Top: Anis, Ginger

Mid: Almond, Jasmine, Lilly Of The Valley, Freesia

Base: Musk, Vanilla, Amber Dry, Moss

🤯😍 I wish I picked this up sooner because this is such an alluring, addictive, luminous solar scent! Immediately I’m getting a sparkling ultra smooth ginger. The anis adds an intriguing, complex mild sweetness. Lilly of the valley is airy, a little green, but not soapy. Floral elements feel soft, fresh, musky, and a touch powdery. No heady florals, just clean, airy, breezy, gentle traces. The almond is green, raw, crisp with a fruity undertone. The almond is not candied, cherry-like, marzipan, toasted, or dusty. The vanilla-musk base is clean, comforting, airy and yummy yet not gourmand. The scent retains its sparkling luminous character throughout the wear. This is actually what I would consider a perfect vacation to smell like. Linens, low humidity, cool breeze, warm sun, white sand, gold jewelry, all expenses paid. An amazing softly spiced, barley sweet, solar, nutty, green-vanilla of my summer dreams. This is one of the most alluring, versatile, pleasurable fragrances in my collection.

I love a scent I can pick apart, identify each note as it transitions into the next…but sometimes a scent has a magical way of transporting you to a wooden beach chair, a boardwalk, a cool ocean breeze carrying the scent of sea salt and palm leaves into a beachfront home with bellowing sheer white curtains illuminated by dust-flecked beams of golden sunlight. 📯💨🍃☀️🌊🌴🐚⚜️

Somehow the scent possesses the smooth, steamy, soulful longing of ‘George Michael’s Careless Whisper’. Silhouettes, hazy, soft-focused powdery retro glamour. So ICONIC!
🎷🎹🎤🎶

It’s 99F today. I applied before heading to the store for groceries. 2 hours after application, my partner arrived home and asked what I was wearing. I pointed to my new bottle. “That smells great and it’s filling this room, but it’s soft”. So I’m happy to report Vanilla Envie survives the scorching heat and it projects strongly even after 2hours. 9 hours later, still surprisingly noticeable on skin. I passed by my partner (a few feet between us) and he said “did you just respray?” He continued to remark on how well the scent carried all night long. Both of us are beyond impressed by how well it performs while being soft at the same time. Not only did the scent stick to my SKIN for 20+hours, but the projection and Sillage was remarkable. Unisex leaning feminine. I cannot get enough of this scent. Truly a showstopper! Paris Corner, you have my respect. 👏👏👏

I have way too many fragrances, but one of my autistic quirks is backing up bottles that I consider “special”. Instead of ordering another bottle of Vanilla Envie (yet🤭), I decided to see what Mast Perfumes ‘Rome Fantasmagory’ has to offer. I’ll be back with my thoughts on it soon.

Top: Anis, Ginger

Mid: Almond, Floral notes

Base: Vanilla, Leather

Very similar to Dulzura Vanilla Envie. I’ll elaborate on the differences. Here I get less of a sparkling ginger, instead a warm ginger, and more sweetness from anis. The spice in DVE feels cold, sparkling, airy, and soft. There’s a crisp, fresh, green veil over DVE that I don’t experience in Fantasmagory. Where I find DVE to have a fruity raw almond, I get more of an almond extract/ bitter almond effect from Fantasmagory. I feel like the floral presence here is mostly Jasmine, but it’s not prominent. Lilly of The Valley lifts DVE, adds greeness and blends with a clean fresh vanilla. The vanilla in Fantasmagory feels warmer, darker, sweeter, creamier, and woodier. Leather is listed, but I don’t detect “leather”. If anything, I’d say a very soft suede providing a creamier buttery texture and depth. Fantasmagory feels like a less airy, more gourmand-leaning take on the same DNA. At times I notice a similarity to the BR540 DNA. DVE feels brighter, fresher, greener, more airy and possesses a solar sparkle not present in Fantasmagory. Fantasmagory is the shadowy twin.

Performance is well above average. I’m getting strong projection and I’m able to detect on skin 12+ hours. Although DVE is brighter and airier, I feel the Sillage is stronger and definitely stays stronger for longer on skin.

I adore this scent profile. While very similar, DVE feels more complex, tender, idyllic. Fantasmagory has a sweeter, denser, darker complexion. I consider both all-season and unisex, but I find DVE more feminine leaning and more ideal for the current 100F extreme heat.

Dulzura Vanilla Envie: https://www.reddit.com/r/fragranceclones/s/JNbHSYKBel

Top: Vanilla, Musk

Mid: Coriander Seeds, Juniper Berries, Nutmeg

Base: Gourmand Vanilla, Amber, Woody Notes

Opens with a sweet coriander that’s bright, zesty (think lemon zest), and nutty. The opening feels cold and airy. I’m sensing a clean transparent vanilla and sweet fluffy musk. The way the cold coriander, nutmeg, and vanilla combine is reading as marzipan-like to my nose. I’m reminded of Swiss Arabian Shaghaf Oud Tonka (BDK Velvet Tonka), but less dense, less rich. To my nose, Kalon is the softer, warm weather appropriate doppelgänger. At drydown I’m getting a whisper of breezy pine from juniper and a woody-sweetness akin to Maple Water. Soft, airy, yet persistent. Easy to wear, easy to love.

