A Fresher Take: SCENTual Obsessions Bois du Portugal Review

Happy Halloween to all of the spooky and friendly ghosts out there. I hope every is have a fun holiday. I have another one from SCENTual Obsessions tonight. It's a recreation of one of my favorite fragrances, Bois du Portugal by Creed.

This was sent to me for review. I was not paid of influenced to review this positively in any way. Let's get into it.


Presentation
Bois du Portugal(BdP from here on out) comes in a rectangular bottle. The one I have is 15ml, but they have other sizes as well. The label wraps around the side of the bottle. It features the house name, logo, and fragrance name. The cap is plastic and gold in color. The sprayer is okay, but nothing special. It's a simplistic presentation, but it works.

SCENTual Obsessions is working on upgrading their bottles and labels right now, so this one is an older bottle.

Notes

Top 

Bergamot

Heart 

Lavender

Base 

Sandalwood, Cedar, Vetiver, and Ambergris


The Scent

Opening

BdP opens up with a big burst of bergamot that comes off as almost lime-like to my nose. It's bright, like the bergamot you would smell in Earl Grey tea before it's brewed. You get a lot of powdery lavender when that bergamot note starts to settle a bit.

Dry Down

As the heart starts to come ut you get some creamy and buttery sandalwood. The cedar is peppery and gives the fragrance its woody backbone and nuances of spices. The vetiver is dry, but on the slightly grassy side. It's not earthy at all. The ambergris adds a bit of sweetness that works well with the lavender.

I will note that the bright bergamot note does persist for a decent amount of time in this fragrance, making it a bit fresher than the Creed version.


Performance

I get around 9 hours of longevity, 2 of which project to an arm's length. The performance is good. Especially when you consider that this fragrance costs only 20 bucks for 30ml.  It leaves a good sillage trail as well for most of its life.


When to Wear it

The persistence of the bergamot through the life of this fragrance makes me think this is good for any season except summer. This has a very upscale barbershop smell.  You can wear it with jeans or a suit. It's quite versatile.

This is a classic men's fragrance, so I would say it's good for men that are 30 or older. It's much smoother and more rounded than barbershop fragrance like Azzaro Pour Homme and Paco Rabanne Pour Homme.


Overall Impression

The SCENTual Obsessions version of BdP is a fine fragrance and I really enjoy it. However, I do not think it's that close to the Creed version because it stays a bit fresher with the bergamot. That being said, I do think this is full bottle worthy because I enjoy that aspect of it. It wearable in more seasons and it's a good take on the fragrance. One that I wasn't expecting, but I like it.

This is a great budget-friendly fragrance for someone looking for a very classy fragrance for formal occasions. Even though you can dress it down as well. If you want something that is very masculine and clean, then you might want to pick up a sample of this one.


Conclusion

SCENTual Obsessionsis doing some fine work in making affordable clones of higher-end fragrances for people. I have only tried three, but I enjoyed all of them. Even if this one wasn't spot on to BdP, it's still a great take on it and it does the job admirably.

Remember to always speak life to people and don't cut them down. Be positive and smell great. Until next time, be safe

Also, I  know it's a holiday and people like to drink. Please don't drink and drive. I lost a good friend of mine because of that.


Buy SCENTual Obsessions here

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Why Heavy Spraying Doesn't Impact Longevity

Source: www.pixabay.com

Hey folks, I hope everyone is having a good night tonight! Welcome back! This is going to be a short article. A few people have asked me why I say overspraying doesn't impact the longevity of your fragrance. Most people know by now I am not a fan of heavily spraying fragrances.

Now, I am not a scientist. I don't claim to be one. This is solely my opinion from my own personal testing with fragrances and what I have researched. A lot of you will disagree with me. That is totally fine.

So, here are a few of my reasons as to why I don't think it improves longevity.


1. The Science
Looking at those tiny little things we call molecules and telling ourselves that more is better doesn't make sense. A molecule has a lifespan. Adding more molecules of the same lifespan won't change that. You will just smell stronger for the same amount of time.

The molecules will still be impacted by evaporation due to the body's temperature and air moving through them. It's not like pain. It doesn't dry and form layers on your skin.


2. Projection
It is true that if you add more molecules to others, then it will smell stronger, so therefore the projection is increased with more sprays. You also run the risk of melding too many notes together when the ratio is thrown off by spraying it too many times in the same area. So, basically, your fragrance will not smell as you intended it to.


3. The Anosmic Factor
Regardless of how much you smell, your nose will still stop smelling a fragrance after varying amounts of time. Your nose is designed to pick up threats, not to keep smelling stuff it doesn't detect as a threat. So, if that soothing bergamot is not deemed as a threat, your nose will ignore it.

What I am trying to say is that if you spray more, then you do two things...It makes your nose ignore it faster and makes other people's nose ignore it faster as well because it's so strong. I think this is part of why I get twice as many compliments when I spray normally, as opposed to spraying heavily.


Conclusion
I might go more in-depth with this later if people would like it. For now, I will leave as it is. Again, this is my opinion. The science is still out on if spraying heavily works or not, but there are other factors to consider.

Have an amazing night and speak words to uplift people, not bring them down! Until next time, smell great and do great things!

