Reviews of Hugo (1995)
by Hugo Boss

More fraudulent bottles than real going around.
Still, one of my all time favs for a cheap cologne.
Yep !!

I own this, but I'd have to say that this is one of the worst scents that I have ever owned/tried. It was a gift from someone. The fresh peppery and spicy opening is actually acceptable, but the stale, damp and sour odor that it soon develops into, is quite simply repulsive, to me. I am rather tolerant to scents, and I've previously given thumbs down ratings for scents that I deem to be below average or mediocre, but only this one and Calvin Klein Escape for Men have actually given me much displeasure, so far.

First a synthetic blast, then a sharp piney, spicy, minty, rum opening that could be considered quite pleasant except that it develops an off-putting synthetic tang. This is one of those massed accords where the components can’t be separated out but are blended into a dominant theme that is well described as “pleasant artificiality.” The middle is another conglomeration of green / spicy / floral—somewhat chaotic and not entirely unpleasant. The base is subdued and nondescript. Unfortunately, this is a headache producing synthetic exercise in “near enjoyability.” It is a scent that seems okay the first few times it is worn, but quickly becomes off-putting. It is not the worst fragrance around nor even the worst by Hugo Boss, but I can’t see it as anything but a thumbs down. (Edit of 10 October 2005 review.)

Any chance that there was a decent fragance in here trying to get out is extinguished by the synthetic garnish with which it is served. There are moments when I think that it has escaped its chemical shackles, but they never last for long. This is something that could have been designed by commitee, as it lacks the creative charm required to make this lovable. This is green, synthetic and monotonous.

I think I probably wore this every day for 10 years. I love it. Fresh and clean. Also, really good value for money (compared to my now every day fragrances, AdP and AdG).

Only gripe about it is that it is really popular, and I think perhaps too youthful sometimes.

I tried a Hugo Boss fragrance at an airport a couple of years ago and loved it, and believed it was this one, so I blindly bought it. But it was actually Boss Bottled that I had tried in the airport. I was a bit dissapointed when I smelt this for the first time, I thought it was nice enough, but I was looking for the sweet fruityness of Boss Bottled.
But now I really like Hugo, even though it has some negative reviews I see it as one of the least offensive fragrances. A nice mix between a fruity and spicy scent with enough of a woody base to come together nicely. I'd give it 4 or 5 out of 10 because I can't really fault it

The German version of Aqua Di. Fresh, almost aquatic, but by no means "blue". Has kind of an "urban smell" to it, and in my case that means that its not a formal scent but if you want to smell a bit more formal while going casual, this will do it. I agree that it kind of has a classic original touch to it. I am amazed by how old this stuff is, it must have been cutting edge back in '95...

I have to say I did not care for it. The scent seems very thick, with SO many notes all happening at once. Very sweet and sour at the same time. Became even sweeter on my skin and the smell turned to a mixture of flowers and syrup after the first hour.

Wasn't impressed with this "modern classic." I'm young, but I don't find myself liking this one too much. People have always told me that the two fragrances that they most noticed pine scent was Hugo and Polo green. Maybe I just got a bad batch of Hugo, but I didn't really pick up any pine scent in this one. Otherwise, the notes pyramid displayed here would imply that this fragrance is pretty well put together...just not all that exciting. Still gets thumbs up though because it doesn't suck.

A better than average mainstream fresh scent from the 90's.
At the time of its release I thought of it as pretty light, but compared to the fragrances of the 21st century that are so afraid to make a statement, Hugo would be considered overpowering. Great use of green apple in the top notes and the pine is nice too. This is not a scent that represents my style - it's quite common and not the most original. I much prefer Boss Bottled, which is much more sensuous and distinctive. That being said, for someone who wants a decent, fresh scent for casual wear, Hugo will definitely work. I give it a neutral rating because while I do think it's nice, it's nothing I would seriously wear.

Also, for the record, the new Boss fragrances such as Boss Pure and
Boss Selection are sinfully boring. These, in my opinion, represent everything that is wrong with the fragrance industry of late: The scents are no longer distinguishable and very little thought or creativity goes into making them. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule but I'm completely done with the light, citrus fruit metrosexual scents.

Musky cologne with fresh, acquatic notes overtop. I purchased this a few years ago and this is the only cologne that I own. Currently in the midst of testing other colognes in the hope of finding something more distinctive.

it is very good smell highly attractive and make you feel calm

Was very popular in its time, but to my nose it had a strange hint of what smelled like.. human skin?? Whatever that spunk was within Hugo, it always puts me off.

