This came to my attention from this video, and it’s deeply sad news, but one I think we should raise awareness on. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8pxEJgu/ This lady by the name of Havenly Scents has passed away recently, she was a fragrance content creator on social media. I’m gonna say it carefully, because I haven’t confirmed it officially, but judging by the people speaking on this, from her friends and close ones, as well as their reasons in relation prior to her passing, it is very likely that it was self inflicted, largely because of the bullying she received. Truly, genuinely heartbreaking to see how this went down. She was just another human being making videos on passions and hobbies of hers. Just like you and me, just trying to share it. She didn’t hurt anyone, nor did she ever warrant that kind of level of negativity. Let it be a reminder that it’s NEVER okay to harass people for their tastes, interests, or content style or any of that, especially in a place as subjective as perfumery. I’m downright fed up with the negativity and toxicity on social media, especially with fragrance communities. It’s why i’m genuinely grateful for communities like this one. It’s one of the most respectful, uplifting places i’ve ever been in. In both the spirit of this place, and in the honor of this lovely, kind soul who was taken from us too soon, let’s try to be as positive and uplifting as we can. Don’t engage with collective harassment, with hurting others, or putting them down. Try to spread the spirit of this place to others if we can.

When I look back, my fragrance journey is really part of a bigger life pattern for me. I’ve always started with what was accessible, but over time, I found myself wanting the real thing. When I was younger, I had a Kawasaki KZ900. It was a good bike, but I took the emblems off because, in my mind, it wasn’t a Harley. It wasn’t about the Kawasaki being bad. It was about knowing what I really wanted. The same thing happened with watches. Fake watches scratched the surface for a while, but once I finally bought the Rolex, I understood the difference. The fake could copy the look, but it could not copy the feeling, the pride, the quality, or the personal achievement behind owning the real thing. Fragrance has followed that same path. My designer journey really started with Yves Saint Laurent Kouros. That was the first designer fragrance I bought on my own in 1981, and I have always owned it. Kouros was not just another bottle to me. It represented stepping into fragrance on my own terms. It was bold, masculine, confident, and unforgettable. That one became part of my story. Then came fragrances like Drakkar Noir and a few other designers from that era. Those were the scents that shaped a lot of men’s fragrance memories. They were powerful, recognizable, and they had character. Back then, designers had identity. They were not just endless flankers chasing trends. They felt like statements. Later, when niche and artisan fragrances became more interesting to me, clones became a way to explore expensive scent profiles without jumping straight into full bottles. I still think clones have a place. They can be useful, especially when you are learning what you like or trying to understand a scent profile before spending serious money. But at one time, I owned several hundred clones, and after a while, it just was not satisfying. Seeing all of those bottles sitting on the shelf every day did not give me the same feeling as owning the real fragrance. There was no real story behind many of them. No connection to the original artist. No history with the house. No feeling that I owned the actual creation.

This is a new release from Creed that they offered a sample to me of at the boutique. I was skeptical at first, as I’m not the biggest vetiver guy, but when i smelled it on paper, and then my skin, i was pleasantly surprised. The name “vetiver” for the fragrance is a bit misleading, as it’s more of a juicy rose floral scent with a vetiver texture at the base. The opening is bright and vibrant, with a blend of bergamot and pink pepper. The pepper gives it a slightly sparkling almost fizzy like texture and adds lot of lift. The rose note at the heart is also active during the first spray, and lasts to the drydown. It’s the core that connects the sparkling, juicier elements with the more dry and woody drydown. Rose is well blended with a black currant and geranium accord that makes it a more lively and stronger scent. It smells modern and classy, not dated. The black currant especially adds depth to the sparkle in the opening. The rose stays throughout, connecting to a drier base of vetiver and woods. Performance, exceptional, especially for a Creed scent. It has good sillage and amazing longevity. I get around 8-9 hours on me, and it pulls compliments well. This was a very pleasant surprise from Creed. I enjoy their scents thoroughly, but none have really blown me away, except this one and Delphinus. I’m adding this to a “consider” list to buy a full bottle of. I could see this easily being a spring and summer signature.