Happy New Year brothers! On this first day of 2026 I decided to do a side-by-side wear of Clive Christian Blonde Amber and the Dua clone, Amber Who Is Blond. The note breakdown on both of the is insane! No way my nose is refined enough to pick all of them up. First spray: 10:47 a.m. 10:47–10:50 a.m. (opening): Right off the bat, Blonde Amber feels rounder, smoother, and more subtle. Everything is very well blended. The Dua, on the other hand, opens a bit louder, with a noticeable powdery texture early on. I also pick up cardamom more clearly in the Dua at this stage. Within a few minutes, that powderiness in the Dua starts to calm down, and by around 10:50, both fragrances smell very similar. The citrus in both is very subtle, no sharp pop, and I’m not getting any boozy effect from Blonde Amber at all. At this point, cardamom and olibanum are clearly driving the opening for both. Around 11:00 a.m.: This is where the execution difference becomes obvious. The Dua has more presence. It announces itself more and is easier to smell as I move around. Blonde Amber, by contrast, becomes quieter and more nuanced. It doesn’t disappear, but it feels more refined and less eager to project. Same DNA, different behavior. By ~11:04 a.m.: The olibanum is very front and center in the Dua. That resinous incense character is clear and noticeable. In Blonde Amber, the same resin is there, but it’s pushed into the background. Nothing sticks out. Everything feels smoothed and integrated. At this point, they still clearly share the same idea, but the difference in blending and balance is obvious. The Dua keeps its edges and presence longer, while Blonde Amber pulls back and lets everything sit together more seamlessly. This is turning into a really interesting comparison. The Dua smells good and delivers the DNA with more impact. Blonde Amber feels more polished, restrained, and nuanced. Same concept, different execution.

@Antonio O. Centeno and his team put out a new video today talking about the best men’s fragrances according to his followers. A few were chosen from the BoS, and some from our Dec 2025 10/10 effort. Were you featured? https://youtu.be/xKVljiUVgf8?si=3vIa0f9_wIu6-9Id