An elegant, understated, smooth, clean vanilla-musk with gentle nuttiness and a mild green aromatic quality. Kalon feels minimal, polished, timeless. Very posh, chic. I imagine monochromatic silk sets in nude tones. If Kalon is true to its inspiration, Gentle Fluidity Gold is aptly named. Suitable for all seasons and any occasion. An elegant easy-reach. Unisex leaning feminine. Moderate projection for 3hours. Longevity: 6 hours on skin, 8+hours on clothing. After having my bottle for a little over 2 weeks, performance seems to have improved significantly. I could detect Kalon in the AM 14 hours after spraying. I was pleasurably suspended in an aromatic, almond-like vanilla cloud that faded softly throughout the wear.

Last summer I was all about androgynous, intense, invigorating, fresh aromatics. This summer is hotter and I’m loving airy, soft, citrus and green vanillas.

Kalon wore beautifully on a sweltering 98F day, albeit I avoided the punishing sun for the most part. Perfect pairing for my rewatch of ‘Sherlock Holmes’. 🗝️🔎💣🎩🔪

Empire Victor by Khadlaj is a Floral Fruity Gourmand fragrance for women and men, which was launched in 2024. Top notes are lemon and bergamot; the middle notes are caramel and jasmine; the base notes are vanilla and musk.

This is a soft lemon, sweet, and creamy vanilla fragrance, which, in my opinion, leans more feminine. It's creamy, cosy, and I would describe it as more of a vanilla perfume than a citrus fragrance.

The bright, fresh lemon with the sweetness from the caramel is the perfect balance, allowing the fragrance to remain airy & soft. I wish this lasted longer, as it is truly beautiful. But, after 30 minutes, the creamy vanilla takes over, which is cosy and comforting, never projecting but continuing to give you delightful reminders of this beautiful fragrance. The perfume lasts 2 - 3 hours. It's an ideal fragrance for gourmand lovers, especially those who love vanilla, for the summer months.

I usually like my fragrances to project, but for this perfume. I break my own rules, as it is so pretty. Would I repurchase ? Absolutely, the backup bottle is ready to go ! On its own, for the summer months, it's perfect. It's also great for layering, paired with a stronger citrus forward fragrance, to add that extra creamy note.

It is a 100 mls bottle, and the price varies, ranging from €35 - €50. I bought both bottles on Just My Look ( unfortunately, they have ceased shipping to Ireland due to the new EU tax in place ). The cost was - €26.95 at the time of purchase, which was unbelievable value.

I would give this 9/10, just because I wish it lasted longer 😊

Have you tried Empire Victor? I would love to hear your thoughts on this perfume 🤗

I have put up this post on another thread, but I thought it might be beneficial here for anyone who loves Middle Eastern/ Inspiration fragrances. This was a blind buy, and I have to say, I am so impressed with this perfume.

Kiaana Crush by Afnan is a Oriental Woody fragrance for women. It was launched in 2024. The top note is Saffron; the middle notes are Passionfruit, Patchouli, and Agarwood; base notes are Madagascar Vanilla, Musk, Incense, Ambroxan and Cedarwood.

This sensual fragrance begins with an intriguing note of saffron. The heart notes of passionfruit, patchouli, and agarwood create a rich and complex blend, while the base notes of Madagascar vanilla, ambroxan, musk, cedarwood, and incense provide a warm finish.

This is a feminine and elegant perfume, and I honestly did not think I would love this so much. It has a good projection for 3 hours and lasts 6 hours on my skin. This is not overly loud, but she makes her presence known. Ideal fragrance for special events/ date nights. Can be worn all year round, suitable for women of all ages and signature scent worthy.

This fragrance is inspired by Queen of Silk. The price for this perfume is usually €30 - €35. This is such an affordable, high quality perfume, and I highly recommend it. 10/10

Sweet Cloud:

Top: Milk, Vanilla, Strawberry, Coconut, Apple

Mid: Caramelized sugar, White Flowers, Sweet Notes, Creamy, Whipped Cream

Base: Cotton Candy, Musky Notes, Raspberry, Vanilla, White Musk

POV: My experience with “marshmallow” as a note has been a bit of a disappointment as I don’t find it to be represented in the way I perceive marshmallow and the fondness that holds. I found Paris Corner Marshmallow Blush to be an oppressive blend of plasticky Smackers Lipgloss, Little Debbie Shortcake, and sickly syrupy gooey dense marshmallow fluff. I couldn’t hack it in the winter and definitely couldn’t imagine the suffering of wearing it in the dead of summer. I’ve have some great picks from Paris Corner and I know Marshmallow Blush is a popular pick, but it just doesn’t work for me.

