Well, you're in for a treat, I think. There's a nice amount of diversity in this sample pass, though it definitely tends toward the mature side of the spectrum -- but not in a bad way. Of the ten, I enjoyed most and even loved a few. I already owned one and ended up buying a full bottle of another after sampling it. I'll get to those two one in the 2nd half of my reviews, to be posted tomorrow.
All in all, I thought this collection - and this exercise in sampling things I did not choose - was awesome.
- - - Updated - - -
The first half of my reviews for this Men's Sample Pass
are earlier in this thread at post #6. Here's the second half of my reviews for the following 5 scents:
Kenzo Jungle Pour Homme, EdT
Dzing! by L'Artisan, EdT
Habit Rouge by Guerlian, EdT (vintage)
Tom Ford for Men, EdT
Ungaro III, EdT
Kenzo Jungle just might be the most poorly named fragrance ever. Who in the heck thought a jungle smells anything like this? I've been to the jungle and let me tell you, it doesn't. Rather than smelling like thick woods with lush vegetation where monkeys and brightly colored birds live in the canopy high above, Kenzo Jungle smells like it just walked out of a desert shop. And if you smell it, you'll want to walk in the door it just walked out of and grab a snack. It's surprisingly and, dare I say deliciously, sweet. The nutmeg really comes through with cinnamon, but this isn't a cinnamon scent, and it isn't particularly heavy when compared to many gourmands. I could see a woman wearing this, but it isn't feminine. I could definitely imagine wearing this on a date. And who knows. I might even end up being her tasty treat.
Dzing dinged my expectations, but not in a good way. Wow was this not what I was expecting from Dzing! It quickly faded to a soft scent that seemed to hover barely an inch above my skin. I've seen people compare Dzing to Bvlgari Black, but I have to believe they're doing so by remembering what Black smells like rather than by comparing them side to side, because quite frankly, the comparison doesn't work. There's a hint of hay here that almost - almost - reminds me of Chergui. Almost. But Dzing has an animalistic element. The longer I wear it, the more I like it, but Dzing has a perfumey smell that falls under the category of scents I'd prefer on a woman than on myself. On a date - meaning, on her skin - this could be vah-vooooom!
Habit Rouge opens with a loud citrus/vanilla/leather mix. Sadly, there is also the smell of a laundry exhaust chute in an old building. Could that be the florals coming into play, combining with the leather? I'm surprised by how much of a strike out this one is for me. That's a shame since there's also something in here I enjoy very much. The vanilla and amber, perhaps, and the sandalwood. Love. And the cinnamon? Love. All things considered, there's a lot here to like, but rising above it all is the smell of an old building and a laundry exhaust chute. Maybe I'm not old enough to wear this? Maybe I don't feel old enough to wear this? Or maybe I just hate doing the laundry. I actually find the smell of an old building to be charming, but I don't want to wear it. Not even when doing the laundry.
Tom Ford For Men is fantastic. It opens up with a strong but not sharp citrus that evolves into a slightly woody tobacco and wears like a favorite button down shirt that just so happens to be dressy enough to wear to work, even if you have a date afterward. It's the sort of scent that smells good without trying to smell good, and for me, that's a win. I liked Tom Ford For Men so much, I bought a bottle. This scent isn't particularly daring, nor is it even bold. Instead, it is simply confident yet disarming. There's never a wrong time to wear it, and that made it a must-own for me. That, plus a huge sale at Fragrancenet combined with another at ebates. This is what you wear when you can't decide what to wear. Tom Ford For Men just works.
Ungaro III is the only fragrance in this Men's Sample Pass that I already own. I compared the sample to my bottle and, upon application I instantly realized that this is the Ungaro III I know and love. Ungaro III is a masculine Rose with vodka, lavender, patchouly, sandalwood and maybe a bit of vetiver in the mix. It's classy without smelling too old for a guy in his 30s to get away with, so long as that guy has style. And class. I'd like to think I have both but I'm sure an ex-girlfriend would disagree. Then again, she never smelled me wearing Ungaro III. OK, Ungaro III might not have helped in that case, but still, this one is excellent. I picked up a bottle in a swap here last fall and I instantly hated it. In fact, I had to scrub it off after an hour and I regretted making the trade. A few months later, I committed to giving it a full wear. And that's when I fell in love. So, be prepared: you might need to give this one a second chance. Ungaro III does surprisingly well in cooler weather, but it strikes me as being something I could wear on a warm spring day. I look forward to finding out.
Men's Sample Pass Reviews Only-Readers and Comments Welcome!
No. 5 by Chanel
Reply With Quote
Castile by Penhaligon's
Originally Posted by L'Homme Blanc Individuel
Musk Oud by By Kilian
Mansa by King's Palace Perfumery
Iris 39 by Le Labo
