Armaf Tres Nuit Review

Hello ladies and gentleman! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving with your loved ones! Today I will be covering Armaf Green Irish Tweed. Their inspiration of my favorite fragrance of all time, Creed Green Irish Tweed. Let's get into it!


Presentation

The bottle is navy blue and triangular with the fragrance name on the front. It has a faux brown leather strap that goes around the outside with a silver buckle that has the fragrance name on it. The cap has "Armaf" stamped on the top with a circular design. It's not a flimsy cap, but certainly not high quality. The atomizer has the same design at the top of the cap, which is the standard Armaf atomizer. The atomizer performs well.


Notes

Top- Lemon, Lemon Verbena, Iris

Mid- Lavender, Iris, Spicy Notes

Base- Ambergris, Sandalwood


Scent

Armaf is very close to GIT(Green Irish Tweed) to me. It just not as rounded and polished. Of course, it is more synthetic as well. You aren't going to get a fragrance with real iris and ambergris in it for $20. However, it is very close. I will go into more detail about that in a bit.

This fragrance opens up with potency. The lemon and lemon verbena hit you right away with the fresh greenness. Some people find this very offputting, but I like it. Then the florals of iris, lavender, violet come out. Giving it a somewhat ozonic feel and making it slightly powdery. The sandalwood is very much just a supporting actor in this one in order to round it out and make it more masculine.

What this fragrance smells like to me is the countryside in Ireland or Scotland in the spring when everything is in bloom, right after a light sprinkling of rain. I love it. Anyone who knows me knows that I am Gaelic Celtic blood, which in short, means I am Scottish blood. I was born in the US though. Even though Manx and Irish are Gaelic Celts as well. So, this smells like home to me. It gives me peace of mind and reminds me of a place that I have never been. It's fresh, green, and gentlemanly.

Back to the comparison to GIT. Tres Nuit opens up much more harshly than GIT and the smell is not exactly the same. However, for $20 bucks this is a great everyday fragrance for the warmer months. I only use my GIT when I want to impress, this fragrance allows me to do that.

I get around 7-8 hours of longevity with a good sillage and an arm's length projection with it. Pretty good and pleasant for its price point.

Overall, I think it's worth a blind buy, but I might be biased due to my love for GIT. I will say this much though, this is NOT GIT. It does not smell better than GIT to my nose. It is a great alternative though. Also, if you love GIT look into Aspen(A pine forest version, which is dirt cheap) and Cool Water (an aquatic version that is a staple for many men).

That's it for today and I hope you enjoyed this review. Be sure to +1 any of my content that you enjoy, so I know which types of reviews people enjoy the most! Also, hitting that blue follow button really helps too! Thanks for all of the support!

This image is what comes to my mind when smelling this. Greenness right after a rainfall. I hope it helps you imagine it better!

Image sourced from pixabay.com.

Surprising Sleepers 4: Playboy London

Image sourced from Fragrantica.com

Hello ladies and gentleman! I hope today finds you in good health and joyful. Today I am covering a fragrance that I think is pretty decent for its price point, Playboy London. Yes, Playboy. I don't agree with the magazine either, but this is just a fragrance. So, let's get into it!



Presentation

Playboy London comes in a basic glass bottle with a navy blue sticker going around the bottle. One side features the Playboy bunny with the Union Jack (the UK flag) on it. The opposite side has a sketch in gold of Big Ben and the London Bridge and featuring the fragrance name and company in gold on it.

The cap is a cheap plastic and has an engraved Playboy bunny on the top. The atomizer is pretty bad, but it gets the job done.

Overall, I like the presentation. The sketches on the back are pretty cool.



Notes

Top- Pink Grapefruit, Mandarin, Galbanum

Mid- Rose, Cinnamon, Brandy, Toscanol(a molecule that is a substitute for herbals) 

Base- Tonka Bean, Virginian Cedar

Scent
London opens up with orange and something creamy, so I am guessing that is the tonka bean. Being closely followed by some brandy and cinnamon. I get a little greenness underneath it with some soft cedar.

The fragrance only lasts about 5 hours on me. It projects for about an hour. The scent bubble is maybe about 3 feet off the skin for the first 2 hours, after that, it is a skin scent.

