Why I Dislike Discussing Performance

 

Photo by Castorly Stock from Pexels

Good afternoon! I hope everyone had a blessed and merry Christmas! Mine was pretty good. I had a few readers actually chip in to buy me a 180ml Fico di Amalfi and a decant of Azzaro Wild Mint, so I am pumped about that. Some of you who chipped in are probably reading this, so thank you again. 

How a fragrance performs is often the most intensely debated topic in the fragrance community. I dislike talking about performance, even though I just made an article a few days ago that listed the performance that I get from fragrances. I really dislike speaking about such things and I am going to tell you why. 

Many of you know, that I have held a belief that performance is overrated for a long time, but a recent video by Mr. Smelly(link) Inspired me to cover the topic again. For the record, I agree with everything he says in this video, even though I think my take is a bit different than his. 

I hope you enjoy this one. Remember folks, this is only my opinion. You are free to your own opinions. I am simply stating my case against the performance culture in the fragrance community. Take it as you will. Let's get into it!


Performance is a Guess

Yep, you heard it from me. Most of us reviewers just guess about projection and performance based on comments from others. Like Mr. Smelly said in his video, we can't smell how strong a fragrance is on us. Sometimes you can get feedback from people, but that also tends to vary significantly depending on their perception of the fragrance and how long they have been exposed to it. 

There is no way to accurately gauge performance. You can't just say, I can or can't smell it, so it lasts a certain amount of time. It's like throwing darts at a map and aiming at one continent and hitting a country in it. It's in the same area, but it's still not as accurate as simply choosing where you want to go. 

There is no way that any reviewer, despite how good their nose may or may not, can tell you how well a fragrance performs with any sort of standard accuracy. Most of the time we just say how long we can smell it, which is a shot in the dark if the fragrance is still there or not. I have had fragrances vanish to my nose, only to come back hours later. It's just something that is too subjective with too many variables to track.

This also goes for random people on Fragrrntica and in the Facebook groups as well. We are all guessing.


The Pressure

Oftentimes, we reviewers are pressured into talking about performance. At least, I feel like I am sometimes. If I post a SOTD or article then people will ask how it performs and not what it smells like. That is quite possibly one of the most annoying things to me. It has become a pet peeve of mine, honestly. I do understand that people are in different stages in their perfume discovery and YouTube influence has a lot of sway on newer people into the community, but it's just frustrating when it seems like that is all people care about.

So, we almost feel obligated to make guesses about performance and what weather to wear stuff in because people constantly ask us those questions. It gets really tiring answering the same thing over and over. At some point, you just give up and guess so they will stop asking. I love interacting with people, but I would much rather talk about notes and what fragrances smell like than compliments and performance. 


Value vs Quality 

I see many people say that notes that last a long time are of higher quality. I vehemently disagree with this assumption. There are many expensive notes and accords that do not last very long. For instance, many citruses do not last very long. Now, some of the heavier notes like woods, vanilla, and some florals will last a long time in their natural form. 

However, the thought that performance is equal to quality is flawed to me. To me, that would be valuable to a person who is concerned about performance. The value would be getting what you want for a good price. A bergamot oil that is natural is still a high-quality note, even if it doesn't last long. A synthetic bergamot note that lasts longer, like the one in Dior Sauvage, would be an example of value to some people.

Just because you don't enjoy a note/accord or how it performs, that doesn't mean its quality is decreased by any margin. It just means it's not valuable to you. 


Please Smell Me

It seems primitive to me that some guys want others to always smell them. It's like some sort of animalistic mating call in the animal kingdom to me. They seek out the heaviest projection fragrances and overspray. Now, I am not saying overspraying is terrible, just the motive behind it might not be agreeable to me.

If you are doing it with the sole purpose to get reactions from people, then I think that could be an issue. I just think always seeking the approval of others is a toxic mentality to yourself. I don't seek approval from anyone, that is why I make articles such as this. It's because I flow to the beat of my own drum and I expect there to be negative reactions from this one, but I do it anyway, despite my generally positive outlook on things. 


Pressuring Perfumers

I have spoken to many perfumers. Some of them have voiced their distaste for people wanting long-lasting fragrance, even if it means the fragrance won't smell like they want it to. They have spoken of feeling crippled to use certain ingredients and not being allowed to be as creative as they want. If they were that creative, then people wouldn't buy their stuff because they wouldn't last for eight hours. 

I think it's a bad thing when the whole performance thing is so mainstream that it makes perfumers have to choose between creativity and staying in business. I wonder what amazing and inspiring creations we would have if this wasn't the case. This is why I speak out against this sort of mentality. We should never be seeking to hinder someone's creative freedom based on such trivial things. 


Being Noseblind 

This is something that everyone says, so I feel like I have to include it as well. I often see people say that fragrances only last 20 minutes. I have never smelled or worn a fragrance that lasts 20 minutes in my 34 years of life. I have probably smelled at least a thousand fragrances. Even 4711 lasts longer than that. I am not sure if this is an over-exaggeration or if it's caused by an outside factor

These situations can be caused by many different things such as weather, number of sprays, diet, and many other things. Some fragrance notes need heat to make them perform as intended. Overspraying overloads your nose with alcohol, so it can make you not able to smell anything. Using more sprays doesn't mean you will smell it more with fragrances.

