Monday, December 31, 2018

Dolce & Gabbana The One EDT Review


Hellos ladies and Gentleman! I hope everyone is optimistic and setting positive New Year's goals for this upcoming year. Today I will be covering something that almost feels like a classic staple at this point, even though it's not that old, Dolce & Gabbana's The One EDT. Let's get into it!


Notes

Top
Basil, Coriander, Grapefruit

Mid
Ginger, Orange Blossom, Cardamon

Base
Tobacco, Amber, Cedar


Scent

Opening
You get some woody cedar and tangy grapefruit on the opening, mixed with some cardamon and coriander. Somewhat pungent and strong on the opening spray.

Dry Down
This is where the character of this fragrance takes place. The grapefruit takes a backseat and the dark amber and earthy tobacco take center stage here, also the ginger. You can still get a lot of the cedar and cardamon, but those three are the main players for the rest of the fragrance's lifespan.

Performance
This is where a lot of people disagree on this fragrance. The majority of people say it performs poorly, but I disagree. I think people go anosmic to this one because it is quite strong. I get 6-7 hours out of it. My skin loves tobacco fragrances though. 6-7 hours isn't bad for an EDT. The projection is modest at best. It does project a little for the first hour and a half before settling to a more close to the skin fragrance. I think this is intended. If this fragrance was a projection monster then I think it would lose some of its charm.

When to Wear it
Cool to cold weather. This is a very rich and deep fragrance. It would not smell good in the heat. This is perfect for a date night, but it could also be worn formally or semi-formally. Although it could be worn casually (with a button-up and chinos), I don't think it is best suited for this scenario. It is also worn best at night.

Overall Impression
This one is a legend in its own right. I think the poor performance that some people claim is just them going anosmic. It's a great fragrance, but not totally original. It's safe. This fragrance is dark, mysterious, alluring, and manly. This is gentleman's fragrance and it's for a man with confidence, not one with arrogance. It does lean on the mature side, so I would say 30+ on this one. A lot of people like the EDP more, it's a lot richer and darker, plus better performance, but the EDT doesn't do anything wrong in my book.

Thanks for the support, everyone! Be sure to hit the +1 on Google, hit the blue follow button, and to comment on your thoughts on this fragrance below! I hope everyone has a spectacular new year!

Buy it here:
https://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/dolce-and-gabbana/the-one/edt?mv_pc=fragrantica&utm_campaign=242250&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=fragrantica#160215

Image source: www.pixabay.com

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Moschino Uomo? Review


Greetings ladies and gentleman! I hope everyone had a fantastically blessed Christmas! My blog posts will still be less frequent than normal until after the new year, then I should be back to posting every other day. Today I am covering a somewhat classic fragrance(It was launched in 1998). Let's get into it!


Notes

Top
Kumquat, Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Coriander

Mid
Cinnamon, Cyclamen, Clary Sage

Base
Cedarwood, Wormwood, Ambergris, Musk

(Basenotes also lists a sunlight accord in the base, which I assume is what Fragrantica lists as aldehydes in the top)


Scent

Opening
Aromatic musky opening with kumquat and musk and cyclamen. The aldehydes are sharp and citrusy here. It has a pretty strong opening, but not offensive at all. Aldehydes are sharp and citrusy here.

Dry Down
This fragrance is pretty linear. It stays as a musky floral for most of the life of the fragrance. the aldehydes get smoother here, lending to the soapy smell. Just a small dash cinnamon and coriander warms this fragrance up just a bit. The fragrance does tame itself a bit and it is more pleasing to the nose at this point.

Performance
I get around 6 hours with this one, an hour or so more on a cooler day. About 2 hours of projection, then it becomes a skin scent for the rest of its lifespan. it leaves a decent scent trail that is lovely. 2-3 sprays will do the trick. It's easy to go anosmic to this one.

When to Wear it
You can wear this one any time of the year like you can with most soapy fragrances. It's a staple in the mild autumns we have here in South Carolina. It's good casually, formal, and even for a date night. A pretty versatile fragrance.

Overall Impression 
A really good fragrance at a bargain price. I think I paid around $22 for 125ml/ It smells more expensive than it is. It is slightly mature, but I don't think it's out of place on a 22-year-old. It has a certain timeless elegance to it. It's an easy dumb reach. I have yet to find anyone who says this smells bad, but I have only found one person who says this smells "Amazing". I have worn this one quite a bit.



