A Romantic Night in Venice: Fragrenza Venice Seduction Review(An Original Creation)

Source: www.fragrenza.com

Good morning! I am glad that you could join me once again. Thanks so much for the support! This article is going to be about another Fragrenza fragrance, Venice Seduction. Fragrenza is a clone house, but this one is an original creation. I will go ahead and spoil it for you, Fragrenzas original creations are some of the best I have smelled among the clones houses. I was sent this fragrance for review, but I was not paid or influenced to review it positively in any way. I decided to not take pictures of the box like I said because he is changing the boxes. I will show you a picture of them below. Let's get into it!

Credit: Somia Hamad

Notes

Top

Cardamom and Dried Fruits

Heart

Night Blooming Tuberose, Saffron Flower, Tobacco Flower

Base

Patchouli Leaves

The Scent

Opening

Venice Seduction opens up with a slight licorice vibe, but quickly settles into something more palatable to my nose. I hate licorice, so it turned me off at first, so I am glad it changed so quickly. You get some very sweet dried fruits, which the only one I can detect with certainty is apricot. The cardamom is very sweet and somewhat spicy.  This sweetness persists throughout the entire life of the fragrance.

Dry Down

The fragrance morphs into something more masculine in this phase. The saffron is a bit sweet with a leathery nuance to it, as most saffron has. It adds a masculine layer on what would be a very sweet fragrance. The tobacco also adds that layer to it by bringing a sweet, but somewhat pungent aura to it. The patchouli is dry and woody, even though it says it's the leaves. Maybe that is what smells like that when most fragrances say patchouli and have that dry vibe to them? I am not sure. The tuberose comes off as a bit dark and creamy, adding a gourmandish facet to it.

Performance

Venice Seduction is a decent performer. I get around 9 hours with 2 hours of projection. A nice sillage bubble lasts for about 5 hours, but you can still get random whiffs of it after that. It's very sweet, so it's easy to go anosmic to this one. It's like BR540...it comes and goes, but you know it's still there.

When to Wear it

Venice Seduction is named aptly. It is a great option for a date night fragrance. Women will love the sweetness in this one. It could also be worn casually, but I would wear it formally, it's a bit too playful for that.

Some reviews say this is a woman's fragrance. I wholeheartedly disagree. The patchouli, tobacco, and saffron define this as more masculine to me. Some women could pull this off, I guess, but it's a man's fragrance to me.

Overall Impression

Venice Seduction is a sample of how great this house can be. I know I say there are a lot of upcoming houses, but Fragrenza is really doing something special with their originals.  The perfumer clearly shows an understanding of how to balance compositions and use dry and sweet notes together to keep a sweet fragrance masculine. I am anxious to try some of his more fresh fragrances as well. I am also curious to see what he does with some old school masculine bombs. I think I saw Platinum Egoiste on their site.

People who think Fragrenza is "just another clone house" are really going to be missing out. Especially on the originals. The perfumer told me that he thinks he has some of the best originals on the market. I have tried two of them and they are both masterfully blended and you can feel his passion for his art in them with the simple nuances that round them out. The only downside is that they do not have samples yet, so you have to blind buy. I am sure they will start offering samples soon.

Conclusion

I would encourage you to check out Fragrenza. They actually have unique bottles and use crimped atomizers, which show that they don't want them to look like decants. There is nothing wrong with using decant style bottles, but I think Fragrenza just went to extra mile to improve customer satisfaction. They are constantly looking to improve their products and presentation. They mean business.


Buy Venice Seduction here

Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

Follow me on Instagram! 

Oriental Heaven: Happyland Rhyolite Review

Source: www.happylandfragrances.com

Good morning, everyone! I hope you are all having a fantastic day today! I have another Happyland for you today. I originally rated this one lower than the other I received from them, but this one is quickly becoming my favorite. Do you want to know why? Well, in short, because it has a slight similarity to Scentstory 24 Gold and other fragrances that are considered as Kalemat by Arabic fragrance houses. Make no mistake though, this is not Kalemat. It's only about 30% similar to it. E.J. has created another truly remarkable fragrance here.

Guys and gals, Happyland isn't just hyped because he sent some bottles to a few reviewers. His fragrances are actually that dang good. If you don't believe me, then go to the Happyland site(I will link it at the end) and order some samples. You can also contact E.J. on Facebook to order samples that are different from the sample pack on the site. I will also link his Facebook below. I can almost promise you that you will like one, if not all of them. You don't get this kind of quality at this pricepoint very often. This isn't just another clone house. These are original creations made by an indie perfumer and you can feel his passion in his offering. I would highly suggest that you try this house out.

Happyland did send me this bottle for review, but I was not paid or influenced to review this positively in any way.

Anyways, enough blabbering. Let's get on with the review! I will forego the presentation because I mentioned it in my previous reviews of this house.


Notes

Honey, almond, blueberry, vanilla, sandalwood, caramel, white musk


The Scent

Opening

Rhyolite opens up with a boozy honey note with some vanilla in it. You get a slight caramel vibe in this phase as well. That boozy honey only lasts for around 10 seconds before it mixes with the vanilla and caramel. The vanilla in this fragrance is like spiced vanilla, which makes me think it's actually amber and not vanilla. Amber often smells like a spiced vanilla accord.


Dry Down

As the heart notes come out, Rhyolite takes more of an oriental form, leaving its former gourmand self behind. The sandalwood emerges in its dry and woody glory. When mixed with the vanilla(amber) it creates a warm dry desert feeling. The honey offers a somewhat glazed accord to the sandalwood. Imagine a lumberyard that has a bee infestation and they decided it was a good idea to coat the wood in honey and caramel.

The blueberry puts a bit of its tart sweetness into this composition in the dry down which puts a more unique spin on an oriental, considering a lot of them get their sweetness from caramel and vanilla alone. Some use a bit of anise to sweeten it up as well.

