A Very Interesting Gourmand: Gallagher Fragrances Rose All Dae Review

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Hello, everyone! Thanks for joining me once again. I am super excited about this review! I have seen Gallagher fragrances around, but I was unable to afford them, so I never looked too much into it. My buddy Nathan Geck sent me a couple of decants of some really nice fragrances. This happened to be one of them. So, that means Gallagher Fragrances did not send me this fragrance and my opinion is not influenced by him at all. In fact, I have never even had a private message with Daniel Gallagher. Now, on to the fragrance! Let's get into it!


Notes

Apple Crisp, Golden Honey, Plum, Turkish Rose, Brown Sugar, Tonka Bean, Stainless Steel, Australian Sandalwood, Patchouli, White Musk, Labdanum, and Vanilla


The Scent
Opening
Rose All Dae opens up with some burnt brown sugar with plum and the apple crisp accord. There is also a very rich and prominent honey note. You get some patchouli in there as well, but it's not the offputting hippie kind. It's quite strange in the opening to be fair. It's very unique and can be a bit polarizing. The dry down is much better.

Dry Down
Once it dries down you still have that richly sweet honey glazing everything along with the brown sugar. You get a bit of dark and powdery rose coming out with it. You also get a slightly cold and metallic bite with it, which is the stainless steel coming out to play. However, it's a shy note and doesn't like to show it's full face. The patchouli is still very much present along with the apple crisp accord and plum. I do detect a bit of vanilla in here, at least what I think is vanilla. I also detect some slightly smoky accord. I am not sure where that is coming from, but I do get it. The honey and apple accords do create an overall boozy feel to it, but not the kind that would make others think you have been drinking.

Performance
This fragrance is pretty nuclear on my skin. Around 10-11 hours of longevity and 3-4 of projection. Keep in mind this was tested in warmer weather. Gourmands typically don't do as well when it's warm. It leaves a pretty huge sillage trail as well.

When to Wear it
This fragrance is a casual or date night fragrance. You could perhaps get away with wearing this at any time. I will have to test it more to see. This is a cooler weather fragrance. A perfect one for fall with its plum and honey notes.

Overall Impression
Okay, you folks know I don't use this term very often when talking about a fragrance. I am going to say it here. This is a masterpiece. It's very unique, seductive, and high-quality. It has the performance as well. Nothing I have smelled smells like this does. I don't know how Daniel Gallagher did it. He made a super unique fragrance that is totally wearable. A lot of artisan fragrances aren't one you would want to wear, but this one is. I am seriously blown away. That is not something that happens very often.

This fragrance is very hard to describe because it's masterfully blended and has an insane depth to it. My advice is too just try it. You can get samples from the Gallagher website or from Mark over at myfragrancesamples.com(I will link both below).

Conclusion
I want to try some more Gallagher fragrances now. I want to see what else he has created. I see this fragrance as a 10/10, so if his others are anything like this one, then I might have to save some cash. I particularly want to try Evergreen Dream since I love pine-based fragrances. I am also interested in Peaches and Campfire, Let me know in the comments if any of you have tried either of those and what you thought of them.

Everyone have a fantastic day and remember to say something positive to someone today! Don't be afraid to hit that follow button to support my work!

Buy Rose All Dae

Get a decant of Rose All Dae


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Why Alexandria is So Popular

Source: www.alexandriafragrances.com

Hello there, everyone! I hope everyone is having a marvelous start to your day so far. I have been thinking lately...A lot. Probably too much if I am honest. I was thinking about how Alexandria Fragrances became so popular and why. How did Hany Hafez create a brand that has such a loyal following? Well, I am going to attempt to dissect it here. Let me preface this to say that even though I do know Hany, he did not ask me to write this. n fact, he won't even know about it until I post it. So, needless to say, these are strictly my opinions on the matter. Now, let's get into it!

Also, I will note that I am not a businessman, so take that with a grain of salt.

1. Customer Service

This is probably the thing that propelled Alexandria to the top. Good customer service is a hallmark of a good business. From speedy responses to customer inquiries to replacing bottles that were damaged in shipping. Hany and his team have made sure to always place his customers above everything else. It's a foundational understanding that has been overlooked by many companies. Alexandria nails this concept and takes it beyond the common threshold.

