Shades Wood

My journey of fragrances have lead me to find alternatives to the typical designers (unoriginal) and Niche (rip offs) options. So enter stage left...Shades Wood by Armaf is a masterpiece. Its that simple...One of the best purchases I've made in my entire life buying fragrances. Especially since I was able to get it under $30. I could easily see this being sold at MIN NY for $300+. Take that DIOR, CREED, TF, ROJA, et al. Niche houses are being forced to use synthetics because of IFRA regulations and their prices haven't dropped at all... So Niche snobs, stop screaming that you are paying for QUALITY...These days you are paying for BRANDING...The more I collect from these alternative houses better scents the more Im convinced many Western Houses are just fleecing consumers. What makes this scent so captivating is the Rose, cumin and oud combination. The Oud in this scent is far from the barn yard or medicinal variety. Basically it doesn't stink. It seems to be there to give the scent more Oomph and a deeper character but its far from overwhelming. It just adds a woody vibe which makes an initially Rosey scent undoubtedly masculine. And for an opening note that rose hangs around for a long time This scent reminds me of a niche version of Rasasi's Tasmeem. Both scents have cumin and rose playing a major role. Tasmeem is more of an androgynous scent which leans very sweet due to the vanilla and amber in the bassnotes. Shades Wood is also sweet but its deceptively sweet, similar in that way to Tucsan Leather. These scents are not a like but share that characteristic of being a sweet fragrance that don't seem as sweet as they really are. Its almost as if when you wear this scent you are wearing two different but complementary scents at the same time. I often times smelled a spicy Oud rose and clove combo which almost had a menthol like affect (meaning refreshing though not synthetic) and other times I smelled a str8 up sweet sandlewood, cedar and oud scent where the rose was gone. These two interplays of scent all occurred throughout the dry down until the sandlewood and oud begin to dominate the Rose and the rose fades out. Initially its str8 Rose, Oud and Cumin. Slightly underneath are the citrus notes which add surprising freshness in the opening. these effects were so strange but so cool at the same time. Needless to say these 2 different smells were complementary to each other and I found this scent complex due to these experiences of smells I get every time I wear it. I get 8+ hours and great sillage for the first 4 hours. Afterwards it settles to a very strong skin scent. If people get anywhere within your personal space they will smell you with ease. If u wear this on your Tshirts as I do you will be glad you did. This is a great Fall, Winter and Spring nights scent. Its not the heaviest scent by any means but is heavy enough to warrant wear in cooler weather. It is rich, it is quality and it screams sophistication. This is not your Money Grab Scent like Sauvage. This is interesting...This is art in a bottle. Highly recommend... 7.5/10 YouTube Channel- Simply Put Scents

I was really reluctant in blind buying this one, based on the reviews I felt that none of them really sold me on it, or just didn’t explain it properly. I will try to do that for anyone who’s debating on a blind buy, because in the end, that’s what these reviews really come down to. First things first, WOW! Jesus Christ Wow! What a beautiful surprise. If anyone wants to know what to compare this to besides what it’s already compared to above, try Franck Olivier Oud Touch, it’s almost an exact replica of that, but this one comes out on top by leaps and bounds. Let me start off by saying that I strongly feel that the pyramid is missing a note in here, particularly Patchouli. You’re all going to laugh at me but to my nose it’s has a gasoline/diesel vibe going on. I’ve smelled this particular smell in two recent colognes that I’ve purchased. Franck Oliver Oud Touch and L’Homme Ideal Guerlain for men. For those that don’t have Franck OOT, then I can easily say that it has shades of John Varvatos Dark Rebel, but a dirtier, grittier, manly version, and without the leather, and with a pinch of rose and oud. I also want to say that there could be an iris vibe going on in here too. Let me be clear for those who are worried about the Rose in here, if you’re like me and dislike men’s colognes that have Rose in it, don’t be scared, it’s not the main star in here, it stays in the back and has a very small complimentary effect. Lastly the oud, it’s not barnyard, it took me a while to understand that there are different kinds of oud smells, this is not middle eastern smelling, this is a very modern oud. Anyway, I hope this helps, considering I got this for $25 bucks, this was a damn nice steal in my opinion. I actually love this so much I will be sure to buy a few more before Armaf colognes start to jump in price. This is a solid 10/10 for me, just be sure to go easy on the trigger, the silage is enough to choke out a room. I get 8/9 hours of longevity, and try not spray on the hotter days. UPDATE SUMMER 2020: Lastly, just to give anyone an idea of the potency in goddamn strength with this juice. I had a nice black Jack Jones T-shirt with some lettering on it. I decided to spray the front of my shirt before going to bed, I sometimes do this so that the next day I’ll have a subtle dried down smell of a cologne without having to apply on my body, I mostly do this for when I’m at work, and it not being as aggressive. Bad fucking idea, pardon my language. The next day when I went to grab my shirt, it actually almost melted the lettering on my shirt, and the lettering was sticking to different words. My shirt was ruined and it wasn’t a cheap shirt If I’m being honest I’m not even mad about it, whatever’s in this is telling me it can’t be tamed. Peace

