Reviews by Echo777

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    Echo777
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    Showing 1 to 30 of 33.
    rating

    212 Men by Carolina Herrera

    Has a fuzzy, powdery fresh green grass smell that's accentuated by sweet bamboo juice and a touch of incense. Great for spring. Longevity is okay, average. All in all, not too sweet and not too dry. Not bad, but still not too amazing. Worth a go. I still prefer vetiver scents, but this is pretty close. Great bottle, too.

    3rd August, 2009.

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    Very Cool for Men by Tommy Bahama


    It has a strong minty, plasticky alcohol burst outta the bottle. The alcohol subsides, but the minty / menthol vibe lingers. Like a more pungent (read: sharper) version of Jovan Body Tonic (the blue refreshing one).
    It reminded me of a Tag body spray (Midnight or After Hours).
    Shares some of the Mojito notes of the new Guerlain Homme. Still more masculine than Virgin Island Water, but smells much cheaper and not at all fruity.

    22nd June, 2009.

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    Polo Black by Ralph Lauren

    Smells like a watery, synthetic, mixed-berry Pixy Stix. It has
    some of that watermelon fron KC Reaction and some Paco Rabanne 1 Million feel to it as well. The drydown has some woodsy (ie: dark, teak) elements to it, but very little though. Like a Boss (or Bod) spray or Kool Aid, dries down to a more plasticy and rubbery smell (ie: rubbery woody). Has that Ralph Lauren signature note to it. Meh. Not bad, but so what?

    22nd June, 2009.

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    L'Eau by Diptyque


    Some ambery resin and a whole lotta cinnamon with a touch of clove. Has a few other greeny herbals in there somewhere too.

    If Joop is as bad as cinnmon comes, this is the polar opposite. Very Christmas, it would make an awesome room spray. Potpourri to the max, slightly more manly than Secret Melange.

    22nd June, 2009.

    rating

    Monsieur de Givenchy by Givenchy

    Lemony, fern-green and all-natural (as natural as I find CK Eternity to be synthetic). Very classic and smooth. Has kinda an old person's house vibe to it, like an attic full of bay leaf scented room freshener in a musky, dusty aura...Almost has a pine or evergreen sap/resin base, but only/just slightly...very old fashioned and beautiful.

    What you might smell lke after gardening in the 1950s or rolling about in a spice garden with fresh dill, oregano and mint. A must have, or at least worth trying.

    22nd June, 2009.

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    Polo Explorer by Ralph Lauren


    Starts out with a fresh green minty patchouli, then develops a lemony oatmeal vibe that segues into an herbal vegetable soup mess (oregano and a little sage). Kinda gives me that green champa incense vibe...The best thing about it is the synthetic patchouli (dry and powdery, ala beyond paradise) and that really shone brightest on paper versus my skin...not bad for a ho-hum office scent in autumn, but Eddie Bauer Adventurer 2 is much better. I would only pick this if I felt like I needed the RL label when people ask, but I have kinda lost interest in the cache of RL these days, go with 3rd man or Yatagan if you really want quality.

    16th June, 2009.

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    Ultraviolet Man by Paco Rabanne

    As mentioned in the book "Perfumes: The Guide":
    Violet and sugar. Sounds about right, seems like there's some vanilla in the base as well. Pointless but nice, short-lived as well. Might be good for a date on a summer evening. The bottle was kinda cool. Staple gun, I guess. Meh.

    16th June, 2009.

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    Pure Lavande by Azzaro

    In the generic realm of Ultraviolet Man, Pure Lavande is more complex and sweeter. It has a cocoa butter suntan lotion feel to the base, I think.
    Good for a date on a summer evening, but works better for women I bet. Not so bad for the money, but hardly "pure" or "lavender" for that matter.

    16th June, 2009.

