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Hello, I'm new here and I like Armani Acqua di Gio

post #1 of 18
10/18/10 at 4:11pm
Thread Starter 
This is my first cologne purchase in over 10 years. After testing a few colognes, I purchased a 6.7 ounce bottle of Armani Acqua and am very happy. Nordstrom had a sale, they gave me a $50 bottle of Armani bodywash for $15 for buying the 6.7 ounce bottle, so I feel like I got a good deal. I like the very clean smell of Acqua.

Now I have to decide what I want my second purchase to be. The one thing I love about Armani Acqua, is I have been using two sprays per day for more than a week, and the bottle is still full to the top. If it goes at this rate, I expect this bottle to last many months, maybe a year if some days I use a different cologne.

I also liked the Jo Malone Grapefruit cologne, but thought Armani would be a better first purchase. I also liked the Yves Saint Laurent cologne.

The sales lady suggested I try Hanae Mori, but it was very sweet smelling. And I do not understand the difference between Eau de Parfum spray and Eau de Toilette spray, the website lists both. The first one is more expensive than the second one.

I want to buy a second cologne to compliment the first. I feel Armani is great for daytime office wear, it is very clean. It is not overpowering. What should my second purchase be?
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post #2 of 18
10/18/10 at 6:25pm
Sample, sample, sample!

Keep trying out scents at department stores, Sephora, etc. Don't buy something right away. Take your time, spray it on, walk away for an hour and THEN make your decision.

Acqua di Gio is a fine scent, I would classify it as an aquatic/fresh scent - so perhaps you might want to get a non-aquatic/fresh scent as your 2nd scent, so you have something different. It's up to you.

Grapefruit by Jo Malone is a great citrus scent, but it won't have the strength and/or longevity that the Armani will. What Yves St. Laurent cologne were you looking at (there are so many)?

Have you tried Terre de Hermes by Hermes or Infusion d'Homme by Prada or Rive Gauche Pour Homme by Yves St. Laurent? If not, try these.

Good luck OldSchoolCharm. Welcome to Basenotes!
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post #3 of 18
10/18/10 at 6:33pm
If I'm not mistaken Eau de Parfum has more perfume oil in it than Eau de Toilette, which is diluted more
It lasts longer and costs more because of the quality.
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post #4 of 18
10/18/10 at 6:52pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

Sample, sample, sample!

Keep trying out scents at department stores, Sephora, etc. Don't buy something right away. Take your time, spray it on, walk away for an hour and THEN make your decision.

Acqua di Gio is a fine scent, I would classify it as an aquatic/fresh scent - so perhaps you might want to get a non-aquatic/fresh scent as your 2nd scent, so you have something different. It's up to you.

Grapefruit by Jo Malone is a great citrus scent, but it won't have the strength and/or longevity that the Armani will. What Yves St. Laurent cologne were you looking at (there are so many)?

Have you tried Terre de Hermes by Hermes or Infusion d'Homme by Prada or Rive Gauche Pour Homme by Yves St. Laurent? If not, try these.

Good luck OldSchoolCharm. Welcome to Basenotes!

MikePerez23, I tried Terre de Hermes and loved it. It was one of the first testers I was given, and for the couple days I used it I liked how it smelled. That may be my next purchase.

The Yves I tried was L'Homme. I still have the tester they gave me. I also have a tester of Hanae Mori, but that smelled too sweet for me. I like a little sweetness, but HM smelled like the sweet vanilla was the primary scent.
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post #5 of 18
10/18/10 at 6:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by GekiGAngerII View Post

If I'm not mistaken Eau de Parfum has more perfume oil in it than Eau de Toilette, which is diluted more
It lasts longer and costs more because of the quality.

Thank you for anwsering that question. I was puzzled by the difference in price. I will buy the Eau de Parfum if available.
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post #6 of 18
10/19/10 at 5:18pm
Studies have been done as to how long your 6.7 oz bottle of Acqua Di Gio will last. You have about 200 milliliters (mL) in that bottle. At 3 sprays per day a 100 mL bottle will last 490 days on average. Your bottle of Acqua Di Gio should last you about 980 days at 3 sprays everyday. You said you are only doing 2 sprays so it will last you longer than two and a half years. I recommend trying Vetiver by Guerlain for daytime wear or M7 by YSL for evening/romantic wear.
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post #7 of 18
10/19/10 at 6:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mark_cole321 View Post

Studies have been done as to how long your 6.7 oz bottle of Acqua Di Gio will last. You have about 200 milliliters (mL) in that bottle. At 3 sprays per day a 100 mL bottle will last 490 days on average. Your bottle of Acqua Di Gio should last you about 980 days at 3 sprays everyday. You said you are only doing 2 sprays so it will last you longer than two and a half years. I recommend trying Vetiver by Guerlain for daytime wear or M7 by YSL for evening/romantic wear.

If I get more than a years use I will be very happy!

I was planning on buying one or two more colognes, something for fall/winter, and something for night time. The next time I am at Nordstrom I will ask for a sample of what you recommended.
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post #8 of 18
10/19/10 at 9:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by OldSchoolCharm View Post

If I get more than a years use I will be very happy!

I was planning on buying one or two more colognes, something for fall/winter, and something for night time. The next time I am at Nordstrom I will ask for a sample of what you recommended.

This is how it starts...just one more fragrance...
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post #9 of 18
10/20/10 at 6:06am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rescentment View Post

This is how it starts...just one more fragrance...