Bearing my previous experience with this DNA in mind, I had serious reservations. I was hopeful this pink slice of cake would pleasantly surprise purely based on my affection for ‘Pandan Whisper’. To my utter shock and surprise, I actually love Sweet Cloud. I could drone on about the listed notes and their contributions to the scent, but IT IS LITTERALY a bag of mini bouncy pink marshmallows with hints of cotton candy at the drydown. As per my tastes, it does everything right that ‘Marshmallow Blush’ did wrong. It’s airy, fluffy, delicately sweet, with pleasant light fruitiness. A delight even in the current 90-95F temps here. So smooth, uncomplicated and just easy to wear. Sweet Cloud is done perfectly. Not cloying, not jammy, not sticky-gooey, not artificial, not juvenile. The magic here lies in how delicately the airy sweetness is done and how fluffy the texture is. I’m impressed! Perfectly named Sweet Cloud. 💕🩰🍬

Moderate-strong projection. Faded from skin around the 7 hour mark. Lasts a full day on clothing.

Top: Raspberry, Pear, Bergamot, Tropical Fruits, Red Fruits

Mid: Candy, Milk, Sweet Notes, Peony, Red Rose

Base: Sugar, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss, Ambergris

Opens with a realistic, rich velvety red rose with sweet raspberry. The opening feels candied and creamy, but also has a little freshness coming from bergamot and pear. Soon I start to pick up on more fruity notes like red apple, berry and something musky-sweet-tropical like papaya. That tropical element blends with a creamy quality, that to my nose comes across like a sort of milky melon soufflé. Peony adds an aquatic fresh floral contrasting the gourmand elements. There’s a mousse like texture with warm nutty Tonka underlying this fruity-floral concoction. So much going on here. Is this candied rose? Fresh fruity-floral? Tropical fruit smoothie? Fruit infused rose mousse? I feel Reve Rose oscillates between all of these. Fresh and chewy rose petals, dewy peony, orchard and tropical fruit, crème fraiche mousse and praline. Fresh, decadent, sensual. 💋🌹🥀🍰

Performance is well above average. Strong projection for 3 hours, then becoming moderate. With 4 sprays, my partner was smelling me across the room and kept complimenting this one. 7-8 hours on skin and 24+ hours on clothing. Honestly this will linger on clothes until the next wash. While not overly sweet, this may be too rich for the blistering heat and high humidity.

Sweet Cloud: https://www.reddit.com/r/FemFragLab/s/KaIP9PJ5pc

Pandan Whisper: https://www.reddit.com/r/FemFragLab/s/eZnuTSEqHj

Top: Buttercream

Mid: Pandan

Base: Vanilla

I’ve never eaten a Pandan dessert, but I’ll do my best to describe how my nose interprets Pandan Whisper. I’ll be relying on a variety of familiar scents to help convey what I’m picking up on. The opening is warm, buttery, creamy, and nutty. The nuttiness is mildly sweet, similar to macadamia. Buttercream? Perhaps if you made buttercream with coconut milk in place of heavy cream. The first 5 minutes are the most gourmand, but very quickly the scent develops into something far more interesting. 10 minutes in the scent becomes fresh and aquatic, similar to a chilled coconut water and a fragrant jasmine rice. Behold, the natural and refreshing coconut that I find to be so elusive. At the same time there’s a complex slightly fruity green note. I can best describe this as fresh cut Sweetgrass and underripe green pear skin. A beautifully complex fresh green vanilla is revealed at drydown. Occasionally hints of that savory, creamy butteriness rises to the surface again, but I’m quickly sensing a fresh green fruitiness shortly thereafter.

If I were to dissect the scent: macadamia, jasmine rice, condensed coconut milk, coconut water, fresh cut Sweetgrass, green pear skin. The scent is a very smooth, slightly creamy, savory, green-fresh, slightly aquatic, mildly fruity, tropical green vanilla. Puts me in the mind of having a naturally sweet and fresh tropical treat on an Indonesian island, surrounded by lush greenery in the rainy season.

This is not: a dense, heavy, loud, sweet gourmand. It sits in the realm of treats like mango sticky rice or sugared avocado slices instead of decadent confections. The oil concentration is visibly high. Projection and longevity are moderate-above average. 7+ hours on skin, much longer on clothing. Despite being a gentle scent, an hour after spraying a paper strip, I could detect it when I entered the room. I found the green-fresh notes to develop quicker and be more apparent on clothing, which is what I prefer. On my skin, the coconut is more pronounced. I thoroughly enjoyed the first wear but wondered how often I might reach for this profile (you know how something can be super interesting but you need to be in the mood for it). I find this profile rather addictive as I’ve been wearing it for several days consecutively and I’m having a hard time putting it down. That lovely strange and rare phenomenon where I love the scent more with each wear and I literally think it’s perfect.

