Blackberry Brandy by Dua Brand

by

Blackberry Brandy was one of the Dua originals that I wanted to try out, when I came across it on the website. So, I bought one of the travel size vials for testing and full review. I wanted to see how the boozy perfume actually smelled and if it was actually worthwhile. Below is my experience with this scent.

What does Blackberry Brandy smell like?

Notes include: blackberry, berries, black cherry liqueur, cedar, amber, brandy, labdanum, vanilla

Click here to try: Blackberry Brandy

My Full Review

Blackberry Brandy starts off with the fruity end of its personality taking the lead. Yes, the blackberry will be here throughout, but the cherry liqueur note will be very prominent at the start.

There are some further berry notes here, but mostly get overshadowed by the blackberry itself.

Brandy is obvious too, from the very beginning. The note doesn’t take time to develop and it too sticks around the entire time.

After 10 or so minutes, I’ll pick up some warmer amber and labdanum notes. There’s some spice, still mostly sweet, and the boozy effect of the brandy note.

The initial fruits will fade, sands the blackberry. At this point, the blackberry is in charge, with the brandy playing second fiddle. Vanilla really comes through here, playing sort of a balancing role with the amber base.

To me, the only real change during the final dry down is that this perfume becomes more brandy dominant with blackberry falling back some. Less fruity, more boozy.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Blackberry Brandy does have a thicker and warmer kind of feeling while wearing it. Not super heavy or a massive projector. more like a cozy cloud of perfume. A bit above average with its reach, just not going to blow the doors off.

The fragrance lasts right about 7 hours, on my skin. It’s fine, nothing extreme, but slightly above average versus many other scents on the market. On the whole, the performance is pretty good, just not amazing.

Seasonally, this is autumn and winter all the way. Within that time frame, you’ll most likely want to wear this casually during the day or as more of a nighttime fragrance. Probably not the best idea to show up to the office smelling like brandy, so, it’s probably a bit more limited than other perfumes in that sense.

In the cold, however, this one really shines. It just hangs beautifully in the air around you and is quite comforting.

Overall Impressions of Blackberry Brandy

Overall, do I like Blackberry Brandy? Yes, but not completely in love with it. I’ve been trying to like the smell of brandy more than I actually do, it seems. I prefer rum, cognac, and whiskey fragrances when I want some booziness.

However, if you’re a big fan of brandy, this is for sure one to check out. It does everything well, the warmth, the blackberry note, the cherry liqueur, and that brandy note itself.

It’s not super complicated, but I like the depth of the aroma that the vanilla, amber, and labdanum notes add to this one. That cherry liqueur really stands out to me early and I like it a lot.

Performance is good, not incredible, but probably enough for what most people would use this fragrance for. It’s worth a shot or maybe try out one of their other brandy perfumes, if you’re not super into the smell of blackberry.

10 Best Cinnamon Scented Perfumes

by

Cinnamon is actually a pretty common spice found in fragrances for both men and women. Everybody knows that smell from childhood, sweet treats, or just a spice rack. However, it isn’t used all too often as one of the main attraction in a perfume.

What if you want a cinnamon scented perfume? What are your best smelling options? In this post, I want to present some choices for women, who are looking for a fragrance that smells like cinnamon.

What are the Best Smelling Cinnamon Perfumes?

Cognac and Cinnamon

Angels’ Share by Kilian– To me, this is one of the best fragrances that came out in the past year or so. In fact, I purchased a full bottle quickly after I tested it out for the site. Angels’ Share is a sweet and boozy fragrance with plenty of cinnamon in the mix to enjoy.

It opens with the cognac, oak, and tonka bean. The cognac note has a great apple tinge to it, which when paired with the cinnamon note, smells divine. It’s not an overwhelming cinnamon note, but it sticks around and is joined by praline and vanilla.