Back about 9 years ago, my brother and I went shopping with the intent to buy fragrances for the summer. He always plays it safe, and once again he left the store with a bottle of Acqua di Gio, I can’t say I blamed him, but I could not follow his example. My usual preference in fragrances ranges from orientals to gourmands, so I was not exactly a master at choosing an ideal fresh scent for the summer (this was way before I discovered L’eau d’Issey and Bulgari Aqua).

So I settled on this spicy green concoction, it became the fifth fragrance in my early collection. That bottle is long since finished, but I just purchased another one for a decent price. I think it was the memory of that chaotic yet interesting sharp green apple accord at the top that made me reach for it again. I do not regret the purchase, even if it is not groundbreaking, it is still distinctive in its disharmony. Personally, I find Hugo performs its casual task very well. It is overtly synthetic and at times can be upsetting, especially if one has applied it heavily to his skin and then started to sweat profusely. Yet it is not presumptive, it is just what its bottle and its light blue color advertise: a mass market fragrance with enough character to allow for a modest level of self-assurance. To ask for anything more from a fragrance from the mid 90s coming from the house of Boss is unreasonable.

Being a young adult, I find this to be a great scent for. The notes of apple, rum and spicy leaves are great and really stick out. I don't know what people are talking about when they say that this smells 'synthetic' when they enjoy Cool Water. I enjoy Cool Water, but CW's hair spray compared to this. Doesn't smell like ADG but it's a great alternative. I recommend this to young adults (18-30) but it can really be warn by anyone.

Spicy and fresh. I tried it, and I'm quite sure I'm gonna have it in my collection :)

This scent is almost to spicy and sour for me, but it edges in just enough for me to enjoy it. It is very synthetic though, and actually reminds me of an Axe product I wore years ago. That being said, it still smells great, and lasts a good long time. I typically use the "swagger" deodorant by old spice while wearing this, it compliments this scent greatly. You can also get this pretty cheap, so be sure and check it out!

Fresh, watery, cool, citrusy and stylish scent.
It is an Aromatic - Rustic type of perfume.
The opening is similar to ‘In leather man’ by Aigner, as they both have grapefruit in the top notes.
It is a spicy and yet a light perfume.
Hugo is an energetic, daring, active and boyish perfume.

A delicate fragrance that is fresh in the beginning and gives a woody / musky dry-down after going off with the heart of spicy leaves and floral notes. It is suitable for everyone and for almost every occasion! A rather common fragrance that used by “many” for everyday wear. So, if you are looking for a special and distinctive perfume, it might not be a right choice!

I like Hugo the most out of all the currently available Hugo Boss fragrances, despite the apparent lack of love for it displayed here on BN. It has a solid, "green" spiciness to it that I love, a great mix of bitterness and sweetness. Longevity is fairly weak, and it needs to be reapplied frequently on my dry skin.

All sorts of fresh scents in the top note including citrus, pine, grass and ocean. As it dries the spice, wood and other deeper aromas get your attention and really last.

This scent is ok. There's kind of an odd scent until 1 hour into it for me. I'm not sure what it is, but it's that odd scent that relegates this to a work only scent. Other than that, there really isn't anything special about this scent. It seems like many of the other mainstream ok for work scents everyone wears.

FRESH, fresh, but not a conventional freshness, it`s different, it`s a sort of joy of freshness, a happy freshness, i like this frag very much, it`s funny and this one must be called HUGO ENERGISE, cause it charges you, very very pleasant

I do not like this type of fragrance. It's way too spicy and sour, and reminds me of older EDT's like the original Polo (which I also do not like). If you are a fan of that type of fragrance, then I suppose this one is worth checking out.

When i first smelled it (10 years ago) i wanted to drink it :) .... i have great memories wearing this fragrance .... but now i'd rather smell it than wear it !!!!!!!!

I can't with a clear conscious sit here and act like I know alot about colognes or that I am a sheep and I am to follow the "hate Hugo" herd. I've never worn this but I have gone to 10 stores over the past month with Hugo in it. I keep spraying it on thinking I'll magically smell this synthetic disaster or smell some middle notes that don't jive. But all in all I just think it sprays on good and smells REALLY good on my skin. It is pleasant and it smells good. What can I say. I don't see the problem except that every teenager wore it. Doesn't mean it is bad. It is fresh and nice.

