FRAGRANCE | Squidward EDT by SpongeBob SquarePants: Yes, it's a legit fragrance

I'm not a fan of SpongeBob SquarePants. I mean, I don't watch the cartoon and I don't even know who Squidward is. What I'm a fan of, however, are fragrances. I was looking at Creed Viking at Fragrantica when I saw a fragrance bottle resembling a cartoon snail under the "This perfume reminds me of" section. Not familiar with the character but it was Gary and I was surprised with its good reviews. Ditto with the other character-fragrances, so I soon sought them out. Because almost all of them were not available, I ended up with Squidward EDT.

I bet no one would think of this as a serious frag because it's packaged like a toy, complete with clear plastic so you could see what's inside the box. But then the original Moschino Toy was also sold as such, and that fragrance is no joke if you ask me. It isn't spectacular but it's still a fairly good scent for what it's worth. As Sheldon Cooper put it, what's life without a little whimsy? 

To some degree, I would say Squidward is in a similar realm except for the quality of ingredients that are evidently lower. But for the price, you can't really complain. Once that stinging alcohol sensation in the opening lifts off, you'll find a nice, moderately sharp lemon, followed closely by lavender, some green herbal notes, and just a tiny drop of sweetness. The lavender here is more dry and herbal in tone as opposed to the usual creamy treatment it's accorded in most fougères. There's also something cool in the opening. It's almost minty, which lends the scent a relatively fresh first impression.

Once the lemon fades, something mildly plasticky comes in although it doesn't really stick around. Meanwhile, the lavender and herbs continue enjoying their prominence and before long, a mossy accord starts developing. It's not the oakmoss I'm accustomed to from men's gems like Polo Crest or women's classics like Givenchy III. This one is dry, with an odd marine flavor that almost smells like rust when sniffed up close, on my skin at least. It's much better in the air, though: a thin lavender and herbal green scent with light mossy and woody undertones. It's unisex, in my opinion, with a slight masculine slant and seems more appropriate for daytime and warm weather use. 

But let's be real; Squidward by SpongeBob SquarePants is far from spectacular. It could have benefitted from more premium ingredients but for the price, it's hardly a regrettable purchase. The composition is pretty decent and performance ain't bad at all. However, all the high praise it's getting should be taken with a grain of salt and put into proper context, especially since this and the other SpongeBob fragrances have since been repackaged into generic pineapple bottles. Yes, the cutesy but unique bottles that defined their identities are no more. If you chance upon an old bottle that isn't from one of those eBay sharks, then good for you. If not, really, don't sweat it.