Overall it smells pretty good. Considering this was only $5 for 50ML. You can get this over a can of Axe or Old Spice and it smells much better. This doesn't smell expensive, but it doesn't smell like something you would pay 5 bucks for. Smells maybe like something in the 40-50 dollar range. Which is much better than a can of Axe. So, if you forgot your decants while you are visiting the family during the holidays, this is a decent one in a pinch. I have actually received 2 compliments wearing this one.

This is a cooler weather fragrance. It is somewhat light for a winter fragrance, but it's good in the fall. It would be too sweet and sticky in the heat. The warmness from the cinnamon is great for fall anyway.


Thank you for the support and helping to keep me motivated doing this. Be sure to +1 my content if you like it and hit that blue follow button. it means a lot!

I probably won't post again until after Thanksgiving. I hope all of you have a blessed holiday with your loved ones.

My Top 5 Fragrances for Thanksgiving

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Hello everyone! I hope this day finds you well and in good health! Today I am going to be covering my top 5 fragrances for Thanksgiving. I am doing this early so that you have time to go pick them up if you want to. Thanksgiving is a time of warm spices, pumpkin pie, wet leaves, and cozy sweaters. I love this time of year and Thanksgiving just says "fall is here" unlike any other holiday. It's my second favorite holiday next to Christmas! Let's get into it!

Number 5: Creed Viking

Image Sourced from Fragrantica.com

Warm, spicy, and woody, while being a bit fresh and cooling with lemon and peppermint. The warmness from the spices makes this one an excellent fragrance for the holidays. Pretty expensive, but good nonetheless.

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


Number 4: Bvlgari Man in Black

Spicy, woody, and boozy. This warm and classy fragrance showcases pure mature masculinity. It's warm and inviting nature, with a bit of dark mystery is a sure crowd pleaser for Thanksgiving. This one projects so much that you will warm the whole house up before the turkey starts cooking.

Man in Black Full Review
https://musingsofafraghead.blogspot.com/2018/10/bvlgari-man-in-black-review.html

Man in Black vs Bentley for Men Intense
https://musingsofafraghead.blogspot.com/2018/11/bvlgari-man-in-black-vs-bentley-for-men.html


Number 3: Lacoste Pour Homme

Image Sourced from Fragrantica.com

Sweet, boozy, vanilla and cinnamon. This scent is a bit lighter and a different take than the spicy ones I mentioned before. Plum is the front-runner here and makes it an excellent Thanksgiving fragrance, paired with some sweet vanilla accented by creamy sandalwood and cinnamon. It also has a noticeable rum note in there. One of my favorite designer fragrances.


Number 2: Burberry London

What Thanksgiving would be complete without this gem? This is the quintessential holiday fragrance. It invokes so many memories. It really is an excellent fragrance. I won't say too much on this one because I have spoken of it before.

Top 5 Cheapie List for Fall
https://musingsofafraghead.blogspot.com/2018/10/my-top-5-cheapie-list-for-fall.html

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


Number 1: Penhaligon's LP No 9

Image Sourced from Fragrantica.com

Spicy, a little sweet, and a clove bomb. This one smells like the holidays to me and it will be the one I swear for Thanksgiving this year. London was my go-to until I found this beauty.  Clove, amber, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Do you need anything else to consider it a perfect holiday fragrance?

Full Review
https://musingsofafraghead.blogspot.com/2018/10/penhaligons-lp-no-9-review.html

Thanks, everyone for the support. Remember to +1 this and hit the blue follow button to support my work. I hope everyone has a safe and blessed Thanksgiving with their loved one. Please drink responsibly! Let me know what you will be rocking for Thanksgiving in the comments!

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Creed Viking Review

Image sourced from fragrantica.com.

Hello ladies and gentlemen. I hope today is finding you in very good health and happiness! Today I will be reviewing the newest men's release from the house of Creed, Viking. Shoutout to Nathan Geck for sending me a sample of it! Let's get into it.