Your diet can play into this. Your skin and nose both need nutrients and water to perform correctly. There have been studies that the overconsumption of some foods are linked to body odor as well, even with healthy foods such as garlic. 

One other possibility is that people just aren't familiar with fragrances and expect them to smell like the opening for the whole time, then they can't detect the dry down. This is very rarely the case, unless it's a very linear fragrance. 


Hype

I think many people fall into the hype regarding performance because everyone else speaks about it. When it's spoken about ad nauseam in the groups and YouTube videos, then it tends to stick. Repetition is one of the best ways to learn, so when this stuff is repeated so often, people don't second guess it and just go with it.  

Many of us, including myself, started to learn early on from Jeremy Fragrance. One of the things he pushes heavily is performance, so I think some of it can be attributed to that. I find it amusing that some people like to hate on Jeremy, while they promote many of the same things that he does. That was just a random musing. 


Conclusion

I am going to go back to not mentioning performance in my reviews most of the time unless I think it's merited. I honestly don't care about it that much and it dreads me to speak about it. I would much rather spend time speaking about how the fragrances make me feel or what it makes me think of. 

I could probably come up with many more topics about why I don't like talking about performance, but I am already tired of talking about it from this article. It's just very mundane to me. Perhaps that is because I err more on the artistic side of things and want to discover perfumes and not just wear them. 

I hope I didn't offend anyone with this article. If I did...then perhaps my blog isn't the place for you. I am sorry to be so direct and forthcoming, but that is just how I feel. I want to get back to reviewing things that are fun and inspirational to me. I care nothing about hype and compliments. I didn't start this blog to be rich and famous. I don't even run ads, even though I can. I started it as a passion and I am going to let my passion show and not feel pressured into speaking about things that don't interest me. The soul of the perfume interests me. It always has and it always will. 

I hope everyone has a fantastic day. Remember to say something kind to someone today. You never know who is struggling, especially after the holidays. A kind word is all it takes to make a friend or to help someone through a rough time. I hope everyone is looking forward to a new year and getting past the trials of this year. The future is always bright if you look at it from the proper angle. 


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My Top 10 Fragrances for Christmas

 

Photo by Gantas Vaičiulėnas from Pexels

Season's greetings! I hope everyone is in a joyful and festive holiday mood this year. I know this year has been rough, but we are still here...That is always something to be thankful for. Christmas is still Christmas, even if it's a bit different this year.

I usually don't do top 10s, but I love Christmas. The whole season is just my thing. Christmas lights, snow(which we have a lack of here), cold weather, hot chocolate, decorations, and everything else. I just love the aura that the holiday season creates. 

I could probably write 50 paragraphs on why I love Christmas, but that is not what you are here for! So, here is my list of my favorite fragrances for Christmas. Enjoy!

Note: I have no sponsors or affiliations. Any links you see posted in this article do nothing for me. I simply tried to find you the best price on the fragrance.

Warning: This article does contain a reference or two to the Bible and the Christian side of Christmas. If that offends you, then please do not continue.


10. Amouage Interlude

Main Notes: Oregano, Opoponax, Frankincense, Agarwood Smoke, Amber, and Leather

Longevity: Very long-lasting(12+ hours)

Sillage: Massive for the first 5 hours

Projection: Massive for the first 4 hours, but it doesn't settle into a skin scent until around 9-10 hours in.

Value: Quite expensive, but worth it. 

Purchase Link: Interlude


Amouage Interlude Man is one of the strongest fragrances on the market, even after it was reformulated. This smoky middle eastern bomb is a one spray fragrance for me. So, you may be asking how such a powerful fragrance makes it on my list. After all, you don't want to scare your family off for Christmas. Well, some of you might want to in order to dip into Santa's cookie jar, but most of us don't.

Interlude Man made my list because it's a relatively warm fragrance. The smokiness is from and center with a smoky and resinous sweet amber dry down. It's quite aggressive for the first two hours under the amber comes out and it mellows out into a more pleasant fragrance. The smokiness and resins just make me think of Christmas, like a fireplace burning with sweet and loving times with family. Not to mention, frankincense was a gift that the wise men gave to baby Jesus. 


9. Burberry London

Main Notes: Tobacco, Cinnamon, and Leather

Longevity: Moderate(5-6 hours)

Sillage: Moderate for the first 3 hours

Projection: Moderate for 1 hour and soft for the rest of its life

Value: Very good value for its inexpensive price

Purchase Link: London


Burberry London seems to make almost everyone's list. A staple in every gentleman's collection, Burberry London smells of sweet pipe tobacco and port wine. Sometimes it can come off a bit piney like a Christmas tree or wet leaves in the fall. It seems to have the ability to harken up memories in people and that explains the love for this fragrance. 

