I Don't Know What by D.S. & Durga is a perfume that undeniably stands out from the crowd. This is a perfume that neither sways too feminine nor too masculine, making it a great choice for those seeking something that defies the traditional gender-binary scents. Hopefully we can also agree that one’s decision to buy a fragrance (or even just a sample) is one’s own personal responsibility. No matter how flagrantly a reviewer rambles on about how many compliments they received, how interesting a note pyramid is, how this new formulation is actually an improvement, etc., their content should not directly impact their audience members’ finances. If you buy a full bottle of a perfume you do not like, you have no one to blame but yourself. If you buy a sample of something you do not like, the same is still true, though the smaller investment required should be chalked up to the price of exploring fragrances in general. If you love roses and fresh-cut flowers, go for a rose perfume and make yourself happy. Love the smell of grass and live for hikes and camping? Look for a scent that’s labeled “earthy.” If your dream is to roll around a field of daisies, then the floral fragrance family is for you. Whether you think you like citrus fragrances, fruity perfumes, powdery perfumes, or warm vanilla scents, don’t worry about being too obvious—just get one and try it. Decide how intense you want it. Like I said, I agree with much of these newfound ethics codes. I’m all for “ethical” reviewers who refrain from intentionally misleading their audience, but I’m confused by this demand we’ve placed on them to be “credible,” too. Listen, perfumes can be confusing, but as soon as you’ve got the facts, you’ll be able to easily navigate them online. In general, fragrances fall into one of two categories: eau de parfum (EDP) or eau de toilette (EDT). EDPs, aka parfums, are made with a higher concentration of perfume oils, and EDTs, aka toilettes, are made with less.

However, with that being said, I still stand by my assertion that it is impossible to be objective if you have a stake in the game. This goes for reviewers who have created their own fragrances, and those who have active financial relationships with specific houses. The second a reviewer creates their own fragrance, they're going to measure everything else next to that fragrance and they no longer can be relied upon for objectivity. The same goes for reviewers who have received free bottles. Are you really going to receive a free bottle of something and then talk about how awful it is? No. The answer is no. It’s a little bit funny actually because I remember being quite overjoyed by seeing some YouTuber review a free spray sample. Why? Because one alternative of that is free full-sized bottle which almost always bring down the reviewer/influencer/salesperson’s credibility, personally. Must fragrance influencers have YouTube channels. More views more money. More views more adds >>MO MONEY! I absolutely care about bias. Getting a sense of what people's biases are helps me gauge how helpful their opinions may be to me. It's the reason a lot of fragranticans put their note preferences and the like into their bios. Obviously we're all coming from our subjective place, and describing that is the art and the fun. As for disclosing when you receive something from the manufacturer, that's just basic ethics. Of course you should do that. Why even question that, of course it's important. jarroditshallbe - great point! I think part of the uproar about getting anything for free in perfume is that we as an audience are looking for a way to easily distinguish "content that is worth our time" from "content that isn't." I understand and empathize with that need because there is SO MUCH content about perfume out there to sift through. Whether or not I expressed it well in my article, I do think part of my motivation for writing was to say, "We all have to find ways to navigate the great wall of content that is available, and if you're a person who sees the act of receiving something for free as a method, that's ok -- but to me, I'm most concerned with the perceived quality of the review. Was I informed, entertained, or did I come away with something I didn't have before watching/reading?"

I Don't Know What by D.S. & Durga unfolds with a noticeable zest of bergamot. Its citrusy aroma carries a slight bitterness, providing an intriguing start to the perfume journey. This gradually transitions into the central essence of the fragrance, where the scent becomes notably synthetic, imbued with a dominant essence of vetiveryl acetate. It imparts a dry, woody aroma with a subtle, root-like undertone that speaks of earthy freshness. The complementary scent of ISO-E-Super adds an aromatic touch, hinting at cedar and leaning towards the spicier side of perfume scents. Personally, I can’t understand why – or, at least, I can’t understand the demand behind that stance. A funny yet thought provoking movie called "They Live" with Roddy Piper talks about it. I think people are more and more awake and are just tired of being influenced all the time. And believe me everywhere you go everyone is influencing you to do something. It get's old..but it's humanity. There is nothing new. People want something more so they go to politics, religion, etc but there is nothing else are far as this consumerism bubble that society pushes on you to make money, especially in America where I live. It's so bad here and everyone knows it. The question's you have to ask yourself..Are people that diabolical in making money off of your weaknesses? Well..Yes..look at Facebook, Youtube or any business influencing you..they have AI technology made for that and AI don't care how you think..it's programmed to make money at all costs and they have and will continue to do so for money..the sad part is when it's all said and done what I have seen recently is that when those same people realize the damage they have done to society you can later see they have remorse about it, quit their jobs or sell off their companies and go on a journey being proactive warning others and wish to change the outcome to hopefully reverse the damage that has been done. The one thing they all have said is they never knew what the outcome was going to be and how much damage it would cost. The other question is how much do you want to contribute to that consumerism? What is the damage being done or the costs..and are you ok with that? It's a hard thing because one has to put food on the table so I do understand businesses and making ends meet.

