Side Effect
Votes lean masculine
4,395 ratings
From your scent profile
Initio Side Effect is a sweet, spicy and smoky unisex scent built around vanilla, rum and cinnamon.
Skunky's take: Comes alive when it gets cold; fall and winter are its seasons.
How does it perform?
From 4,133 community ratings, all out of 10.
Holds up through the day and fades gently toward evening.
People close to you notice, nobody gets overwhelmed.
Sits nicely on a shelf.
Most people feel it is worth the price.
Blind buy risk
93% of votes are positive and opinions barely differ.
Notes
They open one after another, from the first spray into the evening.
Accords
From most dominant to most subtle.
- Sweet
- Gourmand
- Spicy
- Woody
- Oriental
- Creamy
- Smoky
Sweet
Gourmand
Spicy
Woody
Oriental
Creamy
SmokyWhat does Side Effect smell like?
Vanilla and rum give it a creamy, gourmand sweetness, while cinnamon and saffron add a warm spiciness on top of it. Sandalwood lays down a woody base and tobacco carries the smoky side. Hedione softens the whole mix a little.
Both longevity and sillage are rated strong. Most voters pick autumn and winter, and evenings or nights out; summer is rarely chosen. It leans masculine, though a good share of voters find it feminine. Niche 4 All Vanilla Rum and French Avenue After Effect have a close profile.
When to wear it?
Seasons and occasions, by user votes.
- 41%Winter
- 40%Autumn
- 14%Spring
- 5%Summer
Winter
Autumn
Spring
Summer- Nighttime37%
- Evening37%
- Casual15%
- Daytime6%
- Office5%
Go easy on it for the office: the sillage is strong.
Smells like this
The closest scents by notes and accords.
Dupes
- Bargello 902
Single source family (community)
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Last updated: October 26, 2026