Cheaper than Fragrancenet: Burberry Brit Review + a New Discounter

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day today. I was going to post this review yesterday, but my transformer popped and caught on fire. It was an eventful day, but things are back to normal and life is good.

I have another Burberry review for you today. If you have followed my blog for any length of time, then you will know that I am a fan of this house. This is one of their more popular ones and I was sent a full bottle of this to review from a new discounter site called Kingdom Fragrances. The owner, Steve is a police officer in Texas. Don't worry, he is one of the good ones. A really down to earth guy. I don't really have a relationship with him, so my review will be honest, as always. I feel bad that I even have to say that sort of stuff these days. Anyway, Steve's company just started, so their selection isn't the best...yet. He is steadily improving his stock though. His prices are a bit lower than Fragrancenet and you would be supporting a small business. Don't worry about him being a cop, I promise this isn't a sting operation to try to get you on buying stolen stuff because it's so cheap! It's a legit site and he's a legit guy.

I get nothing from you purchasing from his site. None of these are affiliate links. He simply sent me a bottle to review and asked me to mention his new store. I agreed to help him get the word out on it. That was the extent of our agreement. I never work with companies or people that I don't believe in and I am always fully transparent about it.

Also, Steve has a YouTube channel where he does some great and creative reviews. Check out Fragrance Fanatic here

Anyway, enough with the corny jokes, onto the fragrance. Let's get into it!


The Scent

Burberry Brit opens with a synthetic orange accord accented by ginger with very powdery rose. It smells a little bit like baby powder. It's very clean and powdery. From the start, this fragrance doesn't project very much. This is a skin scent through the majority of its life, only softly radiating around one foot off of the skin.

When the heart opens up, some of the spices are more apparent, including cardamom and nutmeg. The tonka then comes out with its powdery and slightly sweet nuances. The cedar is more on the woody side and just accents the masculine undertones of this clean fragrance. A touch of powdery musk is in this and mixes with the orange and gives a slight reminder of Burberry Touch for Men to me with its orange and musky opening. It doesn't smell like touch, but that accord in the dry down reminds me just a bit of it.

Basically, what you end up with is a very powdery fragrance with a bit of woodiness, spice, and a touch of sweetness. It's nothing groundbreaking. In fact, its pretty plan and safe.

This fragrance leans masculine to me, despite being very powdery. A woman could wear this, but it comes off as more gentlemanly clean to me. This fragrance can be worn all year, but it's probably best for cooler weather. I think it might project more when it's cooler out and the notes will come alive more.

Burberry Brit doesn't project very much, as I stated before, so it would make a great scent to wear to work, since it won't bother people by being loud. It lasts as a skin scent for around 6-7 hours. It's probably best to wear this with at least a collared shirt, but you could get away with it in a more casual setting too.

My Opinion

Burberry Brit is a gentleman's fragrance. Burberry showed their English roots with this one and executed a likable, but unremarkable fragrance for modern men who just want to smell good. You aren't going to wow anyone with this, but I don't see anyone complaining about this smell either. Overall, for the price, it's a solid release for its price and I am happy to have it in my collection for times when I don't want to smell like I bathed in a fragrance. Everything has its place and this one fits a category that most fragheads ignore, which is the times when you need a soft and inviting scent.


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this review.  Thank you for stopping by once again. Remember to go check out Kingdom Fragrances where you can pick this one up and see his other products. I don't think you will be disappointed. Burberry Brit is almost a dollar cheaper on his site over Fragrancenet.

Remember that a kind word is free. use it freely. You can make someone's day without knowing it. You never know what someone is going through. Be blessed, everyone.


Buy Burberry Brit here ($29.98/100ML)

Want to see what is going on in my group and vote on my upcoming articles? We also discuss fragrances and fragrant topics in a drama-free environment. You won't see any troll Aventus and CDNIM posts in my group! Join my Facebook group!

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My 200th Article: What I have Learned

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Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is doing fantastic this morning. I am sitting down with my cardamom tea, as per usual. Life is good, despite what is going on in the world.

Today marks my 200th article on this blog. I started blogging in October of 2018, so it's been under 2 years. What an exciting trip it has been. Through trials, temptation, and small victories. This article is about what I have learned, who I have impacted, and how my perspective has changed. I hope you enjoy this one. Let's get into it!


Testimonials 
I wasn't sure where to include these in this article, so I will do them at the start. I asked in a few groups that I am active in how my blog has impacted them. Some of these are paraphrased because they were longer statements. I hope the writers of these things don't mind. Oddly enough, none of them said I caused them to stop reading my blogs, haha.


"I really enjoy your blog because you're very down to earth in how you express yourself" - Leah

I appreciate that, Leah. I always try to seem approachable. I am not in this for fame. I believe in the human side of fragrance collectors and I always try to touch on these things too. There are people behind those eyes that read my articles. They have wants, desires, loves, and dreams. If I can make their life a bit easier, then I have done my job.


"I found your blog because of your post on PTSD and it resonated with me in a way that was extraordinarily powerful. It made me feel less alone while I was dealing with the darkest point of my life. I keep reading because of that post. Never stop writing." - Emily 

This one actually impacted me in a huge way. Once I heard Emily's story, I realized how much impact I actually had. I was just sharing my story and it resonated with so many people. I had so many PMs from that as well. Other reviewers came out and shared their stories. It was glorious. This is why I do this stuff. As I said before, I recognize this isn't a business. There are humans behind those numbers. I care about those humans. That is why I write things like that and touch on stuff that is scary for many reviewers. This isn't just about my reviews, it's about all of us and how we help each other as one big family of weirdos who sniff stuff a bit too much.

"The biggest takeaway I've had is you a precise and to the point writer. You have a goal in mind when you write. I have seen the goodness in the hearts of people who have helped you as well. Truly uplifting" - Carlos

Yes, many people have certainly blessed me. As I have said in many articles, it's not about me. I truly would have run out of stuff to review 6 months in, if it wasn't for this wonderful community. I am truly humbled. It's a team effort and my friends have kept me on the straight and narrow. they have called me out when I went too far, with love instead of judgment. I am forever grateful for the people I have met here and I wouldn't trade this for a mansion in California.

