Reflection 45 Man by Amouage

The absolute best I’ve ever tried. With so many perfumes in my collection, I can’t afford to keep it just for special occasions. It’s silent luxury, refined and exquisite. The dry-down is magical and very versatile if you know how to wear it (though I always do). Lasts over 10 hours, projects moderately but consistently. Absolutely impeccable.

Parfums de Marly has niche prices… it simply cannot be compared to Amouage in any way.

Amouage Reflection 45 Man is an oriental, spicy, balsamic, and woody fragrance. It has a soft floral and spicy opening that retains part of the original’s DNA, but gradually reveals a spicier and balsamic facet; the incense and benzoin give it a smoky touch. The way it handles myrrh reminded me of Issey Miyake’s Noir Argent, but Amouage’s is softer and finer. After a couple of hours, the sandalwood wood rises, and combined with the spices and balsamics, it recalls 90s orientals like Envy or Le Male. Ideal for dates, parties, or formal or casual situations, preferably in cool or cold weather (spring, autumn, winter). Lasts over 12 hours with average sillage. I liked it much more than the original Reflection; its scent is charming, seductive, and elegant; the only thing I don’t love is that it’s very expensive.

To be honest, it doesn’t turn you into Hercules or the ‘ultimate man.’ It’s a perfume that leaves people indifferent. Before you get offended, I’ve tried it. I see many calling it the elixir of eternal life, but you need to find a way to justify the €490 without feeling like you made a mistake. Yes, it lasts a long time, easily 8 hours, but barely on the skin. It projects nothing because it’s 45% essential oil and almost no alcohol, which is what provides projection. The day you buy it, you’ll spend the whole time putting it on, and maybe someone close will notice, but if not, you’ll have to ask people to smell it. The scent is average, neither good nor bad. You only distinguish a few notes of excellent quality; it smells clean and nothing more. It has no personality or charisma and doesn’t stand out from a €15 perfume from Mercadona, except for the quality of ingredients and the price. It smells elegant and clean, but I don’t know what lifestyle people who want it as a star lead, because it doesn’t stand out anywhere. For me, it’s the scent for someone who can afford to buy a 100ml bottle every four months for everyday use. If you’re looking to stand out, seduce, or go very elegant, it’s a huge mistake. You have thousands of better options with more personality that will fit you, project more, and not force you to sell a vital organ. Go ahead, change my opinion!

You can perceive high-quality ingredients and a sophisticated fragrance to use in a formal style for different occasions, day or night. It’s a dense and fresh scent for all-year-round that conveys extreme power and elegance. It’s currently one of my favorites.

The ultimate elegant fragrance, with notes of iris so sophisticated and refined that they give it that aura of a classy, wealthy man. It’s very similar to its sister but feels higher quality and more masculine. Impossible not to be asked what you’re wearing, and if you pair it with a suit, you’ll be the MASTER of the place. It’s in my top 3 out of the over 120 fragrances I own.

Picked it up a few days ago. Although it smells like an EDP, it feels more masculine and elegant, without comparison. It’s pricey, sure, but worth every penny. Definitely one of my all-time favorite fragrances. IMPRESSIVE!

If you like Reflection Man but want to tone down the floral notes, you’ll love this: it’s more masculine, longer-lasting, and better balanced… an incredible fragrance.

Reflection Man is my go-to scent and the one I like the most of all. I heard the extract didn’t resemble it much, but I barely tested it and recognized it instantly: it’s the same DNA, just like others say, it’s the exceptional version. It’s ultra-elegant, has a spectacular body, and the sillage, in my case, is super heavy for at least two hours. The quality lives up to the name Exceptional Extracts; I dare say I like it a bit more than my beloved Reflection Man, but as with this beautiful passion for perfumery, it’s totally subjective. My top favorite alongside its subtler brother.

👃🏻🔎 YES… BUT NOT. 🔍👃🏻 It’s a rounder, polished, and better-finished version, with the characteristic sweetness slightly reduced (bravo). Even when dry, it notes more incense and amber. It’s like that 25-year-old guy turned into a 35-year-old. Moderate projection at first, easy to detect for three hours, then close to the skin, and by the fifth hour it’s skin-scent only, extending the life to 10 hours. On my skin, the longevity is VERY good, no surprise with that concentration. But that has a downside: limited projection. I don’t need it to last that long; my days don’t exceed 8 hours. I would ask for a couple more hours of projection. Do I like it? Yes, a lot. Would I buy it? No, for those reasons and because the price (400€/100ml) is way above its little sister. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ☆ ☆

I’m currently testing and comparing it with the previous Reflection Man EDP, and it’s a very solid launch from Amouage. There are clear contrasts: in Reflection 45, they aimed for something more mature and masculine, while the EDP felt very floral and even unisex. This version is the ‘macho’ side of the EDP; a turn toward something more masculine, woody, spicy, and resinous. The longevity is a beast: I put it on my wrist, went out, took a shower, and it still smelled, clearly surpassing the EDP in longevity, even if it’s not as floral. To my nose, I like the EDP more, but this one is more mature, masculine, and lasts twice as long as the previous one. Amouage Reflection Man 45 is undoubtedly a great launch from the house. 9/10.