vanilla, for a very brief moment I get something resembling cinnamon, but that is likely the cardamom in combination with something else. Closely following the spicy aspect, comes the herbal-green freshness, and then, without doubt a very pleasant vanilla-note underneath it. It's gentle and elegant. Its presence is very strong, although, it has a very attractive airiness about it. Dense, yet airy – if you could imagine that. This is really a quality mark if you ask me. It creates a cloud around you. It's full of personality and character. Very charming (but could also be very overwhelming in the wrong context, so be cautious about its potency). It's less spicy than expected. I think the vanilla really helps to soften the cardamom and the lavender (which can have a harshness to it). Everything comes across as gentle and refined and above all – smooth. The trinity of lavender-cardamom-vanilla is quite perfect if you ask me. Cardamom must be the most elegant spice note. And I have discovered lately how versatile it is. Not only for warm-spicy fragrances, but also for more fresher and greener compositions, like Voyage by Hermès (cardamom being the main note) or Geranium Odorata by Diptyque (where the cardamom is way more subdued and integrated, but still present). Invasion Barbare sits somewhere between the warm-spicy- and fresh-green cardamom typologies. Makes it very versatile and attractive. Invasion Barbare is perhaps not really what you expect. For me, it's not a love – however it comes very close. You have to favour vanilla. And lavender-cardamom. And the combination of these three notes. If you like the idea, don't hesitate to try this out. Invasion Barbare is one of the more memorable experiences I've ever had. MDCI is a chapter of its own in modern niche perfumery.

Nice fougere, a bit less sweet than what you’d be led to believe by the words in this thread. Classic, a bit of a precursor to the fougère renaissance of 2010 with the re-release of Fougère Royale. Less anise than 1725, and I feel that the thyme makes it drier and more herbal than both 1725 and Sartorial. There is no way I’d pay the ≈400€ a few retailers want, but look out for good offers.

Wow... this might just have become my signature scent! This is my 58th fougere and it just edged out Danger PC, the Heritages, and Bois du Portugal that are tied with 9.25s at the top. This is absolutely incredible! It must be the addition of the violet leaf and the citrus. Id never pay this much for a bottle that requires 6 sprays for a decent projection of 3'. If I got 8 hours off of 3 sprays, I would pay it and give it a 10. I just ordered the Dua dupe and its supposedly stronger. If its good, I will grab the hybrid with BdP. I swore off dupes... I hope that I did not make a bad decision as $2/ml is ridiculous for a dupe. I paid $110 for a 100ml of Danger PC. Anyways... 9.5! The DUA sucks... I am getting a bottle of this.

Invasion Barbare is a beautifully executed take on the classic barbershop style, clean, refined, and effortlessly elegant. Right from the opening, you get a fresh burst of citrus and aromatic herbs, quickly followed by a smooth lavender that feels timeless without being old-fashioned. There’s a polished, soapy quality that immediately gives that freshly groomed, well-put-together feel. As it develops, the fragrance settles into a refined blend of woods and light musk, keeping everything clean and balanced. Nothing feels harsh or overly sharp, just smooth, controlled, and very well blended. What stands out most is how composed it feels. It has a classic character, but it’s modernized in a way that makes it easy to wear today. It’s the kind of fragrance that gives off quiet confidence rather than trying to stand out. This is a perfect choice for someone who appreciates traditional masculine scents done with a high level of refinement. Scent: 9/10 Longevity: 8/10 Projection: 6.5/10

Agreed with @natrance. This is Prada L'Homme PUIG with half the performance. Its beautiful however I got 200ml of an old bottle of L'Homme for $100 and gave $40 for a 10ml of this. I can barely tell the difference. I have 56 fougeres... this is not in any means a fougere!

How is this not being compared to Prada L'Homme line

As with most of MDCI, it is heavily inspired by a prior scent, here 1725. But for once, it is better than the original thanks to the green twist.