I try to write with a goal in mind. I have a point I want to make in each article. i just brainstorm and start writing. I don't edit too much anymore, so whatever you see here is just my brain rambling on, which can be a good and bad thing sometimes, haha

"As I came to understand it, you would be an unbiased reviewer and host. You come from a different place than people like Jeremy. You are a thinker. I am very sanguine, so we chill and mesh easily. Also, your posts are drama free and I think you mean to keep them that way. I still think you should become a swapper though!" - Robert

Yes, I have been working on taking even less bias out my reviews and reviewing the fragrances for what they are and who they target. That is why I have been separating the note breakdowns from my own opinions recently. I think that enables my readers to see the two sides of the coin.

I try my best to stay drama free, but sometimes my opinions do cause a bit if I say something that many people like is bad. There isn't too much I can do about that though. I am not going to lie in order to make someone feel better about a fragrance. this is a subjective subject and people need to realize that just because I think it's bad doesn't mean others will. I have smelled at least a thousand fragrances. I don't say that as a boast, but rather to allow you to see the angle I am coming from. I have probably smelled something similar that was better to me before.

I don't swap or sell because I take my reputation very seriously. I am afraid that the package might get messed up or that it might not get to where it needs to be and then someone posts about it. If that happens, all of this work I have down for the past 18 months is for nothing. I've worked too hard on this to watch it burn over something so minor. I might consider sending people some stuff pro bono in the future to see if I can do it correctly, but until I get some money that is going to be put on hold.


Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned

I came into this thing being "wet behind the ears". I didn't know much. I just knew how to write. I never would have expected this journey to get me this far. I never expected to have the impact and respect that I do in the fragrance community. I worked at it. I worked hard at it. I have probably put close to 1500 hours into this blog. This is my baby and I am proud of it.

I tried the hype thing early on. I did lots of top 10s and I even did a beast mode fragrance article, which is my second most viewed article of all-time. The views are nice and all, but that is just not me. It felt shallow and empty to me. I prefer individual reviews where I am articulate how a fragrance makes me feel or where it takes me. That is where my passion is. Yeah, they get way less views, but I don't care. That is who I am.

I was offered money to do reviews before. I can proudly say that I have never taken a dime from any company for any reviews. Every company I have worked with has allowed me to be honest. I even said some of the fragrances were bad or not my style and they still worked with me after that.

There seems to be this "tin foil hat" syndrome in the fragrance community that makes people think that everyone who gets a free bottle is a sellout. I have news for you folks, until you have been doing this for a few years, then you don't know anything about how this stuff works behind the scenes. Are some reviewers paid? Maybe. I don't know. I am not them, so I cannot say what they are or aren't doing. I can only speak for myself.

My soul belongs to Jesus Christ. You will never see me sell it for a couple bucks, even though I could use the money since most of you know my situation. It's not worth my morals or being someone I am not. I tried to live a life that wasn't me before, it's just not worth it. No amount of clout or fame is worth losing yourself over. It all catches up with you someday. That is why I prefer being truthful. It's so much easier to remember the truth over a lie.


I was asked a question by Mo in a group and I am going to answer it here. he asked me what the qualifications are and the difference between a reviewer and a YouTuber/blogger who is just a fragrance enthusiast.

Well, I am not sure if there are any qualifications, but having experience certainly helps. I wasn't that experienced when I started and it shows in my earlier articles. I left all of them up so I can remember where I came from and how far I have come.

The difference between a reviewer and a fragrance enthusiast is knowledge, mostly. If you can't tell the difference between jasmine and orange blossom, then you probably need more experience to be a reviewer. There is nothing wrong with being a fragrance enthusiast and talking about it on YouTube. I would go so far as to say that I am only a semi-reviewer myself. I still have so much to learn about notes and compositions.

Another thing is people who are just enthusiasts or influencers don't encourage sampling. Many of them go off of hype or Fragrantica and have very little knowledge about how to identify notes in fragrances. The key difference is "this smells good" versus "this is a well-done fragrance and here's why", if you get what I mean.

There are usually 3 different types of reviewers...Those who do it for fun and as a hobby, those who do it for business, and those who do it for passion. Usually, the ones who do it for business are the most "entertaining" because it helps their numbers for the masses. Actual reviewers don't have flashy content and just focus on the scent. The enthusiasts might do a bit of clickbait, but they don't take it too seriously.

Now, I am not saying any of these three types are bad. I am just explaining that there are usually three styles. It's all up to you to decide which style you enjoy. I think I verge more on the reviewer side in that category. I am not flashy. I just like breaking down fragrances and sharing it with others.

I have learned so much on this journey. My tastes have changed. You know, people always say that as you progress more into your fragrance journey then you start to only love niche stuff. That statement is very untrue for me. As I have grown and advanced, it has only made me appreciate all perfumery as a whole and not limit my choices to one archetype of fragrance. I think when we limit ourselves like that, we are only inhibiting our own happiness and journey. There are amazing fragrances everywhere. Those niche fragrances aren't going to get you any clout. Those designers aren't going to make you look budget-conscious. Those indies aren't going to make you look like a unicorn. Explore more and don't limit yourself. Everything has its place. Being a snob only makes you look simple-minded.

Well, I don't like my articles to run on too long, so I am going to stop here. I want to thank each and every one of you for helping me on this journey and supporting me. The best is yet to come. I still have some exciting things planned for the future that no one knows about...yet.

Remember, a kind word is free. Use them well and use them often. You never know how much you can help someone. Let's work together as a family to make this world a better place for everyone. My inbox is always open if you need someone to listen or just want to chat about fragrances. Feel free to friend request me if you'd like. Have a fantastic day, folks!

Want to see what is going on in my group and vote on my upcoming articles? We also discuss fragrances and fragrant topics in a drama-free environment. You won't see any troll Aventus and CDNIM posts in my group! Join my Facebook group!

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Something Different: Kyse Vertigo Cuir Review

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Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is doing well today. I am anxiously awaiting the Saharan dust to head this way, oddly enough. I have always been somewhat of a weather nerd, so I think it's so cool that we are about to experience it.