2. Humble Origins

If you look back at my interview with Hany(I will link it below) then you will know where Hany came from. You will know that he failed to make a few fragrance related businesses successful. He never gave up. He kept pushing until he found a formula that worked. His humble upbringing allowed him to place his customer's first and to be thankful to them. He doesn't come off like every one of his fragrances is perfect. In fact, he said he hates Luxor Summer.

3. Treating the Customers like Family

Hany has always listened to his customers. What they want and would like to see. He is always asking for feedback. He tries his best to provide the customers with what they want. From vintage formulas to high-end niche. He has even done a few designer inspirations. He is always working towards coming out with new things to make his customers happy. Which brings me to my next topic...

He commonly posts on the group and adds his input and treats everyone fairly. This is not something that many guys who are as busy as he is will do. He makes every customer feel important because he truly believes that they are important.

4. Innovation

Alexandria is always trying new things. From solid fragrances to beard oils, and the recently released shaving soaps. Alexandria is not afraid to take risks in the market. They aren't afraid to stand out, not just as a fragrance company, but a grooming company as a whole. I am still waiting for those beard oils, Hany. My beard is getting a bit dry...

5. Pricing

Some people will say, "Oh, you can get the real stuff for slightly more per ML over a clone". In some cases, this is true. However, when you add up $1 more per ML with a 60ML bottle, then you are effectively paying double. Everyone likes stuff that is half off, right?

Also, another point is that you would be supporting a small business that places their customers first over a large one who might not even respond to your emails. Just something to consider...

6. Improvement

Alexandria is constantly working towards making their products not only smell good, but to be more aesthetically pleasing. They recently changed their labels and bottles in an effort to make the brand look more serious. He seems to have even more plans for this in the future. Hany is always cookin' up something!

7. Detractors 

Alexandria and every clone company have a number of detractors. Whether that comes from sheer ignorance or just opinion is up to that individual person. I think part of what plays into this is the "mob mentality". People who just follow what others say and don't have opinions of their own. Regardless, as they say, "There is no such thing as bad publicity". So, people who constantly trash these houses only bring attention to them and bring in more sales and exposure for them.

Let me be clear, you have every right to dislike a house for any number of reasons. That is up to you and smell is subjective. However, I can't knock on houses I have never tried. That is just me though. You do you.

Conclusion

Alexandria has gone from a failed business several times to one of the most successful(if not the most) in the fragrance community. The proof is in how many people enjoy and vouch for these fragrances. It doesn't matter if you love Alexandria or dislike them, they aren't going anywhere.

Again, this is not a knock on other clone houses. I have reviewed just about every clone house. Alexandria is the one I see represented outside of their own group the most. I am a big fan of some other clones houses as well. I do have a few that I need to give a review to as well.

I hope everyone has a great day. Keep being positive and smelling amazing. I am going to start reviewing other fragrance related things soon, such as beard oil, natural soap, and other grooming products. I might even review a candle or two as well. So, stay tuned for more reviews. Hit that follow button if you enjoy my content!

Hany Hafez Interview (Fun fact: This is my most viewed post so far this year)

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Leather Done Right: Happyland Cuir Cafe Review

Photo Credit: Happyland Studio/E.J. Wells

Hey, ladies and gentleman! I hope everyone is having a pleasant Sunday today. I apologize that I haven't reviewed anything this week. I was a bit busy, but I will be reviewing a few things over the next couple of days. Today, I am reviewing another one from Happyland Studio. This one is called Cuir Cafe. It goes somewhat along the lines of Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather, but it's not a clone. It is its own fragrance. It's just the closest thing I can think of to describe it as. I also know the perfumer, E.J. Wells does love Tuscan Leather. This seems to be a more masculine take on the leather note in Tuscan Leather, but not as sweet. Happyland Studio did send me this bottle for free. I was not paid to do this, nor did it influence my opinion on this fragrance. Let's get into it!

(I will skip the presentation on this one since I covered it in my last review. This one is the same, except my bottle has a black atomizer.)

Notes

Coffee, Leather, Apricot, Labdanum, Musk, and Jasmine


The Scent

This fragrance is fairly linear to my nose, so I won't do the opening and dry down phases.

