Cologne Reviews

New York by Playboy

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I purchased two bottles from the Playboy line of scents produced by Coty, New York and London. I was already familiar with them but wanted to spend more time with each and since

I got them at a price of around $5 a piece, it wasn’t a major investment to do so. In this post, I am going to cover what’s in New York, how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not I think that it is worth a purchase.

What does Playboy New York Smell Like?

Notes include: vinyl, vanilla, apple, tonka bean, lime, black pepper, and vetiver

Click here to try: PLAYBOY New York Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The initial 15-20 seconds of Playboy New York is a heavy alcohol smell that quickly settles down (luckily). From that emerges an interesting yet familiar blend of mostly apple, vanilla, and the intriguing vinyl note.

I have to say that the vinyl note is very prominent in this fragrance, at least for a while after application.

The freshness of New York is a crisp apple note that seems to sit on top of the vinyl and while the vanilla is there it doesn’t always strike me as a more run of the mill vanilla scent.

Lime is present and it smells like a way weaker version of the lime note in Set Sail St. Barts. There is also a very faint spice, which I guess is the black pepper note, but there really isn’t too much to it.

From there on out, Playboy New York is pretty darn linear, and what you smell is what you get…the watery apple, vinyl, and vanilla blend.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s pretty moderate. It feels watered down when compared to many other more expensive colognes, which is to be expected when you can pick up a bottle for $10 more or less.

However, it isn’t bad at all in the performance department. Longevity ranges from 5-6 hours of solid wear and longer when it just sits as a skin scent. For what it is, that is pretty great. It’s not going to give you elite performance, just really good value.

This is a good casual scent for the warmer parts of the year. I would say it’s best for guys in high school or in their early 20s, who need something inexpensive, that can be worn at work or school. It’s fresh and pleasant but I wouldn’t classify it as a bar/romantic/club wear kind of cologne.

Overall Impressions of New York by Playboy

Overall, would I recommend Playboy New York? If you’re in the market for a cologne in this price range, yes. If you can actually afford something beyond this, there are way better options out there.

For what this scent is, though (a nice cheapy), Playboy New York definitely gives you a decent bang for your buck.

It’s clean, fresh, familiar, and can trick people into thinking that it is something more expensive than it really is. There really aren’t too many solid scents for under $15, but this is one and one of the better scents from the Playboy brand.

Update: It has been discontinued since this initial publication. As such, bottle might not be so prevalent anymore. If you see it for more than $20, I’d pass and get something else.

Dark Rebel by John Varvatos

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Another sample that I’ve had lying around the house, is a 2015 release from John Varvatos: Dark Rebel. Both the name and the description of the fragrance interested me, which made me think that is one I’d definitely want to try out.

After wearing it for a while, does Dark Rebel actually meet expectations? What does this cologne smell like? How does it perform? is it worth a buy?

What does Dark Rebel Smell Like?

Notes include: tobacco, rum, fir, leather, vanilla, black pepper, cardamom, sugar cane, sage, nutmeg

Click here to try: John Varvatos Dark Rebel Eau de Toilette Spray, 4.2 fl. Oz. mens cologne

My Full Wear Review

Before we get started into my review, let’s see how John Varvatos describes Dark Rebel: is a blend of sweet tobacco leaves, intoxicating spirits, and warm sensual woods.

The opening of Dark Rebel is a harsh blast of pepper, rum, and tobacco. Immediately, this cologne brings to mind, Man in Black by Bvlgari; in terms of how it smells. These two colognes have extremely similar ingredients, however, the arrangement and intensity of their commonalities are different. You get a similar smell, just with a different blend.

Dark Rebel has that intense black pepper smell for about ten minutes at the start versus Man in Black having a boozier and less intense cinnamon from the jump. Both have rum and leather, but Dark Rebel has a greater use of tobacco throughout.

Anyway, after about ten minutes, you begin to get deeper into the composition of this John Varvatos scent. I start to get way more sweet tobacco and a slight sugary vanilla, after the pepper has been pushed out. It smells much better to me, at this point versus the hyper-peppery opening.

Even further along, the fragrance is mostly composed of the leather and tobacco and the slight spiced rum. But, there is also an added woody and herbal element.