I've owned MDCI Invasion Barbare for several years now and it remains one of the finest contemporary interpretations of a floral fougère that I've encountered. While it clearly nods to the traditional barbershop fougère structure, it feels thoroughly modern, impeccably tailored and sophisticated rather than nostalgic or retro. What impresses me most is how completely unisex it feels. I can just as easily picture a powerful male CEO wearing it as I can a highly accomplished female executive. An image of someone dressed in bespoke corporate attire, confidently walking into a high-stakes boardroom meeting or stakeholder negotiation where competence, authority and presence matter. There is an undeniable air of refinement and success about it without ever feeling loud or ostentatious. Performance is exceptional. Projection and longevity are phenomenal, with the scent maintaining its presence for hours while leaving a memorable and elegant trail. It has the rare ability to command attention while still feeling polished and professional. When I first acquired it, I actually struggled to place it firmly within the fougère category. In the beginning, it seemed to lean more towards fragrances like Amouage Reflection Man or even Burberry Brit, thanks to its smooth florals and overall refinement. However, as I became more familiar with it, I realised that Invasion Barbare does something far more ambitious. Rather than simply echoing those styles, it expands upon them, marrying crisp aromatic freshness, luxurious florals and barbershop elegance into a composition that feels richer, more nuanced and more complete. Years later, it still stands as a benchmark floral fougère in my collection. It manages to balance classic masculinity and modern unisex appeal with remarkable ease, resulting in a fragrance that feels timeless, confident and impeccably groomed. That being said, I hate wearing suits to work and hate meetings LOL!

Very nutty on the dry down. If you want to smell like coconut shaving cream, get this. Not my kind of scent but I can understand the appeal.

World class fougere with lovely modern twists, most prominently felt in the ginger note. Sometimes it's nice to have a shaving foam accord when you're wearing a fougere but that never feels luxurious probably because of past associations with cheap shaving foam; however, I never get that feeling with Invasion Barbare. This is pure luxury all the way through. From the house of MDCI, I think Chypre Palatin is the best, and this comes second place. I actually prefer the smell of Invasion Barbare and it is more versatile -- I could see myself wearing this daily -- but Chypre Palatin is just a bit more interesting. Overall: 9/10.

Invasion Barbare is not an invasion; it is a slow, aristocratic possession. This fragrance is like the shadow of an 18th-century nobleman in a candlelit hall, announcing its presence with a ribbon of scent long before it is ever seen. Imagine this scent as athree-act trance: · Act I: The Morning Mist of Secret Gardens The lavender and spices do not arrive like an army, but rather like a silver-toned mist creeping through the cypress trees of a formal European garden. This mist is cool, yet carries a whisper of hidden warmth. · Act II: The Dance of the Flower-Spirit Phantoms The jasmine and floral notes emerge like ethereal maidens dancing in the moonlight. Their dance is not heavy or tangible, but leaves behind a trail of silken grandeur and a delicate, haunting allure that is impossible to shake. · Act III: The Haunting on Skin The base of woods and musk does not simply "settle"; it becomes a passage through time on your skin. Here, time seems to stall, and the fragrance transforms into a part of your very essence, as if it had always been there—a benevolent, elegant ghost in your personal atmosphere. Performance: Its sillage is not a declaration,but a "ripple of subtle seduction." An invisible circle of influence that gently expands, captivating anyone within its sphere without ever revealing its source. Verdict: Invasion Barbare is an Impressionist painting,rendered not with brushstrokes, but with molecules. It is for the individual who prefers to be a lingering legend, rather than a mere witness. A masterpiece of haunting sophistication ####################### "Invasion Barbare" یک حمله نیست؛ یک تسلط خزنده‌ی اشرافی است. این عطر، همچون سایه‌ی یک شبح نجیب‌زاده در تالارهای قرن هجدهم است که پیش از آن که دیده شود، حضور خود را با نواری از رایحه اعلام می‌کند. این عطر را یک خلسه‌ی سه‌پرده‌ای در نظر بگیرید: · پرده‌ی اول: مه صبحگاهی باغ‌های اسرارآمیز اسطوخودوس و ادویه‌ها، نه چون سپاه، بلکه همانند مهی نقره‌فام از میان درختان سرو یک باغ فرمال اروپایی می‌خزند. این مه، هم خنک است و هم حامل زمزمه‌ای از گرمای پنهان. · پرده‌ی دوم: رقص اشباح گل‌سرده یاس و یاسمن، همچون دوشیزگان ارواح در مهتاب، شروع به رقص می‌کنند. رقص آن‌ها سنگین و ملموس نیست، بلکه ردپایی از شکوه ابریشمین و وسوسه‌ای لطیف بر جا می‌گذارد که محو کردنش غیرممکن است. · پرده‌ی سوم: تونل زمان پوست‌دی پایه‌ی چوب و مشک، یک گذرگاه فرازمینی می‌سازد. اینجا، زمان متوقف می‌شود و رایحه به بخشی از وجود شما تبدیل می‌گردد، گویی همیشه آنجا بوده است. عملکرد پخش این عطر را می‌توان به"حلقه‌ی نامرئی اغوا" تشبیه کرد. حلقه‌ای که به آرامی گسترش می‌یابد و هر کس را در دایره‌ی نفوذ خود اسیر می‌کند، بدون آن که منبعش آشکار گردد. جمع‌بندی "Invasion Barbare" یک تابلوی امپرسیونیستی است که با مولکول‌ها کشیده شده است. این عطر برای کسی است که ترجیح می‌دهد یک افسانه باشد، نه یک شاهد.

