FRAGRANCE | Majaïna Sin EDP by The Different Company: A bright vanilla scent that's warm at the same time

I made a curious effort to go through our collection for frags that have been overlooked for use. I know there are a lot but I gotta start somewhere, and Majaïna Sin by The Different Company saw the light of day this time. It's the only frag we have from this house. Presentation's pretty good, I must say. It's got a nice hard box with sleeve, the bottle is sturdy with a bit of heft, and the cap is distinct and neat. The bottle is also refillable, so fitted inside the box are a stainless steel funnel and a pouch. 

Majaïna Sin is predominantly a vanilla fragrance but with a few other elements at play. The opening is marked by a sharpness produced by combining inherently citric oranges and the distinct spiciness of ginger, along with a pronounced bitterness and sweetness tugging at each other. A combo of neroli and orange blossom is also evident at the start, adding to the opening's brightness. However, it dissipates in a matter of minutes.

Before long, the fragrance's main player, vanilla, slowly spreads until it completely carpets the base while the bitter orange and ginger continue doing their thing. Cinnamon joins in shortly. It's not as straightforward a cinnamon as in Parfums de Marly's Oajan, nor is it powdery like how it's used in Guerlain's Habit Rouge. Rather, it imparts a certain warmth and flavor to the composition without being overpowering; just enough to counteract the ensuing sweetness. Some indistinct florals make a brief appearance, their presence hardly felt at all, unless perhaps you're sniffing close to where you sprayed. 

Meanwhile, the vanilla grows stronger and sweeter although the orange-ginger duo and the cinnamon dutifully keep it in check. Unlike other citrus-vanilla scents, like the discontinued Dior Fahrenheit 32 or Tom Ford Metallique that tend to be cold, Majaïna Sin remains warm and cocooning. The citrus later wanes but what's left of it, together with the warm spice, continue bringing a bit of sharpness to the scent, somehow cutting through the vanilla but just enough to break the sweetness and prevent it from becoming cloying.

The scent projects moderately and is strongest in its first two hours before tapering off. It can last you several hours although it of course sits closer to the skin by the fourth hour mark or so. Nevertheless, a little heat jolts it back to life every now and then. Personally, though, I do resprays. Majaïna Sin may not be the be-all and end-all vanilla scent but for me it offers enough characteristics that differentiate itself from other frags of the same profile. It's perfectly unisex, in my opinion, and can be worn in any weather, occasion, or time of day. 

Majaina Sin