VIP (2009)
by Usher

I got this as a sample, and I must say, I was surprised this was even considered a feminine scent. This smells like Fahrenheit for Men by Christian Doir.

24th October, 2011.

I got this fragrance because I smelled it on a friend of mine & LOVED it. When I bought it online & smelled it I swore my friend must've played a trick on me & told me the wrong name bc the opening smelled HORRIBLE to me for some reason. It began to open up & while I liked it, I wasn't crazy over it like I did in the beginning. Well after a few months I decided to go back to it & I'm in love all over again!! It lasts on my skin all day. Projection is a bit close but definitely noticable in your cloud. It just has an addictive quality to me. I'm fairly new to the frag game but with Issey, Pure Malt, D&G, Rochas Man & a few others in my closet, this cheapie is moving up. Havent tried Fahrenheit yet. I think this frag is a pretty darn good. Dry down & the base are so smooth. Definitely give this one a try. I'm still waiting & hoping one of the famous YouTube reviewers does a review on it as I think this is very much underrated ESPECIALLY for the $22 price tag.

28th September, 2011.

For a celebrity scent, Usher VIP is pretty impressive.

Usher's first releases, both for men and women, were either mediocre or shockingly bad, however this fragrance has managed to fall into a pleasant and likable category.

Usher VIP is very unisex in my opinion. It has many feminine qualities, particularly the rich, caramel-like sweetness that makes this fragrance so distinguishable.

The citruses in the opening are rather non-naturalistic. They tend to be sugared and syrupy. This fragrance settles on the skin very creamy-like and delicate. While masculine in some sense, I know that many of the buyers of this fragrance are women.

The spice, although present, is not all that strong. This fragrance consists mostly of sweet, powdery woods on a vanillary base.

The sillage is very intimate and the lasting power, although not bad, is fairly average. In my opinion, Usher VIP is reminiscent of those female fragrances that lean towards the masculine side. So ladies don't be afraid to try this one for yourself.

27th August, 2011.

this is for men,not women! anyways, super cool bottle and cap,if it weren't for that ugly gold seventies style "V" on it! the frag is different,nothing like o.g. usher and has a dull[smooth?],bubblegum flavoured playdough vibe to it! i like it! and you can get sets on ebay for cheap,its worth it.

30th July, 2011.

A fragrance most will be hesitant to try if only because they resent celebrity forays into every arena of retail profit maximization. Usher VIP is definitely the strongest of the three male fragrances offered under his name.
Neither particularly pleasant or awful, this is not your typical celebrity fragrance, daring to push the bar a bit with the heavy spices and bombastic pretensions made clear by the name and packaging. All that aside, this is heavily synthetic stuff and not for the faint of heart or the more sophisticated organic sniffer. VIP is decent for what it is, a budget line drugstore fragrance that is always being discounted in the big department stores because the ingredients simply can´t justify the MSRP.
Don´t agree that this is Fahrenheit light, there are enough differences in the ingredients and formulation, though it may be fair to conjecture this was certainly inspired by Fahrenheit to some degree. Would not call this pleasant, nor is it boring. A better word would be overly-ambitious.
Had the same experience as Bo Darville, the spice was overwhelming and its synthetic ingredients were the first to ever give me a headache and completely had me dizzy and my throat dry. For those who can handle it, VIP has potential in that it certainly goes against the grain, though at its core it is simply too synthetic to be a staple of any refined man´s rotation.

4th March, 2011.

I agree with the surrounding basenoters! This is Fahrenheit rebottled and packaged as Usher VIP. Does this deserve a thumbs down? Possibly not, but for me, I say YES! Why? Although this smells like Fahrenheit, it's essentially a lighter version of it, much lighter, almost like a Fahrenheit summer. Lighter for me means lousy longevity. I get 2 hours tops with this. 4 hours if I choose to douse myself. Is it more wearable than Fahrenheit? I'd say yes, but for me, Fahrenheit does this unquestionably better and it should, I mean, it's the original for gosh sakes! I love the dirty, petrolium, leathery vibe from Fahrenheit, its fantastic! VIP, on the other hand, is toned down and not as brash or offensive. It's just another pleasant, boring, mainstream cloned scent. Either way, this is just another waste of time and money for anyone who owns Fahrenheit and loves it, but I suppose if you hate Fahrenheit, then give this a shot. It might be for you. Final Rating C+

11th January, 2011.