Today I have a brand that I have never reviewed before. Kyse is a small indie brand that is known to specialize in gourmand fragrances. Well, this little thing here is quite quirky! Let's get into it!


The Scent 

Vertigo Cuir opens up with a very aggressive and offensive leathery note and some nondescript sweetness. To me, it smells like burnt sugar. It's also plasticky. It's really, really weird. Honestly, this opening turned me off from trying it for a while. It's just really bad.

Give it around 30 minutes and the leather tones down and starting smelling like actual leather. Then you can pick out the buttery caramel and creamy vanilla. The gourmand notes and leather dance around each other. Each sniff fades in and out, from leather to gourmand. It's quite interesting. It still maintains some of that plasticky vibe, but it's much more tolerable now.  There is a soft hint of powdery musk in the dry down as well.

This scent isn't very complex, but these notes do make it interesting because it's just very different and quite bold. At the same time, it's also quite wearable.


My Opinion

This one falls in the same category at Tom Ford's F'ing Fabulous for me, meaning that I am not sure what to think of it. On one hand, I enjoy the gourmand aspect and the leather makes it interesting, but the plasticky vibe still ruins it for me personally. It still smells like burnt sugar a little bit in the dry down. I applaud the perfumer for being bold and making something different, but I am just not sure that I would wear this one. It's just not my style. That doesn't mean it's a bad fragrance, but I would certainly try before you buy with this one, even though it's cheap.

Vertigo Cuir is decidedly unisex. It's very casual as well. If I wore this, I certainly would do it while being dressed up. It lacks the complexity and class of something more formal in nature. This could work for any age group and would work best in the cooler months. I am also getting around 9 hours on skin with it with my own nose. I am not sure about projection and sillage because I haven't been anywhere to test it

There is something about this fragrance that makes me want to keep smelling it. I am not sure if that is because I want to see if it's still bad or I want to see if the leather or gourmand notes are more prominent in it. I do have a feeling that this one might grow on me, but as for now, I will keep my opinion as neutral on it because I am not sure if I will give this one any more wearings to find that out. It is quite a quirky little fragrance and I am sure people who like to step out of the box will enjoy the creativity here.


Conclusion

Thank you for stopping by once again! I know this one was a bit shorter, but it was easier to analyze this one since I only get a few notes from it. Have a great day everyone! Remember, a kind word is free and you can make someone's day with it. You never know what someone is going through in life. It doesn't hurt us to be kind.

Let's pray for our black brothers and sisters in their fight for equality and justice. Let's be cognizant of ourselves and help support them and come up with ways to help and not harm.

Want to see what is going on in my group and vote on my upcoming articles? We also discuss fragrances and fragrant topics in a drama-free environment. You won't see any troll Aventus and CDNIM posts in my group! Join my Facebook group!

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How to Prevent Being Scammed

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Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is having a wonderful morning.  I was just sitting here sipping on my cardamom tea and I suddenly became inspired to write an article. I have seen a lot of people post about fakes, scams, and such in the groups lately, so I thought I would give some advice to prevent this. This isn't a complete list, but only a few simple things you can do to prevent it. Let's get into it!


Trusted Retailers

If you are going to buy online at a store, then it's best to know that they are a store that is known to carry real fragrances. You can check with people in the groups to see if they know about them. If the price is too good to be true, then 98% of the time it is going to be fake.

Fragrancex, Fragrancenet, Notino, Foreverlux, Perfume.com, and Fragrancebuy.ca are all trusted discounters. I see these questions asked every day, which I am well aware that new people join the group and such, but there are hundreds of posts and videos from other reviewers confirming their legitimacy. A simple search function in most groups will allow you to see what people say about them. Rack stores like TJ/TK Maxx, Ross, Burlington, and Marshall's carry legitimate fragrance, just as those discounters do.

If you are paranoid about getting a fake from these sites, then just go with an official retailer like Saks, Sephora, Belk, Macy's, or any of the department stores. Is your peace of mind worth a few bucks? Don't be cheap if it's going to ruin your day and enjoyment of a fragrance.

I know Demi said something about buying from discounters is bad or something. I didn't watch the video because I don't like Demi's content. However, I can assure you that buying from discounters is safe and legal. Fragrancenet has been around for around two decades. Surely if they were doing illegal stuff, then they would have been shut down by now.

Avoid buying anything from China or Russia, unless the house you are seeking comes from that country. Your best bet is to only buy from the US, Canada, Middle East, and Europe. Again, if the house is from another country, such as Dixit & Zak being from India, then feel safe buying from that country. Not all of these countries are producing fakes. China and Russia are just the most notorious for it.


eBay

If you wish to take the eBay route, then check the seller's ratings. It's not definitively safe if they have 10k positive ratings though. There is always a risk with eBay.

If you aren't sure you will get a 100% authentic product, then just don't use eBay. Again, your peace of mind isn't worth a few bucks in savings. Unless you are buying vintage fragrances, then you can pretty much avoid eBay if you don't feel comfortable with it. They also offer protection if you get scammed, so don't fret if you do happen to get a fake.

Also, don't be that guy or gal that falsely claims something is fake or watered down. Make sure you know what you are talking about before you mess up a legitimate seller's rating. If you ask in the groups, a lot of people will just claim what the majority does and don't really know if it's fake or not. Look for the people who actually give reasons as to why it's fake, not just the guys and gals who say only "fake".


Facebook Groups


This is probably where most fragheads get scammed. Do legit checks on people. If the seller opposes you doing a legit check on them, then it's probably best not to do business with them.

If they are a new seller, then you can just say you will only pay with goods and services in order to protect yourself. The extra tax on it is worth it in case the deal goes south.

Look for red flags. If they aren't willing to show you a picture of the product you are getting, then walk away. If they seem to make up tons of excuses, ask for a refund. Sometimes people do run into a lot of things in life. It happens. Don't expect them to ship the package the next day. Some people have to work. If it's been a week without any tracking number, then ask for a refund. Yes, sometimes you won't get it and it's sad, but you always run that risk when dealing with new people in the groups.