I hope you folks enjoyed this one. Remember to hit the blue follow button. It's like subscribing on Youtube. Also, +1 the article on Google if you'd like. Thanks for the support and until next time, keep smelling great!

One more thing, let me know in the comments section if you like the new "scent" section format or if you prefer the style I used before. Just testing things out. 😃

Buy it here: 
https://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/moschino/uomo-moschino/edt#120541

Sunday, December 23, 2018

My Favorite Designer Fragrance: Burberry Touch




Hello ladies and gentleman! Sorry that I haven't been posting much. The holiday season is quite a busy time of year. I will be posting more often after 2019 hits. I hope everyone is having a blessed and joyous holiday season. Today I will be covering my favorite designer fragrance, Burberry Touch. Let's get into it!


Notes

Top- Violet, Mandarin

Mid- Pepper, Virginia Cedarwood, Oakmoss

Base- Vetiver, White Musk, Tonka


Scent

Burberry Touch opens up with a strong powdery violet with some spicy pepper and a bit of cedar. Musk is also very noticeable. This fragrance is pretty linear. It doesn't change much from the opening to the dry down, but it smells great the entire time. Clean, powdery, musky, and fresh. This fragrance is just clean. That is the best way to describe it. It does have a very powdery violet that can come off as baby powder-like, so if you are not into powdery fragrances then this one is not for you.

I think this fragrance could be worn by a confident woman. It's unisex to my nose. Smelling clean is never a bad thing for either gender and that is why I love this one. However, I do think the cedar and spice make it lean more masculine.

This fragrance is super versatile. People say Aventus, Bleu de Chanel, and Sauvage are versatile, but I think this one beats it. Smelling clean is good year round. This can be dressed up or down. Cold weather or hot weather. This one is a workhorse. You could use it on a date, but I don't think it is best suited for that.

Longevity is really good. 8-9 hours on skin. 2-3 hours of solid projection. A nice scent trail to boot. This fragrance is not shy. It's not offensive either, but I don't suggest going over 4 sprays, this one lasts and projects well for a clean fragrance. Too much of anything is bad, even soap.

This fragrance is fairly cheap too. 50ml for around $30 at Fragrancenet. That is a really good value to me, especially considering how versatile this one is.

That's it for today guys and gals. I hope you enjoyed. Be sure to +1 my posts that you like so I can see what my viewers tend to like more. Also, hitting that blue follow button really helps support me. Thanks! Have a great day!



Buy it here:

https://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/burberry/burberry-touch/edt#116640

Burberry House Review:https://musingsofafraghead.blogspot.com/2018/11/burberry-house-review.html

Saturday, December 15, 2018

My Fragrant Christmas Wishlist

Source: www.pixabay.com

Hello everyone! I hope this day finds you well and cheerful during this beautiful holiday season! Today I am going to go over my Christmas wish list. I did not ask for any fragrances for Christmas, but if I did, then this would be it. Let's get into it!


Number 5: Creed Viking (or one of its clones)

Source: www.fragrantica.com
This fragrance really grew on me while I was testing my sample. I like it, but I would never pay for retail for it. One of the clones of it would work fine for me. I am a big fan of spicy fragrances and this takes an Old Spice type DNA and makes it classier.

Full review here:
https://musingsofafraghead.blogspot.com/2018/11/creed-viking-review.html


Number 4: Some Variation of Hugo Boss Boss Bottled

Source: www.fragrantica.com
I am a big fan of apple notes. This one smells like an apple pie. So warm and delicious. I have not smelled the EDP, but the EDT is great. Not the greatest longevity, but the scent itself is magical. An amazing fragrance that garners many compliments.


Number 3: Ferragamo Uomo

Source: www.fragrantica.com
Tiramisu anyone? I love coffee fragrances. I have never smelled this one, but it's cheap and I have heard really great things about it. Raving reviews from reviewers like Ashton Kirkland at Gent Scents mean I would be willing to blind buy this one. I trust his nose.


