Cologne Reviews

CH Men Prive by Carolina Herrera

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Carolina Herrera is low key one of the best fragrance design houses out there, in my opinion. The 212 scents, such as 212 VIP and 212, are fantastic and distinct in their own ways.

With so many positive experiences I’ve had trying out this designer’s line of fragrances, I always look forward to picking a new scent and giving it a wear.

This time around it’s, CH Men Prive, which I gave a one time wear while at yet another duty free shop over in Europe.  I want to use this post to give my impressions of Prive and explore exactly what kind of fragrance it is.

CH Men Prive Overview

Notes include: lavender, cardamom, sage, leather, whiskey, grapefruit, tonka bean, benzoin

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera Prive Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Review

Immediately, CH Men Prive, has me hooked by its scent. Leathery, boozy, tonka bean laden scents are among my favorite and Prive is right in that lane.

212 VIP also by Carolina Herrera, uses vodka as its alcohol of choice for an upbeat/club type of vibe, while Prive chooses whiskey with leather to create something darker and more mature.

Prive is sort of like a cousin of Bvlgari’s Man in Black (which I wore heavily this past winter and even last Saturday night), as they share the leather, tonka, and benzoin notes but Man in Black uses rum as its booze note.

I’d say that Man in Black is the spicier of the two, while Prive has that smooth/neat feel to it.

The leather is rich and warm and is paired very well with the whiskey note. However, it doesn’t seem to stray too far into the hyper-masculine arena, as Prive has a nice touch of sweetness to it. It’s not really a fruity sweetness or candy-like, more like a refined sugar.

To me the benzoin note brings to mind, Kouros Body by YSL. The whiskey note isn’t overpowering and in fact starts to take a backseat after the initial opening.

The vodka in 212 VIP and the rum in Man in Black are both much more prevalent than this whiskey of Prive.

I don’t know what the ‘wood’ note is in this cologne but I do detect one in the scent. I’d have to spend more time with it but it was a pleasant surprise.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it starts off pretty big but then ends up being fairly moderate. It’s not huge and overwhelming but you’ll know it’s there.

The longevity is also pretty good, I got maybe 6-7 hours, when I wore it. Maybe it was the conditions, but it didn’t strike me as a powerhouse scent.

I could definitely wear this casually but like Man in Black, I would use it more for nightlife or for going out on dates.

It’s a fall/winter scent but as long as it’s not too hot at night, it should hold up well in the evenings. CH Men Prive is dark and sensual and should attract plenty of attention.

Overall Impressions of CH Men Prive

Overall, is CH Men Prive worth a buy? To me, yes. I hardly need another cold weather favorite, as I have so many options but Prive is really damn good.

I don’t know if there’s a Carolina Herrera cologne that I hate and if there is it sure isn’t Prive.

If you like well balanced, masculine scents, full of leathery goodness, then you’d do well to check this one out.

I Love NY for Fathers by Bond No. 9

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Today’s review is going to be another one from Bond No. 9. Specifically, from its I Love NY line of scents that they came out with 5 or so years back. This review will be of the men’s fragrance, I Love NY for Fathers.

As usual, I will cover what notes it has, how it smells, how long it lasts, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a purchase or not.

I Love New York for Father’s Overview

Notes include: musk, lime, lavender, amber, basil, and sage

Click here to try: BOND NO 9 Cologne, I Love Ny Father’s Day, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of I Love NY for Fathers is like an animalistic soapy kind of scent. The musk note and lavender seem to be the stars at the beginning with a subtle citrus scent provided by the lime plays the background.

Now, the lime not in this isn’t a really intense lime like that found in Set Sail St. Barts, for example. In fact, I don’t even think I would have been able to identify it as an ingredient if I hadn’t looked up what this cologne consisted of.

A few minutes in, I begin to catch a much more herbal aroma from basil and sage, that is quite mellow and subdued. It is fresh and clean but really not all that attention grabbing or unique for that matter.