What you ultimately get is a dry sandalwood fragrance that is glazed with a bit of sweetness and a spiced amber accord that resembles a desert with a touch of tart blueberries.


Performance

Happyland Studio doesn't slack on performance.  I am getting around 14 hours with this bad boy, 4 of those are projecting 4-6 feet. A respectable sillage bubble will follow you for up for 6 hours. This is a fragrance that you will have to wash off. If you spray this on clothes, then you might even smell it after you wash them. This juice is no joke.


When to Wear it

This fragrance is best suited for the dead of winter when it's bitter cold. This fragrance will warm you up and cut through the cold air. It's perfectly suited for fall as well. I wouldn't wear this in the heat. Even though you could probably get away with it if you only do one spray. Even in the cold weather, I would only suggest 3 at the most. 2 is probably safer.

This is a great casual fragrance, but it's also a great fragrance for date nights. 24 Gold is my most complimented fragrance, so I assume that this one will overtake that one soon. Women love this sort of fragrance and it will be a compliment getter for sure. I did receive one compliment from A lady in Dick's Sporting Goods last week while wearing this one. Considering I have only worn it in public twice(I wore it for a week, just not in public) and got a compliment one time. I think this one is going to garner lots of attention.

Overall Impression

Rhyolite is an impressive oriental fragrance, especially considering the perfumer is not Arabic. It's somewhat westernized and doesn't have oud in it, but it doesn't take away from the character. It has plenty of depth and a great sandalwood backbone that doesn't make you even miss the oud that would normally be featured in this type of fragrance. E.J. has shown an ability to reach outside his normal dark and gourmand fragrances and show he is a talented perfumer that is capable of creating many types of fragrances. Blue Fire is another example. That review will be soon. As I said, don't take my word for it. Hit up E.J. and get some samples. Feel free to tell me I am wrong if you don't like this one.


Conclusion

Another great fragrance coming from Happyland. This house is really going somewhere. I will just go ahead and tell you that I haven't disliked any of Happyland's creations. I am still working on loving Blue Fire, but I want to understand it more before I review it. I do like it though, but it's a difficult fragrance to understand. I will tell you more when I review it.

Have a great day! Remember to say positive things to people. Until next time, keep smelling great and making the world a better place. Above all, stay honest and humble!

Buy Rhyolite here (He also has 30ml sizes)

E.J. Wells' Facebook

Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

Follow me on Instagram! 

DUA House Review(4 Fragrances)

Source: www.pixabay.com

Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman! I hope everyone is having a fantastic start to their day. I recently had my friend, Cameron Byrd(I will link his Youtube channel below), sent me 4 samples of some DUA fragrances to try out. So, this article is not sponsored by DUA in any way. Thank you, Cam, for giving me the chance to try this house after so long! I said in a previous article around a year ago that I wouldn't buy anything from them, which I retracted and said I wrongfully judged them. I finally had a chance to test a few of their fragrances, so here is a short review of each.  Enjoy!


Popped Cherry

Source: www.dua-fragrances.com

This one is an inspiration of Tom Ford's Lost Cherry.  I have smelled several Lost Cherry impressions and I have to say, this one is the best that I have smelled. The cherry smells more authentic and the blend is smoother overall. It has a certain creaminess to it. I can't vouch for how close this is to Lost Cherry because I have not smelled that one yet.  This one is just more rounded to me. All of them are great, but this one is the best smelling to me. Sweet dark cherries sitting on a bed of bitter almonds with a healthy dose of sweet syrup and a hint of rose.


High Seas

Source: www.dua-fragrances.com

This one is inspired by Creed Erolfa. It's a good recreation. Although, I am not a huge fan of Erolfa(the Creed one), this one does smell similar to it to my nose. A salty aquatic with melon and citruses. It's okay, but that is not DUA's fault. Erolfa is just somewhat boring to me in general. It's a safe fragrance though.


Zeus' Elixir

Source: www.dua-fragrances.com

Zeus' Elixir is inspired by Xerjoff Kobe. It's a very fresh floral with some citruses and musk. It almost comes off effervescent like a citrus soda to my nose at times. I do quite enjoy this one. It's one of those uplifting fragrances that enhances your mood. Clean neroli and an orange peel accord are the major players in this one, along with sweet benzoin and sparkling bergamot. It dries down to be a bit more soapy, but not powdery.

Midnight with the Mobster

Source: www.dua-fragrances.com

Mightnight with the Mobster is inspired by Roja Dove Creation-E (The paper label one). I have to be honest here, this one isn't good in my opinion. I have another impression of Creation-E from Zoha Aroma and it smells much smoother to my nose. I am not sure if the problem is the DUA one was inspired by a different formula or not. The booziness and tobacco are nice, but there is something very dry and itchy to my nose in this. I am not sure if it's the type of ginger used or the patchouli, but it just smells off to me. Plenty of people love this one, so it's probably just me.


Conclusion

I ended up liking Popped Cherry and Zeus' Elixir. High Seas is okay. Midnight with the Mobster didn't work for me. 3/4 being nice/okay isn't bad though. Overall, they seem like a decent house. I still think they are priced a bit high for what they are. However, he does clone a bunch of unobtainable fragrances as well, so there is that. At some point, I wouldn't mind trying more to get a better idea about the house, but for now, this is my opinion.

I will try to do a more in-depth review of each in the future. I only wore these fragrances around 2-3 days each, so this is pretty much just a first impressions article.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day! Remember to say positive things to people today! Be blessed and keep smelling great! Don't be afraid to hit that follow button if you like my content.

DUA Website

Cam's Youtube Channel


Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

Follow me on Instagram! 

