Enchanting: Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule Review

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Good morning, everyone! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day today. I am doing well while sitting here with a cup of Earl Grey, as usual. Apparently, Blogger updated its interface and it took me around 20 minutes to figure out how to create a new post. I am so technologically dense sometimes. Oh well, I figured it out or you wouldn't be seeing this post...

Today I will be doing my first review from the French niche house of Serge Lutens. They seem to be a well-loved brand by many fragrance enthusiasts and I was quite excited to check this one out. 

My good friend, Scent Remix, sent me 10ml of this wonderful perfume on the house. So, a special thank you goes out to him for his kindness. Also, he has a YouTube channel with the same name. If you enjoy my style, then you will enjoy his as well. We have similar tastes. Check him out here.

I am excited about this one. Let's get into it!


The Story 

Your heart races. Your palms get sweaty. You are back here again, at square one. It's been a while since you have been on a date. You are out of practice and you aren't even sure how these things work anymore. The only way to break the ice is to just do it, so you are. 

A black suit is fitting for a fancy restaurant. The elegance of the black suit is never understated, but perhaps it's too formal for this. The ideas race in your mind. Your insecurities grip your mind. You don't want to mess this up. You spent an entire year to garner up the courage to ask her out. Now, you are doubting it as you wait for her to arrive. 

A subtle waft graces your nose. For a moment, you forget about your anxiety as you focus on what it is. Perhaps is some sort of fancy dessert they serve. It smells like a rich and decadent chocolate. You pause for a moment. That is me. A rich layer of dark chocolate tantalizes your senses with a creamy and woody trail. An elegant and refined rose follows. Suddenly, you forgot about your anxiety. Confidence comes as you realize the fragrance is a representation of you. Sweet and classy, soft and gentlemanly.

She finally arrives. Thankfully you already regained your wits. She greets you with a warm smile that comforts you as you pull out her chair for her and she sits. As you walk back to your seat, you think, "maybe this night won't be so bad after all..."


The Scent 

Upon spraying Santal Majuscule, you are greeting by a sweet and confident rose that quickly gives way to dark and bitter cacao. This cacao isn't the super powdery type like you will find in the Dior Homme line. This cacao is smooth. Creamy sandalwood joins the party and tames the bitterness of the cacao and gives it an opulent milky feel. A slight hint of spice from rich tonka bean rounds this fragrance out perfectly. 

When Santal Majuscule dries down, the tonka is accompanied by woody and sweet rose with a slight floral sharpness to it. It lingers as a soft, creamy, and woody chocolate fragrance with a dark and sweet rose for its entire life. 

My Opinion

Santal Majuscule is a beautiful and magical creation from the house of Serge Lutens. I certainly need a bottle of this in my collection. This makes me want to try even more Serge Lutens fragrances. I am impressed with the depth and quality of this fragrance for only having a few notes. This would be an outstanding fragrance for a romantic evening, especially Valentine's Day.

I really do love this one, but I still suggest sampling first. This isn't a fragrance that everyone will appreciate and it's not cheap. I do suggest getting a sample of this one though. I do think it's a very=high quality and expertly blended fragrance. The notes dance back and forth and dance with each other for most of the fragrance's lifespan, which is quite lengthy. 

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed my review! I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Be good to one another and remember that a kind word is free, so use them often. You never know who you could help!

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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Fragrances for James Bond Part II

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Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day today. I am doing fine myself. Sitting here with my cup of Earl Grey and writing has become one of my favorite parts of the day. Sharing ideas over a hot cup of tea...That is how it should be done.

I previously did an article on fragrances for James Bond, which is still up here, but I am not happy with it. I keep all of my articles up though. I never want to forget where I came from. I have seen a few Bond lists from other reviewers and some of the choices make me scratch my head. I mean no disrespect to them, but I am not sure if they have read any of the books or watched any of the movies. My first list was pretty scattered and not entirely accurate to Bond's personality, so I am hoping to improve on it here for Bond fanatics such as myself.

Floris No 89 and Limes were mentioned in the books, so I will forego those two. Besides the fact that I have never tried either.  If anyone knows a good source for those two, which seems to be difficult to find in the US, please let me know. Also, Bond never used Eucris. I am sure Bond would use it, but the novels only say it was on a counter in a restroom he was in. One of my English friends pointed out that it was likely a hair styling product because it was next to a comb. I agree with him.

I will be including Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig, and Sean Connery for most of these, since they are my favorite Bonds. I am not too keen on the Moore/Dalton era, so you might or two for them.

These are not the fragrances that Bond actually wore. These are the ones that I think we could add to his repertoire of gentlemanly items.

Okay, I will stop yapping now and get started. Let's get into it!


Guerlain Vetiver

Main Notes: Vetiver, Black Pepper, Nutmeg, Tobacco, Lemon, and Oakmoss

Bonds: Sean Connery and Timothy Dalton

Situations: Any

Seasons: Any, but it favors warmer weather.

Classy, elegant, and suave. Vetiver embodies Sean Connery so well. Vetiver is as classic as the Bond franchise itself. Grassy and woody vetiver with lemon give way to a heart of earthy tobacco and spice that defines your style while cruising around town. Well, cruising might be a bad word for it. Bond was sometimes reckless. Okay, he was often reckless. I don't think Bond ever returned a car in one piece. Have no fear though, you can still encapsulate his style without the aftermath.


Guerlain Jicky EDP

Main Notes: Lavender, Vanilla, Lemon, Coumarin, and Leather

Bonds: Sean Connery and Roger Moore

Situations: Any

Seasons: Any

Guerlain Jicky was actually the signature scent of Sean Connery. Yep, a "woman's" fragrance. It's actually what made me start exploring women's fragrances for myself. If it's good enough for Sean Connery, then it's good enough for me. Someone in the Guerlain group also told me that he introduced Roger Moore to it as well, so that is why I included him in there.

