Saturday, February 19, 2022

Compliment Myths in the FragComm

 

Photo by Anna Kanifatova from Pexels

Hey, folks! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day today. I am doing just fine. I've been testing out some great fragrances that I will be bringing to you in the next week or so. 

Compliments...This word gets thrown out quite often in the fragrance community. YouTubers and Instagrammers use it as a kindling to start a firestorm of clicks on their pages. I very rarely cover this subject, but I was inspired by a conversation that I had with a friend earlier to write this. There are so many myths and misconceptions about this subject and I wanted to say my piece 

In this article, I will be referencing women quite a bit. This does not mean that every woman thinks this way. That would be asinine to state such claims. This is only based on my personal experience with women in my life. 

Furthermore, I am not claiming to be any sort of expert on women. Again, these are just personal experiences. I am not even an expert on myself, much less anyone else. 

This article is not directed at picking up a woman for a one-night stand in the club. I am not a fan of that lifestyle and I do not promote it.

This is my truth when it comes to these things. Let's get into it!


Preying on the Young


Photo by Jean van der Meulen from Pexels


Influencers often prey on the young and/or gullible with flashy titles that include promises of compliments or getting women to notice you. I am not saying that younger men are more gullible. Only that influencers specifically target them, This is a bunch of malarkey and it's designed to generate clicks. They would have you believe that a fragrance will get you the attention that you desire, but it's not like that in reality. Can a fragrance get you unsolicited compliments? Of course, but not at the rate they suggest.

This also happens in Facebook groups. People suggest that they walked into a room and every woman in it took notice. Tolkien couldn't even write something rooted in that much fantasy. It's just an attempt to get clout or make people jealous. I am not sure why people tell such exaggerated stories on social media, but I guess it's the cool thing to do.

Could this happen? It's possible, but you have as much of a chance of dying from a rabid wolf attack as you do experiencing this "dream" scenario. Take note that there have only been 21 rabid wolf attacks that led to a fatality in the US. That is not per year, that is ever since they started recording them. They are so infrequent that even Wikipedia lists every attack. 


Sprays are not the Way


Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels


A lot of these influencers will also tell you to just spray more or they can't smell you. I don't care how much you spray. I don't have to smell you. This is your choice, but I think spraying more to try to receive compliments is not going to increase your odds of getting a compliment. 

The majority of my female friends think it's terrible when someone smells like they bathed in a fragrance. This is quite subjective, but in my experience, many other females seem to share the same sentiment. 

I am not telling you how to use your fragrances at all. I am simply saying the mentality that some women have towards overspraying. You might be turning more people off from speaking to you than you realize. On the other hand, there are a few females who love strong scents. It's all about perspective. If you are targeting one specific girl(which you should be and not any that you can find), then figure out if she likes strong or softer stuff and go with that.

I am not telling you not to wear strong stuff if you like it. I am saying that maybe Red Tobacco could use 1 or 2 sprays instead of 14 until you figure out what she likes.


Manners Matter



Photo by Dinielle De Veyra from Pexels

Manners matter, gentleman. You may not think anyone pays attention or that gal you like doesn't see, but she does. There are some women who don't like polite men, but they are few in number from what I see. 

If you are out there thinking someone is going to sleep with you over a fragrance alone, then they can tell. How many other guys have hit on her and told her that she is beautiful? You gotta stand out. Be someone that respects her as a person and not just a body. 

How does this tie into compliments? Well, women can tell by your body language what type of man you are. Many of them are not going to speak to you if you come off as arrogant or rude. I am not telling you to change your body language to play a part. I am telling you to become a man that you would want your daughter to date and you will find that women are keener to compliment you. Body language is not a dead art. 


Appearance



Photo by Kevin Bidwell from Pexels


People will often tell you that appearance means everything. I say this is wrong, to some extent. Of course, bathing is part of your appearance and you want to bathe at least once per day to find off body odor. No one wants to be around someone who stinks. You should probably ditch the homeless look and wash your clothes too. 

However, these people make it sound like you have to be Idris Elba or George Clooney to get a compliment. This is not true. Just be yourself and make sure you are clean. One of the kindest men I have ever known is a guy named Joe. Joe was a tall biker who looked like he would snap you in half for looking at him. Joe was one of the kindest and most honest men I have ever known and he taught me a lot about life growing up without a father. Women adored him for his humor and kindness. He would often get compliments on his clothing just because they enjoyed his personality. This can work the same way with fragrances. Don't focus on superficial things and work on being a better man. 


