Just placed my first order with Aura Fragrances, lets see how they do. Excited to get both. -Montale Red Vetiver -CDN Sillage

If you ever put your nose on Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford, you will get an idea of what this smells like, but this one has longer-lasting power. I am a huge Neroli kind of guy; it’s a scent that clean, crisp White T-shirts or Polo shirts smell like: a lazy sunny Sunday to me. This fragrance is Neroli front and center, but sharp Orange Blossom, Ozeonic Air followed up by citrus and musk, and a touch of a green note from Petitgrain. I understand that some men here might perceive this fragrance as somewhat feminine, but I assure you, I received three compliments: one from my girlfriend and two at the gym. Notably, the last compliment came from a woman I’ve interacted with before, who is also a fragrance enthusiast. After I shared the name and mentioned its affordability dupes, she expressed her fondness for the scent of Neroli on a man. However, her husband is not a fan of wearing many fragrances, or any at all. Enjoy this wonderful Sunday brothers and Sister.

After hearing Sebastian talking about fragrances today and me being in this brotherhood, and reviewing several videos by @Antonio Centeno and Sebastian, they both have a love for fragrances and also have a wide respect and demonstrated knowledge for what they like, whether it's Niche, Designer, Clone, etc. As a member of this brotherhood, my takeaway and some knowledge for the brothers is this. The more I watch fragrance debates, the more I notice every group has its favorite defense. Clone warriors hide behind price. Niche snobs hide behind artistry. Designer loyalists hide behind safety and compliments. Clone warriors always bring up price because that is the strongest argument they have. They will say, “But it only costs $25 or $40,” as if a lower price automatically means it is equal to the original. I understand saving money. There is nothing wrong with value. But value and quality are not always the same thing. A clone can be a good deal and still not have the same smoothness, depth, transitions, or refinement as the original. And notice how clone warriors usually run straight to Middle Eastern clone houses and act like that is the whole clone world. It is not. There are better American and European clone-style houses that often do a better job with smoothness, balance, accuracy, and wearability. Houses like Montagne and Alexandria may cost more than some Middle Eastern dupes, but many times the blending, quality, and closeness to the original are better. The reason some clone warriors ignore them is simple: they do not protect the cheapest-price argument as well. A $45–$60 clone forces a more honest conversation. Now you cannot just say, “It only costs $25.” You have to talk about accuracy, quality, materials, smoothness, and how it actually compares to the original. That is where a lot of the hype starts to fall apart. Middle Eastern clones can be good. Some are excellent for the money. But a lot of them are also louder, sweeter, harsher, more synthetic, and less refined. Many chase performance and projection more than balance.

So I'm just getting home after being outside for a good bit of the day. Showered off the Aether Extrait, and wanted to dig into some of my decants that I haven't fully experienced. Tonight, it was Absolute Aphrodisiac. According to fragrantica, it leans more feminine but I feel that it's freaking sexy, period... Sexy ass vanilla, amber, musk fragrance with a little cardamom and other spices and a hint of leather. .Oh yeah.. There's the Castoreum.. That animalic note is so well blended. I think it just adds to the sexiness. Male or female. I feel like it's currently making a play for my top.3 Initio fragrances . Musk Therapy Blessed Baraka And maybe Absolute Aphrodisiac over Side Effect. Do you have a top 3 or favorite from Initio?

While I was looking for some items on a local discount store to adapt a room to have my Dad in hospice early this week, I came across with these two fragrances that made my day: - Zoghbi/Kunooz: Ahmed - $12.99 (A Dior Sauvage EDT Clone) - Zakat: Harayer - $12.99 (A YSL Y EDP Alternative/Twist) These brands might not be too popular, but I already have some fragrance from them that works wonders. Although these are not the prices you will find everywhere for them, they are pretty affordable but and with great quality for the price, well done, good projection and longevity. Detailed reviews coming soon.