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Mysterious and Seductive: Fragrenza Adesso Review(Original Creation)

Source: www.fragrenza.com

Good morning, everyone! So, I am posting a few reviews today because it's 4 in the morning and I can't seem to sleep. I figured doing a little work would make me tired, but so far, it hasn't. That means more content for you though!

I have covered a few Fragrenzas already and have been impressed with them. Adesso is an original creation, not a clone. It has some unique notes in it as well. Let's see how it holds up!

This was sent to me for free for review. I was not compensated in any way and my opinions remain my own.


Notes

Top

Dark Cherry and Dark Raspberry

Heart

Dark Tobacco, Frangipane, and Olibanum

Base

Maple Syrup and Tonka Bean


The Scent

Opening 

Adesso opens up with a blast of dark(yes, this fragrance is dark considering it has 3 notes that say they are dark)and slightly tart cherries and raspberries with a dose of robust maple syrup.It comes off a tad bit medicinal off the top until the notes start melding together.


Dry Down

As the heart notes start emerging you get a bit of a nutty almond vibe, which I assume is from the frangipane note. I am not really all that familiar with frangipane, but I know it's made with almonds. You get a bit of smoky incense in there as well, which comes from the olibanum. The dark tobacco note is bitter. On the website, Somia called it "unsweeetened chocolate" and he is dead on with that. Overall, this fragrance is tart, sweet, and slightly bitter. It's pretty unique. I haven't smelled anything like it before.


Performance

Fragrenza has become known to me as a house that makes beast mode fragrances. I get 9-10 hours with this one with 3 of arm's length projection. It performs very well, although not as good as some of the others I have tried from them.


When to Wear it

This is a date night fragrance to me. It's too sweet to wear with a suit. You could pull it off with a sweater and khakis though. I wouldn't go too casual with it either.

This is strictly a cold-weather fragrance. It's most suited for cool fall nights and winter. This would be overly cloying in the heat.

This is a unisex fragrance. The tobacco note in this isn't masculine. The bittersweet vibe is gives allows this to be worn by women with no confusion.


Overall Impression

This one isn't my favorite from the house, but I still enjoy it. As I said before, it is quite unique. It's a pretty seductive fragrance that will make people wonder what it is, since they probably never smelled anything similar to it before. This is one I would fully suggest getting a sample of because I don't think everyone will love it. If you like dark and sweet fragrances, then this is probably up your alley.


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this article. I am working on a lot of stuff right now, so you will see some new types of content being released shortly. Stay tuned!


As always, be safe and be kind. Lift people up with your words. Make the world smell better and be better!

I started up a Facebook page for my blog. It would be awesome if you could go give it a like, review, or rating. Feel free to be honest if you think I can improve! Link

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My Top 10 Suit and Tie Fragrances

Source: www.pixabay.com

Hey, folks! I hope everyone is having a fantastic day today! I have another top 10 for you. I get asked quite often what my favorite fragrances to wear with a suit are. I will be honest, I don't wear suits very often. In fact, I don't even own one that fits right now. However, I do know what fragrances I would want to wear with a suit.

I am going to break this down into two parts, 5 for warmer weather and 5 for cooler weather. Just to give options on both sides. The colors category denotes what color suits would go well with this fragrance.

I had a rough draft of this typed up a few months ago, but TLTG Reviews dropped a video on this a few weeks ago and it reminded me that I needed to finish it. Let's get into it!

Warm Weather

5. Guerlain L'Homme Ideal Cologne

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Grapefruit, almond, musk, and orange

Colors: Light


L'Homme Ideal is more casual than others on this list, but it can work with a light-colored suit to an event that isn't as formal. It still smells very classy and fits the mold. Tart and fresh grapefruit with warm and nutty almonds that dries down with some musk and vetiver. Very clean, refined, unique and somewhat playful, but not too much.


4. Bleu De Chanel EDP

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Grapefruit, lemon, incense, amber, and cedar

Colors: Light to dark(except black)


Bleu de Chanel is about as versatile as you can get in a fragrance. It goes just as well with a pair of jeans as it does with a suit. Zesty grapefruit, lemon, incense, and cedar make this one a crowd-pleaser that can fit in at any occasion. I think it's a bit too bright to be worn with a black suit. I think the Parfum would be okay with black though, so opt for that one if you have to wear black. The woodiness and less citrus in the Parfum make it more wearable with dark colors, but overall I am partial to the EDP.


3. Creed Aventus

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Pineapple, apple, birch, bergamot, blackcurrant, musk, and patchouli

Colors: Light to dark


Creed Aventus is a culture icon at this point, but it's versatile enough to wear with a suit. Vibrant pineapple. fresh apple, sparkling bergamot, dry and smoky birch, tart blackcurrant, clean musk, and woody patchouli work to make this one of the most popular fragrances on the market. The woodiness in the dry down with a bit of fruit with musk allows this one to have enough class to wear with any color suit.

I am not a huge fan of this fragrance, but it's okay. No one can deny its success. I don't really subscribe to the idea that a bunch of the batches vary as drastically as people say. After trying a few different batches, they might be 3-5% different at best. Just buy Aventus and love it if you do. Don't worry about the batch hype.