Money means Mischief 



Photo by John Guccione www.advergroup.com from Pexels

A lot of guys will say money will get you attention from women. This is true. However, this is the wrong type of attention from the wrong women. Gentleman, look for a woman that values you for you and not your bankroll. That sort of thing is fickle and will end in heartbreak. I know. I am 36 and I have been down that road. Just trust me on this. 

How does this tie into compliments? Women can tell when you think money can buy them and they will probably be less likely to compliment you. When you have this mentality about women, they will take notice and probably steer clear of you. It ties into them being able to tell if you are respectful or not. Don't be arrogant and treat women well and others will take notice and be more open to compliment you. 


Fragrance Compliment Factor


Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels


I often see questions in the Facebook groups about compliment factors of fragrances. While there is nothing wrong with seeking a fragrance that most people will find enjoyable, I think there is a disconnect somewhere.

If you are purchasing fragrances just to get attention and compliments, then I think you are going about it in the wrong way. A fragrance is never going to do that on its own. You are just wasting money because a fragrance will never fill that void in your life. 

A fragrance can absolutely give you confidence and help you with your everyday life if you are emotionally impacted by scents like I am. However, I do not think a fragrant band-aid is what you are really looking for and it's only going to make the issue worse.

Don't take this as me judging you. I think we have all been there and sought to impress a woman before. We all learn from mistakes. I am not saying this is a mistake, but maybe you need a different perspective than what is being fed to you in order to find a solution, 


The Scent of Love 


Photo by Hannah Stevens from Pexels


Have you guys ever seen a woman and thought she was okay looking, then when you got to know her she became absolutely beautiful to you? Well, fragrances work like that too. If a woman is already into you, then she will enjoy your scent because it is probably comforting to her. It's the scent of your love and care for her. It doesn't matter what it is, usually. It's what she associates with you. 

Oftentimes, you are told that you can grab her attention with a scent and it doesn't work like that. A scent just accentuates what is already there. If there is nothing there then that scent does nothing for her. It might smell good to her, but that is the extent of it. 

If you really want to capture a woman's attention with a scent, then capture her heart first. After that then she will probably enjoy your scents unless she is allergic. This isn't always the case, but there will be at least a few that she associates with you and she loves when you wear them.


The Man makes the Fragrance


Photo by Marcelo Chagas from Pexels


The fragrance doesn't make the man, so don't use it as a crutch. You make that fragrance better by being you. Be kind, be respectful, and be happy. This is the most important point in this article and why I saved it for last. 

Don't try to be a man that you aren't with your fragrance. Pick stuff that fits you and your personality. Wear what you like to wear, not things that will bring compliments. Your confidence is far more important than any hyped-up fragrance. I don't care how many women say they love it. You need to do what makes you happy and extend that to others. 

Don't let the "alpha" males tell you that you have to wear something masculine. Don't like the hype followers tell you that you have to wear something that gets them compliments. Wear what makes you feel confident and shine like the gem you are. Women will notice and that will get you compliments because they want a conversation starter to speak to such an interesting and self-assured man. Don't be a prototype. Break that mold and show them that you are a really caring and kind man. 


Conclusion

I cannot stress this enough, there is no cookie-cutter way to get compliments. What works for me may not work for you, so some of this advice might not work. I am not claiming to be an expert or to know everything. I am just sharing the realizations that I came to from my own experiences. 

Women are not robots made to compliment you. My advice is not a replacement for anything in your life, but only a template to a new way of thinking if you want to embrace it. If whatever you are doing works and makes you happy, then disregard what I said. I am not telling you how to live. I am just telling you what I have learned in case someone out there is like me and searching for answers in the same way that I was. 

Remember to be kind and say nice things to someone today. You never know what someone is going through. One kind word can pull someone back from the brink. It costs nothing to do so. 

Until next time, much love to all of you. Keep being great and smelling great. 


Buy fragrances with an Italian soul. Mozzafiato is your one-stop shop for all of your Italian beauty needs. Mozzafiato (affiliate link)

About my Patreon- I decided to start a Patreon to give people an inside look at my life and my actual thoughts on some things. There are going to be some very raw and unfiltered posts on there about the fragrance community and reviewing, as well as some exclusive fragrance articles. I have been doing this for 3 years now and never made any money off of it.