Not bad smelling but very non-original. It smells like many, many other colognes out there. I would not recommend buying this at all.

Has that signature house accord to it like Polo does. Feels like it's copying a Polo but mixing it well with some other fruity accords. A cheap synthetic fragrance not worth its retail price, get it at discount.

Makes you think of 'vomit', powdery, strong synthetic. A lighter version but more appealing will be Davidoff Silver Shadow Altitude.

Pretty distinctive, yes a bit synthetic, but who care it smells good...7/10

A synthetic green scent, not really offensive, but far from compelling. The mintiness stood out from other fragrances of this type, but Hugo didn’t really appeal to me.

I think this perfume is Mr. Hugo's main Achilles heel as far as authenticity and general fragrance design goes.
I would have given this perfume a thumbs down, it deserves one anyway BUT because of the respect I have for Mr. Hugo for his other Great works with my favorites Boss Bottled and Hugo Woman I will give it a neutral....!!!!
I love the bottle though....quite original, I only wish I could say the same for the fragrance inside it.

hmmmmm....don't like it. I wanted to like it for the bottle alone, but hey, I want some cutey to say, wow did you take a bath in that or what? The deal is it's to peppery and musky and that scent seems to last for way too long. It seems to clench down on the nostrils. The drydown, to me, approximates Polo but not nearly soon enough, since I really like Polo's fragrance.

Rats! I thought my edit took, but now I see it hasn't. I change my mind on this one. I like it a lot. Strong, piney, musky and manly. It may be mass-market and too "simple" and "uncomplex" to some of the cultured of this forum, but this is one fine fragrance in my view. Pay NO attention to my addled first impression!

Makes me feel sweaty and yukky. I think it's just too synthetic and artificial.

One of my very first forays into the fragrance world, and I'll always have a soft spot reserved for this one, along with Tommy. It's a guilty pleasure for those of us who are probably quite a bit too old to wear it "appropriately" any longer, but I really like it a lot - who cares if it's common?! Rock on, Hugo!

Wow! Great fragrance from Hugo Boss! If you like Davidoff Echo, this one will perfectly fit you. I have to say Hugo clearly biased it: both have the same refreshing metallic/minty smell but while Echo smells more spicy and a bit woody, this one is fruity and more subtle. However, both have a sweet (without being cloying)smell that gives them a young vibe.
Good longevity for a casual scent! It's the kind of fragrance everybody loves, what makes us think that one of its problems is the lack of originality/daring.
Thumbs up anyway!

Very nice fragrance i enjoy wearing it i receive plenty of compliments last forever on my skin i recommend it

Mild, fresh, and clean smelling. This would make a great summer fragrance. It reminds me of Very Cool by Tommy Bahama but with a bit more fruit and a lot less artificial mint. Longevity for this seems mediocre however.

I agree with "historywillabsolveme", This is one of the most Nauseating frangrances I have ever smelled. I cannot stand it. The burning tires and motor oil notes I get form it are revolting. Be kind to others and leave this one at Ross where it belongs.

I first bought this in the summer of 1996 while living in Marseilles. The empty bottle has remained in my collection in an attempt to remind me to buy it again. Last week I did. This frag is perhaps the best suede straight out of the bottle, and the grapefruit on top makes it suitable for summer and winter wear. Lasts about 4 hours on my skin. I would recommend.

From the scents I have tried, this is one of the best. It works on my skin really well, it lasts more than 6 hours, which is great, and has a lot of green notes. If you are thinking on buying it, try it first, see if you like it. Just remember, use sparingly, it is a bit strong.

Strong, classic and yet fresh. Really something for the summer if you want to get some attention from the ladies.
Also quite long lasting.It is probably one of Hugo Boss better ones. . .

Peeeeeeeeew!!! I had to endure this abomination when I worked in a major men's department store. I swallowed aspirins like candy in order to combat all the headaches throughout my workday. There aren't enough expletives in the English language to describe this one. I had a better time tolerating halitosis and farts than this. And the nausea?? Boy, I tell you long stories about that. Women like it??I don't think so. My ex roommate had a bottle and and the only comments I'd get from my female visitors is "bleaaahhh" along with covered noses and looking for the nearest open window. It also left an almost unwashable residue on our towels and furniture.
To this day whenever I smell this barbaric concoction on men in the street I get nauseous and cross the street. Just plain nasty!!! Three thumbs way down.