Yes, I know there are two Guerlains on here, but the house does fit the Bond vibe. Jicky is a sweet and powdery lavender with herbs and citruses and the signature Guerlinade of powdery and floral vanilla. A masterfully blended masterpiece that was the first fragrance to use synthetic vanilla and started the Guerlinade.


Zaharoff Signature

Main Notes: Lavender, Vanilla, Myrrh, Incense, Patchouli, Pepper, and Sandalwood

Bonds: Daniel Craig

Situations: Any

Seasons: Any, but it favors colder weather

Zaharoff Signature harkens back to old school fougeres with modern ingredients. It's very balsamic, but not over sweet. It's woody, creamy, a bit spicy, and resinous. This is the sort of class that Daniel Craig would exude. A modern man with a taste for the finer things, while still holding the classics in high regard. This smells like Bond in the casino in Casino Royale to me.


Ferrari Bright Neroli

Main Notes: Neroli, Orange Blossom, Bitter Orange, Grapefruit, Rosemary, and Vetiver

Bonds: Any

Situations: Casual to slightly dressed up

Seasons: Spring and summer

Ferrari Bright Neroli isn't expensive, but I don't think that would dissuade Bond from using it. This ie Bond in Italy in a white button-up. Citrusy and clean floral elements meld with herbal rosemary and vetiver to create a classic Italian scent with modern ingredients. Any of the Bonds would appreciate the quality here and would love wearing it while cruising on a boat and investigating those bad guys.


Creed Green Irish Tweed 

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Main Notes: Lemon Verbena, Mint, Sandalwood, Violet, and Iris

Bonds: Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig

Situations: Any

Seasons: Spring and summer

The rolling hills of the countryside of the UK, that is what Creed's Green Irish Tweed embodies. A small moment of solace for Bond between missions. This classy and timeless green fragrance features a minty lemon verbena pop with ozonic violet, and clean iris, This classic would be most fitted for Pierce Brosnan, given his Irish roots, but it would work for Daniel Craig too. This fragrance exudes the classy sophistication of modern-day Bonds.


Creed Viking

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Main Notes: Peppermint, Black Pepper, Pink Pepper, Rose, Lavender, and Sandalwood

Bonds: Daniel Craig

Situations: Any

Seasons: Fall and winter

Another Creed? Why John? Well, this one is a fiery and classy barbershop style aromatic fragrance with floral and slightly spiced pink pepper, rose, spicy peppermint, and clean lavender. The reason I put this on here is that it fits Craig's persona perfectly. It's elegant, but it also represents his personality. The spiciness represents the time that Craig lost his temper and the minty coolness represents how he always gets his head clear and gets the mission done. I don't think this fits any other Bond. Craig brought more emotion to the role and that is why this fits him.


Houbigant Fougere Royale

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Main Notes: Lavender, Oakmoss, Geranium, Clary Sage, Coumarin, and Patchouli

Bonds: Any

Situations: Any

Seasons: Any

Houbigant Fougere Royale is one of the most legendary gentleman's fragrances ever and it's still made today. Many people have forgotten about this gem. It was the first fragrance to use a synthetic ingredient, coumarin. It also paved the way for fougeres and barbershops that followed it. A powdery lavender with clean geranium, herbs, woody patchouli, and oakmoss. It's clean. classy, and elegant. Just like Bond is. I have no doubt that Bond would wear this one, given that he always had a fresh shave and a nice haircut...Well, except the time when Brosnan was in prison, but we won't talk about that.


Tom Ford Tobacco Oud

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Main Notes: Oud, Whiskey, Cardamom, Patchouli, and Sandalwood

Bonds: Daniel Craig

Situations: Semi-formal to formal

Seasons: Fall and winter


Tom Ford's Tobacco Oud isn't like the others on this list. It's ashy, boozy, and dark. It represents another part of Craig's Bond. Bond was known to smoke both cigars and cigarettes, so the ashy part fits. We all know Bond was an alcoholic. We see that in full force with Craig's character. The dark past that he holds onto in his quest for revenge fits the darkness of Tobacco Oud.

Craig also wore a lot of Tom Ford clothes in his movies, so I had to feature a Tom Ford fragrance since Craig seems to enjoy the brand. This one was fitting in other ways, so I think it's perfect.


Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule

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Main Notes: Cacao, Sandalwood, and Rose

Bonds: Daniel Craig

Situations: Formal, romantic, and semi-formal

Seasons: Fall and Winter


Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule is a more modern scent for the romantic gentleman. This would be what Craig would wear when he is trying to impress the Bond girl. Sandalwood lends itself to dark and bitter cacao to soften it up and give it some creaminess, while a sweet rose sits underneath it all. I am pretty certain that this would be Bond girl approved.


Dior Eau Sauvage EDT

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Main Notes: Lemon, Bergamot, Basil, Rosemary, Oakmoss, and Vetiver

Bonds: Any

Situations: Casual

Seasons: Spring and summer

Dior's Eau Sauvage is another legendary fragrance for a gentleman. A bright citrusy fragrance with herbs and a green and woody backbone. I have no doubts that this would embody Bond on those scorching hot days in Africa. This is the fragrance that would keep him cool and collected...for around 10 minutes.


Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this one. Let me know how I did! I thank all of you for stopping by today and I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Don't forget to say a kind word to someone. It costs less than a bottle of a Cuba fragrance and you can really help people by simply being kind. Keep being great and smelling great. Live to "Die Another Day". The wording worked, but the movie was terrible...

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10 Budget-Friendly Fragrances That Smell Expensive

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Hey, folks! I hope everyone is doing well today. It's still hot here in South Carolina. It seems like this year has gone by quickly with everything going on in the world. However, this hot summer seems almost endless. Fall will come soon enough.

