Okay so the parfum version of Terre d'Hermes landed in my possession recently. I dismissed it at first as being a sample of the EDT which I own and thoroughly enjoy wearing and very nearly gave it straight to a friend. Upon closer inspection however, I realised it was the Parfum version and couldn't wait to try it and test it side by side with the EDT. Just to mention before I tried it, I looked at the comments on here and was astounded to see that a few people have that they like the EDP but will stick to the EDT...'hmmmm? that's curious I thought' But upon trialling this EDP I can understand why. Terre d'Hermes parfum starts out instantly recognisable as the original but also vastly different in it's delivery it seems more orangey, less bitter and more juicy. Also it has a deeper boozier feel to me but less dry spice and vetiver compared to the original which really appealed at first. As the EDP dries down it becomes more familiar and converges with the EDT, spice and resin coming through but it still just slightly different. The drydown again they move out of synch the EDP becoming sweeter and woodier but less apparent than the EDT. Yes that's right the EDT has far superior longevity by a good few hours which is not expected at all. Also the thing which to me makes Terre d'Hermes is the benzoin and pepper with the vetiver which gives a roughness and dryness against that orange note. I thought this EDP was more juicy and orangey at first which really appealed but strangely as the fragrance progresses it's the EDT that retains more character and more of that orange note. So all round the EDT is better although there's no way you could like one and not the other as they're so close in smell. Interesting how subtle nuances can make all the difference and they certainly do here, some people will prefer this to the EDT, I did at first too as I mentioned but really can't get over how poor the longevity is.
This fragrance is not really one for the guys but I enjoyed it enough to review Dia anyway. The effect of a floral aldehyde musk fragrance would usually be a unappealing one but this somehow has a retained quality to it. For me reading the sample card was a bit daunting when it said the perfect compliment to Gold (I'm assuming Pour Femme) but I couldn't help but think about Gold Homme, which is the stuff of nightmares! Strangely when I sprayed this on I had the awful realisation that Dia does indeed have the same feel as the opening to Gold. It's very, very, very powdery and smells like talcum powder and almost feels thick in your nostrils. Then it becomes complex and the aldehydic, floral qualities come through but never become too much. It's a great balance and I'm no expert in florals or feminine fragrances but I think this one shows restraint. I get an overriding vibe of peony, rose and peach to the subtle but enduringly strong musk. I'm so glad it just dried down with soft woods rather than animal stink which I was half expecting. I'd like this on a female but it's not exactly daring for Amouage more soft and elegant like something my mum might wear.
Again I thought I'd reviewed this way back but obviously not! My girlfriend wore this the other night (I got her the set for Christmas...I know...I know... what a guy!;) and I'd forgotten just how much I liked 1872. Couldn't put my finger on exactly what was going on or the similarity to other fragrances I was encountering. 1872 has the sweetness of rose and white floral elements jasmine and lily of the valley without any of the negatives. It has an engaging fruitiness pineapple and berries. Musk, sandalwood, patchouli and cedar make up what is a complex and woody floral scent which is feminine but not overly so. I absolutely love this and no matter what naysayers might say about Clive Christian, the house delivers on quality in almost every respect. This lasts and lasts on her skin and is yet more magic, changing slightly each time I smell it and that's the mark of a true masterpiece in my opinion. I like the Men's version but this one is a great gift for that special lady in your life.
Okay so now the 90's unisex concept of CK One has been scrapped for the his/her approach and frankly they needn't have bothered. This is a boardroom fragrance and by that I don't mean suitable for a businessman. This fragrance feels contrived and has more than an air of 'fragrance by committee' about it. Not only does CK One Red conform to the sex specific paradigm but it also has the bland flavour of the month, jump on the bandwagon feel to it...Namely Tonka bean. Burberry Brit Rhythm was uninspiring but CK One Red is not even as enjoyable as that. The blast of fresh but cheap smelling fruit and aldehydes which settle into a tonka, vetiver and musk, just doesn't work for me... there's no harmony there. Not bad as such, perfectly wearable and I'm sure will sell but it's never going to set the world alight. The reason for my (mini)rant is the lack of imagination shown here, to be fair to the house CK Shock and Encounter are reasonably brave efforts in recent years. I actually liked the original CK One & particularly CK Be just for being fresh, young and accessible. These new 'ones' just seem like Clavin Klein's attempt to 'reboot' the CK One brand/franchise in a similar way Hollywood is doing with increasing velocity.
