I’ve been quiet on here for a little bit as I have a newly found relationship with a beautiful woman. However, it has t stopped my scent journey. Just has made days and nights a little later. That being said some of my recent samples have been that of Sedley Parfums de Marley, Mind Games French Defense, and Replica fragrances. Sedley was a pleasant scent but for that price you would have hoped it lasted much longer. Replica I like the ideas of putting yourself in situations. I thought some where solid and some where nauseating. Last but not least is French Defense. Let me just say I thought it was very solid and than my new female friend went through the roof for it. She asked me what it was throughout the day. Ending the day she said I’m buying you multiple bottles of this. Well, this is an obvious keeper. Thanks for reading and I will continue my journey with all of you. Thanks again.

When I first got the scent a few months ago I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I was getting some kind of note that I was not completely fond of. Well today was a much cooler day and 3 months in and I was quite delighted with the feel and smell of the drag. That spiced woody Amber just sat on my skin so nicely. The sweet sillage was fresh throughout and was just right. 9.5/10 (Beautiful Frag for today)

What a great smell, The lemon and bergamot was so refreshing. It slightly had a flowery mid note. Then …it’s gone. If only it had any kind of projection or sillage it would be a no brainer for me. However, it just doesn’t have that push. Because of that I can’t give it much more than a 7.5/10. But boy that initial smell is smell is special.

This is my first test run with this house and I was unsure what to expect. My initial sprays had me searching for what the smell I originally got was. Some people compared it to a milk to rotten milk smelll. Once that initial confusion which didn’t last very long settled in the fruitiness set in and this fragrance was of and running. The rest of the smells from mango and lime to the kid level neroli and apricot (combined with a different coconut which I feel like some people got the spoiled milk from)and finish of musk and vanilla was very pleasing to me. I really enjoyed this one and felt like it settled in my skin very nice. This one sits on the verge of my top 10. I can’t wait to try other City Rhythm fragrances. This was a 8.5/10 to me.

Training your nose is not just about smelling more bottles. It is about smelling with purpose. Start with the basics first. Learn the families: citrus, woods, aromatics, florals, amber, musk, spice, green notes, incense, leather, and sweet notes. Don’t try to pick out every single note right away because that’s where people get frustrated. The best thing I’ve found is using real-life references. Smell lemon peel, grapefruit peel, fresh basil, rosemary, coffee, cedar, leather, vanilla, incense, grass, pepper, and things like that. Then when you smell a fragrance, your brain has something real to connect it to. Also, don’t judge a fragrance by the first spray. Smell the opening, then come back 30 minutes later, then again a few hours later. That’s how you start noticing transitions. A lot of fragrances smell one way in the opening and totally different in the drydown. Side-by-side comparisons help a lot, too. Smell two fragrances in the same style and ask yourself which one is fresher, sweeter, woodier, cleaner, heavier, more natural, more synthetic, or smoother. You don’t have to be a master perfumer to notice differences. And don’t overload your nose. After a few fragrances, your nose gets tired. Fresh air helps more than coffee beans, in my opinion. The biggest thing is keeping it simple. Pick one note or one style at a time and build from there. Over time, you start recognizing patterns. You learn what real citrus smells like, what ambroxan does, what Iso E Super does, what clean musk smells like, what incense smells like, what cheap sweetness smells like, and what better blending smells like. That’s how your nose gets better. Not by pretending you can smell 40 notes in every fragrance, but by building scent memory one piece at a time. Buying small natural raw materials is one of the best ways to train your nose. You do not need huge bottles. Small samples are enough. Good places to look are Eden Botanicals, The Perfumer’s Apprentice, Perfumer Supply House, Creating Perfume, and Pell Wall. The Perfumer’s Apprentice specifically notes that essential oils and absolutes are very strong and should usually be smelled diluted, often around 10% or even 1%