Very safe Oriental frag.

I find this frag pleasant, but do not like it nearly as much as Lacoste PH (grey) as it just does not have as much dimension. Yes, all the notes come together well like the political correctness of fragraces. Could see why it is still a favorite after all these years.

I have read a review and bought the knock off fragrance which I like more b/c it has an added dirty musk scent to it that makes it slightly edgy and at the same time keeps the oriental scents.

I'm 18 and I use this scent. It's masculine, clean and a bit musky.. It's a nice balance.. It's hard to describe..but it smells good on my skin. From what I've experienced, it lasts a decent amount of time on my skin. Maybe 6 hours... Silage is good for about 2 hours... but, no cologne really lasts on me anyway, which disappoints me. But Hugo smells classic, not a bad choice. I feel confident when I wear it.

Well I just love this fragrance, it is my favourite by far. Be gentle though, it might become a little over powering. I'm on my second bottle and if used sparingly will last forever.

I used to loved the smell of this cologne when I was in High School. I've owned 3 bottles so far, the last one I've had if for about 5 yrs with about 1/4 left. It have a very strong citrus smell on it, almost like tommy, but better than tommy I think. If you like a strong refreshing cologne, this one is for you, just becarefull don't get carry away on sparying it. Last about 6-8 hours on me.

Not good. A heavilly synthetic fragrance. It endures a frightenly long time with its sticky ambery warmth. It does seem to get some attention from the ladies though, so not completely without merit. Maybe ok for a younger guy who wants something really loud but not for me.

I think this scent is very distinct with its aroma and with the shape of its bottle.Also very long lasting compared with other Hugo Boss scents.If you love sporty and strong colognes having fruity and green notes,this can be a good choice.

Girly, combination smells like a vanilla candle, and what real man wants to smell like that??
Fine for the Tommy generation (thats now passed) but today it makes you smell nice for girly girls who cry if they break a nail or dump you for having a zit. Ladies could wear this just fine. BE A MAN, drop the bottle and get something with a bit of class man! If thats what you are...

Hey, it´s a great scent for younger people. It really smells cool. It was my first bottle and i must say that it got many compliments when I wear it at the university. Girls really love it! :)

can i say that the top notes smell suspiciusly like escape for men? yeah i will say that. and i'll say that sadly this one is stronger but in a harsh way. The sillage is very good and the longevity is ok. Another bad thing is that the scent changes to a rather fake, cheap, and common scent after a while. Thing is... i like this sort of cheapness!.
It's fresh, for eveyday, the drydown is kinda sweet(fruity) also. Not bad.

i dont see why this is getting alot of stick. yes it is easy going and original, but thats a good thing! it is clean, fresh and lasts long.

only if you are a lesbian... somehow they seem to like it... i hope i won't get a chance to smell this on a man again... terrible. it reeks! masculine perspiration at it's fullest. this is not eau de toilette, this is an excuse to mock masculinity. i hate hugo boss. you must be really idiotical to purchase this. reminds me of str8.
but, nevertheless, for our lesbian friends it seems to be the ultimate fragrance. well, go figure!

Oh...they say don't imitate innovate: this truly was an innovation of bad taste reinvented. The "dude" among scents, far too superficial and easygoing in order to be taken serious. Horrid colour, unpleasant smell with overdone tones of apple and artficial, ill-smelling apple pie. The only good thing about it is the bottle, quite an interesting concept for that time. But ever since it appeared it has become even more shallow due to its undeserved succes. Unless you want to film a sequel or spinoff to " Dude where is my car?", avoid it. Feels like if Miss Sixty suddenly started to mass-produce male scents.

I don't unerstand why so many people hate this one. I usually can see why some people wouldn't like a certain type of fragrance...but for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would hate this one except for the fact its diffrent then anything else out there, there is absolutly nothing simillar to it.And whats wrong with that? I don't wanna smell like eveyone else all the time I mean think about it every now and then it's ok to be diffrent.I will say its a very deceptive fragrance. When I first used it i put a couple of sprays on couldn't smell it so put a couple more then a couple more it was a good 8 sprays before i could get a little sent to my nose and thought this was the weakest cologne i've ever wore...... man was i wrong. Everyone could smell me coming from a mile away. I was so embarased I left school and went home that day. I still couldn't smell it on me on the walk home and didn't understand why so many people could. Then when I got undressed to get in the shower and threw my clothes on the floor and took a couple of steps away iy hit me WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It seems to have an aura(for lack of a better word) that doesn't have a sent for a few feet then once you pass that line its a very stong fragrance so trust me when I say 1 or 2 sprays is more then enough so theres a word of advise for anyone getting this one for the first time learn from my shame and embarasment don't over do it!!!!!!!!! It smells great(in moderation) last a long time and will make people notice you in a good way!!!!