2. Creed Green Irish Tweed

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Lemon verbena, violet, iris and sandalwood

Colors: Any


Green Irish Tweed is a standard fragrance for gentleman. A classic DNA that holds up to modern times. Like walking through a lush field of grass after a spring rain. This one speaks of class and is perfectly suited for any event you can think of. Smelling clean never goes out of style, my friends.


1. Guerlain Vetiver

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Vetiver, tobacco, lemon, bergamot, and nutmeg

Colors: Any


I might be a bit biased on this one, since Vetiver is my favorite fragrance. However, it's also the cheapest on this list(for warmer weather ones at least) and it works wonderfully with a suit. Another clean gentleman's fragrance. The DNA is a bit more dated than GIT, but I still adore this fragrance and I would put it up against on fragrance on the market today.



Cool Weather

5. Bentley for Men Intense

Main Notes: Rum, leather, patchouli, benzoin, and cinnamon

Colors: Dark


Bentley for Men Intense got a bit of hype as a designer offering with niche quality. I would have to agree with this assessment. This fragrance is certainly very high=quality, but it's not for everyone. If you spray more than 2 with this one, the paint might start peeling off the walls. It's a very classy and formal fragrance with rich depth and complexity. I would say this fragrance is only suitable for suits. It's cheap though, so you can save a few bucks to get a suit not made of polyester.


4. Alexandria Fragrances Hafez 1984

Main Notes: Tobacco, guaiac wood, saffron, rum, and patchouli

Colors: Dark


This fragrance made people start noticing Alexandria Fragrances even more. Pungent and earthy tobacco meets rum, woody guaiac wood, earthy patchouli, and leathery saffron with a bit of spice. This is another 2 sprays max fragrance. You will choke someone out with more. It can be worn casually, but I think it's more formal due to the overall dryness of it. This is a serious fragrance for  a serious businessman who is ruthless in his deals.

3. Tom Ford Oud Wood

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Oud, rosewood, cardamom, and sandalwood

Colors: Any


Oud wood is a global phenomenon. Given the price of this fragrance, you would expect it to have real oud in it, but it doesn't. Regardless, this is a very classy synthetic oud and sandalwood fragrance with a bit of sweetness from the cardamom and vanilla. It fits into a suit just fine.

2. Bvlgari Man in Black

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, rum, leather, and tobacco

Colors: Dark(Duh, it has black in the name)


Man in Black is a load of dry and spicy goodness with a touch of class from sweet rum and dark tobacco. It can be dressed down, but I think it works best in a suit. This one is masculine to the core. It's cheap too, so get a sample and see if you like this fragrance that I believe is superior to Spicebomb.


1. Zaharoff Signature

Main Notes: Lavender, myrrh, vanilla, incense, oud, and sandalwood

Colors: Any


I could have put this fragrance on the warmer weather one as well, but I think it's more suited for cooler weather. Just control the sprays on it and you will be fine when it's warmer. This is seriously a beautiful fragrance. It's dark, clean. woody, and masculine with a touch of sweetness. It makes me think of something MFK would make for his Oud line. I know this one has caught some hype lately, but I said this stuff was amazing almost a year ago. That still holds true.

This fragrance is the embodiment of a man in a suit to me. Its luxurious dark quality has that impact on my olfactory senses. It's also quite clean with dominant notes of myrrh and powdery lavender. The oud/sandalwood round out the overall vibes with vibes of manliness. I seriously love this stuff.

You can get a free sample to check it out. Just google "Zaharoff free sample" and fill out the form. It's free, what have you got to lose?


Conclusion

These are my choices if I was to wear a suit. I think they are all amazing fragrances. Try to get some samples and try them for yourself. I think you will be quite pleased. Remember this though, a gentleman is made from his actions and how he treats people, not by his fragrance of suit. Be a man of honor and integrity and wear these fragrances with pride!

Hope everyone has a fantastic day. Until next time, speak positive words and keep smelling amazing!

I started up a Facebook page for my blog. It would be awesome if you could go give it a like, review, or rating. Feel free to be honest if you think I can improve! Link

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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! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

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Oh My, Apple Pie: Babylon Burning Desire Review

Good afternoon, everyone! I hope everything is going well for you wherever you are. Today, I have another review from Babylon. I haven't done a review on them in quite a while, but they are still around. This one was inspired by Parfums de Marly Oajan, of the best fragrances for this time of year. Let's see how it holds up!

This fragrance was sent to me for free, but it wasn't sent for me to review, but I decided to do it anyway.


Presentation

The bottle is the same as the other Babylon fragrances I have reviewed. A black bottle with a black and gold label. A standard plastic gold cap and a pretty decent atomizer.

The difference is these now come in boxes. The box it comes in is black, with the fragrance house on the front and their insignia on it. Perfume extract and the bottle size can also be seen on the front. It has a cloth tassels(for lack of a better word) that hold the box shut. The box opens like a book to reveal the fragrance snuggly nestled in a bed of faux silk, which is gold in color.

It's a simple presentation, but I like the change. It adds more to the experience of opening the fragrance. It adds a touch of luxury to it.


