Benan
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Benan's honest opinion
In short, I am not a perfume expert and only share my opinion on fragrances that I own and have therefore been able to test over a longer period of time.
So my sweeties today for the Grand Soir, the big evening of MFK. He has enjoyed his hype on Tik Tok and has already done his rounds, which is why I feel compelled to give him my two cents. It's been part of my collection for a while now, as I used to order samples from MFK and one of them was from him. It won me over straight away, even if the bottle smells different to the sample I still have from back then.
What does it smell like and when can you wear it?
Grand Soir is difficult for me to describe. Many say it smells resinous, vanilla and like tonka bean, which it does, but that's not necessarily very meaningful. I couldn't imagine anything from the description. I'd rather try to explain it with a picture. To me, the fragrance smells like a rich older man who has driven to a gala in his sports coupé and has just walked past you to join other rich people. This mature, rich, resinous smell lingers in your nose, which is not necessarily soft but rather rebukes you and radiates a certain importance. To put it succinctly: I don't think Grand Soir is as crowd pleasing and easy to like as many people here claim. It is special, for me it is also more for older/confident people and not as easy to like as, for example, a Naxos or a Dior Homme Intense. I say you can't buy it blind and should definitely smell it beforehand, preferably in a perfumery, as my sample (ordered directly from MFK) smelled much softer and more vanilla-like than the bottle. You can tell from the name when you can wear it. For me, it is my choice for making an entrance on a night out. I don't wear it to the shisha bar or out partying, but to dinner, fancy nights out and just when you want to make an impression. I think the Grand Soir is self-explanatory. When I wear it, I immediately notice how I calm down a bit and just let the fragrance speak for me. With it, I honestly don't care if someone likes it or compliments me, because it just makes me feel important and luxurious. A feeling that a Baccarat Rouge, an Ombre Nomade or a Naxos can never give me, partly because of their mistreated images and because they can't convey the same luxurious aura.
On the subject of unisex: many people think I shouldn't judge because I myself wear an Intense Café, Baccarat Rouge, Instant Crush or Shaghaf Oud as a man. But I judge anyway because I won't be told what to wear. In my eyes, Grand Soir is clearly a men's fragrance, but each to his own.
do not cancel thanks
How is the longevity and sillage?
I actually find the longevity and sillage exactly as expected. You smell a heavy present fragrance and expect a long lasting and radiant scent and not a heavy fragrance without staying power (like the Byredo Black Saffron). In a nutshell, good longevity and sillage, which is to be expected given the DNA, the price and the perfume house.
Conclusion
Grand Soir does a lot of things right, it has aura, presence and above all style. It's not a loud, annoying little boy like an Erba Pura, but stylish, elegant, intrusive but not annoying and that presence. I think the Grand Soir has the most aura in my collection. It gives you an important feeling and is so meaningful without you even having to speak a word. It also has very good longevity and sillage and is surprisingly "cheap". for me, 180€ for the 70ml is absolutely ok and justified for what it offers. You can sometimes find it for 150-160€ which is really ok. It only comes in cardboard, but the bottle is very high quality and the sprayer is very good, so I don't care about the packaging. The same fragrance with a poorer quality would have cost 280€ for the 50ml at Tom Ford. Therefore all around great fragrance, super qualitative fragrance at a fair price. I don't really have anything to say for once.
P.S. The dupes don't smell anything like the original in this case.
So my sweeties today for the Grand Soir, the big evening of MFK. He has enjoyed his hype on Tik Tok and has already done his rounds, which is why I feel compelled to give him my two cents. It's been part of my collection for a while now, as I used to order samples from MFK and one of them was from him. It won me over straight away, even if the bottle smells different to the sample I still have from back then.
What does it smell like and when can you wear it?
