Reviews by D.Sprad

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    D.Sprad
    United States United States

    Showing 1 to 20 of 20.
    rating

    1 Million by Paco Rabanne

    At first I thought this was the scent for me. Natural-smelling pineapple which then opened up to an interesting blood orange smell.
    Then, it really, really turned. The blood orange went away and it was completely pineapple again - and that was it. It wasn't even the good, natural pineapple - it was a synthetic, headache-causing horrid pineapple.
    Perhaps it's my skin doing it, but I wouldn't dream of buying 1 million - lucky for me I had a sample rather than just deciding to buy based off first sniff.

    30th December, 2010.

    rating

    Le Mâle by Jean Paul Gaultier

    I love it.
    I really, really do.

    I find Le Male to be fairly linear for a very long time. It opens with a wonderfully mild sweet lavender, which carries on for quite a long time. And I DO mean a long time. It's only hours after I apply that the sweet drydown comes in to play. And me, a sucker for that kind of thing (A*Men, Joop! Homme, and Rochas Man are some of my favorites), it really, really appeals to me.

    Big, big thumbs up.

    27th August, 2010.

    rating

    Joop! Homme by Joop!

    1 spray pushed 30 hours on me.

    Sweet, smells pleasant.

    Has many intervals - it appears gone and then is back stronger than before.

    Loud and obnoxious at first, and dries down to a pleasant, sweet, warm scent.

    I like it. A lot.

    19th July, 2010.

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    Fendi Uomo by Fendi

    Boozy. Masculine. Rich. Eighties. Powerhouse. Beautiful.

    All words I'd pick to describe this scent.
    It opens with a sharp kick but settles down to a beyond rich base.
    Eighties in a bottle, but not in a bad way. Over application WILL kill you.
    If used in moderation (I think two sprays would be more than enough), it can be a wonderful scent through and through.

    30th June, 2010.

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    Baie de Genièvre by Creed

    I love it, casually regal.

    Creed's note breakdown:
    Top: Bergamot, cinnamon leaves
    Middle: Clove, juniper berry
    Base: Vetiver, ambergris

    This one comes across a bit differently in different amounts to me. The first time I used my bottle, only a bit came out (probably half an inch in diameter circle of juice) on my wrist. That one was difficult to break down as the scent's opening was so weak and close to my skin (with so little sprayed from an un-broken in spritzer), and the ending was sweet and earthy. It was pretty good, I wasn't too bonkers for it. Then, today (though several weeks back by the time this is actually posted), I sprayed it again and got enough juice from the quality atomizer to cover my entire wrist (I was impressed.) This time, it opened with a sharp, fresh bergamot opening that barely took any time to go away - that's all for the bergamot, folks. Then, it went into cinnamon leaves - beautifully complex. Not sweet by any means, but not quite bitter, either. A very pleasant couple of hours. As it progressed, it seemed to me to skip the middle notes (or they were so subtle the cinnamon overpowered them), so I didn't detect much anything from the cloves or juniper berries. Then it went into the base... whereas the first time was sweet and earthy, this didn't have the sweetness, and was a more smooth, earthy, kind of woodsy aroma. The ambergris really comes through more with less juice, I suppose. I love the scent, it's wonderful, it's quality, and it hits right home with my fragrance tastes.

    29th June, 2010.

    rating

    DKNY Men (New) by Donna Karan

    Nothing especially great here. Very, VERY refreshing opening that I do like - after wearing Angel Men by Thierry Mugler and Dirty English by Juicy Couture the previous two days, the already refreshing opening was just a reinvigorating force to my olfactory sense, and it was really quite nice. Violet's usually not a component I like too much, but it was decent (aka tolerable). Then it disappeared on my skin completely for a while... I was a bit shocked to see that after a mere 4 1/2 - 5 hours, it was gone... then, it came back... with a VENGEANCE. I was beginning to think the calone was just a fabrication of the previous reviewers minds, but there it was... and heavy, too, at the end. But, unlike the previous reviewers, it doesn't put me off quite as much. My pros: Nice opening, decent overall scent. My cons: Buckets of calone in the blend, just average and unexciting.

    21st June, 2010.

    rating

    Polo Black by Ralph Lauren

    Hm. I got this one as a gift, and I'm pretty happy with it. I might have bought it myself. It's an extravagant opening, as is typical for CK scents. It then goes to the middle notes, and then the ba-WAIT. No, I NEVER got ANY base notes for this. I wore this and got a longevity of about 7 hours - average, before it began to fade away. Never in there did I get ANY of the listed base notes, which I was a bit sad about. I liked the listed woodsy base, but as it dried down I got the herbal, citrusy middle as listed... and it just kept at it for maybe 5 1/2 - 6 hours. It's an average scent, nothing eye-opening... and a small tear of disappointment for the lack of the base.

    20th June, 2010.

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    A*Men / Angel Men by Thierry Mugler

    The beginning is rough - I'm talking draw-blood rough. It's best to sit this one until it begins to dry down, as it's just not tolerable at the start.Then, the middle notes come out and shine - if you don't mind the tar, you'll find it an interesting accord to a cologne like this. The drydown is truly wonderful to me, it's just a sweet, smooth scent that lasts for years. I've seen two sprays go nearly a full day, now that's longevity! Provided you didn't overdo it, those two sprays can be your own personal slice of paradise, as well... I don't find it too enjoyable on paper, but on the skin, it's different. I don't know how many have been turned away from a disappointing paper-scent, but it's unfortunate. Many males I know and see don't like this fragrance - they find it too sweet, or too feminine, or too... whatever? I have yet, however, to find a lady that doesn't like this on a person. I must say, wonderful scent, great longevity, great projection. Thumbs-up, without a doubt!