A Hyped Fragrance: John Varvatos Artisan Pure Review

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Hey, ladies and gentleman. I hope everyone is in good health and having a wonderful day. This review is going to be of a fragrance that caught a lot of hype a while back and still is getting hype, John Varvatos Artisan Pure. It was touted as a unique summer fragrance. Jeremy Fragrance called it the "best summer fragrance on the market". My buddy Nathan Geck sent me a decant, so I will not go over presentation here. Let's see how it holds up to the hype!


Notes

Top

Mandarin Orange, Clementine, Marjoram, Thyme, Lemon, and Bergamot

Heart

Petitgrain and Ginger

Base

Orris Root, Woody Notes, Amber, and Musk


The Scent

Opening

Artisan Pure opens up with a fresh blast of some slightly sweet thyme mixed with the fresh and juicy clementine, sparkling lemon, and sweet mandarin orange. You get a bit of the petitgrain in here as well...adding a somewhat soapy green vibe. I don't notice the bergamot in it, but that could be due to the melange of citruses in this fragrance playing off one another. There is an herbal touch from the dry thyme.

Dry Down

As the heart comes out, you get a bit of dry ginger which adds a bit of spice. The petitgrain comes out with a bit of the orris root, which I believe it was is causing the soapy nuance in this fragrance.

As it completely dries down, you start getting a slight tinge of woodiness and the clean musk starts to take hold and the citruses calm down and it becomes more of an herbal and soapy fragrance. The citruses are still noticeable, mainly the orange and lemon, but they are used more as notes to brighten up the greenness and other aspects in this fragrance, not as the main protagonists.

I would like to mention that the soapiness is crisp and not powdery. The ginger is prominent from the heart to the dry down as well. I looked at some reviews on Fragrantica and they all list the citruses as the most prominent notes. In the opening this is true, but in the dry down you don't get as much of that. It's mostly a crisp and clean floral fragrance with herbal nuances.


Performance

This fragrance is pretty mediocre in terms of performance. I get around an hour and a half of 4-foot projection and around 3 1/2 hours of longevity. So, 5 hours in total. I wore this with temperatures in the 90s as well. It's not impressive on that front, but not terrible either.

When to Wear it

Artisan Pure is mostly a casual fragrance, but it's clean enough to pull off in a white shirt and khakis, but I won't dress this up too much. It's more of a youthful clean than a businessman type of clean. This fragrance is masculine and for the spring and summer. It won't hold up in the cooler months at all. I haven't tested it in the cooler months yet, but I would put money on it not holding up at all in the cold, but of course, I could be wrong.


Overall Impression

Artisan Pure was hyped to death. I am not impressed with it. I don't think it's unique. It doesn't perform well. I don't get it. Yeah, it smells very nice, but it's nothing to get excited about. It's just a generic clean fragrance to me. The opening is simply amazing though, but that fades fast into something that smells like most other fragrances with citruses, petitgrain, and ginger. No, it doesn't smell exactly like a lot of other things, but there are much better options to do what this one does. I can't name them off the top of my head, but I have smelled similar DNA before.

I don't like giving this a negative review because it's not a bad fragrance at all, but it's not special in any way. It's worth the 20 bucks you can get it for though, but not much more than that. I wouldn't suggest going out of your way to try this one.


Conclusion

Hype lets you down, folks. Don't buy into anyone who tells you that you must buy anything. Smell it for yourself. You might love Artisan Pure. Get a sample. I just don't see it as a must-have for me. Plenty of people say they love it though. You could be one of them.

Have a great day, everyone! Remember to be positive and show respect to people. Until next time, keep the world smelling fragrant and positive!


Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

Follow me on Instagram! 

My 10 Most Masculine Fragrances

Source: www.pixabay.com

Hello, ladies and gentleman! Welcome back! I am glad that you decided to come pay me a visit once again. I appreciate all of the support from both the newcomers and the people who read every article I write. It really means the world to me. I hope everyone is having a wonderful day today! Remember, if you like this content then be sure to leave me a comment and let me know. You can also sign up for email updates and follow my blog. Any bit of support helps and it is very much appreciated.

Today I will be covering the fragrances that I think are the most masculine in my collection. I know fragrances don't have a gender. Some fragrances make you think, "Wow, that smells manly". These are the ones I will be covering. Some of these are because of my scent memories and some of them are just my thoughts. It's all my subjective opinion. Regardless, you won't find any sweet bubblegum fragrances or shower gel fragrances on here.

This is not a top 10 list, so these are in no numerical order.

I used a masculine rating out of 10 for each fragrance.

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


10. Coty Stetson

Main Notes: Honey, lavender, carnation, and musk

Masculine Rating: 8

Coty Stetson is the "American cowboy fragrance". You don't get much more masculine than this. A somewhat dirty floral musky fragrance. It's not for everyone. I wear this one sometimes, even with all of the niche I have. I worked on a farm when I was younger and the guy I worked for wore this fragrance religiously, so it has sentimental value because he passed away a little over a year ago. Good memories of a good man and this will forever be a real man's fragrance to me.


9. Happyland Barbershop

Main Notes: Lavender, musk, leather, and ambroxan

Masculine rating: 7

Happyland Studio is a new house owned by E.J. Wells and he makes a lot of masculine fragrances. I had to decide whether to put this or Cuir Cafe on here. This one won out. A modern and clean barbershop fragrance that is super versatile and super manly. Soapiness with a bit of clean, but a tad bit rugged leather. This one will be a classic in the future.

8. Azzaro Pour Homme

Main Notes: Lavender, oakmoss, tonka bean, leather, and anise

Masculine Rating: 7

Azzaro Pour Homme is a classic barbershop fragrance that was released in 1978. The old barbershop DNA of dry oakmoss, powdery lavender, and hay-like coumarin(tonka bean) is very much evident in this one. One of the most mentioned mention barbershop fragrances for a reason. It's classic, manly, and timeless. This is what a family man wears.