If they are a legitimate seller and you did a legit check and they had a bunch of responses, then you can buy with friends and family. Many of the legit sellers do this to protect themselves from people getting products and saying they are fake and getting a refund. Some of these guys move a lot of product, so they would be taking big losses if people did this to them, so try to understand their stance. Only do this for people who have made a lot of sales though.

Also, do not call someone out automatically because they didn't ship fast enough for you. Contact the admins of the group you saw their post in. Ask them about it and see if they can find anything out before you blast someone who could have just run into something. If you are that paranoid about people scamming you, then just use online retailers like I mentioned above.

Also, one way to build a bad reputation and have sellers not sell to you is to lowball them. Most of the sellers have more than reasonable pricing. if you don't like the price, then just look elsewhere. These guys need to make money too. They aren't charity organizations.


Don't Be Cheap

If you really want Bleu de Chanel EDT, then you will just pay retail for it and save yourself some worry. Trying to save 10 bucks by going to alternate sources can end up costing you a lot more than just buying it retail.

Again I will say it, if the price is too good to be true, then it probably is. Don't put more strain on yourself than you need to.

If you are trying to lowball a seller on the premise of you needing food for your family, then you shouldn't be buying fragrances period. You have a problem and need to seek counseling. I am not saying that to be funny. I am serious. Fragrances are a luxury, not an essential item.


Probability of Fakes

If the fragrance is one that is counterfeited very often, such as Bleu de Chanel, BR540 Extrait, and Aventus, then just buy it from a discounter or at retail. These are not fragrances you want to buy from eBay. You can still purchase them from trusted sellers in the groups. However, the more popular a fragrance is within the non-fraghead crowd, the higher likelihood you will get a fake. Be cognizant of things like this.


Conclusion

Your money is in your hands. it's up to you to decide the best course of action. Don't be impulsive and try to hop on a good deal automatically. If the seller wants to sell quick, then they might be trying to scam you. Look for the red flags and you will be fine. Use common sense.


I am sure there are many more things I could cover in this article, but I can't think of anything else right now. I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Be a blessing to someone and say a kind word. It's free and you never know how much it could help them. They could be on the edge of breaking down and one kind word could make their day better.

Let's pray for our black brothers and sisters in their fight to be treated equally. the changes start with us. Let us also pray that the rest of us can see where we can help them accomplish this. We are all in this together. Racism sucks.


Want to see what is going on in my group and vote on my upcoming articles? We also discuss fragrances and fragrant topics in a drama-free environment. You won't see any troll Aventus and CDNIM posts in my group! Join my Facebook group!

Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

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Frequently Asked Questions/Statements in the Fragrance Community

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Hello, ladies and gents! I am glad you decided to stop by today. I hope you are having a wonderful day. I am doing well, but I am feeling quite sarcastic today, so I decided to make this post. So yes, be forewarned, many of these answers will probably be sarcastic and in a joking manner. Some will have literal answers. I trust you to be able to tell the difference.

I see the same questions asked and statements made day in and day out in groups. I just wanted to answer some or give a sarcastic answer to them that is still truthful. I am not against people asking questions, but maybe this will help a few people. If nothing else, it might make you laugh...At least you will laugh at me, not because I am humorous, but because my sense of humor is pathetic and you pity me. Either way, I hope you get some enjoyment out of this. Take the humor with a grain of salt. Let's get into it!


1. Fragcomm: Guys, I just bought this fragrance and I have it in my hand. What do you think of it?

Me: I don't know, man. You have it and not me. Why would I tell you your own opinion on it?


2. Fragcomm: Here is my collection. What do you think I should add next?

Me: There are thousands of fragrances available. Most people are going to suggest what Jeremy talks about, so just go watch him and skip the onslaught of comments that will be unleashed on you about Eros, Ultra Male, La Nuit de L'Homme, Aventus, and Sauvage. Either that, or go to the store and smell some stuff and see what your style is. Our noses aren't your noses.


3. Fragcomm: I blind bought this fragrance because of a reviewer saying it was good and I hate it.

Me: Stop watching reviewers that tell you to blind buy without sampling first. That reviewer's nose isn't yours. Go on your own scent journey, not theirs. Most of us have already learned the lesson about blind buying because of reviews. We have all been there.


4. Fragcomm: What should I buy from these fragrances that everyone has?

Me: Again, our nose isn't yours. Most of these mass appealing fragrances can be found at your local mall and you can find samples everywhere. We don't know what your tastes are.


5. Fragcomm: I don't get compliments with these (insert compliment monster) fragrance.

Me: There are so many factors that play into this. How you present yourself is pivotal. If you are wearing Black Afgano with a white suit, then you probably won't. Also, be a nice guy. No one wants to talk to a jerk.


6. Fragcomm: This fragrance performs terribly on my skin!

Me: Maybe you oversprayed and can't smell it. Our noses can't always pick up certain notes. Fragrances like Guerlain L'Homme Ideal Cologne is said to have bad performance, but it has a musky and somewhat powdery dry down. Not everyone can detect light musks.

Also, try looking at vintage fragrance or Arabic ones. People keep buying these fast money flankers and hype beasts and wonder why houses make fragrances that don't perform. The short answer is: they can get away with it because you keep buying them.


7. Fragcomm: What is your favorite tobacco fragrance?

Me: Please don't say i...

Fragcomm: Herod

Me: /facepalm


8. Fragcomm: Is Ultra Male a "panty-dropper"? (excuse the term)

Me: Yes. If you walk by the women's underwear aisle in Wal-Mart they will stop what they are doing with a look of vivid bewilderment and drop that package of undergarments and wonder why you are wearing such a strong women's perfume.

(This is a total joke. To each their own)


9. Fragcomm: Is Aventus a boxer-dropper?

Me: I have no idea. My guy friends keep their boxers on around me.


10. Fragcomm: Aventus is the king!

Me: So much for democracy...


11. Fragcomm: Why spend your money on clones when you can get the real thing?

Me: Because I don't tell people how to spend their money. It's of no concern to me.


12. Fragcomm: Why spend money on an expensive fragrance when clones are cheaper?

Me: Because I don't tell people how to spend their money. It's of no concern to me.

