What's So Cool About Nu Be's Periodic Table Perfumes?

Hello fellow perfume enthusiasts!

I didn't have to crack open a high school chemistry textbook to figure out that Litium, Oxygen, Sulfur, Hydrogen, and Helium aren't exactly household names. That's exactly what Nu Be, an Italian niche perfume house, has done.

They've created a line of scents inspired by the most common chemical elements on the periodic table. If Mendeleev had a dream about his periodic table, these formulas were definitely crafted with precision and care.

Helium Nu Be (Nu Be)For my purchase, I went with Helium [2He]. Now I'll try to explain what drew me to this particular scent. Let's dive in.General Info

For the past six months, I've been on a mission to find two types of scents: ones with a jasmine note and ones with a tobacco note. This time, I'm focusing on the latter, and Helium caught my eye.

What initially caught my attention was the line's presentation. I think it's an interesting, urban concept. I also appreciate the lab theme with test tubes, flasks, and chemical element-inspired names – it reminds me of Le Labo's aesthetic. I was sold, basically. To try something like this in my city, I'd usually have to go on a treasure hunt. Luckily, I found it quickly.

First, let's take a look at the bottle and the original packaging made of Styrofoam. Yep, it's the same type used for shipping refrigerators. You can break it open, but I decided to leave it intact.

The packaging of Nu Be Helium [2He] (Helium) is pretty standard, but I'll leave some details about the contents of the bottle in case you're interested in buying it. Here's a closer look at the bottom of the Nu Be Helium [2He] bottle. And here's the bottom of the box. The bottom of the Nu Be Helium [2He] box. I also included photos of the sprayer and cap. The sprayer, by the way, gives off a pretty generous amount of fragrance.

The sprayer of Nu Be Helium [2He]. The bottles come in only one size - 100ml, which is pretty typical for niche and near-niche brands these days.

The bottle itself is pretty straightforward - a simple flask with a hidden tube and a small cap.

Nu Be Helium [2He] was launched in 2012.

The perfumer is Sally Fisher.

My Pyramid of Fragrance and My Take on It

Top notes:

bergamot, iris, damask rose

Heart notes:

benzoin, styrax, cinnamon

Base notes:

guaiac wood, musk, tobacco, vetiver, pachouli

I have to say, I was surprised to see some people mention a hint of strawberry in this fragrance, but I just don't get it. That is, until it changes on me. I've found that my perception of Nu Be Helium [2He] can shift depending on the day. Normally, it's a sweet, sticky jam-like scent with notes of tobacco and a hint of cinnamon. But sometimes, the strawberry note takes a backseat and the tobacco and benzoin come to the forefront.

Nu Be Helium [2He] (Helium). Top notesIn fact, I've noticed that on certain days, like when it's raining or there's a magnetic storm (I'm not sure what triggers it), all I can smell is the cinnamon and tobacco on a benzoin base! It's like the strawberry note just disappears. I'm not sure what's going on, but I love this fragrance. Strawberry with a hint of tartness, tobacco, cinnamon, pachouli, and benzoin - what's not to love? To me, this scent is perfect for autumn or winter. In the spring and summer, it's more tobacco-forward, but it still has its place.This fragrance isn't warm or cozy. For some reason, it always makes me think of red smoke. Yes, the kind used in photo shoots. The idea of being enveloped in red, wispy smoke that seeps into your skin is really appealing to me. I didn't think Helium [2He] smelled like this smoke, but it somehow evokes the feeling. Initially, I thought it might be a strawberry waterpipe scent, but it's not that at all. There's a certain wine-like quality to it, but it's not a waterpipe scent.

Nu Be Helium [2He]. Associations I have to give a shoutout to the tobacco note in Helium - don't let the helium scare you off. You won't smell like a cigarette box after vaping this, unlike some other fragrances I've tried. This one's more about the tobacco leaf, with a noble, cigar-like quality, reminiscent of a Cuban cigar. Technical Specifications

Another thing that blew me away about Helium is its incredible longevity. On my skin, it lasts a solid 14 hours. The opening is intense, with a sweet, fruity quality that gradually gives way to a more tobacco-like dry down. It's a really smooth, well-executed transition.

The diffusion is also top-notch. If you apply a moderate amount, you can easily wear it during the day, even in an office setting. Just be warned - the trail is long, especially on warmer skin.

Nu Be Helium [2He] The mood of this fragrance is all over the place - sometimes I want to wrap myself in a blanket and sleep until spring, and other times I feel like running off with a gypsy gang to steal horses and read palms on the Kazan train station.

The Verdict

Like all Nu Be fragrances, Helium feels like a precision-crafted work of art. It's like they assembled the molecules themselves, tweaking and refining until they got it just right. The result is a beautifully balanced, almost sterile fragrance that's a testament to the brand's attention to detail. It's a stunning achievement.

Packaging made of foam Nu Be Helium [2He]But why Helium? Yeah, I get it, all the scents in the line are named after elements from the periodic table, but Helium? Seriously? I 'ate' helium from party balloons as a kid, and it didn't smell like that (or so I thought). The name's a bit of a stretch, but okay. At least Helium sounds cool. Nu Be HeliumWhat a great scent, interesting and unique. For now, it's my favorite in perfumery and my go-to 'me' scent for winter. I already have a year-round 'me' scent, but I'm not ready to share it with you yet.

That's all for now, if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.

Thanks for reading and happy shopping!

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