Cologne Reviews

La Force 11 by Dolce & Gabbana Cologne Review

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During the last decade, Dolce & Gabbana launched their Anthology collection of scents, which were a series of short-run special fragrances. I recently procured a few more samples of these fragrances, as I did with 21 Le Fou, which I reviewed here. For this post, I am going to share my experience with wearing La Force 11 and see how it stacks up against other fragrances.

 

 

 

 

 

la force

Notes include: vanilla, cinnamon, sandalwood, pimento, cypress, heliotrope 

 

Upon the first sprays of this cologne, I was struck by its light and almost candy-like sweetness. To me, the interplay between the vanilla and cinnamon notes, brings back memories of Bubble Yum chewing gum. Only, La Force 11, has that extra layer of spice provided by the cinnamon. This fragrance is soft and pleasant in its presentation, a sort of powdery air about it, which makes me think that it is like a Joop!…if Joop! were toned way down and stripped of some of its component parts.

The sweetness later fades a bit and it becomes much more of a spicy and powdery fragrance. Honestly, I like the scent but it all seems pretty basic and lacks any real distinction. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, if dropping money on a designer fragrance, I want something with a little more nuance and which stands out from the pack.

The projection on La Force is fairly weak as well. With more sprays, you might rate it as moderate but that’s as far as I’d say it goes. It is also lacking in terms of longevity. 2-4 hours depending on the day and the weather is all I could get out of it. I think that this is a fine smelling fragrance but nothing that outstanding. It seems to be missing something that would allow it to be a distinct cologne. La Force 11 is both sweet and spicy to a point and could be classified as oriental but there are much better options in that sort of fragrance anyways, such as, Opium Pour Homme. I cannot really recommend this cologne, as I don’t really see the point of owning a bottle. It doesn’t last, it’s projection is poor, and though pleasant it is ultimately bland.

L’Eau D’Issey Nuit Pour Homme Review

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The original scent from Issey Miyake, L’eau D’Issey has enjoyed popularity for roughly 20 years since its release. Since I enjoy that fragrance and it has a place in my rotation of scents, I thought that I would perhaps enjoy another version. I bought a sample vial of Nuit D’Issey to see if this one had the potential to land a spot on my dresser full of fragrances. Did it make the cut? Well, no, it didn’t. Actually, I was pretty disappointed with its whole presentation and thought that I would write a review for the site based on my experience with this cologne.

 

nuit

Notes include: bergamot, grapefruit, leather, wood, vetiver

Current 4.2 oz price: $65.33

 

I have to say that my recent run of sample fragrances were a major let down. I didn’t find one scent that I would consider purchasing a larger bottle of and Nuit D’Issey is no exception. My first impression was, “Great, another bug spray type fragrance.” This came after I tried my sample of Versace Oud Noir, which was just awful in my opinion. Nuit D’Issey is better than Oud Noir but still not something I could wear.

Honestly, I don’t get the citrus note in this one at all. I don’t smell any grapefruit, just a really strong blend of pepper and leather. It’s odd, I really enjoy leathery fragrances, even a mass market one like Dirty English and also like spicy/peppery scents like Burberry London and Opium by YSL. Nuit is just way too much and has a bitter and very synthetic quality to it.

While the scent does calm down quite a bit after a few hours of wear, the opening is too harsh and overboard for my senses. It does get better as time passes and the drydown isn’t as horrid, but still, I cannot get through it. The scent is really unpleasant to me and with so many other better options, I have no desire to wait for a mediocre drydown.

I think that some guys might like this fragrance. It’s more masculine and outdoorsy than a lot of popular scents but quite frankly I don’t find it very good at all. I accidentally sprayed some Nuit on my desk and couldn’t scrub it off fast enough. I’d say stick with the original Issey Miyake, it’s much better.

 

Versace Pour Homme Oud Noir Cologne Review

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For my second post, in this series of reviews of the latest cologne samples I received, I am going to talk briefly about Versace Pour Homme Oud Noir. Now, I say briefly because I can now safely say that I hate this fragrance. To me, it is just simply unpleasant to wear, gives me a headache, and just wow…I really can’t stand it.

oud noir

Notes include: Bitter orange, neroli, black pepper, oud, patchouli, saffron, and others

Okay, nice things to say. Um, the bottle looks really cool. Explaining what colognes smell like through text can be challenging sometimes, but I would say that Oud Noir opens up with a very intense bug spray vibe blended with oriental notes. Specifically, I think it smells like an intense version of a bug spray called, Cutter.

