Wrapped up a full day with Purpose 50 from a decant and wanted to share where I ended up. The wear today stayed extremely soft. By early afternoon it was basically a skin scent. Up close I could get the suede and a bit of the Akigalawood, but nothing projected into the air. It reminded me of how Reflection 45 behaved, but even quieter. My impressions were very different from what most reviews online describe. A lot of people talk about Purpose 50 having real depth and presence. On my skin, this decant felt muted and flat. That got me thinking about the atomizer. A 50 percent oil extrait needs a proper fine mist to actually bloom. If the sprayer doesn’t atomize well, the fragrance can sit heavy on the skin and never lift. I’m starting to believe that might be what happened here, so I’m planning to retest Purpose 50 after I pick up a better fine mist atomizer. So here’s my question for the group: Have any of you noticed big differences in performance when testing extraits from a decant? And do you have recommendations for a solid fine mist atomizer that handles thicker juice properly? Would love to hear what has worked for you.

I got a number of samples from the Le Vestaire Collection. I am immensely grateful. I had asked for just one. Velours Flamboyant Rose Babycat Raw Bourbon Lavalliere Luscious Fig Blouse Impertinent Rose 6 Place Saint Sulpice Labdanum Rue De L'Universite Sandalwood Muse Inspiring Ink Tuxedo Sharp Patchouli

I think I've had this for about a year. It's time to finally check it out! Opening - I'm picking up spices, apparently black pepper, caraway and lavender, or at least that's the company line. The initial blast is sharp and spicy, driven by pepper and the lavender notes, which gives it a clean vibe. The mid is cinnamon. Cinnamon. It's warm and well blended. Nice... The base (my favorite) has tobacco, vanilla and amber. The frag settles into a combination of pipe tobacco, vanilla, and more amber. This is a (not too) sweet, smoky frag that has got some great spices and gives you a nice warm feeling that's perfect for a "chilly" night in the desert. I may end up blending it with something, but it's really quite good!! I wonder if all that time sitting on the shelf has helped it mature. For cooler evenings, this is a nice choice my friends. 8.1 / 10.0

Most Popular men's fragrance for the year. What fragrance was Popular for your birth year (if it's on there doesn't go back very long) 51 yrs back and would you wear it now... mine is 1985 drakkar noir. O actually did own it when I was like 10yrs old

They finally arrived — and I opened the box like a kid on Christmas morning who specifically asked for swagger. After much anticipation, this evening I received both new fragrances from the house of Elyon Dubai (Curly’s Fragrances), and even though I only planned a quick test, I ended up doing a full sniff-session like a sommelier with a grudge against subtlety. BLUF: I am thrilled with the blind buy — these two just earned a seat at the table next to my Tom Ford, Creed, and Xerjoff. Infinity smells like a luxury night drive in a leather interior — smooth woods, a soft touch of sweet fruit, and just enough rose to whisper, “Yes, this costs money.” It’s the fragrance equivalent of pulling up in a blacked-out car with ambient lighting, even if you’re really just going to Walgreens. Himeros (my favorite) is Infinity’s darker, mysterious cousin — the one with a motorcycle, excellent hair, and zero interest in returning phone calls. It’s smoky, leathery, sweet in the most dangerous way, and powerful enough that one spray feels like you’ve just entered a villain’s penthouse. Definitely not my usual “office-safe” choice, but tomorrow night it’s coming with me to the Cowboy Dance Hall. A cowboy with Middle Eastern flair? Boots, leather, oud energy? The fragrance is already doing more line-dancing than I am.