Ocean of Dua

I have tried Oceania, and it was an impressive scent, albeit the cost of admission is quite steep. It’s a beautiful scent, nonetheless. Can Dua match the beauty of Roger’s complex scents? Let’s put on our best linens and hit the Riviera to find out! Ocean of Dua opens with a sweet lime essence. Its smooth, with a slight tart grapefruit and lemon mélange that infuses it with sparkling energy. The citruses smell authentic and retain their natural aromas without smelling like cleaning products or budget shower gels. The heart brings out a prominent jasmine note. Its silky petals shine with a fresh, clean soapiness and hints of honeyed nectar. It’s not indolic in the slightest, as it shows the playful and dewy side of the lovable floral. That jasmine is met by violet that gives it a slight aquatic tinge, along with what I assume is an English lavender, a sweeter version of lavender that is less herbal, but shines with its powdery soapiness tinged by a camphorous sweetness, which is perhaps boosted by the minty side of geranium. This combo gives the cool, crisp oceanic heart of the scent. The deep dry down brings in a clean white musk, a bit pillowy in texture, like puffy clouds effortlessly floating under an azure sky. It lifts the scent with a blissful soapiness that doesn’t directly smell like a washing product. There does seem to be a soft woodiness that I detect in the base, but I cannot directly identify its origin. Perhaps the iris is what gives the scent its cloud-like splendor, as it did in Pelagos by another brand. Ocean of Dua performs very well for a citrus based scent. The limeade mélange carries for hours, which is quite rare, especially for something that smells so natural. The overall scent lasts around 9 hours on me, staying citrusy and fresh for 4-5 hours before becoming a bit muskier and more floral with hints of soft wood. The projection is moderate, which is understandable, since this is a classier scent. Class hums its melody and doesn’t scream it. Ocean of Dua does fit any gender. The jasmine heart keeps it well within either spectrum’s general preference. It’s a versatile summer scent that feels so cool and relaxing on a hot day, but it does work formally as well. It has a class to it, but it’s not afraid to kick back either. Ocean of Dua is surprising. While I do think the lime isn’t quite as bright as Oceania, the scent evolves and smells extremely close to the OG. This is such a feat due to Roger’s scents being infamously hard to mimic due to their vast complexity. It’s hard to believe that you can get such quality for this price, but here it is in the flesh. Ultimately, if you want to feel like a wealthy soul in tans and white on the French Riviera, beneath a sunny sky, puffy clouds overhead, and citrus dancing on the ocean breeze, this might be for you. It’s fantastic. 9/10. 7/10 for bottle art, as I believe the scent doesn’t exactly embody the label.