Shadowing Practice: 12 Fragrances That Smell Expensive (But Aren’t) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

A lot of people think if you smell great,

⏸ Paused

Speed:

337 sentences

If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.

A lot of people think if you smell great,

then you spent a ton of money.

And sometimes it's the case,

but most of the time it's not.

But you gotta know where to look.

And if you don't, don't worry, I got you.

Because today, I'm giving you 12 fragrances that smell expensive, but aren't.

Now, first up, from Davidoff,

we got Cool Elixir Oud Aromatic.

Now, let me tell you, this fragrance is just $35.

Let that sit there for a second.

Now, I recently picked this fragrance up and I've been really, really impressed.

It just kind of has everything you need.

It wears like a traditional fragrance.

It goes through all of the stack,

plus it smells really expensive.

This fragrance is aquatic.

It has this resinous dry down.

It's slightly sweet, and you can pick this one up for less than the price of taking your family to Chick-fil-A.

So if you're looking for something, give it a shot.

Now, I got to warn you about this next fragrance because when I think about it,

especially with the smell, it has no business being this cheap.

The fragrance comes from Narcisco Rodriguez and this one is Bleu Noir Parfum.

And we're talking about a parfum concentration.

If you go to the store to pick one of these up today,

you're probably going to spend close to 300 bucks.

But for this one, just 52.

Now, in my experience, this one is not your everyday blue fragrance.

It's a little bit drier,

a little bit more mineral and smoky

but it also has this powdery feel to it that really just makes it that much better.

This fragrance really sits somewhere between cashmere and concrete

and it's the type of fragrance that

when you wear it there is no regrets

because you just know you smell amazing and you didn't break the bank to do it.

Now chances are you probably haven't come across this fragrance in store but online it's somewhat legendary.

Alright I'm gonna step it up a bit.

56 dollars.

From John Bravados we got Oud.

Now when you hear the word Oud you might think fecal,

in your face and uber aggressive but this one's not that.

Now with this one I don't get as much Oud as I get leather.

This is also another fragrance that you don't have to worry about.

Of course it's a bit richer

and thicker than some of the other ones within this John Bravados line but it doesn't come off as uber aggressive.

With this one it feels like honey

and amber just kind of mesh together really well to give you that I am rich feel.

You know what I'm talking about, right?

You get it.

But between me and you,

you don't gotta drop a lot of cash to do it.

Again, despite the name on this fragrance,

it comes off as leathery and earthy and even a little mossy.

And if you wear this,

you might be like Randy Moss and be catching compliments all over the place.

But then again, maybe not.

What I enjoy about this fragrance is that it doesn't come off as harsh.

And sometimes fragrances within its price point can do that.

Instead, this one lives up to the John Vavados name and it really just shines through.

You have a fragrance here that feels quality,

it looks decent although it does feel cheap.

And personally, I believe because they put some of that money back into the juice.

or they had a bunch of the original John Bovado spottles laying around

and they needed a way to make it look a little different.

It's probably that.

Now, if you're looking for a warm weather fragrance,

I would say that this is not it.

This one's going to be better suited for the colder environment or if your office is cold in the summer.

If you wear this fragrance,

your friends might call you pit bull because you missed the worldwide.

All right, look, before we get into the back half of this list,

and trust me, that's where the heat is.

I want to talk to you about something that's costing you more than a bad fragrance choice,

do you know what ruins a great outfit fast?

An old, beat-up, raggedy belt that just doesn't fit right.

If you're like most guys,

wearing belts that's stretched out and more holy than water on Easter Sunday,

then this one's for you.

Because today, we're talking about my friends over at Anson Belt and Buckle,

and they just happen to be the sponsors of today's video.

Now, Anson is a family-run company that's been around since 2009 and they completely changed the game on this belt world.

Instead of holes, they use a micro-adjustable track system.

I'm talking quarter-inch increments.

Therefore, your belts fit perfectly every single time.

And once you experience that kind of fit and comfort,

you're never going to want to wear a regular belt again.

And because you can mix and match any buckle with any strap,

you'll always have a belt that matches your outfit without buying and a dozen belts that clutter up your closet.

But here's the thing, this one isn't just about style.

It's about feeling more comfortable,

feeling more confident, and being more polished in what you wear.

And Anson belts adjust with you throughout the day.

So no matter if you're sitting,

standing, or on the move,

you're always going to be comfortable and look sharp.