I'm a little frustrated that there's fragrances I thought I'd posted reviews for, then when I check turns out I haven't! Nevermind. Nothing to dislike here. Voyage D'Hermes is a classy scent a woody, musk, spiced citrus, reminiscent of Cartier Declaration with prominent cardamom and fresh citrus. I wouldn't have thought it to be everyone's cup of tea, but with the relative popularity of scents like Dior Homme sport lemon & spice is a popular combo. I'm a real spice fan and as such enjoy this fragrance. I don't think it's as intrusive as the Cartier and slightly more wearable.The verdict then? It doesn't inspire me but I'd wear it. Great for spring and summer, Hermes deliver yet again.
Okay call me crazy but does Pi Neo have the almond/vanilla thing of the original? Are these additional notes listed here? Because I'm feeling some of them but with the definite accord of the original which is primarily a very sickly, supercharged amaretto/marzipan vibe. It's more than that though the original is so complex and tips the balance between supreme and awful on my skin. Something about Pi puts me in mind of a poisonous noxious gas that smells super sweet just before you succumb to the fumes. Well Neo has a complete different opening and indeed smells like a different fragrance entirely...namely a really nicely done mardarin and cedar fresh accord. However as it dries down the signiture sweet vanilla and almond of the original come through. Strange transition but it works and the cedar remains too making it slightly different to Pi in that it doesn't really have that off putting nature and Neo actually works on my skin. Not bad all in all but Longevity is not great like the original.
I'm sniffing around for some new summer fragrances already and this is one that had got away... until now. Very pleasant indeed, aquatic but not just a lightweight burst of alcohol and citrus with little character remaining after, Acqua Essenziale has more substance than that. I get a fresh, sparkling clean accord of lemon leaf and labdanum and sharp grapefruit in the top notes with a hint of lavender too. I can't say I got the mint but it definitely has a cool quality, temperature wise. I get the comparisons to Silver Shadow Altitude and Bleu de Chanel but it's by no means the same kinda reminds me of LOTS of fragrances citrus/marine/fruit/musk/vetiver you get the picture. I can't justify adding this fragrance to my collection as it just falls short on the imagination stakes but I wouldn't blame anyone for getting this and wearing it regularly because it smells good.
To my surprise this is yet another fragrance I thought I'd reviewed or at least posted my review for ages ago...but obviously not. I won't go on too much as pretty much everything that needs to be said regarding this fragrance has been. I get an overwhelming air of sexiness and an alluring quality which I think was exactly it's intention...the perfect mixture of cardamom, bergamot and a hint of lavender. The drydown is superb slightly powdery and a very clean cedar/vetiver. The citrus and fruity berry vibe comes more to the forefront than the spice which is probably what makes this fragrance so socially excepted and commercially successful. I for one can take a bit more cardamom (the likes of Hypnose) but obviously YSL wanted to strike up a balance that would appeal to many. It's funny how many of my friends who are not into fragrance (that's all of them!) own this fragrance. One of my very good friends told me he wears it almost exclusively now after years of searching for his signature. I should point out that he is a bit of a ladies man and I was informed on good authority that this fragrance was a lady killer and drives them wild apparently? I don't know about all that but I don't see why the average non collector or scent enthusiast couldn't wear this everyday in every situation, just smell incredibly good and be content. I need more variation in my life but I enjoy owning and wearing this on occasion it's an excellent fragrance.
Halston man has a metalic, herbal quality with fresh top notes and quite a curious mixture of accords...it smells okay, not great or even good... just okay. The citrus opening is sharpened further by labdanum which gives way to a gentle musk and patchouli in the base. My tastes just won't allow me to subscribe to this one, I suspect it would maybe grow on me after several wears. Amber is a better fragrance for me but they both suffer from poor longevity on my skin.
