I’ll be fair to Dua Fragrances — I don’t think their best work is always the “inspired by” stuff. Where they really shine for me is their originals and especially their hybrids. Here’s why I think Dua actually excels when they’re creating their own blends: 1) Their hybrids feel like a real lane, not just cloning. A lot of brands copy one scent and call it a day. Dua’s hybrids usually take DNA from two (or more) familiar profiles and mash them into something that feels genuinely new. Sometimes it’s hit-or-miss, but when it hits, it’s a fun “what if these two had a baby?” kind of scent. 2) “Beast mode” is basically their signature. Even if someone doesn’t love the refinement, it’s hard to deny the longevity and projection. Their originals/hybrids are usually built to perform like crazy, which is a big reason people become fans in the first place. 3) Their originals tend to smell richer than people expect. When Dua is on, their blends come across smooth, dense, and saturated, like they’re not afraid of using heavier materials or pushing sweetness/woods/ambers harder than a lot of designers. You can tell the goal is impact. 4) They’ve got real “concept scents,” not just copy-paste profiles. Some of their originals lean into a specific vibe—spa-clean, candy/gourmand, nostalgic, etc.—and commit to it. Stuff like Luxurious Spa Day or Spell Of Cotton Candy, as well as the other originals and one hybrid I took pictures of. (if you like that style) are good examples of Dua doing something that feels intentionally themed, not just “close enough to X.” 5) Value is a huge part of the appeal. End of the day: you’re getting niche-style intensity and weird/fun creativity without paying niche-house pricing. Not everything is going to be perfectly refined, but for performance + creativity, the originals/hybrids are legit. I would basically rate all the originals and hybrids a minimum of 8/10 Plus!!! I have to edit this to include pictures from my phone!!!

I discovered quite a while ago that the Cartier is a brilliant fragrance to blend. It works well with Aventus, Layton, Interlude, Mancera Red Tobacco, Individuel and SEVERAL others. When I first got it, I found it challenging because it's hyper-sweet from the caramel, tonka and sugar notes. But it has a smoky vibe too and I love my smoke. At this point, I'm perfectly happy just spraying it straight, though I wouldn't recommend that for most. Anyway, tonight I wanted to do a rerun of the Noir Absolu with the Lattafa Dukhan. I tried it several months ago and it was simply wonderful. This combination has a niche-like, exotic vibe, and with smoke, resin, and that Middle Eastern soul that I love. As a pair, the fragrance is quite powerful and IMO easily rivals fragrances that cost several hundred dollars. I layered the Lattafa on top of the Cartier after a couple moments to allow the Cartier to dry down a bit. The opening hits with a spicy-woody scent while the Dukhan rises over it with its incense smoke and warm resin. NO harshness here, in fact it’s smooth and refined. The mid seems to actually warm the skin (perfect for a cool evening), and becomes dense to the point where I'm constantly smelling my wrist! I just love the amber core with smokiness. The finish has that smoke & sexiness (so I hear) to it. The smoke becomes smoother over time while the fragrance is solidly masculine, even given the overall sweetness of the blend. Honestly, this is one of my favorite scents and one of the very few times that I would prefer to blend rather than spray the individual bottles. Each bottle can be had for less than $50, but combined I think the fragrance rivals bottles costing over $200! This is a 9/10 for me.