This is simply the best perfume ever made and anyone that disagrees is wrong.

Tried it once and while I -love- the scent I was very unimpressed by the performance. Today I made sure to avoid anywhere on my body (chest area etc.) where it would be constantly wafting up into my face and making me go noseblind - mostly did the back of my neck/behind my ears. This has worked like a charm for some other scents that I was going noseblind to at first but not this. The performance, at least with my bottle, is just genuinely very bad for the price point. Applied at 6:30AM, 6 hours in and it's basically gone - only getting the very faintest hints of it in the air on occasion. Shame because this is probably my favorite barbershop style scent. It would be the perfect office scent if it made it even halfway through one of my shifts. Edit: Picked up my hat I wore in this morning and immediately got blasted with Invasion Barbare. I think something in here just makes me go noseblind after a few hours no matter where I apply it.

Oeeeeh. My reaction after spraying my sample... Notes listed are highly well blended, but the violet sticks out. At least in the opening. Super versatile scent profile. Soft, a bit rubbery gasoline feel. But smooth and powdery. 5-10% sweetness, barely noticeable. Pretty dry but smooth. Timeless scent in my opinion. I have 1725 in my collection from HP. I can understand all of the downvotes. They both start similar, but I personally prefer 1725 as it goes into a bit sweeter liquorice and smoother territory. This is like the older brother, sharper on the edges. More mature. This is a mature scent. I personally see 40+ pulling this off. 9.5/10