I just bought & received my very first 2 fragrances from the house of ARMAF yesterday. (Nov 2019) I wore CLUB DE NUIT INTENSE MEN yesterday and the experience was great. Today is Sunday, a bit cold November day so I was so looking forward to put this popular (among many YouTube reviewers I recently started to keep my eyes on) “SHADES WOOD”. The first impression right after I sprayed on my skin, “WOW” & it was love at first sniff! 😍🌹 To tell the truth, I was more intrigued and excited with this one than CDNIM. I normally love exotic Oriental scents as long as they are not too far off and skunky. 😅😷 Especially with some Oud and spices or some musks & resins could do a rather funky punch 👊🏽💥🤪 than enticing and intriguing clouds. With this SHADES WOOD, there’s absolutely some of Tom Ford’s vibes which is a very high end Oriental luxurious olfactory to it. The beginning is particularly incredibly dense and powerful so I knew I was not supposed to judge it just yet till it takes the proper seat on my skin. It took maybe about an hour to relax a bit and then from that point on, it was such a long hypnotic exotic Orient journey! 🌳🌳🌹🌹🦍🐃☄️🔥🌍🍊🥥🥭🌶🍫🍹🤸🏻♂️✈️🏜🌋🕌🕋👨🏾🧕🏽🧔🏽🙀😻🌹🌿🌳🌳 Now you got the idea...😂 It’s very warm, enveloping, sensual, exotic, smooth yet deep and mysterious. Such complexed ingredients but all well blended & balanced together and yet keeping each one of the characteristics very well. If you normally like more of fresh citrusy aquatic scents, like “ACQUA DI GIO”, “BLEU DE CHANEL”, VERSACE “EAU FRAICHE”, DOLCE & GABBANA “LIGHT BLUE”....etc then you might possibly have to ask someone for CPR right away. 🤣🤣 But you like Tom Ford “BLACK ORCHID”, “OUD WOOD”, TUSCAN LEATHER”...etc then you might want to consider saving big 💰by spending only fraction of them! By the way I bought this one for CAN$25 from FragranceBuy.ca and yes, it’s Canadian company 🇨🇦 (Yay!) so those folks down south of the border can definitely take a huge advantage of your US exchange rate. I checked both FragranceNet & FragranceX and even after their 15% - 35% discount coupons, I got a better deal. So I am really enjoying this very long lasting amazing woody🌳/rosy🌹/spicy🌶/sweet🍫/leathery🐃and luxurious🤴🏾🌿fragrance. 😍💖 I recommend 100% to anyone who is open to unique & bold but somewhat elegant scent for the price of weekend dinner (or less...depends😅) I can’t wait to try many more from this house of ARMAF and also many other Oriental fragrances like RASASI, AL HARAMAIN, AJMAL....etc. All of these fragrances are totally new recent discoveries for me, thanks to many YouTube fragrance reviewers. Here my new hobby begins!! 🤩🕺🏻(Sorry for many emoji but I can’t help it....😂)

