First Sniff: Amouage Guidance

After reading so many positive reviews and having high hopes for Amouage Guidance, I was so excited to finally get my nose on a sample. The list of notes is to die for: a creamy pear and hazelnut opening, a beautifully blended heart of rose and jasmine, with a supporting base of sandalwood, ambergris, and vanilla. I have been close to the full-bottle purchase more than once. Thankfully, I’ve waited.

My First Sniff Impressions

From my very first sniff, I must agree with the consensus: this perfume is absolutely stunning. As is always my experience with Amouage, the scent is masterful and feels like an intricate, layered work of art. The notes mix and mingle in perfect unison, creating a seductive fragrance that is luscious and captivating. Longevity is amazing as I can still detect scent, significantly, more than ten hours after application.

An Unavoidable Resemblance

However, no matter how many times I’ve tried to wear it, I keep getting reminded of Le Labo’s Santal 33. Now, let me be clear—Guidance and Santal 33 are truly completely different fragrances. Guidance is definitely more complex and offers a much less casual vibe than Santal 33. But there’s a certain woodsy, creamy, nuance that I pick up from Guidance that I just can’t quite separate from my existing association with Santal 33. I’m guessing it’s the sandalwood doing it for me.

So for the time being, I’ll be tucking this beautiful sample away. Maybe my nose will change before I sniff this one again. While the craftsmanship is undeniable and the fragrance itself is an absolute masterpiece, for now, it’s just not a scent I’m inspired to add to my personal collection.