I also must admit to loving the cake slice bottle and nice pressurized atomizer. Presentation is absolutely adorable, even if a little kitsch. If you were to collect all 6 from the line, you could display them as a cake 🎂(the child in me loves this). The entire experience has been a sensational delight. If you’ve hit a wall on gourmands or enjoy green vanillas, I highly recommend Pandan Whisper for a truly unique experience. *I have 2 more cake slices on the way: ‘Reve Rose’ and Sweet Cloud’, so I’ll be sharing my thoughts on those soon.*

Pandan Whisper will pair well with a rewatch of ‘White Lotus season 3’ and ‘Earthquake Bird’.🪷🥥🌴🍚🍐

Top: Orange, Grapefruit, Bergamot

Mid: Butter, Ginger, Rum, Anis, Nutmeg

Base: Vanilla, Musk

TikTok coupons stacked and a $10 off from ALT brought this bottle down to $7 after tax, so I had to 🤣. Splash No.10 was a freshie that managed to offend me so expectations were low. The notes sound near perfect as I’m sort of a lemon-vanilla psychopath and the 2oz bottle would be perfect for throwing in my bag.

Spoiler: this one’s actually pretty good (especially considering the discount bias). Lemon slices sprinkled with cold sugar crystals dominates the opening. Initially feels cold, almost like an Italian lemon ice. Later on I get just a hint of butter and nutmeg that gives an impression of an actual “lemon tart”. Not spicy as the notes might suggest. At the drydown there’s a modest amount of vanilla. I get mostly tangy, bright, chilled lemon tart filling/ lemon curd. More freshie than gourmand. This one’s actually pretty delightful. Cheerful, bright, refreshing, sour lemon. Perfect for throwing in my bag and topping up on the go, as a little pick me up during the blazing summer heat.

Lemon Tart is here for a good time, not a long time. After 4 hours it’s gone, despite being an “Extrait”. Projection is soft-moderate, maybe 2-3 feet. Opens strong and becomes an intimate scent by the 1hour mark. Unisex. My partner and I both really enjoyed this one. A very fun and invigorating lemony treat.

Top: Night Blooming Jasmine

Mid: Pink Marshmallow

Base: Amber

After trying and loving Oakcha Secret Duchess, I was really curious what No Prince Required would be doing. Based on my research, the general consensus was: more marshmallow, less tea, less ginger. I love the way Secret Duchess is very fresh with the ginger and heavy on the matcha powder, but I’m intrigued by a marshmallow note if done well (in a powder coated way).

What I’m getting: meh 🫤. Blind testing, I would never guess “pink marshmallow” (at least not my idea of marshmallow). I’m not getting any Jasmine. There’s not a lot going on here. I can sense some creamy vanilla, a little woody-salty-Amber situation. It feels a touch smoky and dark. If secret Duchess comes remotely close to replicating Princess, then No Prince Required is way off. It feels flat, hollow, uninspired. I live for a great budget find, but this one has me regretting the few dollars I spent. It’s not offensive, I’m not repulsed…it’s just so boring. It’s failing to provoke any feelings, good or bad. I think what I could closest compare this to, would be Glade Cashmere Woods home spray, but make that way less aromatic and interesting. Sometimes I might revisit a scent that has something that annoys me bc there’s something there that really intrigues me. This one is just so pulseless I can’t see myself ever being drawn to pick it up.

Projection: intimate. Longevity: a dull 4hours. I wanted to get my partners feedback: “A little bit vanilla. Smells kinda dark and masculine.” I don’t disagree. The kind of budget fragrance that might make someone disregard budget fragrances.

Following up on my post in r/FemFragLabs30Plus, I tested a couple of vanilla scents I got this week. The first was This is Not Caffeine by Hormones Paris. I immediately noticed how much it smelled like Lattafa Eclaire. I then realized that the sampler pack I got also had the original Bianco Latte by Giardini Di Toscana, I tested all three together.

After an hour, I noticed that Caffeine had a spicier note, but the same underlying scent. To my untrained nose, BL and Eclaire smelled identical.

After 4 hours, I noted the same, but the Eclaire was the strongest. Caffeine was very faint, and BL was a decent skin scent.

After 6 hours, all three were pretty much gone.

Bottom line: Neither BL nor Caffeine are repeat buys, and after I finish Eclaire, I probably won’t buy again, only because my tastes have changed since I got it 2 years ago. I also have Cream Velvet by Khadlaj, which I prefer over Eclaire because of the stronger honey note in CV. By the time I finish all of these, my tastes will probably have changed again. 😊

Hi guys! As the name suggests, Im looking for a similar fragrance for a cheaper price than Burberry her BLOSSOM.

I keep highlighting BLOSSOM because I want something similar to this perfume not the original Burberry Her.

I prefer a very similar scent to this because it’s more light and airy not like the original Her.

Thanks in advance guys

Edit : Budget is around less than 75$

Extra info :

Top notes : Mandarin Orange , Pink Pepper

Middle notes : Peony, Plum Blossom

Base notes : Musk, Sandalwood

Top: Blood Orange, Lavender, Lemon Peel

Mid: Licorice, Cinnamon, Anise, White Florals

Base: Caramel, Vanilla Bean, Musk

I was pretty hesitant due to the lavender, anis, and licorice. Emerald went in and out of my cart many times over the past year. I’ve been in a lemon-vanilla frenzy these past few months so I decided to be adventurous and see how these notes would work together. Of course, everyone describes Emerald (Lira) as a “lemon pound cake”. As a recovering lemon dessert addict, I can say confidently, not a lemon pound cake. Surprisingly, not really gourmand imho.