I feel like it’s similar to hopping out of the shower having used a bar of soap that is available at any local grocery store and not something that would set you back over a hundred bucks per bottle.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection is fairly good. New York for Fathers isn’t an intense cologne and eventually develops into a skin scent but I found it pretty noticeable for the most part.

I’d say that the longevity is somewhere in the 5-7 hour range, especially when I wore it indoors. Not great but not terrible either.

A very casual scent that will perform best in the warmer months of the year. It reminds me of a spring day and it’s whole tone would fit well within that framework. This is not a sexy or romantic wear type of scent.

Overall Impressions

Overall, would I recommend I Love NY for Fathers? Not really. It’s not awful but it’s nothing special either. For the price, it’s not a good deal at all.

There are plenty of colognes or bath soaps out there which could produce the same effect for a fraction of the cost.

I really don’t see the point of owning this, unless you collect these scents or this is just an exact reflection of your personal style. No real personal appeal for me.

Canoe by Dana

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I’m pretty sure that I am approaching or perhaps already have surpassed 100 fragrance reviews on this site since its launch almost 3 years ago.

Of course, there are always new scents to try out and relay my experiences with them to my readers, but sometimes I can call on an older cologne and put forth my two cents about it. One of the earliest fragrances that I was gifted was a scent called Canoe by Dana.

Apparently, this is one which dates back to the 1930s and has been steadily selling as a sort of drug store cologne ever since. In this post, I’d like to give an overview of this scent and its performance.

Notes include: lemon, oakmoss, cedar, lavender, vanilla, tonka bean, carnation

Click here to try: Canoe by Dana

The opening of Canoe always struck me as a warm blend of citrus and sweetness provided by the vanilla and tonka bean notes.

I really should like this cologne, as I enjoy vanilla scents such as Le Male and Opium, both of which add a layer of spiciness to the aroma but I simply could never vibe with Canoe.

It always seemed like an old scent (which it is) but it has all of the appeal of something an old man would wear…like senior citizen eau de cologne.

I don’t mind mature fragrances when I feel they are done well, Azzaro isn’t my style really, but I understand its dry and earthy appeal.

Canoe I think relies too much on floral notes, which just strikes me as kind of underwhelming when put together with the citrus notes.

One things, that I will say on the positive side of things, is that Canoe is quite a clean scent, so even if I don’t personally care for it, I can see what they were going for with it.

Projection is on the low-to-moderate side of things. That’s good in this case because I would utterly hate to be around an intense version of this cologne. Longevity is also pretty disappointing, maybe 5 hours tops with this stuff.

Is Canoe a buy? Not for me. It is really, really cheap but even still, I don’t recommend it. What’s the appeal?

It doesn’t last very long and smells completely dated and not that great to begin with. If you’re looking to save money, there are plenty of other options that are better than this.

Polo by Ralph Lauren Men’s Cologne Review

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I have already covered the best smelling men’s fragrances by Ralph Lauren and have done several reviews on this brand’s colognes. However, I have until now neglected to do a review of one of the originals which dates back to the late 1970s, Polo by Ralph Lauren.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at this now classic men’s scent and determine how it performs, what it smells like, what notes it contains, when it should be worn, and if it is really worth a purchase at all. My Reviews of: Polo Red, Double Black, and Polo Blue. 

Polo by Ralph Lauren Overview

Notes include: basil, leather, tobacco, oakmoss, pine, cedar, and more.

polo

Click here to try:Polo by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, 4-Fluid Ounce

My Full Review

What strikes me about the opening of Polo is how dry and masculine it is. That isn’t a bad thing, this is classically masculine, so don’t expect sweet fruits and floral notes like so many more modern examples.

It’s an interesting mix of pine and leather notes which gives it a rich, grassy/green type of aroma, that feels quite complex and dark. I completely dig it as a change of pace from the norm.

After 20 minutes or so of that initial blast, Polo begins its transformation into more of a tobacco laden cologne with a distinct patchouli note poking through. This drydown phase is warm and smoky and still retains that dry woodsy element that makes the opening so intriguing.