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    Cristobal by Balenciaga

    I bought this under the impression that it was for men, as the bottle says little about gender and I hadn't seen the men's rendition. I had only heard of the men's fragrance and didn't realize that I'd picked up the women's version until I looked it up after several wearings. It's a very warm mix of vanilla, sandalwood and lite patchouli. Very close to Allure men ...no tonka bean is listed, but has a slight chocolate/cocoa feel to it. The drydown is a peanut buttery miracle. Smooth and sexy, for men and women. Would be awesome on a hot, sweaty, musky woman, but it's good for men on autumn evenings for men, too. Try it, fellas.

    16th June, 2009.

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    Bel Ami by Hermès

    Starts out really fresh, lemony and citrusy, (ala YSL Pour Homme or Versace L'Homme) then settles into a spicy leather (ala a classier Halston Z-14). The ride includes florals (ala Givenchy Insense) and yet it's all men's territory, while retaining a sensitive and floral aura. This powerhouse is rich and sweet...a good comforting scent in cool autumn days. Also a good starter leather scent for newbies...Way smooth and classy.

    24th April, 2009.

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    Jockey Club by Caswell-Massey

    The definitive "barber shop" scent. Very dry and powdery and very green. Runs the gamut of light green to deep Polo-esque greens. Smells like a primo talc powder. I find that it lasts a long time, even after subjecting it to a smoky environment. Very old fashioned, in a good way. I don't wear it much, but I can't ever be without it. Classic, in every sense possible

    30th September, 2008.

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    Versace pour Homme by Versace

    Very Italian light scent that might be a good choice for summer. Not the sweet lil thing you get from the "Versace Fresh", but about the same. Kinda got a AdG feel right off the bat (albeit a bit better), but then I realized that it's really very close to Chanel Allure Sport as previously mentioned. If you have Allure Sport, no need for this. I preferred the L'Homme from Versace with its lemon and oakmoss. It's more manly, which may or may not be a plus depending on what you want.

    23rd September, 2008.

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    Tokyo by Kenzo

    As Luca Turin put it, this a milky woodsy composition. It smells like it coulda been one of the Guccis. It smells like lotioning up with Lubriderm in a lumberyard. There's a lotta cedar at play here. It's basically Jungle minus the sweet-sugary-honey stickiness, replaced with a milky smoothness. If you like Gucci (esp. Rush), this is for you. Certainly unorignial, but it's an original take on a boring, repetitive, stale fragrance idea. Loved the box and bottle big time.

    23rd September, 2008.

    rating

    Boss Selection by Hugo Boss

    Smells like Del Mar with a watered down purple or red feel to it. The dry down is pretty long-lived, but smells like sugary cotton candy (which is kinda redundant, but...). I guess it's okay if you like sweet young smelling stuff and you're a young dude (or girl). If that's your thing, then neutral. For a scent called "Selection"...I dunno. Thought it'd be more elite smelling and powerful.

    23rd September, 2008.

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    Verbena by Caswell-Massey

    Like most Caswell-Massey offerings, this is a simple composition that's got amazing longevity. Straight forward lemony (and somewhat oily) goodness. Like Lemon Pledge or some kinda cleaning agent. Rich and bold. It does what it does.

    23rd September, 2008.

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    Envy by Gucci

    This is a great unisex fragrance. Light, green and somewhat sweet. I like this in the summer. Like Light Blue (D and G for women), there isn't a real floral feminine vibe that would put a guy off. In fact, you (as a guy) could wear this in the spring and summer and then switch to Gucci for Men in the fall and winter. That'd be nice two scent wardrobe.

    23rd September, 2008.

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    Contradiction for Men by Calvin Klein

    Starts out with a lot of sage, peppercorns, and nutmeg. Sounds very spicy, but actually very tame. This could either be very pleasing or disappointing, depending on you demands.

    It all boils down into a dry woodsy smell. Yes, very cool and warm indeed, so a bit of a contradiction. Also very avant garde for CK scents. The problem is that CK is not an avant garde company, hence another contradiction. The other thing is that there are so many different notes that can be detected as mentioned in the pyramid above that one thinks that you'd end up with a rather complex scent. The reality is that this is actually pretty boring.