I am still not asking for money. This is just a way for you to support me more if you'd like and I will give you some exclusive stuff for doing so. The top tier includes you being able to choose an article topic(within reason) for me and have the article dedicated to you on this blog. I wanted to make this cheaper, but it's just not efficient for me to charge less. It takes me 5-6 hours to make an article. Sometimes more if a lot of research is required.

I am working on trying to start a podcast for interviews with perfumers and business owns, along with weekly discussions on fragrances.

The 12/25 tier now includes a free Musings of a Fraghead mug with my winter logo on it. You need to sub for 3 months before it ships. (This is Patreon's rule and not my own)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy it if you choose to subscribe. The base price is 4 bucks and gets you access to all of the articles, which I plan on doing two per week. I already have my first post up and it's free to everyone, future posts will need a sub though.

Patreon Link

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

Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Follow me on Instagram!



Tuesday, February 15, 2022

A Perfectly Unisex Jasmine Sambac: Montale Jasmin Full Review


 
Hey, folks! I hope everyone is doing well today. I am doing just fine. I am still getting excited for spring. It will be here in about a month here. I just love the smells in the air during this time when the earth comes alive once more. It's just so enchanting. 

Speaking of spring, this fragrance screams it and that is why I chose it today. Montale fragrances are typically loud, screechy, and headache-inducing. They have a few gems in their collection though and today I am going to let you know about one that no one talks about. 

I hope you enjoy this one. Let's get into it!


Notes 

Jasmine Sambac
Honeysuckle
Orange Blossom 


The Story

A spring garden is a wondrous thing. The air is already ripe with the greenery of the earth sprouting once again and it's accentuated by the warm temperatures and a light breeze. The delicate smell of blooming flowers, stems, leaves, and trees wafting through the air and bringing about a sense of joy and contentment. 

A walk through the garden reminds you of life being awakened and new beginnings. A time to start over and be a better you this year. The pensive melancholy is swept away in a subtle breeze of joy as you feel the warm sun on your skin and the soft sound of the blades of grass blowing. This is blissful motivation towards happiness. Mother nature has a way of reminding us of the simple pleasures in life. 


The Scent

Jasmine full starts out with an almost soapy fresh blast of jasmine sambac. If you are not aware of the differences between sambac and grandiflorum, sambac is the more intensively floral sort that has a freshness to it. It's also the more masculine leaning to me, while grandiflorum is more fruity and rich with hints of apricot. The jasmine in Jasmin Full is not indolic in any way. It's very clean and floral with creaminess and the smell of fresh stems. 

This is a rather linear fragrance that focuses solely on jasmine and it is supported by a honeysuckle note that lends its jasmine-like quality to the picture to paint a more realistic smelling fragrance. It's also supported by a bright and fresh orange blossom that makes you believe this is a sunny spring day. 


Other Notes

Jasmin Full is a perfect springtime fragrance, but it can be worn in the summer as well. It has a luxurious feel to it and can be worn casually or formally. However, I think this pairs beautifully with a white shirt. The cleanliness of this scent just screams white to me. 

This is a decidedly unisex fragrance. As most of you know, I am a male and I adore wearing this scent. Flowers aren't only for women. Any age range could pull this off with ease. 

It's a Montale, so it is a powerful fragrance. However, this one is not as cloying as most of their offerings and lasts a good 9-10 hours on skin with 3 of those hours projecting quite heavily. 


My Opinion

Montale Jasmin Full is a gem in the midst of Montale's collection of cloying roses and shower gel-like scents. This one doesn't come across as overly synthetic, although it is. It has a realistic and believable smell to it. It's essentially a jasmine garden, complete with flowers, stems, and leaves. It's absolutely beautiful and soothing.

You know, I almost sold this one and I am glad I didn't. This one is going to stay in the collection. It's difficult to find a jasmine scent that doesn't make me think of a female because I have known many women to wear jasmine over the years, so it's just my personal association when they make it light and airy. This one is one I wear proudly and I know I will smell darn good while wearing it.


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed the article today. Remember to be kind and do kind things. You never know how you could help someone with one act of kindness. Much love to all of you. Stay great and smell great! 


Buy fragrances with an Italian soul. Mozzafiato is your one-stop shop for all of your Italian beauty needs. Mozzafiato (affiliate link)

About my Patreon- I decided to start a Patreon to give people an inside look at my life and my actual thoughts on some things. There are going to be some very raw and unfiltered posts on there about the fragrance community and reviewing, as well as some exclusive fragrance articles. I have been doing this for 3 years now and never made any money off of it.

