Feel the Adrenaline: Perfumology Clutch Review

Photo Credit: Nir Guy/Perfumology

Hey, folks! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day and staying safe!

It's a cloudy day here, which always makes me feel like taking a nap. This fragrance, Clutch, is perfect to give me a boost and wake me up. It's from Nir Guy's in-house brand, Perfumology. Perfumology is a store that specializes in selling indie fragrances, but they have a few niche brands as well. I don't think the store has reopened yet, but he is still shipping. I will link the store below if you are interested in checking out his selection.

Clutch is another fragrance that is based on Nir's olfactive memory.  He's very much into cars, so you know he had to share one of his favorite pastimes with the world. Clutch is meant to invoke that feeling of driving an automobile that you really enjoy.

Nir did send me a sample of this for free. He did not influence me in any way, shape, or form for a positive review. I was not paid for this either. If any of you know Nir, then you know he is all for honesty.

I won't be covering the presentation because it's a sample. I will also try a less structured approach to this review because I feel like it will tell its story a bit better.

Let's see if I can see his vision in it. Let's get into it!


The Scent

You buckle up, put on your favorite pair of shades, and slide the key into the ignition. This is how Clutch opens. The soft and sweet vanilla acts like comfort, like your favorite pair of sunglasses. The smoke wafts to your nose, invoking a sense of excitement as you turn the key and the engine roars.

As the heart comes out,  you get this accord that smells like oil or grease. It is not strong, but you can tell it's there. I am not totally sure what is causing that. It might be the olibanum. This only gives me the imagery of an old muscle car. You spent the day working on fixing her up to make her purr just right. A little oily residue is left on your hands as you prepare to experience the fruits of your labor.

As you take in one last whiff of the cool autumn air with spicy ginger hanging about, you start to drive. She is humming like along like a bee on a hot summer's day. The rubber your beastly machine touches the road, accentuating the smoke and showing her power. The vanilla still lingers, acting to soften up the notes and produce the euphoric feel of this particular drive.

As the ride comes to a close, even though you don't want it to, you embrace the familiar smell of oak from your garage. You had been working on some new furniture made of oak. Even as you pull in, that adrenaline-inducing vanilla, along with the residue from the tires smoking the road and the resides on your hands still lingers to keep a smile on your face after it ends.

To put this is into words that are more digestible, Clutch is a smoky, spicy, oily, softly sweet, and smoky fragrance that is best suited for the cooler weather. It has very good performance and lasts for around 11 hours on skin, about 4 of those being a solid projection. This one isn't one to overspray.

Clutch is simply an amazing fragrance. Now, just because I say this doesn't mean you should go blind buy it. they carry samples and I think this one is truly worth sampling if you are into cars and indie fragrances. This is a very unique fragrance that will not be for everyone, it borders the line the between artistic and wearable and that is why I love it

I didn't understand Clutch at first, but after a couple of wearings, she won my heart. This one will be one I add to my collection as soon as I am able to. It takes me back to my days of working on cars and the excitement of knowing you conquered something after a long day of work and playing in grease and oil.

I do think this leans masculine, but it has a softer side that makes it approachable to women as well. I know plenty of women who love cars as well, and they would totally rock this.

This fragrance only costs $95 for 50ml. You won't smell anything else like this anywhere. That is a bargain for the quality in this scent. The perfumer, Justin Frederico, knocked this one out of the park again. It's a shame that he hasn't released more fragrances.

I hope you enjoyed my take on Clutch. As always, be safe and remember to say positive words when you can. Mental health is a very big issue during these times of lockdown. You never know how much is struggling and a kind word is always free!


Buy Clutch here

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Timelessly Unisex: Shalimar Eau de Parfum Review

Hello, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome back! I hope everyone is staying safe during these turbulent times. It finally stopped raining here, so I was able to do a bit of gardening and soaked up a little sun.

Shalimar, what a legendary fragrance this is. It came out in 1925 and still has a cult following and the respect of millions of people worldwide. An inspired take on a love story with a tragic twist that ended up sparking the creation of the Taj Mahal. You should read the whole story if you get the chance. It is quite intriguing to know the inspiration behind your fragrances.

I am looking forward to this one and I hope you are as well. Let's get into it!

Presentation

Shalimar comes in an urn-shaped bottle that is probably inspired by something historical, but I am unsure of what that might be. The cap is plastic and sort of cheap, with a ribbon attached to it with a Guerlain seal stamped on a plastic gold piece.

The juice is a dark amber color with Shalimar written in gold on the front. You have to look at the bottom of the bottle to see the concentration. This one is the EDP version.

The atomizer is gold and has the standard Guerlain stamp on the top and it works well.


Notes

Top

Lemon and Bergamot

Heart

Jasmine and Rose

Base

Iris, Incense, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, and Civet


The Scent

Shalimar opens up with some fresh bergamot and a slightly sour lemon. Right off the top you can pick up Guerlain's signature- that powdery and slightly floral vanilla.  The opening isn't what counts here. The dry down is where the magic begins.

As it dries down, some of those citruses stay in the background, but the leathery iris starts to take hold. The dry incense attaches to the leather and creates a magical aroma, accented by that powdery vanilla. This is the allure of older Guerlain fragrances. This is also what makes this fragrance lean unisex. A slight touch of something sweet and animalistic lingers, which I think is civet. I can also detect something dry and woody, which would certainly be sandalwood. The tonka bean is warm and gives more warmth to the incense note.

Overall, what you get is a warm, cozy, and inviting oriental fragrance with powdery and leathery vibes.

