FRAGRANCE | Amouage Journey Man EDP: Confusingly vibrant and dark at the same time

halfwhiteboy - Amouage Journey EDP

I was lucky to have scored this bottle from a fellow member of one of our frag groups. I know how expensive Amouage fragrances can be, so this was literally a steal. I don't see this particular release talked about a lot online (it's almost always Interlude, Lyric, Jubilation) but boy am I happy that I jumped the gun.

Amouage Journey begins with a citrusy-spicy introduction. It's vibrant but not sharp. Strangely enough I find it a little camphorous, which is comforting to my nose. There's a bit of fruitiness that shows, all while a smoky incense (not a church-y incense like La Liturgie des Heures by Jovoy Paris) looms in the background. Lovely texture there.

As the opening fades, the fragrance's darker base of tobacco and leather is revealed. There's a certain woodiness to it, perhaps due to the incense blended in. There's also a bit of sweetness coating it, but not too much, steering it away from another overly sweet base trap. It smoothens the leather, though, rendering it velvety, which it does in a gradual fashion.

This drydown phase confuses me. It's both dark and bright at the same time, if that makes any sense. It lets you in in its rather brooding demeanor and then surprises you with a smile. So yeah, I think it appears heavy but it actually isn't, which makes it a versatile wear for me. Projection and longevity are not that great but still good overall. I just wish its power is felt (or smelled) a little longer because the scent never gets overwhelming or offensive.

I'm really enjoying Journey. It could be just me but I think it's underrated, easily overshadowed by other more popular releases from Amouage. But it's a beautiful fragrance, one that's well worth the try. As for the price, that's a whole different issue altogether.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LOOKBOOK | Barong Tagalog and sneakers for 'Buwan ng Wika'

Image
Looking oh, so dignified here. Although the celebrations are normally concentrated in elementary schools, August is Buwan ng Wika (Language Month) in the Philippines. Along with dressing up in various traditional Filipino costumes, schools usually hold programs and contests showcasing the national language and traditional Filipino songs and dances. Our department decided to join in the fun by designating a special day yesterday where everyone was required to wear a traditional Filipino costume reinterpreted for modern times. Two years ago when we first held this event, I found myself wearing an ethnic-designed shirt with a malong . This year I decided on a Barong Tagalog , considered our national formal wear for men. But no one wants to go all formal on a Friday, so I wore my Barong Tagalog with sneakers . I thought, if a full-on suit works just fine with sneakers, a barong would be just as perfect with this type of footwear.
Read more

FRAGRANCE | Green Cedar EDT by Bench: An environmentally-conscious offering from the Philippines' premier retail brand

Image
A few weeks ago, I found myself wandering inside Bench Powerplant Mall. And what else would catch my eye but two fragrances by their lonesome twosome, positioned far away from the rest of the brand's scent offerings. They're Basil & Neroli and Green Cedar , both EDTs and part of the  Bench Better Made line . The frags are purported to be vegan and cruelty-free. They come in 125ml dark brown glass bottles and brown paper cylindrical boxes. Nice packaging there except for the cheap, plastic cap. No big deal, though, since they're just Php 428 apiece. 
Read more

FRAGRANCE | Rajo Uno EDT by Bench: An inexpensive local gem

Image
Philippine retail giant Bench has been many a high schooler's go-to shop for cheap colognes, myself included. And even during my college years, Bench has remained a staple. I remember  Bench Ei8ht was very popular with many people back then although my favorites were their body sprays Cielo and L'Amoureux . Through the years their roster of fragrances has only grown by leaps and bounds, with a lot of them made in collaboration with celebrities and fashion designers like Rajo Laurel .
Read more