# Réminiscence — Oud Glacial > Oud Glacial is a 2019 unisex eau de parfum from Réminiscence that, despite its name, is not an oud bomb at all. It is a paradoxical "frozen" fragrance built on the contrast between a dominant, icy spe ## Essence Oud Glacial is a 2019 unisex eau de parfum from Réminiscence that, despite its name, is not an oud bomb at all. It is a paradoxical "frozen" fragrance built on the contrast between a dominant, icy spearmint and a soft, non-animalic woody base of oud, patchouli and musk. Riding the late-2010s niche mint trend, it pulls off a cold-meets-warm tension that wearers find genuinely original — and unusually affordable for the effect. Its interest lies in that contrast, not in any heavy agarwood. ## Scent Profile Mint runs the show. The opening is crisp, dewy spearmint, repeatedly compared to chewing gum and toothpaste, softened by a sweet, slightly marzipan almond and a quiet saffron. The floral heart of rose, violet and lily-of-the-valley is abstract and cool rather than blooming — one wearer memorably parsed it as violet that reads like dust, lily-of-the-valley like clear cold water, and rose like leaves rather than flowers. The effect is a frosted, transparent middle rather than a bouquet. The drydown is a modern, camphoraceous-clean patchouli with white musk and only a shy, background oud, so restrained that many wearers note it barely justifies the name. The signature accord throughout is icy mint over clean musky-patchouli wood, and the composition stays fairly linear with mint persisting from top to base. The cool florals give it a mid-phase that some men read as slightly feminine. ## Performance Performance is adequate rather than groundbreaking. A representative wearer reported a couple of hours of moderate projection settling into a four-to-five-hour skin scent, with the mint surprisingly persistent throughout, though others get all-day mint, indicating real skin-chemistry variance. Net longevity lands around four to six hours for most, with modest sillage and mint the most tenacious element. It is best applied generously and is a fresh, summery crowd-pleaser, with a few wearers enjoying it as a refreshing cold-weather novelty as well. ## Wearing Context This is primarily a hot-weather, daytime, casual fragrance, since the icy mint is built for summer, though a few enjoy the cold-mint contrast in winter. It reads as fresh, clean and uplifting, suiting everyday wear, the office and active settings, and the house frames it for both day and evening. It is firmly unisex and well-balanced, with a faint feminine tilt from the lily-of-the-valley and violet heart for some men and a slightly masculine tilt from the woody base for some women. It would feel out of place wherever a serious, rich oud is expected, since the actual oud here is minimal. ## Comparisons & DNA The standout comparison is Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca, which several wearers invoke; one says Oud Glacial resembles it but with significantly better longevity and projection, and another rates it above the modern Herba Fresca. That green-minty freshness is the clearest DNA anchor. Within Réminiscence's own line, wearers contrast it with the house's straight Oud, a much darker and more serious agarwood, positioning Oud Glacial as the fresh, minty inversion of that. Broadly it belongs in the green and mint woody-aromatic family rather than with true Middle-Eastern oud compositions. ## Reception Reception is quietly positive, with the fragrance treated as a likeable, original budget-niche find. Praise centers on its originality — the cold-warm mint-oud paradox is widely felt to work — along with its refreshing wearability, genuine unisex balance and excellent value. The recurring criticisms are that the oud is too faint to live up to the name, that the mint can read as too literally toothpaste or gum for some, and that performance is merely decent. Polarization centers on that gum-mint association, charming to some and juvenile to others, and on the gender lean of the florals. Several wearers note it grew on them over time, and the overall verdict is a low-risk pick for anyone wanting a mint-forward fresh scent rather than a real oud. ## Versions & Reformulation Oud Glacial is sold as eau de parfum in 30 ml and 50 ml, with 100 ml also circulating through some sellers. No significant reformulation or flanker line is documented, so it is best treated as a single composition. The perfumer is uncredited in available sources. ## Acquisition Notes Réminiscence is positioned as affordable, budget-niche, and Oud Glacial is notably inexpensive for the genre, with an introductory price reported around 46 euros for 50 ml and discounters routinely selling the 50 ml well under $50 against a roughly $79 list price. It is widely available through mainstream discount-beauty retailers and the brand directly. No counterfeit or batch-code concerns specific to it were found, and given the low prices and broad legitimate distribution the risk appears low, though buying from established sellers remains sensible. Sampling is cheap and easy. ## Notable Facts & Lore - Oud Glacial debuted at TFWA Cannes in 2019. - It was explicitly framed as part of the niche mint trend then sweeping Pitti Fragranze and Cannes, under the banner "Mint Strikes Again." - Despite the name, the oud is so restrained that many wearers feel it barely registers. - Réminiscence began as a jewelry maker drawing on global influences, and that bohemian, travel-inspired identity frames its contrast-driven cold-warm concept. - No celebrity associations, viral moments or controversies are documented for it.