7. Guerlain Vetiver

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Vetiver, citruses, oakmoss, black pepper, and tobacco

Masculine Rating: 8

Guerlain Vetiver is one of the best fragrances to come out in the last 60 years. Originally released in 1961 and rereleased in 2000. This is my 2nd favorite fragrance of all-time, behind Green Irish Tweed. A gentleman's fragrance. It's clean, soapy, and a bit spicy. An absolute masterpiece. There is a reason that this fragrance is the metric to what every vetiver fragrance is compared to now.


6. Alexandria Fragrances Italian Forest

Source: www.alexandriafragrances.com

Main Notes: Cypress, woody notes, and basil

Masculine Rating: 9

Italian Forest is an inspiration of Tom Ford's Italian Cypress. In the vein of Ralph Lauren's Polo Green, but not a clone of it. This fragrance smells like a forest full of fir trees. A very ruggedly masculine fragrance. Think of a classic lumberjack in a red and black flannel chopping trees down in a forest. That is what you get with this decidedly manly fragrance.


5. Bentley for Men Intense

Main Notes: Rum, leather, incense, and woody notes

Masculine Rating: 9

This powerhouse of a fragrance boasts strong rum and leather notes accented by incense and woods. A very potent elixir that fills a whole room. This is for the man who wants to be noticed and is in charge. This is not for the faint of heart. Only confident men should apply this juice.


4. Old Spice

Main Notes: Cinnamon, carnation, nutmeg, and anise

Masculine Rating: 10

Yes, Old Spice is a mere shell of what it once was, but the DNA of Old Spice is no doubt manly and brings back many memories. Many people think of their fathers and grandfathers with this one. A spicy concoction of clean machoness. This one is no doubt, a memory of men in itself. It deserves its 10 rating.


3. Givenchy Gentleman EDP

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Vanilla, tolu balsam, orris root, and patchouli

Masculine Rating: 6

This somewhat sweet fragrance that bears resemblance to Dior Homme Intense. I might break some hearts here, but I think Givenchy Gentleman EDP is manlier and better than DHI. It's for the modern man who rocks a suit, but has traditional values. One of my favorite designer fragrances and the best release of 2017.


2. Memo Irish Leather

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Leather, juniper, and mate

Masculine Rating: 8

Irish leather is a leather fragrance with plenty of green mate in it. A bit of sweet juniper berries and clary sage add to the composition. A very well blended fragrance. it's labeled as unisex, but I think it's masculine. I couldn't see a woman wearing this. This smells like a man from the country.


1. Houbigant Fougere Royale

Source: www.fragrantica.com

Main Notes: Carnation, green notes, oakmoss, clary sage, and lavender

Masculine Rating: 8

Fougere Royale is the fragrance that started to fougere revolution, sort of. Released in 1882, then rereleased in 2010, this classic fougere smells good enough to be worn today with confidence that no one will call you grandpa. A clean and masculine aromatic that portrays a somewhat barbershop vibe. You will never be told that you smell like a woman with this floral based fragrance for men.


Conclusion

There are my picks for the most masculine fragrances. Keep in mind these are all from my collection. There are other super masculine fragrances, such as Kouros, but I don't own them. I hope you enjoyed this one.

Spread positive vibes and encouraging words. Until next time, keep smelling amazing and showing the world kindness!


Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

Follow me on Instagram! 

A Realistic Campfire: Alkemia Ydalir Review

Hello, ladies and gentleman! I hope everyone is having a fantastic day today. I told you in my Facebook group that I was introducing you to two new houses this week. This is one of them. This house is not new to the fragrance game, but something many of you haven't heard of before. I found Alkemia's fragrances to be interesting, so I reached out to them and asked if they were interested in me reviewing one of their fragrances. They agreed and sent me two of their fragrances. So, yes, I received these for free. My opinions are still my own and I was not paid to do this. I will not go over the opening/dry down of this fragrance because it's quite linear. Let's get into it!

Presentation

They sent me a rollerball version of Ydalir. They do carry sprays for some of their fragrances, but most of in a perfume oil rollerball. It features a steel rollerball with a screw-off cap. The label is God and features Alkemia and the fragrance name in black letters.

They did make a post that they are going to slowly start updating their bottles to have graphical designs on them. The two I received are the old labels, so I cannot comment on the new ones, but it seems like a nice improvement over these ones, not that these ones are bad presentation-wise.

Notes

Siberian Pine, Amber, Oakmoss, Juniper, and Balsam Fir


The Scent

Ydalir is an artisanal fragrance. The most prominent smell you will get is that of charred pine wood. It's the most realistically charred pine wood too, not like smoky resins giving that vibe. This smells just like pine wood in a campfire. It is somewhat dark and slightly damp. Like a fire that has been extinguished for a while and allowed some light rain to fall on it. You get the very earthy oakmoss that makes you feel like you are in a mossy forest at night after a light rainfall. Don't be mistaken, there are no ozonic notes in this. The wood and oakmoss smells are a bit damp. You get a good dose of realistic Christmas tree feeling fir as well. Not just the needles, you get the wood along with it. It's overall a very dark and smoky fragrance. Reminiscent of having a campfire in a pine forest at night.


Performance

Given that this is a perfume oil, it projects very well. I get around 3 hours of 6-foot projections and another hour of 3 feet before it settles into a skin scent. The total time lasting on skin is around 9 hours. It does leave a decent sillage trail and people around you will smell this.


When to Wear it

This is the tricky part...As this is an artisanal fragrance. I would say only wear it casually. It would go great with a flannel and jeans with boots. The smokiness in Ydalir makes it lean very masculine, but a woman could still wear this. This is certainly a cooler weather fragrance because of how smoky and woody it is.