I wore London for Thanksgiving this year, but I don't rate it as highly as I used to, but it's still a very solid tobacco fragrance. Many people complain about the performance, but I think 6 hours is fine.


8. 4160 Tuesdays Shazam!

Source

Main Notes: Cedar, Olibanum, Frankincense, Cacao, Amber, and Cardamom

Longevity: Good(8+ hours)

Sillage: Strong for the first 3 hours.

Projection: Strong for 2 hours, then it gradually becomes a skin scent by the 6th hour.

Value: Very fairly priced for what you get. 

Purchase Link: Shazam!


4160 Tuesdays was a company that surprised me with Sarah McCartney's sheer wit and creative approach to gourmand fragrances. Although she does far more than that, it seems to be her forte. 

Shazam is a rich smoky and spicy fragrance that is cozy like a turtleneck sweater on a chilly night. Warm ambery facets join sweet balsamic cedar and smoky frankincense with a hint of aromatic citrus to keep it interesting. There is also a faint cacao note in the dry down that completes the imagery of sitting by a fireplace, in a cedar cabin, with a cup of hot chocolate. I will probably get a bottle of this when fall rolls around next year. It's an absolute delight to wear. 


7. Gallagher Rose All Dae

Source

Main Notes: Apple Crisp, Brown Sugar, Honey, Plum, and Stainless Steel

Longevity: Massive(12+ hours)

Sillage: Massive for around 4 hours

Projection: Very strong for around 4 hours

Value: Decent for the quality that you get. 

Purchase Link: Rose All Dae


I honestly wanted to put Carpe Cafe on here because it's more like Christmas to me, but that is sadly discontinued and difficult to find now. I don't like putting discontinued fragrances on my lists, so I think this is the second-best one. 

Rose All Dae is a rich and creative gourmand. I am not a huge gourmand lover, but I thoroughly enjoy this one and hold to my original statement when I reviewed it...This is a masterpiece. Dried apples, plum, stainless steel, honey, and brown sugar combine to create a realistic experience of a holiday dessert fresh out of the oven that was baked in a steel pan. It's very atmospheric to me and a very well crafted blend.

Rose All Dae is a very powerful fragrance. I suggest no more than 2 sprays or you might be cooking your own Christmas dinner...or ordering takeout. Don't say I didn't warn you. 


6. Amouage Jubilation XXV

Main Notes: Blackberry, Honey, Oud, Myrrh, Frankincense, and Opoponax 

Longevity: Very good (9-10 hours)

Sillage: Solid for the first 6 hours

Projection: Strong for the first 3 hours

Value: Expensive, but you get what you pay for here.

Purchase Link: JXXV

Amouage's Jubilation XXV(JXXV for short) is a masterful blend of expensive ingredients. It's inspired by many of the ingredients that were part of the trade routes in the middle east.

JXXV is a very expensive and opulent fragrance and the ingredients show this. Oud, honey, frankincense, and myrrh combine to create a very woody and resinous fragrance with an underlying dark sweetness. It's supposedly blackberry, but I cannot directly identify it as a blackberry note. 

The reason it's on this list is because of the ingredients. Myrrh and frankincense were both given to baby Jesus as gifts. Considering those are two of the strongest notes in this fragrance, it makes this one suitable for Christmas to me. Along with the luxurious aura that this fragrance gives you, this is perfect for an upscale Christmas.


5. Al-Rehab Choco Musk 

Source

Main Notes: Chocolate, Vanilla, Sandalwood, and Cinnamon

Longevity: Very good (10+ hours)

Sillage: Decent for around 6 hours

Projection: Moderate for 3 hours before it becomes soft for the rest of its life.

Value: Almost unbeatable

Purchase Link: Choco Musk (I have purchased from this seller before)


Al-Rehab Choco Musk is by far the cheapest on this list. Coming in at $6 for a 6ml perfume oil or around 10-12 bucks for a perfume spray. That means this one costs you as much as a burger. I know what you are thinking...how can something so cheap be good? Well, it is. I didn't believe it at first either. 


Choco Musk smells exactly like a creamy hot chocolate to me. It's obviously synthetic, but so are the packets of hot chocolate that you buy. If this was actually realistic, then it wouldn't smell nearly as good as it does, in my opinion. The one time where I can say that I am glad something is synthetic...


4. Serge Lutens Five O'Clock au Gingembre 

Source

Main Notes: Ginger, Cinnamon, Black Tea, Pepper, and Amber

Longevity: Moderate (6-8 hours)

Sillage: Acceptable, but soft for the first 4 hours

Projection: Moderate for the first 2 hours

Value: Very good if you get it from discounters. 

Purchase Link: Gingembre


Serge Lutens Five O'Clock Gingembre is a fragrance inspired by a chai tea. It features some of the main ingredients in a chai tea such as black tea, ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper. However, I do not think this is an amazing copy of a chai tea scent due to them not using cloves. Regardless, this is still a warm and spicy fragrance with some woodiness and sweetness. 

