halfwhiteboy

(Updated August 28, 2020) Grapefruit Amber EDP by ScentSmith Perfumery. When was the last time you bought a locally produced fragrance here in the Philippines? If ever, the most common culprits would be anything from Bench or Penshoppe and their many sister brands, right? I've had my share, too, of bottles of Celio , L'Amoureux , and the long-defunct Penshoppe EDTs Dusk and Ice . They're all cheap and I enjoyed them. However, I've always pined for an upgrade both in terms of quality and presentation in our local fragrances, for someone who can seriously elevate the state of our local perfume industry. Hayden Kho made an attempt years ago with his own line of fragrances but that endeavor was unfortunately short-lived. But my, was he able to come up with some pretty solid fragrances! To this day I still miss his Amber Woods and Rose Petals EDT .

A Christine Lhuillier kiosk at Glorietta. I'm a sucker for fragrances, be it something boozy and spicy like Penhaligon's The Uncompromising Sohan , something dark and warm like Burberry London , or a light and fresh juice like Penhaligon's Castile . Admittedly most of them don't come cheap. Believe me, it's not like I intentionally seek out only expensive fragrances because there are also some that don't work with my body chemistry, no matter the brand or how pricey they are. That or I simply don't like them. Proof of this is how I discovered Christine Lhuillier Parfumerie , which carries a wide--and I mean wide--array of fragrances that include body sprays, EDTs, EDPs, and room sprays. It's no prestige brand by any standard, and you can find them at kiosks at different malls. There's some effort, however, in their branding and presentation. Their kiosks, for one, aren't your run-of-the-mill counters because theirs sport a distinct shabby ...