Overall Impression

Ydalir is the most realistic forest fragrance I have ever smelled. Seriously, the charred wood note is just simply amazing and so authentic that I am not sure how they were able to capture that within the price point they charge(12-18 bucks for most 5ML rollerballs). I don't usually say stuff is amazing, but I am simply blown away with how this one smells. I will admit, that it's not the most wearable fragrance even, but I will still include this in my rotation for the fall and winter just because I love how it smells and it's very comforting to me.


Conclusion

I will let you in on a secret...My other Alkemia review is positive as well. This company seriously blew me away with how realistic the notes are. I feel like I could reach out and touch the notes in these fragrances. It's simply amazing. They have around 12k favorites on Etsy. I can see why so many love this house. Add my name to that list. I will certainly look forward to sampling some more stuff from them. You know I very rarely say something is a must-try, but I think you have to try this house out if you love artisanal fragrances. They invoke emotions in you, long-forgotten ones. They do offer sample packs, so you can try them out before you commit to buying a full bottle.


I hope everyone enjoyed this one as much as I did writing it. Have a great day. Feel free to hit that follow button and sign up for email notifications if you'd like. Until next time, stay positive and tell other people you care about them!

Alkemia Website (Ydalir seems to be discontinued now, which makes me sad.)

Falling Stars on Winter Solstice (if you liked my review of Ydalir, then this one sounds in the same genre)


Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

Follow me on Instagram! 

A Masculine Gem: Fragrenza Ferrara Gardens Review(Clive Christian L for Men)

Source: www.fragrenza.com

Hello, ladies and gentleman! I hope everyone is having an amazing day today! I have another new and upcoming house for you today. I have seen this house around for a while and they made me curious due to their unique bottles and their selection of different fragrances. I also enjoyed the Italian vibe they have mixed with Arabic influence. They are a clone house, but they also have some originals. This fragrance is a clone of Clive Christian L for Men. The owner did contact me and ask me if I would review some fragrances if he sent me some and I agreed. My opinions still remain my own and I was not paid or influenced to do this review in a positive manner. Let's get into it!


Presentation

Fragenza's fragrances only come in one size currently, 60ML. Their prices are on par with other clones companies and they are slightly cheap than Alexandria and the same price per ML as Genre Parfums, for the clones at least. Their originals are slightly more expensive.

The bottles come in a mirrored silver finish. It is reflective. As other reviewers have stated, it is a fingerprint magnet. So, keep a cloth around to keep your bottles looking clean. I do enjoy the different look though. It makes this house unique.

The cap is plastic and mirrored as well. They aren't anything too special, but they fit the bottle aesthetic. They aren't super dense or flimsy plastic. They do fit snuggly on the bottle, but I wouldn't suggest picking them up by the cap because they don't click into place on the bottle.

The atomizer is crimped on instead of screwed on. This gives it a much more streamlined and high-end profile. The atomizer distributes a good amount of juice in a wide spray pattern.

The label is black with silver writing. The older labels did have an Italian style graphic in the background, but I do think the black labels look much better with his new silver bottles.

The box is white with a gray pattern on it. It has a foiled gold text and design with the Fragrenza name and logo on it. It also has the fragrance name on the front of the box. A nice touch, as most clone houses don't have fragrance names on the boxes. I don't have a picture of it, but the lighting hasn't been great because of the rain we are getting, so I will have a picture of the box in my next review. My apologies for that. I will also take a picture of the actual bottles.

Overall, I enjoy the time and care that they have put into their presentation. It shows that their goals are to be more than a clone house, but an actual serious fragrance house. Which I am not saying other clone houses aren't serious, just that Fragrenza takes their image seriously.


Notes

Top 

Grapefruit

Heart

Oud, Rose, Petitgrain

Base

Vetiver, Atlas Cedar, Fir Balsam, Musk


The Scent

Opening

Ferrara Gardens opens up with a bright and tangy grapefruit note that is only slightly bitter. It's more on the fresh side, like it was sliced around 30 minutes ago. That grapefruit note is paired with a very green and slightly floral petitgrain. I can detect a bit of the green and soapy vetiver from the base a few minutes after spray it. It opens much like a classic citrus fragrance like an Acqua di Parma.


Dry Down

As the heart notes come out you start to detect a fresh rose with a slight bit of soapiness. You also get a slight hint of smoky oud in this. It's not overbearing or very Arabic in nature. The strong vetiver and fir start to peek out a bit here as well, but they are more prominent in the dry down. It leans more towards keeping the fragrance more masculine with a bit of smoke.

When it totally dries down, you get a lot more of the fir balsam, which is slightly sweet and woody. The soapy vetiver is very noticeable in this phase, along with a slight hint of clean musk. Some peppery cedar is also a main player in the dry down, but it doesn't overtake the greenness. It's used mostly as a buffer to the smoke from the oud to keep this masculine.


Performance

Ferrara Gardens is a good performer. I get around 10 hours of longevity and 2 1/2-3 hours of projection up to 6 feet before it sits around 2 feet from the skin for another hour, after which is becomes a skin scent. It leaves a very respectable sillage trail. People will smell this around you.


When to Wear it

I think Ferrara Gardens is signature scent worthy. As long as you go easy on the sprays, then you could totally wear this in the summer. It is more suited for the spring and fall, though. I will wear it all year long though, because I think it's super versatile. This can be worn casually with a flannel and jeans or dressed up in a suit. This is certainly an overtly masculine fragrance and I couldn't see a woman wearing this.

Overall Impression

This isn't my favorite fragrance that I received from them, but I do think it's the most versatile. I do really enjoy it. It's a modern masculine fragrance with some classic notes that are updated to keep it wearable today. You won't smell like a grandfather with this one, but it does lean slightly mature. This is a gentleman's fragrance. This is something I could see James Bond wearing.

I haven't smelled Clive Christian's L for Men, but I can say this is a well-composed fragrance and it is something that I do find myself reaching for, even in this 90+ Fahrenheit heat we have going on right now.