It dries down warm, like an oak barrel soaked in sweet/spicy cognac. Magnificent performance and a really stunning unisex perfume. Angels’ Share Full Review

Woody Cinnamon

Dolce Vita By Christian Dior For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Oz.– Dolce Vita was a 1990s release from Christian Dior. This one is a bit spicy, but not overbearing, while also being warm and sweet. Peach, sandalwood, cinnamon, and cardamom help to create this effect among other notes.

The base is very woody with rosewood to go along with the aforementioned sandalwood note. Layered on top of that is cardamom and cinnamon, which give it the spicy kick and warmth. Finally, the peach note gives Dolce Vita, its sucrose sweetness.

It’s all sort of a modern take on a classic kind of formula. The sandalwood note is really great, when it has its time, within the composition. Paired that with the cinnamon and it’s sort of like a more feminine take on the Creed fragrance, posted below.

dolcevita

A Classic Spice

Youth Dew by Estee Lauder– I was deciding whether or not I should add this or YSL’s Opium to the list, but Youth Dew still has more of the cinnamon vibe, especially compared to the newer bottles of Opium.

Youth Dew is a classic powerhouse, that really helped to shape modern perfumery. It still hits with its bold use of spice, not only from cinnamon, but also clove and other assorted notes.

Yet, the opening has a great sweetness to it. A ‘cola’ note with some light fruits and aldehydes. Hints of smoky incense come through, balsamic notes, and a sea of warm amber. Oh, then the whole floral, earthy, powdery segments which come and go.

Not necessarily a perfume for everyone. But, one that should be tried out at least a few times. Particularly, if you enjoy cinnamon.

Inexpensive Cinnamon Bun Fragrance

Demeter Cinnamon Bun Cologne Spray for Women, 4 Ounce– This is pretty self-explanatory, it’s a fragrance that has the same aroma as cinnamon buns.

Demeter is a brand which releases lots of these perfumes, which smell specifically like something. So, if you want that cinnamon bun smell have at it. Plus, it’s a pretty inexpensive bottle to pick up.

Cinnamon, Plum, Woods

Tom Ford Plum Japonais By Tom Ford for Women – 1.7 Oz Edp Spray, 1.7 Oz– Yes, this is a plum based perfume from Tom Ford. However, the plum settles, and cinnamon with woods, really come through. It’s sweet and tarts at times, with a magnificent dry down of spice and oud.

Plum Japonais does have that fruity start, but the saffron and amber, add a smoky warmth, and this does become a somewhat spicy cinnamon fragrance. So, dried fruit with delicious spice, and a deep woodsy base.

This is a great and unique fragrance for those who want a cinnamon blend with a high end designer touch.

Warm, Sweet, and Creamy

Original Santal By Creed For Men. Millesime Spray 4.0 Oz – An option from Creed which features sandalwood, vanilla, and cinnamon as its main features. I have warmed up to this scent a lot since my original review.

I find it so much more pleasant than after my first few days of wear and really began to enjoy its understated smoothness.

There is a hint of juniper berry in the composition and the whole thing has a really fresh vibe. Original Santal is a softer scent and the longevity is pretty average, but a nice scent to wear on a cold day.

I really like the vanilla note here, with the sandalwood. The cinnamon gives it that little bit of spice, but the sweet creaminess, can be utterly terrific. Creed Santal Review

rp_FullSizeRender-37-225x300.jpg

Smoky Unisex Spice

Parfums de Marly Herod Men’s Edp Spray, 4.2 Ounce– A warm, mature, and sexy unisex perfume.  Herod struck me as a fragrance with elements of some of my other favorite scents on the market.

This scent opens up with a fantastic tobacco note, with cinnamon spice, pepper, and earthy patchouli. This does lean more masculine, but women can absolutely wear this one. You could also go with Oajan, which is more masculine smelling, but Angels’ Share covers much of the same ground.

It later has a sweet and spicy aroma, that plays off of one another. First, vanilla. Then, it’s cinnamon and pepper pairing go to work.  Long lasting fragrance, who’s pepper spice is blunted by an incense smokiness lingering just underneath.

