Fragrance Reviews by JJ21

Longevity aside, I found this scent not actually very aqua at all but somewhat citrus/floral with a hint of the aforementioned note. I would recommend this scent for daytime or casual wear since I can't imagine it offending anyone. In fact, I suspect a few compliments will actually emerge... Update: After using it for about 2 months I developed a strong aversion to this scent and now get headaches whenever I smell it. So, went from a thumbs up to a thumbs down :-(

I know a few women who wear mens' fragrances for variety's sake and simply because there are notes that they like that are not commonly found in womens fragrances. However, Cool Water Woman is so good, that I'm almost tempted to wear it myself (it reminds me of Escape for Men for some reason...) Everytime I smell this on a female friend, I'm given a positive impression and consider it one of the all time 'fresh/fruity' scents.

This fragrance reminds me a little of Issey Miyake's Bleu (maybe it's the creamy quality it possesses...) but more subtle and refined. Although I probably wouldn't appreciate this on someone else, the fact that it wears close to the skin makes it a plus in my opinion. I also find that the woodish/patchouli basenotes are neither overly masculine nor feminine.

The cardamom middle notes really make this fragrance stand out. The vetiver basenote is well balanced (not too earthy) and there is a certain spicy quality to it that I can't quite place. When I smell it on others, (or on clothes) I find it original and pleasant, but on my own skin it seems to have a different personality.

Nautica Competition is the most surprising frangrance in my collection. Surprising because it is so inexpensive, but well balanced. I bought it initially as a travel or extra fragrance when I didn't want to use my more unique (read expensive) ones, but now find that I end up choosing it fairly often. I think the bergamot topnote and the sandalwood basenote are classic and simple, and there's nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

Even though this may be considered a "classic", I can't give it a full thumbs up. I like the lemon/citrus notes and the overall theme, but would have enjoyed it more if it had evolved differently. I wear this once in a while, and that's fine.

This is one of the only scents I've ever immediately tried on my skin and thought "wow, what a great scent!" I don't find that it evolves very much, but that is a good thing in my opinion since I like it from the topnotes down. As with others in this category, though, I recommend moderation.

I like this one, but I can't quite figure out exactly what it is that I like about it. It's a mystery. One that you should investigate ;-) CH has once again made a scent that keeps me coming back for more.

It's too bad that the basenotes don't appear sooner, because they are incredible in my opinion. I just can't stand the harsh (actually pungent) top and middle notes.

I was surprised by the initial (and lingering) sweetness. Although the notes themselves would seem to indicate a positive result, I found that this was too sweet on my skin. That's just me, though...
Go out and try it for yourself

As others have said, it's the dry down basenotes that truly make this scent worthwhile. Unfortunately, I can't stand it for the first hour or two...

Surprisingly, this classic is one that I used to loathe when I was younger. Years later I've returned to it and found -much to my astonishment- that something has changed. Probably me, and my skin chemistry. Whereas before it was capable of inducing headaches, it now reminds me of what summer and the mediterranean smell like. It just goes to show you some things never change, and some things do. Give it another try.

I remember when I first smelled Escape year ago. I was impressed by its unique and creatively fruity (at least back then) composition and always wanted to buy it. Many years later, I find it has been copied ad nauseum, but I cannot deny that it still has something to it. Much like CK one, I think it can be shared by both sexes.

As most of the others have commented, it was overdone by many people, which turned off many more people. It seems that era has passed, and it may once again be safe to use this scent in moderation. Skin chemistry is key though, so test it out first. I find Obsession Night to be more subtle and less cloying that the Original, but both can be used as evening scents in my opinion.

The basenotes are very appealing but use with moderation. Smell conjures up memories, so biases are to be expected, but I think this classic is worth having in around, if only for the occasional use.

"A scent for all seasons"

As others have said, it is versatile and easy to wear (which are qualities that some might actually want in their scent for a variety of reasons). Having said that, there are other similar scents that have slightly different and perhaps more daring notes. This scent also happens to be one of the few that I dare to "blend" with others in my collection.

Longevity is a funny thing. Sometimes you want it, sometimes you don't. Although this scent doesn't last, I find it fresh, clean, and a little bit mysterious for those 90 minutes it sticks around.

I find this scent much more acceptable than the original Obsession. The same advice applies, though. Use sparingly, otherwise you risk overpowering others and turning them off from it (and you). I do appreciate the pear top note as well.

Although I don't find the top notes particularly enticing, the middle notes and the basenotes ultimately make up for it. I find that people like the way it smells on me, and that if I use this once in a while, so do I.

One of my current favourite scents due to its fresh, green (almost chrolophyll-like) quality. It may indeed have similar notes to Farenheit, but I prefer this rendition and also happen to like the bottle. It evolves nicely but may not last terribly long, so I just enjoy it for the short while that I can.

I agree with others who encourage you to wear this scent on your skin before passing judgment. I consider this classic a worthwhile addition to my collection even if I don't wear it all the time. The bottle is also very nice (if you're into the aesthetics of it all..)

I used this scent in the mid 90's and found that many women liked it (even for themselves). I've recently rediscovered it and find it mature and easy to wear.

In my opinion (and that's pretty much all we can share here) Issey Miyake managed to do something unique with this scent. Although I find it appealing on others, it can give me a headache when I wear it myself. If this scent has a similar effect on you, I might suggest Issey's new Issey Bleu.