FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: Replica By the Fireplace EDT by Maison Martin Margiela

halfwhiteboy - Replica By the Fireplace EDT by Maison Martin Margiela

It's a rainy and relatively cold day as I'm writing this. Christmas is still about half a year away yet in my mind I'm singing "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." after I sprayed on Replica By the Fireplace by Maison Martin Margiela. This stuff is magical!

By the Fireplace is so aptly named, with a wonderful smokiness redolent of burnt wood wafting around right from the start. The smoke is amazingly so alive here and is not some subdued accord buried underneath a pile of other notes playing support. It's very different from the usual smokiness I get from incense-based scents like Ard Al Zaafaran's Midnight Oud, from vetiver-centric ones like Bel Ami Vetiver by Hermès, or from tonka like in Mugler's A*Men.

A delectable sweetness from vanilla smooths out all the rough edges, working its way beautifully with the smoke and the wood. The result is a warm and comforting scent that's perfect for cuddly weather. And no, having a partner is not a requirement, nor is a fireplace.

An hour in and hints of spices start piercing through the velvety blanket of smoky sweetness. It offers the fragrance a little sharpness, if only to break the ensuing monotony, but not so much as to ruin it. By the Fireplace projects pretty well in its first two hours or so. Although its power wanes thereafter, the scent persists and you still get occasional whiffs of sweet, smoky goodness for the most part of the day.

Once the fire is out and the last of the remaining embers is gone, I'm left with a still lovely vanilla on my skin. I close my eyes, smile, and think of what a marvelous experience this fragrance has been. By the Fireplace is definitely full bottle-worthy.

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