The Warm Embrace of Zadig & Voltaire's This is Us!

First Impressions

There's something immediately comforting about This is Us!, like slipping into a favorite cashmere sweater that somehow smells of vanilla and woodsmoke. From the first spray, Zadig & Voltaire's 2020 release announces itself not with a bang, but with a gentle, confident whisper. It's the olfactory equivalent of that friend who makes everyone feel at ease—unassuming yet memorable, soft yet distinctive. The woody-vanilla core reveals itself immediately, wrapped in a powdery haze that feels both modern and nostalgic, like revisiting a cherished memory through a slightly blurred lens.

The Scent Profile

While This is Us! keeps its specific note breakdown close to the chest, the fragrance's personality speaks volumes through its dominant accords. The perfume is built on equal pillars of woody and vanilla elements—both registering at full intensity—creating a foundation that's simultaneously grounded and sweet. This isn't your dessert-counter vanilla; it's integrated seamlessly with the wood, each tempering the other's potential excesses.

What makes this composition particularly interesting is the powdery accord that hovers at 99%, creating an almost tactile softness that envelops the woody-vanilla heart. Think of the finest milled powder, the kind that blurs sharp edges and creates a gentle, diffused aura around the wearer. This powder doesn't read as dated or overly cosmetic; instead, it modernizes the gourmand tendencies of the vanilla, preventing it from tipping into cloying territory.

The muskiness arrives at a moderate 53%, adding skin-like warmth without dominating the conversation. It's the kind of musk that makes you want to lean closer, that creates intimacy rather than projection. A warm spicy element at 47% provides just enough heat to keep things interesting—a subtle tingle that prevents the sweetness from becoming one-dimensional. Rounding out the composition, a 40% balsamic quality adds depth and a resinous richness that grounds the lighter elements, giving the fragrance a satisfying weight and longevity.

The overall impression is one of layered simplicity: each accord plays its role without fighting for attention, creating a harmonious whole that evolves gently on the skin rather than progressing through dramatic transformations.

Character & Occasion

This is Us! has found its calling as a daytime companion, with 91% of wearers favoring it for daylight hours, though it maintains respectable versatility with 47% finding it suitable for evening wear. It's that rare fragrance that feels appropriate for the office meeting and the weekend coffee date alike—professional enough to inspire confidence, personal enough to feel like an authentic expression.

Seasonally, this is a fragrance that blooms in cooler weather. Fall claims it completely at 100%, with winter following closely at 82%. The woody-vanilla-powder combination makes perfect sense here: it's the scent of cozy sweaters, of leaves crunching underfoot, of early twilights and candlelit rooms. Spring shows decent compatibility at 68%, suggesting it transitions well into those cool mornings and evenings when winter hasn't quite released its grip. Summer, at 44%, is where This is Us! meets its limits—the warmth and richness that charm in cooler months might feel heavy under intense heat.

The fragrance skews feminine but possesses enough woody depth to appeal to anyone drawn to comforting, enveloping scents. It's particularly suited to those who want presence without projection, intimacy without invisibility.

Community Verdict

With a solid 3.75 out of 5 rating from 1,092 votes, This is Us! has garnered genuine appreciation from a substantial community of wearers. This rating sits comfortably in "very good" territory—not a unanimous masterpiece, but clearly a fragrance that resonates with many. The substantial vote count lends credibility to this assessment; we're not looking at a niche curiosity with a handful of devotees, but rather a fragrance that's been thoroughly tested and thoughtfully evaluated by over a thousand people. The rating suggests a well-executed composition that delivers on its promises, even if it doesn't revolutionize the category.

How It Compares

This is Us! finds itself in compelling company. Its spiritual siblings include Maison Martin Margiela's By the Fireplace (that woody-vanilla-smoke trinity), Zadig & Voltaire's own This is Her, Guerlain's Mon Guerlain, By Kilian's Angels' Share, and Yves Saint Laurent's Black Opium. This is telling—these are established, well-loved fragrances with significant followings.

Where This is Us! carves its niche is in its accessibility and wearability. It doesn't demand attention the way Black Opium does, nor does it lean as heavily into the smoky drama of By the Fireplace. Instead, it occupies a middle ground: more interesting than a simple vanilla, more approachable than an intense woody-amber. It's the fragrance equivalent of the friend who gets along with everyone at the party.

The Bottom Line

This is Us! represents Zadig & Voltaire's understanding of what makes a fragrance genuinely wearable. It's not chasing trends or making bold proclamations—it's simply offering a well-crafted woody-vanilla experience that works for real life. The 3.75 rating reflects exactly what this fragrance is: reliably good, widely appealing, and thoughtfully constructed.

Should you try it? Absolutely, if you're drawn to comforting, woody-gourmand fragrances that prioritize wearability over statement-making. It's particularly worth exploring if you love the category but find some options too sweet, too heavy, or too intense. This is Us! offers a more measured approach—warm without being cloying, distinctive without being polarizing. It's a fragrance that lives up to its name: genuine, approachable, and designed for connection rather than impression.