Armaf Shades Wood Eau de Parfum presents a unique take. Contrary to popular reviews, I think this scent exhibits a slightly oudy aroma, but it's a misconception to focus solely on the oud aspect. The oud presence to me is mild, more reminiscent of sandalwood than overwhelming. This fragrance differentiates itself from typical rose oud perfumes by incorporating fresh spices, lending it a distinct character, enriched with the warmth and freshness. Upon first application, a slight hint of synthetic notes emerges, like a mischievous imp, yet they don't detract from the overall quality. Shades Wood maintains a consistent and extremely linear profile. The scent remains largely unchanged for hours, with the only noticeable difference being a slightly spicier beginning — perhaps a touch of cumin. Despite its linear nature, this doesn't imply a lack of quality. On the contrary, the fragrance is consistently pleasing. If the initial spray after 5 minutes appeals to you, rest assured, that scent will persist without significant evolution. One of the most impressive aspects of this perfume is its performance. It boasts remarkable longevity and sillage, fittingly described as beast mode in its staying power. This robust performance adds significant value to the fragrance. Addressing authenticity concerns in other reviews, understand that Arabian perfumes, such as Armaf Shades Wood, are not compromised by counterfeits. Unlike luxury brands, these fragrances aren't duplicated, largely due to their already affordable pricing. It's also important to acknowledge that individual scent perception can vary, potentially influenced by factors such as batch variations or even the impact of coronavirus on olfactory senses. The presentation of Armaf Shades Wood is mostly commendable, although it seems people don't like it here. The bottle is not made of plastic, exuding a sense of quality and sophistication. The only exception is the cap, which might seem like the eccentric cousin in an otherwise dignified family. Ideal for the cooler whispers of autumn and winter, this fragrance wraps you in a warm embrace. While it's not exclusively unisex, it's versatile enough to be worn comfortably by women. Remarkably, Armaf Shades Wood offers niche quality with outstanding longevity and sillage. All at an accessible price point of €19 — what else do you want? Opening note: 7 Sillage/Projection: 9+ Dry down: 9 Longevity: 9- Blend/Composition: 8+ Versatility: 6+ Uniqueness: 8 Value for money: 7+ Bottle design/Aesthetics: 6- Overall experience: 8- Blind-buy rating: 3

Some people are really unfortunate. Resellers just take advantage of them and sell them fake fragrances. Of course that any fake fragrance will smell like "stable", "greatest joke in fragrance history", "humbug", "cloying and revolting and bad smelling", and so on. Do buy your "Shades Wood" in a trustworthy reseller! I will just tell you a couple of words about the Shades Wood juice I ordered, received and tested: - Cheap price + classy scent = gigantic value! - Amazing niche quality oud/rose fragrance! - I am considering to use it on a pair with Versace's Oud Noir and Aramis Perfume Calligraphy. Yes, Shades Wood is that good! - One of the best dry downs I have ever experienced with any fragrance! - Skip the initial 30 seconds while the alchool is evaporating. The scent is to harsh. My rates for Shades Wood: Scent:........................8.5 Longevity:..................9.0 Sillage:.......................8.5 Versatility:..................6.0 Uniqueness:...............8.5 Quality:.......................9.0 Presentation:..............9.0 Price:.........................10.0 Average:.....................8.56 / 10,00 I do like beasty fragrances. It's only natural that I like ouds. I am not a fan of airy or freshie fragrances. I can accept that a person does not like ouds in general or a particular kind of oud. However I consider ridiculous someone to comment that a fragrance smells like a stable. Either that person is not smelling an original perfume or has never been in a stable, or something is wrong with his/her pituitary. I do consider the following type of ouds with some examples (I have all those fragrances): - bad ouds - Perry Ellis Vetiver Royale Absolute Oud; KELSEY BERWIN Midnight Oud - average ouds - Avon's Premiere Luxe Oud . - nice ouds - Oudi Al Haramain Perfumes; Royal Oud Korloff Paris - very nice ouds - Ferrari Oud; Perry Ellis Black Vanilla Absolute; Zara Exclusive Oud; - really good ouds - John Varvato's Oud; Versace's Oud Noir; Aramis Perfume Calligraphy; Armaf's Shades Wood; Yves Saint Laurent M7 Oud Absolut; Ettienne Aigner No 1 Oud; 24 Platinum Oud Edition - extraordinary ouds - Christian Dior Oud Ispahan. - the best value for money ouds - Armaf's Shades Wood and Zara Exclusive Oud.- very good fragrances, above average quality, easy to buy, inexpensive