Next up is Bad Ass, A bold, spicy-sweet oriental fragrance that serves as an excellent, budget-friendly alternative to Carolina Herrera's Bad Boy. If you are looking for a "night-out" scent that projects confidence without carrying a heavy price tag, this is a top contender. The fragrance is an oriental spicy aromatic blend. It relies on a "good boy / bad boy" contrast—balancing sharp freshness with a dark, sweet warmth. It opens with a sharp, electric kick of Black Pepper and White Pepper, softened slightly by the citrusy zest of Bergamot. It is immediately attention-grabbing, spicy and energetic. As the initial spice settles, green and woody notes emerge. You get Sage and Cedar, which keep the scent masculine and slightly herbal, preventing it from becoming pure candy sweetness too quickly. The Dry Down is where the fragrance shines. It dries down into a rich, creamy blend of Tonka Bean, Cacao and Amber Wood. The finish is warm, sweet, and seductive, lingering on the skin for hours. It is impossible to review "Bad Ass" without noting its inspiration. The note breakdown is nearly identical to Carolina Herrera’s "Bad Boy". If you like: Bad Boy Invictus Victory or Armani Code, you will likely enjoy this. Expect 6–8 hours of wear. It sticks to clothes even longer. And it projects strong for the first hour, then settles into a nice scent bubble that people close to you will notice. This is an Autumn/Winter or Night Out fragrance. It is likely too sweet and spicy for a hot summer day or a conservative office environment. It screams "Date Night" or "Clubbing." My Rating: 7.5/10 Scent: 2.5 Longevity: 2 Sillage: 2 Y/N: 1

Wore Black Phantom today and wanted to give it a proper wear rather than judging it off the name or the note list. I sprayed around 11:15 a.m. and paid attention to how it unfolded over the next couple of hours. In the opening, I got a nutty, confection-like impression that reminded me of peanut brittle. Likely a blend of almond, coffee, and dark chocolate working together. The rum was present but very subdued, nothing loud or boozy like Angel’s Share. More warmth than liquor. About 45 minutes in, I picked up a brief bright pop that came across almost incense-like in the inner crook of the elbow. It felt resinous rather than smoky, cutting through the darker gourmand notes for a moment before settling back down. By the early drydown, the scent turned more gourmand overall. Not a sharp caramel, but a soft melted sugar sweetness with hints of vanilla and tonka. I also noticed a faint creaminess from sandalwood and a light grassiness from vetiver trying to keep things balanced. The issue for me is performance. Less than two hours in, this was already sitting very close to the skin. No real projection, no scent bubble, and eventually I had trouble detecting it at all, even on skin and clothes. At that point, it made me question the purpose of wearing it in the first place. I can appreciate the idea and the composition, but this one just doesn’t work for me. It wears too quietly and disappears too fast on my skin. Respect where it’s coming from, but not something I’d reach for or commit to. This one is one that hurts the most. I really wanted to love this one. I actually have Momento Mori tattooed on my arm and figured if a fragrance has it as a tagline, it would be something that would be memorable because it’s a life experience, but it didn’t turn out to be that 🤷🏽.