Eulenmann91

I smelled the original about 2 years ago at KdW. I was extraordinarily taken by this fragrance. That depth, that marine quality. The metallic note that reminds one of a rusty boat on the beach. Incredible. The original was supposed to cost 175 € at that department store back then. But that was too expensive for me. Now there are "alternatives" available. I had my eye on the Atlas by Lattafa, but it was either too expensive when offered or sold out at a reasonable price. So I came across this fragrance. Parfumyoutube says that this one is weaker than the Atlas. To that, I can say: a very clear no.

I always spray fragrances on the upper side of my forearm when they arrive. And what can I say, after 8 hours it was still detectable there. After 9 hours, still noticeable. Even the next day, there was still a hint before showering. AAAbut... The sillage does indeed project strongly in the first 1-2 hours, but after that, it becomes very close to the skin, which I personally don’t find bad, because I think it makes it more suitable for the office or work than its relatives. Which brings me to the fragrance itself. It smells similar to the original, moving in the same direction. However, the fine tuning in my nose is quite different. The salt is there. The metallic note is there. But the seaweed is, if at all, only very subtle. Rather, the fragrance reminds me of something entirely different than the beach and the sea. To me, it smells like the contents of a package. How do I best explain this...

Do you know that smell when you buy new electronics? For example, a laptop or a high-quality Bluetooth speaker or a smartphone or, or, or.... To me, the scent is like when you unpack these devices, so somehow new. It evokes this positive association in me. I don’t mean that it smells like plastic or cardboard. It smells like something new. And I find that extremely pleasant. For me, it’s a perfect companion in summer and at the office.

I'll get straight to the point. I was hyped about the scent. Angel's Share with the same performance, not quite the same, but similar, they said, great bottle they said... Well.

The bottle does look good. But the cap? The lid was so tightly on that eventually the metal ring below the sprayer came off with it.

Now to the scent. Do you remember from back in the day? You're sitting in your parents' car, in my case an old Passat, the seats covered in faux fur, and Dad can't resist smoking in the car from time to time. I'm not saying this scent smells like smoke. But smoking in the car does something to the interior. It starts to smell different. Somewhat sweet and musty, and the faux fur contributes to that as well.

But Mom is not happy with that at all and hangs a vanilla air freshener in the car, which spreads its scent dominantly throughout. Still, there's that sweet mustiness lingering. Combined with the sweet synthetic vanilla, it's almost deadly, and more than the commute is not bearable with this scent combo (pun intended haha). But there's more...

Mom makes butter sandwiches for Dad every morning. And since he sits a lot and shouldn't just eat salami and cheese with a thick layer of butter on the folded sandwich, she always adds a bit of fruit to the lunchbox. Unfortunately, Dad doesn't like the fruit at all. So he just stashes it in the glove compartment. Out of sight, out of mind.

But what happens with this whole setup when on a nice day the sun shines into the car and everything warms up nicely?

I can tell you...

KHAMRAH HAPPENS!!!!

Just to make it clear. I love Angel's Share and find it so worship-worthy that I think it's almost too precious to wear. But you could tie KHAMRAH to my stomach and I still wouldn't wear it. I've since given it to my brother, and he is absolutely thrilled.

Yes yes, Creed Aventus clone and so. I was recently at a class reunion (10 years) and of course there were people who wanted to flex. An old acquaintance dressed very classically and, well... let's call it high-quality. And tadaaaaa. As an Alpha Sigma male, he had to tell everyone what he could afford. I can't judge that. But when he started talking about his perfume, which, according to him, costs 500 € for 50 ml, I was intrigued. I thought of brands like Clive Christian or Nefs by Nishane. So I had to smell it. But there was nothing to smell. Absolutely nothing. Only when I got closer to his neck did I perceive that familiar scent. But there was no punch behind it at all. He said it was Creed Aventus XD... Well. I replied that I was also very interested in fragrances, but that Creed Aventus had been copied so many times and that I myself owned a clone. He immediately countered that the Aventus brand was so expensive because it lasts a long time. Again, I had to stifle a laugh. The Aventus brand... phew. I didn't correct him. I also kept to myself that since L'Oreal got involved, the longevity hasn't been great. He seemed to have absolutely no clue. Ultimately, however, this scent served a purpose for him. Namely, to reinforce the image of a status he had chosen for himself. So I found it okay again. Unfortunately, the scent faded for him over the course of the evening. By the way, I wore Ani by Nishane. There were compliments when greeting, as well as when saying goodbye, and also in between.

In the end, I was disappointed with the original. I knew its ugly relatives too well. The CDNMI edt was one of my first fragrances. And it was so forward. But I gave it away after I got Cedrat Boise. I thought they were too similar. In hindsight, I can say that the Edt had more punch in terms of performance. However, I still had a bottle from before the supposed reformulation and also kept a small decant for myself. At some point, I longed for this rather quirky bottle. I then got the Limited Edition. I like it a lot. I just find it not as edgy as the old Edt. Call me crazy, but I liked the intense citrus note at the beginning. And also that smokiness. The Limited Edition is more rounded and contemplative. Maybe more suitable for the office.