In the opening, you get a blast of roasted coffee and rich suede-like leather. I also detect a bit of dirty musk in there. This stuff is quite potent in the opening, so I would suggest that you go easy on the trigger. I don't detect any sort of sweetness. The leather note is very prominent in it, which is no doubt accentuated by the labdanum.

When it dries down, you get a bit more of the bitter roasted coffee coming out. By bitter, I don't mean displeasing, coffee is naturally bitter smelling. during this phase, I get a slight hint of what might be dried apricot, but I can't be certain. It's just a slight tinge of sweetness. This fragrance is certainly about the coffee and leather over anything else.

Performance

I wore this to bed last night and woke up and it was still projecting off my chest. It seems to last around 10 hours or so on me. It projects for about 3-4 hours. Keep in mind that it's still warm here. This is a fragrance that will do much better in the cold.

When to Wear it

This is a colder weather fragrance, as I stated above. Some more of the notes might come out in the colder weather. As for right now, that is what I get from it. This is a more casual fragrance, it doesn't have an elegant touch to it. It does have a lot of quality though, so don't mistake the lack of elegance for a lack of quality. This is a super masculine fragrance. I assume that is what E.J. was going for. A more masculine version of Tuscan Leather that employed the use of coffee instead of the sweetness of raspberry. If that was indeed his goal, he did it well.


Overall Impression

This was my second favorite from what he sent me.  I quite enjoy this one. It's decidedly masculine and somewhat unique. A lot of companies try to compy Tuscan Leather and fail. E.J. took the leather note from it and made it even better. Tom Ford fans don't hate me. I just think he nailed this one. If you love Tuscan Leather or leather fragrances as a whole, contact E.J. and get a sample. I am pretty sure you will enjoy his one as I have. I can't wait until it cools down to give this one an actual good wearing.


Conclusion

Have a fantastic day and be kind to people. Until next time, be kind and be positive. I appreciate all of you and your support. I am at 18,950 views since starting in October. That is pretty amazing for a blog. I wouldn't have kept doing this without your support. Don't be shy about hitting that follow button to help me out.

*Note: This fragrance hasn't been released on his site yet, but you can contact him via Facebook or join the Happyland group to order it*
E.J. Wells' Facebook

Happyland Studio Facebook Group


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An Underrated House: Oil Perfumery Tamarindo

Sorry for the low-quality picture!

Hello, ladies and gentleman! I hope everyone is having a fantastic day. A double-header today! I am going to cover a new house that makes perfume oil roll-ons of popular fragrances. They have quite an expansive wardrobe of clones in their catalog. I was able to get 8 or 9(I think?) for under 100 bucks. The company did provide me with the gift certificate to purchase these for review, but as always, it did not impact my perspective on them. This was actually earlier this year, but I had to take my hiatus from reviewing for a bit, so I am just not getting around to reviewing them. You will see a few of them pop up for the next month or so. This one is an impression of Memo's Tamarindo. A fragrance that isn't copied much. I will preface this by saying I have never smelled the Memo version, so this review will be solely based off of my opinion on this fragrance alone. Let's get into it!

Presentation

Oil Perfumery fragrances come in small glass vial-type bottles, as most perfume oils do. The black cap screws off and is plastic. The label is basic and it black and white in color. Simple, but clean and effective. They come with plastic rollerballs, however, they send a bag with the fragrances that contain metal ones as well. They are easily swapped out if you prefer the metal over the plastic.


Notes

Pineapple, Jasmine Absolute, and Vanilla Absolute

That was taken from their website. I think there are many notes that weren't listed there, which I will go over below.


The Scent

Opening

When you first roll on Tamarindo you get a strong peach-like accord and jasmine. It's very fruity and very potent. You can also detect some orange and pineapple in there, which a slight hint of suntan like coconut. It's very pleasing and very summery. It actually makes me think of where I live. South Carolina is one of the largest peach growing places in the world.


Dry Down

I still get a strong peach vibe on the dry down. I know that peach is a note in the Memo version, so I am pretty sure it's in here as well. Most people on Fragrantica say they get a lot of pineapple in the Memo version. I do pick that up, but it's mainly a peach smell to me. There is a very slight metallicness to it. It's not like Creed SMW though, the metallicness is very subdued and adds characters to the overall blend, and a slightly fresh and cooling sensation. There is some green patchouli in there as well. This is a sweet and floral fragrance, the jasmine and what seems to be tuberose gives it the floral vibe. So, if you are opposed to white florals, this is not for you.