Number 2: Genre Parfums Noble Soul

Credit goes to Justin White for this amazing holiday themed picture!
My boy Devin Breaux is doing work over at Genre Parfums. This inspiration of By Kilian's Black Phantom has been one of his best sellers. Many people are going crazy over it. A coffee fragrance that has amazing longevity and projection for $25 for 30ML? Yes, please! I have yet to try it, but at his prices, you can't really go wrong. Also, I will note that Devin has a very high standard of quality and pre-macerates all of his juice. It's ready to wear when you receive it. This house is the rising star in the fragrance game. Don't sleep on this one. I will be doing a house review on Genre Parfums soon, so stay tuned for that! Big shout out to Justin White for letting me use his photo. Thanks, Justin!

Genre Parfums Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/406118473237999/
(If you wish to order contact Devin Breaux directly and he will take care of you.)


Number 1: Parfums De Marly Carlisle

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Any of you who have followed my blog for some time know my love affair with this fragrance. I wish Devin would clone it. I have heard Hafez 1984 is similar, but I have not been able to get my nose on that one yet. This fragrance is simply beautiful. I am sad that my sample is gone, but this one really left an impact on me. I just don't want to pay full retail for it and I have yet to find it at discounters.


Full Review:
https://musingsofafraghead.blogspot.com/2018/10/parfums-de-marly-carlisle-review.html

These would be perfect for Christmas. Even though I am not getting any. This would be my list. It's just my opinion though. These are the fragrances that I want the most, not the ones best for Christmas. I will do that list in a few days. What fragrances are on your wishlist? Let me know in the comments!


If you enjoy my content be sure to +1 it so I know what kind of content my readers enjoy the most. Also hitting that blue follow button is like subscribing on Youtube. It helps a ton. Thanks for the support! Have a great day!

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

A Legendary Classic: Old Spice Classic



Hello everyone! I hope today finds you blessed and joyous in the middle of the holiday season! Today I will be covering another classic, Old Spice. This is on the current formulation. The next few reviews will be on some classics as well. Enjoy!


Presentation
The bottle comes with the classic Old Spice ship on the front. It's plastic. As you can see some of the writing on the front is rubbing off. The cap is a thin plastic as well. Overall, a pretty cheap and uninspired presentation that is nothing like the old glass bottles, but it works. The atomizer is pretty decent.


Notes
Top- Orange, Lemon, Anise, Aldehydes, Nutmeg

Mid- Heliotrope, Carnation, Geranium, Cinnamon, Jasmine, Pimento

Base- Tonka, Musk, Ambergris, Benzoin, Cedar, Vanilla


Scent
Old Spice opens up, as one would think...Spicy. Add some florals and a little sweetness from the anise, orange, and vanilla. Cinnamon, carnation, and nutmeg are the big players here. They come out strongly. The benzoin, musk, and vanilla are very noticeable too. On the dry down the dry spices come out much stronger. This fragrance is classicly masculine and unforgettable. This is what a barbershop fragrance should be, at least to me. 

This formulation is a shadow of the former Old Spice pre-80s, but it still a good fragrance. You can get 120ML for around 8 bucks at Wal-Mart. I still wear it and like it, but it's not what it used to be.

This fragrance is very diverse for what you can use it for. Best suited for the colder wear, but can be used in the warmer months if you go very light on the trigger.

Longevity is about 6 hours on me with about an hour and half of solid projection. It leaves a decent scent bubble. At the price you pay, it's fine. You can afford to reapply. The plastic bottle does make it more portable than a glass one.


Thanks for the support everyone! Hit the blue follower button to subscribe to my content and be sure to +1 the content you like so I will know what you guys would like to see! Have  agreat day!


Buy it here:https://www.walmart.com/ip/Old-Spice-Classic-Cologne-Spray-4-25-oz/23861054?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=396&adid=22222222227017782048&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40843260752&wl4=pla-78656788352&wl5=9010614&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=23861054&wl13=396&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgMPgBRDDARIsAOh3uyKUOdh5Xs56Tz7mXFVKiF9C8wr_7Q0aDMDl50wwABv-ha6AL0MP1gAaAqQUEALw_wcB

Sunday, December 9, 2018

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Stetson Cologne Review


Hello ladies and gentleman! I hope this day finds you well and in good health. I am sitting here in an ice storm in South Carolina with a nice cup of mint hot chocolate. Life is good! Today I am going to take us back to my childhood with a fragrance that is quite popular around here...Stetson. Let's get into it!