Performance

If you want a beast mode fragrance, then Shalimar is one. I get around 10 hours of longevity on my skin with a solid 4 of arm's length projection. Even after that, it will wrap you in a warm bubble until the last few hours. This is not one you want to spray more than 4 of. It's really strong. These older fragrances aren't like modern days ones. Shalimar will not forgive you for forcing her to do something she is not meant to do.

When to Wear it

I stopped caring about seasonal wearing for fragrances, but I will say this is better for the cooler months. As I said before, it is warm and inviting. It's a cuddle up by the fire cozy, which is perfect for that weather.

Many men discount this fragrance because it is marketed towards females, but I wear it myself. If you follow my blog, then you know I love a lot of "ultra-masculine" fragrances. So, if I can wear this, so can you. As long as you have the personality to respect her boundaries, Shalimar will treat you well.


Overall Impression

Well, this should be of no surprise to many of you, but I regard Shalimar as a masterpiece of perfumery. The way the notes dance with each other and wrap you up into a blanket of classy bliss. The way the leather iris lingers on the tip of your nose while the powdery vanilla invites you to stay.

This is the reason Guerlain is so respected, not because they create fragrances that everyone loves. It's because they define class in a new way and they have been for over a century now. Although some of the newer creations have lacked that, their older ones were trendsetters.

Shalimar is a timeless piece of art that just invites you to love her and she will love you in return.


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed my take on Shalimar. Have a great day. Stay safe, everyone! Just because we are social distancing doesn't mean we have to stop saying kinds words to one another! Depression and mental health are a major issue during these times. It doesn't cost you anything to be kind.

Much love to all of you that have stuck by and continued to read my stuff throughout the years. I appreciate all of you and your support.

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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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Vintage(2000s) Guerlain Vetiver Review

Hey, folks! I know it's been quite a while since I have done a review. It's even more ironic that my last article was on review burnout. I just didn't feel like writing for a bit and I didn't want to put out an article that I didn't put my everything into. So, I am back again, this time with a review of a vintage Guerlain Vetiver. As far as I can tell from research, this is somewhere in the early 2000s. I can't get the batch code to pop up anywhere. If anyone else can find it, then the code is 9S01.

This was sent to me by a fan of my blog. His name is Daniel Zimmerman. He didn't send this to me in hopes of a review, but I am going to do one anyway. As many of you know, Guerlain Vetiver is my favorite fragrance, so having some vintage juice is amazing. Daniel sells a bunch of hard to find and vintage fragrances over at Perfume Pawn. So, take a look at his selection if you'd like to. He carries a lot of vintage Chanel and Guerlain stuff, along with many other brands.

As I stated before, this was sent to me for free, but it wasn't sent to me for a review. Regardless, my opinions are still my own and always will be. I am not sponsored by this company and I get nothing out of reviewing this.

It's been a while, but let's get into it!

Presentation

This one is a tester, so it didn't come with a cap. The bottle has contrasting stripes on it, some are smooth and some are frosted.  It's a decent design, but I do enjoy the newer version more.

The sprayer has the Guerlain symbol at the top, like most of them do. It works just fine, but it's nothing special.

Notes

I can't find any official notes listed on this, so I am just going to guess.

Lemon, Vetiver, Tobacco, Black Pepper, Oakmoss, Rosemary, Coriander, and Bergamot


The Scent

Guerlain Vetiver opens with a bit of citrus. There is most certainly lemon in there. It's not the fresh and juicy kind. It favors more on the old soapy sort. I think I can detect a slight bit of a bright bergamot note in there as well, but being that this is a vintage, the top notes might not be as strong as they were originally.

As we transition to the heart, the vetiver comes out. It's not as green and vibrant as the newer formula. This vetiver is earthy and woody. I have no doubt that there is oakmoss in here supporting that nuance as well. That signature pepper that gives vetiver it's manly kick is there as well. The coriander adds its dry spiciness in there as well.

As it dries down completely, the tobacco comes out. You aren't going to get any cherry-esque sweetness here. This is a dry and rugged tobacco. Think of cowboy tobacco and not a well-dressed man in a jazz club cigar tobacco.

There is an overlay of an aromatic herb, which I believe is rosemary. The oakmoss could be lending to that as well. That is why oakmoss was used so heavily back in earlier days. It lends itself beautifully to different notes and accentuates them. It serves as a note that helps transition as well.

Overall, this fragrance is quite dry, as expected from a more classic fragrance. It does have a soapy nuance to it, but it's not as strong as the newer formula. This is more classicly masculine than the newer one. It's basically a rich warm woody fragrance with herbal elements and a slightly soapy background.

Performance

Unlike a lot of today's fragrances, this one performs. I get around 10 hours of longevity with 3 of projection on skin. It will last several days on clothes and creates a beautiful sillage that is not too imposing or loud.

When to Wear it

You can use this fragrance year-round, but it's probably best for fall and spring.  This is not a fragrance for younger guys. I would say 40+ on this one, unless you just love old school fragrances. It's very masculine and I couldn't see a woman wearing this. It can be worn casually or with a suit.

Overall Impression

This is a great fragrance and an amazing piece of history of a legendary fragrance. However, I do favor the newer formulation of it. Only by a little bit, but the newer one has more of a pop to it. This one is more linear. It's more woody than soapy like the new one.

It certainly has a charm to it though and it will be used very sparingly. This one resonates with Guerlain calling it "the fragrance of the earth" more than the new one. That vivid oakmoss and more herbal tone certainly portrays that idea very well.

I'd say it's worth getting a sample of it if you can find one cheap, if nothing else, it's a piece of history.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this one. This is my first vintage review. I will have a few more coming up as well.

Have a great day and stay safe. Remember to say something positive to someone today...You never know how much it could help. These are trying times and isolation takes a toll on people mentally. Give them a boost. It doesn't cost you anything!

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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