This one is built for the cold weather and really is one of the top Parfums de Marly fragrances to boot. This is gorgeous.  Read my full Herod Review

Gourmand Citrus and Cinnamon

L de Lôlítá Lémpícká by Lôlítá Lémpícká for Women Eau De Parfum Spray 1.7 oz– This is getting harder to find, but it can still be had online. L de Lolita Lempicka is a really great fragrance, which uses our target note.

It opens up with a rather sharp citrus blend, which will settle, and reveal a delicious gourmand perfume.

Vanilla, cinnamon, and tonka bean highlighted by the aforementioned citrus notes. It’s richly creamy, with a nice balance of sweet and cinnamon. Sweet orange and vanilla, with cinnamon, wrapped together in a warm body. A good wintertime wear.

Honey Spiced Woods

Honey Aoud by Montale– Honey Aoud is a very loud and bold creation which has a prominent oud note that is utterly dripping with honey. But, you also get a great sprinkling of cinnamon note, which stays prominent throughout. While being a major player with the honey early on.

This has a nice balance of sweetness from vanilla and honey, spice, and drier woody aromas coming up from the base.

What’s interesting here is the smokiness coming off of the oud and the emergence of the leather note. When all put together, you get a fantastic fragrance from Montale, which can be somewhat pricey. Honey Aoud is one where the quality matches the price tag.

Musk and Cinnamon

Musc Ravageur by Frederic Malle 100ml– Musc Ravageur is one built for the colder days of the year. It’s a warm embrace of sweet notes and musk. Vanilla and tonka bean are of course here, as well as the cinnamon note.

It’s fresh and somewhat gourmand, but with a musk note infused into all of it.

Musc Ravageur is more musk heavy, but the cinnamon plays a significant role here. It’s not a ‘pure’ cinnamon play, but it is a unique one. It’s another one, that leans masculine, but can be unisex in practice.

Furthermore, there is a spicy element along with the cinnamon, amber, and cloves. Such an interesting fragrance and quite sensual. There are so many fragrances with a lot of the same notes, but the musk, and the composition sets this apart.

5 Fragrances that Smell Similar to CK One

by

CK One was one of the most dominant, if not the very pinnacle of ubiquity of fragrances during the 1990s. For those of you not old enough to remember, this Calvin Klein perfume was absolutely everywhere, and is basically ingrained in our collective memories.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t completely copied to death, sure alternatives existed but nothing was exactly the same. In this post, I want to present five fragrances that smell comparable to CK One.

Fragrances that are Like CK One

Inspired Similarities

#1 by Dua Brand– I hadn’t found a perfume that attempted to recreate the CK One formula, that was a $5-10 and terrible rendition of it. Now, I haven’t tried this one out, but I’ve bought a bunch of perfumes from Dua in the past, that have tried to match designer scents and they were great.

CK One isn’t an overly complicated formula, so, this shouldn’t be an exception to Dua’s great track record.

That opening with the lemon, tea, papaya, and other notes is there. So is everything else that the original 90s formula of CK One had. If they got it even 85% percent correct this should be a good substitute.

Whether or not its worthwhile, may depend on the price of the Calvin Klein fragrance at the time that you want to purchase.

The Best Alternative

Azzaro Chrome Eau de Toilette – Cologne for Men– Chrome opens up with lemon, pineapple, and neroli. The citrus and floral blend of Chrome certainly does favor CK One and creates a compelling alternative scent.

This Azzaro does lean much more to the masculine end of things, versus being a pure unisex like the CK perfume. What I love about Azzaro is how bright and upbeat it feels. Similar style, yet completely unique.

The neroli gets paired with jasmine and you start to get more of a soapy quality. However, there is rosemary for the herbal aspect and a metallic smelling finish.

These two definitely have their distinctions but Chrome is going to give you the closest experience and you might even prefer it to One. Chrome Review

Ferrari Floral

Ferrari Scuderia Red Eau De Toilette Spray, 4.2 oz– Scuderia Red has a similar scent profile to that of CK One. However, I prefer the Calvin Klein versus this.