( I have now started two sentences with "because". I might be going mad)


13. Fragcomm: What fragrance do women find irresistible?

Me: I don't know. I am a man. I stopped trying to figure out women years ago. I can't even figure myself out. My cat has me stumped too. Maybe you should ask a woman.


14. Fragcomm: I wore CDNIM and didn't get any compliments. What gives?

Me: *Smirks* and scrolls on by.


15. Fragcomm: What are you wearing today?

Me: *Sniffs my wrist*...draws a blank. Man, I am getting old...


16. Fragcomm: Creed uses all naturals!

Me: Let me show you the way, young grasshoppa.


17. Fragcomm: I want a natural fragrance that projects 50 feet and lasts 38 hours.

Me: Good luck finding that, bud.


18. Fragcomm: Does this $25 fragrance have real oud?

Me: Oh, boy...


19. Fragcomm: Why do reviewers get free bottles?

Me: Why aren't you putting in the work to review yourself? It's not that easy. The same people who request for us to spend our money and get what they want us to review are asking us why we get free bottles? I don't see how people fail to see the irony there...


20. Fragcomm: What should I wear for a date tonight?

Me: Whatever you like. Wear a fragrance that embodies you.


21. Fragcomm: Is this bottle real?

Me: Don't buy fragrances from companies or people if you have a doubt that they will be real. If you are that paranoid about it, buy from official retailers.

Also, stop telling people everything is fake because someone else did. If you think it's fake, then say why you do.


22. Fragcomm: What is the best boozy smell?

Me. The smell of sobriety


23. Fragcomm: I don't care about how it smells. I want to know about performance!

Me: Why are you even here? I care about how my vehicle looks and runs. They are both important.


24. Fragcomm: New collector, how am I doing?

Fragcomm: Noobs

Me: *shrug* everyone started somewhere. He was only looking for a bit of support.


25. Fragcomm: You posted your SOTD in 4 groups! Stop spamming us with your posts!

Me: If you don't like it, then you could have hit the block button in less time than it took you to write that.


26. Fragcomm: I hate drama, so I am posting a dramatic post about people being dramatic.

Me: Must...resist...urge..to...meme...

Fighting fire with fire only makes it worse.


27. Fragcomm: What is the best fragrance that smells like weed?

Me: Yeah, we already know that you smell like weed. You don't need a fragrance for it.


28. Fragcomm: I hate (insert random note)!

Me: Well, people thought the Titanic was unsinkable until it sunk. Opinions can change quickly given the right circumstance.


29. Fragcomm: I am going to a funeral and I nee...

Me: Just stop there. Wear something clean or nothing. You don't want that fragrance to take away from honoring someone's life. That is a scent they will remember for the rest of their lives. Same goes for a wedding. Be respectful for other people's special days.


30. Fragcomm: John, why do you make dumb articles like this?

Me: I was bored. Sometimes I let my sarcasm get the best of me and I think a few people might get a chuckle out of it.


Conclusion 

I hope you enjoyed this. Remember that most of these are sarcastic or a joke. Just relax.

I hope you enjoy your day and you are blessed. Remember to say a kind word to someone(or a sarcastic joke) to make someone's day. It's free!

Racism sucks. Let's pray for everyone to be treated equally and fairly.

Want to see what is going on in my group and vote on my upcoming articles? We also discuss fragrances and fragrant topics in a drama-free environment. You won't see any troll Aventus and CDNIM posts in my group! Join my Facebook group!

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Pineapple Musk: Valor Perfumes Highlands Review

Credit: Abdelfattah Hamed

Hello, ladies and gents! I hope everyone is doing wonderful today. I am doing pretty well myself. I had my cardamom tea and I am ready to go.


Today, I am bringing you a new brand. One that I don't think anyone else has reviewed yet. At least not in English. It's Valor Perfumes out of Egypt. I will let you know right off, this is a clone house, but they have the best prices I have ever seen for clones. We are talking Armaf level prices here. He did send me a few fragrances from his offerings for free. So, there is my disclaimer, but as always, you know I am honest about it and the owner encouraged me to be honest.

The one I am reviewing today is Highlands, which is inspired by Sospiro Accento. I haven't tried the Sospiro version, so this review will be based solely on my impression on the scent alone. Let's get into it!


The Scent

Highlands opens with a fresh and juicy pineapple that isn't selfish and willingly shares the stage with a semi-metallic and clean musk. Sweet spring flowers of hyacinth rise up and lends its voice in support of the musk and pineapple. Cordially spicy amber and sweet pink pepper completes the main actors and actresses on this stage.

As the heart comes out, the musk remembers who she is with a slight metallicness, but he has grown up a bit and taken on a more romantic floral aspect. She still has a bit of an ego and knows she's the main start though and makes it well known. The pineapple decides it's better to let her have the stage, but deep down everyone knows that she wouldn't shine so bright if it wasn't for him. The hyacinth does what he's always done. He continues to support them both.

In the dry down, much remains the same, besides the vetiver comes out to play. He lends his masculine strength to the group and helps the story reach its conclusion. At this point, the sweet pink pepper and calmly spicy amber have exited stage right, but their memory still lingers. This is still very much the muck and pineapple show, with random appearances from hyacinth and vetiver and it remains that way until it ends.


My Opinion

I can't compare Highlands to the Sospiro, but I do really like this one. Considering this one costs a mere 18 USD for 100ML, this is excellent. Even if you bumped it up to Alexandria prices. Yes, you heard me correctly and that was not a typo, 18 USD for 100ML. I double-checked it.

I am surprised how realistic and juicy the pineapple is and how smooth the musk is for this price range. Suprised might be an understatement. Shocked is probably better. This is one of the highest quality clones I have smelled and it's one of the cheapest in price. I am not entirely sure how he does it, but I am impressed.

Now, I cannot say this smells 100% natural or anything. It doesn't smell synthetic though. You would expect an Armaf level of synthetic mess in this price range, but that is not what you get. The performance is also quite good. I get around 10 hours on skin with it. Sadly, I have been unable to properly gauge sillage and projection due to being home, but it seems like it does well in those categories as well. However, this is not a super loud fragrance that will fill a room.

This fragrance will fit both men and women perfectly. It's certainly a warmer weather fragrance, but wear it when you'd like. I think it fights casual to business casual clothing the best. This is one you could rock with a white shirt at the beach.