Notes

Top 

Cinnamon, Hony, and Osmanthus

Heart

Benzoin, Labdanum, Ambergris, and Artemisia


Base 

Patchouli, Musk, Vanilla, and Tonka Bean


The Scent

Opening

Burning Desire blasts you with a high dose of dry cinnamon and golden honey on the initial spray. It's quite potent. After around 2 minutes, you get that tart osmanthus, which mimics the apple smell that many people get in this fragrance. If you mix it with the creamy vanilla, then it completes that image, at least to me


Dry Down

As the heart notes come out you start to get a bit of woody patchouli and the benzoin which acts to sweeten up the vanilla. Roasted tonka makes its presence known with its toasted vanilla vibe. That helps this fragrance have that "baked" vibe that some people describe.


Performance

Burning Desire is a perfume extract(which is another way to say it's an extrait). So, in other words, this is a long-lasting fragrance. I get around 10 hours with about 3 of those being at least arm's length projection. A very solid performer. No complaints there at all.

When to Wear it

This is a wonderful date night fragrance, like most gourmands are. However, the spiciness allows you to wear this one with a suit as well. So, I think it's quite diverse, from casual to formal. I wouldn't wear it with a tuxedo though.

It's a unisex fragrance that I could see fitting both genders of any age perfectly.


Overall Impression

It's a very solid recreation of Oajan to me. it's nearly identical to my nose. The price is better too. The upgrade in the presentation is a nice touch as well. This is one that is full bottle worthy to me, since I love the spicy gourmands. As always, test for yourself. You can get a free 1.5ml sample of this as well. I will link it below.

Babylon is making some pretty solid fragrances. I think they will be a real contender when they get a bit more variety in. People don't talk about this house much, but they make some good fragrances.


Conclusion

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Remember to be kind to everyone you meet. Until next time, smell good and make the world a better place!

Buy Burning Desire here

Get a free sample here

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Happyland Studio's Newest Release: Happyland Se7en Review

Hey, folks. I am glad you could join me once again! I hope everyone is having an amazing day today! Today, I have a new release from Happyland Studio for you. This one isn't on the website yet, but E.J. is offering a few bottles in the Happyland Facebook group(I will link it at the end of this article). So, be sure to join that group. He commonly offers new releases a few days early to people in that group.

I have had this one for a few weeks and have been able to thoroughly test it. I was sent this for free from Happyland Studio. No money was exchanged and a positive review wasn't guaranteed. Let's be honest though, Happyland has yet to produce anything I dislike. I am not crazy about Blue Fire, but I still like it. I have another Happyland review coming up soon as well and that one is my favorite from the house so far. So, stay tuned! Let's get into it!


Presentation

Happyland's newest release comes in a black bottle, unlike the other that comes in a clean one. The label is black and gold with the standard mustached man with his classic fedora on the label, indicating that this is a fragrance for men.

The atomizer is gold and is the standard one that Happyland uses. It distributes a lot of juice in a somewhat wide arc.

The cap is the standard Happyland one as well. It's gold as well. It's nothing special, but it does the job.

I do think that a black atomizer and cap would look better for the bottle design, but the gold does add some contrast, so I do enjoy the presentation here. Even though it's very basic and simple. I do think the 30ml come with black ones, and the 50ml comes with gold ones. Even though mine is a 30ml and has the gold setup.

(I have no idea why there is a huge gap in the text there. I have tried moving it around and it's being strange. Sorry about that)

Notes

Citrus Notes, Mandarin Orange, Rose, Neroli, Amber, Jasmine, Benzion, Musk, and Pink Pepper


The Scent

Opening
Se7en opens up with a blast of white florals and the dried flesh of an orange. You get some powdery and clean rose in there, but the florals are blended very well and none of them stand out apart from the others very well.  There does seem to be a tad bit of tartness in the opening, so I think it might have grapefruit as well.

Dry Down
When Se7en starts to show it's mid notes, you start to get some of the pink pepper. Pink pepper is actually a berry and it's not spicy. It comes off as a cleaner floral note. It's akin to rose, so it adds to the cleanliness of the rose in this fragrance. The amber also starts showing its face. It's a dry and powdery amber that is spiced. So, this gives it a fougere feel with a bit of warm powdery spice at the base. The benzoin adds a bit of sweetness to keep it smooth and coming off as being dry.


Performance
If you have ever tried a Happyland fragrance, then you are aware that they are no slouch when it comes to performance. I get around 10 hours with this one. For two of those hours, this fragrance will project to at least an arm's length away. Then it settles into more of a skin scent.


When to Wear it
This is a very versatile fragrance. It's for the cooler months though. I would say you can wear it for any occasion when it cools down. The amber base really doesn't make it suitable for the heat.

The bit of spice and florals do make this a fragrance that you can wear on a date. You could also rock this in a suit or just roaming around town on a fall day.
This is certainly a masculine fragrance. I couldn't see a woman every wanting to wear this, but I do think women will enjoy the smell of it on a man. I did get a compliment while wearing it from a bank teller. She said it smelled "very clean".


Overall Impression
As for my tastes, this is full bottle worthy. It's not my favorite from Happyland, but it is a solid offering that is a bit unique and it still manages to be a mass pleasing fragrance. It's essentially, as E.J. said himself, a fougere with an amber base. That is exactly what it is. Instead of using dated materials like oakmoss and tonka he decided to use more modern materials like pink pepper and amber. Don't get me wrong though, this is not a barbershop style fragrance. It's not meant to be and it has none of the core ingredients featured in most barbershop style fragrance)oakmoss, tonka, and lavender). It's just a clean smelling fragrance with a bit of warm spice to it. It has some depth though.