That being said, it can indeed be a cheaper option and is overall a pretty good fragrance. It opens up with clean and juicy citrus notes, mainly orange, with lemon verbena. This Ferrari leans greater to the floral side of things versus our target, as it has a very prominent jasmine note.

The performance is decent, I pulled 6-7 hours from this one during my testing of it a few years back. Closer to the six hour mark, mostly. Again, not an exact comparable of One, but it can provide a nice experience for a low price. Scuderia Red Review

A Bluer Generic 

Cuba Blue by Cuba for Men – 3.4 Ounce EDT Spray– So, Cuba Blue has some similarities to CK One (mainly in the base), but I’d say it’s more like a mix of Chrome and Set Sail Martinique. A sort of metallic citrus opening act, with a musky/creamy dry down.

A cheaper freshie. The wood and musk is what rings closest in my mind to One, with the citrus notes favoring the other two aforementioned scents. Cuba Blue isn’t among my favorite of the Cuba line of colognes, more in the middle of the pack.

This one is stupid cheap, but not going to provide you an exact copy of the Calvin Klein. Honestly, it’d be my last pick from the four of these options. Though, it fits the overall target style.

Best Similar and Cheaper Option

Paco by Paco Rabanne for Men – 3.3 oz EDT Spray– As of publishing, you can pick up a bottle of this Paco Rabanne cologne for around $30. To me, this is the best value for those looking to replicate CK One. Cheaper than both One and Chrome…and strikes a similar chord.

The citrus is there, though, this isn’t the exact same formula as CK One. Instead, Paco is going to give you a greener and woodier heart, with a more masculine vibe. Though, you still get jasmine and tea, at about the same level.

Fresh, smoother than One, and with a greater use of earthy aromas. The performance is pretty good, but not amazing, and not really a marathon runner. It’s from the same era as our target and that really comes through during the wear.

10 Perfumes Similar to Bitter Peach

by

Tom Ford’s lineup of fragrances has a lot of popular picks and best-sellers. One of them that has enjoyed success in the past few years, is Bitter Peach.

Along with that notoriety and the price tag, people will begin searching for potential cheaper inspired by alternatives or just perfumes with a similar style. This is the page where I keep up to date with scents that fall into these categories, so it’ll expand over time.

Perfumes that Smell Similar to Bitter Peach

Close Peach

Sour Peach by Dua Brand– Sour Peach is the Dua Brand’s blend inspired by our Tom Ford target scent. Warm, resinous, sweet/sour, and spicy it comes close to being a match of the original. At least as close as you’re probably going to get.

Not too heavy with the sweetness, but it gives you a delicious light peach and a juicy blood orange note, early on in the composition. Enough of a dose of sandalwood and patchouli, to give Sour Peach some more depth.

But, it doesn’t really have the same exact depth, as the Tom Ford. But, if you liked the opening and middle of that one, this one strikes a close chord, while also having its own flavor. This Dua is going to get you a high quality aroma and great performance, at an appealing price point.

Brighter Cheapie

Bright Peach by Maison Alhambra– Maison Alhambra has come out with some pretty good ‘inspired’ fragrances of popular designer titles over the past couple of years. Bright Peach is one for those who want a cheapie that produces a similar aroma to our target. 

The differences here are going to be slight. Probably less of the boozy cognac note when compared to the Tom Ford and the peach is pretty intense or more heavily weighted, in the early part of the wear.

Another aspect is that the depth doesn’t seem to have the same level as Bitter Peach. Bright Peach is a bit simpler, but does a great job overall at producing a scent that is in the same ballpark as to what we’re looking for. 

Smashing

Peach Smash by ALT Fragrances– Peach Smash is a popular option for those who are looking for an inspired creation based on the Bitter Peach formula. ALT is generally good at this sort of thing and usually strike pretty close to the scent that they’re aiming for.

