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One of the most popular fragrances for men on the market, always seems to be Curve by Liz Claiborne. Yes, this cologne always sits among the list of best sellers and has developed quite a following for itself since its 1996 release. Why? Is it because it is the most complex scent out there? No, it’s a rather simple fragrance that blends its notes nicely. Is it the most masculine? Again, no. Quite simply, Curve is just a great smelling cologne which is available at a very affordable price. In this post, I want to take a bit of a closer look at Curve and examine what makes it so good.
What does Curve by Liz Claiborne Smell Like?
Notes include: fresh greens, pepper, lemon, pineapple, neroli, lavender, sage, cactus, sandalwood, juniper, ginger, cedar, amber, mahogany and water
Click here to try: Curve By Liz Claiborne For Men. Cologne Spray 6.8 oz
My Full Wear Review
Curve became absolute legend when it was released back in the 90s. I remember that my dad used to wear this for a while and I thought it smelled fantastic.
It opens up with a blend of lemon, pineapple, and some neroli. It’s got a nice citrus zest, is a bit sharp, but flanked by spicy notes like ginger, pepper, and sage. The opening is quite lemony and the pineapple is very noticeable as well, the spice notes are none too heavy, but are prominent during the early stages.
After that initial bit, Curve really gets going with the lavender note. That is probably the most important aspect of this fragrance and gives the composition its fresh and clean disposition. Curve smells sweet and warm, with bits of light coolness, breathing through the middle of the cologne.
Still, the citrus top notes are the main attractions, and when paired with that lavender note, it is great. This Liz Claiborne fragrance also features a cactus note, much like Tommy by Tommy Hilfiger, does. It must have been a thing in the late 90s to add cactus to popular scents, perhaps, that is the secret to their success.
During the dry down, the woody base emerges, led by the mahogany note. There is also some non-distinct sandalwood and cedar lurking in the back, but mahogany is the strongest. So, you have a super fresh ctirus/green scent with light spices/musk and a woody base.
Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility
Projection wise, Curve never really had a huge sillage to me, it could start off fairly strong but would sink into a lighter moderate area. That’s about what one should expect. Not a powerhouse, but a very nice value play.
The longevity is around 5-7 hours on my skin, not much more than that. However, with a scent like this, it’s really all you need much of the time. If you want something longer lasting, you will most likely move to something more upscale.
Seasonally, it reminds me of spring, but really it’s a year round cologne. It can be worn casually, at work, school, or out on a date. This stuff will always get complements, I’m convinced of that fact.
It’s probably best for younger men, but all ages could wear it. If you need something fancier or more formal, Curve isn’t going to be the one. As a fresh aromatic cheapie? It’s great.
You can get it for cheap, but it will still get more positive reactions than many of the higher end fragrances for men. I don’t know what it is, but I cannot honestly disagree, as I love the way this smells.
That’s not to say that it will outshine all designer colognes, but it for sure punches above its weight class.
Overall Impressions of Curve
Curve is a great starter cologne for guys in high school up through college. Heck, I’d still wear it, if I had a bottle right now. It’s not my favorite fragrance of all time or anything, but you cannot really deny the power that this stuff has had for over 20 years.
Women love it. Like, it is unreasonable the attention that a simple cheapie like this brings, but it’s worth every penny. If you want something fresh, clean, and attractive for cheap…it’s not something you can go wrong with.
Less of a sexy smell and more of just something that is very attractive and pleasant to people. The performance is solid enough and the price is great. Curve is classic.
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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.