For a $60 price tag for 60ML, this is a steal. Especially considering the price of Clive Christian fragrances. It smells way more expensive than what it costs.

Overall, if you are a fan of Green Irish Tweed and Guerlain Vetiver, then I think you should try this one out. It doesn't smell like either of them. It's a fresher fragrance than both of those, but it's in the same genre of woody green fragrances with a classic touch.


Conclusion

Ferrara Gardens is just a single example of what this house puts out. I have tried 6 of their fragrances. I will tell you right now, I enjoyed all of them. Some more than others, but they are all solid offerings. This is a house that I think you folks should take a look at. The owner actually has a Ph.D. in chemistry and knows scent profiles very well. So, I am expecting big things to come out of this house, especially in his originals line.

I hope everyone has a great rest of your night. Keep smelling great and being positive! Feel free to sign up for email notifications and hit the follow button!


Buy Ferrara Gardens here ($59.99)

Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

Follow me on Instagram! 

Oil Perfumery House Review

Source: Oil Perfumery

Hey, ladies and gentleman! I am going to do another doubleheader today. This is one that I have been meaning to do for a while, but I have been so swamped with things, plus real-life issues. I apologize for being so late to put this out.  It did take me a bit to properly test them though. I did a solo review of Oil Perfumery Tamarindo, but this will be a short review of each of the fragrances that I received from them. They did send me these for free, but I was not paid and all opinions are my own. Let's get into it!

All of these fragrances come with plastic rollerballs. However, Oil Perfumery also sends you metal ones to change them out if you'd like.

Note: Sorry for the bad quality pictures...My new phone stinks.


Aventus

Oil Perfumery nailed this one to me. Like most of you, I have smelled Aventus and many of its clones. This is honestly the best clone I have come across of it. This is certainly a more fruity batch. They nailed the melange of fruits in the opening with not only the pineapple, but also the bergamot. Very few clones can copy that vibrant bergamot opening in AVentus, so hats off to them for pulling this off.

It dries down with a bit of the smoky birch and the melange of fruits that Aventus has. I get around 8 hours on my skin with this, which I am quite impressed with for the prices they sell these at ($12-$19). I don't hype stuff, but I am saying that you should check this one out. I think you will be impressed as I was if you loved Aventus.


Jardin d'Amalfi

A clone of the very pricey Creed Royal Exclusives line, this one wins on price point alone. The juicy mandarin orange coupled with soft florals and bright bergamot. It's a really pleasant fragrance that does transport you to a shaded garden in Italy. It's not the most masculine fragrance ever, but I still enjoy it. I haven't smelled the Creed version recently enough to do a direct comparison, but I can say it is certainly similar to what I remember.

Pure White Cologne

A little known fact is that this is one of my favorite Creeds. It's just way out of my price range for what it is. So, a clone of this one just makes sense. Not many companies have done this one. Only DUA and Alexandria(coming soon). I think this is another one that they nailed. It's a bit more synthetic than the Creed one, but given the price difference, that is a given. It captures that unsliced pear, along with the tangy and zesty grapefruit opening with the lemon and clean powdery notes from the rice powder. Rice powder is a pretty strange thing to use in perfumery, but they nailed this one too. The dry down incorporates some clean and slightly sweet musk to round out the composition.

Pure White is fresh, elegant, and clean. Many people claim Pure White leans feminine, but I respectfully disagree. It's very much a unisex fragrance.


Lime Basil & Mandarin

Lime Basil and Mandarin by Jo Malone is an excellent fragrance, like most of Jo Malone's offerings. However, they are cologne concentrations, so people are left longing for performance. This fragrance fixes that problem. Not many companies want to tackle Jo Malone, but Oil Perfumery has a few from her line. I get around 7 hours from this one.

This fragrance is just as the name implies. Freshly cut lime with some peppery and green basil alongside a juicy helping of mandarin orange. It legitimately smells like a Mediterranean kitchen. As some of you might know, I follow a Mediterranean diet, so this fragrance is very appealing to me.

Erolfa

I haven't smelled Creed Erolfa, so this is based on this fragrance alone. This fragrance opens up with a blast of freshly sliced lime and vibrant bergamot accented by some sweet and salty ambergris. After that, the watery melon note starts coming out and adding uniqueness to this blend.

When the heart notes come out you get an herbal vibe added to the summery freshness of this fragrance. Ginger and perhaps basil are in the heart of this fragrance.

A very nice fragrance. Great for a casual summer's day. An easy dumb reach for the summer.


Acqua di Gio Profumo

This is the only one that I think didn't capture the inspiration as well as the others, The bergamot in this one is a bit dull and watered down compared to the Armani. The incense doesn't smell as profound either. This isn't a bad fragrance, but it doesn't capture the magic of the Armani as well as I would have hoped. The performance isn't as good either. I get around 6 hours with this one, which is fine, but not nearly on the level of the orginal.

The next two I don't have pictures for. I apologize for that. All of the bottles look the same.


Sunshine Man

This Amouage impression opens up with orange brandy with soapy, powdery lavender. The vanilla adds a creaminess to the brandy note. The heart notes come on pretty quickly in this one. It smells like it has clary sage and what appear to be dried juniper berry leaves. I have no idea what dried juniper berry leaves smell like, but I imagine that they smell like what I am getting in here. It smells like a herbal field in the country on a summer day. It's quite pleasant and unique. It's not my favorite that I received from them, but it's something I will wear every now and then.


Beach Hut Man

Beach Hut Man opens up with some freshly picked cooling mint leaves. I get a lot of spicy ivy in this one too. The vetiver note is green, but not overly soapy. The oakmoss is modern and green, not the dry sort from old school fougeres. Overall, this fragrance is an aromatic green one. It's very nice and safe.