Performance

Tamarindo lasts around 8 hours on me with about 2 hours of projection. Considering these oil only cost 12 bucks for 10ML...That is very acceptable performance. Also, factor in how much longer an oil will last per use compared to a spray bottle, then this is a good bargain.


When to Wear it

This is a casual summer fragrance. It can work in the fall too. It's fun and fruity. It's light-hearted and not meant for formal situations or anything serious. This fragrance is unisex and can be equally enjoyed by both genders, but I do think it leans somewhat more feminine, but not so much that I wouldn't wear it. Keep in mind that I don't mind white florals.


Overall Impression

A very solid fragrance for a solid price. I wouldn't put it in my top 10 or even 20, but I quite enjoy it and think people should give this house a shot. They have impressions of many fragrances that other houses do not. So, that alone is worth checking their site out. Given their performance and that they do in fact smell quite good, albeit not always totally natural, they are a bargain. You can't expect natural quality from something that costs 12 bucks, but they don't come off as synthetic either. It's like in the middle. It's hard to explain with this one, since there are so many fruity notes in it.


Conclusion

This house is worth checking out. At least take the time to click the link below and check out all of their impressions. They have quite a few.

Have an amazing and blessed day! Stay hydrated and say something positive to someone or about someone today! You never know how much hurt or harm you can do!


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A Lovely Gourmand: Happyland Signature Review

Photo Credit: www.happylandfragrances.com

Hey, folks! I hope everyone is having a fantastic and blessed day today! I also hope everyone is keeping cool in this heat. Man, it is hot. So, this is my first review on Happyland Studio. It's a new fragrance company that is run by E.J. Wells. Most of his fragrances are original creations that he personally creates from scratch.  He also is the guy behind the solid fragrances that Alexandria makes. He currently has 6 fragrances in his lineup. 4 of these are original. Je Suis une Femme is a clone of Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle EDP and Plum Loco isn't a clone, but an alternate take on Tom Ford's Plum Japonais(at least to my nose). He did send me all 6 of his current lineup for review, besides Je Suis Une Femme, which I already reviewed as a solid. It did not influence my review of this product at all. The one I will be reviewing first was my favorite of the ones I was sent, Happyland Signature. I am very excited to talk to you folks about this one! Let's get into it!

Also, sorry for using the stock photo. My new phone has a horrible camera!

So, it's not the best quality camera. Maybe I can find a workaround for it soon!

Presentation

Happyland fragrances only currently come in one size, 50ML. The bottle is a vertical rectangle shape with a nice retro feeling label that has all of the details on it. One thing to note about these labels is that you can tell the gender it was made for on them. As you see there is a gentleman with a mustache for the male ones, a resto looking female on the female ones, and a male and female gender symbol for the unisex ones. A cool touch if you ask me. The cap is a standard gold plastic cap. It works, but it's nothing special. However, the atomizers are very good. They spray quite a bit of juice out. I was actually surprised as to how good the atomizers are. Also, don't pick them up from the cap. They will slide off.


Notes

Tobacco, Honey, Apple Pie, and Blueberries



The Scent

Opening

This fragrance opens with a blast of tobacco and honey. The honey is sweet and mild-mannered. The tobacco is rich and dark, sort of like the tobacco in Hafez 1984, but with a sweeter edge to it. That makes it fit this composition perfectly and aids in the effort to keep it masculine. I am also picking up some cinnamon in there, which I assume is from the apple pie accord. It almost gives off a boozy vibe at the top before it settles down.


Dry Down

This fragrance dried down to a sweet fragrance, which you probably already guessed from the notes. The apple comes into play during this stage and makes it give off that cozy and warm fall feeling. Man, apples just make me look forward to fall. I never did detect any blueberries in here, but perhaps they are used as a sweetness booster for the honey. I never detected any kind of crusty accord from the apple pie either, but perhaps that was not intended. The tobacco is certainly more potent and the central part of the fragrance in the dry down, aided by the sweetness of honey and a bit of dry cinnamon. The base seems to have some sort of wood in it as well, so I will assume that it's sandalwood, even though I didn't see it listed.

