Stronger with You Oud by Emporio Armani

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Stronger with You Oud is one of the latest samples that I received, from this long running series of men’s fragrances by Emporio Armani. This one was released in 2022, following two years after the release of the Leather edition. How does SWY Oud smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Stronger with You Oud Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, oud, lavender

Click here to try: Stronger with You Oud

My Full Review

Stronger with You Oud actually reminds me a fair bit of The One Luminous Night in the opening act. It’s a sweetish, smoky, and woody blend that is very reminiscent of that D&G release.

Now, not the same, as the sage and date notes in Luminous are a lot stronger. Another aspect here, is there is a slight rubbery smell from the oud that I get early on. Much like what I got from A Midnight Stroll by Gucci.

I was expecting a stronger and perhaps dirtier oud note. But it’s more like a blend of those two aforementioned scents and SWY Leather, which also had an oud note. It’s sweet with some lavender and vanilla influence and a oud note that isn’t grabbing for attention.

This one is smooth and the leather note is definitely still here too. I really think they just swapped the strength of the oud and leather notes in SWY Leather, added some touches, and called it SWY Oud.

The dry down is a slightly powdery aroma with less sweetness, but a greater focus on lavender and the general woody notes (along with the light oud). You still get a of that Stronger with You DNA coming through, the chestnut, and it feels ambery.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

For me, this one seems to match the projection power of the leather edition, which was good. It’s not too heavy of a fragrance either, but Oud does have some density to its aroma.

Sprayed on clothes, I can detect this from like 6-7 feet away, at its peak. Thereafter, it will gradually draw closer to where you sprayed. However, the decline is pretty slow, and I never felt like I couldn’t detect it on myself.

The longevity is better, I can get up to 11 hours with this one. It seems to fall in that 9 to 11 hour range, each time that I have tested Oud out. So, it certainly delivers the performance if this is a cologne that you’re interested in.

Seasonally, I’d stick to autumn and winter with this. Colder weather is better here. Though, it can function well in moderate temperatures as well.

I’d keep this more as a nighttime wear. I don’t think that it is particularly sexy, but it can be used for more than a casual cologne, while still not being entirely formal. That rubbery aspect, early on, might not have the widest mass appeal of this SWY series. But, it will settle into something palatable for a larger audience.

Overall Impressions of SWY Oud

Overall, do I like Stronger with You Oud? Sort of. It’s not my favorite from the series, but it’s better than releases like, Only or Freeze. Personally, I’d go with Leather before this one, Absolutely, and Intensely too.

It’s fine, but it does begin to grate on my nerves after a period of wear. I’m not a massive oud fan and this, while not being a heavy oud fragrance (despite the name), just isn’t that great of an example.

That’s also a reason that I’d go with Leather versus this, as they do have a whole lot in common, but this has a slightly heavier weighting towards oud (while still not being dominant). Plus, that blend just smells much better overall.

It’s all nice enough, performance is really good, and this will for sure have plenty of fans. Me? It’s not something that I want to grab and spray on. If you’re a fan of the series, you should give it a try if you can, but might not want to blind buy.

Vanille Abricot by Comptoir Sud Pacifique

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Vanille Abricot is a fragrance from Comptoir Sud Pacifique which has been popular for a long time. It was released all the way back in 1993 and is still going strong. I’ve been planning on doing a whole host of reviews of scents from this brand and got a sample of Vanille Abricot to kick things off.

How does it smell? Does Vanille last long? Is this classic fragrance worth a try?

What does Vanille Abricot Smell Like?

Notes include: jackfruit, papaya, apricot, sugar candy, vanilla

Click here to try: Vanille Abricot by Comptoir

My Full Review

Here’s how Comptoir Sud Pacifique describes it: An irresistible accord that is velvety, sensual, rich and fragile. A subtle contrast between tender fruit and a bitter heart note. Just like the sun at the exact moment when it dries the myriad drops of water on your skin after a dip in the water and when it burns the teakwood under your feet on the decks of sailboats anchored at port.