The presentation is solid. The bottles are actually quite heavy. the cap is plastic, but it looks nice. I wish the labels had the size on them, but that is only a minor gripe. The atomizer is pretty decent have a decently wide arc to the spray pattern.

I do have one thing that I am not a fan of with this fragrance, the name. Highlands refers to Scotland in most cases. This doesn't make me think of Scotland at all. This makes me think of Greece. Again, this is only a minor gripe.

He also doesn't appear to sell samples yet, but I am sure that will be coming soon. Most companies don't start off with samples. His business is new, so he's still working on getting more offerings and options. A website will be soon, possibly.

This company is in Egypt, so shipping to the US isn't cheap. However, the price you save per bottle makes up for it and it still turns out to be more affordable than many other clone houses.

Overall, a really nice fragrance that I will continue to wear. Even if this was priced at 60 USD, I would still think it's decent for the price. I am more inclined to do so given the cost. I know I keep talking about the price, but it just shocks me, honestly.


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed my first look at this house. I will drop a review on another one in a week or two. That one will be a bit more suited to my readers who enjoy the classics.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Be blessed and be kind to one another. A kind word is free and you can change someone's world with it.

Racism sucks. Let's all work towards equality for all and a better future for the next generation.


Buy Valor Perfumes here. He has a list of his offerings. The M+U is men's and unisex and the F is for females.

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My Top 10 Most Complimented Fragrances

I am not sure why I used this picture, but I thought it was cute. Source

Hello, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome back. I hope today is treating you well and you are blessed beyond your comprehension.

I haven't done a top 10 list in almost a year. They always seemed like too much hype for me. I did a vote in my blog's Facebook group and they unanimously voted for me to start doing them again, so here I am.

The reason I wanted to do this particular one is because I wear a lot of different fragrances and I think m,y list will be much different than your typical "compliment monsters". Yes, I have BdC EDP and Parfum, Sauvage, Aventus, and many other hyped fragrances. However, none of them are on my list. In order to get people's attention, the fragrance needs to fit you.

Don't take this as a hype list. Don't go out and buy these because I said people comment on them. They work for me and my personality. They might not work for you. Always sample first. I do think there are some good fragrances in this list that get overshadowed by other more popular ones.

This list is going off my impression from my memory. I don't really count compliments. I rarely speak about them, as most of my readers know. I am just doing this to change people's perceptions on compliments and the variety of fragrances you can safely wear with confidence.

I have rambled on too much now, let's get into it!


10. Cristiano Ronaldo Legacy Private Edition

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I am convinced that Legacy Private Edition is only this far down the list because I got it shortly before the pandemic started. So, if this were normal, then I think this would be higher on the list. This is a pretty good quality celebrity fragrance containing a nice woody sandalwood note with maple, amber, and tonka. It's only slightly sweet. The woody sandalwood pops out the most to my nose and makes it very masculine off my skin, with only a slight sweetness to it. This one is quite underrated and people around me enjoy when I wear it.


9. Mugler A*Men Pure Malt

Mugler Pure Malt is still one of my favorites. I haven't spoken of it in a while, but I still wear it and people still love it. This boozy semi-gourmand is seen as unique where I live. Not many people know about it here and it's one of my comfort scents in the cooler weather.


8. Givenchy Gentleman EDP

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Gentleman Givenchy is a balsamic and sweet floral fragrance with a predominant iris note. Akin to Dior Homme and Valentino Uomo instance, but standing on its own with its black vanilla, spice, and iris, and lavender combo. This gets better reactions from people around me than the Valentino and Dior. It's also the most readily available one of the three.

7. Genre Parfums R.A.M.C.

Credit: Genre Parfums

This might be one of the "hyped" ones on this list. People who know about Genre know about this one. This is a sweet citrusy fragrance with a potent dose of sweet bergamot and tart lemon with a dry down of heavier woods and white musk. It's a real crowd-pleaser for sure. I am sure this one would be higher on the list if I had a chance to wear it more, but I am always testing stuff for review. I have four fragrances from Genre and his one is my favorite. 

6. Lalique Pour Homme

Lalique Pour Homme is a lighter take on a classic fougere. Vaguely reminiscent of Creed Bois du Portugal, this is a classy fragrance. This one can be dressed up or down, but I find I get better reactions to it when I am slightly dressed up. You need to really love lavender, sandalwood, and cedar to appreciate this one.


5. Alexandria Mr. Sillage

This was the first Alexandria I owned. They caught my attention when they offered this one to help support Chris' family after he passed. This is probably one of my most special fragrances because of that. This is from the first batch that was made and went to his family. It's a take on Jo Malone Myrrh and Tonka. It's balsamic, sweet, and somewhat mentholated. It's a very nice fragrance that is very strong and gets attention.

I only have around half of the bottle left, so I don't wear it as often as I used to. However, I have worn it more than any other Alexandria fragrance, so that alone makes it my most complimented from the house.

RIP, Chris. Until Valhalla. Go frag yourself.


4. Zaharoff Signature

This is another one you could say is hyped. I had this one way before the hype train started. I have worn it quite a bit. It's a balsamic, sweet, woody, and clean floral fragrance that harkens back to the classics while staying perfectly modern. There is a reason that most people love this in the fragrance community. It's the same reason people outside the fragrance community do. It's just that good.


3. Burberry Touch(Tie)

Burberry Touch is proof that being clean is never underappreciated. This powdery violet, citrus, and woody fragrance is versatile and will keep you smelling fresh all day. This one is seriously popular with men and women alike. Being clean never goes out of style.


3. Acqua di Gio Absolu (Tie)

This bottle is quite difficult to take a picture of...

Acqua di Gio Absolu is a little bit similar to Invictus Aqua. It has less of that bubblegum sweetness. It also added tonka and heavier woods to it, while maintaining that classic ADG bergamot note. So, it comes off as a more masculine take on it and makes it more wearable for guys who are a bit older (such as me). This one is certainly a crowd pleaser and garners me more attention than Hawas does. It's just a better scent profile for me as well.


