Essential (2005)
by Lacoste

A rather pleasant floral/citrus fragrance, with a slight aquatic touch. Different than your typical AdG mockeries; no melons here.

Essential opens up with a fantastic noticeable tangerine note, which immediately reminds me of Clinique Happy. After about 20 minutes or so, the tangerine dies down, a tangy-ness from the tomato leaf and pepper come out in the middle, as well as some florals, and a hidden calone note in the background. Base notes emphasize on the woods for the most part, soft, and slightly floral to the end.

Longevity for me is about 6 hours, with it sitting very close to the skin in the last 3 hours. I would say this is a more in depth take on Happy for Men. Take Happy, mix it with a little bit of Bvlgari Aqva, and voila! Lacoste Essential, is a more enjoyable Summer scent. Light and refreshing, yet has its own character.

27th October, 2011.

Lacoste Essential is an incredibly safe buy. However, there is nothing really "unique" about it, just your average run-of-the mill designer fragrance. The initial impression is a very fresh, clean, light scent that seems to be carrying a little bit too much of a tomato scent with it. Overall, I actually enjoy the scent, as it's very uplifting and fresh. However, there is a somewhat cloying tomato smell lingering in the background that doesn't seem to ever fully disappear. For whatever reason the longevity is incredibly short with me, around 2-3 hours. It doesn't project like crazy either, in fact it's one of the more conservative fragrances around. This would be perfect for someone who is looking for a relatively inexpensive fragrance that is fresh and clean. I personally find this to be great for workouts as it's incredibly light and rather uplifting.

22nd August, 2011.

I tried this out after all the reviews. It smelled very fresh, clean and grassy on the test strip but smelled very acrid as the tomato leaf accord was way over-pronounced. Perhaps it just doesn't work well on my skin...

6th August, 2011.

I felt the urge to join Basenotes just so I could comment on how horrible this sent is. There are several YouTube personalities that recommend this scent…. Let me save you some money… This fragrance is like running your fingers across a blackboard….except the shrill noise (smell) is in your nose….. Horrible, Horrible scent… Use your money for Allure Sport instead

20th June, 2011.

A good blend of green and citrus. A great summer fragrance. It says the top notes quickly disappear and then reappear with "Time Released Technology" It doesnt have the greatest longevity or projection but its not horrible. The tomato in it can definitely be detected and overpower some of the other notes. Ends with a little woodier vibe. All in all, I enjoy it quite a bit.

31st May, 2011.

Lacoste Essential is a good, casual, Spring and Summer day-time fragrance. For the average guy, this will do the trick without leaving any negative impressions or having him smell like everyone else out there. At the same time, it fits right into the mainstream.

The top notes are fruity and slightly sweet. The pepper and woods in the background become more apparent after a couple hours as the scent settles down and help add a little depth. However, I would not classify this as a woody or spicy scent, instead it is fruity, with a transparent aura and an aquatic edge.

It has a nice smell. While synthetic, it is well done and never obnoxious or cloying. It's lightness and transparency keep it pleasant at all times. The scent does not change much over time, the fruitiness eventually dies down and transitions to a smooth, though typical, woody base that remains close to the skin.

Essential is perfect for warmer days when you just want to smell fresh and nice and aren't trying to make a statement or stand out. But people will notice it and enjoy it. It' can be used at the gym, for a casual date, the office, or for just hanging out with your friends.

It's also a great 'first' cologne for younger looking to buy something.

It's apropriate for all ages, especially the 30 and under crowd. Relatively inexpensive and easy to find, I would choose this over other popular fresh frags like Versace Eau Fraiche, D&G Light Blue, or CK One. Overall it's much smoother--no sharp edges or unpleasing synthetic qualities.

Longevity is good, 4 to 8 hours depending on the weather and where you apply it.

Projection is slight, though evident.

Fairly versatile with exception to nights out and formal events.

Overall rating 7.5/10

14th May, 2011.