Spray and Pray Experiment #0005: Fujiyama Gentleman and The One

When I was a teenager and a college student, my mom tried to get me into fragrances. In retrospect, I think she was trying to say I had body odor issues without saying it aloud.

The lessons registered, but I shrugged it off, and I wish I used the advice sooner (or realized what the advice was about), especially as I discovered fragrances in recent times.

Today would have been my mom’s 67th birthday. Unfortunately, she passed away in June 2020.

That said, today’s experiment is about mixing two of her favorite scents; musk and spicy.

Fragrance 1: Fujiyama Gentleman

Fujiyama Gentleman from Rêve Luxe et Parfums (not to be confused with Gentleman from Givenchy), is an economical eau de toilette released in 1995. Some individuals assert there are similarities with Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Mâle. (I disagree with that position, because it is a musky fragrance with hints of freshness and sweetness, while Le Mâle lacks the musky notes.  

On the plus side, it stands out as a unique fragrance that possesses durability and potency and is something I regard as a bedroom scent. Despite the name suggesting virility, anyone can wear it regardless of gender.

On the negative side, the fragrance lacks versatility, mainly because of the strong musky scent. Musk can add sex appeal to any fragrance, but overdoing it creates a nauseating experience, which was the case for me based on the review I wrote.

Fragrance 2: The One for Men (EDP)

The One from Dolce & Gabbana doesn't need an introduction, as it is a top ten fragrance on Parfumo at the time of the writing. 

However, for those who are learning about fragrances, The One is a reasonably valued designer eau de parfum released in 2015. It is a spicy scent, with a hint of sweetness.

On the constructive side, The One is one of the best intimate date night fragrances in the market today for under 100.00 USD. It also has enough adaptability for most communal situations if one wishes to be discreet.

On the negative side, one must speak about performance. The longevity of The One is weak for an eau de toilette. As an eau de parfum, the longevity is outright disappointing. Also, while sillage and projection are not a substantial deal for me, it is for many people, and The One is effectively a skin scent, even during a hot summer day.

The Details:

Now that I went into detail about the fragrances, this is how I handled the experiment variables. This does not change with each experiment, but I always add in the information:

• I sprayed the fragrances in the order listed. Fragrance #1 (Fujiyama Gentleman) goes first, followed by the spray of Fragrance #2 (The One).
   
  
• I sprayed each scent once on two pieces of paper. One goes in a fridge at 40° F / 4.4° C to simulate a cooler environment. The other remains in a heated and humid bathroom temperature of 86° F/ 30° C to simulate a warmer or tropical environment.
   
  
• I also sprayed each scent once on a pulse point where the skin is clean and unscented to see how it works on me.

The Hypotheses:

1. The amber and tobacco notes in The One’s base notes should tame the musk in Fujiyama Gentleman. Not enough to overpower it, but enough to keep it from being cloying, while allowing enough musk to pass and become a more seductive scent.
    
   
2. Most of the notes in The One should peak through with no issues.
    
   
3. The longevity of The One should increase, as Fujiyama Gentleman is a potent eau de toilette.
    
   
4. I expect the sillage to remain the same. The musk would have been the main projection note in the combination, but with that muted, the projection goes with it.
    
   
5. Both are winter fragrances, with One being more bearable in the warmer months. I believe the combination would be ideal during the milder months of autumn.

The Result

• The base notes from The One dilute a significant amount of the musk note from Gentleman. However, the musk is still noticeable and is now pleasant instead of overpowering, like Fujiyama Gentleman alone.
   
  
• The cinnamon pops a little more from Gentleman, giving the combination additional spiciness. Meanwhile, the violet from Fujiyama Gentleman combines with the Orange Blossom from The One to give a slight powdery-fresh tweak.
   
  
• The fragrance lasted for six hours in the cold.  It remained for eight hours on skin and in the heat. Admittedly, that was better than what I anticipated.
   
  
• The projection is slightly better. The scent is detectable without entering a wearer's intimate range, but it likely will not turn heads as you pass by.
   
  
• The fragrance, because of the spicy nature with the hint of musk, is more masculine combined than either fragrance alone. This confirms that this a fragrance for the cooler months in Autumn and Winter.
   
   
• The overall smell profile is still that of a date night fragrance. It is not a surprise since both fragrances are ideal for that social scenario. However, the fragrances work better in unison as layers than separated. However, it comes at the cost of The One’s versatility, as the combination may be questionable in an office or gym.

Overall: Success! 😀

The combination works well together,and I recommend it! This creates a date night fragrance with enough longevity to get through the night, something The One needed in the worst way.

The musk calms down in Fujiyama Gentleman and adds additional depth to the already fantastic smell of The One. I would bet that The One mixes well with any musky fragrance.

Combined, they make for an amazing evening or date night fragrance that is spicy, slightly fresh, and has a touch of animality that can last through the night. This scent will absolutely do its best in the bedroom, where the musk will do the job as an aphrodisiac setting the mood.

Yes, it is extremely awkward creating such a scent mixing my mother’s personal preferences in fragrances, but it is absolutely worth it!

Also, if you do not have Fujiyama Gentleman, try substituting it with any fragrance with a strong musk.  Similar results should happen, with some minor adjustments if needed.