2. Happyland Signature

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Happyland Signature is a spicy oriental with gourmand facets. it's like if you took Parfums de Marly Oajan and Arabian Oud's Kalemat and mashed them together. Dry tobacco, cinnamon, creamy spiced amber, creamy vanilla, and woody oud. It's a masculine sweet and sexy fragrance. This one seems to garner attention quite often. I love wearing this one too. It makes me confident. I rally love this one.


1. Scentstory 24 Gold

24 Gold is another Kalemat style fragrance. I guess these really work on me. Creamy spiced amber, oud, golden vanilla, and dry sandalwood create a magical aroma that entices everyone around you. It seems like every other time I wear this someone comments on it. This one holds my most compliments in a single day for me as well. It's just an amazingly seductive vanilla and woody scent with some spice. I called this one of my best pickups of the winter over a year ago and that still holds true.


Conclusion

I hope you all enjoyed this one. It's slightly different than what I normally post. Sometimes a change of pace is what is needed.

Remember, don't blind buy these because they work for me. I just wanted to show that you don't have to buy all hyped stuff if you want to smell good to those around you. Figure out what suits your style and go with it. Don't fall victim to what people tell you to do. be your own man/woman.

Also, the best way to get compliments is to be a good person. People are much more inclined to compliment people who are approachable.

Be blessed. Remember that a kind word is free and you can change someone's life with one. Don't hesitate to be kind. There are enough jerks in the world.

Let's pray for our black brothers and sisters who face injustices. Let's pray that we can all understand and help them. Let's pray that we can work together to make this world a better place for everyone.

Want to see what is going on in my group and vote on my upcoming articles? We also discuss fragrances and fragrant topics in a drama-free environment. You won't see any troll Aventus and CDNIM posts in my group! Join my Facebook group!

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The Everyday Guy's Starter Kit

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Hello, guys and gals! I hope everyone is having a wonderfully blessed and prosperous day! The sun finally decided to return to the Carolinas, so it's getting pretty hot here. I am already wanting the winter to return. Oh well, it will be here soon enough.

I decided to do another starter kit article. This one is about those everyday guys who don't want to spend a ton on fragrances, but doesn't want to go with the "Jeremy Starter Kit" with Ultra Male, Sauvage, Bleu de Chanel, and ADG Profumo. This will all be cheap and mass appealing fragrances, but they will be ones that not everyone speaks about.

This list will be quite a bit smaller than my others because I believe the everyday guy only needs a few fragrances for each situation. This list isn't for collectors. It's for people who want to get into collecting or guys that just want to smell good for every situation.

I hope you enjoy it! Let's get into it!

Pro tip: If you click the discounter link under each fragrance, it will take you to its page on the site. I am not affiliated or sponsored by any discounter in any way. I get nothing from you clicking them. I only added them to help you find them more quickly.


Hugo Boss Boss Bottled Unlimited

Main Notes: Mint, pineapple, violet, and cinnamon

Situation: Casual days in the warmer months

Price: $27.29/50ml at Fragrancenet

Boss Bottled Unlimited is pretty much a shower gel version of a white fragrance. Minty freshness with juicy pineapple, crisp violet, and spicy cinnamon fuse to make a light and playful fragrance that is a hard worker in the heat. This fragrance is pretty synthetic, but it works well for what it is. I enjoy it and I think it's a bit under the radar.


Kenneth Cole Mankind

Main Notes: Cedar, vetiver, sandalwood, pineapple, and ginger

Situation: Those 9-5s during the warmer months

Price: $26.64/100ml at Fragrancenet


Kenneth Cole isn't known to make great quality goods. I wouldn't say this is good quality either. It's probably the safest fragrance in existence. It smells nice and masculine. it's not loud and overbearing and it will last you an entire workday. For around 30 cents per ML, this is a great work scent so you won't get fragrances banned in your workplace, but you will still smell good.



Lacoste Pour Homme

Main Notes: Plum, vanilla, sandalwood, apple, rum, and cinnamon

Situation: Any date night throughout the year

Price: $24.69/100ml at Fragrancenet


Lacoste Pour Homme will always have a special place in my heart. It was one of the two fragrances that I picked up at a military PX around 10 years ago. The other one was Lacoste Style in Play. Later on, when I really started exploring fragrances, they allowed me to see that there was much more diversity than Cool Water and Avon out there and well... The rest is history.

This is a versatile date night fragrance suitable for dates all year long. I also think it's quite unique. It's a sexy fragrance without being sickly sweet. It has a certain class to it. This one will do the job without you being too overpowering. A very safe date night scent.


Scentstory 24 Gold

Main Notes: Amber, vanilla, sandalwood, and guaiac wood

Situation: Your versatile cold-weather fragrance

Price: $23.39/50ml at Fragrancebuy.ca


24 Gold is a great fragrance. It's a kalemat style fragrance with sweet spiced amber, heavy woods, and creamy vanilla. For those of you who are interested in compliments, this is my most complimented fragrance in my near 300 bottle collection. It's becoming more difficult to find, but you can still get it at Fragrancebuy.ca. This fragrance works very well as a date night fragrance, but it can also work for casual daytime wear.


Nautica Life

Main Notes: Violet, sea moss, sea salt, ginger, sage, and lavender

Situation: Gym time

Price: $12.34/100ml at Fragrancenet


Nautica Life is a pleasant smelling sporty fragrance. It's green, fresh, and a bit spicy with a few oceanic accords. The longevity is only about 4-5 hours, but that makes it good for the gym. You can do your workout, shower it off, and put something else on after. For 12 bucks, it's an easy choice.


Cremo Blue Cedar and Cypress

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Main Notes: Lemon leaf, Cedar, and Cypress

Situation: Cold weather 9-5s

Price: $22.99/100ml at Cremo


Cremo had a bit of hype going for a bit, but it died off. I still think they are a great company for guys who want to smell good and not break the bank. The quality in their fragrances is pretty high. Blue Cedar & Cypress is a barbershop style fragrance with citrusy lemon leaf and a gorgeous cedar note. It also has a powdery aspect to it. Regardless, this is a great scent for work in the colder weather.