Fresh. Clean. Strong.

one of the wrost frag i ever smelled in my life,i just cant stand it at all

I have a small bottle of Hugo, and can't even get myself to wear it. I loved the smell when I first had this cologne. Maybe 8-10 years ago, and being only 12 years of age. Today, I can't stand the smell, and I most likely wont be caught wearing it again.

Hugo is to me a missed occasion. The mix of apple and pine could have made a very original and unique scent. Instead it smells cheap and it's pretty boring, at least on my skin. From the bottle it's kind of a nice fragrance actually, but on me it just doesn't work. At all. Disappointing.

Powerful opening with lots of fresh apple. Very solid and recognizable, and rather strong. It does tend to overstay its welcome, and smells very "cheap" after a few hours. Save this one for the spring.

There's something about this scent that seems out of place. I think the clash between the sweetness and pine doesn't agree with me. While I don't find it extremely repulsive, it's not something that I would choose to wear very much either. It was one of my first colognes so I didn't know any better at the time. It also doesn't last on me either.

a bit boring scent. this was my first real cologne in the year 1999.

First time I really liked this fresh scent but now I find it a bit insipid, lacking one, dominating ingredient. Nevertheless, Hugo has something curious in its composition what makes it smell purely natural. I must admit it's not too long lasting. But I was presented with a bottle, I wouldn't fuss :-)

I remember this one being very popular around the same time I was in junior high as Tommy, CK One and those. To me they all fit in the same catagory although they don't really smell alike. I see them as a younger scent for guys more in high school that sort of age. This one though is certainly better than some in that catagory (CK One). I recently bought a bottle of this again just to see how I liked it now. It was very strange, typically, I will either like something right away or not...but this one...I didn't like it at first but after a few days of wearing it, it began to grow on me. Although I usually don't like "green" scents (on me) this one is pretty good. There are certainly much better things out there now, even from the same designer, but all told, I would give this one a thumbs up.

Some fragrances seem to be caught in the time they were releaseed in. Hugo together with Eternity and Joop! are good examples of this. Sure, they were all the rage and nice upon release, but it IS time to let go now. So many interesting things were made after and before that there is no need for these anymore. They've lost to the zeitgeist. And that goes for Drakkar and Van Gils original too.

Someone said it smelled like "dirty socks". I think it just smells average. A fragrance that could of been good, but either stopped too short or went to far (with the number of ingredients). Not the best Boss fragrance.

Perhaps the most refreshing thing I have ever smelled. Put in a canteen because you will want to drink it after having smelled Hugo. Hugo stays in my cologne rotation. Also, the body wash is delightful

Eeeewwww! Stops short of a loo bleach we use in this country. Has a vacant aftersmell - after about three hours of wearing it I often regret it. Had to give it away to a distant relative!!

Smells ok but kinda smells cheap, should go for Versace Green jeans for that piney yet more balanced overall scent. Also i think it needs more depth and last larger on skin. Suitable for after the GYM! But not if your going on a date. ;)

I think this is a classic cologne. The smell can be very strong if you over apply and the staying power is good on me. Smells fresh and sexy! I would recommend it!

I like Hugo alot. The scent is distinctive with real British class. It's in my regular office rotation and the wife loves it when I wear it at home. For me, the top notes are a bit loud, so it's not until things settle down a bit that I really begin to enjoy having it on. It does last on my skin throughout the wok day.With Hugo Boss products you certainly get value for your money.

Not as original as other hugo boss colognes but this smells like a brother to CK1

Reminds you of the mountains due to the pine scent. Very unique and has a distinct identity compared to other fragrances. Another classic!

Yuck! What's the fuss with this stuff? I give this away as gifts 'cause everyone likes it but me. Oh well, too each their own. It is reminiscent of men who put on too much cologne and wear toupees and drive fast cars and have no life...sorry I hate the stuff. I don't get all of the uproar when this stuff was at its peak.