Which is probably why over the years they've earned over 40,000 five-star reviews.

That, and they also have a lifetime guarantee on functionality.

That means they stand behind every product they make,

and not all companies do that and because Anson Belt

100

and Buckle is sponsoring today's video when you click the link down in the description

101

or scan the QR code

102

if you build a box set you're gonna get two additional

103

pieces completely free yes I'm talking about an extra buckle

104

and an extra strap so that's three buckles and three straps

105

that could be mixed

106

and matched into nine different combinations all in one unique box it's an exclusive deal

107

that you won't get anywhere else so click on the link and build your custom box set today.

108

Don't make me take off my belt now.

109

Back to the video.

110

Alright, next up I want to talk to you about Givenchy Gentleman Art de Parfum.

111

This one is dope.

112

With this fragrance, think booze with a touch of iris.

113

Or maybe iris with a touch of booze.

114

Now, there's a floral component to this fragrance,

115

but this one still comes off as masculine.

116

And I'm talking about the type of masculine that comes off as black tailed suits with a fresh,

117

crisp, white oxford.

118

Underneath that persona, there's a bad boy element, more of a gentleman.

119

Think John Wick.

120

It's iris, patchouli, dark, earthy, and still sophisticated.

121

As you might expect, with the name that reads gentlemen,

122

this fragrance comes off as a bit of a formal scent,

123

but it's also one of those if you know you know type of deals.

124

To me, this is a fragrance that wear

125

when you want to be dressed to impress and one of those fragrances

126

that you put on when you refuse to lose but it doesn't come off as a gourmand scent.

127

All in all, this is a phenomenal fragrance that works in plenty of situations but also,

128

for sure, without a doubt,

129

a fragrance that just says,

130

I'm dressed up, I'm here to impress,

131

but you don't know, I didn't spend a ton of money.

132

This one knows the trade secrets.

133

You You can get an expensive suit or you can just get it tailored and get a very,

134

very similar feel.

135

And for $58, I'm taking a similar feel.

136

Now I know I talked to you about a few fragrances that had oud, but not really.

137

This one is a little bit different though.

138

From the house of Montal, we have Oudmazing.

139

Now depending on where you're shopping for this fragrance,

140

you can pick it up for just $60.

141

If you know anything about Montal or Mancera,

142

you know that these are Middle Eastern inspired fragrances and they really do live up to the expectations.

143

Especially this one.

144

Comparatively speaking, to a lot of fragrances out there,

145

this one is bold, darker,

146

more resinous, more smoky, and more distinct.

147

As the name implies, you get this amazing old inspired scent.

148

But along with that comes this rich rose that just pours into the fragrance.

149

As you would expect it's a warmer scent,

150

slightly spicy, and there's this deep wood backbone to the scent.

151

From my experience this is one of those fragrances that just lingers,

152

which is especially good for the great market prices.

153

Now if you were to pick this fragrance up for $160 or $200 it would still be a good scent,

154

and some people would even say it was worth $300 plus.

155

You can pick this one up for $60,

156

so why would you spend more than that?

157

Alright, I want to talk about another one here,

158

and this is from Victor Roth,

159

and this one is Spice Bomb Dark Leather.

160

Hear me out.

161

Now, yes, there are other fragrances within this Spice Bomb lineup that are more complimented,

162

more love, more supported, but for $62,

163

we've got to have a conversation.

164

With this one here, you think of the Spice Bomb DNA and just turn up the drama,

165

because Because when this fragrance dropped, people hated it.

166

But in my opinion, it doesn't take away from the fact that it still smells good and it also smells expensive.

167

Now this one has this pepper opening along with some remnants of leather.

168

Now with this fragrance there's also some tobacco here

169

and it doesn't come off as this photorealistic tobacco but you do get hints of it.

170

I feel like this is one of those fragrances that gives you a more assertive,

171

more masculine edge to you and that's what we're going for.

172

But it still smells like you care and not like you don't worry about what other people think.

173

Now personally, I believe at $62 this fragrance is a steal

174

and the complaints that come along with the projection and longevity become less relevant.

175

What I also enjoy about this fragrance is

176

that it does still have some of

177

that feel of what you would get from the original spice bomb but here it's a little bit more dry,

178

a little bit more smokey and just a bit more touch of leather and spice.

179

And with that, you get a fragrance that's good for a night out or even good for a business meeting.

180

I know, totally different.

