Arctic Jade by Agonist

Orange, Freesia, Red Bilberry, Jasmine, Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang, Raspberry, Sandalwood, Ambrette, Vanilla, Patchouli.

I suppose I knew, from the initial moments of application, that I would be underwhelmed by this fragrance. After multiple wearings, that hasn't changed and it's a shame since I held out high hopes for this one and others in the line I haven't gotten to yet. I did like Black Amber, so maybe this one simply doesn't work for me.

As you would expect, the opening is a fruity floral. It feels constrained rather than expansive and is reminiscent of less expensive endeavors I've inadvertently smelled in my travels. Not to sound harsh, but it's only taken each wearing 5 minutes or so for me to conclude that Arctic Jade leans generic and is severely overpriced. Pleasant simply isn't going to cut it at these price points.

The other stage of development sees Arctic Jade evolving into a floriental. I admit to liking this segment better than the top and heart. Still, other fragrances much less dear than this have a superior base and drydown while showcasing the same finish.

The intro of Arctic Jade is a Citrus-Freesia heavily accented by Raspberry. There are contributions from other floral notes, but they seem to stay in the shadows on me. Never does Arctic Jade become "substantial" and flex its muscles.

The Vanilla and a soft Patchouli become apparent at the onset of the base accord. There's also an undercurrent of wood and it's a subtle implementation. The entire personality of this scent is low key and what the name of this fragrance has to do with anything has me scratching my head.

Sillage is modest to average with longevity being approximately 3 hours on me before morphing into a close scent. A neutral rating from Aromi with a strong recommendation to sample before purchase.

Comments

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

Teatro Alla Scala - Krizia

I tried Comete by Chanel today and wanted to write about how Chanel is going by the way of Roger Dove - copying old masterpieces. I did not know where to post that and then I realized I have been neglecting this blog. When I logged in I saw an unfinished post I wrote a year ago about Teatro Alla Scala by Krizia. Teatro is the best full bodied floral - better than any Chanel or Patou. Even better than Gucci L'Arte. A brief background: Teatro Alla Scala is an Opera theatre in Milan. The bottle's design is an homage to the theatre and the perfume an homage to its sophisticated patrons. I wanted to write a symphony for it. Maybe some day. For now here are few notes I wrote comparing EDT vs EDP. And if you don't have Teatro, your wardrobe is incomplete Rose, Jasmine, Tuberose. Jammy berries (more in EDP) . Honey note listed is probably the jammy part Vetiver & moss - more in EDT Rose and carnation is more than jasmine and that is what separates it from other florals like J...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog