12 community ratings

Forbidden No. 4

2018Unisex

7.9/ 10

Community score
12 ratings

The Dua Brand Forbidden No. 4 is a unisex scent that puts tuberose, ylang-ylang and oakmoss first, with a sweet, spicy character.

Compare

Skunky's take: Shows up when the lights come on, born for the evening.

How does it perform?

From 19 community ratings, all out of 10.

Longevity

8.6 /10

Sprayed at breakfast, still around at dinner.

Sillage

8.7 /10

You will be noticed when you walk into a room.

Bottle

5.8 /10

Looks good without trying too hard.

Blind buy risk

Low risk

75% of votes are positive and opinions barely differ.

Notes

They open one after another, from the first spray into the evening.

Top notesfirst 15 minutes

Oakmoss Ylang-ylang Tuberose Cypriol Heliotrope Sandalwood Cinnamon Saffron Benzoin Fir balsam Cashmere wood Mandarin orange Labdanum Musk Violet Grass Oud Grasse jasmine Vanilla Birch Clove May rose

Accords

From most dominant to most subtle.

Floral
Sweet
Spicy
Animal
Powdery

What does Forbidden No. 4 smell like?

The notes read as one whole: the floral side comes from tuberose, ylang-ylang and Grasse jasmine, while vanilla and benzoin soften it toward sweetness. Cinnamon and saffron carry the spice, and oud and oakmoss add a woody, animalic depth, with a powdery feel smoothing the weight.

Voters find both its longevity and sillage strong, though the number of votes is small, so this is a tendency rather than a verdict. It is a dense, full-bodied scent that sits comfortably on women and men alike. Roja Parfums Parfum Royale No. 4 and Serge Lutens Sarrasins have a close profile.