Crystom

My relationship with Creed's Aventus could be compared to a visit to the hyped, new burger joint.

The fancy burger place that just opened around the corner and is massively hyped. Every other person posts in their Instagram story that they are there and are one of the "lucky" ones who got to try the oh-so-good burger.

For me, it was like this: I had wished for the fragrance for a long time and then received it as a birthday gift from my friends. I was on cloud nine. Finally Aventus. THE original Aventus. But the disillusionment came very quickly: WHERE. IS. THE. LONGEVITY?! Sure, the scent DNA itself is absolutely incredible. Simply magical.

But when 4 friends come together to gift me an expensive niche fragrance, you expect at least 8 hours of longevity. For me, it lasts a maximum of 1-2 hours.

Back to the association with the burger joint. It feels like you finally visited this burger place and then it's just a small, thin patty with some lettuce between two buns and with what feels like 2-3 drops of sauce. You feel full for exactly 15 minutes and then the magic is gone - at home, this burger would surely have been better.

Yes, I am indeed a bit frustrated.

Ah yes, "The One" by Dolce & Gabbana. My very first fragrance with my very first apprentice salary. Everything started with you. Your spicy opening and the seductive cardamom fascinated me. Unfortunately, the longevity left much to be desired. With you, my passion for fragrances awakened. The habit of never leaving the house without a scent, feeling naked without it. Learning what a "top note" is. Learning what "sillage" means. The discovery of Parfumo. Top-Ten-Fragrance-For-Men-YouTube videos, and so on...

I would like to dedicate the song by Prinz Pi - Letzte Liebe to you:

You are my last love, I believed
The last one beside whom I lie, I believed
I trusted us two hundred percent
But then our Arctic melted
You are my last love, I believed
The last one beside whom I lie, I believed
I trusted us two hundred percent
But sometimes eternity comes to an end

Your bottle may be almost empty by now. But I no longer feel the need to repurchase you. I have evolved. My collection has evolved. New favorites have displaced you.

But the memories with you remain - forever.

A new employee is starting with us. Sascha, a young and athletic guy. He plays football in the local district league club. He seems a bit arrogant, not very likable at first glance, and doesn't appear to be a candidate for a good future working relationship, let alone a future friendship beyond the office.

"You just have to get to know him better, maybe he's completely different"
"He just seems that way, give him a little time"
"He still has to settle in with us!"

my conscience tells me. Said and done. But we start slowly. A joint coffee break. Alright, the guy is pretty okay. Funny, relaxed, and not that arrogant after all. The first after-work beer - the footballer image works. It works for us like the football player in all American movies works. The women in this bar are taken with him and his athletic appearance. Good for him - demotivating for the dad bod-wearing Crystom. But still a good evening.

That's pretty much how I felt about this fragrance. At first, I wrinkled my nose - now I'm a big fan of this spicy-sweet, noble, and long-lasting drop. Conclusion: Some fragrances need a little time. You have to try them several times and "grow" with them - it can turn out completely differently than you think.

Wow.

I've been browsing Parfumo for a few weeks now, and thanks to your reviews and writer-like comments, I'm much more tempted to make purchases than before. My skin and my surroundings are happy about it - my wallet, less so. Item.

Yesterday, I read in a magazine that my local discount store is setting up a stand this week selling branded perfumes at fair prices. So off I went.

So here I am, not even sure what I want to buy. "Hmm, what have you seen/read a few times on Parfumo? I have this, I have this, I have this - WAIT. What’s this with the blue star on it?! I know that from somewhere?!" The price was also nearly 50% off. Okay, let’s go. Blind buy. It should be fine.

Once home, I spray a bit on my wrist. BOY. What. is. that. Something in this top note I absolutely do not like. It almost disgusts me. Well, let’s wait and see. An hour later, still that unpleasant scent on my wrist. NO - NOT LIKE THIS! I have to wash it off. This can't be it.

Now I read through what notes are in it. Bergamot mhh not bad. Lavender mhh not bad. Peppermint interesting. CORIANDER?! Wait a minute, what?! How does one come up with the (sorry, my opinion) most repulsive thing to put in a perfume? No thanks.

There are people who love this perfume - I am definitely not one of them :)

By the way, I usually go to my parents' for dinner on Sundays, so Dad can have a sniff, and if he likes it - great!

Addendum: By now, I've let 6 men in my circle smell it - the feedback was consistently devastating. From "What is that?!" to "Smells like burnt plastic" - Thierry? Unfortunately, we will not be friends...

Dear community,

This is my very first comment, so I ask for a little patience :)

I treated myself to TdH this week after reading the reviews here, and I must say, this fragrance is simply fantastic. I don't know (yet) of any comparable scent.

At first, it really hits you. A mix between earthy and citrusy. To be honest? Right after applying, it's not really my thing. But after 1-2 hours, this "intensity" settles down, and on my skin, it just smells amazing. How should I describe it? It's a masculine, mystical scent that makes me feel good and allows me to walk confidently through the office and the city. My nose has taken a liking to this fragrance, and so have I.

In terms of longevity, it's not that strong for me personally. After 4-5 hours, I can barely smell it on myself. I think this varies from person to person - right?

With that said, have a nice evening :)