After trying a sample of Tom Ford Ombre Leather last week and discovering that both I and my wife are fans, I also picked up Maison Alhambra Opulence Leather (formerly sold as Amber and Leather), a more easily affordable clone. I put one spray of each, one on the right wrist, the other on the left, to compare. I was definitely able to tell them apart, especially at first. The Alhambra seemed less ... sweet? Drier? Not sure what people call it...and instead came with a greater smokiness, like you pick up on the edge of an autumn bonfire. I'm not sure how much of a seductive, crowd-pleasing scent that is, but it's actually one with lots of very positive nostalgic memory associations for me, so it was quite pleasant. Within a half hour or hour, I guess I started to lose confidence that I was keeping them separate, but they seemed to converge and become nearly identical. The Tom Ford seemed to get a little MORE smoky, while the Alhambra seemed to mellow out, maintaining the wood smoke feel, but becoming much more approachable. OK, date night coming up, taking the wife out in a couple hours...

Leather can go in so many directions - smooth, smoky, or sweet. When you layer, what do you pair it with most? - Amber - for warmth and depth - Smoke - for that dark, mysterious edge - Vanilla - to smooth it out - Woods - for a grounded, natural vibe - I don’t layer leather - it’s bold enough alone 💬 Drop a comment if you’ve got a combo that always gets compliments.

This morning went with a sample of Versace Blue Jeans. About 4 sprays, and it started off as...nothing? Dried down to...nothing? Seriously, I couldn't smell anything at all. My nose seemed to be working fine throughout the day, so at least hopefully that means it didn't bother anyone at the office. Now that I'm home for the evening and no longer have to smell the putrid burning tire and asphalt smells of the highway I decided to apply some Drakkar Noir so I could actually smell something for a bit. Now can anyone help me understand, what exactly are Antonio, other YouTubers, and Redditors talking about when they say a fragrance smells/doesn't smell "dated?" The concept is simply incomprehensible to me. Everyone out here trying to smell like the ocean that's been smelling like that for a hundred million years, I'm quite confused...

Damn fine is how I would/wood describe this next offering from Tom Ford. One of the free samples the girl at the Tom Ford counter hooked me up with. So I do enjoy an Oud fragrance, I got quite a few, but many are quite heavy/hard to wear or paired with rose, which is a combo that I am tired of. This is different though. Its a woddy/oriental, created by Richard Herpin for the Private Blend Collection & released back in 2007. If you are any way hesitant about jumping on the Oud train or are new to the note, then this may be perfect for you. It opens up with top notes of Oud, Brazilian Rosewood, Cardamom & Sichuan Pepper. The spice & wood combination work well too lead you deeper into the fragrance. The "oud" in Oud Wood is a clean, modern, and slightly medicinal interpretation, not the animalic or "barnyard" scent found in some traditional oud fragrances. At the middle notes of Sandalwood & Vetiver transition the scent into the dry-down, which is smooth, creamy & elegant, with the amber, vanilla & tonka bean adding a touch of warmth and sweetness without becoming overly gourmand. Sadly the only point of contention is the performance with both longevity & projection being a huge letdown, especially considering the high price point. Im currently only getting 3 to 4 hrs max before it fades to a skin scent. The scent bubble goes home after only 1 hr. This could & should have been an excellent fragrance, but they dropped the ball sadly. Its the first TF that I have too say im really disappointed in. My Rating: 4.5/10 Scent: 2.5 Longevity: 1 Sillage: 1 Y/N:0

Still extremely new to wearing fragrances of any kind that last longer than aftershave. I started off with a sample of Tom Ford Ombre Leather EDP, and today I'm trying Rasasi Hawas Black. I've read strongly mixed reviews online, and I feel like I can understand both the positive and the negative. It's quite a strong start, with a bit of astringency. After a little while now, it's feeling like I'm being followed by a giant pineapple everywhere I go, which is kind of a fun mental image 😂 I wonder if this is what Spongebob smells like?