Waiting for my next paycheck to come, I’d been trying to get a bottle of Vulcan Black Friday Edition by French Avenue. I’m not the biggest fan of French Avenue generally, but Vulcan Black blew me away, and really nailed the DNA for Xerjoff Deified. On top of that, it comes in a way cool snake bottle that would look perfect among my leather jacket and jewelry collection (I’m a big snake lover too, planning to get a few tattoos), but it’s so hard to find! I found it on Amazon, waited and waited for my new paycheck to come so I can deposit it and set the money aside… and now it’s gone again! I’m sooo mad! But hopefully it’ll be back in stock again. When, I have no idea, but I’m hoping it’ll be soon :(

Match #48 in the second-chance bracket is a study in contrasts: Lattafa Mashrabya versus Prada Luna Rossa Ocean Eau de Parfum. Mashrabya (2024) is an affordable powerhouse—a rich amber vanilla fragrance built around apple shisha, cinnamon, tobacco, caramel, vanilla, oud, and patchouli. It's sweet, smoky, and strong, and I can certainly see reaching for it when the weather gets seriously cold. Prada Luna Rossa Ocean EDP (2023, created by Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaïm) feels much fresher, particularly in the opening, with grapefruit leading into incense, vanilla, amber, and woods. It has plenty of depth, but it's considerably more versatile than Mashrabya. And ultimately, that's the test I've been using throughout this tournament: which one would I actually reach for more often? For me, it's Prada every time. Add in the emotional connection—Ocean was one of the first fragrances in my collection and the one I wore when I first met my fiancée in Hong Kong—and this decision becomes even easier. Prada Luna Rossa Ocean EDP survives for another round, while Lattafa Mashrabya is eliminated from the tournament. I'm glad Ocean is sticking around. This bottle has a story attached to it.