Happyland is becoming a house that I look at when I know I would be disappointed with whatever he puts out. I don't ut all of his creations in my top 10, but I have enjoyed everything he has put out. I fully suggest that you pick up a few samples and try them out for yourself.


Conclusion
I hope everyone has a great day. Remember to say positive words to people and make the world smell better and feel better. Fragrances are an accessory, not a reason to be a jerk.

Until next time, be safe!


Happyland Facebook Group

Happyland's Website

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How to get your Fragrances to Perform

Source: www.pixabay.com

Hey, folks! I am glad you could join me once again. All of your support is greatly appreciated! Feel free to reach out to me if you ever have any questions or requests for me to do anything. No, before you ask I am not going to sing "...Baby one more time" by Britney Spears. That is the stuff of nightmares.

Lame jokes aside, this is something I see in the fragrance community quite often. People saying things like, "performance sucks", "it doesn't work with my skin chemistry", and all manners of other things in an effort to say "this fragrance doesn't last". Now, sometimes that is the case. However, when someone says they get terrible performance from a fragrance that is widely heralded as a good performer, then it makes me think there is a kink in the system. Maybe it is their skin chemistry or something else. I often see the phrase, "I can't smell it after 3 hours". That in itself indicates that the person hasn't been properly informed on how to judge the performance of their fragrance.

Have no fears! I am here to help.  Well, sot of. This is mostly my opinion. I don't have any fancy scientifical data to back it up. Just raw experience. Let's get into it!


1. Never Trust Your Nose
Your nose is a very fickle organ. It gets tired very easily. You can go anosmic to many smells, but especially to spicy or sweet ones. It's also very easy to go anosmic to ambroxan. There are many notes that cause you to go nose blind, but those are a few examples.

Think of it like this...We all know a smoker. We can smell that a smoker smells like a rancid chimney, but they have no idea because their nose has gone anosmic to their own smell. Others can smell you, but you cannot.

Anosmia is very common among oversprays. When you heavily assault your olfactory senses with a huge load of that amazing juice you love it triggers your nose to shut off because it's just too much.

So, how do we judge the performance of a fragrance? We don't! We ask others if they can smell it. That is how you can determine whether or not you are still projecting or if the fragrance is still there. One very important thing is to make sure to ask someone who has not been around you all day. They could have gone anosmic to smelling you as well.


2. Don't Overspray
While it's true that overspraying will give you better projection, it might be at the cost of ruining the composition of your fragrance. When you spray so much that certain notes come out more strongly, then it messes up the small of the fragrance. Overspraying does not increase longevity, only the projection.

I find myself less likely to get compliments if I overspray. It seems like most people that compliment me do so when I am wearing less of a fragrance. People seem to enjoy getting a little waft here and there and not to be immersed in a gigantic scent cloud that they cannot escape.

Remember that overspraying causes you to go anosmic, so when you overspray you won't have much of an idea of what the people around you are smelling. So, I think it's better to start lighter and then figure out where the sweet spot for others is with a fragrance.


3. No One Night Stands
A fragrance needs to be tested for at least a week before you can properly gauge its strength and smell. Don't test a fragrance, smell the opening, and then put it up for sale. I see that all too often along with the words "longevity sucks". There is no way you were able to ask enough people if the performance was there if you only wore it once or twice. Test your fragrances properly before pungling them into the depths of the porcelain throne.


4. Hydration
A simple thing such as drinking more water will help your fragrances last longer. Why? Because your skin is an organ that needs fluid to perform at peak capacity, just like everything else in your body. Hydration has also been said to improve the function of your nose. That is not proven, but it sounds like it would be true.

So, drinking water could help your skin hold fragrances for longer and help your nose detect more smells.


5. The Lotion Debate
Earlier this year there was a lot of hype surrounding using unscented lotion. I never use lotion, but if you have dry skin, then I am sure that would help. For most of us, it doesn't really help. The idea is that the lotion creates a barrier between the fragrance and your skin and that allows the fragrance to sit on that barrier longer. In my experience, the lotion normally wears off before the fragrance does, so it doesn't help the performance at all.  It might help projection a bit at the start though.


6. Take a Bath, Bro/Girl
Having clean skin is essential to getting the most out of your fragrances. This should go without saying, but it would surprise you how many people try to substitute fragrances to try to mask body odor. It just doesn't work. Don't try it. Take a bath.

Clean skin allows the fragrance to sit on your skin properly and do its job. Plus, taking a shower helps moisturize your skin, so the fragrance isn't soaked up. Always apply your fragrances after a shower.

Having other smells on you from not bathing can interfere with how others smell your fragrance as well.


7. Intimate Fragrances
Some fragrances are not designed to be massive projectors. Some date night fragrance or office-friendly fragrances are designed to sit closer to the skin. This works in an office environment that may have to make a no fragrance policy if people are choking others out with 14 sprays of Interlude. It also works for dates where you want the other person to get closer to smell you. It draws them in. Like a mysterious smell that draws them to you in order to find out more. I fthey can smell you from 10 feet away, then they have no need to get closer to smell it. It can work to your advantage, gents. Especially if you are looking for some cuddle time.