    I guess it's good for everyday (night or day, any time of year, casual or formal), but not a must have. For those who "think" they want something different or "out there", but actually don't.
    Kind of smells like a new (minimalist) building. With new carpet. And some vanilla air freshener. You those car air fresheners that have a "new car smell"? It's kinda like that, with a slight woody edge. Could've been one of the rejected scents from Comme des Garcons. Imagine any one of their "numbered" scents minus the verve. There you go.

    Contradiction

    22nd June, 2006.

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    Incensi by Lorenzo Villoresi

    Starts out with a mossy, cinnamon blast of potpourri with a warm aura of nutmeg nestled in a light vanilla (and perhaps some bay leaves). It settles down into a subtle, warm incense smell that isn't nearly as smokey as you might expect from an incense-based scent.

    Like a much warmer version of Dunhill Edition without so much clove. Also this LV strikes me as being similar to Obsession in the drydown, minus the sweet and fruity topnotes.

    Also, not the greatest longevity from LV, which could be a good thing if you don't need the boldness. I could go for some more staying power. Otherwise, well done.

    21st June, 2006.

    rating

    Rocabar by Hermès

    Rocabar starts out with a burst of fresh orange and works its way down into some sharp and pungent pine and cedar needles. It then settles down into a warm, creamy vanilla mixed with sharp cedar smell. This has a holiday feel to it because of all the pine, but seems best suited for late summer through winter. Reminds be a bit of the country in the autumn, with its forest scents and the smell of freshly cut hay. Not a leather scent, but has a bit of a saddle smell as Rocabar is a very rich and warm golden smell. Heady and somewhat oily, this reminds me of the rural Kansas of my childhood.

    All in all, not a "must have" scent and far from amazing, this is a good, solid masculine cologne that's sweet, but not too sweet. Very bold and rich, but not too dark or overpowering. A great autumn scent and proabably one of the best pine scents ever made (that I have tried thus far).

    19th June, 2006.

    rating

    Gucci pour Homme by Gucci

    Ah, yes. The pencil-shavings cologne. This is another masterpiece from Gucci. While not the complex melange of potpourri scents that made up Envy, Pour Homme is a simple, understated, bold beast. A basic scent that is not subtle.

    While the basic premise is "wood meets more wood", this is a scent with its own complexity. It starts out with a mild bite of white pepper that works its way into an incense descent (not as bold or bad as Rush, though). This brings you to the dry, almost astringent, wood base. I get some vetiver and amber after the ginger and incense parts, but not so much the leather. I guess it's more of a dry leather, not too oily.

    This is a great scent for winter and autumn. It could be used in summer, if used sparingly, but is best suited for cooler days and nights. It's incredibly warm and my skin feels and smells literally hot, as if warmth were eminating from the scent. Not for all people, but I can't resist the wood, white pepper and incense. A must try for all who like woodsy scents. Smells very masculine and noble (not Nobile). Brutal and classy at the same time. One of the rawest and most refined fragrances in the same instant. Keep this one away from the children. This is intended for adult use only.

    By the way, see if you can find the 30 ml travel spray. It's one of my favorite bottle designs and sprayers of all time. The color sums up the scent, too.

    An instant classic...for those who like this sort of thing.
    Recommended for those who liked the CdG Incense Series.

    13rd June, 2006.

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    Truth Calvin Klein Men by Calvin Klein

    This scent has a real one note song, but a good one if you like light and sweet scents. This smells nearly identical to 212 Men, only minus the heady incense basenote. Otherwise, the same sweet, green wet bamboo and fresh cut grass is the tie that binds. This is a good (mind you, not great) scent for summer and spring. (Although, I prefer Tsar for spring.)

    Also worth mentioning is the longevity, I hadn't expected much as it's CK, but this seems to last 10 hours or so with several sprays. It's a good office or casual scent. Sure, there are others that are better, but this isn't bad. Gets the occasional compliment, too.

    13rd June, 2006.

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    Envy for Men by Gucci

    I've never smelled a Gucci scent that I didn't like. All bias aside, this is perhaps the best Gucci creation ever, although Pour Homme is a close second.