Grand Soir is difficult for me to describe. Many say it smells resinous, vanilla and like tonka bean, which it does, but that's not necessarily very meaningful. I couldn't imagine anything from the description. I'd rather try to explain it with a picture. To me, the fragrance smells like a rich older man who has driven to a gala in his sports coupé and has just walked past you to join other rich people. This mature, rich, resinous smell lingers in your nose, which is not necessarily soft but rather rebukes you and radiates a certain importance. To put it succinctly: I don't think Grand Soir is as crowd pleasing and easy to like as many people here claim. It is special, for me it is also more for older/confident people and not as easy to like as, for example, a Naxos or a Dior Homme Intense. I say you can't buy it blind and should definitely smell it beforehand, preferably in a perfumery, as my sample (ordered directly from MFK) smelled much softer and more vanilla-like than the bottle. You can tell from the name when you can wear it. For me, it is my choice for making an entrance on a night out. I don't wear it to the shisha bar or out partying, but to dinner, fancy nights out and just when you want to make an impression. I think the Grand Soir is self-explanatory. When I wear it, I immediately notice how I calm down a bit and just let the fragrance speak for me. With it, I honestly don't care if someone likes it or compliments me, because it just makes me feel important and luxurious. A feeling that a Baccarat Rouge, an Ombre Nomade or a Naxos can never give me, partly because of their mistreated images and because they can't convey the same luxurious aura.
On the subject of unisex: many people think I shouldn't judge because I myself wear an Intense Café, Baccarat Rouge, Instant Crush or Shaghaf Oud as a man. But I judge anyway because I won't be told what to wear. In my eyes, Grand Soir is clearly a men's fragrance, but each to his own.
do not cancel thanks
How is the longevity and sillage?
I actually find the longevity and sillage exactly as expected. You smell a heavy present fragrance and expect a long lasting and radiant scent and not a heavy fragrance without staying power (like the Byredo Black Saffron). In a nutshell, good longevity and sillage, which is to be expected given the DNA, the price and the perfume house.
Conclusion
Grand Soir does a lot of things right, it has aura, presence and above all style. It's not a loud, annoying little boy like an Erba Pura, but stylish, elegant, intrusive but not annoying and that presence. I think the Grand Soir has the most aura in my collection. It gives you an important feeling and is so meaningful without you even having to speak a word. It also has very good longevity and sillage and is surprisingly "cheap". for me, 180€ for the 70ml is absolutely ok and justified for what it offers. You can sometimes find it for 150-160€ which is really ok. It only comes in cardboard, but the bottle is very high quality and the sprayer is very good, so I don't care about the packaging. The same fragrance with a poorer quality would have cost 280€ for the 50ml at Tom Ford. Therefore all around great fragrance, super qualitative fragrance at a fair price. I don't really have anything to say for once.
P.S. The dupes don't smell anything like the original in this case.
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Benan's honest opinion
In short, I am not a perfume expert and do not know all the notes. However, I now have a large collection of fragrances and only write reviews on my account about fragrances that I own and have therefore been able to test over a longer period of time.
So my sweeties today for Imagination by Louis Vuitton. It has made a big splash, is in high demand and that's exactly why it was so interesting for me. It's my second Louis Vuitton fragrance, I already own Meteore, which was very convincing as a daily and which I still like to wear, but which didn't really convince me in terms of performance. But does the Imagination convince me?
What does it smell like and when can you wear it?
Imagination is very unique and special because it brings a note of tea into a summer fragrance, which is very unusual and that is exactly what makes it special. When you spray it on, the start is very citrusy (as you would expect from a summer fragrance) and nothing special at first. But if you wait until the citrus subsides, you can smell what makes Imagination so special. You can smell this very cool tea note with sharp and spicy accords. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't smell like chili or spices, but you can tell that there's something more behind the tea. I think the spiciness comes from the ginger and the spice from the cinnamon and cedar. So to summarize, citrusy start with a very nice scent progression to citric with very cool tea with character and depth (with that sharp spiciness). For me, the citrus is very much in the foreground at the beginning, then the tea and the citrus with the spice are more in the background. In short, for me it's mega cool, very unique, very special and simply not a summer fragrance that you've smelled 1000 times before. For me personally, it's nothing for the high summer with over 32 degrees, but I think you can wear it very well on a summer afternoon where it's not 30 degrees in the shade and the temperature is just dropping a little. I can also imagine wearing it on a summer evening at a beach bar with an open shirt and ordering a mojito at the bar. But I think that Imagination can also be worn very well on a daily basis. It's not too obtrusive, not too difficult to wear and therefore actually very versatile for me.