Halston Man amber is a soft, subtle, warm amber scent which to me has an air of sophistication to it. Not a nose burning amber but it has prominence, cedar, myhrr and oud give it an incense vibe but fresh and not smokey. I love it, totally up my street and verging on an almost sweetness but with enough bitter elements to keep it at bay. The problem I have is that it didn't last all that well on my skin compared with how good it smelled. What I mean is that my perception of the high quality of this fragrance was not matched by it's longevity unfortunately. Man Amber was gone pretty quickly which is a real shame.
I really looked forward to this fragrance from Jo Malone and frankly I'm a bit disappointed. It opens well and needless to say it smells very different on the card to my skin. That opening is fresh juniper and hints of sweetness against what I consider to be quite an odd cedar accord. I can't tell you why it's odd but as it settles down the woods go a little creamy(almost like there's a hint of vanilla in it) which to me is not indicative of the smell after it has rained, in London or anywhere else! I'll give it this though...it's long lasting for a Jo Malone and smells great at first, then I go off it then it comes back into favour for a cosy drydown. The smell doesn't transition or change really just my perception of it perhaps? The juniper does die away however after a bright, breezy opening. I don't know what Jo & her perfumers do to make things not smell like what they are but it's fascinating. I'll pass on this one it's a rare cedar that I won't wear and this is rare indeed.
Right okay then...Juicy couture... what a gaudy, utterly horrible brand it is. I remember a few years back girls walking around with those awful sweatpants on with the logo across the bum...although maybe that says more about me than it does them? Anyway...I'd heard good things about this fragrance mainly on here and thought I'd give it a try. Blind bought Dirty English as it was going cheap and I must say it's not that bad. Kinda reminds me of the sweet 'Dr Peppery' vibes coming from Dunhill Custom shame is it has similar longevity issues. Dirty English opens with mandarin it has a tobacco, vanilla and cardamom vibe with smokiness and above all leather. The dense woody base to this fragrance is remarkably deep and I expected great longevity but it fell short in my opinion...not too bad though. The first hour or so of this fragrance is the best but there's just something inherently cheap about it which means it will never excite me. I'll have to wear it more to form a better opinion but I don't get oud from it really, not what I consider to be an Oud accord anyway. Dirty by name, Dirty by nature and a pleasant surprise of a fragrance.
Obviously my initial review was too explicit and has been removed but I was compelled to profanity by how bad this juice smells. I will be more concise and use less expletives this time... Yagatan is awful!
At last we're venturing into good territory with these Caron frgarances. L'Anarchiste has a cool name, a horrible but standout flacon and most importantly a very pleasing juice inside. That's the main thing of course and it's an interesting mixture of musk a fairly clean thing coming from vetiver and white floral vibe with the sweet spice of cinnamon. It's not a common smell and I almost get a bit of tea from it with a slightly metallic edge. Great stuff I like it.
In answer to the question below... This has great longevity but better than Pure Havanne? I don't see them as being worthy of comparison, scent wise and who needs better longevity than Pure Havanne? It's a powerhouse!!! Not a huge fan of boozy scents as a rule but I've liked a few with rum notes recently so this intrigues and I also love jazz so this fragrance appeals to me before even sniffing it out. Now that I have I'm very impressed it's lovely, A kind of boozy, tonka bean and tobacco vibe with a leathery/vanilla drydown. I'll be honest I expected something heavier and more avant garde when attempting to evoke a jazz club vibe. I half expected it to be a bit more raw, dirty, earthy or smokey maybe a heroin note in there? It has a bit of those elements but is pretty smooth and refined on the whole and will appeal to a wide audience I suspect. Projection is moderate and longevity is good. I'd recommend it.
Well...I just need to start by saying I had no preconceptions about this fragrance at all and approached it with an open mind. I subsequently discovered that it was the product of Daniella Andrier a perfumer I respect highly due to her simple but creative approach. Obviously that doesn't mean I like everything that she does but the vast majority of her works appeal to me. {Untitled} for me is one of those cases where I think she's hit on something special. Perfectly unisex, wonderfully inoffensive and suitable for regular wear. Galbanum, bitter orange, sweet jasmine cedar and incense...it's great! These elements combine to make something very well blended and effortlessly green. It has a very natural accord without smelling like any one thing you'd find in nature...if that makes sense? Maybe that could be interpreted as a sign of a truly well conceived fragrance? I think so and I really like it but it's not a priority for the collection just yet.
