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"sharp" and "soft" fragrances

post #1 of 10
1/12/13 at 11:13am
Thread Starter 
I wore Montale Dark Aoud yesterday, and put on Bond no. 9 New York Amber today. It got me thinking that they were both "sharp" fragrances...What the heck do I mean? I'm not sure, maybe you can help. Citrus, the Medicinal signature scent of Montale Dark Aoud, the penetrating opening of Bn9 NY Amber all are "sharp" The powdery smell of Montale Louban, the quiet Marconi 3 by Profumi del Forte, the rose of Lyric Man by Amouage all seem soft. Do you smell the difference?
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post #2 of 10
1/12/13 at 11:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Possum-Pie View Post

What the heck do I mean? I'm not sure

Neither am I.

Do I smell the difference between those fragrances? Yes I do. I agree NY Amber is quite sharp, Dark Aoud on the other hand is very smooth to me. I'm not sure I understand your query, perhaps you could rephrase the question.
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post #3 of 10
1/12/13 at 12:11pm
Thread Starter 
Montale dark aoud has been described by various people as a "sharp medicinal" smell. I don't know how to better describe it. A sharp fragrance jumps out at you, stabs your nose. Sniff a lemon, orange, rubbing alcohol, they are "sharp" Look at Florescent Green paint, it is sharp. sniff vanilla, powder, flour, they are soft, they tend to tickle your nose. They are baby blue color, or dusty pink... I tend to gravitate to the fragrances that are "sharp" like "sport" or flanker scents, Versace pour homme, Eternity for Men...Not to soft quiet fragrances...Heck, just forget it...I hate when I can't get my point across even to myself!!!!
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post #4 of 10
1/12/13 at 12:24pm
I smell differences but adjectives like soft and sharp mean nothing to me personally
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post #5 of 10
1/12/13 at 12:36pm
I know what you mean, but also don't know why, or what the ingredient(s) might be that creates the effect. Indeed, a very "sharp" smell almost makes my eyes prickle or nearly tear. And it's not even that "soft" is necessarily also quiet; sometimes it's just round, but it can be round and very big. (Amarige by Givenchy, for instance -- round, soft, velvety, but also huge).
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post #6 of 10
1/12/13 at 6:00pm
Certainly certain materials can be described as sharp, for good or for worse. Montale's oud is a very sharp, cedary wood. Galbanum is another substance that can smell sharp, as violet leaves. And then one can go into the territory of many synthetic woody ambers.

cacio
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post #7 of 10
1/12/13 at 6:04pm
Sharp in my opinion is a Quick aroma to the nose not lasting long to the senses, to be faded away quickly to another note.
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post #8 of 10
1/12/13 at 7:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Possum-Pie View Post

Montale dark aoud has been described by various people as a "sharp medicinal" smell. I don't know how to better describe it. A sharp fragrance jumps out at you, stabs your nose. Sniff a lemon, orange, rubbing alcohol, they are "sharp" Look at Florescent Green paint, it is sharp. sniff vanilla, powder, flour, they are soft, they tend to tickle your nose. They are baby blue color, or dusty pink... I tend to gravitate to the fragrances that are "sharp" like "sport" or flanker scents, Versace pour homme, Eternity for Men...Not to soft quiet fragrances...Heck, just forget it...I hate when I can't get my point across even to myself!!!!

You made sense.
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post #9 of 10
1/12/13 at 8:16pm
I agree with the OP-I would definitely describe those two frags as "sharp". I always describe NY Amber as sharp to my wife...I still don't know how I feel about NY Amber...It's quite sharp and in your face and that's what turns me off toward it, but it has grown on me some so I'm still making up my mind. And, Dark Aoud...yep, definitely sharp. I'm not a huge oud fan, and I think it's because of it's sharpness.
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post #10 of 10
3/27/13 at 4:24am
Montale Oud note is sharp. Another sharp woody oud note is Creed Royal Oud. Even though it is more tame than Montale note.
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