How is the longevity and sillage?
Pretty good for a summer fragrance. It's not a beast, but you wouldn't expect it to be. It lasts a decent amount of time on the skin. The sillage is not extremely strong for a long time, but this is manageable and doesn't bother me that much, as the scent is mega cool and lasts a good while on the skin. Satisfying for a summer fragrance, but you're also asking somewhere at the price of 280€.
Conclusion (is it worth buying?)
I really like Imagination. It is not a 0815 summer fragrance but mixes up this whole summer fragrance direction. Everyone has summer scents that go in that citrusy, minty direction and I was sick of them too. I'm very happy that Louis Vuitton dared to do something and hit the mark. If you are thinking about buying it, you should definitely have smelled it. I know you can only smell the fragrances directly at Louis Vuitton and the service is snooty and unpleasant, but I would do it and ideally test it on your skin or get a bottle to have smelled it. If you really like it, I have to say the price of 280€ is ok but only because you can refill it for almost 100€ less. So for me a super cool summer fragrance, which is very unique in a positive direction, a bit too expensive, but worth the money for what it is. For me, Imagination is like when you've had a few relationships and all the women were similar to you and you were getting tired of it and had given up hope somewhere along the line. But suddenly she came along... this one who is not like the others, somehow unique, beautiful, maybe not every man's cup of tea but exactly yours and although you don't really want to spend so much money on a woman, you do it and don't regret it.
(If you sell fragrances you are welcome to offer them to me)
So my sweeties today for Imagination by Louis Vuitton. It has made a big splash, is in high demand and that's exactly why it was so interesting for me. It's my second Louis Vuitton fragrance, I already own Meteore, which was very convincing as a daily and which I still like to wear, but which didn't really convince me in terms of performance. But does the Imagination convince me?
What does it smell like and when can you wear it?
Imagination is very unique and special because it brings a note of tea into a summer fragrance, which is very unusual and that is exactly what makes it special. When you spray it on, the start is very citrusy (as you would expect from a summer fragrance) and nothing special at first. But if you wait until the citrus subsides, you can smell what makes Imagination so special. You can smell this very cool tea note with sharp and spicy accords. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't smell like chili or spices, but you can tell that there's something more behind the tea. I think the spiciness comes from the ginger and the spice from the cinnamon and cedar. So to summarize, citrusy start with a very nice scent progression to citric with very cool tea with character and depth (with that sharp spiciness). For me, the citrus is very much in the foreground at the beginning, then the tea and the citrus with the spice are more in the background. In short, for me it's mega cool, very unique, very special and simply not a summer fragrance that you've smelled 1000 times before. For me personally, it's nothing for the high summer with over 32 degrees, but I think you can wear it very well on a summer afternoon where it's not 30 degrees in the shade and the temperature is just dropping a little. I can also imagine wearing it on a summer evening at a beach bar with an open shirt and ordering a mojito at the bar. But I think that Imagination can also be worn very well on a daily basis. It's not too obtrusive, not too difficult to wear and therefore actually very versatile for me.
How is the longevity and sillage?
Pretty good for a summer fragrance. It's not a beast, but you wouldn't expect it to be. It lasts a decent amount of time on the skin. The sillage is not extremely strong for a long time, but this is manageable and doesn't bother me that much, as the scent is mega cool and lasts a good while on the skin. Satisfying for a summer fragrance, but you're also asking somewhere at the price of 280€.
