Wednesday in NY, and today I reached for Musc Outreblanc from Guerlain. With summer getting closer to the finish line, I’m still making a point of revisiting some fragrances that may spend a lot less time in the rotation once the cooler weather arrives. This one is a little different from most of what I’ve been wearing lately. Musc Outreblanc isn’t really about a big opening or dramatic transitions. It is much softer and more understated than that. It opens with white musk, neroli and ambrette, then moves into a floral heart of iris, orange blossom and Bulgarian rose, before settling into sandalwood, white amber and a soft milky accord. What I enjoy most is the texture. It feels clean, powdery and almost creamy, but not in a sweet or heavy way. The iris gives it a beautifully smooth character, while the musk sits very close to the skin. There is something very polished about it. Not loud. Not particularly attention-seeking. Just soft, elegant and incredibly easy to wear. Guerlain is also one of the favorite houses in our home — my wife and I both seem to gravitate toward it quite a bit. There is just something about the way Guerlain handles classic materials that always feels refined without becoming boring. Apparently Musc Outreblanc works on other people too. 😜. My bookkeeper complimented it this morning — although she also likes to call me a “French whore” because of my fragrance habit, so I’m not entirely sure how seriously I should take the endorsement. 😂 Either way, I’ll take the compliment. Sometimes it is enough for a fragrance to simply make you feel a little more put together every time you catch it during the day. Musc Outreblanc does exactly that for me today. 🤍😎

“I used to wear it myself, although it’s a women’s fragrance, it’s a wonderful smell on women and men.”— Christopher Sheldrake Fragrance doesn’t need a gender label to feel right. Wear what moves you today and let your confidence do the explaining. Enjoy the #Journey. Love to hear from ya’!

The last of this rounds testers from Mancera. Windwood was released in 2014, by Pierre Montale. This opens bright and lively right away, mandarin brings a sharp, juicy freshness that cuts through nicely, while pink pepper adds a gentle, spicy warmth that never gets harsh. The fresh herbs round out the top with a crisp, green, almost outdoorsy lift. It’s a really pleasant introduction. Z isesty enough to catch your attention, but balanced so it doesn’t feel like a generic citrus blast. Everything settles down quite quickly though, making way for the heart to take over after about 15 or 20 minutes. The heart is where the real character of this fragrance starts to show. Patchouli leaves bring that earthy, slightly damp richness, but it’s not the heavy, sweet kind you get in some orientals, here it’s greener and lighter. Oakmoss steps in with that classic damp-forest depth, giving it a vintage feel that reminds me of older, more sophisticated scents, and vetiver adds a dry, grassy, smoky edge that keeps everything grounded. It’s a really smooth combination, three notes that complement each other perfectly without any one fighting for the spotlight. In the base it all wraps up into something warm, refined and surprisingly long-lasting. Cedarwood provides a solid woody backbone, amber adds a soft, golden sweetness, and the leather gives it just enough smoky, smooth texture to feel substantial without being overpowering. White musk ties the whole thing together with that clean, skin-like finish that Mancera does so well. Performance is reasonable, easily 6+ hours on skin with decent projection, and it works just as well in the office as it does for evenings out. My Rating 7/10 Scent 2 Longevity 2 Sillage 2 Would I rebuy? 1

Tuesday morning in NY, and today I reached for Fleur Narcotique from Ex Nihilo. With summer beginning to wind down, I’ve been looking through the warmer-weather side of my collection and realizing there are a number of fragrances I haven’t reached for nearly enough this season. Pretty soon I’ll start transitioning into my fall and colder-weather rotation, and some of these bottles may sit untouched for quite a while. So over these last few weeks of summer, I’m making a point of getting reacquainted with a few of them. Fleur Narcotique was an easy choice today. It opens with lychee, bergamot and peach, giving it a fresh, slightly juicy quality right away. From there, the floral side really begins to come through with peony, orange blossom and jasmine, before settling into a softer base of musk, moss and woods. What I enjoy about this one is how airy it feels. There is plenty of floral character here, but it never feels heavy or overly sweet. The fruit gives it brightness, the florals keep it elegant, and the musky woody base gives everything just enough structure. It is also another good reminder that I don’t really think about fragrance in terms of what is supposed to be “masculine” or “feminine.” If it smells good to me and I enjoy wearing it, that’s really the only test that matters. 😎 On a late-August Tuesday here on Long Island, this feels fresh, polished and very easy to wear. And with fall not too far away, I’m going to enjoy these brighter summer fragrances while I still can. Bright, floral, clean and just a little different — Fleur Narcotique is a nice one to revisit before the seasons change.🌸 Wishing you all a fantastic Tuesday!!

Today I went with Gissah Capri, and this is exactly the type of Middle Eastern fragrance I like when they’re not trying to simply overpower you with sweetness or oud. Capri opens very fresh with lemon, marine notes and a really noticeable ginger kick. As it settles, the sandalwood and patchouli give it more body, and then the incense, vetiver and amber start showing up underneath. That incense is important because it keeps Capri from becoming another generic aquatic freshie. I can understand the comparisons to Acqua di Giò Profumo, but I wouldn’t call Capri a straight copy. It has that same fresh, aquatic, slightly smoky idea, but Capri feels louder, spicier and distinctly more Middle Eastern in its presentation. And this thing performs. Capri has developed a reputation for unusually strong projection and sillage for a fresh fragrance, which is one of the reasons it has gotten so much attention. For me, this is a HOT-weather fragrance first, especially for Arizona. Fresh enough for the heat, but with enough incense, woods and amber underneath that it doesn’t disappear when the temperature climbs. Fresh, aquatic, gingery, woody and slightly smoky—with considerably more backbone than the typical summer blue fragrance. If you like your freshies quiet and transparent, Capri may be too much. If you want a fresh fragrance that actually announces itself, this one makes a lot more sense. Scent: 8/10 Performance: 9/10 Primary Season: Summer Secondary Spring and some Fall.