ITX

I don't know why Pacific Chill has never received a review from me. Because I actually liked it quite a bit, even very much. After completely emptying my AF, I decided to look for a worthy and affordable replacement for the "minty-fresh fruit platter."

"Jean Lowe Vibe | Maison Alhambra" and Pacific Aura are practically shoved in your face by influencers. But somehow I was skeptical. The H/S is said to be underwhelming for both. Moreover, Pacific Aura is sometimes described as "squeaky." Surely there must be something else!? Yes, there is. When Rare Reef was released a few months ago and also hyped by the relevant internet personalities, my interest was piqued. A few weeks ago, just in time for the start of summer, I decided to finally treat myself to a bottle of the Afnan.

The packaging is, as expected from this house, a real eye-catcher. The box opens upwards and reveals the deep blue bottle, which sits in a depression covered with a water pattern. 1+ for the presentation!

Right after application, the Pacific Chill DNA is recognizable, but not quite as harsh as the original. From the very beginning, you have the feeling that this fruit platter contains less blackcurrant and more apricot. I would describe the fruitiness as "gentler" and, to be honest, a bit more mature. The mint is initially rather subdued but then comes out with full force after about 20 minutes and is more present than in the original. Nevertheless, the fruits remain dominant, and the mint leaf feels more like a well-placed decoration on the whipped cream. As the scent develops, it remains rather linear, just like the original.

Now to the reason why I believe this dupe is clearly better than the original: longevity and sillage. While the latter is still somewhat comparable to the LV, the Pacific Chill cannot even come close in terms of longevity. We're talking about solid 7-8 hours, which is really impressive for a freshie!

Conclusion: To be honest, I don't quite understand the negative reviews of this fragrance. You get the adult, more mature version of the universally popular Pacific Chill DNA with excellent longevity for a fraction of the original's price. What’s not to like?? For me, Rare Reef is definitely one of the highlights of this summer, and I can recommend it to anyone looking for a fruity-fresh, aquatic summer scent!

I'll say one thing right away: I don't know "Blue Talisman (Eau de Parfum) | Ex Nihilo," but I had been planning to test it for a while. However, due to a very good offer, Turathi Electric came my way first, and to be honest, I'm not too unhappy about it. But let's go in order.

Like its famous predecessor, the Electric is also packaged in a high-quality and elegant manner. The packaging, as well as the bottle, look pretty cool due to the unusual rainbow texture.

Upon the first application, a citrus-sweet cloud immediately wafts into the nose, with subtle pear and apple vibes mingling in. Gradually, woody accords join in until the fragrance finally transforms into a pleasant musk/amber cloud. In the drydown, a slightly woody sweetness is still recognizable, with the fruits faintly hinted at.

The scent profile is truly unique and unlike anything I have sniffed so far. "Electric" is a very aptly chosen name: The cool fruitiness, the subtle sweetness, and the woody base are truly electrifying!

Now let's move on to a topic that often stirs discussions regarding fragrances from the Emirates. While most designer and niche houses release their perfumes in a fully matured state, fragrances from the Middle East are often not given enough time to macerate or mature properly. This can lead to the possibility that longevity and sillage improve over time, and the entire scent progression is intensified through further aging. I have personally observed this phenomenon with several Lattafa and Armaf fragrances, and I am therefore confident that the trend is upward here as well. Currently, however, the fragrance is not winning any awards: Only 4-5 hours with an acceptable sillage.

Nevertheless, and this is rather unusual for me, I still give it a 10/10 rating in the end. The scent profile simply caught my attention right away and completely matches my taste. Even if the performance doesn't improve, reapplying should be no problem at the price of just under €20!

A few months ago, I stumbled upon Esencia Elixir and we immediately became best friends. This earthy, mossy interpretation of the Aventus DNA perfectly matched my taste at the time and still ranks among my top 3 fragrance profiles. When I came across Hawas Black online and saw the numerous reviews for this scent, I thought to myself: this all sounds somewhat like my favorite Esencia Elixir! But was my initial suspicion justified?