With Peach Smash, you get a nice juicy peach note in the same vein as the Tom Ford. It has intensity and depth that gives nuance to the smell. Plus, a performance in terms of wear time and strength that is comparable.

At around $50 currently, Peach Smash is right in line with other options of this sort and they all seem to be basically neck and neck, with only minor distinctions between them. 

 

Just a Little

Just Peach by Pandora Scents- So here is another scent on the cheaper end of things, that I recently came across. Now, I don’t know anything about it, in terms of its quality. But, by the note breakdown and bottle design, we’ve got another Bitter Peach type of scent on our hands.

I’ll leave this here for you all to explore and I’ll update this entry, in the future if necessary. 

Better Peach I

Better Peach by Fragrenza– This is the first alternative on the list called Better Peach, this one is by Fragrenza and I bought a sample of this a while back.

It does compare quite favorably to the Tom Ford version of the scent. It’s got a nice bold opening of the spiciness of cardamom and rum, with the juiciness of the peach note and blood orange. 

I thought that this one did a nice job of developing, getting the floral aspects of the formula correct, and it has a very good performance. Better Peach wasn’t weak and it lasted for a long time on my skin. 

As of this publishing, this runs $70 for a full bottle and you can buy a sample as a part of a sample discovery set. 

Another Option

Better Peach by Alexandria– Better Peach is another potential alternative option to Bitter. I haven’t tried out this one, but it is affordable, and this is a brand that has done some nice inspired releases in the past. This looks to be no different, based on reviews.

It appears that this one really focused on the peach, with the rum, and creaminess of the vanilla note that comes in. The Dua Sour Peach formula was lighter on the sandalwood, but this could deliver more of that, I hope. 

Again, throwing this one in as one to try out. 

Simplified Cheapie

Sunrise Moon by Pacifica– This one usually runs between $20-25 per bottle, but gives you a similar, yet paired back aroma that is like Bitter Peach. The depth isn’t here, but the notes of mandarin, peach, and cardamom overlap…basically the top notes of the Tom Ford perfume.

It’s a lighter fragrance. The cardamom adds a spice and can have its own citrus-like smell, which basically gets absorbed but the mandarin and peach. The peach is the star.

It’s fresh and clean with a great sweetness and warmth. Warm, not heavy, as Sunrise Moon works well for the warmer months.

So, if you wanted the sweeter elements of the Tom Ford, stripped of the bitterness, booziness, etc. this one can deliver the fruits on their own.

Apricot Similarities

Apricot Privee by Phlur– I got a sample of Apricot Privee a few days after I first posted this list and I had to do an update.

This one doesn’t try to be the same as Bitter Peach, but it does share many of the same elements. This Phlur actually goes with apricot and plum notes, which are joined early by the same cardamom spice.

Add to that: jasmine, sandalwood, and labdanum; the latter giving it that amber warmth. I actually like the dry down with the sandalwood, more so than the cardamom blast up top.

That part of the scent feels fresher. There is some nice juiciness and a syrupy quality here, that I enjoy.

I’m not sold on this as being better than Bitter Peach, however. Though it is certainly cheaper than the Tom Ford, it isn’t itself cheap, by any means. But, worth giving a try, if you’re looking for something along the same lines.

A Floral Peach

Gucci Rush By Gucci For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Ounces– If you’re looking for a super similar perfume to Bitter Peach, Gucci Rush isn’t it. However, it shares plenty of the same notes, just taken in a different direction.

Peach and patchouli are the main overlaps here with the Tom Ford. This one is much more towards the floral end of things though. Gardenia and rose are the mainstays. There is also jasmine and vetiver like Bitter Peach.

But, there’s no booziness here, not as spicy, and not a pure unisex fragrance. But, if you want a perfume that’s sort of a cousin to Bitter Peach, this is a great one in its own right. Gucci Rush Review

Peachy Vanilla

BURBERRY for Women Eau de Parfum, 3.3 fl oz– Burberry for Women isn’t an inspired alternative Bitter Peach, mostly because it pre-dates that fragrance by about 3 decades. Plus, it doesn’t have a host of the patchouli and rum sort of notes.

