If you know anything about Initio, you know that they are not your average fragrance house.
Since 2015, this French niche powerhouse has been cranking out some absolute fire fragrances – Side Effect, Oud for Greatness, Absolute Aphrodisiac – the list goes on. They've always leaned heavily into the concept of "functional fragrances", meaning they use science-backed molecular compositions designed to actually interact with your brain and trigger emotions. That's not marketing fluff, that's genuinely the lane they've been operating in and they've done it well. I may sound uber smart but you'll get the point soon, I promise.
So when Initio announced their brand new Supercharged collection – dropping two new fragrances called Sugar Blast and Wild Rush – I was pumped. Centered around something they're calling the JOYDROP Complex, a proprietary neuro-olfactive system designed to stimulate your brain's reward system and trigger joy (told you I'd get to the point), these two new entries are something we haven't really seen from Initio before. And that right there is exactly where I have mixed feelings.
Here's the thing – Initio has always been a niche brand through and through. Niche pricing, niche exclusivity, niche everything. Their fanbase loves them for it. So when a niche house starts releasing fragrances that are clearly designed with mass appeal in mind, it's a double-edged sword. On one hand, more people get to experience a truly excellent fragrance brand, which Initio has proved over and over with me. On the other hand, you start tiptoeing dangerously close to that line between niche artistry and "let's just make something that sells." I'm not here to say they've crossed that line, but the conversation is absolutely worth having. But I digress, let's get into the two new fragrances and I'll let you decide for yourself.
1. Sugar Blast
Let's kick things off with the one that definitely drew the most attention – Sugar Blast. This is an Oriental Vanilla, ambery gourmand EDP and the notes are lavender, coconut, praline, rum, cashmeran, ambroxan, and vanilla. So far so good.
I'll be honest – I sprayed this bad boy on yesterday and I am still smelling it on my skin as I write this. We're talking 24+ hours of longevity here. Projection is no joke either, I drove around town with both of these on each arm and Sugar Blast kept...well...blasting me in the face. Easily a 9/10.
This fragrance is absolutely, undeniably, objectively GOOD. The rum and praline together give it this boozy, dessert-like creaminess that is incredibly well done. The lavender keeps it from going completely off the deep end into pure candy territory and the coconut adds this smooth tropical layer underneath everything. The cashmeran and ambroxan in the base? Silky, warm, skin-hugging – exactly what you want in a base.
My only issue? This isn't something I'm reaching for on a Tuesday morning to go run errands. This is a big, bold, sweet fragrance and unless you LIVE for gourmand heavy hitters, it might be a bit much for everyday casual wear. Gourmand lovers are absolutely going to lose their minds over this. If you love things like Angel's Share by Kilian or anything in that very sweet, very rich territory – Sugar Blast is going to be a new obsession for you. For me personally, it's a little outside my daily comfort zone, but I would absolutely wear this on a cold fall or winter evening and feel like an absolute legend doing it.
2. Wild Rush
Now THIS is more my speed. Wild Rush is an Aromatic Fougère EDP and the notes are bergamot, lavender, red berries, caramel, vanilla, patchouli, and sandalwood. Classic fougère structure with a modern gourmand twist.
Wild Rush to me fits snug within the "blue fragrance" category for sure. And for anyone who doesn't know what that means, a blue fragrance doesn't refer to the color – it refers to the personality of the fragrance itself. Blue = versatile, mass-appealing, can be worn anywhere and by anyone, any season, any occasion. Office? Sure. Date night? Absolutely. Brunch with the guys? Why not. That's Wild Rush.
The bergamot opening is bright and sharp – it hits immediately and gets your attention fast. The lavender follows right behind it and gives it that classic aromatic quality we all know and love. The red berries in the mid add a sweet, fruity dimension that I honestly didn't expect but I'm HERE for. And then in the dry down, caramel, vanilla, patchouli, and sandalwood bring it all home with a warm, woody sweetness that isn't overwhelming at all. The caramel here is more of a supporting character than the star of the show, which is exactly the right call.
Now I've seen people compare this to everything from PDM Valero to Paragon and I get it. Blue fragrances of this profile tend to share DNA and that's not necessarily a bad thing. The best comparison I can give you is that it has that same all-occasion versatility as Sauvage by Dior – a fragrance that just works no matter where you're going or what you're doing. What makes Wild Rush stand out is that Initio silkiness that their fragrances always seem to have – there's a smoothness to how all the notes blend together that feels premium. And the performance on this one? Very solid. Great projection and above average longevity for a daily wear fragrance.
Final Thoughts
So is the Supercharged collection a win for Initio? Mostly yes, with an asterisk. Both fragrances are genuinely excellent in their own right and if you pick these up not knowing they were Initio, you'd be blown away. But knowing that this is Initio, knowing their history of bold niche masterpieces, you can't help but notice this collection reads a little more accessible – a little more designed to grab a wider audience. Is that bad? Not necessarily. But it does make you wonder where they go from here. Will they stay true to their roots and continue to release niche fragrances that are truly niche or will they succumb to the mass appeal bug and drift away?
If I were you, I'd grab a sample of both and test them back to back. Sugar Blast is for the gourmand heads, the sweet lovers, the people who want their fragrance to be a full experience. Wild Rush is for everybody else in between. Two very different vibes from the same collection and both are definitely worth your time. I'll catch you all in the next one. Peace!
