Spray it then leave it for a year and it will perform excellently. This is a real bargain, providing a modern twist on the familiar barbershop masculine. The opening may seem a bit harsh, but it develops into a really lovely perfume, with natural smelling lavender, plus all the notes listed above, but also a semi-soupy tonka-ish base. The sugary soup doesn't dominate and is made less crass by the spices and herbs. I don't wear it often as I don't tend towards this type of scent but when I do I'm always surprised again by how good it is.
Absurdly potent ambery patchouli which weirdly gives off slight Mugler Angel vibes. I love it. But having applied it erroneously today with a hangover I am minded to warn all comers about its strength. Nuclear.
This was the perfect lilac I was looking for. The wisteria lends some purple feel to the composition. Not too sweet or chewy or dense. Clean and crisp like a spring morning. To be worn with tee shirts and crisp linen shirts.
You can probably tell by looking at my collection and reviews that Iโve put up so far that I have zero issue at all with clones/dupes/whatever, but I do find it a bit heartbreaking that Banana Republic has turned this collection into a bit of a clone line in recent years, because in the realm of affordable department store perfumery they were putting out some absolute blinders, two of them I consider stone cold cheapie masterpieces. This is one of them.ย
First time I smelled it I wasnโt really impressed, I thought it was just another bergamot fragrance, and at the time I had a LOT of those, but I saw it out one day for an absolute steal, something like twenty quid, so I just grabbed it because at that price why not, and the more I wore it the more I realised I loved it. In the opening the tea note gives it this almost minty fresh blast, then the bergamot and Mandarin orange slowly creep in, mixing with the green notes to produce something, will, citrusy and green, not to sound stupid. The woods are there to support it in the far drydown so itโs got a solid foundation but like, grassy citrus tea, thatโs mostly what I get, and itโs very classy yet casual. On a blistering hot day in smart shorts and a nice short-sleeve shirt this is properly the business.ย
Woody/violet. Decent longevity and projection. I wore this all the time before I started getting into fragrances. I wear it much less now, but it's still worth a try, not least because the 200ml bottles are often on offer so work out amazing value.
On the nauseating end of chemical milky scents.
I second meama's comment below, smells like a generic 90s mens scent. Unremarkable at best. If I smelled this on someone I'd think they were wearing Bleu de Chanel (if I'm being generous). No hyrax detectable on my skin, which is a shame as it could have made it more interesting.
Massive screechy scratchy fixative base dominates to my nose. Smells like 20 euro middle Eastern fake oud crap.
If Happy for men by Clinique is KPBS, Artisan by John Varvatos is NPR. If this projected at all or lasted, Iโd want it in my wardrobe. Awesome looking bottle too.
Blind bought this for my 16 year old son, and boy does it smell great. Honestly this would work for just about any age man 16-45. Itโs not generic and it has some notes that you wonโt catch on others. If you can get it for under 40 bucks Iโd jump on it. Cozy in the dry down, and interesting enough to deserve a place in any manโs wardrobe. Great bottle too. The opening notes to my nose were a little harsh upon first spray out of the box, but everything after that balanced out thankfully. Signature scent worthy for sure. The marzipan is not a note Iโve noticed yet, but it must not be too prominent, because I wouldnโt categorize this as a sweet fragrance.
My friend at work wears this, and on him it reminds me of cherry pipe tobacco which I love the scent of. Signature scent worthy, and interesting enough to stand out from the crowd. Havenโt smelled it on a woman, but it sure works for a man.
Well worth the price. Great longevity and projection, and the notes each stand out. A great slightly more masculine take on Santal 33. I love these bottles too. Interesting and modern without any sweetness. A great addition to any manโs collection 16-50 years old. 10/10
It took me far too long to realise the bottles for this line are supposed to look a bit like belts. To be fair to myself going with that because youโre building the entire rage around leather IS a bit of a stretch, butโฆ still.ย
โSpicy Leatherโ is a good name for it because it really is a lovely spicy yet airy bit of perfume. It doesnโt punch you in the face with the spice at any point, but obviously when you first spray it, itโs showing off a bit to try and justify the name, but itโs the drydown for me, the nutmeg and patchouli really shine. I also want to bring up because I never see it talked about, I love the lemon up top, I think that mixing with the black pepper are why this works in most seasons except MAYBE ultra hot Summer days, but Iโm a sucker for lemon perfumes. Wears very well in Smart Casual settings and dress, and I think itโs good to use on a date, again maybe not one that involves A SUIT or something, but in a smart shirt and nice pair of jeans? Yeah, itโs perfect, grown-up but also fun and not too stuffy.ย
I'm not sure why I took so long to purchase this fragrance. Chanel has got some amazing scents. The peppery citrus note mixed with a woody/amber undertone is the perfect combination for a signature scent. This is now my daily wear, and I will certainly be using it for every occasion and every season.
One of the nicest Zara men's perfumes to me, this is an addictive pear and cognac mix, drydown is so special, I have a backup bottle and honestly I'd repurchase this 10 more times how much I love it. Overall 8/10 because the longevity is poor but it could have been a 10 in my books.
The ultimate nostalgia fragrance for me. Iโm instantly 16 again - drinking thunderbird and smoking marlboro reds with mates during what was a summer that seemed to last forever
This scent is perfect. it performs, it projects, but it does it quietly and so smoothly. cannot express enough how perfect this is.
Such a weird perfume, and I oscillate between loving and hating it. It's an abstract white floral jumble with saffron and spices, but also this sort of tart, cheesey element which is kept at bay (only just, and sometimes not enough) by a creamy sweetness. It's one of the more difficult Amouages, and this is from a house known for difficult perfumes, and from its most erratic, bizarre era. I can totally understand why people hate it, and I actually sold my bottle, but I have bought it again (for an absolute steal, the benefit of it being so divisive maybe), as it never quite removed its tendrils from my brain. By the way, put a spritz of Opus I on top ๐๐๐
This is similar to Mind Games French Defense. Very pleasant unisex fragrance. It's a fruity fragrance but not overly fruity. It's the right amount. This does not project a lot, more close to skin. The fruity notes are present for as long as the fragrance lasts. This is well blended. This can be worn all yr round but fall and spring is best. Great value for money.
This smells nasty as a badger's arse on card, but on the skin the sweet, playful nature of the florals begins to dance and flirt, and the (admittedly strong) civet doesn't completely dominate. On skin it also quickly loses the petrolly, chemical edge that remains when I spray it on a strip. It doesn't smell like Malle's Superstitious, but it shares something, perhaps the loud, unabashed jasmine fanfare with skanky retro opulence. I'd say Opus IX is easier to wear than Superstitious, maybe because it lacks the explosion of cheesey aldehydes. I'm a sucker for beeswax and here, it really creeps in after an hour or so, absolutely marvelous. This is a unique and beautiful creation which could never have been very popular, and is a far cry from Amouage's current output (I'm not a salmon-hater BTW). It does that thing of being very modern while also seeming like a love letter to 80s bangers of yore.
1 for 1 blazing Mr Sam with the performance to match.
Great barbershop fougรจre fragrance that would be a workhorse daily or a standout occasion scent.
Great cherry/leather scent but the longevity could be better.
I love the Supremacy line, but with this one the opening of oregano, smoke and patchouli are too intense for me. I think the patchouli and green smokiness together are not my favorite, i would call this a crazy person scent lol, 3 sprays is enough. Overall 5/10, there are much better options out there!
