In this video, I’m talking about those super-duper hyped Middle Eastern fragrances that stay going viral in FragCom and on TikTok… but when I put them in front of everyday people, they were like, “No girl—set that to the side.” I did a Middle Eastern declutter and donated a bunch to a local school for the teachers to grab, and y’all… I was shookth in my soul at what got sniffed, sprayed, and left sitting on the table. I break down the exact bottles that nobody wanted and why I think that happened. Petra by Lattafa was just too big, too loud, too forward—full-bodied white floral that felt in-your-face. Terio Intense (Quentin Bisch creation) came off boozy, syrupy, and ambery/resinous to my nose, and I personally prefer the original. Anna Abiyedh Coral is a juicy watermelon/Jolly Rancher spring-summer vibe, but it was duplicative in my collection—still, I couldn’t believe it got passed on. Moira felt heavier with a stronger note that may have been off-putting, and even A Theory (inspired by Gucci Gorgeous Orchid) and Athena (inspired by Burberry Goddess) were left behind—despite being popular. My takeaway: hype vs. reality is real. A lot of everyday scent wearers with five perfumes max are not chasing “the best dupe” conversation—they just want what smells good to them, period.