I was able to squeeze in another fragrance today, so I slathered on some Amberland for my afternoon enjoyment! This opens with bright citrus notes imbedded in warm amber & sandalwood. Labdanum also contributes a leathery edge, and there is enough sweetness & vanilla for warmth. The citrus doesn't linger, and this quickly becomes a rich, aromatic woody amber. Some patchouli spiciness comes out more as it dries down, and remains with the sweet amber until the fragrance fades. Amazing, beautiful, strong proj & sillage for the first hour, moderate to hr 2. Steady mild sillage hrs 2-5, then a personal scent. It needs some body heat to ramp it up, or extend the sillage, because it fades too quickly. It is beautiful, masculine, and dense, while it lasts, and would work anywhere but in the heat.

I’m on the hunt for a green/aromatic versatile scent I can wear for most of the year given the mild weather we have year round here in the Pacific Northwest, so I put two Roja’s to the test: the OG Apex EDP vs Apex Eau Intense. I have, and absolutely love, Roja Elysium Parfum. I bought a bottle of that one literally after my first wear of a decant — I absolutely love how well balanced that one is, I find the mix of notes entirely pleasant with no sharp edges / no notes that throw me off, just a delicious elegant bundle of green goodness. That one is not cheap and I kind of reserve it for special warm weather occasions, so I wanted to give the Apex line a try as potential candidate I can use in more situations and for more of the year. Right off the bat I can tell you that Apex EDP and Eau Intense are actually very different. The OG Apex opens very green and aromatic but has this interesting kind of spicy aromatic leathery vibe that stays with it right through to the dry down. It gives it a weightless that I think makes it a bit more versatile in terms of using it in cooler months. But for me, there’s something a little sour about that note that makes the overall composition a little disappointing for me. It’s still an incredibly well blended and elegant scent but I’m afraid it’s not full bottle worthy for me. Also, performance was only ok, it was projecting softly for about 2 to 3 hours, then very close to the skin for another few hours, but by hour six I really didn’t get much and it was just a gentle skin scent. During that time, I felt the balance gently changing — first a bit more green then a lot more woody — it was kind of like a walk-through a fields where you hit different kinds of trees and grasses, but with that tangy leathery backbone tying them together. Apex Eau Intense hits very differently – it’s much more green and has a prominent mint note that makes this open very pleasant. The aromatics are still there, and as you would expect from Roja overall it is extremely well blended and elegant as well. Out of the gate I liked the Eau Intense much more than the OG Apex; however, about 20 minutes in, I started to get a note I really disliked. It was kind of a pungent sharp note that might be a particular musk that they use but it quickly turned me off to the whole thing. Now, I know I’m really sensitive to certain notes and I’m trying to take it with a grain of salt, but that note wrecked this one for me during the mids. Aside from that, I found this one was also pretty dynamic and the balance of green and aromatics changed over the life (thankfully that awful note I disliked was mostly gone after about 90 minutes). Without the spicy tangy leathery vibe or woody notes that the OG has, I think Eau Intense is much better suited to spring and summer and maybe early fall. Projection and longevity were similar to the OG. I’m kind of surprised at both of these for not having more performance – yes there’s some citrus brightness in both, but I would’ve thought the aromatics and woods would push off more and last longer.

Dolce & Gabbana / Light Blue Eau Intense Pour Homme — a nice spring day laying around the house …

Hey everyone I’ve been learning a lot about fragrances and enjoying the discussions here. I’m curious — are there any business ideas within the fragrance niche someone could start with some extra funds to invest? Maybe something around collections, reselling, decants, reviews, or something else. I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences.

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