Presentation
The bottle I have is a special edition splash bottle. So it's a bit different with a western engraving on it. I quite like it. It's a splash, so no atomizer. The screw off cap is difficult to unscrew at times though. Nice classic bottle for the collection, even if you don't like the fragrance.


Notes


Top- Lemon, Lime, Bergamot, Lavender, Clary Sage

Mid- Geranium, Orris Root, Patchouli, Carnation, Jasmine, Vetiver, Cedar

Base- Honey, Tonka, Musk, Amber, Vanilla


Scent


This is a classic fragrance that was first introduced in 1981. Given its age, I am surprised to not find some dry oakmoss in here. Stetson is special to me. I worked on a farm growing up and the guy I worked for wore this. He was a cowboy through and through. Tough, respectful, honest, and honorable. That is what this fragrance reminds me of. He passed away earlier this year. I bought this fragrance and fell in love with it again. I might be biased due to the memories I associate with it though. That is why I prefaced this description with this first. Now, let's get on to the actual scent!

This fragrance leans like a classic barbershop fragrance, but not like Azzaro Pour Homme. It's more like an Avon Wild Country one. It's floral, sweet, and musky. The honey, carnation, jasmine, and musk stand out the most to me. I can also detect lavender, tonka, and cedar. The cedar gives it a slight spiciness that keeps it interesting. I can also detect amber in the background tying the whole thing together.

I get about 10 hours out of this one. I have put it on my chest and went to sleep and it is still projecting when I wake up 7-8 hours later. It has arm's length projection and leaves a good scent bubble.

I honestly really like this one and still wear it. I don't care if it reminds people of their grandpa. I like it a lot. That is what matters the most when wearing fragrances. I think it has been successful for so long because it is different. A floral and sweet composition for men. That wasn't common back in the 80s. I plan on getting a cologne spray of it soon. By the way, yes it is a cologne concentration that lasts that long!

Thanks for the support everyone and be sure to hit that blue follow button and +1 my content if you want to see more classic fragrance reviews. Have a great day!

Buy Stetson here:
https://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/coty/stetson/cologne#126171

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

A Chat with Mahsam Raza

Hello ladies and gentleman! I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Today, I am doing a quick follow-up on my last post. I sat down and had a chat with Mahsam Raza(The owner of DUA Fragrances) and I have to admit I was wrong.

He contacted me through Facebook in a gentlemanly manner to discuss what issue I had. My issue stemmed from a post he made in his Facebook group around 6 months ago. It was about someone damaging his property and leaving a nasty note about DUA in the process. Mr. Raza explained to me why he did it because he wanted to let everyone know that it is not okay to damage someone's property or put their family at risk over his business. It is never okay to do so, so I echo that point. It's just scented water folks. Yes, we all have different tastes and a passion for it, but that kind of behavior is unacceptable. I should have manned up and messaged Mr. Raza about it earlier, but I failed in doing so and I take full responsibility for it. It was a failure on my side. So, we had a polite conversation and cleared the air around it.

As for purchasing a DUA fragrance...I have not done so yet, but I might be open to it in the future if he comes out with a release that I want to try. At this point, I think it would only be fair to purchase something and give it a fair review. So, when I get some money to do so, I will be doing that.

I am sorry for the misunderstanding folks. I am still very grateful for your support and comments. Have a great evening!

Monday, December 3, 2018

5 Fragrances that I Will Never Purchase

Image source: www.pixabay.com

Hello ladies and gentleman! I hope this day finds you well and in good health. Today I will be covering 5 fragrances that I will not purchase. These might be due to the smell, price, or something personal. These are not in any particular order.

Note: This is just my opinion, if you love these, then buy them. To each his own. These are just my personal feelings.

Let's get into it!


Number 5: Anything from DUA Fragrances



Image Source: www.Fragrantica.com

Now, I know I might get some backlash over this. I am sure DUA makes great impressions of the fragrances they draw inspiration from. However, the owner has done a few things that I don't personally agree with and I have made my decisions off of that. I will not go into detail because I do not wish to trash someone's character. If you love DUA, then that is okay. This is just a personal conviction for me. If I ever received a DUA product in a giveaway or something, then I would review the fragrance itself and not show any bias. He does have a good collection of hard to find fragrances, which is cool though. The pricing isn't as good as Genre Parfums and Alexandria Fragrances, so I will stick with those.