There is a bit of spice to this fragrance and quite frankly it just makes my head hurt and want to wash it off immediately. It has a disgusting synthetic vibe to it and while it claims to be moderate, I would suggest that it is much more of a heavy scent. It is really thick and just kind of sits in the air. The intensity fades a bit after 10 minutes or so but it doesn’t magically develop into something that actually smells good. That’s really all I want to say about this stuff, I’m not recommending it, but you can grab a sample for yourself if you want to. I would suggest that instead you purchase a Versace cologne that actually smells good.

 

The Top Cologne Gift Sets for Christmas: Best Cologne Packs for Holidays 2014

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When buying a gift for yourself or someone else it can be tough to narrow it down sometimes. This can be especially true when it comes to fragrances where you might not know which cologne or perfume to buy as a gift. Luckily, there are plenty of options for gift sets and variety packs which will make great additions to the style of the man in your life or for you personally. The following 7 options are my choices for  the Christmas/ Holiday Season 2014, as the best cologne gift sets for guys. Each of these sets not only have some great smelling cologne but will work with all types of personalities and styles. They are all linked to their page on Fragrancenet.com, one of the leading fragrance retailers in the world.

Get FREE SHIPPING  on your order at Fragrancenet.com by using coupon code: MC7RT

 

Burberry Variety Pack– This pack of five scents from Burberry allows men to try out some great scents without having to commit blindly to one. Each cologne comes in a .15 oz bottle and the set includes: Burberry Brit, Burberry Pour Homme, Touch, The Beat, and Burberry Sport. Current price: $41.99

 

Joop! Cologne & Aftershave Combo– Joop! is a great cologne to wear out for those who enjoy the nightlife. It is a full-bodied, masculine scent for guys who are not afraid to stand out and command attention. Notes include: exotic spice and florals, with woods, patchouli and honey. Current price for combo pack: $41.99

joop

Giorgio Armani Variety Pack– I have written about the best Armani colognes here and this variety pack features this designer’s best work. The colognes included are: Armani Code, Emporio Diamonds, Armani, Acqua di Gio, and Attitude. Current price: $54.99

 

Jean Paul Gaultier Cologne/Shower Gel Set– Jean Paul Gaultier is an immensely popular fragrance for men that is fresh, warm, and sexy. It always seems to be a favorite of both men and women so be ready for the complements. Current price: $60.99

jean paul

 

Ralph Lauren Polo Big Pony Cologne Variety Pack–  Get a 0.5 oz size of all four Big Pony colognes from Polo. My favorite colognes are #3 and #4 but each of them are unique and will work for almost any man’s style. Current price: $46.99

pon3

Perry Ellis 360 Red Gift Set– Perry Ellis 360 Red is a great inexpensive cologne for younger guys. This set comes with cologne, after shave lotion, deodorant, and a mini spray. Current price: $35.99

360

Bvlgari Variety Pack– I have already written about the best Bvlgari colognes for men and this variety pack from this design house fits the bill nicely. Included in the pack are:  Aqua Marine, Blv, Aqua, Man, and Man Extreme. Current price: $44.99

 

Exceptional…because you are Cologne Review

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I have been writing reviews of colognes for the past few weeks or so on this site and some of these have come from samples that I ordered for fragrancenet.com. One sample that I didn’t order but, rather, received for free was one I had never heard of called Execptional…because you are for men. I was pleased to get another sample in the package that arrived at my door but I have to admit that the title made me laugh at how lame it is…because it is. Apparently, being exceptional alone wasn’t enough. Whatever. When I open the fragrance vial, I was pleasantly surprised as to how much I liked this cologne and as such felt the need to add it to my reviews.

exceptional

Exceptional…because you are notes:

bergamot, cardamom, violet, juniper berry, plum, incense, vetiver, sandalwood, musk

 

Just by looking at the list of notes you can tell that Exceptional is going to be a fruity/floral based colognes, which is something that I generally like in a fragrance.  The incense and the musk help to add a bit of spice and sophistication to the aroma and helps to create a masculine vibe to the scent. Just upon my initial judgment of this cologne, I really enjoyed the smell and was looking forward to wearing it out during the day.

This is a very light and clean fragrance, that has a definite sensuality to it.  It’s a cologne for men that could be termed sexy in its subtle presentation. This is for sure a fragrance that ladies will like on a man.

However, I have tried wearing this cologne and both times it faded quickly. I honestly had no idea I was even wearing the fragrance. It was as if it simply wouldn’t ‘stick’. This morning, I even put on more of Exceptional than I normally would any other cologne and still, nothing. I am really disappointed that I haven’t gotten a good performance from this scent because it truly is wonderful. Reading other reviews, I’ve seen that others have the same complaint as me while it seems, still other people, are very happy with the results they’re getting. I don’t know, I want to like this cologne but it may be another scent like The One by Dolce & Gabbana, that I cannot invest in despite its fantastic scent because it simply won’t hold. Perhaps, you can get different results.