Don’t always trust your nose

I wanted to write about the fact that there are some perfumes that have a very different scent when smelled from 1 inch away than from 4 feet away. The first time I became aware of this was when I created a scent of my own. It was one of the first things I had ever made and I wasn’t expecting much out of it because I was still learning (and still am).

After creating something I thought might be nice, I put it on and it smelled pretty unremarkable. Not bad exactly, but just a random scent that didn’t smell like someone would have wanted to make it. I let one of my room mates smell it and put my wrist out and she smelled it and tried to say in the nicest way she could that it wasn’t great. But then when I back up and had a conversation she now that she was smelling it from farther away said she really liked it.

I wore it again outside and I kept getting whiffs of a very nice smell that I didn’t think was my cologne at first but it kept following me around.

I’ve since realized that is sometimes the case with some designer and niche perfumes as well. Sometimes when you smell it right off your wrist you’re not getting an accurate representation of what it smells like to others. This is why it is so important to try on a cologne and walk around with it for a day before purchasing it no matter how much you like or dislike at when you first try it on. It’s also why it’s a good idea to get other people’s opinions. Especially if you have a significant other who is going to have to live with your decision as much as you do.

Review: Armaf – All you need is desire

This starts off with a woody scent and some incense notes. It reminds me of a club scent, but it’s not overwhelming like some club scents can be. After about an hour the fragrance goes through a significant transformation and turns into something very unique. It is last a decent amount of time and the projection is about medium.

I think it has synthetics in it, but it doesn’t smell overwhelmingly synthetic. I think this could work at a club, or even in the office once it dries down. This is something I would consider owning. I don’t think I’ve smelled another cologne that went through such a wonderful transformation.

Review: Armani – Code

Pleasant but it has a very synthetic smell.

This has notes of leather, anise, olive blossom (which is something I don’t see in a perfume very often). and citrus. To me, it has a grassy vibe with a pepper smell. I’m guessing this might be coming from the leather. It has good projection and is long lasting.

Seems like a night club scent. That’s really the only environment I can think of this being appropriate.

This isn’t something you need to own. It has a decent smell but there are a lot of other colognes that would better fill the club niche.

Calvin Klein – Eternity for Men EDP

It has a synthetic smell to it. It is very similar to Cool Water, it shares come ingredients and the overall vibe of this scent is very close. I do prefer this to Cool Water, it’s a bit softer. Seems like it would be very appropriate for an office environment. It has pretty good projection, but doesn’t last a particularly long time.

I am generally not a fan of Calvin Klein perfumes, but this is probably one of their better ones. I think I may see what the original Eternity smells like to do a comparison between the two.

Czech & Speake – Vetiver Vert

Fresh and earthy scent, which usually aren’t things you think of as going together but somehow it is so.. Grassy, woody, with a bit of citrus. There is some basil in there that makes a very interesting undertone. The projection is decent, and it is very long lasting.

This would be a great scent for the gym, office, or general outdoor activities. Makes me think of being outside during summertime, more of a day fragrance.

It’s a very nice vetiver based fragrance. This has enough other notes so that even if you have another vetiver cologne, it would be a good addition to any collection.