Today I will be covering 10 fragrances that pack well above their price point and smell expensive to me. I have tried to include some relatively unknown fragrances in here instead of making it a list that you have all seen before. All of these fragrances can be had for $60 or under for at least 30ml. This is not a top 10, so they aren't in any order.

None of the links are affiliate links. I have no sponsors. They only take you directly to the page that sells the fragrance for your convenience. Let's get into it!

NoteL You can wear anything for any season. The seasons category is just which seasons the fragrance excels in.


Ferrari Bright Neroli

Main Notes: Neroli, Grapefruit, Orange Blossom, Bitter Orange, Rosemary, and Vetiver

Price: $24/100ml @ Fragrancenet

Situation: Casual

Seasons: Spring and summer


Ferrari's Bright Neroli is a hyped one. I think this one is actually justified. While this fragrance lacks the depth that the natural notes would have, it does not smell synthetic. It's a bright and uplifting clean scent done in a classic Italian manner with modern ingredients. I absolutely love the value that you get with this one. There aren't many that can beat it.


Guerlain L'Instant de Guerlain EDT

Main Notes: Cacao Pod, Anise, Sandalwood, Tea, Patchouli, and Lemon

Price: $25.99/50ml @ Fragrancenet

Situation: Semi-formal, formal, or date night

Seasons: Fall, winter, and spring


I honestly could have put any Guerlain under $60 on here. However, that would have been boring to you folks. I figured you are tired of hearing about my love for Vetiver, so I would use this one. L'Instant is a gentleman's gourmand. It has gourmandy notes, but only comes off very slightly as a gourmand. Bitter cacao with creamy sandalwood, a healthy dose of anise, bitter black tea, and topped off with a slightly minty, but mostly woody patchouli. This fragrance is for working professionals who want something a bit different for nighttime wear. It's intriguing, mysterious, and sexy. Thi sisn't a sweet clubbing fragrance.


Zara Rich Warm Addictive

Main Notes: Bourbon Vanilla, Rum, Tonka, Honey, and Coconut

Price: $19.90/100ml @ Zara

Situation: Any

Seasons: Fall and winter

Zara Rich Warm Addictive is a new addiction to my collection. I picked it up from a friend of mine for $17. Shoutout to Michael Pahl Jr.! Anyways, this one surprised me for the quality. Yes, it's another hyped one. The last Zara I tried, Vibrant Leather Oud, was terrible. This redeemed the company for me.

This has a strong coconut vibe. I am not sure if it's actually coconut or if they used a coconut rum accord to mix with the vanilla. This is a 2018 version, for the record. I am not detecting any tobacco in this. I think they used tonka instead. The vanilla and chocolate facets of the tonka are smooth and not sem-bitter like they would be in tobacco. I am not getting the slight earthiness that would indicate tobacco is in here either. Also, the slight powdery spiciness would indicate tonka as well. Tonka is often used in place of tobacco because they are quite similar. There is also a sweet honey note that coats the entire composition.

This is a sweet one that offers great value for your money. I am glad to have it in my collection. Some people compare it to Parfums de marly Herod. I get where that comparison comes in with the rich vanilla in the dry down with the slight spice, but I don't think it's a clone or a copy by any means.


Scentstory 24 Gold

Main Notes: Vanilla, Amber, Oud, and Sandalwood

Price: $22.32/50ml @ Fragrancebuy (Tip: Get the 50ml. It's the older formula and it's better)

Situation: Any

Season: Fall and winter

ScentStory 24 Gold is a Kalemat style fragrance that features resins, spice, a bit of smoke that are the base for a rich vanilla and amber fragrance. Luxuriously Arabic and unapologetically strong, this fragrance is an attention grabber. It smells very expensive and the composition is quite rich. The bottle is an annoying fingerprint magnet though and it's difficult to tell how much fragrance you have left. I suggest getting this one before the 50ml bottles are gone. The price of these will skyrocket when they are.

Nicolai Vanille Tonka

Main Notes: Vanilla, Tonka, Incense, Cinnamon, and Pepper

Price: $60/30ml @ Lucky Scent

Situation: Any

Season: Fall and winter


Nicolai Vanille Tonka is a sweet and smoky balsamic fragrance with a bit of spice that was made with quality ingredients. I was actually shocked to find this is marketed to women. It is most certainly unisex. The vanilla and tonka aren't cream in this. They are strictly balsamic and sweet. Don't go into this one thinking it's going to be a gourmand. It's very far from that. There is a basil note in the opening that is distracting and ruins the fragrance until it dries down a bit.

Narciso Rodriguez Bleu Noir for Men EDP

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Main Notes: Vetiver, Musk, and Blue Cedar

Price: $33.79 @ Fragrancenet

Situation: Any

Seasons: Spring and summer


Narciso Rodriguez's Blue Noir EDP hails from a house known to create high-quality scents at an affordable price. Grapefruit tinged fresh vetiver meets clean powdery musk with woody blue cedar. This is one of those rare summer scents that just shines at night, but it can be worn during the day as well. It does have a dark cleanliness about it. This would be a great first date fragrance because it's unique, but pleasing. It's not something that most people will find offensive, but it's much different than your typical date night scents.

Houbigant Iris des Champs

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Main Notes: Iris, Musk, Ylang-Ylang, Lily-of-the-Valley, and Bergamot

Price: $51.99/100ml @ Fragrancenet

Situation: Any

Seasons: Spring and summer


Houbigant is another unisex fragrance marketed towards women. However, this one does lean slightly feminine. It's mostly a powdery iris with clean musk that is supported by a fresh bergamot note and various clean florals. This is the most elegant iris I have smelled in a fragrance yet. This stuff does retail for $200, so $52 is a steal for it. Houbigant is an old French house that is showing their roots with this one, while also keeping it modern. This stuff is certainly classy like a guy in a suit eating brunch with his lady in a white summer dress at a mansion, while wafts of their nearby spring garden sweep by.  It's just beautiful perfumery at work here and I am not sure why no one has mentioned this fragrance before.