I am still not asking for money. This is just a way for you to support me more if you'd like and I will give you some exclusive stuff for doing so. The top tier includes you being able to choose an article topic(within reason) for me and have the article dedicated to you on this blog. I wanted to make this cheaper, but it's just not efficient for me to charge less. It takes me 5-6 hours to make an article. Sometimes more if a lot of research is required.

I am working on trying to start a podcast for interviews with perfumers and business owns, along with weekly discussions on fragrances.

The 12/25 tier now includes a free Musings of a Fraghead mug with my winter logo on it. You need to sub for 3 months before it ships. (This is Patreon's rule and not my own)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy it if you choose to subscribe. The base price is 4 bucks and gets you access to all of the articles, which I plan on doing two per week. I already have my first post up and it's free to everyone, future posts will need a sub though.

Patreon Link

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

Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Follow me on Instagram!

 

Sunday, February 13, 2022

7 Fragrances for Valentine's Day (No Gourmands or Rose)

Source


Hello, everyone! I hope everyone is doing well today. It's almost Valentine's Day and I hope some of you are looking forward to time with your loved ones. I wish you all a wonderful day. 

I rarely do lists like this anymore, but I saw a bunch of other reviewers posting fragrances for Valentine's Day, but most of them were gourmands and had rose in them. I love rose, but it just seems so cliche and banal to do it for Valentine's Day, so I came up with a list of some unique fragrances for you to smell a bit different for the festivities. I just don't think people should always smell like cheap Russel Stover chocolate and clearance Aisle wilted roses for the holiday.

I hope you enjoy this one. These are in no particular order. Let's get into it! 



Dunhill Icon Elite




Main Notes: Cashmeran, Cardamom, Pepper, and Sandalwood
Season: Autumn or Winter
Preferred Age: 30+
Longevity: Good
Projection: Low

Dunhill Icon Elite is a cashmeran bomb with dark sandalwood, and black pepper. This fragrance doesn't have much sweetness to it and that makes it lean slightly mature. It's spicy and heavy on the woody notes. This is a serious fragrance and it's pretty good for the price. It's not going to win any awards, but it's a solid pick up for those who don't like much sweetness. It has a certain resinous quality about it as well. 


Terre d'Hermes Parfum 





Main Notes: Vetiver, Orange, and Flint
Season: Any
Preferred Age: 30+
Longevity: Mediocre 
Projection: Low

Terre d'Hermes Parfum was chosen over the EDT because it's smoother and more elegant and therefore suited more for a date night. It almost feels like a classic with that earthy orange opening that is quite linear. This is particularly good for autumn dates, but it can be used in the winter for something different. 

Zaharoff Signature Royale 



Main Notes: Sandalwood, Lavender, Cardamom, Apple, Vanilla, and Suede
Season: Any
Preferred Age: 30+
Longevity: Good
Projection: Average

Zaharoff Signature Royale is a creamy and buttery sandalwood fragrance with spices and powder. It's quite a unique creation and very elegant. This was my least favorite of the line, but it grew on me quite a bit. It's still not my favorite in the line, but it works quite well for a date night when you have to dress up. It's not too overpowering in a warmer climate either. 


Issey Miyake Nuit d'Issey Bleu Astral 



Main Notes: Amberwood, Leather, Lime, and Coriander
Season: Any 
Preferred Age: Any 
Longevity: Powerful 
Projection: Strong

Our friends down under are experiencing some warmer temperatures right now, so I wanted to give a warmer weather option. Nuit d'Issey Bleu Astral is a cold and darker blue fragrance with a leathery touch. It's fresh and deep at the same time. It's like looking up at the stars and seeing the moon cast its glow on the ocean while seeing your breath in the air. A pretty unique and refreshing release from the house and a very underrated fragrance in general. 


Swiss Arabian Mutamayez




Main Notes: Cashmeran, Oud Accord, Clove, Cardamom, and Amber
Season: Autumn and Winter
Preferred Age: Any
Longevity: Powerful 
Projection: Powerful 

Mutamayez is a dark woody cashmeran and oud fragrance offset by sweet spices and warm amber. It would be in the same genre as Oud Wood, but it's different. It's dark, resinous, slightly sweet, and warm. This fragrance has a somewhat mysterious vibe to it while being exotic at the same time. This is a real winner from the house that doesn't smell cheap or overdone.