Conclusion (is it worth buying?)
I really like Imagination. It is not a 0815 summer fragrance but mixes up this whole summer fragrance direction. Everyone has summer scents that go in that citrusy, minty direction and I was sick of them too. I'm very happy that Louis Vuitton dared to do something and hit the mark. If you are thinking about buying it, you should definitely have smelled it. I know you can only smell the fragrances directly at Louis Vuitton and the service is snooty and unpleasant, but I would do it and ideally test it on your skin or get a bottle to have smelled it. If you really like it, I have to say the price of 280€ is ok but only because you can refill it for almost 100€ less. So for me a super cool summer fragrance, which is very unique in a positive direction, a bit too expensive, but worth the money for what it is. For me, Imagination is like when you've had a few relationships and all the women were similar to you and you were getting tired of it and had given up hope somewhere along the line. But suddenly she came along... this one who is not like the others, somehow unique, beautiful, maybe not every man's cup of tea but exactly yours and although you don't really want to spend so much money on a woman, you do it and don't regret it.
(If you sell fragrances you are welcome to offer them to me)
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Benan's honest opinion
Just before off, despite all my fragrances, I am still not a fragrance expert. I don't know all the notes and only share my personal opinion in my reviews.
So, my sweeties today on Xerjoff Naxos. I have to be honest, I wasn't a big fan of it from the start. I didn't want to buy it at first. I now own the Accento (with velvet), the Erba Pura (with velvet), the Turino 21 and now it too, even though I'm not a big Xerjoff fan. But today it's about the Naxos.
What does it smell like and when can you wear it?
Naxos is a very interesting fragrance because its combination of very different notes makes it very unique. Immediately after spraying it on, you have a very strong citrus, like a summer fragrance, which for me is not perceptible throughout the entire fragrance. Once the bergamot and lemon have settled, there is this mega honey. It harmonizes beautifully with the tobacco, vanilla and tonka bean. It smells very soft, sweet but not too sweet and definitely not unpleasant. For me, it's a great daily fragrance for the colder months or for going out. I imagined it to be much "darker", but if you are a fan of honey, you should definitely take a look at Naxos. I didn't like it at first because I never sprayed it on my skin and didn't let it develop. You have to give it about 1 hour for the heart and base notes to come out nicely. And it's because of these notes that I fell in love with its scent.
Like many niche fragrances (if you can still call it a niche if you ignore the price, as many people now know and own it), it is a unisex fragrance, but for me it is more for men. I can't really imagine it on a woman.
How is the longevity and sillage?
In a nutshell: not worth 250€. Xerjoff has reformulated pretty much all of its top sellers. Whether it's an Accento, an Erba Pura, an Opera or even a Naxos. I have the 2023 batch and I get a longevity like a Dior Homme Intense. An Instant Crush from Mancera has better performance for half the price. Don't get me wrong it doesn't last badly, but the notes would also give a better performance. It's not an overpowering scent, but in my opinion a more intimate scent. That's not a bad thing, but the reviews on Parfumo praise its H/S to the skies, which I don't entirely agree with.
Conclusion
Extremely cool honey fragrance with good H/S but too expensive in my eyes. I think a reasonable price for it is up to a maximum of 180€. It offers relatively much. You get a very versatile fragrance that many like, brings compliments and is still special and can't really be compared to any other fragrance. In addition, you get a very nice leather box, which is more for the eye than to justify the price, but is still quite nicely done. I half recommend it. If you're a fan of honey, you should definitely try it and definitely try it on your skin. It is a fragrance with character and gives me a feel-good factor. My father also likes it. He said it smells like a man sitting at the blackjack table in a casino and enjoying his cigar with wiskey. From my collection, only a few fragrances have really managed to please my father (he secretly steals them from me too) so far he likes Imagination (LV), Eau de Soleil Blanc (Tom Ford), Fcking Fabulous (Tom Ford), Terre d'Hermes (Hermes), Baccarat Rouge Extrait de Parfum (MFK) and my new honey bear, Naxos
So, my sweeties today on Xerjoff Naxos. I have to be honest, I wasn't a big fan of it from the start. I didn't want to buy it at first. I now own the Accento (with velvet), the Erba Pura (with velvet), the Turino 21 and now it too, even though I'm not a big Xerjoff fan. But today it's about the Naxos.
