DUA Fragrances - 44 Shades of Vanilla

DUA is a California-based fragrance company that creates both “inspired” and original fragrances.  I realize there are many people that don’t support “inspired” fragrances, however, here in the U.S. they are legal and I personally believe they can be affordable alternatives for many people – as I always say: Fragrance (and makeup) should be for everyone.  That said, 44 Shades of Vanilla (“44 Shades”) is one of DUA’s inspired fragrances.  The inspiration for 44 Shades is Le Labo’s Vanilla 44.  I have not yet sampled the Le Labo and my review will simply be based on 44 Shades as it stands as its own fragrance.

44 Shades is a woody aromatic.  It opens with a beautiful woody vanilla tinged with just a tiny bit of citrus.  There is an intense woody warmth to the notes.  It’s as if you’ve been able to reach inside the very heart of the wood, place a vanilla pod there, and breathe in deeply. 

As 44 Shades continues to wear, I get a swirl of delicate incense overlaying the vanilla wood.  There is a lightness to the incense that seems to carry the other notes with it.  The vanilla has taken on a somewhat boozy quality and is not “gourmand sweet”.  At roughly 3 – 4 hours of wear I begin to get musk notes adding depth to the woodiness.  I get very little bergamot; although there are slight hints of the note.

The drydown finishes as richly as the 44 Shades began; an interesting, warm, rich, woody, boozy vanilla that is elegant and unisex.

44 Shades wears on me for roughly 9 hours with moderate to light projection.

Notes: Mandarin Orange, Vanilla Bourbon, Guaiac Wood, Incense, Sicilian Bergamot, Musk, and Aldehydes

Perfumer: Mahsam Raza

(Samples are available from Smells and Suds.)