The vanilla and sugar candy are prominent from the start. I was expecting there to be a strong representation from the fruit notes, but they don’t seem to get the top spot, at least on my skin.

I do get a slightly tropical smell and the apricot itself is distinct. However, this is a warm and sugary baked goods kind of aroma. To me, Vanille Abricot is like a cookie. It’s more sweet, rather than being juicy and fruity.

The dry down is a sugary vanilla with some slight hints from the fruit notes. Very simple perfume, but enjoyable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This Comptoir Sud Pacifique perfume doesn’t have a huge radius of projection, nor does it feel like a heavy perfume, even with its sweet and sugary scent.

It will hit maybe the six foot mark as far as its peak reach. Then, it will end up being a more intimate fragrance, in the 2 to 3 foot range for much of the duration.

On my skin, this perfume will stick around for 5 to 6 hours. Doesn’t want to go beyond that, it seems. Performance is middle of the road with Vanille Abricot.

Seasonally, this is light enough and has just enough of a fruity influence to be fine in warmer weather. I wouldn’t call this a pure summer scent, but it might work on certain days. Mainly, a more mild autumn and spring day would seem appropriate to wear this.

It can be worn by any age group. It’s not so immature that it is limited to teenagers. It’s light enough to be worn in a lot of different scenarios, but may not always be formal enough. More of a daytime wear versus a nightlife star.

Overall Impressions of Vanille Abricot

Overall, do I like Vanille Abricot? Yes, it’s not a complicated fragrance or one that is going to appeal to everyone, but if you like sweets…this Comptoir perfume delivers the goods.

This one is less about the apricot and much more tilted towards the very sugary vanilla note. Still, even with that being the case, Vanille Abricot is a scent that can be enjoyable from time to time.

The performance is pretty average, so don’t expect much on that front. It’s a nice smell that more than likely isn’t going to last the equivalent of a full work day.

It’s worth checking out if this sort of perfume appeals to you. The price for a bottle usually isn’t too high, so, a blind buy might not be too much of a stretch. It may be too boring for some or too sugary for others.

But, Vanille Abricot has stuck around long enough to have capture a mass audience, so it’s pretty darn safe to get without a lot of regret.

Phantom Parfum by Paco Rabanne

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Phantom Parfum is the follow up flanker to the popular, robot-bottled scent, Phantom by Paco Rabanne. This cologne was released by the brand in 2023. I bought a sample of it to test out a while back for the site. How does Phantom Parfum smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Phantom Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, lemon, rhubarb, cardamom, lavender, patchouli, vanilla, geranium, balsam, cedar

Click here to try: Phantom Parfum

My Full Review

To open things up, we get a stronger use of the citrus notes up top. That lemon, bergamot, and semi-tropical aroma is back from the original, longer lasting, and better than before.

With that, you get a rhubarb and cardamom in lieu of the apple note. It’s got a spicy aspect from that cardamom. Once the fruitiness has toned down, this one feels fresher and colder than Phantom.

Slightly greenish undertones, in the early stages. Rhubarb and geranium really add that cold streak to things.

Another part that will be noticed, is the early emergence of the lavender, which will play more of a role later on.

At some point, the fruitiness and much of the sweetness will fade from the top spot. For me, I get a lavender and woodsy mix in the middle act with stronger vanilla as we push further into the wear.

To me, the dry down is a vanilla and woods blend with some latent citrus that is still hanging around. Just like a spritz of lemon juice or something to that effect.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Between this and Phantom EDP, Parfum does indeed have a more powerful reach and heavier sillage. Yet, it’s not that much stronger.

I will say though, Parfum doesn’t lose what power it has quite as quickly and this one will stay in that upper moderate range of projection for longer than the original. Definitely doesn’t decay at the same speed as EDP.

