Reik9greg

I've always felt this was the bastard child of the Versace fragrance line. I've even heard people say theirs was fake because of the lack of Versace branding on the bottle haha.

That said, I think this is a competent outdoor beater fragrance. If I'm doing outdoor work, this fragrance SHINES. I like to go on walks through my local wooded park and this has become my go-to for that occasion. It fits in so well when used off the beaten path.

It lacks sophistication so I wouldn't use it in more professional or social settings. But even with the lack of said sophistication, the amount of notes in this tiny little bottle is crazy! It sounds like Versace put in one of every ingredient in their lab as made this as a result.

But it smells great! I've even layered it with more nautical fragrances like Tommy Bahama Maritime and it blended super well!

The bottle is cool. One of the coolest imo. I wish it came in a bigger bottle that replicated glass soda bottles! I think that would be hilarious. Unfortunately it only comes in a 2.5ml and not larger. The tin it comes in is also neat, though nothing special. The whole packaging and bottle experience is very well themed and provides some fun escapism.

Lastly, the value. You can get this puppy for well under $20 pretty easily. It's also always in stock. Unlike some of the limited edition spinoffs, this is a tremendous value and definitely worth a shot.

Now, the scent isn't for everyone. I actually didn't like it the first couple times I wore it. I wore it socially to dinner and the movies and thought it kinda sucked. It wasn't until I treated it like an outdoor work/walk scent that I truly fell in love with it. But hey, if you end up not liking it, it's so cheap you can just give it to a friend or whatever.

Whether you're a Versace fanboy or not, you need to try this. Seriously!

Ok ok, first off I'm a dude and this is definitely on the more feminine end of my collection (though not as much as my Burb for Her. Don't judge). HOWEVER, I'll be damned with how good this smells.

I won't lie, it smells great! It's well rounded and natural. It has great presence but isn't overpowering. Sure it's a bit feminine, like I mentioned prior. But it still has a slight masculine musk that really carries it to the Unisex category imo.

Overall, I'd say this is a pretty sweet scent. It's also pretty florally with a hint of citrus. Of course this is thanks to the damask rose and orange notes. Overall, a great bodied scent profile that I'm nowhere near experienced enough to properly describe (sorry). There's a lack of a synthetic smell which is surprising for a borderline no name in the fragrance world. It's surprisingly natural smelling in the best way possible!

Now, I'll admit I'm a bit of a cheater... You see, I've only experienced this through Scentbird (say what you want about them but I enjoy their service). But that raises a bit of a concern for me. If it weren't for SB, I wouldn't have discovered this fragrance...

Seriously, the marketing for this fragrance is worse than rotten fish. Not many people know about this fragrance and it's quite difficult to find. To my knowledge, you can only get this from Ashley Benson's website or SB. (Same goes for the siblings fragrance "The Eighth" released alongside "East 12th").

Now onto the lowest score in my review, the value. Listen, this isn't some crazy runaway deal that you need to rush out to find. The price structure is $80 for 50ml or $30 for 8ml...
$30 fucking dollars for 8ml??? HUH!? FYI, Scentbird sells their ~8ml vial for around $16 which is MUCH more reasonable.
I also think that $80 for 50ml isn't the greatest either. Sure, there's worse value out there in the fragrance world. But given the lack of reputation and rhetoric of this new line of scents, I think a slightly (and I mean slightly) lower price point would be better fitting (and I mean this only for the 50ml (seriously $30 for 8ml?!?)). Especially because I don't feel very confident in any future releases from Ashley Benson.

Yeah, I kinda feel like this might be a one off stint of fragrances that was only released because she can. But who am I to judge? I'm just a dude reviewing a barley known "feminine" perfume.

I think it's a great scent. I would recommend just buying a sample vial off Scentbird or adding it to your subscription queue. Otherwise, wait for a sale on her official website and get it then. This is one of my favorites in my collection but it's not a must have.

Yeah, it's the funny Aventus clone. Maybe I rate this high because I personally have no problem with clone fragrances, especially ones that own up to it.

I should mention I HAVE smelled Aventus before. It's glorious! But I don't own it. That said, this is one of the better Aventus clones I've experienced, though not the best. Even if it's not the closest clone I've smelled, I still think it's worth a place in your collection. It's smoky notes do set it apart in a pleasant manner, creating an excellent masculine evening scent.

This is probably my most complimented fragrance in my collection. I'm sure if I used genuine Aventus, that would probably take it's place but I don't quite have that kind of money to spend.

It's quite a strong fragrance. I'm usually a two sprayer with most fragrances. With two sprays, it's quite present. The silage is very presenting. While I do typically like a more subtle scent, when I want a strong silage, this is my go-to. That being said, it does present a complaint, which I'll get to next...

My two complaints are the bottle and the synthetic scent.
Sure, this is a budget fragrance so some synthetic profiles are expected. It's not the worst and doesn't detract from it's overall scent that drastically. But I should say, this does smell synthetic, especially if you spray heavier. Like I've defended, it still smells great and has some convincing Aventus DNA. But, the synthetic smell does present the BIGGEST difference in these two fragrances. But that's obvious considering the price difference and manufacturing difference.

The bottle is nice looking. The cheesy little tag that hangs off the nozzle is fun and easily removable if you don't like it (I do). However, I'm not a fan of opaque bottles because it makes it hard to view how much you have left in the bottle so :/
The atomizer/nozzle is pretty great though!

I recommend this. Of course, Creed's Aventus is better. But a near $300 price? It'll manage me well. I think I got my bottle for under $25 from Jomashop. Plus like I said, I get compliments and that sure helps my poor self esteem HA!

This is a great scent for the average person. It smells great and fits in with nautical fragrances.
It's reasonably subtle which does hurt it's longevity in my experience. That said, many people who I know that are harmfully sensitive to fragrances find this to be acceptable to their sensitivities.
This fits in best with sunny and warm daytime wear.
I more prefer this to Nautica Voyage at the current moment. Not throwing shade at Voyage though.
This is a great value and neutral scent, especially if found at a deal in-store or by grey-market sellers!