What does it smell like and when can you wear it?
Naxos is a very interesting fragrance because its combination of very different notes makes it very unique. Immediately after spraying it on, you have a very strong citrus, like a summer fragrance, which for me is not perceptible throughout the entire fragrance. Once the bergamot and lemon have settled, there is this mega honey. It harmonizes beautifully with the tobacco, vanilla and tonka bean. It smells very soft, sweet but not too sweet and definitely not unpleasant. For me, it's a great daily fragrance for the colder months or for going out. I imagined it to be much "darker", but if you are a fan of honey, you should definitely take a look at Naxos. I didn't like it at first because I never sprayed it on my skin and didn't let it develop. You have to give it about 1 hour for the heart and base notes to come out nicely. And it's because of these notes that I fell in love with its scent.
Like many niche fragrances (if you can still call it a niche if you ignore the price, as many people now know and own it), it is a unisex fragrance, but for me it is more for men. I can't really imagine it on a woman.
How is the longevity and sillage?
In a nutshell: not worth 250€. Xerjoff has reformulated pretty much all of its top sellers. Whether it's an Accento, an Erba Pura, an Opera or even a Naxos. I have the 2023 batch and I get a longevity like a Dior Homme Intense. An Instant Crush from Mancera has better performance for half the price. Don't get me wrong it doesn't last badly, but the notes would also give a better performance. It's not an overpowering scent, but in my opinion a more intimate scent. That's not a bad thing, but the reviews on Parfumo praise its H/S to the skies, which I don't entirely agree with.
Conclusion
Extremely cool honey fragrance with good H/S but too expensive in my eyes. I think a reasonable price for it is up to a maximum of 180€. It offers relatively much. You get a very versatile fragrance that many like, brings compliments and is still special and can't really be compared to any other fragrance. In addition, you get a very nice leather box, which is more for the eye than to justify the price, but is still quite nicely done. I half recommend it. If you're a fan of honey, you should definitely try it and definitely try it on your skin. It is a fragrance with character and gives me a feel-good factor. My father also likes it. He said it smells like a man sitting at the blackjack table in a casino and enjoying his cigar with wiskey. From my collection, only a few fragrances have really managed to please my father (he secretly steals them from me too) so far he likes Imagination (LV), Eau de Soleil Blanc (Tom Ford), Fcking Fabulous (Tom Ford), Terre d'Hermes (Hermes), Baccarat Rouge Extrait de Parfum (MFK) and my new honey bear, Naxos
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Benan's honest opinion
I am not a fragrance expert, I don't know all the notes and on my profile I only share MY opinion on fragrances that I own and have therefore tested over a longer period of time.
So Schatzis today to the Eau de Soleil Blanc by Tom Ford. I owned it back then and recently bought it again for the summer because I really like it.
What does it smell like and when can you wear it?
In a nutshell: I smell it like the others. Yes, it smells like sunscreen with orange peel and a light citric note. You have to like this creamy, slightly sweet freshness and want it. It's a full-on summer fragrance and a fragrance you wear when you want to feel good. I've known it for a long time now and completely emptied the 50ml back in the summer. Now I have a new one for the coming summer and I notice how I put it on every now and then when I'm not doing anything special, simply because I like smelling the scent and it makes me feel nice and safe. I don't know whether it's the memories or the fragrance itself, but although it's "nothing special" for many people, I really like the scent. It's not annoying but pleasant and simply nice to sniff.
