Demetera

Well, I’m probably not the less prejudicated person if Mexx Black is the center of the conversion, because the Mexx brand started my love to fragrances when i was a teenager (with “Black” and “Ice touch”).

After more than 10 years and tons of anorher fragrances later Mexx Black is something special for me. I think its not only because our common past, but because the vibe of its smell.
If my opinion is based only on the overall quality, its a cheap, spicy-sweet scent with a bit smokiness and moderate projection. Not unique, not high quality, not special, and nothing mindblowing here.

But on the other hand: what is the situation if someone want only one masculine (not fresh) type budget priced fragrance with the ability to use it everywhere&everytime?
yeah, its not easy even if you are not in the budget territory. Well, than you can pick only one fragrance, and this is the Mexx Black.

And what is the situation if someone want only one masculine (not fresh) type fragrance in any price range with the ability to use it everywhere and everytime? I dont know, because the most of the masculine fragrances are overpowering in summertime (like Zadig -This is him (fantastic one btw)), or not fitting for someone’s personality (like Tom Ford - Noir (too mature)), too “gentlemanish” (YSL - La Nuit/Y/Bleu de Chanel) or just too much projection for some occasiation (The One EDP).
I can only mention Armani Code with the same vibe/versatility, but in my opinion its not worth the extra price after its reformulation, because the Code’s longetivity is close to zero hours.

Somewhere got a sample from this (2020 reformulated one).
My first reaxtion was a big wow. Its fresh at the opening, masculine and woody with some sweeetness at the end, but in a very interesting way. I can imagine someone using it in a suit or with a leather jacket, or even in a farmer+pullover, so its a sweet/woody fragrance with amazing versatility. Its probably okay for spring too. wow, its not too common, lets get a flanker!

The flanker just arrived, Wowowowow! okay, its not a really strong one in performance (I like skin scents like la nuit), but lets spray 7 times, it could be enough!
After 1-2 hours i just realised there is nothing left from the Code. Respray time! Another 1-2 hours, and the code gone again.

So to be clear: I like the weak sillage scents, I prefer the ones where others just smell the fragrance when they are talk to me directly.
Nonetheless this one is not weak in projectivity, its just a really really weak one in longetivity and overall performance. Probably if I have a bath in it, its gone in 1-2 hours late too.
I’m a bit disappointed.

I heard from this because Jeremy Fragrance hype it up. The notes are perfect, so i just jumped in as a blindbuy. (2019, so its after every reformulation)

First time I really disliked it, because its a totally diferent type of masculanity than I expected, its much more refined and sophisticated than The Armani Code, The Zadig This is Him, Sauvage or The One. Its much more focused on spices than sweetness or freshness with a fresh, undeterminable side note.

But some weeks later I give it a try again..and again..and again. And after the 5th try I just realised its really likeable, just different enough to need some time tu understand it.

The fun fact is the longetivity. Every person on the internet cry about this frag's performance, but I just experience the opposite. Its sillage is perfect for an elegant and sophisticated fragrance, not loud, but not too close to the skin. If someone close to you, its 100% recognizable, but not if you are just walk in front of someone, so you cannot annoy anyone with this sillage. Its the perfect for an elegance fragrance, isnt it?

The longetivity is totally okay on me too, its 6+ hours with 15 cm of range at the last hours - but I think its enough for this type of smell - its not a Sauvage type statments after all :)

Hard to not comapre this fragrance with Sauvage EdT, because of the release date and the similarities.
So first of all let me clarify: I hate Sauvage. Really, really hate it. Its like an expression of the lack of elegance, a big punch in the face of the community. But yeah, it smells good. The problem is sillage, the sharpness, the lack of refinement.

..and here comes the Luna Rossa..

The Luna Rossa is like a reformuation of Sauvage in a gentleman's hands. Not as sharp, not as loud, not as aggressive, zero puch-in-the-face, but it has the Freshness of the ambroxan, the masculinity of the pepper, just its much more elegant with the mix of lavander. And its not just about the smell, it has the right amount of sillage, because its totally recognizable, but not overpowering like Sauvage. Happily its not a close-to-skin scent, but muted down enough to be useable in the office without frustrating your collagues.

Sauvage is a really special fragrance in my eyes for tons of reason.

First of all: Its one of the most hyped fragrances in the last 5 years. So everybody use it, and cheapo manufactures clone it. Zero unique points here.

But its not the only “special” thing: Ladies reaction. Every youtuber say “its a compliment monster, crowd pleaser blablaba.”, but well.. No, its definietly not the case. Its more likely a Love or hate one for women. Why? Because its not special, you can smell it on every second guy. And its not the worst: Some girl hate it because her ex’ use it.. well, its also not a good thing.

You think its the end of the “not-about -the-smell specialities” list? Naah. Because here we go, the the useability is the next checkpoint.
Every youtuber promote this one with the all occasion/season superstar. But hell no.
Its sillage/performance is like a million times more than an average EDP, so every single person strongly smell your fragrance if you are in a less than 50 square meter room, and its really offensive. So where can you use? Office? Naah, everyone gonna cry from the smell, its too hard. Gym? Naah, its hot there, its even more powerful if you use it. Dates? Naaah, too offensive and probably one of your date’s ex use it too. So where is it good for? Don’t know. Into an open space, like the desert in the Depp campaign.

So after the main problems check the smell of this one: Well, its a great ambroxan bomb with lot of freshness and tons of pepper. Not a dream-like elegant mix of notes, but a really good, fresh-outta-shower one. Happily its synthetic enough to not change its smell in different weather conditions or different skin types.

So am I hate it? Not at all. just cannot overcome myself on the performance. If you want attention, its the one for you. But if you want a balanced, fresh one, without terrorizing your colleagues... well its not the right pick for you - but you can pick a similar one, like the the less sharp, less noisy Prada Luna Rossa Carbon