To Be Honest
Built for independent spirits and lovers of minimalist style, To Be Honest offers a quiet, contemplative mood. The blend highlights resinous myrrh, dry cedar, and dark leather without any unnecessary sugar or floral distraction. It wears like a well-loved leather jacket draped over a dark wool sweater, carrying a smoky, aromatic aura that feels confident and calm. Wearers who prefer introspective, woody spicy compositions will feel right at home here during chilly nights or rainy late-autumn days. Because its projection can be assertive and its texture leans animalic and earthy, it works best in relaxed personal settings, intimate evening gatherings, and creative work environments where bold, unconventional character is welcomed.
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Performance Metrics
76 VOTESOpen Performance Breakdown 1 TAKE
Longevity is very solid, with community votes showing seven out of eleven wearers achieving long lasting or eternal performance lasting over seven hours. Sillage is rated strong by half of all voters, creating a noticeable aura around the wearer.
Notes Pyramid
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To Be Honest is anchored by dry cedar, raw leather, and warm amber. A sharp top note of black pepper introduces the profile, while resinous myrrh, smoky patchouli, and vetiver lend earthy, animalic depth to the base.
Main Accords
10 MAPPEDThe fragrance opens with vibrant fresh spicy and woody accords driven by black pepper and cedar. Over time, warm spicy, balsamic, and animalic leather facets become dominant, eventually settling into an earthy, smoky amber finish.
Community Data
120 TOTAL VOTESCOMMUNITY SENTIMENT
OWNERSHIP STATS
GENDER APPEAL
REVIEW SENTIMENT
When to Wear
TAP TO VOTETIME OF DAY · TAP TO VOTE
OCCASIONS · TAP TO VOTE
It looks easiest to wear in fall and winter. The vote picture leans most toward night.
Pros & Cons
Quick take before you sampleWHY PEOPLE MAY LIKE IT
Impressive longevity with most voters getting over seven hours of wear
Noticeable sillage that projects well without requiring overspraying
Deep, natural balsamic myrrh note that avoids synthetic sweetness
Sturdy woody backbone built on dry cedar and earthy vetiver
Clean, piquant black pepper opening provides an invigorating start
Uncompromising unisex profile suited for lovers of dry leather scents
Performs exceptionally well in cool autumn and winter temperatures
Favorable community reception with twenty-two love or like ratings
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
Zero sweetness, which may feel too stark for casual perfume wearers
Limited versatility that skews heavily toward cold weather and night wear
Animalic leather and smoky patchouli can feel abrasive to some noses
Black pepper opening is quite sharp and medicinal for the first hour
Lacks broad mass-market appeal or crowd-pleasing qualities
Only one daytime vote suggests it can feel out of place in sunny heat
A small number of voters experienced very weak longevity
Not suitable as a blind buy due to its polarizing spicy resin profile
Fragranxe Review
EDITORIAL“To Be Honest by Diane Pernet Editorial Fragrance Review”
The opening of To Be Honest by Diane Pernet delivers an immediate burst of piquant black pepper paired with dry cedar. It does not flirt with sweet citrus or bright top notes. Instead, the first blast feels stark, crisp, and direct. The black pepper creates a fresh spicy sparkle that quickly exposes a dark, tactile background of raw leather and balsamic resin.
As the sharp spice recedes, the heart introduces an earthy mixture of myrrh, amber, and vetiver. The myrrh carries a warm, slightly medicinal hum, blending naturally with the golden warmth of the amber. As the perfume enters its deep dry-down, patchouli joins the composition, adding an earthy, smoky undertone that wraps around the cedar base. The leather note never turns synthetic or sweet; it stays dry, animalic, and remarkably grounded.
Over several hours of wear, the accords shift from fresh spicy and aromatic woodiness into a deep balsamic, smoky haze. The amber accord acts as the primary binder, softening what could otherwise be a severe combination of bitter vetiver and cracked black pepper. Warm spicy facets ebb and flow throughout the day, while the animalic leather and earthy patchouli slowly anchor themselves close to the skin as the cedar mellows.
Performance is dependable and substantial. Community votes place longevity firmly in the long lasting to eternal territory, with seven of eleven voters observing anywhere from seven to over twelve hours of wear, alongside three noting moderate duration. Sillage votes lead with a strong projection rating, meaning it easily reaches an arm's length before settling into a steady aura. Because voters overwhelmingly favor autumn and winter nights, this fragrance performs best in cold air and quiet evening venues.