Fir, sage, and cardamom are playing in the background and giving Dark Rebel a smooth outdoorsy appeal.

I really enjoy the way that this smells. Obviously, it overlaps so much with another fragrance that I own, but it’s unique spots are still enjoyable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on this is moderate. The first ten minutes are strong, then a few hours at moderate, and finally it is light for the remainder of the wear. It really tapers off rather quickly.

In total, I get about four hours from it, before it is too faint for me to notice. The performance is pretty disappointing, as I have even sprayed this on a shirt, that is a few feet away from me and hours after…I don’t even catch whiffs.

Seasonally, strictly cold weather, just like Man in Black. It can be worn casually or on a night out. Obviously, the style is that leather jacket clad man, who is stylish without giving it much effort.

It’s a sexy fragrance and one that women will probably enjoy, as they have done so while I’ve worn the Bvlgari out for the past year plus.

It’s light enough to wear on other occasions, so, I wouldn’t expect it to offend anyone. It really depends if you can personally get any performance out of Dark Rebel

Overall Impressions of Dark Rebel

Overall, do I like Dark Rebel by John Varvatos? I mean, I do like it. However, I don’t like it as much as I like Man in Black.

That one just has a better overall composition, in my mind, and also has better performance (though, it isn’t great either).

So, ultimately, I have no need for Dark Rebel because it fits the same mold as another scent I already use. If you want more tobacco, leather, and wood rather than the heavier rum, leather, and spices found in Man in Black; then, this might be the better option.

There’s still tons of overlap, so, the cheaper option might decide between them.

I think that this may have been discontinued, as such it probably won’t be cheap for very long, in the online stores.

Curve by Liz Claiborne

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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.

Green Irish Tweed by Creed

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In this post, I am going to continue my cologne reviews for men by taking a closer look at yet another Creed fragrance, Green Irish Tweed. I have already done 5 or so reviews of Creed scents and have created a list of the Best of Creed but have as of yet had a chance to tackle the popular, Green Irish Tweed.

How does this cologne measure up? Is it worth a purchase? What are the ingredients? How does it smell? I’ve been wearing it around and am ready to share my full thoughts on this fragrance.  Also Check Out: Green Irish Tweed Vs Aventus Creed Cologne Comparison

What does Green Irish Tweed Smell Like?

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Notes include: violet leaf, sandalwood, iris, ambergris, lemon verbena 

Click here to try: Green Irish Tweed By Creed For Men. Millesime Spray 4.0 Oz

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Green Irish Tweed is very earthy and has a sort of mossy/pine type of scent to it. To be honest, I’m not that big of a fan of the opening of this Creed fragrance, it doesn’t repulse me but it doesn’t draw me in really either.

It’s that first 15-20 minutes, where I am sort of at a loss, on how to feel about this cologne. I know some people really like it but it’s not quite my style.

I think that the violet leaf hasn’t yet settled at that point and I don’t like it with the lemon verbena. I don’t know, that greenish aroma isn’t all that pleasing.

However, once Green Irish Tweed starts to transition and the more citrus based notes begin to emerge, this stuff becomes quite nice and smooth. It has a refined and elegant aroma which is masculine without being overbearing or obnoxious.

To me, the whole fragrance is green, fresh, with a citrus kick provided by the lemon verbena.

When you get further in, the soapy/powdery quality begins to truly emerge. I know that this gets compared to Cool Water, quite a lot, and you can definitely smell a similarity between the composition.

Green Irish Tweed, does have that iris note and the ambergris, which aren’t in Cool Water. Also, it GIT has a green ‘grassy’ aroma, rather than the herbal spices of the Davidoff cologne. Plus, this isn’t an aquatic.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Longevity and projection wise, I would give Green Irish Tweed, high marks. It lasts 7-10 hours on my skin in mid-50 degree weather here in early winter.

Coming back to this again and again, it usually hits around 8.5 hours on my skin. Sometimes more, but this is the norm.

Also the sillage, was strong, but not monstrous. After the first few hours, it is much more of a moderate scent, but still great performance for me. I would just advise, not to go overboard with it, as it could become too much.

Although, I think this is more of a spring cologne with its clean, woodsy, soapy element. It could very well be worn nearly year round, though, I’d probably avoid the high heat of the summer months.