181

So to me, that just adds to the fragrance's versatility.

182

So if you're looking for a banger,

183

boom, this one is it.

184

Alright, I gotta talk to you about this one next.

185

From the House of Bougari,

186

we got Bougari Manwood Acids.

187

Now this one just happens to be the EDP version,

188

although recently they have released a Parfum version,

189

which is, that one's pretty good too.

190

Now for this one, and that $72,

191

this is a masterclass of what a refined,

192

woody, masculine fragrance should smell like,

193

especially when it's done right.

194

Now if you're not familiar with the Bvlgari line of fragrances,

195

specifically the Bvlgari Man fragrances,

196

then let me tell you,

197

the name kind of just suits it all.

198

These fragrances, in my opinion,

199

remove some of the things that might make any fragrance feel a little bit unisex.

200

If we move some of the floral aspects here,

201

it kind of dows down some of the sweet notes within the scent.

202

In here, what we're getting is a double and triple dose of woods,

203

which makes it feel a little deep.

204

But this fragrance doesn't go too far on the deep end

205

because it has this nice freshness in the top that makes it feel enjoyable.

206

This fragrance here just has a really good balance.

207

It's just enough freshness in the top and just enough soft notes

208

that kind of mesh really well into what the wood and the base feels like here.

209

It just makes it feel like a classic man's scent.

210

Now oddly enough, when I think about wearing this fragrance,

211

it's not in this attire.

212

It will be something that I'm dressed up for,

213

maybe a blazer and I'm ready to take on the day.

214

When I smell this fragrance,

215

it kind of feels like you're walking on a forest edge during a hot summer day.

216

It's just warm, a little dusty, and natural.

217

And I mean that in the best possible way.

218

You know what else smells expensive?

219

Cartier.

220

And this is Pacha de Cartier,

221

but this version is the Parfum scent.

222

Now, I find this fragrance interesting because for just 75 smackaroos,

223

you can get a Cartier on your dresser.

224

But let me warn you,

225

this is not the most youthful fragrance on this list.

226

But then again, we are talking about smelling expensive.

227

Now this one has this burst of Bergamot and Lavender in the top.

228

That combination just gives you this classic masculine freshness but it almost feels like something a grandpa might have wore.

229

But a cool grandpa nonetheless.

230

The parfum concentration of this comes in a little bit richer than the original and a little bit more potent than expected.

231

What I always enjoyed about this fragrance is that it feels very so slightly that there could be a gourmand element here.

232

That said, you get some tonka bean,

233

some white musk, and a bit of vetiver that pulls in a bit more earthiness and keeps it a little more subtle.

234

If you're the type of guy out there who does not need to explain the things

235

that are going on in your world,

236

then this is one that you can wear because this is one that real men wear.

237

And yes, I have two bottles.

238

Alright, for this next one,

239

our price point goes up just a bit more.

240

This one is Prada Luna Rosa Black.

241

Interestingly enough that my son was wearing this fragrance not

242

that long ago and he came down to my office and I was like man these smells great.

243

Now for 79 bucks this is a steal.

244

This fragrance just smells unique but it also carries forward that Luna Rosa DNA throughout its entire life.

245

This one is powdery, it's slightly metallic but again it's unique.

246

It feels herbal.

247

Almost a little green and then it's infused with iris.

248

So you kind of get this almost lipsticky type of feel,

249

but it also feels much deeper than some of those iris pack scents.

250

Now I know we're talking about fragrances that smell expensive and what I'm about to say might sound like a contradiction,

251

but let me tell you it still smells expensive.

252

This fragrance still has a synthetic through here.

253

You can tell it's not natural.

254

And I think that's on account of those types of musk that they were adding into the scent.

255

But that said, it still feels like a big boy scent.

256

It lasts, it projects, it gets compliments,

257

and again, it's a richer type of fragrance,

258

so therefore, people would assume it's more expensive.

259

All right, I got another one I wanna talk to you about for $79,

260

and this one is from Mancera,

261

and this one is Intense Cedret Bois, or Boise.

262

Now, the $79 price point, this fragrance is phenomenal.

263

It's a big win.

264

With this one, you get this Italian lemon peel that feels bright and tart and a little bit fizzy.

265

But in addition to that,

266

you get a fragrance that is fresh and invigorating and also a bit potent.

267

Now the notes that really stand out here happen to be that blackcurrant.

268

There's also some apple, there's also some bergamot,

269

and what feels to be a touch of oakmouse.