This for me is a deeply sensual, sexy fragrance. Something for intimate space. A friend of mine recently told me he liked YSL La nuit de L'Homme and it was his' lady killing', go to signature scent, a bit ridiculous but... I was thinking of fragrances he may like, considering he loved that so much and this one sprung immediately to mind as a recommendation. Hypnose automatically makes me think of a 'date' fragrance something of the ilk of YSL or D&G The One, my personal choice for a bow chika wah wah fragrance. Despite never owning a bottle until now I got samples when it came out and subsequently tried it a few times since and was always of the same opinion. It's good, classy, unique smelling etc... Then when I came to purchase it about 12 months ago I couldn't find it anywhere...every Lancome counter I tried didn't have it. Then at Christmas I saw it reduced in a bargain bucket but unfortunately didn't have my wallet so returned later in the day and it had been sold! I figured I was destined not to own this one but to my surprise I found it very cheaply in a perfume shop with a massive selection of other discontinued (or soon to be) fragrances. So the major thing with Hypnose for me is the unmissably smooth cardamom and nutmeg note, spicy and aromatic with a touch of lavender and a lush kinda creamy base of amber and patchouli. This is not everyone's idea of a great fragrance but to me it's refined and beautiful, warm and spicy smooth but slightly rough. I had to have it for the collection and what a great bottle one of the most original designs out there.
I don't get this in anyway. Why on earth would anyone want to smell this accurately of lavender? Lavender is a lovely soothing smell and I have to say that this is one of the most natural lavenders I've smelled. Maybe I should cut it some slack as it's been around since the 30's but I don't get it? The vanilla and musk are gentle basenotes which for my tastes just make a boring and unimaginative backdrop for the potency of lavender. My examples being... yes this is similar to Taste of heaven but at least that has a little more interest in other notes like absinthe and prominent vanilla. Or Eau de L'occitane which again has that super realistic lavender but also has a woody, peppery, hardness to dirty up the lavender a bit. I would never wear a fragrance so linear and even the beauty of lavender can become annoying and headache inducing after a while. Sorry but this is yet another classic I can't abide.
If anyone is bothered, please scroll down to my review below and you will notice me eating (a little) humble pie here. Although I didn't totally hate Caron Homme I just thought it was a little too linear for me, well I'm happy to declare that I can definitely perceive of the soft sweet vanilla base at the back of this thing. In fact upon wearing this again that massively accurate lavender opening truly does die back into a much softer affair which is really pleasant. My main concern now is the longevity and projection which isn't great but I'm a convert on this one I think it's a really nice fragrance and deserving of the praise it gets.
A very animal fougere. By that I mean it has very musky floral notes which tend towards an unpleasant animal quality rather than anything else. Nothing clean at all about this one and that's usually okay with me as I enjoy a olfactive challenge every so often but this is pushing my boundaries. Dali is a filthy patchouli fragrance but its the oakmoss, heliotrope, clary sage and geranium in pour Homme that is a nightmarish combo for those who don't enjoy a very strong, invasive vibe. I can't stand musk when it takes your breath away and I'm afraid this perfume has that effect. I don't find it particularly masculine either more of that pissy old woman dead flower vibe people often describe. So not at all my cup'o'tea however there's some positives. When the initial blast of musk dies away there's a complex array of notes underneath for me and it definitely transitions from and awful fragrance to just a really bad one. Yeah so I'd steer clear of this one if you're not a fan of floral musky scents. Update: 11/12/21 well it’s funny reading this because although 2014 doesn’t seem that long ago, I suspect I wrote this review a few years before I posted. Anyway in that time I have sought out this fragrance and I’m much more into now than my review would suggest.