Calvin Klein Euphoria Amber Gold

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Main notes: Amber, Cypress, Leather, Incense, and Vetiver

Price: $58.49/100ml @ Fragrancenet

Situations: Semi-formal or formal

Seasons: Fall and winter


If you are thinking this will be a rich and gooey amber from the bottle, think again. This is a resinous amber. The best way to describe this to you would be a deep forest with incense. I was surprised as well. While I will not admit that the fragrance itself is not overly impressive, it does exceed Calvin Klein standards by far. It does smell expensive, almost too expensive. That is why I think it's more of a dressed-up fragrance.


Baldessarini Nautic Spirit

Main Notes: Seawater, Curry Tree, Musk, Passionfruit, Cardamom, ginger, and Mango

Price: $29.89/90ml @ Fragrancenet

Situation: Casual

Season: Summer


I've said it before and I will say it again, Nautic Spirit is a gentleman's aquatic. Fresh seawater meets clean musk, sandalwood. A cool layer of mango and passionfruit meets contrast with fiery spices of curry tree, cardamom, and ginger. This isn't a sweet fragrance. It's clean, cool, and spicy. A very unique fragrance that no one talks about and it smells very high quality...Especially when you consider that Hugo Boss made this.


Al-Rehab Sultan Al Oud

Main Notes: Oud, Vanilla, and Oriental Spices

Price: $5.60/6ml @ eBay (I have purchased a few things from this seller and I can vouch for them)

Situation: Semi-formal, formal, or romantic

Seasons: Fall and winter

Al-Rehab Sultan Al Oud is a perfume oil that has smoky oud, cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla. It's rich, resinous, and sweet. I really do love this one. Give it a bit after you apply it. Al-Rehab oils take several hours before they change. The openings are typically not the best, but most are tolerable. The magic happens in the dry down.

As far as I have researched, they don't make this in a spray. If someone can find it in a spray, please let me know. I'd love to get this in a spray form.


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this one and found some new fragrances to check out. I hope everyone stays safe. Remember to speak a kind word to someone today. You never know how much it can help them and it's free. Keep smelling great and being great!

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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Effortless Style: Naughton & Wilson Gravitas Pour Homme Review

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Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day today. It's still pretty hot here in South Carolina, but I am managing. I am anxiously awaiting fall to come upon us.

I am very excited to bring you a reviewer fragrance today, Naughton & Wilson's entry into the fragrance world, Gravitas Pour Homme. This is Dan Naughton's first foray under his own brand. Dan Naughton also goes by Mr. Smelly 1977 on YouTube. He's an English reviewer who really has a taste for many classical gentleman's fragrances. I have watched quite a few of his videos and he has has a great sense of humor.

Full disclosure statement: I do know Dan, but I have only spoken to him maybe 2-3 times. My opinion on him or his channel will not impact my opinion on this fragrance. Also, this fragrance was not sent to me by him. My friend, Mattie Fuller, sent this to me after purchasing a full bottle through his Kickstarter campaign because he knows I love fougeres.

Let's see how Gravitas holds up. Let's get into it!


The Story

It's a mildly cool day in a smaller town in England. A car pulls up. It's a 1960's Jaguar in British Racing Green. A man gets out. He's in his early 40s and dressed with a navy sportcoat, chinos, and an unbuttoned white shirt. He dons his classic aviator sunglasses, as he exudes his timeless gentlemanly style as he enters the pub. He sits down at the counter and asks for a single malt whiskey with suave and confidence. He is one of the last of a dying breed of gentlemen in the world. An underappreciated group of people, but one that the world needs to see the contrast. This is the Gravitas man.


The Scent 

Gravitas starts its journey with spicy doses of coriander and cardamom. A smooth and suave lavender follows, akin to the one found in Creed's Bois du Portugal.  Fresh citruses jump onto the scene to brighten up everyone's day.

As it starts to settle in, dark woody patchouli comes out with a slight touch of mint. This is a very clean patchouli that isn't earthy at all. Oakmoss rounds out this super smooth composition with a touch of warm ambergris.


My Opinion

Gravitas feels like its familiar in many different ways, but also very unique. The only discernable note that is similar to something else is the lavender, which smells like the kind in Bois du Portugal to me. This is obviously inspired by fougeres of the past, taking some of the best elements from them.  This doesn't smell like a copy of anything.

The whole composition is suave and smooth, like the man in the story I mentioned earlier. It's the sort of effortless charm that just works in any situation. This fragrance is the same way. It's warm, cozy, and inviting, like your favorite wool sweater on a chilly day. It doesn't let you down, rain or shine.

Is it worth it? Yes. I do believe this is full bottle worth for me. However, this is for guys who appreciate a classicly formed fragrance with modern ingredients. This is a fragrance for men over 30 to me. However, I would see if anyone is decanting it first. This fragrance isn't that expensive, but I still think it's pricey enough to warrant sampling before bling buying it.

That leads me to my one criticism...There aren't any samples offered by the company. At least, I can't find any. I am not sure why reviewers launch brands without samples. If it wasn't for Mattie, I could have never tried this because I can't afford a full bottle and I certainly wouldn't blind buy a fragrance this expensive. I am sure he will offer samples at some point. At least, I hope he does. If any other reviewers are planning on launching their own lines, please make samples for us folks who can't afford to blind buy everything.

Is this the greatest fragrance ever? Nope, but it is a solid offering and it's priced very well for the quality that you get. It's much fairer than Office for Men, that is for sure.