270

This is one of those fragrances that just checks every box,

271

it does what it's supposed to do and it gets the people going.

272

Plus it comes from an amazing fragrance,

273

what happens to be the original Cedrui Boise,

274

and this one is just the next version and it's pretty dope.

275

That said, this fragrance has gotten a ton of love on YouTube for being amazing and one that women enjoy.

276

So if you want to smell amazing,

277

rich, and also be adored, then here you go.

278

Alright we're stepping it up to the triple digits, but not super expensive.

279

The fragrance that we're talking about is from Zheerjof and this one is called the Dumb One.

280

fitting because fragrance comes from an Italian niche fragrance house

281

and we're talking about the dawn like the mafia

282

so it kind of goes hand in hand now to me

283

the dawn approaches its first spray like a boss on

284

that first spray there's a touch of freshness here

285

and then you immediately get this tobacco feel it's kind of

286

like the boss's blue smoke all in your face in addition to

287

that tobacco there's this rich wood aspect

288

and it just feels like a man's man scent it's smoky

289

it's leathery it's also has a ton of tobacco as i mentioned

290

and then there's wood clearly in the base here

291

and even a touch of musk now this fragrance doesn't come off as animalic

292

but i do believe it could be offensive to some it's one of those fragrances

293

that you wear when you say i want to just look

294

and feel like the boss if you are suited

295

and booted this is one that you can wear Now if you're not a fan of tobacco scents,

296

you might not like this,

297

but at the same time, you could.

298

So with that said, it's probably best to try it out.

299

Now the Dawn is part of their JTC

300

or the Join the Club collection and this is a club that you can never leave because with the Dawn,

301

it's blood in and blood out.

302

And then there was a fragrance that needs no introduction,

303

this is Tom Ford's Ombre Leather.

304

This one's a bit of a legend

305

when it it comes to the YouTube sphere so I probably don't need to say much about it but I will anyway.

306

Now the retail on this fragrance is about $250

307

but in the grain market you can pick it up for about half of that.

308

First of all let's talk about it.

309

You get the name Tom Ford and when you mention Tom Ford people are going to assume you spent the s**t load.

310

Like many of the others on this list this one is dry,

311

it's smokey, you got that leather aspect that feels like a leather rawhide treated with some dark florals,

312

maybe even some bright florals we're talking jasmine.

313

And then it's wrapped up with this patchouli and a bit of musk.

314

Because this fragrance has done so well with inside of the YouTube space it's a scent

315

that people are familiar with so you're kind of battling that.

316

But it doesn't change the fact that it smells expensive.

317

And it also doesn't change the fact that people f***ing love it.

318

For me personally, I get great performance on skin for this scent

319

and I was a fan of this fragrance before they unbolted it

320

and re-released it in 2018 and even to what we got to these days.

321

This is one of those fragrances that you can spray on and just know that you look like you that guy.

322

You did what you're supposed to do.

323

You left no stone unturned when you put this one on.

324

And personally, I think that's something you should be proud of.

325

So if you want to smell like you know exactly what you're doing,

326

this list is a play by play.

327

I'm talking full house, step by step, day by day.

328

It's filled with a bunch of fragrances that will make you feel goaded without breaking the bank.

329

And that's just a goat move.

330

So there you have it.

331

These are 12 fragrances that help you walk into any room smelling like you know exactly what you're doing,

332

but even more so because you didn't even spend a ton of money to do it.

333

Get your top pick in the comments and then also click on

334

that link to check out Anson Belt and Buckle before the deal goes away.

335

Like for good.

336

Alright, strap up now.

337

I'll catch you on the next one.

TRENDING

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

☕ Buy us a coffee

ShadowingEnglish remains 100% free thanks to your support. Server and AI costs are high — your coffee keeps us going! 🙏

Donate via PayPal

ShadowingEnglish.com – English Shadowing Practice

Speak English fluently using the Shadowing technique. Listen to native YouTube videos, repeat sentence by sentence, and build real pronunciation and fluency — used by IELTS learners worldwide.

Shadowing Practice: 12 Fragrances That Smell Expensive (But Aren’t) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

Popular

Why practice speaking with this video?

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Common Pronunciation Traps

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing Practice: 12 Fragrances That Smell Expensive (But Aren’t) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

Download App

Why practice speaking with this video?

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Common Pronunciation Traps

What is the Shadowing Technique?