Today’s haul of 3 from Alternate Fragrances by Megha Kapoor.
I ordered three fragrances from Megha, which got delivered in 5 days flat. The ones I ordered are:- 1. The Clean Cut 2. Divine Sandalwood 3. Encre Noire
These 3 are all of the ‘extrait’ concentration, and I can say with a fair degree of certainty that these deserve the extrait classification.
The following is my opinionated review of these 3.
- The clean cut ✂️ It’s advertised as a barbershop fragrance, and it’s pretty apt. Starts off with a sharp grassy, spicy, warm smell, mixed with a bit of tea masala. Doesn’t even feel like a perfume initially. There’s nothing subtle about it, while modern barbershops are elegant and subtle while being barbershop, this one’s like a hard handed massage that is an expertise of your neighbourhood barber. It’s densely bold, and how!
Think Gillette shaving foam, but intense.
I find no alcohol blast. The opening makes way to a similar scent, albeit slightly muted and airy. It’s incredibly warm and masculine.
The longevity is excellent, with moderate projection and silage. Perfect for winters, but not for everyone. Certainly not a blind buy. Will try layering it with softer scents and see how it goes. May not be suitable for dates and intimate situations as it’s quite old school and May not be appreciated by all.
- Divine Sandalwood 🪵 STRONG. LOUD. THICK. CREAMY.
This one is outrageous, both in scent and in performance. Opens with a strong rose, so much so that the sandalwood accord needs to be looked for. Rose gives way to a delicious, gourmand-ish saffron note (the saffron accord is also strong, which usually isn’t the case). There’s some spicy elements that complement the Saffron, but it’s not enough to be called ‘spicy’.
The sandalwood takes a while to show up.
This one can easily become cloying and overwhelming. Must be careful with the number of sprays. Longevity, projection, and silage is nuclear. Can smell it across the house. It’s a beast in the true sense, and must be treated as such.
- Encre Noire 🧼 This one is the weakest of the bunch, and even this performs very well. It’s not very complex. A dirty, old school, Vetiver that progresses to a soapy thick lavender scent. In the air, it’s powdery and pleasant.
Need more time with it, haven’t been able to decide which season it’s suitable for. I haven’t tried the OG, so can’t compare.
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