Cristiano Ronaldo Legacy Private Edition

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Main Notes: Maple, tonka, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, and cedar

Situation: Cold-weather dates or nighttime meetings

Price: $31.19/100ml at Fragrancenet


Ronaldo Legacy Private Edition is one celebrity fragrance with amazing quality. It's a sweet semi-gourmand with maple, vanilla, tonka, and a dry and woody sandalwood with cedar. It's basically a very masculine semi-gourmand with heavy woods. It doesn't smell like food. It just has that gourmand sweetness and that is why I label it as a semi-gourmand. It's mostly a  sandalwood and tonka fragrance to me. The sandalwood pops off on my skin. This is a sexy and masculine fragrance that I think most guys and gals will appreciate. It would be a great date night fragrance, but it could be used for any situation.


Conclusion

I tried to cover quite a few bases and I hope this helps you get started and not smell like everyone else. These are a great starting point to get into fragrances, or just as a fragrance to cover every situation. There are many collectors who don't even know about these fragrances and it's a shame.

I hope everyone has a fantastic day. Remember to say something positive to someone today. It doesn't cost you anything and you never know how much you can help someone.

Pray for equality and wisdom for our nation so that we all may live in peace and prosper.


Want to see what is going on in my group and vote on my upcoming articles? We also discuss fragrances and fragrant topics in a drama-free environment. You won't see any troll Aventus and CDNIM posts in my group! Join my Facebook group!

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My Letter to the Fragrance Community(My Blog Story)

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Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is having a blessed day. It cooled down a bit here today, so that is always a good thing. The heat can be pretty brutal here at times.

This is a different type of article. This one isn't about drama and what we need to fix. This one is a thank you note and how the fragrance community has helped me through the years. It's not really a letter, but I couldn't think of a catchy title, so I just went with it.

I am not naming any specific people in this article because I want this to be about the community as a whole... I might be slightly afraid to forget to mention someone too. Anyways, I will stop running my mouth(fingers?) and get to what I wanted to say. Let's get into it.


My Eternal Gratitude

Again, I find it difficult to articulate the words I really want to say, so I named this section what I felt was appropriate. There have been many people who have helped me along the way...

To the people who believed in me before I started my blog and encouraged me to start it...

To the companies and people who sent me stuff early on when no one knew who I was(they still probably don't)...

To the people who gave me a kick in the rear when I wanted to quit...

To the reviewers who inspired me...

To my viewers who come by and support me...

To the people who have helped me with non-fragrance related things...

To the people who listened to my venting...

To the people who gave me something when I had nothing, both mentally and physically...

To anyone else who I forgot...

Thank you. You have done more for me than you know.

You see... I was scared about putting myself out there. I was scared of what people would think. I was scared of failing. I would have failed if I never tried.

I decided to put myself out there with encouragement from some friends. That was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. It has opened up so many things for me...from personal friendships with people to even being able to do some writing for a few brands... That is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many more things I want to accomplish.

As many of you may or may not know, I take care of my mother who is ill. She has a wide plethora of health issues including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stomach diseases, and she is blind in one eye. She had to have her legs amputated a few years ago and she doesn't walk, so she needs someone to help her often.

All of that pretty much means that I don't have an income. That is why you see me say where I get every fragrance I review. I want to be fully transparent. I also want to give credit where it's due. No one that I have done a review for influenced me to say anything positive. The ones who wanted a positive review were declined, even if they offered money. I don't play that game.

Now, as selfish as this sounds, it kind of put me in a rut. I felt like I was wasting away. I felt depressed. Fragrances helped get me out of that a bit, but it wasn't enough. I ultimately decided to start blogging as a way to feel like I was working again. That helped a lot. I could pour my time and energy into writing and it helped me express myself, without manifesting those negative emotions.

I had to work hard to get relationships with some companies. I can't take credit for all of it. Many companies reached out to me as well. It took work on both sides. That is when I realized I could make this work.

Random people also reached out and sent me stuff as well. They did it just because they wanted to. There were no strings attached. They just did it out of kindness.

I figured I could make a few dollars to maybe buy a fragrance every now and then with ad revenue. Well, it turns out that ad revenue is terrible. I have been blogging for almost 2 years and still haven't made enough to get one check from it. I am not worried about that anymore. I have truly been blessed.

I got obsessed with followers, views, and all of the glitz and glam that people think of. Only to find myself falling into darkness again. I took a break and thought about things...

After thinking and weighing what I was doing, I came to a defining realization in my life. It's not about me. I was selfish. It's about passion, love, and helping people. However, it's not just about me helping people. All of those who helped me got something out of it too. They got that fuzzy feeling inside that they get from helping someone. This is about a group of people who believed in me. It's not just about me. It's "our" blog. Even though it's my opinion. They helped build it just as much as I did and I cannot fail them.

This is why I push on. I may get discouraged sometimes, but I know there are folks who have my back. They have had it since day one.

There is literally no way I could have kept reviewing stuff on my own. The fragrance community built this blog and they deserve the credit for doing so. I am eternally grateful to all of you that have helped me. I cannot put it into words that could articulate what I mean. Just know that I haven't forgotten you. I remember every package and every word of motivation you have given me.

We live in uncertain times. People want to think that the world lacks kindness. They want to think the fragrance community is full of trolls and jerks. It's simply not true. Yeah, a few bad apples get through the cracks. This blog is proof in black and white that the fragrance community is full of amazing and selfless people.

This article is number 193. 200 is coming up soon and I hope to be able to do something special for that. If anyone has any ideas, let me know.

There are so many more things I could say. However, I didn't plan on this article having my blog story in it, but it just happened. I was just writing. and what came out is what I feel.

As I always say, a kind word is free. We need more of those. You never know what someone is going through. One word can mean the difference between darkness and light. Choose the light, my friends. The sun will always shine again. Not quitting through the rough times defines us. If no one else has your back, then message me. I got your six.

Everyone have a blessed day. Enjoy your family, friend, and loved ones. They will go through the storm with you and not think twice about it. Do the same for them.


Want to see what is going on in my group and vote on my upcoming articles? We also discuss fragrances and fragrant topics in a drama-free environment. You won't see any troll Aventus and CDNIM posts in my group! Join my Facebook group!

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