Performance

One thing I can say about all of the Happyland fragrances I have tested is this, they perform very well. This one is no exception.  I get around 9 hours of longevity and 3 of projection. Do keep in mind that it's 92 degrees here today and this fragrance is better suited for cooler weather, so my testing might be somewhat off as to how it would fare in the cooler weather.

When to Wear it

This is a fall fragrance, through and through. This fragrance reminds me of fall in Maine growing up. It is perfectly suited for winter as well. It just makes me think of fall more. This would fit a nice date night or casual wear. It doesn't have the class to be formal, but I think this would be perfect to wear for Thanksgiving.

Overall Impression

At 1 USD per ML, this is a quality fragrance. 50 bucks for 50ML for something that you can tell E.J. put his heart into. I wouldn't say to blind buy this, because I rarely suggest that for anything. However, if you love tobacco and gourmands, then this would be a safe blind buy. It's not something that is too niche or artistic. It is certainly wearable and will most likely be pleasant and draw compliments. I didn't get any during my testing, but like I said, it's been in the mid-90s here. I am sure this one will draw compliments when it cools down. 

This is certainly one I think folks should check out. I certainly will rock this one in the fall quite often. I don't just say that either. If you look at my bottles that I have reviewed, I actually wear these fragrances that I enjoy. Happyland does offer sample packs on their website, so I encourage you to give this house a shot. I think you will be quite impressed with what you can get for 50 bucks.

Conclusion

Thanks for stopping by. I hope everyone stays cool and keeps smelling amazing. DOn't be shy to hit that follow button. Every little bit helps! Also. remember to stay hydrated. Sorry, that is the Army in me that reminds people to do that :). Don't forget to say something positive to someone or about them today. Let's make the world smell better and spread kindness. Until next time, be blessed.

Buy Happyland Signature here(It also sold in solid form if you prefer that)

Buy a sample pack here


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6 Small Reviewers to Watch

Source: www.pixabay.com

Hey, folks! I hope everyone is having a fantastic day! I am back with a different sort of post. We call ourselves the fragrance community and I think that means we should help one another when we can. These fine gentlemen are reviewers who work really hard to provide content for us, but they go unnoticed. There is a lot of reviewer spam on the FB groups(which includes myself), so how does one pick out which reviewers to watch? Well, I did that work for you. All of these guys have under or around 1k subs. I am asking all of my readers to go show them some love if you would like to.

Now, just because you are not included in this list doesn't mean I don't like your channel. I might just not know about it. I have also opted to only go for reviewers who have consistently reviewed things for a while, so if you are a brand new channel or only post every once in a while, then I didn't include you this time, but I probably will next time if you keep on reviewing.

This list is in no particular order. Let's get into it!


Daniel San

Daniel is an American based reviewer who has a taste for classics like Boucheron's Jaipur EDP. He's also a huge fan of the Encre Noir line. He doesn't edit his videos much, so what you get is his raw and unfiltered opinions about the fragrances he is talking about. I really enjoy that quality about him. It is a crime to have such an authentic reviewer have under 500 subs.


His Channel


2 Scents Worth

2 Scents Worth is a super funny guy. He hails from England and reminds me of Mr Smelly with his humor. It must be an English thing? I don't know, but he's a great reviewer. He also has a taste for some classical fragrances. He does cover modern ones as well. Go check him out, if you don't get a laugh from him...Then I don't know what to tell you.

His Channel


Solano

Solano is a newer reviewer from the US(I believe?). He covers a lot of niche fragrances in his videos. He's a really nice guy who is passionate about fragrances. I think you all should give him a chance.

His Channel


Smells Like...

Joshua is a super nice guy who is very well versed on notes and how to describe them. He is one of the brightest guys in the fragrance community. The way he describes notes lets you feel what he actually means. He is also a very talented musician.

His Channel


OutLaw Frags

James is another often looked over reviewer who puts his heart into his work. He's also a vet, like myself, so he gets more points for that. He reviews a lot of designers, but he does touch on niche as well. He is one of the nicest guys in the fragrance community. Just give him a chance.