Conclusion

I hope everyone enjoyed this review. Have an awesome day! Keep smelling great and being great. Remember to always walk in truth and to say a few kinds words to people. It doesn't cost you anything and it could mean the world to then. Stay blessed and stay safe.


Buy Gravitas here

Mr. Smelly 1977's YouTube

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Primal Desires: Initio Absolute Aphrodisiac Review

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Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is doing wonderfully today. It's still hot here. Oh, how I long for those cool fall nights to embrace us once again. However, I will be waiting a few months for that, sadly.

This is actually my first Initio review. A friend of mine sent me around 4 or 5 samples of their line. This friend is not connected to Initio in any way. He just wanted me to try them. So thank you, anonymous friend!

Let's get into it!


The Story 

Initio's Absolute Aphrodisiac opens with a thick sweetness that is embraced by lingering narcotic notes of animalic origins. A sweetness on the surface, but an intimate desire lurks beneath. Bare skin, dripping with desire unfolds in a way that entices your mind. It livens your mind, urging you to become one with it. Its warm embrace beckons you towards it. It calls your name. You will is not strong enough. You cannot resist.

As you fully embrace the temptation, it blankets you in its warm embrace. Your mind relaxes and you let it. You feel safe and loved. Nothing can ruin this moment. This is what you have been longing for. The primality of it runs through your veins and peaks at a moment of pure euphoric bliss. This was your aphrodisiac, a moment for you to be outside of yourself and to willingly have what you wanted.


The Scent 

Absolute Aphrodisiac opens with a thick and creamy vanilla note that leads to a chocolatey nuanced amber, which I assume a facet of tonka was used to make the slight chocolate smell. A semi-sour musk lies beneath with smooth, skin-like leather. Warm castoreum is a dominant note to smoothen this blend out. I also pick up a slight wisp of ethereal hedione.

What you end up with is a sweet and borderline gourmand feeling with soft animalic notes at the base. The animalic notes are not too forceful. They only allow for a little bit of "skank". This is very much a thick and full-bodied vanilla and amber fragrance and everything else is just a supporting actor.


My Opinion

I have been outspoken in my ire against many Parfums de Marly fragrances. Even some of the other Initio fragrances didn't impress me very much. They are nice, but they don't warrant their price tags to me.

However, Absolute Aphrodisiac is a different entity. I absolutely love this. This is one of the sexiest fragrances I have ever smelled. Keep in mind, vanilla is a major attractant to me and so is chocolate. Those animalic notes in the background just seal the deal for me. I just can't help it. This fragrance just calls to me and I can't deny it.

It's masterfully blended and nuanced. The name really says it all. Initio gives you what they say they are with this one. This one will warrant a full bottle purchase when I can afford it. Regardless, this fragrance isn't cheap. Sample first. The animalic tones might be too much for you and the vanilla might be too heavy. You can pick up a sample from Perfumology. I will throw a link down below.


Conclusion

I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of your day. Remember to always say some kind words to someone. You never know how much it could help them. Always be truthful and never forsake yourself to be someone that you are not. Much love to all of you. Be blessed abundantly.


Buy a sample of Absolute Aphrodisiac at Perfumology. (Note: This is not an affiliate link. I get nothing out of this and I have no sponsorship with Perfumology)

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Things I Don't Understand About the FragComm

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Hey, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is having a fantastic day. I am doing just fine. It's another hot and humid day here in South Carolina. I am waiting on a few packages to come in though, So I will have some new stuff to review when I get around to testing them. I have a lot of stuff to review as it is. It's just hard to find time to properly test all of them, especially with social distancing. Oh well, I will get to them eventually.

Anyways, I just felt inspired to write this. Hardly any of these articles besides my reviews are planned out. I just get inspired and I write them. That is just how a writer's mind works, I guess. Inspiration is the main catalyst for many of my articles.

My inspiration for today was basically my own thoughts on so many things I don't understand in the fragrance community. I have been around here for 4 years, which might not be a long time to the OGs, but it's a decent amount of time.  Don't quote me on 4 years, that is just my best guess.

This article isn't about trashing any of these opinions or actions. Even though I do disagree with some of them, which I will state which ones I do disagree with. Your way is different than my way and that is okay. I will tell you my reasoning for all of them, of course.

I will stop blabbering now, you get the point. Let's get into it!


The Compliment Culture

Those of you who know me or read this blog knew this one would be here. I just don't understand why people go after compliments so aggressively. Forced compliments are weightless. When you spray a ton to try and force them, it just doesn't seem meaningful to me.

I am not saying compliments are bad, only that I don't see why people seek them out above everything else. Compliments do make you feel good, but are you addicted to that feeling? I am not saying that people who seek compliments have self-esteem issues, but I am just wondering if anyone has an explanation as to why they want them so vehemently other than, "They make me feel good". What is the point in being a fragrance enthusiast or collector if the fragrance themselves don't make you feel good? Why do you need someone else's justification to tell you it's good? Like what you like and enjoy life, ladies and gents. I learned a long time ago that the only person who can make me happy is myself.

I totally get that compliments are cool and it's nice to have someone say something nice to you. I am just saying not to rely on a fragrance as your sole source of happiness. Compliments are hyped up in these groups and they don't happen nearly as often as people claim, so don't beat yourself up about it and think there is something wrong with you if you don't get one. Compliments are much better when they are rare, in my opinion. That is all.

Again, I am not saying everyone isn't happy and that is why they seek compliments. I am just asking questions to make you think or at least to understand my thought process.


Beast Mode Culture

One of my pet peeves is when I post my SOTD and people reply "What is the performance?". It's very hard to judge performance now with social distancing being around. I get that some people want strong fragrances and that's fine. I just don't get this obsession with people wanting others to smell them. I don't know. It's strange to me. No one has ever walked up to me like Jeremy does in his videos and has asked me to smell them.