Notes

Top- Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian Lemon, Pink Pepper

Mid- Pepper, Bulgarian Rose, Peppermint

Base- Indian Sandalwood, Haitian Vetiver, Indian Patchouli, Lavandin

Scent
Creed describes their newest fragrance with this caption taken from Creedboutique.com:
"Viking, a fiery men’s fragrance that bottles the fearless spirit of boundless exploration for the modern man who goes against the grain. Inspired by the incredibly crafted longships, a centerpiece of the Viking Age and one of the greatest design feats of the ninth century. A symbol of a voyage and undeniable perseverance, longships were carefully designed for the skilled seaman who embodied unbridled determination to conquer. Viking marks the brand’s first major men’s scent since the introduction of the cult best-selling Aventus in 2010."

This fragrance opens with a sharp burst of lemon, peppercorn, and peppermint. I don't mind it, but it could be off-putting to some. After a few minutes, it starts settling into a warmer spicy fragrance, while still being fresh with the lemon and peppermint. The sandalwood then comes out to give it a spicy woody feel with the lavender and rose to keep it clean, but not overly powdery.

Many people have likened this fragrance to Old Spice. While it does share some similarities with Old Spice, it is a completely different fragrance. It's a spicy aromatic fragrance, just like Old Spice. Viking is fresher and more modern. It's gentlemanly and classy, as you would come to expect from a house like Creed.

People also say this one is "mature". I couldn't see a teenager wearing this, but any working professional could pull this off. I am 32 and I do love Old Spice and I love this one as well.

Performance is great on me. I get about 3 hours of projection and 8-9 of total longevity with a great sillage trail.

Personally, I really love this. I wasn't a huge fan at first, but it grew on me after a few wearings. However, I will not buy a full bottle of this one. It's just not worth $500 for 100ML. I think it is fully worth $250(at a discounter) though. So, with that being said I will stick to a decant of it once my sample runs out.

This one does get some disdain in the fragrance community and I think it is unjustified. Aventus was a huge success and this one doesn't follow in the same footsteps. However, this is a showing of what the Creed house really is, more classic fragrances. I am glad that Creed has shown they are still willing to make fragrances like this. Not just mass pleasing ones like Aventus.

I hope you enjoyed the review! Have a great day and remember to +1 this post and hit the blue follow button! Thank you for all of the support!


Buy a full bottle here:
https://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/creed/creed-viking/eau-de-parfum?mv_pc=fragrantica&utm_campaign=306335&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=fragrantica#306335

Buy a decant from my friend Mark at Myfrangrancesamples:
https://www.myfragrancesamples.com/product/viking/

Pino Silvestre Review

Hello ladies and gentleman! I hope everyone is having a fantastic day! Today, I am reviewing something that was requested by a few people, Pino Silvestre. This is a classic fragrance that was first released in 1955. This fragrance has been around for quite a while and has a number of followers and haters. Let's get into it.


Presentation

Pino Silvestre is a pine based fragrance. The bottle is shaped like a pine cone (see image below). It's green resembling pine needles. The atomizer sprays a lot of juice, but it leaks as well, which isn't  a huge problem considering its price point.

A pine cone. Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Notes

Top- Juniper, Lavender, Bergamot, Lemon, Basil

Mid- Carnation, Clary Sage, Cumin, Geranium, Pine Needles

Base- Tonka, Amber, Musk, Oakmoss, Cedar


The Scent

Pino Silvestre opens up with a lemony pine smell. Very light and refreshing. Synthetic lemon, but natural smelling pine. It's more of a pine sap accord than the smell of pine needles. I really like the opening.

When it starts to dry down the oakmoss and herbal qualities come out. Normally, this is where a fragrance made in 1955 would show its age, but Pino manages to stay avoid that with the citrus top and pine sap.

When it is fully dried down the lemon fades out and the pine does tend to get this pine tar accord at times. I am not sure if it's the herbals mixing with the pine or what is causing that, but I notice it is much less prominent in the cooler weather. It gets a bit more of a dry aspect in the full dry down.

It pretty much smells like the name suggests, a pine forest. I actually like this one. I am not a fan of the pine tar note at times, but overall I like the fragrance. I love the outdoors and this one takes me there.

I still think this fragrance is better suited for 35+. Keep in mind, that I am 32 and wear this sometimes. So, wear what you think expresses your personality best.

This is a cooler weather fragrance, but can be worn on warmer days, just not warm ones. I would say anything over 60 Fahrenheit would be too much for this one. It's pretty casual and not for formal events at all.

The longevity is pretty good. I get around 7-8 hours with a solid 2 hours of projection. It also carries a pretty decent sillage trail.