    This has a sharp (but not too sharp) pine needle scnet in that dries down into a sublime incence and vanilla scent. Not too woodsy, not too sweet, and not too sharp. Envy smells sexy and seductive as well as formal and dignified.

    The nutmeg and ginger mixed with the pine scent remind me of Christmas and this is a great cold weather scent that I stick with through winter. Not good for hot weather, but might be tolerable on rainy summer nights. I like it in fall and winter, from sunrise to sunset.

    Very classy and extremely well-made. One of my top ten of all time. This ought to end up being the next Polo. It has that green-pine-woods scent. This is what people should reach for in their post-Polo phase. A new classic!

    13rd June, 2006.

    rating

    Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme by Dolce & Gabbana

    This is a really fruity scent. It starts out with an oily, heavy tropical fruit introduction that then gives way to black pepper. Sometimes I notice the black pepper elements more prominently, and sometimes it's the tobacco. The tobacco note never stands out too much to me. It seems that the neroli and citrus scents dominate so heavily that the basenotes never reveal themsleves fully. The drydown is basically a calmer, less intrusive mix of the tropical smelling fruits (bananas, mangoes, et. al.)

    The scent is pretty sweet, almost sickeningly so, therefore it could function well on some women as an evening scent. For me, it's way too fruity and cloying. I do keep a bottle of this around since it has it functions on those "party" occasions when something quirky is called for.

    Many people consider this to be a formal fragrance, but I say it's more casual. It's also recommended for cool weather. While the "heaviness" of it makes it a good scent to "warm up" with in the winter, I think that it works equally well in summer, preferrably at night. It smells like a day on a tropical beach at times.

    A relativley safe buy, this is not a great blind buy. The sweet, oily, fruity, soap scent can be a bit intimidating, so try it on your skin before you buy. The longevity is great (if you like the scent in the first place) and lasts the whole day until you wash it off in the shower, where it still smells pretty strong.

    The primary saving graces of this scent are the pepper and the tobacco (when it's noticable). This is far from being a "thumbs down", but it's a bit much for me. Others swear by it, so it's all relative, I guess. A must try at any rate.

    13rd June, 2006.

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    parfums*PARFUMS Series 7 Sweet: Nomad Tea by Comme des Garçons

    Like a stick of gum. A powdery sweet candy scent. There's much more mint than tea. Imagine a cup of mint tea with extra sugar.

    4th January, 2006.

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    parfums*PARFUMS Series 7 Sweet: Wood Coffee by Comme des Garçons

    Not as many "coffee" notes as the name might initally suggest. More of a vanilla and anise direction here. Somewhat sweet...in a cocoa and vanilla kind of way. Take it or leave it.

    4th January, 2006.

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    Vetiver by Lorenzo Villoresi

    A bold, bright green musky vetiver. Easily my favorite vetiver scent. Great for everyday usage. Bold, yet wearable, like the best of LV's scents.

    4th January, 2006.

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    Piper Nigrum by Lorenzo Villoresi

    Starts out strong on the mint. A pleasant dry down to pepper, dill, and a delicate amber musk. One of my faves from LV.

    4th January, 2006.

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    Sandalo by Lorenzo Villoresi

    A superior sandalwood. Includes a great floral support that adds complexity. At once, a complex and straight-forward sandalwood scent. As definitive as LV's Vetiver.

    4th January, 2006.

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    Patchouli by Lorenzo Villoresi

    A very smooth and enjoyable patchouli. Not so many high cedar notes as in other patchoulis, this has more of a gingerbread vibe, like a fresh baked sweet patchouli bread. A superior patchouli, but less inspiring than Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 (which is quite similar) or Montale Patchouli Leaves (!!!).

    4th January, 2006.

    rating

    Wild Lavender / Inglese by Lorenzo Villoresi

    Less of a floral and sweet lavender than is typically found. Very sharp and astringent. Dry and pungent, a lavender for men.

    4th January, 2006.

    Showing 1 to 30 of 33.

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