I have run through several samples of the SMN Quercia. When I was in the city for my wife's birthday weekend we bump3d into the Santa Maria Novella Boutique and there was NO question that this one was coming home with us! This is a wonderful scent that has given me 2 compliments already today. The vetiver and Patchouli start out strong initially, but then the dry down comes and it just sits very softly on the skin and mixes with a sweet aquatic floral note. Longevity is a solid 7 hours on the skin projection is moderate 2-3'. For me this is one of those scents that when I go looking for it, I immediately exhale and have a smile from ear to ear. I find this one to be a relaxing scent even though it also invigorates me in the moment. I'm glad I converted to the bottle. Hope you all have a great day!!

So after church today, my friends and I are going to be doing a watch party for a new music video dropped from one of my favorite singers, Laufey, a jazz/modern pop artist. The video itself is a fairly big deal, and featuring a lot of famous faces like Hudson Williams and Alysa Liu, and because of that, we promised we wouldn’t watch it or even LISTEN TO THE SONG until we could all experience it together. Anyways to celebrate this special occasion, i decided to wear one of her personal favorite fragrances, which is Santal 33 from the Maison of Le Labo. This was the iconic, flagship breakout scent that helped this house gain traction and project their signature DNA onto the world, and my does it live up to the hype! It’s a unique, dry, slightly leathery take on australian sandalwood, with an almost dill, slightly ozonic undertones. To some people it smells slightly salty and almost pickle-like. To me it reminds me a bit of wet concrete during the rain. It has a strong, dry yet wet feeling notes of sandalwood, balanced out with a dry, paper papyrus, combined with violet, some slight spice from cardamom, all tied together with a distinctive leather accord. The base is a bit powdery with some slight iris blended with amber. This is a highly polarizing but also very unique fragrance. It’s nothing unpleasant at all, but also unusual and very distinctive. The popularity is well earned, and it has almost a calming like quality to it. It actually has some really similar undertones to Dior’s “Fahrenheit”, specifically the older batches. The combination of violet, leather, and woods, with the slightly ozonic nuances put it in a similar realm, although Santal is a bit more calming and less aggressive. It smells very different to all different kinds of people. To some it smells like dry woods, to others, a dill leather combination. To me personally, it reminds me of wearing a brown leather jacket, arriving in a cozy, industrial looking cafe after a long walk in the rain, and observing the city outside of the window.

A popular Oriental Fourgere that has a cult following since it's release back in 1996. Created by the renowned perfumer Jean-Pierre Béthouart, during an era of experimentation for the house of Versace. Unlike the mass appealing blue scents common today, The Dreamer was said to have been designed to capture a sense of introspection and romanticism, aimed at visionaries and artists. Aestheticly, from the octagonal bottle featuring the iconic Medusa head to the starry, celestial packaging, matched the ethereal mysterious character they wanted to achieve, making it one of the most distinctive designer fragrances of the late 90s. Initially, I was not a fan, I felt it was too weak with poor performance, but over time I guess my nose has developed and I'm not only starting to enjoy but also appreciate this fragrance for what it is. The fragrance opens with a sharp, medicinal, herbal burst of clary sage, lavender,l & mandarin orange, which can feel quite intense. However, as the initial screamer phase settles, the heart reveals a soft, powdery, romantic core of tobacco blossom, rose & geranium. It is important to note that this features the sweet, airy scent of the tobacco flower rather than the smoky or ashy smell of dried leaves. The dry-down is where the magic truly happens, as it evolves into a comforting, clean, and slightly creamy base of tonka bean, cedar & vetiver, leaving a trail that smells like fresh linens & soap. In terms of performance, The Dreamer won't last past about 4 hrs of longevity on the skin. Its projection is quite strong during the first hour, before it settles into a more intimate scent bubble. Because of its powdery and floral-tobacco nature, it is best suited for Spring and Autumn, or cool summer nights; the extreme heat of summer can make the herbal opening too cloying, while the deep winter cold may dampen its floral nuances. It is an ideal choice for casual evening wear, date nights, or creative office environments where you want to stand out with a scent that is undeniably classy. Were else would you get a buget friendly Versace for approx €20?