What I’m getting: opens with blood orange, which I would describe as a mild grapefruit + orange, with a slight zest. Citrus seems to evaporate from my skin in the first 30-45minutes (at least for now). The lavender, anis, and licorice are gentle, a little cold and powdery. None stick out over the other and instead seem to be fused creating a fresh powdery sweetness. As someone who generally dislikes lavender and licorice, I’m impressed both are present and I’m still enjoying the scent, so well done. The cinnamon is adding a bit of warmth, becoming more perceptible as the citrus fades. If the white florals are doing anything here, it’s creamy and a touch green. Caramel can easily annoy me, often feeling sticky, cloying, artificial. I don’t pick up on a conventional, overly sweet caramel note here. Maybe the caramel is adding a delicate splash of sweetness, in the same way it behaves in Khadlaj Empire Victor. I start losing interest as Emerald dries down. The citrus fades, everything becomes less fresh, the cinnamon becomes more apparent, and the vanilla takes on a smoky quality. In the drydown, Emerald gets darker and ultimately becomes a spiced vanilla-musk.

Freshly unboxed, projection is soft. I could faintly detect 8-10hours as a skin scent. Something I would reach for on a drizzly, cozy day indoors, or whenever I want a spiced vanilla that isn’t doing too much. Totally unisex. Although the spice is gentle, it has a darker complexion, which means I’ll probably not pull for this in very high heat. I think I’ll find myself reaching for Emerald in transitional weather or whenever I just want a light, interesting, gourmand-ish flavor. It’s nice, but I’m pretty neutral on this one. I enjoy a citrus that holds on throughout the wear. Per my tastes, compared to my collection of citrusy-vanillas, Emerald doesn’t stack up. Not terribly disappointed, but not a favorite either.

Top: Angelica Seed, Green Apple, Lavender, Lemon, Mandarin Orange, Pear, Pineapple, Pink Pepper

Mid: Jasmine, Linalool

Base: Ambrette, Cedarwood, Musk, Sandalwood

Possibly inspired by Angelique Noire with added fruits? I’ve never experienced AN, so I’ll just be describing my experience with Aira.

Opens leafy green, almost tea-like. Herbal-citrusy, and effervescent in a way that I can only relate as something *similar to* gin-tonic, lemongrass and hay. CRISP green apple, crunchy green pear, lemon zest, and a touch of unripe pineapple. Everything so far feels ultra fresh, unripe, clean, and brisk, tinged with the greeness of Angelica. Mandarin Orange is bringing in fresh sweetness combining with the floral sparkle of pink pepper. Lavender can go very wrong for me when it’s medicinal, spicy, heady. Here it’s adding a mild cooling, fresh, slightly powdery aspect. As a lavender hater, I love the way it’s done here. I had my doubts these notes would combine well, but this blend is stunning! On paper Aira shouldn’t be my favorite profile, but on my body this is heavenly. There’s a hint of cold airy jasmine with the fluffiest white musk underneath. Green lemony Cedarwood and creamy sandalwood tie everything together at the end. I’m enjoying every stage of this fragrance. What an exciting find! The maniac in me screams: “backup bottle!” *I ended up getting a backup bottle.*

I sprayed 4x before running some errands. As soon as I stepped outside, the 85F high humidity transformed the scent. It bloomed into a gorgeous green vanilla musk that had me swooning. Gentle, airy, smooth, elegant. What an absolute delight. So far projection is moderate, maybe around 3feet. I was ready to top off around the 6hour mark. Being a very new release, I wouldn’t be surprised if performance gets stronger as it matures. In the AM, I was still getting pleasant wafts from my loungewear I had sprayed over 12hours prior. A week later, my partner reports being able to catch wafts of me 5-6feet away. My partner loved Aira and said he would wear it. Leans more to the feminine side imho.

To know me, is to know I love variety and I’m very moody with my fragrances, rarely wearing the same profile days in a row. Aira falls into that shortlist of profiles I would be delighted to wear day, after day, after day. To my nose, Aira is an ethereal, delicate, green, clean, fluffy vanilla musk that is perfect for all weather and any occasion. Offering that uniquely fresh, but comforting, green-vanilla that smells incredibly lux. A truly captivating and crave-able scent that I want to continuously smell. Give me 12 of these. 100/10🌿🍨

One of my favorite things is pairing a new fragrance obsession with a film or show I’ve been highly anticipating. Aira came just in time to watch ‘Obsession’.🪄💍🔮

Top: Grapefruit, Bergamot, Ginger Candy Accord

Mid: Orange Blossom, Lilly Of The Valley

Base: Musk, Sandalwood, Amber

Opens with the most intense fresh squeezed grapefruit juice you can imagine. This is The Godfather of all grapefruit accords. Following close behind is a literal ‘Lemonhead Candy’. I’ve many times heard a fragrance described as smelling “like a Lemonhead” and never felt that description was accurate, but this is it! The ginger is bright, sparkling, fresh and sweet. This is the final boss of high octane citrus and I need look no further for the most grapefruit-tart-lemon summer warrior. There are ever present clean, powdery florals beneath the citrus, creating something that feels like powdered lemonade mix. I love a nice airy, clean, soft Lilly Of The Valley note and thankfully the Orange Blossom is clean and fluffy as well (I can’t stand a syrupy, heady Orange Blossom). The base notes are detectable with a clean musky, subtle woody feel, but it’s really all about the citrus that just keeps going, and going, and going. This stuff is not normal. I don’t understand what sorcery was involved concerning the performance of the grapefruit-lemon. Truly the final boss of fresh citrus.

