This is a woody aromatic with a sharp green-aquatic twist, dropped back in 2021 originally as part of Tom Ford’s fancy Private Blend range before they moved it over to the regular Signature line. No perfumer is officially named, which is typical for these Ford releases, with the exception of Sonia Constant As the name says, it’s meant to capture the vibe of the Côte d’Azur. To capture that French Riviera feeling, like you’re stood on a sun-warmed coast where cypress & oak trees run right down to salt-kissed sea air. It’s nothing like your usual generic freshie; it’s a proper snapshot of a place, for anyone who wants something crisp but with actual depth. First spray hits you with that bright, sun-drenched opening they talk about: zingy lemon and mandarin mixed with soft driftwood, seaweed, and that unmistakable salty kick. There’s a tiny dash of cardamom and celery seed too, which gives it a subtle peppery edge so it never feels boring or too “soapy”. Give it 15 minutes and the heart settles in: crisp cypress and juniper take the lead, backed up by clean lavender and myrtle. There’s just a faint hint of sweetness here to keep it from getting sharp or medicinal. Dries down to rich oak, earthy vetiver and olibanum, plus a whisper of vanilla and soft smoky incense that adds just enough warmth without weighing the whole thing down. Now for the reality, this juice is not cheap, my local Dublin shop retails a 100ml for €181. Its like a designer house with niche pricing. That said I don't think anyone could argue the quality of this house. Their fragrances deliver. I get almost 7 hours on skin, with solid projection for the first 2–3 hours before it settles into a nice close bubble. It’s unisex, made for warmer weather, and works just as well for sunny days as it does mild evenings. It’s not my usual go-to style, but I honestly like this, it’s different, enjoyable, and stands out from every other fresh scent out there. My Rating: 8/10 Scent: 2.5 Longevity: 2.5 Sillage: 2

Looking for a pick me up on a gloomy morning here so I went with Armaf Infinity Black. Nice ginger note with masculine florals off the top. Wood comes in later but it’s very nice. Wish I was able to try the OG YSL L’Homme Ultime. Definitely worth looking in to.

So, I had some luck last year with a shower oil, but there was one significant issue - it had a distinct scent of its own. For working from home days, this wasn't a big deal, and I did like the convenience of applying the oil to my body at the end of my shower, letting it sit for a couple of minutes, and then rinsing off the excess. I noticed little difference in my chest, arms, and elbows between this and applying traditional moisturizer after showering. However, because of the scent of the shower oil, I ended up abandoning it after that first supply ran out and going back to the traditional routine. Of course, this also meant that certain parts of my body were getting as much moisturization as they could, since applying lotion is a more tedious process. A few days ago, though, I started a new moisturizing routine... I ordered some organic, fractionated coconut oil off of Amazon to try out as a shower oil. As it turns out, it seems to work just as well as that 'proprietary' shower oil blend - as a full-body moisturizer. However, people weren't kidding about the fragrance benefits. I've noticed a significant improvement in both longevity and projection over the last few days. I'm still, of course, applying an extra layer of face moisturizer to my face as well as body moisturizer with SPF to my head and neck after I shower, but I no longer have to take 15-20 minutes once a week (being generous with how often I actually did it) to apply body moisturizer to my entire body. Instead, I take an extra ≈3 minutes at the end of my shower to apply the fractionated coconut oil and the end result is both improved moisturization for my whole body plus increased fragrance performance. What about you guys? Do you use fractionated coconut oil as a moisturizer, or elsewhere in your fragrance routine?