This perfume suits wearers who admire dark, contemplative fragrances built around resins, woods, and animalic leather. Those who enjoy unvarnished materials and minimalist compositions will appreciate its honest, unadorned structure. On the other hand, shoppers seeking sweet gourmand vanilla, powdery clean musk, or bright fruit should skip this release entirely. Its bitter edge, smoky patchouli, and peppery bite require a wearer comfortable with austere, unconventional profiles.
To Be Honest is a focused study in dark resins and dry woods. It does not attempt to please crowds or chase modern commercial trends, choosing instead to present pure textures of myrrh, black pepper, and leather. Sample it first if you enjoy niche perfumery with real backbone, especially when dressing for cold autumn nights.
FAQs
What does To Be Honest smell like?+
To Be Honest smells like dry cedar, warm amber, smoky patchouli, and worn leather accented by black pepper. The opening hits with a sharp, fresh spicy burst before settling into a deep balsamic heart dominated by resinous myrrh. It stays dry and unsweetened throughout the day, creating an earthy, rustic profile that emphasizes woods and resins.
Is To Be Honest long lasting?+
Yes, community votes indicate that To Be Honest is remarkably long lasting. Seven out of eleven voters rate its longevity as long lasting or eternal, which represents wear lasting between seven and well over twelve hours. Another three voters report moderate performance between three and six hours, while only one experienced very weak staying power on skin.
What is the projection and sillage of To Be Honest?+
To Be Honest has strong sillage that projects well beyond arm's length. Half of all community voters rate the projection as strong, while three consider it moderate and three intimate. Only one voter found it enormous. A light application easily projects an aromatic bubble without dominating the entire room or causing fatigue.
Is To Be Honest suitable for men or women?+
To Be Honest is a unisex fragrance suitable for anyone who appreciates dry, woody compositions. Diane Pernet officially launched it as a genderless blend in 2014, and community votes agree with this classification. Because it avoids traditional floral sweetness and feminine powdery accords, some wearers may perceive its leather and cedar as leaning classically masculine.
When is the best time and season to wear To Be Honest?+
The best time to wear To Be Honest is during cold autumn and winter evenings. Community season votes are evenly split between autumn and winter with five votes each, while night wear receives six votes compared to just one for daytime. The heavy resins, patchouli, and animalic leather require crisp air to bloom properly.
What notes are in Diane Pernet's To Be Honest?+
The composition features black pepper, leather, myrrh, amber, cedar, vetiver, and patchouli. These unclassified notes work together to create dominant amber, leather, and woody accords. The warm spicy and balsamic tones come forward as the fragrance develops, grounded by a smoky, earthy base that anchors the wood and leather.
How does the opening of To Be Honest compare to its dry-down?+
The opening is sharp and peppery, whereas the dry-down is warm, balsamic, and smoky. Black pepper and crisp cedar lead the initial phase with intense fresh spice. As the perfume dries down, the sharpness fades into dark animalic leather, golden amber, earthy patchouli, and sweet myrrh that cling to the skin for hours.
Is To Be Honest safe for a blind buy?+
No, To Be Honest is not a safe blind buy and should be sampled first. Its complete lack of sweetness, paired with bitter vetiver, animalic leather, and prominent myrrh, makes it a specialized niche profile. While twenty-two voters rate it love or like, four registered dislikes demonstrate that its stark spice can divide opinions.
What fragrances smell similar to To Be Honest?+
To Be Honest shares a dry woody spirit with fragrances like Comme des Garcons 2 Man. Both highlight cedar, vetiver, and smoky spice, though the Comme des Garcons scent leans into synthetic aldehydes. Wearers also compare its resinous depth to Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan, which offers balsamic myrrh and amber but with much sweeter undertones.
Can To Be Honest be worn to the office or work?+
To Be Honest can be worn to work if it is applied very lightly. Because a majority of voters rate its sillage as strong, its heavy notes of smoky patchouli and animalic leather can quickly fill tight office environments. One subtle spray under clothing keeps the fragrance professional, restrained, and comfortably close.
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Dupes & Alternatives
COMMUNITY DUPESCOREComme des Garcons 2 Man shares the dry cedar, vetiver, and smoky spice profile but includes a distinctive synthetic aldehyde sparkle that To Be Honest avoids. Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan offers a similar balsamic resin and amber depth, yet it leans much warmer, herbal, and sweeter with its rich benzoin, whereas To Be Honest keeps a firmer focus on dry pepper, vetiver, and animalic leather.
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