Top Notes 
Davana
Frankincense
Bergamot
Heart Notes 
Date
Tobacco
Sandalwood
Tuberose
Base Notes 
Labdanum
Myrrh
Tonka bean
Patchouli
Vanilla
Halolo
67 Reviews
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Halolo
Top Review
18
Terrifyingly close to Blonde Amber - Drydown reveals the 'Cheapie'
Once again, proof that Lattafa keeps getting better. The opening is very similar to "XXI: Art Deco - Blonde Amber | Clive Christian," especially on the test strip. However, on the skin and starting from the 2nd hour or in the drydown, you notice that it lacks complexity and power. But spoiler alert: You can spend the 40-50€ blindly and with a clear conscience.
Right after spraying, I immediately get Blonde Amber vibes.
This distinctive mixture of sweet-fruity Davana herb, wood, sweetness from the date (probably significantly), and a very light, young, somewhat sweeter tobacco feels familiar right away.
I don’t directly smell bergamot; it may bring a slight acidity to the Davana spice, but it’s not detectable.
After 30-45 minutes, the sweetness becomes spicier. The (sandalwood) comes forward, and the tonka bean makes its presence known. Nevertheless, this resinous, dripping sweetness from the date is still the main player. Even though it’s not mentioned, I somehow still pick up cocoa in the background.
Do you know that smell when ripe dates are soaked in sugar or glucose syrup and you take a whiff? That’s exactly this almost overwhelming (fruit) sugar bomb. Paired with incense or myrrh.
After 1.5 hours: The scent has changed little. The drydown is rather boring, and you can already tell that the fragrance is nowhere near as complex as its inspiration. The longevity and sillage are also diminishing.
I get slight chewing gum vibes, as I can smell BIG RED. Just replace the cinnamon with the date. Once again, you notice: The Davana-myrrh combo is really well balanced.
After 2.5 hours: The sweetness is gradually fading. I’m grateful for that, as my half arm has rarely been so resinous-sweet :D
Metaphorically speaking, you can now sense how the date is being drained of its liquid, sweetness, and sugar, and it starts to shrivel. From now on, you can also tell that you have a cheapie in front of you: The date doesn’t smell high-quality, but it doesn’t ruin the fragrance with the woody-spicy structure.
Sillage continues to decrease significantly. You now have to stand a bit closer to me to still catch a whiff.
The longevity is still good; it still radiates a bit and is not yet skin-close.
Between 1.5-2.5 hours, its DNA is at its best.
After 3.5 hours: The spice is becoming less and less. It crystallizes further in the next hour towards the direction it will take by the end after about 9 hours: Dripping resin meets dried date and then flows down onto wood.
After 6.5 hours: The Art of Arabia III is only barely detectable on the skin. The date-like sweetness becomes darker; I even pick up slight smoky accords, but you can tell that the fragrance is just giving its last gasps ;-)
--------
Conclusion:
An absolute banger from Lattafa.
For around 50€, you get one of the most elegant going-out and date fragrances I’ve ever had the pleasure of sniffing from the cheapie range. It performs significantly better on the test strip than on the skin, as it has let the entire room know "I’m here, I’m loud!" for 10 hours -- on the skin, it might do that for the first 1.5 hours.
The AoA 3 is absolutely unisex-friendly.
Definitely for the colder season.
By no means a daily wear - it’s too loud and somehow too "noble" to want to 'kill' this beautiful scent by wearing it daily.
No alcohol. No synthetic vibes. All in all, the scent is extremely well-rounded - if it weren’t for the longevity and sillage. But hey - we’re talking about a 50€ perfume ...
Unreserved purchase recommendation. One of the best cheapies!
Right after spraying, I immediately get Blonde Amber vibes.
This distinctive mixture of sweet-fruity Davana herb, wood, sweetness from the date (probably significantly), and a very light, young, somewhat sweeter tobacco feels familiar right away.
I don’t directly smell bergamot; it may bring a slight acidity to the Davana spice, but it’s not detectable.
After 30-45 minutes, the sweetness becomes spicier. The (sandalwood) comes forward, and the tonka bean makes its presence known. Nevertheless, this resinous, dripping sweetness from the date is still the main player. Even though it’s not mentioned, I somehow still pick up cocoa in the background.
Do you know that smell when ripe dates are soaked in sugar or glucose syrup and you take a whiff? That’s exactly this almost overwhelming (fruit) sugar bomb. Paired with incense or myrrh.
After 1.5 hours: The scent has changed little. The drydown is rather boring, and you can already tell that the fragrance is nowhere near as complex as its inspiration. The longevity and sillage are also diminishing.
I get slight chewing gum vibes, as I can smell BIG RED. Just replace the cinnamon with the date. Once again, you notice: The Davana-myrrh combo is really well balanced.
After 2.5 hours: The sweetness is gradually fading. I’m grateful for that, as my half arm has rarely been so resinous-sweet :D
Metaphorically speaking, you can now sense how the date is being drained of its liquid, sweetness, and sugar, and it starts to shrivel. From now on, you can also tell that you have a cheapie in front of you: The date doesn’t smell high-quality, but it doesn’t ruin the fragrance with the woody-spicy structure.
Sillage continues to decrease significantly. You now have to stand a bit closer to me to still catch a whiff.
The longevity is still good; it still radiates a bit and is not yet skin-close.
Between 1.5-2.5 hours, its DNA is at its best.
After 3.5 hours: The spice is becoming less and less. It crystallizes further in the next hour towards the direction it will take by the end after about 9 hours: Dripping resin meets dried date and then flows down onto wood.
After 6.5 hours: The Art of Arabia III is only barely detectable on the skin. The date-like sweetness becomes darker; I even pick up slight smoky accords, but you can tell that the fragrance is just giving its last gasps ;-)
--------
Conclusion:
An absolute banger from Lattafa.
For around 50€, you get one of the most elegant going-out and date fragrances I’ve ever had the pleasure of sniffing from the cheapie range. It performs significantly better on the test strip than on the skin, as it has let the entire room know "I’m here, I’m loud!" for 10 hours -- on the skin, it might do that for the first 1.5 hours.
The AoA 3 is absolutely unisex-friendly.
Definitely for the colder season.
By no means a daily wear - it’s too loud and somehow too "noble" to want to 'kill' this beautiful scent by wearing it daily.
No alcohol. No synthetic vibes. All in all, the scent is extremely well-rounded - if it weren’t for the longevity and sillage. But hey - we’re talking about a 50€ perfume ...
Unreserved purchase recommendation. One of the best cheapies!
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