This fragrance has a strong black pepper note to my nose, therefore I go a bit noseblind to it. strong black pepper usually does this to me. The ginger is warm and slightly sweetened by cinnamon and a spicy amber accord. There is a vague woodiness that flows underneath that, but it's so light that I can't really detect what sort of wood was used. I also detect an ever so slight licorice vibe, which leads me to believe that fennel was also used. That makes total sense since fennel is a common ingredient in chai tea.

Serge Lutens created a warm and spicy fragrance that is cozy and sweet. It's very nice and that is why it's so high on my list. However, I don't think this smells like a true chai tea. I could just be picky though since I am somewhat of a tea snob.


3. Happyland Homme for the Holidays 

Main Notes: Coffee, Vetiver, Maple, Amber, Nutmeg, Cardamom, and Cinnamon

Longevity: Strong(9-10 hours)

Sillage: Huge for around 4 hours, then it gets a bit softer

Projection: Very strong for around 3 hours

Value: Great value

Purchase Link: Homme for the Holidays


My favorite fragrance from Happyland is a tie between Homme for the Holidays and Signature. Both could be used for the holidays, but this one edges Signature out in that category. Happyland is one of my go-to brands when I want something strong and this one doesn't disappoint.

Homme for the Holidays is an eye-opening blend of strong black coffee and warm spices with a bit of amber and maple to sweeten it up. It has a nutty feel to it as well, which I am not sure if that is coming from the vetiver or nutmeg. It could be both. Regardless, this is a powerful Christmas fragrance that is sure to bring a bit of cheer to your season.


2. Parfums de Marly Oajan

Source

Main Notes: Cinnamon, Benzoin, Amber, Honey, Osmanthus, and Vanilla 

Longevity: Very strong (10+ hours)

Sillage: Massive for around 4 hours

Projection: Massive for around 3 hours

Value: Expensive

Purchase Link: Oajan


I know I have done my fair share of hating on Parfums de marly, but the house has really grown on me. Their fragrances are somewhat simple but have a likable charm to them. I wouldn't say I am a huge Parfums de Marly fan yet, but I do enjoy Oajan quite a bit.

Oajan is a warm spicy cinnamon fragrance with ambery and vanillic facets to it along with a fruity osmanthus note. The result is something a little bit like apple pie. It's a warm and cozy fragrance for the holiday season. It's quite perfect for a warm fragrance when you have to go out into the blistering cold. It will certainly cut through that cold air and snow. It's a very powerful and pleasant fragrance. As much as I enjoy this one, I do think it's still a bit overpriced.


1. Penhaligon's LP No 9 for Men

Source

Main Notes: Clove, Amber, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, and Vanilla

Longevity: Good(8 hours)

Sillage: Moderate for the first 4 hours

Projection: Slightly strong for the first 2 hours

Value: Good value at discounters

Purchase Link: LP No 9


Penhaligon's LP No 9 is my reigning MVP for Christmas. It was on top of my list last year(I don't recall if I did a Christmas list last year. It might have been the year before...). This is the spiciest I have in my collection. Shockingly, no one talks about this one and I don't know why. 


The dominant notes of clove and cinnamon here create a perfect fragrance reminiscent of Christmas. Vaguely sweet amber and vanilla mix with the warm spices to make something very comforting and cozy, like a hot apple cider on a cold and snowy day. There is also a hint of sweet rosewood in here. I get a slight licorice vibe in this one too, which I am assuming is anise. 

LP No 9 is one of the most underrated fragrances in the fragrance community, in my opinion. I will continue to give it the limelight that it deserves until people catch on. I think this might be the third year in a row that is made my Christmas list. That has to count for something, right? 


Conclusion

I hope you all enjoyed my Christmas list this year. It took me a lot of time to make this one. Remember, no matter how good I made these fragrances sound...Please sample first! Your nose is not my nose and I care about your wallet. I want you to discover great fragrances, but I don't want you to spend a lot of money on a blind buy that I love. You may not like it.

I just want to thank all of you who have supported me this year. Everything from the kind words to the samples/bottles you have sent me. It means a lot to me and I very much appreciate the support people have given me. Honestly, if it wasn't for the people I would have quit this year. It hasn't been the easiest year, but the generosity of some people and their encouragement has kept me grounded and in the game.

I know some of you have said that I had an impact on you this year and it makes me happy to touch so many lives. However, I also want you to know that you have touched mine in return. This blog was never about becoming famous or earning an income. I have never taken a dime from any fragrance company. I have had a few donations from some generous readers though. Outside of that, I haven't made anything. This blog always has been about people and always will be. This isn't just a blog to hype up everything I get my hands on. It's to show my passion for people and perfume. The reason why I say this is because you folk shave constantly reignited that fire when it was burning out. I am forever grateful to you for blessing my life and keeping me on the right track. I wish I was able to buy my readers gifts or do a giveaway, but I cannot afford it. Hopefully next year I can. For now, I just want you to know you have my utmost gratitude for helping me. 