On the subject of unisex: For me, Eau de Soleil Blanc is unisex. Everyone should wear what they like and what they like. The EdSB gives off floral vibes because of its sunscreen DNA, which are not typically masculine notes, which can make it seem feminine at first smell. In the end, however, it is not an overly sweet flower meadow and therefore, in my eyes, not too feminine.
How is the performance?
Yes, the performance is not blatant, yes, the projection is not that strong and yes, it is not cheap. For these 3 reasons, I can't defend it. To protect the fragrance but not every fragrance has to be a beast. Some fragrances can project less and last longer. We make this compromise with almost all summer fragrances.
Conclusion
Many say it's nothing special and not worth ~€180 per 100ml. That's true, but if you're really a fan, it's worth the price. It gives me a very nice feeling, gives me a very nice refreshment in summer and I don't know anyone who says it stinks. I mainly wear it for myself, but I have also been asked about it a few times. For me, Eau de Soleil Blanc is like being hugged by the person who makes you feel good after a long, tiring day, when they cuddle your head and you close your eyes because you simply feel comfortable and safe. It gives me a break from everyday life and reminds me to take care of myself and thank my loved ones. My time out in a bottle.
So Schatzis today to the Eau de Soleil Blanc by Tom Ford. I owned it back then and recently bought it again for the summer because I really like it.
What does it smell like and when can you wear it?
In a nutshell: I smell it like the others. Yes, it smells like sunscreen with orange peel and a light citric note. You have to like this creamy, slightly sweet freshness and want it. It's a full-on summer fragrance and a fragrance you wear when you want to feel good. I've known it for a long time now and completely emptied the 50ml back in the summer. Now I have a new one for the coming summer and I notice how I put it on every now and then when I'm not doing anything special, simply because I like smelling the scent and it makes me feel nice and safe. I don't know whether it's the memories or the fragrance itself, but although it's "nothing special" for many people, I really like the scent. It's not annoying but pleasant and simply nice to sniff.
On the subject of unisex: For me, Eau de Soleil Blanc is unisex. Everyone should wear what they like and what they like. The EdSB gives off floral vibes because of its sunscreen DNA, which are not typically masculine notes, which can make it seem feminine at first smell. In the end, however, it is not an overly sweet flower meadow and therefore, in my eyes, not too feminine.
How is the performance?
Yes, the performance is not blatant, yes, the projection is not that strong and yes, it is not cheap. For these 3 reasons, I can't defend it. To protect the fragrance but not every fragrance has to be a beast. Some fragrances can project less and last longer. We make this compromise with almost all summer fragrances.
Conclusion
Many say it's nothing special and not worth ~€180 per 100ml. That's true, but if you're really a fan, it's worth the price. It gives me a very nice feeling, gives me a very nice refreshment in summer and I don't know anyone who says it stinks. I mainly wear it for myself, but I have also been asked about it a few times. For me, Eau de Soleil Blanc is like being hugged by the person who makes you feel good after a long, tiring day, when they cuddle your head and you close your eyes because you simply feel comfortable and safe. It gives me a break from everyday life and reminds me to take care of myself and thank my loved ones. My time out in a bottle.
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Benan's honest opinion
In short, I'm not a professional, I don't know all the notes and I can't name them all. On my account, I only share my opinion on fragrances that I own and have therefore tested over a longer period of time.
So my sweeties today on Shaghaf Oud by Swiss Arabian. I have to be honest, I know the fragrance from Tik Tok, as it has been doing the rounds there and people have spoken very positively about it. Since you can't test it anywhere and it only cost €40 on Notino, I thought to myself, "Fuck it, you idiot can pay €270 for a Creed Aventus but you're too bad here?" and I bought it and haven't regretted it.
What does it smell like and when can you wear it?