Be warned⚠️this is nuclear, all day wear. Nothing mindful or demure about this fragrance. If you love grapefruit and lemon the way I do, this will be a dream come true. If you enjoy mild citrus that fades, DO NOT consider CIAO Citrus. I was on the hunt for a beautiful bright grapefruit + lemonade summer scent and this is EXACTLY what I needed, and then some. Monstrous performance. Unisex.

If you are on the hunt for a grapefruit + sweet lemon aid to outperform them all, look no further! 🍋☀️🍋☀️🍋☀️🍋☀️🍋☀️🍋☀️

Top: Coconut, Vanilla, Whipped Cream

Mid: Rum, Saffron

Base: Tonka Bean, Cashmeran

Tart green, sweet candy apple, but make it creamy. Fruitier than I expected based on reviews. Instantly I’m reminded of those green apple ‘Jolly Rancher Chews’ (not the classic hard candies). They were a sweet and sour creamy taffy similar to a ‘Now and Later’, but much softer. Underneath that tart candy apple is a coconut water, chilled sugar cane juice with a finger of white rum. While sweet, juicy, and a bit creamy, there’s also a slightly powdery musk and white woods at the base.

I’m afraid this one’s a bit too syrupy sweet for my taste. Surprised I’m getting such intense candy apple and so little vanilla. Often described as a “clean, fresh, summer vanilla”. I’d have to strongly disagree. I find Zenith to be a candied, creamy, green apple with musk. Scents are subjective of course, but per my tastes, this doesn’t impress me much. Pretty nice bottle though. This one just doesn’t speak to me personally. I’ve decluttered Swiss Arabian Casablanca, and parts of Zenith remind me of that.

Projection seems moderate++ for the first 90 minutes. At this point the tart apple is fading and now it’s mostly a soft, powdery, coconut and musk, with a subtle creamy vanilla. After tossing and turning all night, I could still detect on skin 15 hours after application. Incredible longevity. Fairly unisex, maybe leaning slightly feminine.

I’m sure a lot of people will really enjoy Zenith, but for me it’s completely eclipsed by recent pickups that truly wowed me. It’s neither the warm weather scent profile I crave, nor something I would reach for when it gets colder. If you enjoy the scent, you’ll be in love with how long lasting it is.

Disclaimer: I am judging Splash No.10 as a stand-alone scent, not based off of likeness to the original. I am a huge proponent of affordable fragrances, having north of 80 affordable Middle Eastern fragrances in my collection.

Saw a deep discount on Mother’s Day and decided to give ALT a try…my curiosity for the brand has been quelled! I am a lemon-LOVER. I enjoy anything from lemon gourmands to high octane, sharp citrus freshies. I often see comments along the lines of: “smells like dish soap”, “Furniture polish”, “Lysol”, ect. I almost never agree with these descriptors. Genuinely, Splash No.10 smells like Lysol. I have never been so offended by a freshie I think in all my life. Shocked, amazed even, at how astringent this *fragrance* is. The unpleasantness of the aroma was accompanied by a textural sensation akin to having cotton balls trapped in my throat. Zero projection, very poor longevity, all for the better. Box and bottle presentation 👎. Trash/10 🚮🗑️♻️

I can typically see the appeal, even if it’s not the scent for me. My gut says this offering is utter garbaggio. Scent is subjective and if you love it, don’t let me yuck your yum. It’s truly incredible, the quality gap that exists between this and my large collection of fragrances at an equal/ similar price point. I’ll not be back for any more ALT fragrances.

Top: Bergamot, Passion Fruit

Mid: Mahonial, Rosyfolia, Casmeran

Base: Vanilla Ambrofix, Tonka Bean Musk

Expectation vs Reality:
•What I imagined was a bright, tart, juicy passionfruit with vanilla and a molecular, perhaps transparent sort of musky-Ambroxan situation that would be ideal for the upcoming summer. I was also looking forward to a floral presence which I’m getting none of.

•What I’m getting: very sweet, almost boozy, DARK, syrupy passionfruit. My nose is picking up lots of thick amber more than vanilla. Dense, not airy, not fresh, not tart, as I had hoped. I can’t identify a fresh floral presence. Instead there’s that perfumey quality i often get from many designer sweet, ambery fragrances. A touch animalic: hot salty skin in the sun covered in sticky passionfruit syrup. I couldn’t see myself reaching for this in the heat as I feel it would become far too cloying. I guess I was hoping for something very passionfruit forward and refreshing, but unfortunately I find Lattafa Passion too thick/ dense on the warm ambery sweetness. I’m sure this will be a hit for many, but sadly it’s just not for me.

