Aqua Rush (2012)
by Nautica

Ahhh..another Nautica fragrance another cheap snorefest. Well it's not the most natural smelling fragrance and it's not going to change anyone's minds about the brand, but it's actually a nice smelling summer fragrance. I don't smell any aquatic notes in this which is a plus. It's just a nice light minty/citrus almost soapy clean fragrance with a bit of amber sweetness in the dry down. In the end it's not awful, but there's so many better things you can spend your money on.

I blind purchased this because of someone saying it smelled like the icy mint Irish Spring, which I adore the smell of, as I wear the antiperspirant deodorant regularly. Unfortunately, it smells NOTHING like it; however, with it costing 19 bucks on Amazon, for the 1.7 oz, it is cheap enough to be a good value fragrance.

Longevity could be better, and projection is pretty weak. I get a blast of grapefruit, yuzu, and orange in the opening, smells very natural (surprisingly from the house). There's a little bit of mint there, but not enough to call it "icy". At the end of the day, it smells pretty much like Versace pH, with less staying power. The yuzu note in the opening is pretty well done, I don't own many yuzu fragrances, so this one will likely stay in my collection, and get some wear throughout the Summer. Burberry Summer 2009 edition, was the best designer take on yuzu though for sure, but due to its limited availabilities, it is hard to find. I will settle for this.

Typical Nautica release. It's fresh aquatic, a bit synthetic. It's not bad; it's decent, but truly, it is ho hum and boring. There are far better options for you if you are into aquatics. Someone who isn't serious about fragrance collecting may like this but for those who have tested a lot of fragrances, this one really doesn't stand out in any particular way.

Aqua Rush is a glorified bar of Irish Spring, particularly the Icy Blast-scented one. It’s nice, safe, and work-appropriate—all code for BORING. There is no real breakdown of notes in the traditional form of opening, heart notes, and base notes; this is nothing more than a linear stream of Icy Blast-scented Irish Spring from beginning to end. The projection is mildly medium, the sillage is a whispering trail, and the longevity is about four to six hours; all the makings for a perfect cubicle-mate scent.

Despite its droll nature I like this scent. It’s definitely gender-neutral in its inoffensive nature; a state of cleanliness is neither male nor female. Cilantro fans will be pleased with its cool leafiness, a welcome alternative to the aquatic standard, cucumber. This is well-suited for summer weather but like most aquatics for summer, it’s still dull. I’ve found Nautica scents to be equitable to body sprays; this is no exception. I’d gladly add this to my collection but not for more than $20. My suggestion would be to wait a few more months till it is in the bargain bin at TJ (TK) Maxx or Marshall’s.

DKNY Women, now for men! Utterly synthetic but addictive if it does not give you a headache. The yuzu and watermint dominate the show, with the clary sage and violet leaves intermittently showing up. The jus has a frozen bite to it that's pretty cool. I like!