Unfortunately all of us at one time during our journey we have possibly purchased a fake bottle of fragrance. I recently bought a bottle of Rayhaan Tropical Vibe from JomaShop for 29.99 after a 10 dollar off coupon. I then started seeing on Temu that they were selling the same advertised bottle for 9.99. So I decided to spend the 10 dollars on the fake to do my own side by side experiment. At first glance before it gets sprayed, it seems legit, until you do a closer side by side examination. Below I have taken some pictures. The fake companies have gotten so good at creating fakes nowadays that you really need to do your due diligence and make sure you are buying from reputable dealers. EBAY, Temu, Amazon are flooded with fakes Things I noticed in the comparison. Spraying them was the dead give away. About 20 minutes on the strip and the fake the smell was gone. The real one hours later is still going strong. The next giveaway was the cap. The color is off, the print is off with no raised letters. plus the magnetic cap only works with the fake bottle: the real cap is interchangeable with every other Rayhaan bottle that I have. Even the magnetic caps on my other bottles do not work with the fake. The weight is also off between the 2 caps. Next the neck on the fake is also thinner than the real one, again the coloring is also off. The bottle gradient is darker and slightly wider than the real. The design looks off comparing them side by side too. The box, the biggest difference to me is the raised texture on the real box. The fake box is about 75 percent smooth compared to the raised texture throughout the real bottle. The print on the bottom of the box is also much darker and doesn’t totally match the real one The batch code stamp is also completely different on the bottle. For guys just starting your journey, be sure to always by from reputable dealer and discounters. Any of the brotherhood will be happy to share information. I find this is a helpful rule when collecting, if it’s too good to be true, it usually is. I hope this helps

A YSL MYSLF Alternative. Honestly, like I said of Bleu de Chanel, I’m not too fan of the MYSLF line either. They smell great but also MEH to my nose. 🤷🏼‍♂️ The only on of the line that really captured my attention was the new L’Absolu. La Di Da it’s citrusy sweet, floral, spicy and ambery. Even though I can still smell it on my skin and clothing after 9hr now, I don’t see myself craving for it. It’s easy to wear, compliments getter, for any season or occasion.

To me, Dior is the best designer fragrance house overall, and most designer houses are not really competing with them across the full lineup. Other brands may have one strong collection, one classic fragrance, or a few releases everyone talks about, but Dior has quality in several completely different categories. The Dior Homme line alone is stronger than the entire fragrance catalog of some designer houses. Dior Homme 2020 is clean, masculine, and easy to wear. Dior Homme Intense is smooth, dressed-up, and still one of the best designer fragrances for cooler weather. Dior Homme Parfum takes that DNA deeper, richer, and more mature. Then you still have Fahrenheit, Eau Sauvage, and the Sauvage line covering completely different styles. People criticize Sauvage because it is popular, including myself but popularity is not the same as low quality. It became popular because it projects, lasts, gets noticed, and smells good to the average person. A fragrance does not suddenly become bad because too many people wear it. I would rather admit that something works than pretend it is trash just because it is mainstream. Dior still has plenty of flaws. They reformulate fragrances, discontinue versions people love, recycle names, and make the Dior Homme lineup more confusing than it needs to be. Some releases are safe, and Sauvage has been stretched into more flankers than necessary. The private collection is also priced high enough that I would compare it directly against niche houses, where Dior does not always offer the best value or creativity. Even with those issues, Dior still has fewer weak releases than most designer houses. Chanel may be more refined, Hermès may be more artistic, and Guerlain may have more history, but Dior gives me the best overall balance of quality, masculinity, variety, performance, and wearability. And as a side note I really love Guerlain more. Dior gets a 9 out of 10 from me. It is not a perfect house, but when you judge the entire catalog instead of naming one or two favorite fragrances, I think Dior is the strongest designer house overall.

I started my latest and revisited fragrance journey with Middle Eastern dupes, influenced by hype and the belief that cheaper options offered better value and possibly the same ingredients for less. At the time, I thought I was making smart choices. Looking back, it had an unexpected impact. Working in transportation, where income depends on clients, I chose not to settle. Instead, I set a goal, worked harder, gained more clients, and eventually tripled my business so I could afford the niche and artisan fragrances I truly wanted. What began as buying cheaper fragrances became a motivation to improve my situation. It pushed me to grow rather than convince myself I didn’t want better quality. That’s why I share my journey—not just to explain clone, designer, niche, and artisan houses, but to encourage others to set goals, work toward them, and put themselves in a position to enjoy what they truly want. There’s nothing wrong with starting with clones or staying within your budget. But don’t let hype or circumstances limit your ambitions. Set goals, improve your situation, and reward yourself when you achieve them. This applies beyond fragrances. What we want can motivate us to build better businesses, improve finances, get promotions, and grow personally. The goal isn’t just owning expensive bottles—it’s becoming someone who sets goals, achieves them, and enjoys the rewards without guilt.

I was just doing my normal weekend hunt. I am starting to believe the guy doing the ordering for Burlington is into fragrances too. Here is a picture of the latest ones that they had in stock. I am going to call him the dupe king now lol Hawas Overdose Hawas Highness Hawas Black Hawas Elixir Nitro Red Nitro Blue Aromatix Sun Kissed French Avenue Royal Blend Mango Ice Vulcan Fue Rayhaan Pharaoh Afnan 9pm Khadlaj Shiyaaka snow Khadlaj Shiyaaka shadow Khadlaj Island Dreams Hugo Boss Bottled Night Tumi atlas Tumi Continuum