I’ve been facing a rather annoying problem with fragrances this summer. With the heat and sun, wearing perfume started causing some itching and redness on my skin. I tried to work around it for a while, but lately I decided to look for a proper solution. My mother used to make skincare products at home, and she also has quite a talent for making perfumes. So I asked her if she had any idea what I could do. She gave me a body lotion she makes herself — almost exactly like Vaseline. I tried applying it to my skin before spraying my fragrance, and surprisingly, it worked beautifully. I didn’t get the itching or redness afterward. However, there was another benefit I hadn’t expected: the fragrance seemed to project much better. With the lotion underneath, only 2–3 sprays were enough to make the room smell of my perfume. And honestly, that’s not a bad thing in Middle Eastern culture — we do love walking around smelling good. So, completely unintentionally, I found something that solved two problems at once: - It gave my skin a protective layer against the irritation I was getting from fragrance and summer conditions. - It seemed to help the fragrance project and last much better, meaning I needed far fewer sprays. Sometimes the best solutions are the simple ones sitting right in front of you. Now I’m curious — does anyone else use a lotion or moisturizer underneath their fragrance?

Recently, I have been away from the community for a while. Life has been rather busy and a little messy as well. I was adjusting to working remotely and trying to manage my time properly, while also putting a large portion of my salary aside for some long-term goals. It was the right thing to do financially, but it also made me feel rather tight with money for a while. Thankfully, I'm in a much better place mentally now, and I'm slowly getting myself back into the things I enjoy. As for fragrances, working from home has naturally changed things quite a bit. Since I don't go out nearly as much anymore, I don't reach for my usual fragrances as often. During the summer I've mostly been using lighter options, including some cheaper alternatives, body mists and sprays. And honestly, Egyptian summer is not exactly forgiving. I still don't own a proper summer fragrance that I love — something along the lines of Bleu de Chanel or another fresh "blue" fragrance — so that's definitely something I'd like to change eventually. When I do go out, I still wear fragrance, but I've been staying away from the heavier ones. Something like Brazilian Tobacco in this heat would probably be an act of violence. 😄 There is, however, something else I've been dealing with recently. I've started getting quite severe itching, redness and burning wherever I spray fragrance, especially when I'm exposed to the sun afterwards. The heat here in Egypt has been intense, and unfortunately even fragrances that normally don't bother me can become uncomfortable in direct sunlight. I'm not entirely sure whether it's the fragrance itself, the combination of fragrance and sunlight, or simply the heat. If anyone here has experienced something similar or knows what might be causing it, I'd genuinely appreciate hearing your experience and what helped you. Anyway, it's good to be back. Hopefully I'll have some new fragrances, reviews and experiences to share soon.

Today i am wearing this scent with sharp plump and boozy opening and settle down to a warm spicy and Amber. Good for evening and party wears.

We had a family Ramadan Iftar gathering today, so I went with Brazilian Tobacco. It has that warm, slightly traditional vibe that just fits these kinds of occasions really well. Rich, comforting, and a little festive without being overpowering. I also know most of the family tends to enjoy this style of fragrance, so it felt like a safe and solid choice for the evening.