Tag: lavender

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Fragrance Reviews Mainstream Monday

Masik University of Tennessee Men’s Cologne Review

masik-university-of-tennessee

* Sweet fruit on the top- black berries and strawberries- with a hint of spice.

* It smells clean and fresh to me, very similar to what you would expect from a department store designer fragrance.

* The fruits fade away as lavender comes in with a spicy floral undertone.

* Guys shouldn’t be scared of the floral note – it isn’t that strong.

* The base is a clean, woodsy musk.

Summary: Although I live in Tennessee, I don’t make it up to Knoxville that often – so I can’t really gauge if these are REALLY the smells of the college.  Honestly, it could probably smell like bongwater and the ravenous UT Vols fans would still buy it up.  The MASIC company has discovered a great and loyal crowd who will buy signature fragrances – university students and alumni.  The scent smells nice and will please a lot of people who are looking for an easy to wear, everyday, work-friendly scent.  As stated above, it is very similar to a lot of the designer fragrances you see in a department store.  It isn’t groundbreaking, but that’s not its purpose.  For the target audience, it is a great fit.

Masik University of Tennessee Men’s Cologne is available at the Masik Website and Belk. Sample provided by publicist.

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Fragrance Reviews

Mona di Orio Violette Fumee Fragrance Review

mona-di-orio-violette-fumee
* Large cloud of airy violet – slightly sweet, but not candied.

* When I say cloud, I mean it’s airy and voluminous – like you walked into a hazy space and you feel the violet all around you.

* Actually, fumée means smoke in French – so the smoke / cloud effect makes sense.

* After the first hour, the cloud begins to get closer and a little more dense. 

* It gets a little more masculine, with lavender and sage cutting the sweetness a bit.  Violet is still the focus – these are just there for support.

* The scent also reacts differently on my skin.   Sometimes I get a musky floral after the lavender, while at other times there is a dry rose.

* In the deep dry-down, the violet is still the star with some resins grounding it.

Summary:  Mona Di Orio is a line that I have been meaning to explore for a while.  Many fragrance friends of mine are diehard fans, and even though I have a sample kit, I haven’t dove in.  A trip to a Louisville perfumery netted me this sample of Violet Fumee, and I can see why people love the line.  This is not a feminine, candy sweet violet bomb.  Neither is it a classic masculine violet lavender.  The feeling is defiantly unisex, mixing both sides together for a composition that can develop on your skin in a few different ways.  After the first hour, this would be a great office scent because while it’s long-lasting, it’s not so strong as to overpower those around you, yet you will definitely smell it on yourself for at least 8 hours.  The price is on the high side, so definitely test it a few times before you take the plunge.  And yes, this has inspired me to dive into my sample box.

Now Smell This
Chemist in the Bottlev
Perfume Possee
Candy Perfume Boy
The Non Blonde
What a Fragrance Fanatic Things
A Scent of Elegance
Q Perfume Blog
The Scented Hound
Ca Fleure Bon

Mona Di Orio fragrances are available from Lady Ruth Perfumes, LuckyScent and MIN New York.

Disclaimer: Sample provided by Lady Ruth Perfumes. Picture courtesy of LuckyScent.

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Fragrance Reviews

Houbigant Fougere Royal Fragrance Review

houbigant-fougere-royale
* The bottle looks all elegant and refined, but on first spray, it’s an intense bang of lavender and bergamot. 

* It starts off smelling like a regular men’s cologne, nothing special, but just wait because it gets better or worse depending on your mood.

* On good days, I get a spicy floral mix which dries down to an earthy amber.

* On bad days, it’s an evil caustic vetiver that borders on chemical waste.  It then fades into a dirty, musky patchouli with a bit of skunk (in a  bad way).

Summary:  So, I’ve worn this nearly 20 times while testing it in the hope of trying to discern what triggers the different scent journeys.  I simply can’t predict which way it will go when I wear it.  When it’s good, it’s really amazing.  When it’s bad, it puts me in such a bad mood that I feel like torturing unicorns.  This is an update of a classic fougere that pretty much defined the category.  I’ve never smelled the original, so I can’t compare.  All I know is that you should test this several times before you consider buying it. Longevity is good at more than 10 hours either way it goes (either a blessing or a curse). Although a little strong at first, it is office-friendly.

Other opinions:

Now Smell This
The Non-Blonde
That Smell
Persolaise
What Men Should Smell Like

Houbigant fragrances are available through Lucky Scent and Neiman Marcus.

Disclaimer: Bottle given to me as a gift from a friend – no disclaimer needed. Image courtesy of Lucky Scent.

Categories
Fragrance Reviews

Majda Bekkali Fusion Sacree – Lui Fragrance Review

majda-bekkali-fusion-sacree

* The beginning punch is manly sweet.  Citrus and lavender, like a traditional man’s cologne sweetened with a strong, boozy rum note.

* The rum grows stronger as the citrus quickly fades.

* While not projecting strongly, this scent does have presence and makes itself known.

* The rum note is joined by a sweet candied tuberose, similar to Vamp A NY.

* The base is a snuggly mix of caramel, vanilla, and woods.

Summary.  This is a gorgeous scent which is sold as a masculine but could easily be worn by women. Something about this scent makes me smile every time I spray it on – it’s sweet but not overly sweet. There is a depth to it that encompasses you.  Longevity is excellent at 12 hours, and it’s office safe, as long as you spray it on at least 30 minutes before you go to work.  This is a scent that was a love at first sniff, so I pretty much bought it after a quick smell at Sens Unique in Paris.  The girls there know me and directed me to it.  The girls really know me – at least based on how perfectly this scent works for me.

Other opinions:

Perfume Niche
Ca Fleure Bon

Majda Bekkali fragrances are available through Lucky Scent and Min New York.

Disclaimer: Bottle purchased by me – no disclaimer needed. Image courtesy of Lucky Scent.