Thank you, everyone, and have a great day! Be sure to hit that blue follow button or +1 this on Google. It would be very much appreciated. I leave you with a picture of a forest to give you more of an idea of what this fragrance manages to encapsulate.

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Buy Pino here:
https://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/pino-silvestre/pino-silvestre/edt#288878

My Top 10 Favorite Fragrance Notes

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Hey everyone! I hope you are having a fantastic morning. The sun is about to rise over here and I have a nice cup of hot Earl Grey and it's raining once again. There is no better time to write a blog post! Today I will be covering my favorite fragrance notes and why I love them. Enjoy!

Be sure to hit that blue follow button if you want to support my work! Let's get into it!

Honorable Mention: Vanilla

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Vanilla is an amazing sweet fragrance note that can add luxury or playfulness. It's a very diverse note that is used religiously in fall and winter fragrances. It can be creamy, sweet, or dry. Its role as a supporting note in fragrances is well loved by many. I just had to include it on this list.


Number 10: Ginger

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Ginger...One of the healthiest things on the planet. It has tremendous healing properties. It just so happens that it tastes good (I love it in tea as well!) and it smells amazing. Dry and spicy, ginger has the ability to warm up a fragrance. That spiciness you get from Dolce & Gabbana The One is mostly attributed to ginger. While cinnamon and cardamon are also amazing spicy notes, I am giving the nod to ginger.


Number 9: Sandalwood

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Sandalwood is actually a very precious and expensive fragrance note. Most companies are going to use synthetic versions of it, but it still smells really good. It can smell like dry wood, a lumberyard, pencil shavings, or it can lend itself to vanilla and smell quite creamy. A very diverse and amazing note that is used in both warmer weather and colder weather fragrances. If you want to try out  a good sandalwood fragrance check out Guerlain Santal Royal, Davidoff's Amber Blend, or Parfum De Marly Carlisle.

Number 8: Incense

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Incense is a very polarizing note for some. It tends to be quite strong and a main player in most fragrances it is in. Smoky and somewhat spicy, it is reminiscent of Catholic churches and ancient rituals which burned incense as an honor to something. It has been used for thousands of years.


Number 7: Whiskey

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

My favorite boozy note. Malty, elegant, and gentlemanly. Whiskey has been a favorite fragrance note for many men. It exudes class and refinement and pairs very well with other heavy notes. A good example of a whiskey fragrance is Mugler's Pure Malt.


Number 6: Apple

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Apple is a note loved by most people. From the smell of mom's apple pie to a cool and crisp apple orchard. It's sweet, fruity, and relaxing. It can be used as a fruity accord in summer fragrances or in the cooler monther lending itself to cinnamon and vanilla to create an apple pie accord. I haven't found many who do not like this note, both male and female alike.


Number 5: Chocolate

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Chocolate, we all know it. From Hershey's bars as a kid to dark German chocolate to creamy Swiss. It tastes good and also smells amazing. Ranging from dark to creamy...It's just a great note that is in most gourmands. One of my favorite chocolate fragrances is Valentino Uomo.


Number 4: Amber

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Amber is a synthetic note. It cannot be produced naturally. It has a warm vanilla type accord. From smooth and warm to dark and earthy, amber has found its way into the hearts of many fragheads. One of my favorite ambers is the one in CK One Shock, hiding under the sweetness and spice. Also, Davidoff Amber blend is amazing.

Number 3: Violet

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Fresh, clean, powdery, or ozonic. This flower does it all. Lending itself to soapy compositions. It just smells clean and refined. It can also smell like rain in some fragrances. It's just an amazing note that I thoroughly enjoy. Burberry Touch is my favorite violet fragrance (Even though it is technically violet leaf).


Number 2: Coffee

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Anyone who knows me knows I love coffee. The smell waking up to another day. It mostly lends itself to gourmand fragrances that are dark and sensual. but it can also be in more casual fragrances. I haven't found that one amazing coffee fragrance yet, but Rochas Man is serving me well right now.


Number 1: Tobacco

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Again, for those who know me, this will come as no surprise. Dark and wet or sweet and cherry-ish. I love the smell of tobacco. I look forward to fall and winter every year to wear my tobacco fragrances. It can be used in more formal fragrances or young and playful ones. It's an amazing note that can take center stage or play a lending hand to other notes.  It's very gentlemanly and luxurious in most compositions. A winner for sure, at least for me.