His Channel


The Fragrance Shark

Kenny used to be a blogger, like me. He has helped me out a ton. He even created my logo for me and didn't ask for anything in return. He's a very creative guy who has a different style. His style is more poetic and he's very visual. He's a different type of reviewer and deserves a lot more subs than he has.

His Channel

If you are a smaller reviewer who just started, feel free to message me on Facebook and I will check out your content. I will do another one of these in a few months.


Conclusion

These guys are working hard to provide us with new fragrances and to help us make more informed decisions on fragrances. Let's support them in that endeavor and keep them motivated to do more content. It doesn't cost us anything to throw a sub and a like on a few of their videos.

While you are at it, you can feel free to follow my blog as well. Ever sub/follow for us reviewers helps keep us motivated to do more content. Even views help us out.

I hope you all have a wonderful afternoon and keep smelling amazing. Don't forget to say some positive words to someone today! You never know how much of an impact you can make in someone's life by just being nice! Until next time, be blessed and happy.


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My Favorite Tobacco Fragrances

Source: www.pixabay.com

Hello, everyone! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day today! I just want to take a minute and ask that you folks pray, send good wishes to, or think about the folks in Louisiana and the surrounding area that are experiencing a hurricane. Whatever it is you do, send some good vibes their way! Another hot summer day in South Carolina has me yearning for fall and the tobacco fragrances that come with it. If you didn't know, tobacco is my favorite note, so I decided to name some of my favorites. This list is not in any sort of numerical order. I also won't list what season they are best in because tobacco is mainly a cooler weather note. Enjoy!


CK One Shock

Key Notes: Tobacco, Amber, Cardamom, and Patchouli

Situation: Casual

Performance: 6-8 hours

CK One Shock comes in a youthful bottle, but don't let that fool you. This is my favorite Calvin Klein fragrance. It's sweet tobacco with a layer of warm amber and spice underneath. Some say it comes off smelling like a cherry coke. I see why they get that, but I don't agree. This is a great casual and playful fall and winter fragrance.


Alexandria Fragrances Hafez 1984

Key Notes: Cavendish Tobacco, Saffron, Guaiac Wood, Rum, and Warm Spices

Situation: Casual or Formal

Performance: 10+ hours


Hafez 1984 is the crown jewel of Hany Hafez, the creator and owner of Alexandria fragrances. Taking on his namesake, he is very proud of this one and he has every right to be. This fragrance has depth, elegance, and performs like a beast. The tobacco, cinnamon, saffron, and guaiac wood meld to create and intoxicating aroma that will turn heads. This seriously smells like a $300 fragrance, but as most of us know, it sells for much less.


Burberry London

Key Notes: Tobacco, Cinnamon, Leather, and Incense

Situation: Formal or casual

Performance: 6-7 hours


Burberry London is often coined as the "quintessential holiday fragrance". I would agree. This is one that I always wanted to have in my collection. This fragrance has so much depth that I get different vibes from it. Sometimes it smells like port wine. Other times it smells like a Christmas tree. Some people even say it smells like wet leaves in the fall. It really is a truly amazing fragrance. Don't let the performance claims hold you ack. Try this one for yourself.

Parfums de Marly Herod

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Key Notes: Tobacco, Vanilla, and Cinnamon

Situations: Casual, formal, and date nights

Performance 8-9 hours


Herod is a well-known fragrance in the fragrance community. It is beloved for its sweet and alluring blend of tobacco, vanilla, and spices. It's a warm and inviting fragrance that draws people in. Like a cozy wool blanket on a cold winter's night, this one will have you feeling good.


Dolce & Gabbana The One EDT

Key Notes: Tobacco, Amber, Ginger, and Cardamom

Situations: Casual, formal, and date nights

Performance: 5-6 hours

One of the most well-known fragrance DNAs in the industry. There aren't many who dislike this one. The melange of tobacco and warm spices creates a warm and seductive accord that people just love. This one doesn't have the best performance, but it's not quite as bad as most would have you believe.


Bvlgari Man in Black

Key Notes: Tobacco, Leather, Warm Spices, and Rum

Situations: Semi-casual or formal

Performance: 8-9 hours


Man in Black is Spicebomb's older and more mature brother. It's classy, spicy and decadent. It's a great fragrance that rounds out spicebomb's more aggressive nature. It's still very potent, so go easy on the trigger. Rum-soaked pipe tobacco with spices like ginger and cinnamon make this a crowd favorite on those snowy December nights.


Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Key Notes: Tobacco, Vanilla, Druid Fruits, and Spices

Situations: Business-casual or formal

Performance: 8-9 hours

Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille is one of the ones that comes to the front of people's mind when they think of tobacco fragrances. It's a titan in the industry and the praise is well deserved. The richness and complexity of this fragrance are spectacular. Sweet vanilla, realistic tobacco, and spices. I do like Herod more than this one for what it is, but this one doesn't smell like Herod at all. It has much more class, but that makes it less wearable than Herod. So, for that reason, I do enjoy Herod more. This is still an excellent fragrance, even though I do think it is overpriced.


Conclusion

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Remember to spread positive vibes! Keep smelling great and being great! I have a lot of new content coming up, along with some fragrance history posts! Don't be shy to hit that follow button to support me!


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A Class Above: Guerlain l'Homme Ideal Cologne Review

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Hello, ladies and gentleman! I hope everyone had a safe and joyous holiday yesterday. The fragrance I am going to cover today is one I have spoken of in the past, at least in the Facebook community. It has been popping up a bit lately, so I figured I would review it fully now. This is Guerlain's l'Homme Ideal Cologne and I will spoiler it for you here...I love it. Let's get into it!


Notes

Top

Grapefruit, Orange, Pink Pepper, Bergamot


Mid

Almond, Neroli


Base

Vetiver, Musk


The Scent

Opening

This fragrance opens up with a burst of fresh and naturally sparkling citruses including grapefruit, orange, and bergamot. The grapefruit isn't overly sour, it's a juicier version of it. The bergamot and orange are clean and fresh. It also comes with a healthy dose of nutty almond, the same type that is found in the entire Ideal line. It makes it quite unique and different than other fresh fragrances on the market. It also gives it an aura of sophistication.


Dry Down

The aforementioned ingredients come together to mold a cacophony of citrus and almond with a bit of clean vetiver and musk. Some clean neroli is also faintly recognizable. It's not the soapy kind though, it's more clean and floral. It really has a beautiful and pleasant dry down.


Performance

The downfall of this fragrance is the performance. I get around 6-7 hours with around an hour and a half of projection. It's still a very high-quality fragrance, like most Guerlains are. It's still average performance-wise. Considering you can pick up 60ml for around 20 bucks now...That is bad at all.


Overall Impression

As I said previously, I love this juice. It's unique, but still extremely wearable and well rounded. Guerlain is one of my favorite fragrance companies. I haven't found a Guerlain that I don't like yet. I am gonna try to get my hands on the new Ideal Cool flanker that just came out as well. I love how creative this whole line is with the genius of using the almond note to make them unique, but lovable.


Conclusion

A solid pick-up that you can get on Fragrancenet, but it's also been showing up at Marshalls and TJ Maxx lately as well. Some say it has been discontinued, but I haven't seen anything official on that yet. If so, get your hands on it.  This one will be worth a lot in a few years.

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Buy it on Fragrancenet here

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An Old School Creed: Creed Selection Verte Review

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Hello, ladies and gentleman! I hope everyone is having another fantastic summer day today. I have a classic fragrance for you today, Creed's Selection Verte. It was released in 1901. The sad part about this fragrance is that it only comes in a flacon. I don't understand that at all, but it retails for $630 on the Creed website. I was blessed by my friend, Mark Mobley, over at www.myfragrancesamples.com. He sent me a small sample with one of my orders. I am not sponsored by him or his website. He is just a stand-up guy to do business with. I always like to let you folks know where I get my fragrances anyways. Anyways, I will quit blabbering now. Let's get into it!


Notes

Top

Neroli, Citruses, Pepper

Mid

Herbal Notes, Peppermint

Base

Ambergris


The Scent

Opening

Selection Verte opens up with some fresh and juicy lime with some cooling peppermint and soapy neroli. It's very natural and realistic. A very Mediterranean style fragrance that is akin to some of the older Acqua di Parma fragrances or ones from some of the British houses around in that era. You can detect a bit of lemon in there as well. It is of the fresh and sparkling sort.