The 212 AD invasion of the Roman Empire by the barbarian hordes was certainly a brutal, bloody, and terrifying conflict. But, according to MDCI, someone - either the barbarians or the Romans - smelled lovely, somehow managing to pull a perfume fragrance that wasn't in existence for another 1700 years: the fougere. A curiously calming, clean, and luxurious fragrance to represent such savagery. The hesperidic top notes of smooth and well-rounded bergamot and grapefruit are pleasant and inviting, juicy fruitiness with just enough sourness, but it's the violet leaf that is the star. It immediately accents some of the mineral and sulfuric qualities of the grapefruit without making it off-putting, then strings its fuel-like accord down to the heart to meld with thyme, lavender and cardamom. The fuel accord of the violet leaf is dissimilar to what you'd find in something like Fahrenheit, for example. In IB it's dialed back to a confident speaking voice, harmonic and registering across multiple frequencies, pulling more of its floral qualities than the strident and aggressive petroleum qualities like the combustion engine roar of vintage Fahrenheit. The thyme and the cardamom help with this, keeping the whole of the heart cool and herbal, while lavender helps accentuate the slightly-oily floral qualities. Underneath it all, like the plinth of a Roman bust - that simile is for you, MDCI - is a smooth and loamy patchouli, gentle and aged cedar, and a good dose of vanilla. The base is confidently old school, rich yet diffusive, and elegant. When MDCI launched, in true niche house fashion they wanted to do something different by giving us the same things we've had (laugh) but their specific mandate was to do so with a level of modernity and luxury that we didn't get from yesteryear perfumes of long-standing genres. Chypre Palatin was a success in that regard, blurring the line between chypre and oriental, and adding some flair, intrigue, and luxury to the traditional chypre structure that is quite rare. I don't think that Invasion Barbare can make the same claim. Setting aside the nonexistent creative link between the 212 AD invasion of Rome and the perfume - one misfire to be levied against it, I cannot confidently say that it adds notable degrees of modernity or luxury to the fougere genre that we haven't had before. The only thing that is "modern" here is the use of a grapefruit note at the top, which is certainly to 21st century tastes, otherwise the rest of it is a replica of what we've had going back to 1882 with Fougere Royale with many more notable entries than Invasion Barbare appearing since then that are significantly cheaper as well. Though there are some mild differences, mainly because of the lack of vanilla in the base (which is better without, in my opinion), you can get a vintage bottle of the legendary YSL Rive Gauche Pour Homme that is in great shape for the cost of Invasion Barbare, and why wouldn't you? I would. Do not mistake me, though, Invasion Barbare is a good perfume. It's well done, a lovely and faithful rendition of the very old fougere genre, I just don't understand the point of it - why did we need this, why is it special, why is it so expensive? Maybe MDCI's point, unwittingly though it would be, is that there is nothing special about it, it's just another invasion in an incredibly long list of invasions throughout human history.

its my first time smelling a barber scent!! pleasantly surprised! its fresh, its clean, but also so aromatic and spicy!! the cardamon and ginger really pull through for me to make this such an interesting scent! i wouldnt personally wear this but i wouldnt mind it as a room fragrance

One of the favs. It smells great on my skin too. BItter, fresh, herbal, floral opening. Mid notes are even more interesting. Not the most unique thing out there, but also not generic as well. Doesn't seem to last super long, but it is still better than 1725 in that regard.

MDCI Invasion Barbare, I Remembered the First time I smelled this 4 years Ago . when I smelled MDCi Invasion Barbare I was absolutely blown Away just by How Natural the Ingredients Smelled when it hit my Nose . Smells so Pure . By Far the Best Barbershop Style Fragrance I’ve ever Smelled .

Imagine the sharpest razor blade dipped in freshly cut lavender leaves. Yes, €250 for a barbershop fragrance is a lot, but this is a true work of art. Without a doubt, it’s the finest barbershop scent I’ve ever put my nose on. In fact, it might be the best fougère I’ve smelled, second only to Scandal by Roja. If you ever choose just one barbershop fragrance, let it be this one.

Kinda has that generic modern clean creamy-smooth semi-sweet men's fragrance thing going on. Think Armani Code, Prada Lhomme, with a generous dose of pencil-like cedar. The lavender in it is nice. I imagine someone in their early 20's would love it. Thought this might be up there with sartorial but it's just not quite *it* for me. Very pleasant but not quite what I was hoping for.

Yea. Just yea. This is an absolute masterpiece. Veers away from your typical fougere. Theres an amazing cedary/powdery mid that i cant even explain. Its got really good legs on it as well. Im at beween 350 and 400 bottles of every style of fragrance there is and if someone said you absolutely have to pick your favorite this would be it. Really fuckin good. Idk what else to say.