If each bottle can last a year, then this is a cheap way to spend money. The cost per spray has to be less than 10 cents (if the information is corrent, the 6.7 ounce bottle of Armani has 1400+ sprays, divide that into a hundred dollars). Just because the cost for cologne is upfront does not bother me. If people knew their $3 cup of coffee each day was $1056 for a year (356 days), would they pay a thousand dollars upfront for a free cup of coffe every day? But $3 each morning it doesn't seem like a lot, it's just a few bucks. What is 10 cents per spray compared to that, even if I spray two or three times?
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post #10 of 18
10/20/10 at 6:30am
Oh I was joking. I was remarking that you will buy a second fragrance and then a third and then you'll need a special one because you read about it and then you'll try a niche fragrance and then you'll want something with vanilla and then you'll hear about this thing called vetiver and then all of sudden you'l own ten bottles.

And I am not remarking that this is a bad thing. Go for it. Collecting smelly juice is fun!
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post #11 of 18
10/20/10 at 6:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rescentment View Post

Oh I was joking. I was remarking that you will buy a second fragrance and then a third and then you'll need a special one because you read about it and then you'll try a niche fragrance and then you'll want something with vanilla and then you'll hear about this thing called vetiver and then all of sudden you'l own ten bottles.

And I am not remarking that this is a bad thing. Go for it. Collecting smelly juice is fun!

LOL, before I got Acqua Di Gio I spent a week thinking if it would be worth paying $71 for a 3.4 ounce bottle ($20 an ounce) or $95 for a 6.7 ounce bottle ($14 an ounce). I liked the clean smell, so I figured why not get the big bottle. I thought this would be the one and only cologne I need.

Then I found this forum, and started reading about the other great colognes out there. I never thought of having a cologne for summer and a different cologne for fall, or what cologne to wear to work and what cologne to wear on a date. I thought one cologne would cover everything.

I wish I would have found this forum 10 years ago. Back then I got one bottle of cologne that wasn't very good, and I figured I'm better off with deodorant than bad cologne, and I did not buy another bottle for 10 years until I tried Armani Acqua. I asked the sales lady what the best selling cologne was, and got it. I figure I would have to like what 99% of the people get, and if I don't, at least everyone else will like it. I'm happy that Acqua smells really good to me.
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post #12 of 18
10/20/10 at 7:06am
AdG is a great fragrance. It is hugely popular but it is great. If you do want to get into collecting a few more you might want to look at a couple more Armani. Sticking to the one house will at least let you know you aren't buying the exact same fragrance with just another designer name on it. Try Code or Attitude Extreme. Code is not my thing but it is popular and might be a good evening scent. Attitude Extreme is quite different from AdG but not at all a dangerous or offensive scent - just a bit darker than the very aquatic and fresh AdG.

Of course, by all means branch out to other scents - sticking to one designer is just a smart idea for someone to kind of figure out the differences in the various scents.

By the way - spraying a 6.7 ouncer must be a hazard!
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post #13 of 18
11/4/10 at 2:18am
If you want to keep few select choices, then it's a matter of deciding you prefer a woody/earth theme or a woody/oriental one, to complement your marine scent. But...
It all starts with 1, then it becomes 3, then 5, then you run out of room...
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post #14 of 18
11/4/10 at 6:03pm
I think AdG is a great fragrance. It's very popular for a reason. It's not complicated, doesn't offend anyone, and just smells great. I only wear 2 sprays of it to, by the way. It is a "less is more" fragrance for me. Since it is so inoffensive it gives the impression you can apply more, but I don't like it as much if you go beyond 2 (3 max).

I concur with the suggestions to sample, sample, sample. It is the only way to find out what YOU truly like. For suggestions of what to try next if you are looking to diversify a little bit, and like a little sweetness (I'm the same way) try Chanel Allure Edition Blanche, Boss Bottled, and Bvlgari Aqva.

Aqva is in the same Aquatic family as AdG, but its a totally different take on it. It is more salty than fresh. A true attempt at imitating the ocean. It's also an excellent value at the price you can find it for.

Boss Bottled (aka Boss #6) I think is great for the cooler months. It has a semi-sweet, spiced apple kind of accord going on. It's pretty inexpensive as well.

Allure Edition Blanche is definitely worth a try for an AdG lover. It is a very classy, fresh, creamy lemon fragance that I think is very versatile. It's a little more pricey than Aqva or Boss, and because it's Chanel it's really hard to find it discounted anywhere, but it is well worth the price in my opinion.
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post #15 of 18
11/4/10 at 6:13pm
it's not the only factor... but can you tell us more about your age, location (general), lifestyle, budget, etc?
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post #16 of 18
11/4/10 at 6:42pm
I'm new here too, though not so new to scent

Acqua di Gio was my first ever scent, back in the 90s, and a pretty good benchmark it was too. Like you, I found it lasted all day... for 3 years. And despite its relative "quietness" it always got me gosh-you-smell-so-great comments.

My advice is to sample everything. Spraying/dabbing on a strip first is handy to guard against the horrors of having to scrub for days to wash off something vile. If you like, try on skin and smell the scent unfold over time. Be warned when on a sampling spree though: I find my nose gets tired after about 5 or 6 scents and stops being able to smell effectively.

Have fun exploring!
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post #17 of 18
11/4/10 at 7:30pm
Pino Blue. Bellagio Uomo.
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post #18 of 18
11/5/10 at 10:27am
I'd say if you only want 2 scents, then chose carefully. Try to find something that will be light enough for the summer, but not too light for the winter. YSL L'Homme is a fine all season scent if you like it. I wish I had the discipline to hold myself to just two. I'd be willing to spend $150 for Bond no. 9 Riverside Drive if that was the case. But for more reasonable designer alternatives, I could recommend some good ones to sample. Of course, it would be helpful for some specific guidelines. If you want fresh, check out Tommy Hilfiger est. 1985. I'd also recommend Calvin Klein Man for something a bit richer.
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Just Starting Out › Hello, I'm new here and I like Armani Acqua di Gio