Dama96

The much better known Opera is an uncompromising fragrance. One of the most uncompromising fragrances I have had the pleasure of testing. You either love this rosy, floral scent or it makes you sick. I haven't heard many opinions in between. Personally, I really like DNA, but I've never bought the fragrance out of consideration for those around me, because I know it would offend people around me.

The Opera Grande does a lot better in this respect. Above all, it is perfectly balanced. The fragrance DNA, consisting primarily of fruity notes, rose and ylang-ylang, is unmistakably present, but the often unpopular sticky vibes are significantly reduced. As a result, people who like the floral/fruity accord of Xerjoff and Sospiro fragrances, but are put off by Opera, will get their money's worth.
The Opera Grande projects almost the same in comparison to its well-known brother, but is always kept in check by the warm, almost soothing leather and amber influences that make the Opera Grande more suitable for everyday use. The perfect compromise for fans of DNA.

Not much needs to be said about the bottle; a beauty in velvet, heavy and high-quality.
All in all, definitely recommended for lovers of Xerjoff fruit.

I finally got around to testing the Tubéreuse Astrale and would like to briefly share my experience and associations with spraying the fragrance below.

The fragrance starts sweetly with clearly perceptible tuberose, but not unpleasantly so. I also notice the cistus at the beginning, which makes the opening seem rather feminine. Nevertheless, the opening is beautiful, immediately captivated me and I had to keep sniffing my hand for the first few minutes.
Cinnamon and vanilla are then added quite quickly and the fragrance becomes more masculine, but remains very sweet and floral overall.
I understand the deodorant vibes that the fragrance gives off for some, especially towards the drydown. There really is something to it. I'm not sure what causes these vibes; probably also the cistus in the drydown, which somehow seems drier and no longer quite as radiant. However, this does not detract from the Tubéreuse Astrale, as it manages the balancing act between high-quality deodorant vibes and high-quality extrait excellently.

The performance is also excellent. I was able to perceive the two test sprays on the back of my hands very clearly even after washing them. Much better, for example, than the Oud Maracujá from the same company.

If you like sweet, rather flowery fragrances, want to experience a brutal longevity and are not put off by the rather high price, you should definitely try this fragrance.

It was a dreary fall day when I entered a well-known fashion store with an integrated perfume department with my girlfriend; always on the lookout for a new, sweet fragrance for fall/winter. I tested the Velvet Tonka and was thrilled by the sweet almond-marzipan note.
Unfortunately, my girlfriend didn't like it at all; the marzipan note was too intrusive, the rose too penetrating, the fragrance too feminine. So I discarded it as a possible purchase candidate.

However, as these sweet notes and the creamy almond did not let go of me, I kept looking for possible alternatives over time and at some point discovered reviews of "Shaghaf Oud Tonka | Swiss Arabian". Due to the similarity to Velvet Tonka in the top, heart and base notes, the good reviews and the appealing price, I decided to buy the fragrance blind.

When it finally arrived, I was thrilled. The similarity to Velvet Tonka is there, of course, but "Shaghaf Oud Tonka | Swiss Arabian" is still unique. The rose, which is listed in both fragrances, is less noticeable on my skin in "Shaghaf Oud Tonka | Swiss Arabian"; instead, the amber wood and vanilla are somewhat stronger. This makes it not so balsamic and rosy, but somehow a little more masculine. The longevity is also great. I also find the bottle extremely appealing in this turquoise-gold mix.

It was also a big surprise that my girlfriend liked "Shaghaf Oud Tonka | Swiss Arabian" so much, despite its certain similarities to Velvet Tonka, that she wanted to spray it on straight away and still does so enthusiastically today.
We have been using "Shaghaf Oud Tonka | Swiss Arabian" as a shared perfume ever since and I find it amazing how fragrances can be so similar in their notes in theory, but so different in perception.

In my world of fragrances, there really is no perfume that I love and hate at the same time. I either love a fragrance straight away or I know at first sniff that a perfume is not my cup of tea.
It's just different here.
I bought my first Sauvage in 2017. It was quite popular at the time, but actually (as far as I remember) mostly among connoisseurs. Hardly anyone wore it. This changed a little later. Today, you smell it so often that it somehow seems stale, boring and casts its wearer in a light of the unimaginative and uninspired. For this reason, I began to hate the fragrance and couldn't smell it for quite a while.
But why do I love it? Almost everyone likes the fragrance, it's hardly offensive. Simply a clean scent. It's perfect as a daily scent without being overpowering. In my eyes, it has perfect sillage. You are noticed without being distracting. And for this reason, I now have my third bottle after two sales.
An enemy of the heart.

First of all: I love this fragrance.

I smelled it for the first time a few years ago and bought a bottle straight away because I was so impressed. This combination of metallic and vanilla notes in combination with amber and sandalwood in the background is outstanding and unique in my eyes.
Numerous compliments, a few years and 2 empty bottles later, I bought a third bottle.
In terms of the fragrance notes, it is still the beautiful scent that I could not let go of.
Unfortunately, the performance is no longer quite as strong as it used to be. After about 4 hours, I only notice the Pegasus close to my skin. That used to be different.
However, in this rather short time, it still surrounds me with all its uniqueness. And he can still bring in compliments too.
My conclusion:
A good, rather price-intensive fragrance that unfortunately no longer performs quite so strongly, but which in my eyes is still worth its price due to its composition and its associated unique selling point.