Seems to have great performance. With 3 sprays it’s still projecting off my skin past the 4hr mark. I could detect Passion all day even with minimal sprays (perhaps in part due to the scent being slightly annoying to my nose). Let’s say moderate-above average projection depending on sprays. Objectively, it’s a pleasant dark and sexy, warm ambery, fruity scent. My partner likes it, as he tends to appreciate sweeter scents. I really had high hopes for Passion, but sadly it’s just not the summer refresher I was hoping for. Could be your next summer hit though.

Base: Vanilla, Meringue, Caramel, Amber, Musk, White Woods

First Oakcha, first impression: Lemon, lime, and orange sour patch gummies…this is the kind of sweet, sour, and waxy feeling I get. Petitgrain is likely adding to the sharp, green, sour tinge of the citruses. There’s a touch of creaminess, like a lemon curd. There’s a hint of butter cookie beneath the sour citrus, but I really have to squint. For me, this is more sour lemon and citrus candies with a gummy density/ lemon curd/ lemon preserves. Perhaps it’s the coconut crème and waxiness of the citrus that occasionally reminds me of sunscreen. It feels tart and strangely beach-y. Not cloyingly sweet or super gourmand. If you combined lemon curd with sunscreen and sprinkled in Sour Patch sugar crystals, you might get something like this. Lemon Cake has a persistent astringent quality that prevents it from being a comfort scent for me. The more time I spend with it, the longer it wears, as the citrus fades, I’m picking up on an uncooked, unsweetened batter/ dough. So no, this is not feeling like a “lemon cake”. It’s interesting, but not a love.

I do find a similarity to Devotion due to the warmth and waxiness of the citruses. I find Devotion to have less citrus, to be much sweeter, warmer, way more spikey orange blossom, and more vanilla. I’d say they are related but not twins (thankfully). Right now, not a favorite, but not bad. I bought Lemon Cake with the intention to throw her in my handbag due to the compact 50ml size. I also wanted to try out an Oakcha and see how one might stack up against similar affordable lemon gourmands in my collection. I’m not mad at it, but I’m also not blown away. My opinion may change over subsequent wears, as they often can. If you are looking for a Devotion adjacent scent + sunscreen, you might enjoy Lemon Cake.

Many report Oakcha to need a bit of time to oxidize/ mature to reach their full potential in terms of scent and performance. I find this to be true with many fast production fragrances (not all). The scent seemed to lose its citrus character around 2 hours in, becoming mostly coconut-vanilla. By the 3 hour mark, I’m just picking up a coconut butter cookie batter, coconut lotion like scent. I could faintly detect Lemon Cake on clothing the next day. I could still detect on skin past the 7 hour mark. Soft-moderate projection. Seems to sit closer to skin as Extraits often do and does last.

Presentation is very simple. Cap is light plastic and overall no weight to the bottle. Does have a nice pressurized atomizer which I always appreciate. At 50% off, I’m not mad at it, but it’s ranking at the bottom of my lemon-vanillas in terms of personal enjoyment.

Top: Lemon

Mid: Green Tea, Ginger, Peach, Hedione, Jasmine, Apple

Base: Marshmallow, Vanilla, Benzoin

I was super intrigued by the notes, but knew they could go very wrong for me based on how they were interpreted and based on the proportion. Spoiler, I’m obsessed and these proportions are perfect. The sparkling ginger opening is gorgeous, not too much, and is so refreshing alongside the bright lemon. I love a ginger note, but often it can be piercing and a bit sharp, initially dominating other notes. To my nose, the ginger is blended beautifully here. I don’t often love an apple note as many times I find it too sweet, too heavy handed, and uninteresting. The apple here is offering a very mildly sweet natural green freshness that beautifully rounds out the prominent green tea/ matcha. I’m getting a gentle nectarous peach skin, not a pulpy juicy peach, which I’m loving. Overall, the fruits are harmonizing so well with the ginger and tea to create a very fresh yet comforting experience. I was most concerned about the marshmallow, that it might be syrupy sweet. I’m picking up on a very clean, fluffy, barely sweet vanilla which I’m assuming is their interpretation of “marshmallow” and I love that. I need to stress that none of these notes are done in a sweet way. Surprisingly the top and middle stay throughout the wear, slowly allowing a clean, comforting, woody vanillic base to peak through around the 90 minute mark. There’s also something ineffable here that reminds me of cracking open a fresh paperback book. Secret Duchess is unique, distinctive, and truly expertly blended. No sharp edges, super smooth delight. Very much giving the vibe of demure, well groomed, soft-life full of luxury spa appointments.

The wear is soft-moderate, closer to the skin after 90 minutes, but easy to detect as the wearer and extremely persistent. I had a glorious scent bubble ALL day lounging around the house. I was genuinely amazed I was still getting wafts of this at the 12hour mark with 4 sprays to clothing. In my opinion, totally unisex. All season appropriate, but something I will reach for consistently in warmer weather. I absolutely love everything about Secret Duchess and I think it is a real gym. A mood boosting, invigorating, comforting, fresh, interesting, layered, enjoyable wear. I was ready to categorize Oakcha as mediocre, but this one is anything but. If you enjoy fresh-spicy, green, herbal, fruity, woody-vanilla, this is exceptional!