8. Skin Chemistry
I will be honest with you here. I know skin chemistry can vary greatly on certain people, but I don't think a beast mode fragrance would perform only for 30 minutes based on skin chemistry alone. Give or take an hour or two maybe. I think it's just an excuse that some people use to belittle a fragrance that doesn't live up to their personal expectations. I think the problem is more than likely one of the things I mentioned above and not skin chemistry.


Conclusion

Performance is a hard thing to judge. We must learn how to judge it properly so that we don't get rid of amazing fragrances because we were mistaken.

Don't take any of this as a law. This is merely my opinion and what I have experienced myself. I think there is a lot of misinformation in the fragrance community that is directly derived by posts that people want to agree with, so they take it as truth and don't figure it out for themselves.

If you do think you might agree with what I said, test them out and let me know how they worked for you.

I hope everyone has a great day. Stay smelling fantastic and keep telling people positive things! Until next time, be safe and humble!

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A Trip to the Pier: Scentual Obsessions Wood Sage and Sea Salt Review

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Hello, once again! I do sincerely hope everyone is doing well today. I know that fall stuff is in swing right now, but I have another summer scent to bring you today. This one was sent to me by Scentual Obsessions and it's their version of Wood Sage & Sea Salt by Jo Malone. This fragrance isn't one that has many clones, which baffles me, given that it's such a good fragrance.

This was sent to me for free to review, but it did not impact my opinion of the product in any way.

Also, this was only a sample, that is why there are no pictures of the bottle and I will not cover the presentation.

Let's get into it!


Notes
Ambrette Seeds, Sea Salt, Grapefruit, and Sage


The Scent

Opening
Wood Sage and Sea Salt opens up with a salty blast of freshness like sitting by the seaside with a cool ocean breeze caressing your skin. A clean white linen shirt then entices your senses with its clean aura. The linen shirt accord comes from the ambrette seeds, which are also known as musk mallow. The cool breeze accord comes from some fresh and slightly tart grapefruit. The opening of this fragrance is casual, relaxing, very enjoyable.

Dry Down
As the heart of the fragrance comes out you get that woody sage note with a bit of aromatic herbalness to it. It gives an impression of a pier, a little bit like some salty driftwood. The grapefruit and sea salt hold strong during this time, mixing with the woody sage and fresh grapefruit to create a euphoric feeling of sitting on a dock or pier by the ocean with a cool breeze gently blowing. It's quite vivid. It's a simple smell, but something that I quite enjoy.


Performance
Jo Malone isn't known for their performance. When I tested the original Wood Sage & Sea Salt from Jo Malone, I clocked it in at about 4 hours. With Scentual Obsession's version, I am getting aroudn 7 with about an hour and a half of projection.

It's not beast mode by any means. However, when you consider that this is a marine type fragrance, then 7 hours is very respectable, especially at the price they charge for these.


When to Wear it
This fragrance is suitable for spring through fall. It has a cooling aspect to it that makes you think of a beachside campfire when the temperatures have dropped a bit and you need to bust out that hoodie. So, it's a great fall fragrance.

This fragrance is truly unisex. It doesn't lean feminine or masculine. It's more of a place and time fragrance.

Wood Sage and Sea Salt is mostly a casual fragrance, but you could dress it up a bit with a white lenin shirt or a sundress and be just fine with it. You could possibly wear it with a lightly colored suit as well.


Overall Impression
Wood Sage and Sea Salt is a wonderful recreation that is very close to its original, besides the performance. This is a mass-appealing scent, so it's one that I would say is a safe blind buy. I still suggest sampling it first though. The clean beachy vibe of this fragrance just harkens you back to wonderful memories of good times and extraordinary vacations. Bravo, Scentual Obsessions, bravo.

 The fragrance is overall somewhat light, so it's not something you wear to garner tons of attention. It's one that is safe and will not be offensive to anyone. Such is the case with a lot of marine fragrances that don't have seaweed in them. People will still be able to smell it, just not from 10 feet away.

I would judge this fragrance as full-bottle worthy and I would love to have it in my collection. My sample only has about 1ML left in it, so I have worn it quite a bit since getting it.

Everyone have a great day and remember to spread positive vibes! You never know who you could help with a few kind words!

Buy Wood Sage and Sea Salt here

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6 Tips to Help you Avoid the Hype Beasts

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Hello, ladies and gentleman. I am back for another article. This one is going to be a bit more negative than my normal posts, but I think some of this stuff needs to be said, especially for people who are new to the FragComm.

Hype is a huge thing in the fragrance world. From advertisements to Youtube reviews and even blogs. Hype influences people in a way that commandeers a normal sense of logic. It impacts your wallet. I am going to give you a few tips on how to avoid falling into the hype and ending up $300 poorer with a fragrance that you hate.

Now, I will preface this buy saying that I don't count several reviewers saying a fragrance is good as hype. however, I do count them as telling you to go buy it as hype.

I will stop blabbering and get into it now. Enjoy!


1. New Releases
New releases are oftentimes the most hyped out of anything. The thrill of a new fragrance with promising-looking notes and stellar Youtube/blog reviews can catch a lot of attention. However, if that fragrance was just released two days prior, then do you think that reviewer had time to actually test that fragrance dutifully and give you a complete breakdown? No, I don't think so.

