Not everyone can afford paying premium for a Roja fragrance; that's just the reality of it. And so, the only option is to turn to the cheaper alternatives, where middle eastern brands usually thrive. Afnan is one such brand, and 9pm is one of, if not their best-seller. It is well-known for the fact that it imitates Jean Paul Gaultier's Ultra Mâle quite closely, only being less sweet and more synthetic. Ultra Mâle is undoubtedly higher quality, but it is also nearly 5x the price of 9pm. So, does the cheaper price tag and the fact that you might not be able to afford dropping $100 or more on a fragrance justify the purchase of a low-quality clone?
Let's first go through the scent itself. It opens strongly synthetic, making me sneeze every time without fail. It is followed by a chemically-citrusy bergamot and a fruity apple note which is hardly one of the most realistic I've smelled. It's overly sweet and lacks that fresh juiciness. Some warm cinnamon spice is sprinkled on top, which is fairly noticeable and not shying away. Some lavender in the back seems to add a soft and smoother touch, but it is all accompanied by a clear synthetic undertone which follows throughout most of the wearing, giving that clear 'cheap' feel.
I was fairly surprised that I managed to detect some of the heart notes, consisting of a white floral combo between orange blossom and lily of the valley. There's definitely some of that typical white floral sweetness pushing through, hinting at jasmine with a mild citrusy undertone. But there's hardly much more to be felt, as the continued fruity-sweet-synthetic structure overpowers the rest.
There are some base notes which manage to come through once the fragrance dries down properly, most notably a sweet and slightly creamy vanilla. I could also pinpoint some ambery warmth, but I didn't really get much patchouli. All in all, the fragrance ends up on a basic vanilla sweetness with hints of fruitiness and the reminder that this is not using the highest-grade materials - a synthetic edge. Nevertheless, I think it could've been much worse in terms of blending, and while it's not the most linear scent either, it's also not telling a complex story.
Performance is another thing here that social media influencers hype a lot regarding 9pm. And honestly, it is pretty good indeed. On my skin, the fragrance managed to surpass the 15 hour mark easily, with projection and sillage also holding strong, pushing to 3 feet for the first 45 minutes or so, then coming down to 2 feet for 1.5-2 hours more, and then softening to a bit less than a foot up until hour 5. At least the performance to be good if the scent isn't, right? That pretty much sums it up with most of these cheap, middle eastern brands.
Versatility is quite good too. Being a sweeter scent, you wouldn't want to wear this in warm weather, especially since performance is also quite strong, so you'd mostly choke out passers by. This is mostly designed or at least marketed as a "club fragrance", and while it does sort of match the vibe, it can also do just fine as a daily. Wouldn't think it's appropriate for more formal events, as it does have that evident youthful, playful vibe. Frankly, no one above 20 should really consider this or anything smelling close to this, in my opinion.
But back to my point. While the fragrance itself is definitely on the lower tier in terms of overall quality, for someone who cannot afford spending in the hundreds for a fragrance and just wants to smell good, then the value proposition here is unbeatable. In the air and for those around you, it does smell less synthetic anyways, and no one is going to foul you for wearing a cheaper fume. But, if you do care about the quality, if you do care about perfumery beyond than just "I don't care what it is, I just want to smell good", and if you care about owning the original and not a clone, then you should know by now to look far away from brands like Afnan, Lattafa, Armaf, etc. For a teenager who's sole purpose is smelling nice and cannot afford the higher tier juice, then this is a great option, retailing for around $25-$30. But otherwise, do not make the mistake of thinking that you'll ever get premium-grade product, with all the blending and raw material quality additions, at such a low price tag, and especially from houses such as Afnan.