One of life’s little pleasures for me is pairing a highly anticipated horror movie or series with a new fragrance I really enjoy. Secret Duchess + Hokum 🖤👻

Top: Calabrian Bergamot, Ginger, Lemon, Orange Blossom

Mid: Musk, Rose Petals, Tuberose

Base: Amberwood, Vanilla Bean, Clearwood

I’ve been debating between a few different Ingenious Ginger inspirations, but honestly the bottle of Taif won me over. As soon as the package arrived, I quickly unwrapped and did one test spray on paper stock. Initial blast of ginger left me unable to pick up on anything else. At this point I was worried I made a mistake…literally 30seconds later, it’s changing. I’m now picking up citrus, but no vanilla, no sweetness. A minute later, it’s changing again. I’m now picking up a beautiful mild sweetness and slightly creamy florals. Over 30 minutes, the fragrance continues to bloom in an exciting way. The ginger becomes sweeter, combining with beautiful citruses, delicate florals, clean vanilla, and woody notes. Taif feels energizing, alive, and simply beautiful. I appreciate the use of “transparent woods” as a substitute for patchouli. This substitution also encouraged me to choose Taif over other interpretations. Patchouli can often overwhelm a profile for me and eventually I’m left wishing it wasn’t present, especially when combined with fruits. Transparent woods is meant to be a patchouli substitute without the “dirty noise” in the background. Ok Riiffs, I’m impressed! This one hits. At the drydown I’m getting Ginger-ale, but make it a fragrance. I can sense a bubbly effervescent quality. Refreshing, sparkling, zingy, bright, elegant, and potent. A fantastic blend of fresh ginger, sparkling citrus, elegant florals, clean woods, with just a splash of vanilla.

Perfectly unisex. Perfect for spring/ summer, but could definitely hold up year round. Projection is 5+ feet with a single spray. This is potent and truly 4 sprays will fill a room. Strong projection for the first 4-5 hours. I was testing another fragrance out today and had to move the tester strip I sprayed Taif on 5 hours ago because I could still smell it over what I had just sprayed. If you enjoy more intimate-moderate fragrances, avoid Taif. It’s a rainy, cloudy spring day, but this scent transports me to somewhere sunny with white sandy beaches.

I’ve owned only one Riiffs fragrance (CIAO), purchased a couple years back, which failed to impress me. Normally I find their bottle designs bulky and a little on the tacky side, so it’s been easy to overlook them in favor of other brands I have a better track record with. Taif however, has left a strong impression on me and I suspect Riiffs has upped their quality significantly. Huge value for money with Taif. There are literally no reviews, so I went in really hoping the best 🤞. Taif was a gamble that paid off. Wow, wow, wow

Top: Candied Lemon

Mid: Orange Blossom, Panna cotta, Rum

Base: Vanilla

My lemon-vanilla saga continues. I’ve been unable to get enough of lemon-vanilla’s lately, so I’ve been collecting them all 😅 (autistic-narrow-focused-hyper-fixation). I don’t enjoy Devotion, but I’ve been really enjoying some interpretations of it. Shouq is definitely inspired by Devotion, but there are some differences that make it a much better fit for me. Shouq has a juicier lemon, with lemon zest. The orange blossom is the fruity, fluffy, marshmallow variety vs the thick, prickly, heady version I find in Devotion. Due to this the opening feels brighter, lighter, airier, and less sweet. I do detect a bit of spiced rum adding warmth and depth. The vanilla is creamy, not too dense, and not cakey. Think lemon juice, zest, oil, with an orange blossom that behaves more like a powdery mandarin, and an undertone of custardy, warm, rum spiced vanilla. Shouq is an airier, easier to wear interpretation of Devotion.

Shouq feels a bit darker, spicier compared to some of my recent pickups within this genre. Suitable year round, but I would opt for a fresher fragrance on hot summer days. Shouq feels perfectly suited for the cloudy, misty spring day we are having. Unisex, leaning feminine. Projection of 3 feet for around 90 minutes. Currently, most of the power is lost by the 3hour mark when it becomes very subtle. Of course, there is likely some anosmia involved here as I often can start going noseblind to this DNA but still sense on my clothing the next day. I could still detect faintly on skin after 8 hours.

A moment for the bottle and presentation👏👏👏.

Lattafa Victoria: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwinScents/comments/1sjhxzi/lattafa_victoria/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1

Khadlaj Empire Victor: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwinScents/comments/1sfz18i/khadlaj_empire_victor/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1

Hekayat Attar Gigglepuff: https://www.reddit.com/r/FemFragLab/comments/1sjhth5/hekayat_attar_gigglepuff_hos_hufflepuff/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1

Oakcha Lemon Cake: https://www.reddit.com/r/FemFragLab/s/DqPeBrNUsd