Mancera Instant Crush is a unisex fragrance launched in 2019.
People have been saying that this fragrance smells like Baccarat Rouge 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian.
When you take a look at the note breakdown, there are certainly a lot of ingredients in here that would make you feel like, wait a second, is this going to be similar to Baccarat Rouge?
The amber wood, the vanilla, the saffron, but this one is also quite different.
There's orange, there's sandalwood, and there are a lot of ingredients that are not listed in the note breakdown for Baccarat Rouge.
So here we have a lot of vanilla. You do get a little bit of this cotton candy vibe that you also get from Baccarat Rouge. A lot of that is ethyl maltol. It kind of gives it this cotton candy candy-floss vibe.
In any case, I'm excited to get into more detail regarding the smell.
What does Mancera Instant Crush smell like?
Let's first unveil the notes of the fragrance.
Top notes are Saffron, Ginger, Sicilian Mandarin and Sicilian Bergamot.
Middle notes are Amberwood, Moroccan Rose, Egyptian Jasmine, and Indonesian Patchouli Leaf.
Base notes are Madagascar Vanilla, White Musk, Sandalwood, and Oakmoss.
In the opening, the first thing you're going to notice is the sweetness of this fragrance.
There's a nice hearty dose of vanilla, and the vanilla is paired with sandalwood for a nice effect, in my opinion.
So the sandalwood is on the sweeter side of things. As soon as you smell it, you're going to be like, wait a second, this is a gourmand. And it definitely does give off those gourmand tendencies, which I'm personally a fan of. I love my gourmand fragrances as long as it's not like a juvenile sweetness.
So this one, it has that vanilla. It also has like a spicy kick to it. And the more that I wore this one and the more that I kept coming back to it, the more I realized that spice is on account of saffron.
Now saffron can give a fragrance a very exotic feel. Saffron is also used to give a fragrance a leathery feel. And what I think it does is add to the density of the fragrance.
Now whenever I think of Baccarat Rouge 540, I think of the “Jasminum Grandiflorum” from Egypt. I do think of the bitter almond that's used in the extract version. I do think of the moss that is in the base.
There's actually a little bit of moss. But then there is also this kind of ambroxan-like cotton candy feel. And this fragrance does actually have all of those and then some.
I believe there is jasmine in this fragrance, so it does have a lot of those ingredients minus the almond because, you know, that's in the extract version. And I think this is fashioned more closely around the original.
But this fragrance does kind of stand on its own two legs. It does its own thing. I don't think that this is a clone or carbon copy of Baccarat Rouge 540 in any way, but I certainly do pick up on the similarities.
It's funny to think how many fragrances out there kind of possess this Baccarat Rouge 540 quality.
Of course, you have Ariana Grande's Cloud, you have Spirito Fiorentino by Tiziana Terenzi, and there are so many fragrances that give off this Baccarat Rouge vibe.
And what I like about this fragrance is that it has the wood. You get the sandalwood. You get a hearty dose of the vanilla, and the saffron up on top is a nice addition to the fragrance. And it kind of diversifies the notes that you're going to get from it, and it just adds a layer of uniqueness which I appreciate.
Now it's hard to say that this is sweeter than Baccarat Rouge. I don't think it is. I think this one is denser than Baccarat Rouge.
You smell it, and it doesn't smell as airy and as ethereal as Baccarat Rouge does. I didn't mean to make this a comparison article, but I think by bringing up Baccarat Rouge, I can sort of assist in describing this one, especially for those who have tried Baccarat Rouge. So it helps to paint a clearer, more concrete picture.
Nevertheless, you are going to get a lot of vanilla. That cotton candy vibe is in here as well.
There is an underlying freshness, but it's kind of drowned out by those other sweeter notes.
The sandalwood is in here; it has a nice touch.
There's a little bit of orange in the opening; you're not going to get a whole lot of it, to be honest.
And the jasmine that's in here is also very mild. I feel like the sweet elements of the fragrance dominate.
And I think if you're looking for a fragrance that is in the same family as those other fragrances that I mentioned and something that can be worn for similar occasions, I think Instant Crush is a great, great pick.
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My overall assessment
Now first up in terms of the uniqueness and the overall smell, I don't know if this is the most unique fragrance on the planet.
And I say that given its comparison to these other Baccarat Rouge and Baccarat Rouge type fragrances.
But it still does its own thing, and I can certainly appreciate that. It's a lot denser; it's a lot richer, and perhaps even spicier and not as ethereal as Baccarat Rouge 540.
Overall smell, I think you're getting a lot of people to turn heads, right?
I think you're going to get complimented.
It is a mass-appealing DNA. Nothing is challenging about it.
How long does Mancera Instant Crush last?
Longevity, 10 hours; projection, great for the first hour and a half of application, sat closer to the skin at the seven-hour mark.
And also, Mancera and Montale fragrances are known for their longevity.
So you know that you're putting on a Montale, you're going to get 12 plus hours, 10 plus hours.
And that's certainly the case with Instant Crush.
So many Manceras just give me unbridled longevity and projection. Red Tobacco, Holidays, Sicily, even Cedrat Boise.
So the performance of many Montale and Mancera fragrances is amazing.
And the reason I mention Montale is because it's a sister company to Mancera.
When to Wear Mancera Instant Crush?
Every season except for the summer, in my opinion.
The sweetness can be a little bit overwhelming in the summertime.
You can wear this one casually or clubbing because of that fun, upbeat, light-hearted, sweet feel.
But then there's something very special and niche about it that would make you want to wear it formally as well.
It will definitely turn heads, and I think it's pretty versatile in that regard.
Totally unisex.
I can see somebody older enjoying this one because of the spice and the sandalwood.
I can see somebody who's younger enjoying this one because of the sweetness.
In Summary – Mancera Instant Crush
My final verdict on this fragrance is if you want a niche fragrance that has a tendency of leaning on the affordable side of things, you're a fan of Baccarat Rouge 540.
But you're trying to imagine what it would smell like had it been a little denser, a little richer, a little more complex, not as ethereal with a touch of spice.
Definitely check out Instant Crush by Mancera.