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I do hope that it's a great ay for everyone. Remember to say kinds words and check in on people. You never know who is struggling. This has been a tough year for most of us and the holiday season can be the worst for some folks. A kind word is free. You never know how one act of kindness can bring someone back from despair. My inbox is always open if you need someone to talk to as well. I will leave my Facebook down below. Much love to all of you. I hope to put out something else before the new year, but no promises! If I don't, then I also wish you a new and prosperous year. The only way to go forward is from here.


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My Favorite Leather: Thameen Regent Leather Review

 

Season's greetings! I hope everyone is doing well today. I hope everyone is in good holiday spirits this year, despite how rough this year has been for many of us. Hopefully, we can still remember the good things about this time of the year and not the things that we are unable to do. I am determined to make this a good holiday season either way. 

This will be the first time I have reviewed a fragrance from Thameen, despite the company being pretty impressive to me. Regent Leather is the one I will be covering today. A friend of mine gave this to me as a gift. This friend has no affiliation with any fragrance brands or retailers. It was simply a gift from him with no strings attached. I have a few more that I would like to get from Thameen at some point. They are a very underrated house. 

Without further ado, let's get into it!


The Presentation

Regent Leather comes in a cobalt blue bottle with gold trimming on the front. The gold square on the front is unique to this particular fragrance. The brand's insignia, name, and the fragrance's name are presented in gold as well. 

The cap is solidly built and textured. I am not sure what material they are made out of, but it's nice. The Thameeen insignia is again presented as a gold stamp at the top, The cap is magnetic as well. 

The atomizer and atomizer collar are gold. The atomizer sprays a huge puff of fragrance with each spray. It's similar to a Dior Atomizer, but not quite as good.

The presentation is fitting for the image that this brand holds as a luxury brand. The small details and quality are clearly seen with the care they have designed their bottles with. It's a somewhat simple design, but it exudes class. 


The Notes

Top 

Lemon

Heart 

Jasmine, Saffron, Cardamom, and Rose 

Base

Patchouli, Cedar, Vanilla, Musk, and Labdanum


The Story

What is luxury? People seem to have differing opinions on it. That is to be expected, given how different our tastes are. It's a never-ending debate, as it seems that many things are these days... 

To someone like myself, luxury is a man in a tailored suit driving a luxury European car. I don't mean a Ferrari or Lamborghini. I honestly don't see the need for cars like that. Don't hate me, it's just my opinion. I am speaking about a luxury sedan(4 doors) or a coupe(2 doors). Something from Bentley, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, BMW, or Aston Martin. I know that some of you might cringe at some of those brands, but I think they all embody it in their own way. 

The man who drives this is also a gentleman. He is kind and warm, rather than a shrewd businessman. He remembers where he came from and he doesn't gloat about his bank account. He has a taste for the finer things, but never spends beyond his means. That is what true luxury is to me. This could also go for a woman, but I used a man as an illustration because I am a man. 


The Scent

Thameen Regent Leather opens up with rich vanilla mixing with warm cardamom. The vanilla isn't gourmand here. The opening is beautiful, luxurious, and warm. It draws you in from your first breath until the last.

As the heart opens up, Regent Leather shows that its leather is more of a softly sueded variety coming from the saffron. The sweetness of the saffron plays beautifully with the vanilla and cardamom creating a rich and cozy accord that makes you want to wrap yourself up in it. 

As the fragrance progresses to the base, the vanilla, suede, and cardamom are still the most prominent. However, smooth and dark patchouli with woody cedar join in to create a solid base for this fragrance to rest upon.

Overall, what you get is a rich vanilla and cardamom dominant fragrance with a noticeable soft suede underneath. Those notes are then met by smooth woods that are not as detectable but give body to the other notes.


The Other Stuff

Regent Leather is a solid performer. I get a solid 9-10 hours with around 3 of good projection before it softly radiates a few inches above the skin for the majority of its life. Around the 8 hour mark, it becomes a complete skin scent. It leaves a nice sillage trail for around 8 hours at well.  

This fragrance leans slightly masculine to me. It's not so masculine that a woman couldn't wear it though. It is great for either gender. 

This fragrance is rich and luxurious. I don't think casual clothes are fitting for it. At least wear a collared shirt or sweater with it. This isn't a hoodie fragrance. This is a fragrance that makes you smell like you have your stuff together. For that reason, I would say this fragrance is 25+ and for working professionals. Regent Leather also has a sexiness to it with the vanilla and cardamom, so it can be used as a date night fragrance as well. Again, it's not for a jeans and T-shirt style date.


My Opinion

Well, if you read the title, then you already know. This is my favorite leather/suede fragrance. I even prefer this over African Leather, which is also a masterpiece, but not as leathery as I expected. Thameen took soft suede to another level with this one by bolstering it with the rich and creamy vanilla and cardamom. It reminds you of the interior of a Bentley, which is what I thought of when I smelled it for the first time. The smooth woods help with this illustration due to the prominence of wood-grained dashes and detail in luxury vehicle brands. 