Oscar de la Renta Gentleman 






Main Notes: Champagne, Cardamom, Grapefruit, Oolong Tea, and Vetiver
Season: Any
Preferred Age: Any 
Longevity: Average 
Projection: Average 

Oscar de la Renta Gentleman was hyped a while back and then it just died off. I am not sure why. This is an outstanding blend of fizzy champagne and grapefruit with oolong and spicy cardamon resting on a solid woody vetiver base. The bottle is strange for some people, but I like it myself. Regardless, this is an unexpected date night in any season. 


Bottega Veneta Pour Homme EDT 



Main Notes: Pine, Leather, and Patchouli
Season: Autumn and Winter
Preferred Age: 30+
Longevity: Slightly Below Average
Projection: Low

I am probably the only person crazy enough to put Bottega Veneta on a list with date night fragrances. Maybe I am the only one dumb enough to? Regardless, this is a smooth and luxurious leather with plenty of coniferous pine to back it up on a base of dark patchouli. There are some women who absolutely love this one and that is why it's here. It's dark enough for a date night scent, yet it's very different from the other offerings on this list.


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed the list. Enjoy your evening with your loved ones. Let me know what you think of my list. Is it okay or am I crazy for not including chocolate and rose scents?

Be well and be kind. You never know who you can help with one kind word. Much love. Until next time, keep smelling great and being great.


Buy fragrances with an Italian soul. Mozzafiato is your one-stop shop for all of your Italian beauty needs. Mozzafiato (affiliate link)

About my Patreon- I decided to start a Patreon to give people an inside look at my life and my actual thoughts on some things. There are going to be some very raw and unfiltered posts on there about the fragrance community and reviewing, as well as some exclusive fragrance articles. I have been doing this for 3 years now and never made any money off of it.

I am still not asking for money. This is just a way for you to support me more if you'd like and I will give you some exclusive stuff for doing so. The top tier includes you being able to choose an article topic(within reason) for me and have the article dedicated to you on this blog. I wanted to make this cheaper, but it's just not efficient for me to charge less. It takes me 5-6 hours to make an article. Sometimes more if a lot of research is required.

I am working on trying to start a podcast for interviews with perfumers and business owns, along with weekly discussions on fragrances.

The 12/25 tier now includes a free Musings of a Fraghead mug with my winter logo on it. You need to sub for 3 months before it ships. (This is Patreon's rule and not my own)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy it if you choose to subscribe. The base price is 4 bucks and gets you access to all of the articles, which I plan on doing two per week. I already have my first post up and it's free to everyone, future posts will need a sub though.

Patreon Link

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

Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Follow me on Instagram!

Saturday, February 12, 2022

A Warm Holiday Hug: Happyland Studio Homme for the Holidays Decaf Edition Review

 



Hey, folks! I hope everyone is doing well. I am doing just fine. I have a lot to catch up on and I am trying to get it done. Time just keeps going by so quickly. 

I am a bit late to the party on this one. I have had it for around 6 weeks or so, so I have thoroughly tested it. Home for the Holidays is my favorite from Happyland, so I was sure how this one would hold up with the coffee being taken out. 

I was sent this fragrance for free from Happyland. However, there was no agreement that I would review it. So, I am under no obligation or pressure to review this or say it is good. This is solely my opinion and it is not influenced by anything. 

Without further ado, let's get into it!


Notes

Caramel, Apple, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Rum, Musk, Coriander, Orange, Rose, Labdanum, and Soft Spices


The Story 

It's a blisteringly cold night. You decided to walk to the Christmas party this year. Your company requires you to show up. It's times like these that you regret even working for this company. Maybe I regret more the fact that I was too stubborn to take a cab on this frigid and snowy night. Maybe one day I will gain some common sense. I will have to let go of my ego and call one for the ride home, even if it is only a few blocks. 

As you arrive at your office building, the warm ambery glow of the lights shifts your focus to a feeling of warmth. Like a hearth for a weary traveler in ancient times, the building beckons you forth to bask in its splendor. You accept its offer of refuge. 

As you walk into the building, you realize that it wasn't a mirage cast upon you like a weary man in a desert picturing an oasis. It was calling to you for your safety and it has stayed true to its word. The sound of soft jazz fills in the air with a calming and classy demeanor of joy, while the crackling of the fireplace interjects every now and then. The smell of maple-glazed roasted nuts fills your nose and reminds you of your hunger. It must have taken a lot of energy to walk here. 