Value and quality are different things. You aren't going to find many natural fragrances that last as long as people want them to. There aren't many natural fragrances at all. If you cherish performance, then that is value, not quality. Quality to me is in the blend and the closer the notes are to natural. Value is getting my money's worth for a scent.

Not every fragrance is built to be a beast. A lot of fragrances are made to be soft and draw someone in. If you wear a beast mode fragrance like Ultra Male on a date, then sh doesn't need to get close to smell you. If you wear a softer scent like La Nuit de L'Homme then it draws her in closer to get a whiff.  Every fragrance has a use. Plus, sometimes I like being able to wear multiple fragrance per day depending on my mood.

Again, I am not trying to put anyone down or dismiss their personal views. I am only trying to state my thought process. What you wear and how strong your fragrance is doesn't concern me at all. I wear Happyland and Montale/Mancera too.


Panty Droppers

I truly do hate this word and I don't know why people use it, even as a figure of speech. It's borderline misogynistic, if not totally. You are basically telling the world that you don't respect women and your only goal with fragrances is to try to get "lucky". I know I will catch some heat for this, especially in particular groups, but I don't care.

It's akin to some primal mating call in the animal kingdom when a female is in heat and gives off a scent for males to come. That is what I imagine when guys say that. It's like one of those horrible college sex comedies that men took seriously and think is actual reality.

I know, you guys will call me a "white knight" or any other name you can think of to justify this, but in my mind, it's still wrong. I just don't understand the sexualization of fragrances. I get that the industry is built around that, but that doesn't mean we have to play into it. We are fragheads and we should know better.


Posting Videos of Jeremy Fragrance

I get it. Jeremy is a polarizing figure. He is like Kouros in his white suits. Some people love him, some hate him. I don't care for him, so I just don't watch his stuff or worry about what he does. It literally doesn't concern me at all.

I just don't see why people have to post videos of him every day doing something they disagree with. Just let the man live his life. He isn't doing anything to you. His path will lead him to where it leads. It's up to him to do the right thing and not us posting videos about him.


Bashing SOTDs

I see this all of the time. Someone posts a SOTD and people chime in that performance sucks or the fragrance is trash. If they enjoy the scent, let them enjoy it. Sometimes I politely disagree with what people post, but I never trash their tastes. Everyone has their own.

If you don't like it, then just scroll on by if you can't at least offer constructive criticism about it. There is no need to try and make someone feel bad for something they enjoy. It's not hurting you.


Elitism

People often trash people for cheapies. I then turn around see them post cheapies themselves. I get that fragrance is a luxury item, but I don't get why people think they are better than others because they can buy a Roja and the other guy can only afford a Guerlain. Both are great brands. I never dismiss a fragrance for its price alone. There are god fragrances at every price point.


Clout

This one is about the guys who take pictures with Rolexes and showing off their cars, but yet they are rocking Bleu de Chanel. I don't get it. It doesn't impact me and I just scroll on past 99% of these posts, but I still brought it up because I have never understood the concept of online clout and what it does to help you.

I have seen people buy fragrances just because they were expensive and they don't even know if they like them and they don't wear them. They just want to look like they have expensive tastes and can afford it. Maybe I am just old-fashioned.


How does this Smell?

This is for the people who post their collection and ask what the performance is on them or what people think of it. You have them there, why don't you tell us? Don't rely on others to tell you how something smells. Smell them yourself and make up your own mind. You spent money for it and it's up to you to decide if it was worth it, not us.


Which Bleu de Chanel is Better?

I see this almost every day. I don't want to be rude, but there is a search function on Facebook. You can use it to search for reviews of the fragrances that you are seeking advice on.

I never understood why people want to tell them what to think anyway. What is the point in having a fragrance collection based on someone else's tastes? That is like a businessman in a Zegna suit wearing some Jordans at the same time. Someone told you to wear the suit or the Jordans because they are good, but they might go against what you personally like. Both are great in their own rights, but they might not go together.

BdC EDP is my favorite of the three and I don't like the Parfum, so if I got the Parfum and wore it, then I would be wearing something else according to their tastes and not my own. It wouldn't be my style, just like Jordans aren't. I still realize Jordans are good though. They are just not for me.


He Said, She Said

Sometimes I wonder if people have actually smelled the fragrances they speak of or just a clone of it. People often follow the same things others say almost verbatim. For instance, someone said Naxos is a honeyed tobacco fragrance and people have went with that. However, Naxos is a honeyed tonka fragrance. The tonka comes off similar to tobacco, but the actual tobacco is earthy and is in the dry down. It's things like this that just make me wonder and I don't understand why things like this keep getting passed around. It goes back to trusting your own nose and not someone else's.


Conclusion

I can probably think of many more things, but I will stop it here to keep it from running too long. Again, for those of you who skim read, I am not saying all of these are totally wrong. I just don't understand them. This is my perspective and it's okay to have a different one. Diversity is great.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Stay safe and say kind words to people. You never know how much it will help them. Until next time, keep smelling great and being great people.

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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Black Businesses Matter: Black-Owned Fragrance Businesses

Source

Hey, folks. I am glad you could join me again today. I hope everyone is doing well. I am doing fantastic, but it's a bit too toasty here for me. I am already ready for fall.

Today I will be covering something a bit different. Everyone knows what is going on around the world, and more specifically in the US. I wanted to find a way to show my support for the black community without making it political. I figured a good way to do this would be to showcase black businesses in the fragrance world, so that is what I am going to do. I am honestly surprised that no one has done this yet. At least, no one that I know of.

Most of you know I am not afraid to push the envelope and touch on real human issues in my articles and this is no different. This is something that I think we should all get behind.