Now, I am aware that some reviewers do get stuff before it releases, so that is a bit different. This goes for people posting on Facebook as well. People who say they tested it as whatever store they choose and are saying it's the best thing ever. If you just received a fragrance or only tested it once at the mall, then you haven't taken enough time to know about that fragrance to tell people if it's solid or not.


2. Take your Time
I would need about 10 more sets of hands to count the number of times people have bought a hyped fragrance(and sometimes even backup bottles), only to flip them around and sell them the next day. You need to take time and test it. I wear every fragrance I review for at least a week before reviewing it. You don't know if you want to marry a woman/man if you only had one drink with them. They could be hiding secrets. The same goes for fragrances.


3. Compliment Beasts
We have all seen the people in the Facebook groups that say every fragrance they wear gets tons of attention. Now, I get that some guys have it and some guys don't(I probably don't and I am fine with that). A lot of it is in how you present yourselves, but these guys who say every single fragrance they wear garners female attention...They are full of crap.

Don't go out and buy a fragrance expecting it to make all of the ladies want you. Life isn't an Axe commercial, bro. So, if you see some guys saying he had 27 compliments or a woman besides his wife told him she wanted to drop her pants for him then you should regard that as fluff.

Don't fall into the trap of every fragrance being a compliment monster. In fact, don't wear fragrances just to get female attention. Wear them as an extension of your personality and aim to be a good person and treat people with respect. That is the best way to get female attention.


4. Performance
When we post our SOTD in the groups, we oftentimes get those guys saying "what is the longevity and projection?". That is the most annoying thing ever. I get that we all want a fragrance that lasts and we want others to smell it, but when that is the most important thing, then it gets pretty silly. You could smell like a steaming hot pile of feces and you wouldn't care as long as it projected, which it will. I promise you that.

My point here is that people hype fragrances as being "beast mode" or sometimes say the performance is bad. The proper way to test performance is to ask others if they can smell it. Our noses easily go anosmic to ou own smells. The from a sample firstto see how your skin interacts with the fragrance, don't go off someone else's nose. Which brings me to my next point...


5. Always Sample
Any fragrance that is over 30 bucks should be sampled first. Anything less than 30 bucks can be blond bought(according to me) because a decant isn't always a cost-effective choice. I personally don't like the little splash vials and I like my samples to be at least 2ML. That's just me, if the smaller ones work for you, then go for it.

No matter how amazing someone hypes it up to be, always sample. The person hyping it up might not have smelled a bunch of fragrances or they could not be very seasoned in detecting notes, so you could end up with something that smells like fragrances you already have.


6. Flipping isn't Easy
You might say to yourself, "It's a hyped fragrance, so I can just turn around and sell it again if I don't like it". That is true to sme extent, but you are going to lose money in the process. Once you open or spray that fragrance(for ones that do not come in a box) the value greatly depreciates due it now being deemed as "used goods". I have seen several people try to sell something they sprayed a few times for very close to the retail price of a fragrance. It doesn't work like that. Plus, you will always have the people who try to lowball you and get it for less.

Don't buy fragrances to test and expect to get most of your money back after you test it. It's just not a viable way to do it.


Conclusion
Sample, sample, and sample. Don't lose yourself in the massive hype train that runs around the fragrance community. Now, reviewers review stuff to try to give you an idea of what it smells like, but our thoughts on a fragrance should not influence you to go blind buy it. They should only make you want to sample it if it sounds like something you should enjoy. This is an expensive hobby. Only buy full bottles of what you love, not just like.


I hope everyone has a fantastic day today. Keep spreading positive vibes and love everywhere. Feel free to hit the follow button if you like my content. I respond to every comment on my articles as well, but I don't think you get notified when I do, so check back after you comment and I will have most likely responded by then.

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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! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

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My Top 10 Fall Fragrances 2019(No Clones)

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Hello, ladies and gentleman. I hope you are all having a wonderful day today. I went to Wal-Mart the other day and they had pumpkin spice stuff, so I took that as a sign that I need to release my first fall list for this year. I will be doing a clone one and a cheapie one a bit later.

Fall is my favorite time of the year. The golden-hued leaves with the feel of a crisp morning with a hot cup of coffee. Not to mention we get to bring out the warmly spiced and heavier fragrances, which are my favorites.

Without further ado, let's get into it!


10. Bvlgari Man in Black

Main Notes: Cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, tobacco, rum, and leather

Occasion: Date nights, casual to formal

Composition: Spicy, dark, and boozy

This was on my list last year and it's still a stunner. It opens with a lot of spices in your face which mellow down after a bit and mold into the dark and slightly pungent tobacco. The rum is also very present, but given that this composition is so spicy, I cannot tell if the rum is actually spiced or not. The leather is more like suede than smooth leather.

It's a great formal or date night fragrance, but I would suggest spraying it a good 30 minutes before leaving. The spices in the opening can be quite harsh at first. At around 40 bucks on Fragrancenet, this is a high-quality fragrance. If you love spicy fragrances and you want something with soem depth. Seek out a sample or decant of this stuff.