On my skin, I have gotten 8-9 hours of wear out of this Parfum version. It is better than the original, and gives you good, yet not elite levels of staying power. But, it’s still worthy of some praise on the performance front.

Seasonally, this one is still the same as EDP. It’s an autumn and winter wear, that doesn’t hold up all that well in heat and humidity.

Within that context, this still skews younger and feels more like a nightlife wear, even if its fine to have on in the daytime. It’s sweeter side, should have some mass appeal and be able to pull a few complements, even if Phantom Parfum isn’t the best cologne around.

Overall Impressions of Phantom Parfum

Overall, do I like Phantom Parfum? It’s okay. I never was that into the original Phantom EDP, and while this one is the better of the two, it’s not a massively improved fragrance.

The opening is what I liked in the original and Parfum gives me more of that, in a longer and more citrusy style.

The dry down is a big dose of vanilla, some woods, and a now generic sweetness from the top notes. That initial ‘tropical’ sort of smell isn’t there anymore and it has the same vibe as any number of Paco Rabanne scents after that.

If you didn’t care for the first one, this probably won’t do much to sway you to getting on board with the series. If you liked the EDP, I’d say to give this one a try, as it does everything better with some differences along the way.

The performance delivers what you’ll need for almost any situation, so, you do get your money’s worth from that end of things.

If you’ve never come across a Phantom fragrance before. I wouldn’t suggest blind buying this scent unless you get a steep discount. Even Phantom Parfum, seems to be mostly a love/hate release, depending on the person.

Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree by Hermes

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Twilly d’Hermes continues to spawn flanker fragrances from its popular name and formula. Today, I want to write a bit about Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree which was released by Hermes back in 2019. How does this perfume smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, rose, patchouli

Click here to try: Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree

My Full Review

The pink pepper comes on quite strong in the beginning. I wasn’t expecting a heavy spice, when I first tried Poivree, but that’s what I’ve gotten each time.

That will calm down, but then, Poviree will move into its earthy, woodsy, rosy phase. The patchouli note is quite strong in the mix. The spice of the pink pepper does soften, but the rose note isn’t massive on me.

It’s a lighter and lovely rose, paired with a powerful patchouli note, and the pink pepper. There is some sweetness here and this isn’t completely a patchouli play throughout. Just be ready for something a bit on the rougher side in the first hour.

Later, it will dry down with more rose , and it’s an easier to appreciate basic floral perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one does start off with some punch. The pink pepper and patchouli phase, really does have some good reach and ability to leave a scent trail. As I’ve said, it does have a heaviness to it.

Then, it will become a slightly above average projecting and lighter moderate perfume. It will sit pretty much in that 3-4 foot range for most of the wear.

On my skin, Eau Poivree will stick around for up to 6.5 hours. Somewhere within range of that number, each time that I’ve tried it. It’s okay, but nothing really that going to blow away your expectations.

Seasonally, this Hermes seems like it can fit in well, pretty much anytime outside of the height of summer. It wouldn’t be too awful then, either, but I think that Eau Poivree would be at its worst.

Autumn or any mild weather, is ideal for this.

So, Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poviree, isn’t a perfume for everyone. It lacks a lot of the mass appeal that you get with the original. Some are going to be turned off by the patchouli and/or pink pepper.

Others, will think this one comes across as being too mature. It definitely seems to skew that way, at least it’s style is more of an old school flavor. Plus, it’s a daily wear type of fragrance and nothing built for nightlife or romantic wear.

Overall Impressions of Eau Poivree

Overall, do I like Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree? It’s fine, but it’s not my favorite from these Twilly perfumes.  The original EDP and Eau Ginger are both better fragrances than this one. Poivree will have a much more limited fan base versus those two.

I like the back half when the intensity has fallen a bit by the wayside. The opening is fine, but the pink pepper and patchouli come on too strong for my taste.

That balanced rose, sweetness, and patchouli part of this one is nice enough.

