Cologne Reviews

Axe Apollo Fragrance Review

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This is going to be my fourth review of an Axe scent and another one from the standard label (for White Label reviews, see: Forest and Night). For this post, I’m going to give my thoughts on the Apollo scent from Axe. This was sort of a blind buy because I needed some shower gel while I was at the store, this happened to be on sale, and I also just liked the name (Greek mythology ftw). What did I think of this fragrance? Read below to find out.

 

 

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Notes include: sandalwood, sage, and mandarin

 

Let me say from the start that I only sort of like Axe Apollo. I do think that it smells good. However, I do not put it on the same level as the best scents from Axe. I’ve noticed that they like to use a sandalwood note in many of their products (including: Anarchy), since it tends to provide that smooth and fresh scent that people enjoy. Apollo is definitely a fresh scent, it is quite cool and crisp with some spice provided by the sage note.

I think the sage note is what isn’t really capturing my attention. Overall, the scent just feels sort of flat and less dynamic than some others. It is a burst of cold spice, that while pleasant, doesn’t really keep you coming back for more. I did use the whole bottle of shower gel and definitely didn’t mind it. I felt clean and like it didn’t bother me or put me off at all. It was just lacking something and the mandarin note seems a little bit weak as well.

Some guys out there might really enjoy using Apollo. I just thought it was so so. In my opinion the best of Axe seems to be: Anarchy, Kilo, Dark/Gold Temptation, Harmony, and one other that I don’t think they make any longer.

Axe Anarchy for Him Shower Gel Review

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I have already done a few reviews on Unilever’s Axe products from their White Label line of scents (Forest and Night). Now, I want to step away from the White Label and review a selection from its standard line of scents. I have been using Axe Anarchy for Him, as a shower gel for the past few days and want to briefly give my thoughts and experiences with this product.

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Notes include: amber, sandalwood, and fruit notes.

Upon my first sniff of Anarchy, I immediately liked it better than the two white label entries that I had tried so far (which I actually liked) and some of the other Axe scents I have used before. It almost reminded me of Axe’s Dark Temptation or Gold Temptation, in its rich quality. However, it doesn’t have the same chocolate notes and the fruit notes begin to emerge. I get a sensation of perhaps, bergamot, and a bit of coconut for good measure.

The sandalwood and amber give it that smooth aroma while those fruit notes create a really wonderful dynamic (sort of 1 Million-ish). I find Anarchy for Him to be quite refreshing and think that it smells very good for what it is. Obviously, this is just a shower gel, so its longevity and projection aren’t going to be great. The body spray should provide much more in that area and provides a cheap alternative to cologne for younger guys.

Overall, I’d say this is in the upper echelon of scents from Axe. I haven’t actually worn the body spray since my early high school days but this is just as good as any of them. Give it a try in whatever form you need, deodorant, shower gel, body spray, as it is a great fresh and sweet scent at a rock bottom price.

B Men Cologne Review by Thierry Mugler

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In my latest batch of cologne samples, I received some that were really great (see: Guerlain Pour Homme) and others that simply weren’t for me (see: Michael Kors and Givenchy Very Irresistible). When it came time to try out B Men by Thierry Mugler, I was pretty confused on how I should feel about it.

Initially, I found it repulsive, but then I gave it another try and it began to sway me towards having a more favorable opinion of it. In this review, I want to take a closer look at this fragrance and give my opinion as to whether or not it is worth a purchase.

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Notes include: licorice, vetiver, patchouli, violet, vanilla, musk, spices, and leather

Click Here to Try B-Men!

As I said, I wasn’t exactly thrilled with this fragrance at first. That is mostly due to it’s licorice note, as it wears on me and gives me a headache, as I wrote about with Lolita Lempicka.  The licorice combined with the intensity of the spice accord in the opening note was simply too much for me. However, it turns out that the licorice scent starts to take a back seat after a short time period and the real essence of the cologne emerges.

B Men is a very masculine scent. It is a blast of warm spiciness with sweet undertones and leather. As the licorice begins to recede, the vanilla note steps up to help give it more of a manageable sweetness that serves to take the intensity down a couple of notches. It’s a dark scent which is probably best served for use by a more mature man, as it exudes a confident sensuality.

This cologne projects very well and also lasts for a fairly long time. I wouldn’t say that it is the longest lasting fragrance by any means but it does deliver quite well in that regard. B Men is a good choice for the winter time, I think it would turn into a complete mess on warmer days and be quite insufferable. However, on cold days, its warmth will envelop and this fragrance will behave as it should.

Do I recommend this cologne? Sort of. It’s not my personal favorite but it has grown on me. Also, I don’t think that it would be a great choice for a lot of guys nor is it useful in every situation. It’s not quite a niche cologne but it is close. I like it and I would say that you should give it a try if you are into spicy scents with a bit of sweetness to them.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

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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.

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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 dry down 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 dry down.

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.