This fragrance is expensive but worth the price to me. At $285 USD for 50ml, it's certainly not a fragrance everyone will have access to. That exclusivity is part of the fragrance's charm, along with the part about Thameen being an underrated brand. 

As always, sample first...Especially with a fragrance this expensive.


Conclusion

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. I will be releasing a Christmas top 10 in the next day or two. I know that I rarely do top 10s, but I love Christmas so much, that I had to do one. I think this will only be my second or third top 10 of the year. I might do more than 10 too. I am still working on it.

Don't forget to say a kind word to someone today. There is no telling who it might help. The holiday season is upon us and COVID numbers are rising. It's a stressful time for many people. Be a blessing to someone and not a hindrance. 

Thank you to my readers who have read my articles this year. I really do appreciate your support through this rough year. Your comments and support means the world to me. That is why I keep doing this. I don't make a single dime from doing this. This has always been and always will be pure passion. Much love to all of you and I hope this is the best Christmas yet for all of you. 

One more thing I would like to add. You can get Thameen Regent Leather at Selfridges for $230 USD. That is much lower than the Lucky Scent price of $285, even with the $30 shipping charge. However, if you sign up for their free international shipping for a year, then it's only $60.  I think it's worth it because they having many European fragrances at a much cheaper price than you can find them in the US/Canada. So, even if you buy from them only 3 times in that yearly span, then you are saving a good chunk of money. I am not sponsored by and I have no affiliation with Selfridges. This is just a simple tip that I picked up.

Yes, before someone asks, Selfridges is legit. They are official retailers of the brands that they carry, They even have some fragrances that are exclusive to their store. I think they are just cheaper because they are a European store and they can charge less for European goods because of that. Regardless, I will leave a link to both Selfridges and Lucky Scent for you to purchase this scent if you'd like.


Regent Leather (Lucky Scent)

Regent Leather(Selfridges)

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Creamy Goodness: Zaharoff Signature Royale Review

 

Good afternoon! I hope everyone is doing well today. I am doing fantastic! It's a nice mild day here and I am enjoying it before winter's icy grasp takes hold again. 

I have the second part of the Zaharoff Signature flankers for you today. Royale is a totally new take on Signature to me, while retaining a similar DNA with the original. I am excited about this one!

As I said with my review of Signature Noir...I might be biased for this article. I am a big fan of George and his mission, so I could subconsciously play into it without me realizing it. I also received this fragrance for free. George did not ask me to say anything about the fragrance. He didn't even ask me to review it. He just sent it. 

With that out of the way, let's get into it!


The Story

The crispier spring nights always have a charm to them, but also an annoyance. At one end, it's a welcomed relief from the heat. On the other, you never know what to wear to stay comfortable. Despite all of that, they bring out a sense of relaxation. A sense of carefree bliss, if you will. 

These nights can be among the most romantic with a special someone. A classy restaurant with a screened-in porch that allows you to enjoy the briskness of the night air. A velvety smell of luxury lingers about. People dressed in their Sunday bests and chatting about with their fellow diners. It's peaceful and relaxing. These are where memories are made. When couples become engaged, anniversaries are spent, and where the big deals are signed. Even when we try to suppress them, they still come back with one olfactive response. 


The Scent

Signature Royale opens up with a very amped up sandalwood note from the original. It's butter, creamy, and delicious. A very elegant and authentic sandalwood aroma that is met by powdered lavender from the original. There is also a generous helping of cardamom, which will delight lovers of the spice. I am one of those cardamom lovers. 

I also detect a good amount of iris in this, which isn't a listed note, but I am almost sure it's in here. It's not the makeup variety of iris, but more of the powdery type. I think this is the note that makes the base of the suede accord in the dry down.

As it transitions to the dry down, a very soft suede emerges. As I said previously, I think it's the iris creating this, as well as adding more butteriness to the sandalwood note. There is something fruity and sweet in the dry down. It's not potent, but you can tell it is there. It could be the amber mixing in with the apple. I am not entirely sure. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is. There is a detectable amount of smooth patchouli in here as well, but I wouldn't say it's prominent to me. 

What you end up getting with Signature Royale is a creamy and butter sandalwood, with powdery notes, soft suede, spice, and a faint sweetness. 


The Other Details 

Signature Royale is a versatile year-round fragrance. It can fit into the warmer months just as well as the colder ones. You can wear it with a polo and chino shorts or a suit and tie. While it does remain versatile, it is not generic. 

The performance is acceptable on it. I get a good 7 hours or so, but only an hour or so of projection. This is a scent that is meant to sit closer to the skin. Many fragrances that are meant to be elegant perform in the same manner. This fragrance wouldn't have the same charm if it was loud and forceful. It will still leave a scent trail even when it's not projecting. 


My Opinion

When I first received Signature Royale I wasn't too impressed with it. It's a different sort of fragrance than what I expected. However, it did grow on me in the 9 or so times I wore it before reviewing it. 