A young lady approaches in a green Holiday sweater adorned with tacky Christmas designs and offers you a drink and roasted nuts. You accept and take a sip. It's spiced rum. It warms you to your core and brings a smile to your lips that you assumed had been frozen shut before then. 

The soft sounds of people merrily chatting is noticeable under the calming music. You grab a blanket and go and sit by the fire. The warm wool and heat of the flames feel like a soft hug to your soul. 

This was a blissful evening. A memory of contrasts that would not be so special without the whole story. However, I pick up my phone and call a cab. I have no intention of walking home. There is no spiced rum to save my sanity there. 


The Scent

Homme for the Holidays Decaf opens up with what I perceive as maple glazed nuts. It must be the type of nutmeg with the maple. There is also some cinnamon in the opening, but to me, the nutmeg and maple take center stage. 

After about an hour and a half, the fragrance shifts gears a bit. That nuttiness subsides and it becomes a warm spiced rum fragrance with warm amber and some soft patchouli to rest on. 

The fragrance is somewhat linear after the heart develops, which isn't a bad thing. The spices dance in and out of limbo with shades of maple and amber in the background to give the rum note its spiced and warming feeling. 


Other Notes

Happyland Homme for the Holidays Decaf is not just for the holiday season, although it does work wonderfully for that. This spicy and boozy concoction can be enjoyed in the autumn season as well. Early spring would be fine as well, but I don't see this one working very well in the heat due to having a sweetness to it. The spices are also quite potent. Maybe it would work on a cool summer date night. 

It's a Happyland fragrance. Do I need to even mention the performance at this point? I am only joking. This is no exception to the powerful scents that owner E.J. Wells creates. You can expect a good 3 hours of projection and another 6-7 hours of longevity. I did test this one with overspraying. One of my friends wanted to try it, so I asked her to spray it 10 times. I didn't like it when it was oversprayed. It takes over everything with powerful projection and the spiciness and amber dominated everything else in the vicinity. The sweet rum and nutty facets aren't as noticeable. I would keep this one as a 3 spray max fragrance, but your own personal testing might yield different results.

This is more of a casual fragrance, but it would be dressed up into semi-formal or business casual wear. I think this fragrance leans a bit on the masculine side, but a woman could certainly pull it off. 

These are just my personal thoughts from testing it. Your mileage can vary and you should take every fragrance and explore its full capabilities. I have not been able to test it in warm weather yet, so I am only guessing based on the composition and smell. 


My Opinion

Happyland nailed it. I love coffee, but I think this one is more nuanced and tells a better story. The original Homme for the Holidays is certainly great as well, but this one just speaks to me on a personal level and fits my tastes better. I am typically not a fan of gourmand scents, but this one isn't overly sweet and it's blended in a very smooth way that makes it appealing without smelling juvenile or cady sweet. The inclusion of maple and amber would normally make something excessively sweet with rum being added, but the notes are dosed in a pleasing way that makes them work with each other and not against one another.

It's a magical and warming scent that is a pleasure to wear and fans of spicy and boozy scents are sure to enjoy this. However, you should always sample first. My nose is not yours. Happyland offers samples, which I will link below with the full-sized bottle. 

I am not sure what the actual concentration is on these, but they are extraits. They leave an oily sheen on your hand for around 15 minutes and I would take caution with spraying this on lightly colored clothing due to that. 

The 50ml is $55, which is more than fairly priced for an extrait. Considering you only need 3 sprays at the most, this will last you a long time. 


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed my review. I am planning on getting to Foux de Fafa and Diabolique soon. Remember to always be kind and say some kind words to someone today. You never know who it might help. These are dark times and one act of kindness is one more step towards making this world a better place for all of us. Keep smelling great and being great. Until next time, take care and thank you for the support. 


50ml Bottle

Sample


Buy fragrances with an Italian soul. Mozzafiato is your one-stop shop for all of your Italian beauty needs. Mozzafiato (affiliate link)

About my Patreon- I decided to start a Patreon to give people an inside look at my life and my actual thoughts on some things. There are going to be some very raw and unfiltered posts on there about the fragrance community and reviewing, as well as some exclusive fragrance articles. I have been doing this for 3 years now and never made any money off of it.

I am still not asking for money. This is just a way for you to support me more if you'd like and I will give you some exclusive stuff for doing so. The top tier includes you being able to choose an article topic(within reason) for me and have the article dedicated to you on this blog. I wanted to make this cheaper, but it's just not efficient for me to charge less. It takes me 5-6 hours to make an article. Sometimes more if a lot of research is required.