Right off the bat: YES, it was! But let's take it step by step:

Immediately after application, a sticky and highly visible oil film remains on the skin. Classifying it as an EdP is therefore a gross understatement; this is much more of a perfume or even an elixir. One should definitely not overspray it and should apply it cautiously to inconspicuous areas when wearing light clothing. The scent starts with a citrus-fresh top note, dominated by bergamot and grapefruit. I only perceive pineapple faintly, and if at all, it’s not a freshly cut one but rather a somewhat stale pineapple. Relatively quickly, the fragrance shifts into an earthy-mossy direction. Comparisons to Absolu Aventus are completely out of place here - the fruitiness and the "vanilla" are completely absent. In the dry down, a woody-mossy, pleasant base remains.

While the longevity is in the medium to upper range, the sillage can definitely be categorized as "beast mode." We are talking about a room-filling sillage, even after 3-4 hours. Since many other reviewers mentioned that they could hardly perceive the scent after 2 hours, I find it very likely that many noses become quickly scent-blind to this perfume. This is not a major issue, but unfortunately distorts the overall assessment of the fragrance, as it creates the impression that the performance is weak and that one needs to overspray (which would be a big mistake in this case).

Conclusion: To be honest, I am somewhat surprised that not more people have drawn the comparison to "Esencia Elixir | Loewe." Of course, similarities to Hacivat or even Absolu Aventus are recognizable, but the entire scent progression is nearly identical to the Loewe. So, anyone looking for an earthy, mossy interpretation of the Aventus DNA that doesn't hit the budget too hard should definitely check out "Hawas Black / هوس | Rasasi"!

Still quite early in my fragrance journey, I had a decant of "Sedley | Parfums de Marly," which I liked incredibly well thanks to its summery, zesty note, and as an Austrian, it inevitably reminded me of Schartner Bombe. Although I really liked the scent, I ultimately couldn't bring myself to invest 220€ in a summer freshie.

By chance, I recently stumbled upon Valer while online shopping - a supposedly very well-made and high-quality dupe of the famous PdM fragrance. Due to the currently reduced price of just over 30€, I ordered it without hesitation. But does the scent really deliver what it promises?

The packaging and presentation is, typical of Armaf, very opulent and high-quality. The bottle design with the leather strap and the marbled glass is somewhat unconventional, but in the end, it's the inner values that count. And those can really be smelled!

Right after application, a citrusy, fresh cloud rushes into my nose, instantly transporting me to the beach. I hear the sea crashing and the seagulls screeching, while cozy Tropical House music plays at the bar. In the background, an old acquaintance is perceptible: there seems to be a small amount of Akigalawood incorporated here, as I notice certain similarities to Bois Impérial Eau de Parfum or "Castley | Parfums de Marly." However, the typical Sprite freshness, which is strikingly similar to "Sedley | Parfums de Marly," remains in the foreground and comes dangerously close to its almost 8x more expensive counterpart. The scent progression is relatively linear, with only the synthetic notes like Akigalawood and Cashmeran becoming slightly more prominent in the dry down.

I would place the longevity and sillage in the upper mid-range, comparable to the original. It lasts a good 7-8 hours with a consistent sillage of 1-2 meters.

Conclusion: Valer was once again one of those spontaneous purchases that surprised me more than positively. I am really glad to have found this great scent as an affordable substitute for my beloved "Sedley | Parfums de Marly." For 30-40€, you really can't go wrong here!

The second newcomer from Xerjoff presents itself in fiery red and carries the noble name "Fierezza". However, as dignified as it may seem, it is not quite so. But let's take it step by step:

Fierezza starts with an intense floral note that vaguely reminds one of Mefisto. The biggest difference, however, is the immediately perceivable wild leather note that runs like a red thread through the scent's development. A few minutes after application, the fragrance evolves into a fresh, slightly maritime direction. It evokes memories of Isola Blu Parfum or Acqua di Giò Parfum, always with this leather accord in the background. As much as I appreciate the ingenuity behind this rather unconventional combination of freshness and wild leather - in the end, my nose did not really enjoy the overall package. The beautiful, slightly spicy-aquatic hints of this fragrance are constantly overshadowed by the subtle leather note.

The longevity is similar to Perseveranza: the scent remains on the skin for 6-7 hours, after which it is no longer perceivable. However, the sillage is slightly worse; despite the leather note, the fragrance becomes more intimate after 1-2 hours.

Conclusion: Here again, I want to point out the quite nice, but rather average overall performance in relation to the price. €430 is really too much for such a scent DNA. If it were a designer in the €100-150 price range, the situation would look quite different - I would be willing to give a higher rating, even though the fragrance ultimately did not quite hit my taste. Xerjoff should have put in more effort here - especially with such a legendary collaboration!