Dry Down

The dry down tames the neroli a bit and focuses more on citruses. It combines to complete the feel of a fragrance from the decade that focuses mainly on citruses with a neroli backbone to create a fresh and soapy scent that will withstand the test of time. The mint is still there as well, giving it a Mediterranean coast feel and coolness. I don't detect any pepper in this. I will say that my nose doesn't always pick up pepper in fragrances though. So, it could be something that I am anosmic to. It does have an underlying herbal tone in its composition, but I cannot detect which herbs they are.


Performance

Selection Verte isn't a stellar performer. I get around 6 hours from it with decent projection for around 45 minutes before it becomes a soft skin scent. However, given its age and that its an "eau de cologne" type of fragrance, it performs well. Most of those EDCs only last for around 2 hours. This one is an EDT though, not an ADC like most fragrances in this genre. Also, not an EDP like most of Creed's offerings. So, I give it a pass on that for what it is.

When to Wear it

This fragrance is best for hot summer days, but it can work in the spring as well. It's not dense enough for evening wear. It would be able to stand up to cold temperatures either. It is a very safe fragrance though. It's not going to get you a ton of compliments, but no one will really hate this one either. It can be used for casual and formal settings. It does have a class to it and it smells very natural.

Overall Impression

I do like this fragrance. It's very nice and natural. However, it's just not worth it to me, considering it only comes in flacons. There are many others that do the same thing at a fraction of the price and have better performance, such as ADP Colonia Essenza and Alexandria's Alexandria Port(A clone of Tom Ford's Neroli Portofino). It is worth picking up a decant and smelling it if you want to smell a piece of Creed's history. Other than that, it's a pass for me. It is also quite difficult to find.


Conclusion

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Buy Selection Verte here


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A Summer Fragrance with Leather: Mancera Aoud Blue Notes Review

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Hey, everyone! I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer day today. It has been pretty hot here lately, so I have a fragrance that will cool you down. Mancera Aoud Blue Notes is a fruity, woody, and leather fragrance. Yes, leather that works in the high heat. It's quite a rare thing in the summer. Let's get into it!


Notes

Top

Bergamot, Lemon, Orange, Fruity Notes, Green Notes

Mid

Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Orris Root, Violet, Patchouli

Base

Leather, Amber, Guaiac Wood, Sandalwood, Vanilla


The Scent

Opening

The opening has a lot of fruitiness going on. Judging by the notes, it's a melange of them. Some sparkling citruses with some berry-like fruits, accented by some soft powdery florals to bring the sweetness of this fragrance to life. I cannot detect every fruit in this fragrance since there are so many, but it's quite a beautiful and refreshing combo. I don't detect much greenness, only a very slight nuance of it. The fruits are certainly overpowering to my nose.

Dry Down

During the dry down, the leather and woods start to emerge. It's not a potent dosage of it, but you can pick it up. The leather is quite soft and unabrasive. The main players here are still the fruits and florals. It remains true to its blue name, with the florals adding that bit of depth needed to keep this out of the same genre of fragrances like Sospiro Erba Pura. One thing to keep in mind, like most of Mancera's offerings...This one is not natural smelling. It smells very synthetic, but that is not a bad thing. I still enjoy it.

Performance

I get excellent performance from Aoud Blue Notes. Clocking in at around 9-10 hours of longevity with 3-4 of projection. This one is pretty sweet, so it can be easy to go anosmic to. It's still there though. I have received a compliment with this one at the bank.


When to Wear it

This fragrance is for the spring and summer. It could be used in the cooler months, but I imagine that it won't hold up well for that. Despite being a leather fragrance, this is a daytime one. It's way too bright and cheerful for the nighttime. This is also very casual, despite its powdery clean vibe.


Overall Impression

A very solid, albeit synthetic fragrance. It's "blue" to its core. It's a great pick up if you are a fan of Mancera's other offerings like Cedrat Boise. However, there are other fragrances that do this genre better and with higher quality. So, I would say only get this if you are a big Mancera fan and love leather as well. Other than that, I would suggest trying Aoud Lemon Mint over this.


Conclusion

I hope everyone has a fantastic day. Be safe, blessed, and say encouraging things to people! Until next time, keep smelling fantastic!


Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here!

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