Thanks for the support and I hope you all have a wonderful day. Let me know what your top 3 favorite fragrance notes are in the comments!

My Most Worn Summer Fragrances 2018(Designer)

Image sourced from www.pixabay.com

Hello ladies and gentleman! I am not sure why I am posting this. It's a chilly rainy day here and I just felt like doing this topic, so here it goes! My most worn summer fragrances.

Honorable Mention: Kenneth Cole Mankind

This is a nice fragrance for its price and I wore it a decent bit. However, it is rather generic and safe. It would make a great summertime work fragrance. It smells very good, it's just nothing special.

Honorable Mention: Hugo Boss Iced

An iced black tea with a sprig of mint and an orange peel in it. That is what you get with this one. It's very light, green, and fresh. It's a sporty type fragrance, but it's nice. It's uplifting and really freshens you up on a hot day and makes you feel cooler.

Honorable Mention: Nautica Life

Another green and sporty fragrance. The bottle is really cool. A fresh and green marine fragrance that is not overly impressive, but great for the gym or casual outings. Longevity is only 4-5 hours. The projection is weak. It's a good person fragrance though to make you feel fresh.

Number 5: Moschino Uomo

This was my casually clean fragrance for milder summer days. Anice citrusy and musky fragrance that smells more expensive than the price indicates. An easy dumb reach with okay performance and projection. Nothing spectacular, but it gets the job done.


Number 4: Armaf Derby Club House Blanche

This is a clone of Creed Silver Mountain Water and it's a pretty good one. Obviously more synthetic than the Creed version. I mean it costs around 20-25 bucks, so you can't expect the ingredients to be high quality. It's still a classy summer fragrance. Smells expensive and is great for more formal summer events, but it can be worn casually as well. Has a metallic smell to it, but that just adds to its charm.

Number 3: Nautica Voyage N-83

The lesser-known flanker of the ever popular Nautica Voyage. Musky, fresh, salty, and slightly soapy. Performance is mediocre, but I like the smell. It's a good workhorse fragrance, meaning it can fit most situations. Not nearly as good as the original Voyage, but still worth its measly $15 price tag and it's different. Almost everyone has Voyage, so this one isn't as well known.

Number 2: Hollister Wave

Beachy, salty, woody, and citrusy. This is a very underrated fragrance. It's quite nice. I won't say too much on this one because I have a full review on it which I will link at the end of this article.

Number 1(Tie): Dior Sauvage

Yes, the ever popular Sauvage. Aggressive, peppery, and fresh. This fragrance is popular for a reason. It just works. It lasts forever as well. Super versatile and the most hated fragrance from fragrance purists, but regardless of that I still like it. I wear it when I am in the mood to get compliments.

Number 1(Tie): Azzaro Chrome Legend 

This one is a monster of a fragrance. Synthetic, metallic, and fresh. It lasts on me for about 10 hours and projects for almost 3-4 hours. This is a compliment getter. Think of this one as the more casual version of Silver Mountain Water. They smell nothing alike, but they are in the same category. I will never be without this one in my collection. It's very uplifting and energizing to me.

I hope you enjoyed it! Be sure to hit that blue follow button if you want to support my work! Until next time, have a great day!

Hollister Wave Reviewhttps://musingsofafraghead.blogspot.com/2018/10/surprising-sleepers-1-hollister-wave.html

Kenneth Cole Mankindhttps://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/kenneth-cole/kenneth-cole-mankind/edt#259477

Hugo Icedhttps://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/hugo-boss/hugo-iced/edt#296117

Nautica Lifehttps://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/nautica/nautica-life/edt#255800

Moschino Uomohttps://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/moschino/uomo-moschino/edt#120541

Nautica Voyage N-83https://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/nautica/nautica-voyage-n-83/edt#247769

Hollister Wave https://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/hollister/hollister-wave/edt#285003

Dior Sauvage (Yes, Sauvage is cheaper to purchase at retail than at discounters)
https://www.sephora.com/product/sauvage-P400057

Azzaro Chrome Legendhttps://www.fragrancenet.com/cologne/azzaro/chrome-legend/edt#154655