I am not sure why the original from Amouage is called Beach Hut because this doesn't make me think of a beach hut. It makes me think more of a cottage sitting on a rocky cliff by a beach with ivy growing on it. So, perhaps maybe they meant "Beach Cottage" and it simply didn't roll off of the tongue as well? I don't know. It's a nice fragrance regardless.


Conclusion

My overall verdict is that Oil Perfumery is a great house that deserves more love. They have tons of options that no one else has cloned. Thir selection is simply amazing. I enjoyed 8 out of 9 of them, which is a pretty good record. Aventus and Pure White are my favorites from them, so if you end up doing an order from them, I highly suggest checking those two out. At only $12-$19 for 10ML of oil, that is a steal. 10ML of pure perfume oil will last you a long time.


Thanks for stopping by once again! Keep spreading positive vibes! Feel free to hit that follow button or to sign up for email notifications. Also, feel free to add me on Facebook if you would like to talk about fragrances!

Oil Perfumery Website

My Facebook


Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

Follow me on Instagram! 

Modern Masculinity Redefined: Happyland Studio Barbershop Review

Sorry for the poor quality picture. My camera stinks!

Greetings, everyone! Welcome back. I hope everyone is having a fantastic day today. Today I have another Happyland fragrance for you. This one is the first creation from E.J. Wells that I ever smelled. It was in solid form though.  I am so happy he decided to make it into spray form. Don't get me wrong. I love the solid fragrances as well, but I prefer sprays. If you love barbershop style fragrances, then you won't want to miss this one. Ej.J did send this to me for free, but it does not impact my opinions on this fragrance in any way. Let's get into it!


Note: Some reviewers have acted like Happyland Studio is a clone house. I am sorry, but this is simply not true. You folks know I love clone houses. Happyland is not a clone house. All of his fragrances are original creations. Some of his fragrances have a note or two that is similar to popular fragrances, but that does not make them clones or that similar. Notes in some fragrances are widely used. That does not mean they are clones. I am sorry to say this, but I don't want E.J's creations to be taken for another clone house, which he is not. Happyland Studio is an indie house.

Notes

Bitter Orange, Ambroxan, Lavender, Leather, Oakmoss, Cardamom, and Musk


The Scent

Opening

Barbershop opens up with a blast of super soapy and powdery lavender mixed with a bit of bitter orange. Although not overly citric, the bitter orange lends its hand in providing the masculine freshness that this fragrance is based on. One spray from this fragrance will fill a room with its aura that reminds you of shaving cream.

When the heart notes start coming out you start to detect a bit of pungent, but slightly smooth leather. It' quite nice and fitting for the composition and keeps it overtly masculine. You also start to detect some dry and earthy oakmoss as well. No doubt as an ode to classical barbershop fragrances that came before this one. It's not overly strong though. That helps to keep it from smelling dated.


Dry Down 

Barbershop dries down to an herbal and soapy fragrance with a touch of leather. You also get a slight bit of spicy cardamom, which I didn't detect before. It's powdery and soapy, as I said before. The bitter orange notes stays a bit longer than one would expect to keep it on the fresher side.

Oakmoss is listed as a note, but I don't think it's the only one playing into the herbalness of this fragrance. I think ambroxan might have a little bit of that nuance to it, since ambroxan can be taken from clary sage. Ambroxan is such a hard note to detect and can take so many different forms in fragrances.

There is also a good helping of sweet and clean musk in this. Which helps it retain that overall clean vibe. This is another form that Ambroxan can take as well, so perhaps it is accentuated both accords(both the oakmoss and musk) in this composition. As I said, I am unsure. The form of ambroxan in Barbershop is not entirely detectable to my nose, but that happens to a lot of people.


Performance

Barbershop is a beast mode fougere. Be easy on the trigger with this one. I would say two sprays at the most. I am getting around 2 hours of projection up to 10 feet and another 2 hours with it behind around 5 feet or so. This fragrance is very long-lasting. I am getting around 11-12 hours of longevity. The sillage trail that you leave behind with two sprays is enormous.

Warning: This is a fragrance that you will have to shower to get rid of.

When to Wear it

This fragrance is super versatile to me. I would and do wear it all year. You can dress this up for down. In a suit to the boardroom or a flannel and jeans to run some errands. This one will work for you. You can wear this in any season, but I would suggest only using one spray in the summer, since it is quite strong. Keep in mind that these atomizers are very high quality and shoot out a ton of juice with each spray.


Overall Impression

If you only want one fragrance that is super masculine and you are tired of all of the Sauvage and Bleu de Chanels, then this fragrance is for you. It's a superstar of a fragrance that redefines masculinity back to the days of old, without actually smelling old. I will go ahead and say it now...In the next generation of fragheads after us, people will be listing this one as a classic fragrance from a house that many didn't know about. E.J. Wells is going to cement his name in fragrance history with this one. Just wait and see.


Conclusion

Now, I know I am talking this up and almost hyping it. Don't just go buy it. As with every fragrance I review...Buy a sample first. They are sold on the Happyland site, which I will link below. I do urge you to pick up a sample pack of Happyland's offerings. Also, you can contact Ej.J. on Facebook and request some different samples than what is show on his site. I will also leave his Facebook below. They are all amazing fragrances.

I hope every has a blessed day and spreading positive vibes! Until next time, keep smelling amazing! Don't be afraid to hit that follow button if you want to support my work! You can also sign up for email notifications to be notified through your email as to when I post new content.

E.J. Wells' Facebook

Buy Barbershop here

Happyland Studio Facebook Group (E.J. sometimes offers special sales that he only offers to group members)


Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here! I also post every article I write in here, so that might be an easier way for you to see every post I do!

Follow me on Instagram! 