    10th June, 2010.

    rating

    Brit for Men by Burberry

    Brit. I'll admit this is my first Burberry, so I'm not going to pick this one apart with comparisons to other Burberry fragrances. I got this one as a gift from my mother, and I've got to say, she was spot-on. It's nice and inoffensive as previously stated, but not boring. I can get the "baby powder" reference on paper and under the cap, but not on the skin, that's a different story. Opening spices work for this one, and the opening is nice (and fairly strong, 2 sprays seemed to be more than enough for the beginning to get across), and it dries to a very pleasant oriental that's nice and appealing. I like the longevity, but that was with two sprays - being an oriental, I'd bet that others have put on only one fearing overapplication which made the longevity seem subpar. With two sprays, it was still there (and not fading) after about eight hours, and faded after about 9 and a half or 10. It might have even stretched to 11, I'll admit that I stopped paying attention to it after a while. Mind you, there was no rigorous physical activity in that time, but two sprays on the skin lasting 10-11 hours seems decent enough. The only thing I have with this one is that I can't get the wild roses in the middle notes. I don't know if it's my fairly new nose, if it's not there, or if it's just so subtle I can't get it. Still, Burberry Brit for men garnered some attention, some compliments, and while you won't make a bold statement, it's still enjoyable and pleasant. I'd wear it again, thumbs-up.

    27th March, 2010.

    rating

    Emporio Armani Diamonds for Men by Giorgio Armani

    Heh, I guess I'm the odd man out of the last few reviews. Personally, I enjoy this fragrance. On my skin, it is sweet, but somehow spicy. I was excited to obtain this one ever since I gave a sample bottle a try somewhere.

    Yes, it is synthetic, but it's not terrible. It's smell's decent, it lasts a decent while, and it's decently wearable.

    It is decent - thumbs-up.

    21st November, 2009.

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    Calvin Klein Man by Calvin Klein

    I feel myself needing to change this... I originally did enjoy this cologne, but recently, I've discovered violet leaves aren't as agreeable with me as they once were.

    My first cologne - fond memories.

    Not going to wear it anymore.

    21st November, 2009. (Last Edited: 1st March, 2010.)

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    Tommy 10 by Tommy Hilfiger

    I simply enjoy this one. It's pleasant, not overpowering, and yet it's still visible enough to garner compliments.

    Funny, I picked this one up cheap at a discount without giving it a try before (the deal was simply too good to not buy it), and I loved it.

    My cousin has Tommy Jeans, and I love that too (as, when visiting his home, I sneak a spray or two).

    I guess I just like Tommy Hilfiger fragrances.

    21st November, 2009.

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    Tomorrow for Him by Avon

    To put it lightly, one of my favorites!

    For all of the unpleasant, wash-off-your-skin-immediately juices that Avon puts out, they really hit home with this one.

    It's a very pleasing oriental that comes across differently every time I try it, but is always a truly great experience.

    21st November, 2009.

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    Corduroy by Zirh

    A winter fragrance indeed.

    Lightly spicy and semi-sweet at times, very good for winter, I should be wearing this a bit very soon.

    21st November, 2009.

    rating

    Black by Kenneth Cole

    Clean, fruity, citrusy. My second-ever fragrance is a versatile one - good for many occasions. However, it's fairly generic, and it's okay... I'm going to give it a thumbs-up simply due to its versatility.

    21st November, 2009. (Last Edited: 12nd July, 2010.)

    rating

    Polo Sport by Ralph Lauren

    This one brings back memories of a trip to Virginia Beach a few years ago. The seaweed in this one must bring me back to that one.

    I enjoy the memories, and the scent itself isn't too bad, really!

    I'm never put off by the seaweed, and those I know (both male and female) haven't been either.

    The opening, like DiamondFlame said, is a jolt many times, and the dry-down is pleasant and semi-sweet.

    Don't be fooled by the "Sport" in Polo Sport. I know plenty of "Sport" and "Fresh" fragrances that really are just awful have been floating out there for a while, but this one is worth a try, really!

    21st November, 2009.

    rating

    Monogram by Ralph Lauren

    Oh, how lucky I was!

    Raiding my father's old cologne bag (long forgotten under the bathroom sink), I was graced to find many old colognes (Jovan from the 1970's, Halston I-12 and Z-14), and a bottle of Monogram about 1/4th full.

    I didn't know what I had on my hands other than a strong, masculine cologne until I visited Basenotes.

    I never used it, of course, which makes me glad now.

    It was given to my father for Christmas in '85 or '86, and has been sitting under the sink for much of the following time.

    I doubt I could find the gut to sell it, but it's always an option.

    Also, I'd just like to mention that the above picture of a bottle of Monogram is slightly incorrect. The picture is lacking its true cap, which is rounded, metal/metallic, and shiny.

    21st November, 2009.

    rating

    Hero by Prince Matchabelli

    Oh, I could say so many things about this one.

    1. My father, many years ago, was handed literally dozens of small sample tubes of Hero by a department store worker. He's nearly run out, but for more than 20 years it's been Hero that's graced his skin on special occasions, and whenever I smell it, I'm reminded of him.

    2. It's a wonderful scent in itself.

    21st November, 2009.

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    Eternity for Men by Calvin Klein

    I received this as a gift and had never even gave it a try previously.

    I've tried it once or twice, but I fear giving it a full-blown attempt, because the lavender in the opening notes is a bit intimidating.

    Although I cannot say this one has gotten a huge amount of my time, the times I have given it a shot had a fairly decent scent.

    21st November, 2009.

    rating

    British Sterling by Dana

    British Sterling.

    Inexpensive, strong, a reminder of the non-sweet, non-aquatic tame men's fragrances of today. I like it... because it's pretty alright.

    21st November, 2009.

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