But, this one shares the peach note, vanilla, and sandalwood. It’s like a lighter cousin of Bitter Peach, but still a perfume to check out if you like the Tom Ford.

Burberry for Women is a softer fragrance, with a lovely opening of peach, apricot, and vanilla notes, that is later followed by a woody base.

It’s fruity, with that sort of sweetness, but isn’t completely candy-like. This has freshness, but not the warm spiciness that can come with Bitter Peach.

The vanilla and fruit combo gives off an overall creamy/powdery type of aroma, that’s quite beautiful, and suitable for everyday wear. It’s a cleaner perfume, that probably has some more versatility, in terms of climate than our Tom Ford.

Tougher to find nowadays, but I’ll include it anyhow. 

Chance Eau Tendre by Chanel

by

Chance Eau Tendre is one of the more popular takes on the Chanel Chance name. It’s already famous and a best seller, but does it actually warrant this position. I recently revisited this perfume, grabbed some samples to test out, and finally put my thoughts to the page. How does Eau Tendre smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Chance Eau Tendre Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, grapefruit, hyacinth, musk, quince, iris, musk, cedar, amber

Click here to try: Chance Eau Tendre

eau tendre edt review

My Full Review

Here’s how Chanel describes it: The delicate and unexpected floral-fruity fragrance creates a soft, tender whirlwind of happiness, fantasy and radiance—a chance encounter.

Eau Tendre starts off with its citrus note playing a very prominent role. The more unique quince note, leads the way supported by the more standard grapefruit. It’s bight and fresh, since you can already pick up the cedar and musk notes from the base.

I do notice with this original EDT version, the citrus notes stick around for a longer period of time than they do in the EDP.

There is also a greenish feel to the opening act. Part of the quince and maybe a stem-like aroma from some of the emergent floral. Not massive, but in the early stages, I can pick it up.

This one will shift from just being a fresh citrus fragrance to something that is floral, sweeter, and with a powdery finish. That’s going to be the case, when the hyacinth note is the strongest floral and it gets assistance in that regard from the iris.

The iris and jasmine seem to split duties between themselves. At certain points, the iris will be the second strongest floral, at others I will get a lot more jasmine.

The dry down is a powdery and musky citrus aroma. Cedar freshness still abounds, but the distinct qualities of the jasmine and iris seem to have merged into the hyacinth. So, sort of a generic powdery floral smell.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is a tad above average on the whole. The opening hour or two does produce a nice scent trail and it projects quite well off of the skin after spraying.

Now, this isn’t a heavy or ‘thick’ sort of perfume that will blanket a room, unless you just go nuts with the spraying. Nonetheless, it’s certainly not weak and will give one a decent scent bubble for much of the duration.

The longevity with Eau Tendre EDT is around 6-8 hours. Usually, I can get to seven with it as a base. However, it can occasionally fall short of that and only get to about six.

Eau Tendre is a very versatile fragrance, that can easily serve as a daily wear or signature scent for many women (and already does). It’s light and simple enough for teens to wear, but not immature, and really can work across the age spectrum.

Seasonally, this Chanel is best in the spring and summer months. It’s lightness and fresh/upbeat qualities make it a very nice wear for the warmer temperatures.

Overall Impressions of Eau Tendre

Overall, do I like Eau Tendre? Yes, the EDT version is my personal favorite from the entire Chance line. I think that it is slightly better smelling than the EDP and basically has the exact same performance level.

Eau Tendre is a very approachable and great little perfume. It’s really something that you can wear and not have to think about very much. Smell good and go. The floral notes are powdery and clean, not too much musk, and a citrus accord that isn’t exactly the same as everything else out there.

Yes, this has been around for a long while now, and has become fairly ubiquitous in its use among the public. Still, Chance Eau Tendre is a perfume that most people won’t find very much issue with and will probably enjoy. Well, except maybe the Chanel pricing.