FRAGRANCE | Green Mango Extrait de Parfum by nXn Perfumes is worth every penny

I first got wind of Green Mango by nXn Perfumes sometime last year from a Facebook frag group. Long story short, I now have my bottle. The presentation's pretty solid, more so for something at such an affordable price point, easily putting other more expensive fragrances to shame. I'm not saying it has an unquestionable premium feel but common, the magnetized flip box is made of thick, hard cardboard while inside, the bottle fits snugly in carved foam—all that for just a little over Php 2,000! My only gripe with the design is that the box doesn't open fully, like you have to hold both flaps up to keep it open. But then, it's just a minor inconvenience to pay.

As for the scent, I was of course expecting green mango but was surprised to find out that it's primarily a fig fragrance. The green mango is there, make no mistake about that, but it's most noticeable only in the opening, providing a very mild and fleeting sourness to the composition. The scent is also very green and woody, with nary any sweetness. It's bitter, dry, and has a dusty aspect to it. I don't know if it's the weather but there's an overarching cool feel to it, furthering the fragrance's overall lightness.

The opening is quite strong but settles after a couple of hours. At some point, the sweetness tries to break through, resulting in a moment of mild creaminess swirling around. Unfortunately, it doesn't last long and the scent quickly reverts to its old, woody dryness. Unlike other fig fragrances (Diptyque's Philosykos or Vilhelm Parfumerie's Purple Fig), Green Mango consciously avoids the creamy route. While I love creamy figs, I do appreciate nXn's take here as well.

The mango makes a comeback after an hour or so but is now softer and a tad sweeter, like it's ripened a bit already. The green and woody notes, on the other hand, have mellowed considerably but are still ably supporting the base of the scent. In terms of this mango, I see a similarity with Hermès's Un Jardin Sur Le Nil although the weakened greens somehow steer the scent in a slightly different direction. A few more hours and it all becomes a faintly sweet woody scent with minute traces of fruit.

All things considered—price, presentation, scent, and performance—nXn Perfumes's Green Mango is definitely a good buy for me. It's a very unisex scent that's easy to wear, is versatile, and is long-lasting. It's a fragrance that's worth every penny. Try it!