Okay so I was REALLY late to the party on this one only by 30 odd years but I've finally tried Santos de Cartier. I don't know why really? I think it's because despite being aware of their fragrance pedigree, I'd never really noticed Cartier fragrances in stores until the era of Roadster and the like. What an interesting fragrance, many commenting about the reformulation. (which obviously I'm not aware of) Speaking objectively I think the new version is great and if it's a pale shadow of the original then it must've been something really special back in the day. I got a peppery, lavender and coffee vibe from this fragrance sandalwood, cedar and vanilla are prominent and I even get a hint of coconut too. I've not smelled anything like this before...truly unique but still has a dated feel possibly because of the geranium and carnation notes which were commonplace in many men's 70's 80's fragrances...I don't know? I did get a fleeting resemblance to a couple of fragrances from perfumers I admire...just in mood rather than anything else, obviously Santos de Cartier predates them all by a long way. Dior Eau Noire by Francis Kurkdjian (coffee/lavender) and Prada Luna Rossa extreme (pepper/amber/lavender) by Daniella Andrier. Anyway, longevity is good not too heavy or invasive in projection terms I really like this fragrance a lot.
Although there's something of the mainstream about Pasha de Cartier I found it to be a magnificent fragrance definitely reminiscent of Ralph Lauren Safari. The opening is fresh but then oddly soured by something almost unpleasant. I don't know what this note is? it could be a combination of the oakmoss and coriander which for a fleeting moment gives the impression Pasha may develop into a scrubber. Thankfully it doesn't... in fact after an hour or two the dry down is sublime, understated, masculine, fresh, woody with a spicy oriental nature. I mainly get mandarin, soft sandalwood with a hint of labdanum, lavender and caraway. My girlfriend commented that I smelled great while quite a distance away so although it doesn't seem like it... this thing projects. Longevity is superb really it lasted for hours on my skin and just got better and better. I'm a late comer to this fragrance but better late than never, nothing spellbinding just a solid fragrance.
This is only my second experience of another Aramis fragrance, the original and I do have history and it's a fragrance that has fallen in and out of favour with me and is currently ...out! I wasn't expecting much from this and sure enough it didn't deliver. New west has something of a fresher opening which certainly makes it less abrasive than the original but still not really fresh it has that dated leathery, woody, herby, floral character underneath. Takes a while to get to grips with the heart of this fragrance but when it settles it's just disappointing. This scent is not my cup of tea because I found it boring, just like a tepid, watered down version of classic male perfume and didn't offer much in the way of differentiation.
This is a re-review as you can scroll down and see my original, no so positive one below. I have to say I've completely changed my opinion upon revisiting New West, I can totally see why I said what I did first time around but with a few crucial clarifications. The opening of this fragrance is down right awful, it really is I can't even begin to describe what's going on but it's an acrid, unfriendly attempt at a kind of fresher top, with a powerhouse body. However, when left to dry down New West develops into an extremely well rendered and peppery, masculine, aromatic. It's full of the best elements of woods, I can see how pine, cedar, juniper, bay leaf, oakmoss are in here all making for a nice wearable scent. I can sort of see why I thought this was one of the less interesting, and paler versions of Aramis scents but I'm not too proud to admit I was wrong. It's great and when dried right down smells absolutely wonderful.
Woah... this is special juice! For a combo which has been done to death this is a remarkably classy take on the theme. I love it... I must admit, Rose d'Arabie is so rich and opulent you can just melt away into it...it's truly heavenly. I'm very peticular about my rose scents and my oud come to mention it. Quite full of rose this one but not to the point where it's too much. This is not too sweet but rather dark and velvety as it should be with a hint of vanilla also...and the oud? Well the oud is prominent and perfectly balanced to give a middle eastern feel. Sillage and longevity are very good in the realms of what you'd expect for the price. Would I wear it? Probably not as I'm very sparing with the attention paid to rose scents in my collection but I appreciate the artistry of this fragrance and it's up there.
Actually upon revisiting a really smart fragrance from Davidoff. I'm not going to go overboard with praise here but it's a very good woody/citrus for men and has a touch of the spicy to it. Aventure has all the elements a masculine scent needs. It opens with lemon citrus which then translates a bit mandarin orangey which I defy anyone not to like. Pepper, and pimento come though as it settles and in the base is a nice cedar and vetiver. Standard stuff you might think but Antoine Lie has done a stand up job here. I'll be honest the first time I tried it I found it boring, weak and seemed to evaporate in a mist of alcohol but second time around I've changed my mind. Not going to set the world alight but good all the same. Typical of Davidoff really... nothing spectacular just a safe pair of hands and a fool proof choice.