9. Burberry London

Main Notes: Tobacco, cinnamon, and leather

Occasion: Date nights, casual wear, and holiday parties

Composition: Dark, spicy, and earthy


Another legendary fragrance that made it back on the list from last year, even though it's in a lower spot. No list would be complete without this quintessential holiday fragrance. Dark and earthy tobacco meet cinnamon and leather in this intoxicating concoction that has serious depth. People have reported that it smells like port wine, a Christmas tree, or wet leaves. I get all three of those are different times. It smells different every time I wear it. The performance isn't the best, but it's decent. If you haven't at least sampled this then you are living under a rock or something.


8. Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Tobacco, vanilla, cacao, dried fruits, and spices

Occasion: Any

Composition: Dark, sweet, and smoky

Tobacco Vanille isn't for everyone. It's a love it or hate it fragrance. I just so happen to love it. Smoky and pungent tobacco mixed with creamy vanilla and sweet dried fruits. Add a few dry spices on top of that with some chocolate and you have Tobacco Vanille. A seductive fragrance to its core. Mysterious, alluring, and charming. This fragrance will get you noticed.


7. Mugler Pure Malt

Main Notes: Whiskey, patchouli, dried fruits, malt, and coffee

Occasion: Date night ot a night out with the boys

Composition: Boozy, sweet, and gourmandy


Pure malt is the final fragrance making it from last year's list. Although it fell a few spots, this is still an amazing creation. You get a potent whiskey accord with a bit of earthiness mixed with a melange of sweet fruity accords and chocolatey patchouli. An olfactory delight and a must-have for boozy fragrance lovers. This one will stand the test of time and still come out on top.


6. Givenchy Gentleman EDP

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Orris, black vanilla, tolu balsam, patchouli, and pepper

Occasion: semi-formal, formal, and date nights

Composition: Sweet, powdery, and rugged


Givenchy Gentleman is my favorite designer release of the past few years. You get that sweet black vanilla mixed with powdery iris(orris root) and woody patchouli. Throw some pepper on there to spice it up and you have a masculine elixir for success. This is for the clean businessman who has a rugged side to him. This is also very popular with the ladies.


5. By Kilian Black Phantom

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Caramel, coffee, rum, and dark chocolate

Occasion: Date night

Composition: Gourmand, sweet, and seductive

Black Phantom is a smooth dark chocolate fragrance with buttery caramel and sweet rum added in. You get a bit of the roasted coffee, but it's not prominent. This fragrance is absolutely perfect for dates. It's like that sinful piece of chocolate that you want so badly, but you are afraid you will gain 5 pounds from eating it. However, in this case that fear is attracting too many compliments because this one is surely going to get those.


4. Scentstory 24 Gold

Main Notes: Amber, oud, and sandalwood

Occasion: Any

Composition: Woody, sweet, and spiced

24 Gold is my most complimented fragrance in my collection. It's based on a kalemat(the type of fragrance, not the one specifically from Arabian Oud. Although that one is a kalemat as well). Spiced vanillic amber, creamy vanilla, slightly smoky and woody oud, and dry sandalwood make this middle eastern composition a standout. Especially in an area like mine, where fragrances aren't very big, much less a middle eastern one. This warm and inviting fragrance draws people in to ask you what you are wearing. I always feel confident when I wear this one.


3. Tom Ford Tobacco Oud

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Tobacco, whiskey, spices, oud, and patchouli

Occasion: Any

Composition: Boozy, woody, and sweet


This is another love it or hate it fragrance. It's dark, mysterious, and a bad boy fragrance. Sweet whiskey, sweet tobacco, and smoky oud with a bit of spice. This fragrance is overly masculine. It's labeled as unisex, but I could not see any sort of woman wearing this. This is the dark forbidden fragrance that beckons you into doing things you shouldn't, but it feels so good to embrace it. My sample that a buddy sent me is almost gone and it makes me sad. I might have to pick up a clone of it and see how it is.


2. Happyland Signature

Main Notes: Tobacco, honey, cinnamon, amber, and blueberry

Occasion: casual or date nights

Composition: Spicy, sweet, and gourmand


This fragrance smells somewhat like an apple pie. Sweet tobacco drizzled with golden honey and warm cinnamon sit atop a base of warm and cozy amber with a hint of sweet blueberries. This is fall in a bottle for me. This will be one of my most worn fragrances this fall. I have already worn it twice in the past 2 weeks(which is quite often when you consider I have over 250 fragrances). I just got my hands on Homme for the Holidays from Happyland as well. So far I like it more, but I have only tested it for 2 days, so I was too early to put it on here. I see both of these fragrances being half gone before spring rolls around again.


1. Gallagher Rose All Dae

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Apple crisp, dark rose, brown sugar, stainless steel, honey, and patchouli

Occasion: Date night

Composition: Sweet, succulent, and unique


Rose All Dae...I cannot stop raving about this masterpiece. Honeyed apple and plum with a bit of rose and metallicness to it. Like a special dessert being baked on Thanksgiving in a steel pan...This fragrance just brings about so many olfactory delights in me. Sadly, my sample is almost gone on this one as well. I seriously need a full bottle of this divine juice.


Conclusion
I hope everyone enjoyed this article. I surely had fun talking about these ones because I am a huge fan of darker and sweeter fragrances and this list proves that! I was going to put Zaharoff Signature at number, but I am going to save that one for another list. So, stay tuned for that one!


Remember not to blind buy any of these. Always sample first. Have an amazing day and keep the world smelling great and spread positive vibes. Until next time, take care!

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! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

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