Golden

A little background: I have a lot of fragrances. A LOT. Too many. Many are being sadly neglected because they are out of sight out of mind (I don't display my collection because, hello, I don't want them to go bad so they are in trunks and in cupboards, ideally in their original boxes...but I digress). Because I am a total nerd, and at the suggestion of another Fragantian, I alphabetized my Fragantica shelf by perfume house so I can more readily keep up with my inventory (hey, it makes me happy). Yesterday I decided to attempt to start at the top of the list and work my way down so I can actually start getting some use out of these bottles of juice that I paid oh so dearly for. So yesterday's perfume was Chocomusk. Loved it. Today, I put on Golden. But first, I re-read the reviews. Yikes. I wasn't so sure about this. Lots of mixed reactions out there. So I decided I'd play it a bit safe and not overdo it. Since I own the oil, I only dabbed a bit on my wrists and nowhere else (just in case it became a scrubber later). My husband, who hardly ever comments on my perfumes, said to me "Mmmm, you smell really good." I was shocked. "You NEVER mention my perfume. Why do you like this one?" "You smell like you're in the Mediterranean on a beach somewhere having lunch and there's a beautiful candle nearby. Like that scent really transports you somewhere." Very interesting! So this is what I get, and this might sound a little weird: warm caramel vanilla mixed with a...best way to describe it is a shaving cream smell. Kind of fresh yet maybe slightly spearminty?, but just ever so much. You know the shaving cream that starts off as a gel and then when you start rubbing it around and it turns white? That smell? That's it to me. Now, I can imagine that would not be everyone's cup of tea, but I really like it. It's a clean smell mixed with a gourmand smell. And to many people that might smell weird. But apparently, both my husband and I love it!

I'm not a fan of unisex fragrances and this is definitely unisex... it's neither masculine or feminine. However, layer this with Oudy from Al-Rehab and it becomes very masculine and smells amazing! For the ladies out there that love feminine scents, layer Golden with Roses by Al-Rehab and I can almost guarantee you'll smell gorgeous! Golden is absolutely an autumn fragrance, especially for autumns in New England and North East. There is just something about it that just brings out an autumn vibe and the crispness, freshness, and florals of the season. I have both the spray and the oil and I prefer the oil for its more natural notes and longevity. If you try it and find it so-so like I did, try layering it with another Al Rehab that is more floral/rose if you are a woman. Or something that is more woody/oud/musky for guys, depending on your tastes of course. Trust me, Golden layers very nicely and probably better than any other Al-Rehab in my experience. I have 40+ Al Rehab oils and 5 or so sprays, so I have a good idea about these value-based fragrances. They are true gems and one hell of a bargain. They might not be the best for nights out on the town, romantic dates, work/office or clubbing. But they are perfect for late evenings at home or bedtime.

I see that not many people here really likes this. Well, I LOVE it. So much actually that it just knocked Atelier Colognes Ambre Nue down from the Top 5 shelf on my profile page. Oud and caramel should get married, cause they are amazing together! I have tried 11 scents from Al-Rehab so far, and this is my absolute favourite. I would classify it as an oriental woody gourmand. It starts off very sweet and creamy, almost like vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce. Or like Crème brûlée. But there is something warm, deep and cozy lurking behind the initial sweetness. It is the amber, and it really smoothes out the dessert-ness of the scent and brings it into that lovely oriental drydown, where also the oud says hello, although very softly. I've worn this scent twice now, and the first time I wore it the drydown was warm, smooth, ambery and sligtly woody, with a soft lingering milky sweetness from vanilla and caramel. The second time I detected a faint smoky note in the drydown, almost like oud mixed with incense. Very interesting and lovely. Sillage is moderate to strong, longevity is excellent! I'm so smitten with this perfume oil! I wanna eat my arm after I've applied it. xD

I am reviewing the oil and absolutely love it. Nice when massaged in after a bath or shower. Golden is unique and I think the name describes it to a tee. Fairly linear and close to the skin but lasts 6hrs plus for a very cheap price. Cant smell any Oud but the caramel and florals are well blended to make this suitable for either sex. It is difficult to classify in these days of uber-sweet gourmand type fragrances. As a clue it is nothing like the Amen/Angel type of fragrance that seems so widely copied by many fragrance manufacturers but I have never smelled anything similar. It is a fragrance that I would wear to please myself and not others. Makes me feel pleasantly perfumed without invading anyone's space. I am thinking of buying the 35ml spray also to see if this helps with the projection factor. If it doesn't who cares for such a price you can just experiment. It has been a cool day here in the U.K and Golden was a perfect choice. I have bought other Al Rehab fragrances and they are super. Think I will increase my collection each week! my rating out of 10 for lasting power 9, for fragrance itself 9 and for projection 5.

I bought this under the impression that I was going to get a gourmand, and I was very wrong. Initially, this wasn't at all what I wanted, and I remember finding it having a masculine edge to it. I rediscovered it several months later and put it on. The beginning is VERY different to the drydown, you NEED to put this on your skin! Smelling right from the cap, what I first perceived as masculine, I now perceived as a soapy, classic perfume for women. However, this blooms on the skin. It slowly becomes warmer, thicker, more balsamic and like nectar. This is the scent of the warm, slightly sweaty and salty skin of a 1940's woman after a trip to the beach, with traces of yesterday's perfume and sunscreen. Nostalgic, comforting, warming, summery yet reminiscent of the colors of autumn. Balsamic, floral, classic and traditionally perfume-y. No caramel, only warm organic sweetness. It reminds me slightly of Coco (Chanel), my other favourite warm, ambery floral. It's just as womanly and alluring. I highly recommend both, as well as Hex by Alkemia.