Nuances of the Scent: How to Detect Notes in Fragrances

Source: www.pixabay.com

Good Sunday, everyone! I hope everyone is having a fantastic day so far. Today I am going to attempt to talk about how to notice and dissect fragrance notes. This one was requested by David Poling in my fragrance group, but I am just getting around to it. Sometimes I run polls and let the people in the group decide what they would like me to cover. One of the reasons it took me so long is because this is a very hard topic. It's hard to tell people how to smells stuff if their noses can't detect it.

I will be covering two things in this article. How to detect it yourself and how to describe it to others. This will be an article that is useful to everyone, including reviewers. So, without further ado, let's get into it!


Identifying the Notes Yourself

The Basics

The first thing I will cover is pretty basic, which most of us know, but I am just making sure that people understand what these things mean before moving forward.

A critical understanding of top, mid(heart), and base notes are paramount in the discernment of notes. However, these rules are not set in stone, some base notes are very strong and can come through almost right after the heart notes. It depends on the fragrance's composition. So, these are just general guidelines and not actual rules.

Top Notes- These notes and accord are normally very light. Citruses and green/herbal notes normally appear here, even though a lot of herbal notes can also be heart notes. Spices like Cinnamon and cardamom are sometimes here as well. These notes are normally what you will smell right away. They usually fade within 10-30 minutes, but some last longer.

Heart Notes- These ones usually consist of lighter woods like birch, cedar, and sandalwood. Some spices can appear here as well, such as cinnamon and cloves. Rose and powdery florals are usually here as well. These notes can sometimes be strong enough to be detected in the opening, but most of them appear once the top notes start fading or taming themselves.

Base Notes- These are the heaviest notes that last the longest. Heavy woods and sweet notes are normally here. Oud, vanilla, vetiver, amber, incense, resins, and musk are examples of these. These are what you will smell for the longest time on your skin, oftentimes mixed with the heart notes.


Training your Nose

So, now that we know about the developments of fragrances, let's look at ways we can train our nose. Again, this is a general guideline and not something set in stone.

The best advice I can tell you is to practice. Train your nose to dissect these notes and their facets by smells many different fragrances with that note in it. You won't be able to pick up a fragrance and dissect its notes if you are not familiar with the scent profile of these accords.

You can also buy essential oils to help with this if you would like...or raw fragrance oils. I still think the best way is to just smell more stuff. When I was new to fragrances I couldn't detect the difference between lime and bergamot, but now I can tell you the difference. It came after smelling a lot of stuff. When I started reviewing I had around 40 fragrances, now I have over 200. Training your nose isn't cheap.

Now, not everyone can pick up every note. It's okay to be mistaken. I have said patchouli was chocolate before when it wasn't. We all perceive scents in a different way. Just like anything in life, it takes practice.

Dissecting Notes

Now that we know about how to train our noses and the note pyramids we can move on to actually differentiating the notes. I usually try to hone in on one smell in a fragrance, then I imagine why it is there and what it smells like. Is it a very tart lemon or grapefruit? Is the orange mandarin or blood orange? These things help you realize what the perfumer was doing when he/she created the fragrance.

Understanding what is going on in the fragrance is pivotal in understanding what the fragrance is aiming for. So, just take your time and take in the notes one by one and picture what the smell looks like in your mind. I will cover this more in a bit.


How to Describe it to Others

This is something I see a lot of people not doing. Especially reviewers. They will say things like "I detect orange, some saltiness, and apple", but that doesn't help very much. In order to truly review a fragrance properly, you need to aim to put a vivid image in your listener's or reader's mind. Now, I am guilty of this as well, especially when I just started reviewing fragrances. Let me explain why it's so important.

If you are reviewing a fragrance or telling people that something is good, then you should have a reason as to why. Telling someone that a fragrance has orange in it isn't very helpful. What kind of orange is it? Fresh? Juicy? Orange peels? Orange juice? These facets are pivotal to the reader imagining the scent profile and determining that it might be something worth checking out.

Anyone can read Fragrantica and list the highest voted notes, but not everyone can tell you the scent profile of those notes. Distinguishing yourself from others is important.

This part was mostly aimed at reviewers. I have seen a ton of reviews like this recently and it's unsettling. It is not aimed directly at anyone, but it's something we should all strive to improve on, myself included. We need to do better for our supporters and to give companies a fair review.

Here are a few standards examples of a few ways notes can be different:

Vetiver: Bright, green, dark, woody, and earthy

Haitian vetiver is normally brighter than Indian varieties.

Patchouli: Chocolatey, woody, dirty, earthy, and green

You don't want someone to smell like a hippie because you told them the wrong sort of patchouli.

Vanilla: Creamy, spiced, cake-like, powdery, and warm

Amber and vanilla are confused a lot because amber has a warm spiced vanillic accord typically

Cedar: Woody, spicy, smoky, and freshly-cut

Tobacco: Cherried, sweet, honeyed, cavendish, dry, earthy, and green


I hope that gives you an idea about it. Now, I get these wrong at times too. It's okay to be wrong. Sometimes we just perceive things differently because of scent memory. The key is to try your best to inform whoever you are talking to about the fragrance with as much information as possible.


Conclusion

Dissecting fragrance notes is difficult. It's a trained skill and takes a lot of practice. We need to all learn from each other. That is the point of this article. To inform people. If you have any other methods or opinions on this, feel free to tell me. I would be more than willing to write about this again and give you credit for your idea. This is just what works for me. It may or may not work for you.

I hope everyone has a marvelous day. Don't forget to say something positive to someone today. Feel free to hit the follow button if you like my content. Every little bit helps!


In memory of Chris Georgio, aka Mr. Sillage.

You will live in our hearts forever. We miss your enthusiasm and charisma. Rest in Valhalla, brother. Go frag yourself.


Want to learn how to support my work? Click here

Want insider news as to what I am working on? What I am testing? Any giveaways I might hold? Want to decide what topics for me to cover on my blog? Then join the Musings of the Fragheads Facebook group here!

Follow me on Instagram!