The name immediately gives away that it is oud. For all you amateur Arabic learners, Shaghaf means love as far as I know, so I was expecting to be introduced to oud, as I'm not really a fan of it. It smells very, very sweet, oriental and slightly gourmand. For me, the oud, rose and vanilla are very dominant in it. The oud is not a pungent, stinky oud (thank goodness), but a sweet one (perhaps due to the vanilla), which goes slightly in a gourmand direction. The rose is very granny-like at the beginning and not at all mine, but develops in a nice direction and is then no longer disturbing at all. I think the listed notes reveal and describe the fragrance quite well. After spraying, the notes settle a little, the oud and the rose no longer trump everything and the other notes are added. For me, the vanilla and a little saffron with praline are noticeable behind the somewhat more dominant notes. For me, the fragrance is very dominant and not everyone likes it, so I wouldn't wear it on a date or in closed rooms, such as at dinner. For me, this is a fragrance for going out and showing that you are present. You wear it when you want to be noticed when you go out. If you wear it, you can be sure that everyone will smell you. It goes in the poser perfume direction, like an Arabians Tonka. You definitely have to be careful how you dose it. For me, however, it's not really more, as not everyone is a fan of oud and therefore sweet, non-oud fragrances (e.g. Dior Homme Intense) or fresh fragrances (e.g. Dior Sauvage EDT) go down better than it does. Even though I have grown very fond of it in the meantime.
On the subject of unisex (MY OPINION)
No, for me it's a men's fragrance. Yes it is very sweet and yes it has rose in it and has a very grandma-like rose start but I personally don't find this oud, this saffron spiciness and woodiness feminine. But I also think that a baccarat rouge 540 and an Erba Pura are not really women's fragrances, partly because of the very strong sillage. But if you are a woman and have a Br 540 or Erba Pura in your wardrobe, don't let me stop you from buying it.
But before I get canceled, quickly on to the performance.
How is the performance
Short and sweet for me in performance a 10 is the Dior Sauvage Elixir and an Erba Pura. The Shaghaf Oud almost comes close to these two for me. Not quite, but it is also much, much cheaper than the two and anything but weak on the chest. You should be careful with the number of sprays and pay attention to when you wear it so as not to annoy others. For the price, it's unbeatable in terms of performance and shows all the niche and designer fragrances, which are much more expensive, how it's done. I would give it a 9.5 in H/S (but unfortunately there are only 9 and 10), as it is better than an Instant Crush from Mancera, which I gave a 9, and slightly worse than a Sauvage Elixir and Erba Pura.
Conclusion
You have to be a fan. The scent is very interesting and doesn't smell like 40€. But you have to like the sweetness and the oud. I don't recommend it as a blind buy! Many people may not like it because it is very unique. You should definitely not buy it because it is cheap and strong, but really like the scent and the character. Shaghaf Oud is like the girl from the city that everyone you know has had a thing with. You had a thing with her too, but you realized that there was more to her than that and that she was special and just looking for love. So you've secretly met up with her a few times and found yourself falling in love with her more and more, bit by bit. Now you have an inner conflict. Do you go for it and take the risk that when others see you with her, they will judge you, laugh at you and embarrass you? Or do you let it go, take no risk but miss the chance to find your love? Many buy the Shaghaf Oud because of its strong performance and cheap price and not because of its inner values. To be honest, I personally like it very much. I don't wear it for others but really for myself, as I think oud fragrances should be. Oud is not the most seductive note. It's not suitable for the masses, but if some people like it, they really like it, and I think that's also the case with Shaghaf Oud. He introduced me to oud. I'm still not a fan of Oud for Greatness and Oud Wood. But I smell oud as a note differently now than I did before. In any case, the Shaghaf Oud did not disappoint and I have grown so fond of it that I immediately ordered a second one as a backup.
So my sweeties today on Shaghaf Oud by Swiss Arabian. I have to be honest, I know the fragrance from Tik Tok, as it has been doing the rounds there and people have spoken very positively about it. Since you can't test it anywhere and it only cost €40 on Notino, I thought to myself, "Fuck it, you idiot can pay €270 for a Creed Aventus but you're too bad here?" and I bought it and haven't regretted it.
