when I read the overall rating of 6.7 (as of 02.06.20) for this new flanker of Stronger With You, I was honestly surprised, but at the same time not really. Yes, it sounds paradoxical, I know. But I will come back to this later. So keep reading ;) I owned the regular SWY (EdT) last winter and - to let you know right away - I found it quite good. In my opinion, it is still a nice, sweet-spicy, crowd-pleasing cold-weather fragrance, with which I always felt comfortable on colder days, and it was also very well received in my surroundings... The slightly spicy opening combined with the chestnut and vanilla in the base is, in my view, perfectly compatible and smells very good in winter.
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When I heard about the new Freeze flanker a few months ago and got to see the bottle for the first time, I immediately knew it would be a blind buy for me. Because I was convinced that I would like it, as I already found the original version good... “FREEZE, appealing and interesting bottle. This will be a somewhat toned-down and more versatile flanker than the regular EdT,” I told myself. Without testing it, I ordered the large 100ml bottle.
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Right after the package arrived, I sprayed myself, as always, on the neck and throat area with 5-6 sprays (normally I always start with my wrists, but with this one, I considered that routine unnecessary) and then smelled the spray head. “Yes, the DNA of the regular one is clearly recognizable, but it smells significantly fresher and clearer, not quite as sweet,” was my thought.
The SWY Freeze opens fresh-citrusy with a distinctly noticeable, aromatic-spicy ginger in the background. I really like the delicious combination of apple and lime, which clearly distinguishes it from its predecessor.
As it develops further, I perceive a minimal whiskey note, which must be due to the bourbon note. The lavender also gives the fragrance a so-called “fougère vibe” and thus differentiates it from the original version. In addition to the chestnut-vanilla combination already present in the regular EdT, the Freeze adds slightly woody nuances with the guaiac wood. This note also provides an earthy aspect, which I find even better compared to the predecessor, as there the pure sweetness predominates.
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I have had the fragrance in my collection for 1-2 months now (a backup is already on the way) and have worn it especially often at work. Not only do I like it (despite the slight synthetic note!), but all my colleagues find it delicious. One colleague, for example, even reordered it right away for her husband :) .
In my opinion, it is great to wear at this time of year, both during the day and in the evening. And it can also be easily worn on cooler summer days as well as in autumn. However, for winter, I would personally prefer other fragrances.
On my skin, it lasts a good 5 hours, which is sufficient for me. The sillage is strong in the first two hours, after which you can “only” smell it on the skin. But for the affordable price you currently pay for the 100ml at well-known online shops, this is completely reasonable in my opinion.
Conclusion:
As mentioned at the beginning, I was surprised by the current rating, but not really. Because when I saw the rating for the regular SWY, I already feared that. I personally attribute its poor score to the fact that it may remind many of One Million, and they might “hate” it just for that reason.
Honestly, I have the feeling that some fragrances are simply rated worse out of principle here. Certainly, there are many niche lovers in this community, and perhaps these people naturally have less to do with such fragrances. However, I personally find both the Freeze and its predecessor unjustly poorly rated and portrayed. I have simply experienced that they are both crowd-pleasing and have been liked everywhere. And I think that is simply the strategy at Armani. Because this Freeze is a good gourmand fragrance for warmer days (and there aren't many gourmands for this season anyway).
Well, maybe some will give it a fair chance, because it is definitely not bad!
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Thank you for the lovely post! I often feel the same way about my mainstream favorites, like they get underrated. I like SWY for women for the same reasons you like its counterpart. Underdog trophy for you!
Behmi 6 years ago