Now that we got that out of the way, I will apologize if I missed any. Feel free to message me and tell me about any more that I might have missed. If there are enough other ones, then I will do another article on this in the future. I will not be including celebrity brands because they don't own the companies. They just get royalties from the brands using their names. That is not what this article is about.

Now, let's get into it!


Genre Parfums 

I am a bit bias with this one because I know the owner and consider him a friend. Devin Breaux is a class act. He runs Genre Parfums as a small business from his home in Louisiana. He started out doing clones and he has steadily been improving on his line of original fragrances. He's a gentleman, transparent, and has very fair pricing for what he offers.

His main job is working out in the oil fields, so the man gets his grind on and still makes time for every customer and every comment in his Facebook group. He's a guy who loves people.

I have 4 of his fragrances, 2 are clones and 2 are originals. I enjoy all 4 of them, but I will say his originals are much better. That is just my personal opinion. His clones are still very good though.

He doesn't have a website yet, but you can see the latest Genre news in his Facebook group. Click this link to join.


Savoir Faire 

Savoir Faire was created by Chris Classic. He seems to only have 3 scents in his lineup so far, so I hope he expands on that. I have seen quite a few favorable YouTube reviews on Signature, but I haven't seen much on the others.  This company was one of a few of the recently emerging black fragrance brands. He seems to be doing good work, so it would be worth at least sampling his stuff when it comes back in stock.

Savoir Faire Store


World of Chris Collins 

You might recognize Chris. He has been the face of many ads for Ralph Lauren and has worked in the fashion industry for some time. He recently launched his own fragrance brand and currently has 7 fragrances under his brand. This is a company that I really want to check out, but I am not seeing samples to purchase and they aren't super affordable. Maybe I will be adventurous enough to pull the trigger on one of them to review for you folks at some point. At $225 for 50ml, it would be adventurous for me. They look like they are quality fragrances though. His line looks like the most luxury-oriented out of the brands I featured here.

World of Chris Collins Store


Shawn Crenshaw 

"Every man deserves an ovation"...I just love the marketing for Ovation for Men by Shawn Crenshaw. The marketing plays on the men who have been real men and never asked anyone for anything. the unsung fathers, brothers, and all of those special men in our lives. That is some advertising I can get behind. At $85 for 50ml, it's fairly affordable too. His advertising is probably the main reason why I remember this brand. I'd love to pick this one up as well. I think I could do quite a clever review on it, given that it's a good fragrance. Judging by YouTube reviews, it is.

Buy Ovation here


Mair Fragrance

Mair Fragrance was started by Mair Emenogu. She started out as a receptionist in Texas before launching her own brand. She only has one fragrance right now, but I hope she is working on more. It is a fragrance targeted towards women. It's inspired by gardens in France. I love gardens, so that is something I can get behind. I hope to see more from her in the future.


Buy Remember When


Kimberly New York

Kimberly New York appears to be a more modern house to me. The fragrances look to be artsy and a part of the creator's style. She has fragrances for both men and women. One of her men's releases, Echelon, revolves around the marketing of upping your fragrance game, like a reference to an "upper echelon". I dig that sort of marketing. Her range is pretty affordable too, which none of them costing over $100 from what I can see. I dig the quirky, but also serious style her brand exudes.

Kimberly New York Store

Conclusion

If I missed anyone, I apologize once again. Feel free to message me on Facebook if you have any more brands you would like to have featured, even if it's your own brand.

One of the best ways to support these artistic individuals in the black community is to put our money where our mouth is and support them. We love fragrances, so do they. Let's work together to improve the lives of everyone around us.

Let's also pray for our black brothers and sisters in their fight for equal treatment. Let's also pray that the rest of us can find a way to help and support them. This is my way. Using my platform in a positive way to uplift these businesses and what they stand for.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Remember that kind words are free. Use them often. You never know how much it could help someone who is going through a rough time. be safe, folks. Until next time, keep smelling great and keep being great.

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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A Taste of India: Aamod Fragrances House Review

Credit: Aamod Fragrances

Hey, folks! I hope everyone is doing well today. I am happy you all stopped by today because I have another new house to bring you. Well, at least it's a new house for most people outside of India.

Aamod Fragrances is a small fragrance company based out of India. Headed up by self-taught perfumer Satyajeet Dharmadhikari, they strive to make fragrances appropriate to the climate of India. There aren't too many fragrance houses in India, even though the country is known for its love of perfume. I am not sure if anyone in the US has reviewed these yet because they are only available in India, but Satyajeet is working on getting them to the US in the next few months.

Full disclosure, Satyajeet is a friend of mine and he did send me some samples for free. This doesn't impact my opinion of the fragrances. I wouldn't be a true friend to him if I wasn't honest about them.

So, I will be reviewing all 4 of his releases. I have worn each one of these at least 5 times. I hope you enjoy this. Let's get into it!


Tropical Voyage

Credit: Aamod Fragrances

Main Notes: Muskmelon, white musk, tropical fruits, cucumber, and white florals

Link: http://www.aamodfragrances.com/products/tropical-voyage/3

Situation: Casual

Season: Summer

Performance: 7 hours on skin with 2 of modest projection.

Age Group: Any


The Scent

Tropical Voyage is a very pleasant fragrance that is built around a muskmelon accord to my nose. I am not entirely sure what muskmelon smells like, but I pick up something that smells like a very sweet version of a cantaloupe and I assume that is what it is. This melon note dances around with clean white musk, a watery cucumber accord, and sweet tropical fruits. The tropical fruits I can pick out are pineapple and passionfruit. Maybe the accord is tricking my nose into smelling those fruits, but that is what I get regardless. The floral accord sits at the base and provides lift to brighten up the rest of the fragrance. It just softens everything else and keeps it clean, just like it's supposed to.