Number 4: Creed Aventus


Image source: www.fragrantica.com
I just don't see the point n paying for Aventus when there are so many great inspirations of it. Batch variation varies so greatly anyways and most of the clones do not have that problem. Part of that is due to natural ingredients, but it's still a downside. I was never a huge fan of Aventus, to begin with. I prefer Mancera Cedrat Boise.



Number 3: JPG Ultra Male


Image source: www.Fragrantica.com
I covered this one in one of my first posts, the fragrances that I think are overhyped. It's just too sweet and feminine leaning for me. To each his own, as I said. Women love this one. I just don't feel right when I wear it. Maybe it's my skin chemistry? I am not sure, but it's not for me.



Number 2: Any Fragrance Over $400

Clive Christian No 1. Retails for $850 for 50ml. No Thanks! Image source: www.fragrantica.com

Sorry, but I am not a wealthy person. I don't even like paying over $100 for one bottle, but I usually won't buy anything over $200. There are very few I would pay over that for. PdM Carlisle is one of them. That is like a month's mortgage or rent. That is just too expensive for me to buy. I will stick to mostly cheapies.



Number 1: Etat Libre d'Orange Secretions Magnifiques


Image source: www.fragrantica.com

I get the artful side behind this, ELDO certainly has that. This fragrance is made to smell like sperm, sweat, and saliva. Seriously? This might be great for some people and it might work for it's intended use. No way am I putting this on my skin! I actually smelled this one in Atlanta and it was stomach churning. Although, I was aware of what it was supposed to smell like before trying it, which I am sure didn't help. I usually don't knock on fragrances because I respect the perfumer and his time making his masterpiece, but this one is just bad in every aspect for me. Try and buy at your own risk.


Thanks for the support everyone! I hope I wasn't too harsh in this post. Remember to hit that blue follow button and +1 my content if you like it! Also, you can sign up to be notified when I post by email if you enter your email at the top where it says "Email address...". Feel free to comment on which fragrances that you will never purchase below! Have a great night!


Link to my 5 Popular Fragrances that aren't Worth the Hype post:
https://musingsofafraghead.blogspot.com/2018/10/5-popular-fragrances-that-arent-worth.html


Saturday, December 1, 2018

CK One Shock Review


Hello guys and gals! Sorry that I have not been posting as much lately. The holiday season is quite busy for me. Today I have a review of one most of you already know, CK One Shock. Probably my favorite cheapie of all time. Let's get into it!


Presentation
It's a big black bottle that doesn't come with a cap. The "SHOCK" on the front is rather shocking, and not in a good way. It looks pretty youthful. The sprayer is a beast though. The silver cap is vintage, the black(that I have) is the current one.


Notes

Top- Clementine, Lavender, Cucumber

Mid- Osmanthus, Black Pepper, Cardamon, Basil

Base- Amber, Patchouli, Cashmeran, White Musk, Tobacco


Scent

This fragrance opens up with a bit of cucumber, some sweet tobacco, and a cherry vibe with a dashing of pepper. When it dries down you get sweet tobacco and spice laying on a bed of warm and rich amber. Judging by the bottle this is a youthful fragrance, but this fragrance can be for any age. It's absolutely wonderful. It's sweet, spicy, and warming. I would drink this stuff if it wouldn't kill me. Just goes to show you how misleading a branding can be for a product. This is a sweet concoction of heavenly manna. Just try it already.

Longevity on me is 7-8 hours and projection is massive for the first two hours, then settle down to a 6 foot or so bubble and leaving a potent sillage trail. The vintage performs much better, but 25 bucks will buy you 200ml of this stuff. No, that is not a typo, 6.7oz. You can't beat that anywhere. Also, 2 or 3 sprays max gents, this thing projects for the first few hours heavily.

Regardless of the naysayers that say the new formulation is bad, I will still keep this in my collection. It's one of the few fragrances that I keep a backup bottle of. That is how much I love this one. This is my favorite casual dumb reach for the colder days.

That being said, this is a winter/late fall only fragrance. This thing will get sickly sweet in the heat. Best worn casually, but it could fit business casual perhaps, but not formal.

Hope you enjoyed the review folks. Hit that blue follow button or +1 my content that you like so I know what types of posts my readers like. Thanks!

Buy it here(only 23 bucks for 200ml at this time of this post)
https://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/calvin-klein/ck-one-shock/edt#219836