The fragrance has a fitting name, it smells "royale". It has that velvety feeling that I mentioned in the story. I think that you need to have an appreciation for expensive smelling fragrances and powdery scents in order to fully appreciate this. I have an appreciation for both and it still confused me at first.

Overall, Royale is a fine addition to the lineup. I do enjoy Signature and Signature Noir more, but this one still has its place. It will be something I can reach for in the warmer months. I think the original Signature is a bit too much in the summer sometimes, so toning down the sweetness from Signature with Royale was a good thing to make this into a more friendly spring and summer fragrance. 

Just a note, Zaharoff does offer Noir, Royale, and Signature on his site for free to US residents. So, make sure to try them first. No matter what I said about them, you might not enjoy them. Always sample first!


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed my take on Signature Royale. I hope to see you again next time. Remember to say a kind word to someone today. You never know who it might help. These are stressful times for many people. A kind word costs you nothing. 

Have a great day and happy holidays. Much love to all of you.


Buy Signature Royale here

Request a sample of Signature Royale here (Make sure to read the notice. He's currently sold out at this time. You might not get a sample until February or 2021)

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Elegant: Jivago Le Cadeau/The Gift Review

 

Good Afternoon! I hope everyone is doing well today. I am fantastic. I have a lot of reviews to catch up on though, so I am quite busy typing them out. So, expect to see a lot more articles over the next few days. I know I keep saying that, but it will happen this time, haha. 

I have a perfume from Jivago to review today, it's called Le Cadeau or The Gift. Le cadeau means "the gift" in French, so I will be using the English variation from here on out. I don't usually review products that are totally feminine on my blog. I usually do unisex or masculine fragrances. However, this one was sent to me by Jivago for review. I have no affiliation with them and I was not influenced to say anything about this fragrance other than my own opinion. I get absolutely nothing if you decide to purchase this fragrance.

With all of that out of the way, let's see what this one is about! Let's get into it!


The Story

Springtime in France...The flowers are in bloom and the grass turns to a vibrant green hue signaling that it is bursting with new life. The birds as merrily chirping while the clear blue sky stretches as far as the eye can see. The warm, but still crisp air beckons you to spend more time outdoors. A beautiful white house stands amidst the serenity...

The back door opens and out steps a woman dressed in a lightly colored lilac dress. The sun touches her blonde hair and makes the sparkles dance with the sun's rays. She walks over and sits down at a white table that serves as a lovely place to sit and view the lush garden. She has her breakfast while sipping on an Earl Grey tea and reading a book. She is a woman of class, manners, and respect. This is her happy place before the day begins...


The Scent

The Gift opens up with a fruity peach, that is brightened up even more by ylang-ylang. A dusting of clean rose and jasmine serve as a very feminine backbone and offer cleanliness to the scent. The jasmine is super clean, it's not indolic at all. Clean and powdery white musk joins the foray along with semi-sweet and airy vanilla.

You end up getting a very powdery, slightly airy, and vaguely sweet scent that is brightened by ylang-ylang. This is certainly a sweet floral musk fragrance, which is quite popular with women, and for good reason...


My Opinion

The Gift is a very feminine fragrance to me. Most of you know that I am not afraid to wear fragrances marketed towards women, but I can't pull this one off. However, this is the type of fragrance that I do love on a woman. It's a classic composition, but with modern ingredients. It's very elegant and classy.

I am not always a fan of the more fruity scents on women, but the peach is done very well. The ylang-ylang is used expertly to keep this fragrance bright and cheerful instead of smelling just only soap. The clean rose and jasmine along with the musk are the most dominant notes to me, along with enough of the ylang-ylang to keep it interesting. The vanilla plays a supporting role in this one, but you can certainly pick it out. 

The bottle is quite unique with the crystallized stand that it comes with to display it. It looks elegant and smells that way. I am no expert on women's perfumes...or perfumes in general, but I think it's a nice fragrance. It's not a love for me, only a like.

It would rank a bit higher for me if it was a bit cheaper. I think $200 USD is the absolute most you should pay for a fragrance like this and that is what it is priced at. Hopefully, they will have a holiday sale that makes it more affordable. I think that it is still worth it though. At first,  thought the price was absurd, but as I wore it more and more, I came to decide that it's an okay price for what you get.


This fragrance does last an incredibly long time on me. I get at least 10 hours from this. It seems impossible to scrub off in the shower too. I tried many times. I didn't want to smell that feminine when I had to do errands. So, this is a very strong fragrance. 

The Gift embodies a springtime fragrance, as you saw in my story. This would be a decent work fragrance for women. I do think it is quite versatile in its approach and can be worn for all seasons and situations, except maybe the gym. It would certainly be strange to smell this on a woman at the gym.


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed my review on The Gift. If any of you ladies have tried this one, let me know your thoughts. I am not as familiar with women's scent profiles, but I'd like to learn more. 