My Opinion

Tropical Voyage is excellent. This fragrance was named very aptly. It imparts the idea of sitting near the coast and sitting on fruity drinks on a hot day. It's very fresh and uplifting. The melon and cucumber notes are done so well, with the white musk and florals giving them depth. This is just a fresh and clean fruity fragrance and I think the muskmelon just makes this fragrance what it is. I will be purchasing a full bottle of this when he offers it in the US.


Essence du Royale

Credit: Aamod Fragrances

Main Notes: Rose, clove, incense, sandalwood, patchouli, and raspberry

Link: http://www.aamodfragrances.com/products/essence-du-royale-/1

Situation: Semi-formal to formal

Season: Spring, fall, and winter

Performance: 9-10 hours on skin. 3 hours of solid projection

Age Group: 30+

The Scent

Essence du Royale was likened to Frederic Malle's Portrait of a Lady by Satyajeet. I haven't smelled that one yet, but I want to. He said this one is very close to it and I trust his judgment on it.

The fragrance starts off with a smoky incense accord that dominates and stays in this fragrance for the entire life of it.  A few minutes in, that dark and sweet rose starts showing its face. The rose is further sweetened by blackcurrant and raspberry. Vividly woody patchouli hangs around as one of the most dominant notes to give this fragrance even more class, which mixes with the rose and incense. Dry sandalwood and spicy clove linger as nuances to add to the major players in the fragrance.


My Opinion

Essence Du Royale is more of a dressed up scent to me. It's dark, sweet, seductive, and expertly blended. The sweet rose with the woods and incense makes for a very classy and romantic fragrance. It's a very beautiful fragrance that is made for someone who enjoys the finer things in life and spares no expense to have the best things. This is another one I will need a full bottle of when it's available. Portrait of a Lady has real rose in it, but its price reflects that. Essence du Royale has a great interpretation of rose in it. I will choose Essence du Royale until I can get my hands on POAL for a decent price.


Champagne du Roses

Credit: Aamod Fragrances

Main Notes: Turkish rose, Damask Rose, white florals, spices, and musk

Link: http://www.aamodfragrances.com/products/champagne-du-roses/2

Situation: Any

Season: Any

Performance: 8+ hours on skin. 2 hours of modest projection

Age Group: Any


The Scent

Champagne du Roses is pretty much as the name implies, a mixture of roses. It opens up with a cean fresh off the vine rose. It smells very realistic.  Cinnamon and clean musk accent the roses and help to keep this from being just a rose scent. White florals sit at the bottom and brighten up the cleanliness of the rose.

As it dries down, the spices become stronger and make this an elegant spicy rose fragrance. The opening will fool you into thinking this will be an airy scent, but then the spices kick in, it shows its identity.

My Opinion

I feel like I am hyping Aamod fragrances now, but this is another one I really like. However, this is my least favorite of the 4 I am reviewing. That doesn't mean it's bad at all though. It's quite good. I just like the other three more than this one. I would possibly consider a full bottle of this one because it's a well done spicy rose fragrance and I don't have many of those in my collection. Most of my rose fragrances are rose/ouds or soapy ones. So, this is a bit different for me and it's certainly something I would wear.


Vibrant Vetiver

Credit: Aamod Fragrances

Main Notes: Vetiver, neroli, lavender, petitgrain, oakmoss, cardamom, sage, and black pepper

Link: http://www.aamodfragrances.com/products/vibrant-vetiver/4

Situations: Any

Weather: Any, but its best for warmer weather

Performance: 8 hours on skin. 3 hours of modest projection

Age Group: Any

The Scent 

Vibrant Vetiver starts off with a very green and fresh vetiver, mixed with some neroli that gives off a a clean and citrusy vibe. The petitgrain is tart and makes it feel like there is citrus in this fragrance, but there isn't.

As it dries down, fresh cardamom makes its appearance with black pepper to bring this into more of a traditional masculine realm. I believe this fragrance has two types of vetiver, the fresh grassy one in the opening and the woody one that pops up in the dry down. There is a slight herbal nuance coming from the sage. Subtle hits on green oakmoss can be picked up in the base as well.

My Opinion

Vibrant Vetiver is my favorite of his line. However, I do not think I would get a full bottle. This is simply because I have many vetiver scents in my collection and I feel the others are more unique. It is a great fragrance and it was made by someone who knows how to manipulate vetiver. It feels very French with a touch of Italian to me. It has that fresh classiness that embodies French perfumery and their use of vetiver and the Italian's use of neroli and petitgrain. It's a very modern take on vetiver and it's executed to its full potential in this fragrance.

I will probably eventually get a bottle, but not before I get Tropical Voyage and Essence du Royale. That is just my opinion. If you are looking for a great vetiver fragrance, then I would highly suggest sampling this one. As I said, I am a huge fan of vetiver and I have many fragrances featuring that note, so this one doesn't excite me as much as the others do.


Conclusion

I feel like I am hyping up Aamod, but I do truly believe they have some great offerings here. They are all pretty mass appealing and safe. He didn't reach outside the box and make anything unique enough to smell strange, but he did make them unique and pleasant. I am looking forward to future releases from him and I hope he keeps up this sort of quality to his future releases. Also, I hope he makes this available in the US soon, because if he does, this house will become popular. You can quote me on that.

He offers some other smaller batch blends to people in India in his Facebook group. So, if you are located in India and want to check out his other releases, feel free to join up and see what he has to offer.

Link to his Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1975419459372240/

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Be blessed and be a blessing. Kind words are free. Use them often. You never know how you could help someone. Now, I am going to go confuse my cat with me smelling like roses, vetiver, and muskmelon. I am sure she isn't going to appreciate that, but I think she has learned to live with my weird smells by now. The things I do for you folks...I am kidding. Until next time, keep smelling great and doing great!

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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