Still, it’s a fragrance with an okay performance and one that you’d probably want to test out before committing to a full bottle. For the retail price, Eau Poivree isn’t going to be one that most people will want to pick up.

It’s fine, not great, and not a true mass appealing fragrance.

6 Perfumes Similar to By the Fireplace

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By the Fireplace is one of the most popular fragrance from the Replica line by Maison Margiela. It is a winter staple with a sweet and smoky blend of chestnut, cloves, vanilla, and more.

While it’s a great scent on its own, you might want an alternative to it at some point. Either something that smells similar or is a cheaper ‘inspired by’ option. This is my page on the site dedicated to both for By the Fireplace.

What Fragrances Smell Similar to Replica’s By the Fireplace?

Stoking the Fire

Dua’s Fireplace– Fireplace is the Dua Brand’s take on the By the Fireplace formula. They also have other combination fragrances that mixes this scent with other popular perfumes.

If you’re looking for an inspired by aroma at a cheaper price point, Dua’s Fireplace can definitely hit the mark.

It’s going to have the same notes overlapping with the Maison Margiela fragrance and they usually get the weightings of each of them pretty much correct. As always, it may not be 100% the same, but Fireplace will be close enough that the differences are negligible.

As an extrait de parfum concentration, this also means that the performance should be improved or at least equal.

Cozy Chestnut

Woody Chestnut by Dossier– Here’s another inspired option, this time from Dossier. They usually make some really nice fragrances based on popular designer scent and this one is no different.

Woody Chestnut is made up of the same notes, which they describe as smelling like, ‘a cup of cocoa on a snowy day’. Well, that’s the effect that we’re looking for with a replicant of our Replica target.

The price point is great here, since they currently have one size of this formula (as of writing). Well worth the try.

A Night Out

Campfire Nights by Alexandria– Here’s yet another option that tries to mimic much of what you get with the Maison Margiela scent.

I haven’t tried this one from Alexandria, but I have tried others from them and they do a fantastic job at getting close to the designer originals.

One thing I do like about them, aside from the high quality, is the options as far as sizing goes. You can get a hold of a larger bottle or start smaller for cheaper.

Nutty Velvet

Velvet by Commodity– The one that we’re looking for is the Velvet which comes in the black bottle. It is sometimes listed as Velvet Expressive, don’t buy the white bottle if you want something like By the Fireplace.

Is it one to one the same as our target? No. It does have a lot of overlap, though, and uses some close substitutes in the process. For instance, here it is an almond instead of chestnut.

Velvet is also softer with a greater powdery finish to it. Heliotrope provides that. There is also a light coconut note up top. Still quite a bit of the vanilla, woods, but less of an ambery dry down than Fireplace.

Oh, and a rose note to boot! Again, this one is not the same. However, it hits some of the same beats, but with a rosier and woodier aroma.

Melting into Winter

Melting Embers by Oakcha– I’m adding this Oakcha inspired take on By the Fireplace to the list. I haven’t tried this one out and I do still need to get a hold of some Oakcha perfumes like this to put them through their paces.

However, they have a good reputation of coming close to matching the fragrances that people are after.

The price is within the same range as the Dua and the Dossier options, maybe somewhat cheaper or more expensive depending on any promotions these brands are running when you’re checking.

A Little Different, A Little Oud

Ameer Al Oudh Intense– This one isn’t an exact match of Fireplace. However, it does a really good job at providing a similar experience, while maintaining uniqueness of its own.

Ameer Al Oudh Intense is woodier, has some smokiness but perhaps not the same roasting quality, and still has a good sugar and vanilla mix. One thing it lacks for sure, is the chestnut note of the Replica fragrance.

I figured that it would have more oud and therefore a greater smokiness, but that’s not the case. The oud is there, but is pretty light. Still, this is a warm and comfortingly sweet woody fragrance, with good performance and inexpensive price point.