I can't believe this article is posted on one of the largest perfume community online...I am at a loss of words. Regardless of how seriously you take the art or craft of perfumery, there is undoubtedly an aspect of subjectivity about it, both from an art appreciation standpoint and a scientific one.years ago Google quietly removed the “search discussions” filter, and it enraged me. I used it daily. I have always preferred hearing from regular people when it comes to any product or any current issue.

D.S. & Durga’s 2018 release, I Don’t Know What, is described as “a fragrance enhancer with a transparent radiance that gives any perfume a certain, as the French say, ‘I Don’t Know What.’” So while it may not seem ideal to try a fragrance enhancer on skin by itself, I nonetheless want to experience it that way and evaluate it on its own merits. Alcohol denat., parfum (fragrance), aqua (water), alpha-isomethyl ionone, benzyl alcohol, benzl benzoate, benzyl salicylate, citral, citro- nellol, eugenol, farnesol, geraniol, isoeugenol, limonene, linalool I recently blind bought Montale Pure Love because I read here that it was very similar to ILNYFH (Bond). FAIL. To me it’s nothing like it!Maybe it’s just me but have you ever bought a designer labelled item (clothes, trainers, accessories etc) from a charity shop and known that it would have retailed for hundreds of pounds? Yeah, the smell's not cheap, but you get your money's worth. Unfortunately, the withdrawal from the EU market will probably make it a little harder to get hold of the fragrance in the future, but it is worth it! I also strongly believe that if a reviewer has been paid for a review, they should make that very clear. While I do think it’s possible for a reviewer to be upfront about their feelings surrounding a perfume even if they’ve been paid to talk about it, I can understand why an audience member would want to skip watching or reading what is essentially an advertisement. I Don’t Know What is a wonderful tool for anyone who wants to play around with perfume. Of course it can be worn as a modern wonderfully transparent aroma, but it can also be layered over anything. Often when I leave the house, I will wear a touch of sandalwood, rose, jasmine, patchouli, oud, etc. These oils are lovely but can be muddy and they don’t last more than a few hours. IDKW sprayed over them makes the oil into a PERFUME. It does this because it is made with no notes! It is a secret combination of materials that perfumers use to highlight and enhance notes in a perfume. A Bergamot accord announces freshness, Vetiver Acetate a thin amber, Firsantol a lingering sandalwood, Iso E Super a radiance, and so on. It is like a building with only structure – no interior. You can fill in the interior with an oil, a scent you like, even an old scent that has lost its way. IDKW is built to layer and enhance everything else it touches. My sarcasm there may lead you to believe I’m bitter about this. Truly, my writing here comes from a place of fascination over anything else. It is interesting to see this community talk about journalistic ethics while also entrenched in my own journalistic career. Part of me is simply glad to see journalism taken so seriously.

Let me point out that Fragrantica makes each and every member/reviewer confirm the following text before posting the review: I’ve also seen other reviewers questioned for receiving a free sample (less than 2ml of perfume) – again, the assumption being that they lose credibility for accepting that sample. When will we admit that this line of questioning is almost paranoid? I believe they would not bother to make us consent to the disclosure if they think that "We Don’t Need to Worry So Much about Fragrance Reviewer Credibility". But with a lot of Youtube reviewers, it doesn't even matter about the delusions of grandiosity there is, if the fragrance is bad and they are wasting people's money and if they are not disclosing. At this point they just want the views and I don't think they really care about their audience. You have to cut through some serious moral character to do a lot of this "Simping." Some would disagree. If they really cared about real change that benefits the community they would buy the fragrances themselves and not be influenced by who's offering them the most free products and how high of a status they are going to move up in youtube and the fragrance community. Or that they are influenced with those numbers to sell there extremely expensive, almost unreachable over priced products. Some of their products are really good..but most are overpriced. But that's the freedom of choice. You don't have to buy it nor support them.And trust me when I say if you don't think they will do anything to keep their cash cow or popularity going they will. I've seen it. Fight even teeth and nail deceiving others to keep youtube chanels and algorithims going. Some will go as far as to even buy views. People eventually become just numbers..it's no longer about the art of it and the community..your too influenced by popularity and greed at this point and will sell your body, soul, anything to get it. This then also confirms the durability! At cold temperatures 8-10, when it is warm even more hours!And yes they are lying to you. Don't think they aren't. I use to think that till I saw different. This is where the whole "Simping" name comes from. People are willing to do anything to get those views and don't really care about their audience and not use them or treat them as boy or girl toys. So if you like entertainment that is one thing..but if your costing people their money be upfront and honest about it. Here's the thing though, they know "Simping" works. The question is could you see your kid "Simping" just to make end's meet. I don't know, I think there is a fine line..but that is just me. I rather see someone succeed because of how valuable the person and their mind is and what they can add to the art of perfumery or anything else for that matter. It's special, like you have an aura around you that captivates you and it almost has something mysterious about it. You can not really explain it, just a I don't know what. But he is anything but weak in this. Immediately after spraying it on, it leaves an oily film like I usually only knew it from Profumum Roma, which speaks for a quite high percentage of scented oils for me!