In terms of longevity, I would like to note the following. On my arm, the Edt from my decant won in terms of longevity. On my T-shirt, I sprayed both on each sleeve and here too, the Edt won.

What can I say? The LE is good. But the Edt somehow suits me more.

But Creed Aventus looks like Joaquin Phoenix against Russell Crowe in Gladiator compared to the two. One wants to be something, the other is something.

After a long, long, long search, I finally got this fragrance. Why? Well. I own a Valentino Uomo Intense 2016. However, it is nearing its end. I have cherished it like my own eye and the 50ml bottle has only been worn on special occasions and parties for 6 years. Although I belong more to the category of football players or lumberjacks (2m and naturally broader built), this particular scent suits me well, as I tend to wear classic black clothes. Long story short: VUI brought me endless compliments every time. When I needed an ego boost, I wore the Valentino. But as I said, the bottle is almost empty and the new version lacks a bit of depth and longevity, in my opinion. The 2016 version feels like being in a dark room and not knowing who you are dealing with, but it was intense. The newer version is more like a hickey with lipstick that you got in a large disco in the provinces. That’s why I was looking for a worthy successor.

Since the reviews for the GGRP were quite positive and I also have a penchant for the boozy direction, I got it at a good offer (this fragrance in 100ml + Spicebomb extreme 90ml) for a total of €92. And what can I say.

I am a bit disappointed. All the notes are there as described. But somehow the scent feels very dull and not so refined to me. Maybe it’s the chestnut. It somehow takes a bit of the darkness out of the fragrance. The 2016 VUI was somehow finer or more detailed. Of course, it’s not the same scent, but the fragrance direction is the same in my eyes. I can hardly describe it. If both fragrances were cars, then VUI 2016 would be a Ferrari and the GGRP a Ford Mustang. Both are fast and powerful. But the Ferrari performs on a whole different level in every respect, whether it’s design, power, balance, details, or concept.

For me, GGRP is a good fragrance, no question. But the price seems inappropriate for what it ultimately is.

This fragrance was at some point, I must have been around 18/19 years old, in my father's medicine cabinet. He hardly ever used this scent, so I occasionally took the opportunity to use it. My father always had the same fragrances. Right at the front were Hugo by Hugo Boss, Chanel pour Monsieur, Acqua di Gio, and Roma Uomo by Laura Biagotti. More on that later.

I was actually able to take the Vintage Black from my father's medicine cabinet, and I cherish it. In my opinion, this scent is suitable for all age groups and to me, it simply smells like a really good summer party at some friend's garden. There are various spirits and soft drinks at this party. For cost reasons, everyone gets a cup with their name on it (so you have less to clean up later). Why is that important? Well, at this party, I mostly drink one drink that I mix myself. It's a kind of citrus cocktail with tequila and lime slices. Really fizzy, refreshing, and ice-cold. But I also feel the warmth from the summer heat. Phew, now I've had a few too many of these drinks. So the same cup, no matter if there's still a lime in it, and just pour pure cola on top. Not the original, of course; as a student, you have to save somewhere. Well. So everything is back to normal. Empty the cola and now put that cocktail back on top. The special thing about plastic cups, we always used ones that you can also find at the station, is that, at least I find, flavors and smells remain in them, even when you fill them with another drink. Long story short. I smell this citrus tequila cocktail, with the notes of a previously used discount cola in the background. Unfortunately, I can no longer say exactly which cocktail this is. It could also be that some kind of alcopop tasted like this, but they have unfortunately been banned, so I haven't had that taste on my tongue for a long time.

Now back to my father. He is the type of person who has always done things this way and will continue to do so. All the fragrances he uses (the ones mentioned above) have been around since at least the 90s, and he has been using them for so long and keeps buying them again. My father does not have the finest nose, and on top of that, he has placed all the fragrances he uses on a shelf that is directly in front of/under the tilt window in the bathroom and right next to the shower. All the fragrances smell spilled, and I even got him samples so he has a comparison, and pointed out to him that the storage is terrible. His response was that he couldn't detect any difference. For your information, Chanel pour Monsieur and AdG smell awful when they are spilled; you can't even imagine it. The Vintage Black was in the medicine cabinet because he never used it. He had the fragrances mentioned above. But silver lining, I was allowed to take the Vintage Black for myself, and now I can call it my own. To me, it smells like it did back then, and my father said that it is still the same one from back then and that he never used it. Ultimately, this fragrance is now 11/12 years old, is with me, and is my oldest scent. Maybe the medicine cabinet was able to protect it a bit. And since the bottle is black and not transparent anyway, sunlight exposure shouldn't have been an issue for this fragrance.

A major downside is the longevity. But hey, there are 30 ml bottles of it, and there are small travel sprays. So you can refresh it at the summer party again : ). Oh, and for the price of 25 bucks for 100 ml, you really can't complain. I will buy it again when it's empty.