Today I wore two fragrances. Woke up early and was in an office environment, so even though it was cool, I chose to wear my favorite PDM Freshie.. That would be Galloway. Although I love Greenley and it does have more longevity, I like the scent profile of Galloway better. It reminds me of driving through central Florida I the spring. With the pervasive scent of orange blossom just everywhere and delicious as well as impossible to avoid. The black pepper and musk blend with this accord beautifully. To me, this is about as good as it gets for a spring and summer fragrance. Moving on, as I'm wearing a fragrance just for me while being home after noon, I wanted to smell Blessed Baraja on my skin. I absolutely love this one. It projects wonderfully off my skin and leaves a pretty animalic, dirty, musky scent on me after a few hours (which I love!), even though it's a little bit funky. I feel like this is one of Initio's most underrated fragrances. Do you have any opinions on these fragrances?

Taking a day off the Jusbox discovery rotation to test in the wild. Managed four scents on skin this time, wrists and inner elbows. One of them was also promoted to a full wear at the counter (one wrist, neck pulse points and back). Again, many scents tested on card, and these were the most interesting. Without further fanfare: - Jusbox: 14Hour Dream - This is one missing from the discovery set (it made way for Fifty Four, which I am absolutely fine with). Sweet creamy vanilla at the top, spiced with ginger and pepper, cooling down into a woody core. Very intriguing and tasty, will source a full sample somehow. - Dior Privee: Oud Rosewood - I spent an evening last week powering through the entire Dior Privee line on card, and this was one of my favourites. The oud is strong, the rosewood is strong, the blend is delicate and the overall scent is excellent. Might be a bit much for a full bottle buy, as there's overlap with some others in my collection, but a fine wear nonetheless. - Mind Games: J'Adoube - Fruity floral that mellows into a spicy leather. The drydown of this is excellent, but the opening and mid are merely average. Interesting development, but the price point is prohibitive to me. - Van Cleef & Arpels: Encens Precieux - This was my full wear. It was suggested last week by a friendly fragrance rep who knows my note preferences, and she hit the nail on the head for sure. Absolutely amazing peppery leather opening, which develops smoothly with a myrrh warms that almost adds a basamic glaze to the scent. The base is sweet smoky with vanilla and tobacco, and a through-line of frankinsence brings an animalistic quality too. Price point isn't too worrying, I'll likely add this to my shelf once I've come to terms with my leather addiction and plotted out my recovery.

This is widely considered a "spot-on" or "1:1" clone of Bond No. 9 Lafayette Street. It captures the same fresh, barbershop-meets-luxury DNA but is often praised for having even better longevity than the original. ​Notes: * Top: Bergamot, Coriander, and Floral Accords. ​Heart: Apple, Vanilla, and Ambroxan. ​Base: Tonka Bean, Ambergris, and Woodsy Notes. ​Longevity: Excellent (8–10+ hours). Because it is a Parfum concentration, it survives a full workday and often lingers on clothes for days. It has strong projection (sillage) for the first 2–3 hours before settling into a dense, creamy aura. ​Occasion: Highly versatile. It works perfectly as a "signature scent." It is clean and professional enough for the office, yet sweet and alluring enough for date nights or evening events. It has a "well-groomed gentleman" vibe but is officially unisex. ​Season: All-season. ​Spring/Summer: The citrus and apple keep it fresh enough for warm weather. ​Fall/Winter: The vanilla, ambergris, and tonka provide the "weight" and warmth needed to cut through the cold.