I am working on trying to start a podcast for interviews with perfumers and business owns, along with weekly discussions on fragrances.

The 12/25 tier now includes a free Musings of a Fraghead mug with my winter logo on it. You need to sub for 3 months before it ships. (This is Patreon's rule and not my own)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy it if you choose to subscribe. The base price is 4 bucks and gets you access to all of the articles, which I plan on doing two per week. I already have my first post up and it's free to everyone, future posts will need a sub though.

Patreon Link

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

Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Follow me on Instagram!



Friday, February 4, 2022

My Recent Epiphany: Too Many Fragrances

 

Credit: Sebastian Voortman

Hey, folks! I hope everyone is doing well. I am doing quite well. I am still waiting for spring to hit in full force to wear some more freshies, but other than that life is going well. I do turn 36 on Sunday, so I guess that is news that you might not know. 

I have been thinking a lot about my fragrance collection lately and wanted to share some of my thoughts. I did watch a video from Justin Copeland that did make me think of this more, although it's been on my mind for a while. I guess you will see it in a bit.

This article will be sort of raw and it might be a bit disorganized because I am just writing as my mind thinks and I am not following a prepared prompt or anything. Without further ado, let's get into it!


How the Times Change

When I first started reviewing, I just wanted fragrances to make content with. There was no reason to buy or get some of the fragrances I did. I just did it to reach a number count to try to get some sort of credibility with reviewing. My approach was totally wrong and wasteful. 

I thought that having hundreds of bottles would give me some sort of credibility like Ashton or Steven have, but I never will that and I am okay with that. I always had credibility. Maybe it's not nearly as much as those two, but people do know me and enjoy my style.

I just look at these dozens of bottles of cheapies that I never wear and I wonder what the point was. I blind-bought them because the notes looked good or some Youtuber did a rack haul and said it was good. It's my fault for falling for it. 

This article isn't to demean any of those YouTubers but to look at my own personal choices with fragrances and how I went down the wrong road. Maybe it can help someone who is in a similar situation. 

Cheapies are Cheap for a Reason

You watch a video or read about a rack store haul and you think "bro, that looks like a good fragrance. Imma go blind buy that". Then you get it in and it's boring and generic and wonder why people said it was good.

The cold reality is that most cheapies are cheap because they are bad fragrances. I am not a niche snob by any means. Some cheapies are very good. In fact, my next article will probably be on cheapies that are actually decent.

The majority of cheap fragrances just plain suck. I searched for years for those hidden gem cheapies that had different notes and might be something new. I wasted a lot of money and now I have a bunch of bottles collecting dust. 

I haven't smelled an Armaf I like yet. It is okay if you like the brand. I don't judge you for it, but in my eyes, they are all cheap and synthetic and smell nothing like the fragrances that inspired them. At some point, we have to admit to ourselves that the same ingredients aren't in that $20 bottle as the $200 one. I personally don't care as much about performance. I want to experience and love my fragrances. I could care less if no one comments on them. I do get compliments sometimes and I appreciate them, but that is probably the thing I look at the least when buying a fragrance. 

The most common thing I see is "I can't afford originals". Yes, you can. Well, if you live in a developed country. I won't act like I know what it's like to live in a poorer country because I don't know the circumstances there. However, if you live in a first-world country, then there is no excuse. 

I see people with 40 cheapies saying they cannot afford niche. That is at least $800 sitting there. You could buy at least 4-6 niche/high-end designers with that. I understand that if you are new and trying to fill out your fragrance wardrobe for different situations why you would have some cheapies, but once you hit 20, I think it's time to stop and save up for some good stuff. I am not telling you how to spend your money, but I am giving you advice to not do what I did. 


It's Just a Number 

As I said before, I chased the numbers. I thought having more would give me more credit. I think having more would make me happy. It doesn't. If anything, it depresses me more to know I could have some niche fragrances that I have wanted for a while instead of those cheapies that get no use. I also can't sell them very well because the shipping costs as much as the fragrance. I would have to bundle them to even make it remotely worth it.

I would rather have 30 fragrances that bring a smile to my face than 400 ones that are just grab-and-go fragrances. It makes no sense why some of us collect until our souls are crushed and we get burnt out. Again, this is coming from a place of experience. There will be nothing new and exciting if everything you purchase is made with the same lackluster ingredients to maintain a cheap price. 