I hope everyone has a great day. Stay safe and remember to always say a kind word to someone. You never know who it could help. These are difficult times for all of us. One simple word could keep someone from going over the edge. This is the season of joy and love. Let's spread it like wildfire!

Until next time(which I hope is soon), happy holidays.



Buy The Gift here

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Coffee Mania: Happyland's Coffee Trio

 


Good morning! I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to their day. There is nothing like a nice cup of hot coffee on a cold morning to start your day. Even though I am drinking a cinnamon tea right now. Sacrilegious, I know. I should be ashamed. That brings me to the purpose of this article, Happyland Studio has created a line of 3 potent coffee fragrances. I keep seeing people ask which one is best or what the differences are. That is what I seek to answer here. 

I am friends with E.J. Wells(The owner of Happyland Studio). I think he's a great human being and a good friend. I have been supporting him since before Happyland went public. He did send me all three of these for free, at various different times. I would love to say that I am unbiased, but given my opinion on E.J. and who he is, I cannot make such a claim. So, keep in mind that this could be a bit biased from my perspective. These are still solely my opinions and Happyland did not influence me to say anything.

Now that we have that taken care of, let's get into it!



Dawnbuster

Main Notes: Coffee, Vetiver, and Labdanum

Link: Dawnbuster


Dawnbuster is the most basic coffee fragrance of the line. Coincidentally, it's also the latest release. I guess some folks were asking for a more barebones approach to the coffee DNA and that is what he did here.

What you get here is strong, dark, and black roasted coffee paired with some ambery labdanum and nutty vetiver. This entry is focused more on the coffee as the centrifugal part of the fragrance it says that without any shame

It's basic, like the guy who goes to the local coffee shop and orders a black coffee. He takes pleasure in a minimalist approach, while still enjoying the finer things. When I say basic, I mean it's the most basic of the coffee line. I am not saying that this one is generic by any means.

 
Cuir Cafe 

Main Notes: Coffee, Labdanum, Suede, Leather, and Apricot

Link: Cuir Cafe


Cuir Cafe was one of the original releases from Happyland Studio. It was also one of the fragrances that put Happyland on people's radars. So, you can say this is the original, even though it smells vastly different than the other two. Also, I know mine has a strange label. Yours will not come like this. This was label he used before he got the real ones in when he launched Happyland.

Cuir Cafe opens up with a fruity accord, which the website says is apricot, but I cannot identify it as such. It just smells like a fruity accord to me. It then shows the major players in this fragrance, which is the dark roasted coffee and sueded leather. The leather is similar to that which is used in Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather with what I perceive to be a soft saffron invoked suede note with a more potent leathery note behind it. It is slightly sweet with the ambery labdanum and the fruity accord that I mentioned earlier. 

This one is a bit more rugged than the other two. The sueded leather accord certainly takes this more into masculine territory over the other two.  If you think of Tuscan leather with black coffee spilled on it, then you will get an idea of what this smells like, even though that is only a slight comparison. 

Homme for the Holidays

Main Notes: Coffee, Amber, Nutmeg, and Maple

Link: Homme for the Holidays


Homme for the Holidays is my favorite name from Happyland. A play on words, that is quite catchy. Also with the Christmassy bottle design, this one is certainly charming outside of what is inside. 

Homme for the Holidays is a warmer, more inviting, and more complex fragrance than the other two in the trio. The nuttiness comes out much more vividly with the addition of nutmeg. A cozy and inviting amber touches with the maple sweetness to create something truly alluring. Of course, the coffee is front and center here, like the others. 

This one is much more complex, nuanced, and the most complete of the line to me. That's not to say that the others aren't. I just think this one has the most going for it. 


Overview

Happyland's coffee trio is really good, in my opinion. I would suggest sampling all three to see which you like the best. Here is a shorter breakdown of all three...

Dawnbuster- A barebones coffee and woody fragrance without the pizazz of the other two, but it still holds its own.

Cuir Cafe- Suede and leather with coffee and fruit. More rugged and masculine. 

Homme for the Holidays- Coffee with maple and pumpkin spice with a warm amber. 


My personal favorite is Homme for the Holidays, which you probably guessed by my description. I lauded this as one of the best coffee fragrances I have smelled and that still holds true.

My favorite might not be yours. I wear all three of these fragrances depending on my mood. All three deserve a place in my collection and they will remain there for as long as they are in production. 

You might have noticed that not too much of the liquid is missing. This is because all 3 of these are very potent fragrances. I only use two sprays when I wear them. They easily last over 9 hours and project for 3-4 hours. Cuir Cafe is the strongest of the three, if that is what you are after. All three of them are for fall and winter.

This a really solid line and I think that anyone who enjoys coffee should try them. They may not be for everyone though, so make sure to samples first. Happyland does sell 5ml samples on their website. 


Conclusion

I hope everyone enjoyed my take on these 3 fragrances. I also hope it cleared up any confusion you might have had. 

Have a great rest of your day! I will see you next time. Remember to always say kind words when you get the chance. You never know how much it could help someone. Everyone could use a little holiday cheer this year.

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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