Projection wise, Polo is a pretty heavy fragrance, so 1-2 sprays max. This one can fill a room if you’re not careful and it will take it from pleasant to overbearing.

Longevity wise, this stuff is really damn good, 8+ hours for each use in my experience. I would stay away from wearing Polo in the summer or on any warm day really, as it doesn’t hold up that well and seems out of place.

However, during the fall and into the winter, this is when Polo really shines.

Overall, is Polo worth a purchase? This one is for the older set. Not that younger guys couldn’t pull it off in some cases, but I’d say, 30 and up is your best bet.

So, yes, if you are in that age group and want something that a change of pace from the usual sweet type of fragrances, then Polo is a terrific choice which lasts a long time and performs great as a casual and everyday cologne.

Blv Pour Homme by Bvlgari

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In my long list of men’s fragrance reviews on this site, I have already tackled one Bvlgari cologne, and today I’d like to turn my attention to another, Blv. Blv is a casual scent for men released back in 2001 and like other scents from the brand, it is both affordable and has a really specific aroma that separates it from many other offerings.

Is that enough to make Blv a buy? How does it perform? What’s it smell like? Please continue reading below for my take on Blv.

Blv Overview

Notes include: sandalwood, juniper berries, cedar, ginger, cardamom

Click here to try: Bvlgari Blv By Bvlgari For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Oz.

My Full Review

Blv upon its opening strikes me as a rather unique scent for something that is a mainstream daily wear fragrance. It’s slightly sweet/citrus with an overtone of spice provided by the ginger note.

The ginger does get overshadowed by that cardamom, which only heightens the initial spicy profile of this fragrance. It seems to be the ‘lemony’ smelling sort of cardamom like Wanted by Azzaro, but not nearly as prominent.

Behind all that, sits a woodsy and fresh aroma that is down right pleasant. Blv in many regards is almost a perfect casual scent.

With Blv I get the same ‘dry’ type of scent that I do with Bvlgari Man, except more of a clean/powdery smell than that one. Yes, it does have a bit of a ‘baby wipes’ aroma at times, but not exactly.

Tobacco blossom and juniper give this one an aromatic and greenish profile during the middle especially.

In fact, Blv leans more towards the unisex side of fragrances, not that it’s really all that feminine but women could definitely pull this one off if they wanted to.

It’s quite a subtle scent, that isn’t too complex in that it doesn’t change all that much from the first 15 minutes of wear. Yes, less spicy and more woody. But, Blv is a clean aromatic scent with some nice highlights of spice.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is fairly light to moderate. This isn’t a cologne that’s going to bog you down with a thick or heavy feeling. Nor is it going to be one that’s absolutely jumping off of the skin.

It hangs around well enough. Though, it isn’t a fragrance that is going to be radiating across a room with its power.

In terms of longevity, it’ll get a solid 6 hours and maybe more depending on the conditions its being worn in. It’s not a projection beast, as I said, it’s subtle. But, you might get 7 hours from this Bvlgari cologne at times.

That isn’t a bad thing in this case, as it begs to be worn during the daytime as an office/school wear. It’s very versatile within that frame. It can go casual or semi-formal and it’s a low key aroma that can fit in almost anywhere.

Not too much of a date night fragrance or one that will command attention (although it will draw complements). It’s a pretty unique scent, while being familiar enough, that isn’t offensive and does its job well.

Seasonally, this one can be worn pretty much whenever. Spring through autumn is when it would be at it’s best. I like it more in the warmer weather than anything approaching freezing temperatures.

Overall Impressions of Blv

Is Blvgari Blv worth a purchase? Fragrance wise, yes, it smells really nice.

It’s got a great blend of spice and powder. But, the woods and even slight creaminess make this one interesting to me, even with Blv’s simplicity.

I think that they might have stopped making this at one point, because for a while it became pretty difficult to find.

Now, I’m seeing it around a lot more and the price isn’t too bad.