What does it smell like and when can you wear it?
The name immediately gives away that it is oud. For all you amateur Arabic learners, Shaghaf means love as far as I know, so I was expecting to be introduced to oud, as I'm not really a fan of it. It smells very, very sweet, oriental and slightly gourmand. For me, the oud, rose and vanilla are very dominant in it. The oud is not a pungent, stinky oud (thank goodness), but a sweet one (perhaps due to the vanilla), which goes slightly in a gourmand direction. The rose is very granny-like at the beginning and not at all mine, but develops in a nice direction and is then no longer disturbing at all. I think the listed notes reveal and describe the fragrance quite well. After spraying, the notes settle a little, the oud and the rose no longer trump everything and the other notes are added. For me, the vanilla and a little saffron with praline are noticeable behind the somewhat more dominant notes. For me, the fragrance is very dominant and not everyone likes it, so I wouldn't wear it on a date or in closed rooms, such as at dinner. For me, this is a fragrance for going out and showing that you are present. You wear it when you want to be noticed when you go out. If you wear it, you can be sure that everyone will smell you. It goes in the poser perfume direction, like an Arabians Tonka. You definitely have to be careful how you dose it. For me, however, it's not really more, as not everyone is a fan of oud and therefore sweet, non-oud fragrances (e.g. Dior Homme Intense) or fresh fragrances (e.g. Dior Sauvage EDT) go down better than it does. Even though I have grown very fond of it in the meantime.
On the subject of unisex (MY OPINION)
No, for me it's a men's fragrance. Yes it is very sweet and yes it has rose in it and has a very grandma-like rose start but I personally don't find this oud, this saffron spiciness and woodiness feminine. But I also think that a baccarat rouge 540 and an Erba Pura are not really women's fragrances, partly because of the very strong sillage. But if you are a woman and have a Br 540 or Erba Pura in your wardrobe, don't let me stop you from buying it.
But before I get canceled, quickly on to the performance.
How is the performance
Short and sweet for me in performance a 10 is the Dior Sauvage Elixir and an Erba Pura. The Shaghaf Oud almost comes close to these two for me. Not quite, but it is also much, much cheaper than the two and anything but weak on the chest. You should be careful with the number of sprays and pay attention to when you wear it so as not to annoy others. For the price, it's unbeatable in terms of performance and shows all the niche and designer fragrances, which are much more expensive, how it's done. I would give it a 9.5 in H/S (but unfortunately there are only 9 and 10), as it is better than an Instant Crush from Mancera, which I gave a 9, and slightly worse than a Sauvage Elixir and Erba Pura.
Conclusion
You have to be a fan. The scent is very interesting and doesn't smell like 40€. But you have to like the sweetness and the oud. I don't recommend it as a blind buy! Many people may not like it because it is very unique. You should definitely not buy it because it is cheap and strong, but really like the scent and the character. Shaghaf Oud is like the girl from the city that everyone you know has had a thing with. You had a thing with her too, but you realized that there was more to her than that and that she was special and just looking for love. So you've secretly met up with her a few times and found yourself falling in love with her more and more, bit by bit. Now you have an inner conflict. Do you go for it and take the risk that when others see you with her, they will judge you, laugh at you and embarrass you? Or do you let it go, take no risk but miss the chance to find your love? Many buy the Shaghaf Oud because of its strong performance and cheap price and not because of its inner values. To be honest, I personally like it very much. I don't wear it for others but really for myself, as I think oud fragrances should be. Oud is not the most seductive note. It's not suitable for the masses, but if some people like it, they really like it, and I think that's also the case with Shaghaf Oud. He introduced me to oud. I'm still not a fan of Oud for Greatness and Oud Wood. But I smell oud as a note differently now than I did before. In any case, the Shaghaf Oud did not disappoint and I have grown so fond of it that I immediately ordered a second one as a backup.
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