The Influence

I am not trying to knock YouTubers. I have suggested things in the past that I would no longer recommend too. I am just as guilty. That new fragrance might spark joy for a bit, but unless it's a love, then that feeling will fade with time. If everything fades, then maybe you need to fill your life with something other than fragrances. Maybe we need to look at what thing we are trying to compensate for and why we are relying on fragrances to fill that hole. 

We can watch these hauls and get excited based on what reviewers say, but in the end, it can be a fruitless pursuit. Being in the game myself, it's all about clicks. It's not about encouraging you to be responsible with purchases. I always encourage sampling first, but I see that it's not enough now. We need to encourage people to not be addicted to fragrances and to tell them it's okay to skip on mediocre offerings. We need to be sterner in our reviews. We need to stop pushing junk to people and encourage them to create a collection that speaks of their style and not our own. We need to start caring about our readers and viewers and stop caring about cutting that check.

Just to be clear, I have never been paid for a review. I decline to work with companies that do not encourage honesty and that is why I only have one affiliate. Honestly is the best policy, as they say. It's the tougher road, but at the end of the day, it's much more rewarding and helps me sleep more easily at night...At least when my cat doesn't dart around like a streaker at a soccer game at 3 in the morning. 


Appreciation

Most of us have at least 50 fragrances. How many of us can tell you how each one makes us feel? If we can't, then those fragrances need to go or we need to learn to get to know them better and not just move on to the next purchase. 

We are often chasing that euphoric feeling of a new purchase. I get it. It's exciting to blind buy sometimes. It's just not practical. I am not saying to not blind buy. I am just saying that maybe there is a better way that will help us appreciate what we have. 

Some of us can't even tell you the actual performance of a fragrance because we never gave it enough time before we move on to a different spray. It just means we do not know the fragrance well. I wore John Varvatos Artisan Pure and thought it only lasted 5 hours until I really gave it good wearings and discovered it still on my skin the next morning. Warm skin reignites a lot of notes. Give it some time. Learn to love them. 


My Resolve

My resolve for this year is to not focus on quantity and focus more on quality. I don't want to fill my shelves with cheapies. I want to fill my collection with stuff that I love and want to wear and in turn, I will share it with you folks. I want this to be John's collection and not someone else's. 

I want to bring the best reviews to all of you and if I am buying mediocre stuff, then you will get mediocre reviews and you deserve better. I also need to hold myself to a higher standard with my reviews. 

I have thought about giving up so many times since people don't like to read blogs, but every few days people tell me how they like my content, so I keep pushing on. So, I am going to save up and get fragrances that really move me and review those.  I want my passion to be sparked once again and I want that to ignite your passion as well. I don't want you to just smell a fragrance, I want you to connect with it and feel it. 


Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this article. I don't often do things like this before, but I just wanted to share. Be sure to let me know what you think. Again, I will state that I am not telling anyone who to spend their money. I am only giving you my raw perspective on it. What you do with what I said is up to you. You don't have to do as I suggested if you are truly happy with your collection. 


I hope everyone has a lovely evening. Remember to say a kind word to someone today. You never know who it might help. That is something cheap that will never get old. Be great and keep smelling great. I appreciate all of the support. Much love. Be safe until next time. 


Buy fragrances with an Italian soul. Mozzafiato is your one-stop shop for all of your Italian beauty needs. Mozzafiato (affiliate link)

About my Patreon- I decided to start a Patreon to give people an inside look at my life and my actual thoughts on some things. There are going to be some very raw and unfiltered posts on there about the fragrance community and reviewing, as well as some exclusive fragrance articles. I have been doing this for 3 years now and never made any money off of it.

I am still not asking for money. This is just a way for you to support me more if you'd like and I will give you some exclusive stuff for doing so. The top tier includes you being able to choose an article topic(within reason) for me and have the article dedicated to you on this blog. I wanted to make this cheaper, but it's just not efficient for me to charge less. It takes me 5-6 hours to make an article. Sometimes more if a lot of research is required.

I am working on trying to start a podcast for interviews with perfumers and business owns, along with weekly discussions on fragrances.

The 12/25 tier now includes a free Musings of a Fraghead mug with my winter logo on it. You need to sub for 3 months before it ships. (This is Patreon's rule and not my own)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy it if you choose to subscribe. The base price is 4 bucks and gets you access to all of the articles, which I plan on doing two per week. I already have my first post up and it's free to everyone, future posts will need a sub though.

Patreon Link

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

Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Follow me on Instagram!