It is a versatile fragrance that can be worn formally or casually. It’s less of a sexy fragrance and more of a clean and pleasant one. People seem to be around this fragrance, as I have gotten some complements with it on, and nothing negative.

Overall Impressions of GIT

Is Creed’s Green Irish Tweed worth a purchase? Well, it is expensive but if you’re in the market for a Creed fragrance, then money isn’t much of an issue.

If you are the type of guy that likes citrus/woodsy/earthy type of smells and wants something that is fresh and distinct, then I’d say yes.

For me, I can wear it and enjoy it, but it isn’t my favorite by any stretch. In the Creed line, I generally prefer Imperial, Silver Mountain Water, Aventus, and maybe even Original Santal (despite the longevity issues). But, that preference fluctuates, as GIT belongs in that group too.

I recognize Green Irish Tweed as among the best of the Creed family, it will just appeal to some guys more than others. Some folks swear by it, but it is a nice fragrance with good performance, in my book.

Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce

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Fierce by Abercrombie & Fitch became super popular during the early to mid 2000s, as a fragrance that younger guys would cover themselves in. Why? Well, it simply worked. It smelled great on guys and the girls around them seemed to love it.

In this post, I want to go back and review this still, amazing seller and see what makes it go. As usual, I will cover how it smells, how long it lasts, when it should be worn, and if it is still worth a buy. Note: I am reviewing the classic formulation of Fierce.

What does Fierce by A&F Smell Like?

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Notes include: petit grain, cardamom, lemon, orange and fir

Fierce By Abercrombie & Fitch Cologne Spray 1.7 Oz For Men

My Full Review

Fierce opens up with an aroma that often gets compared to Mont Blanc’s Legend. I do get the similarities at stages, but I have always felt that this one, was the better of the two.

The citrus notes are prominent at the top, you get lemon and orange, to go along with plenty of dry woodsy elements.

Hence, the Legend comparison. The citrus notes give it a clean feeling, but you don’t really get a juicy aroma, as it is tempered by the rest of the composition.

The next phase joins the citrus with some herbal spice, from notes such as, sage. The spice is there in the opening few minutes, but in my mind the cologne always became a bit more peppery, when it transitioned past that immediate opening.

Finally, you get the fantastic dry down that is laden with vetiver, oak moss, musk, and fir. You do still get some herbal spice and that lemon top note, but you mostly get a green, dry, and fresh smell.

It’s super attractive and one that is etched in so many people’s memories, from days spent at the mall in the early 2000s.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this stuff had a very good sillage. You could bomb out a room, if you wanted to, but with normal sprays it was just a great performing cologne. The longevity was also there and you could get it to go all day, with only a few sprays.

Again, I am reviewing the original A&F Fierce. From what I understand, the newer bottles have been reformulated, due to regulations and don’t pack the same punch.

I’m not sure what the case is, as I haven’t had a bottle of this stuff in forever now. The smell will be essentially the same, just less power.

Fierce quite simply is a cologne that will get a man complemented. It isn’t an insanely strong scent or anything like that but it is one that leaves a sweet aroma which lingers for a bit.

The citrus notes of lemon and orange are there but sometimes it’s difficult to notice their impact on the fragrance because they are used so subtly.

Fierce has an amazing depth and complexity to it, which I think plays a large part in its appeal. The scent is fresh, clean, and masculine. Its woodsy elements give it that sexy and masculine vibe which the girls love because they’re not too strong and more of a moderate floral scent than some heavier men’s colognes.

Add to that, they layer of sweet tangy-ness and you have yourself a winning fragrance.

It was great for casual or semi-formal events. It definitely was a teenager to early 20s fragrance for guys. Fierce was literally everywhere back in the day, and it was perfectly fine, because you would still get complements on it.

I always liked the fragrance, but the reactions were always pretty crazy to me.

Overall Impressions of Fierce

The only real downsides to this cologne is its overwhelming popularity, so it isn’t one that is unique, and the fact that it can be out of the price range for some guys.

However, if you have the means to purchase Fierce, this Abercrombie cologne absolutely delivers and will draw people to want to stand near you.

Again, none of this may be true anymore, with the newer bottles, so you may need to rustle up a vintage edition. But, the fragrance is almost certainly the same, just with some potential weaker performance.