Cologne Reviews

London by Playboy

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In this review, I am going to dive into the ‘cheapy’ end of the fragrance market, with London by Playboy. Yes, the long-running men’s magazine, has had a line of colognes and perfumes for both men and women, for 10+ years or so now.

This line is currently being produced by Coty and most of the scents can be had for $10 or less. How does Playboy London rate? Please continue reading below for my full take.

Update: The ownership of Playboy has changed, since this was first published, and London is discontinued.

What does Playboy London Smell Like?

Notes include: brandy, cinnamon, tonka bean, galbanum, cedar, and mandarin

Click here to try: Playboy London Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The bottle of London features the Playboy Bunny logo colored by the British flag, which looks really cool to me as an image. The contents of the bottle start out with a blast of brandy and a somewhat muted cinnamon.

The cinnamon note isn’t all that spicy and feels more powdery due to its interaction with the tonka bean.

Playboy London is a very fresh and sweet scent punctuated by a boozy aroma that is surprisingly well done for such an inexpensive scent.

Don’t think of this as a super sugary kind of sweetness, more of a gourmand blend that is pleasant, warm, and just sort of hangs around the wearer gently.

Most of what you’re going to detect is the cognac warmth and the cinnamon with a supporting role provided by the tonka bean.

This isn’t a super complex fragrance by any means, but it does have some cedar and floral notes that are noticeable, and a bit of citrus to keep it balanced.

I will say that London is a well put together fragrance for something so low on the price spectrum.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s moderate and fades within a few hours to more of a skin scent. Longevity, again, 2-3 hours of decent wear and then fades for the next 2-3 into a skin scent. In total, London lasts 4-6 hours.

It’s not disappointing for the price. I’ve encountered plenty of designer fragrances with performances at this level or worse.

Luckily, it cheap enough to spray extra with no problems. I feel like they could have made this a stronger fragrance, as it seems watered down at least somewhat. Had they done that, Playboy London, might have been a sneaky little beast.

I like this as a casual fragrance during the fall and winter months. It’s got some level of sophistication and sexiness to it, as much as can be expected, but it is legitimately a nice aroma for something so cheap.

However, I will say that this is primarily going to be a fragrance for teens or guys in their early 20s. It’s not something that most older guys are going to want to wear around. Not good enough for a formal environment or anything like that.

Overall Impressions of London

Overall, would I recommend, Playboy London? If you’re in the market for a very very inexpensive scent, it’s worth a look. I bought my bottle for $5 and will probably use it for the gym or just randomly as a change of pace.

Update: I used it on occasion for a while, before giving it away to someone else. I had too many other better fragrances than this ultra cheapie. It’s a cheap but good cologne, not great.

Don’t expect some amazing high end designer cologne, rather, a fragrance that punches above its weight class and provides a good amount of value. I like the opening act, the booziness, and cinnamon/tonka bean.

Is it a great fragrance? No. Would this be my first option ever? Probably not. Only if I absolutely can’t afford anything else.

Explorer Ultra Blue by Montblanc

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Explorer Ultra Blue is the follow up to the very popular Explorer from Montblanc. It was released in 2021, but I grabbed a sample more recently to test it out and see if it was actually worthwhile. How does Ultra Blue Smell? Does it last long? Is it better than the original Explorer?

What does Explorer Ultra Blue Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, bergamot, sea notes, fruits, ambergris, wood, patchouli, leather

Click here to try: Explorer Ultra Blue

My Full Review

Here’s how Mont Blanc describes it: Explorer Ultra Blue celebrates the Blue found throughout nature. Intense, infinite, and fresh, the eau de parfum reveals a citrus woody marine fragrance. Embark on an epic journey.

The opening of Ultra Blue doesn’t come across like the original Explorer. Actually, the opening of this fragrance is a lot like Light Blue Living Stromboli with how it smells.

Citrus, pink pepper, aquatic notes, and vetiver are the overlaps between them. This one starts out blended more, with a less intense use of the pink pepper (heavily featured in the D&G cologne).

After about ten minutes, this will separate away from that comparison, and more towards being its own thing.

Ultra Blue does have its own overlap with the original Explorer, but the smell is different. Notes shared, include: bergamot, pink pepper, leather, vetiver, amber. Different weightings and you replace the cacao with sea notes (which is simply going to be different).

It’s fresh, with a hint of citrus, a salty marine accord, and woods. Actually, some smoothness in there from a touch of leather.

That’s my dry down. A light amber, mixing with a mix of the marine, woods, and some leather. Not super deep or complicated.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The first hour or so does have a nice punch to it. It’ll extend out to about a seven-ish foot radius from where you sprayed, at its peak. By the end of that hour, it’s come closer to the three foot range.

So, Explorer Ultra Blue does pretty quickly dissipate with its power and ability to leave a scent trail. Not a heavy scent, that’ll bog down on you. At it’s height, it does have a substantial heft for a fresh aquatic.

The longevity here isn’t all that great. It’s okay, on my skin, in the 5-6 hour range in total. The last couple of hours are pretty light and skin scent level.

Seasonally, this is a cologne that is more for the spring and summer months. But, honestly, I’d be fine with it anytime other than when it is really cold out. That fresh bite, might be too much.

It’s a clean and fresh daily wear. Not very formal, romantic, or a club beast. It’s one that you can wear to work (at most jobs), casually, or at school if you’re a student.

Ultra Blue is pleasant and probably not ever going to offend anyone.

Overall Impressions of Explorer Ultra Blue

Overall, do I like this cologne? It’s okay. I don’t hate it, but I’m sure that I’ll forget about this one in a short amount of time.

Ultra Blue isn’t unpleasant, but there’s not much going on here that really grabs my attention. The aquatic accord is pretty nice, the citrus isn’t that strong, and all of the other notes kind of end up blending together.

If you want an easy blue aquatic with a relatively pleasant woody base…this could fit the bill. Though, I’d want a massive discount for it. Ultra Blue is very serviceable, though never spectacular.

I do have a full bottle of Living Stromboli, which I purchased for review, and has a comparable opening. I prefer that Light Blue flanker to this and that was never cologne that I particularly loved.

Everything here is just fine. Smell is just fine, performance, quality, etc. The original had its somewhat different take on the Aventus style. Yet, it is a much better fragrance than this more unique Ultra Blue flanker.

Cactus Garden by Louis Vuitton

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Cactus Garden is another one of the Les Parfums Louis Vuitton fragrances which came out in 2019. Another scent built for the warmer weather of summertime and housed in a cactus green bottle. What does this one smell like? How does it perform? Is Cactus Garden worth a try?

What does Cactus Garden Smell Like?

Notes include: mate, lemongrass, bergamot, incense, geranium

My Full Wear Review

Before we get into my thoughts about this fragrance, let’s see how Louis Vuitton describes it: The enthusiasm of mate to exalt the emotions. The cool freshness of an exotic patio. A breath of leaves defies the heat wave like an enchanted frisson on the skin.

The opening act of Cactus Garden is so utterly pleasant and has a bright summery attractiveness. I was kind of disappointed that the fragrance doesn’t actually contain a cactus note, which would’ve been an interesting touch. Though, it also doesn’t really need it.

Instead you get a delicious bergamot note, with lemongrass, and the herbal tea-like aroma of mate. The lemongrass in Cactus Garden is absolutely beautiful and it takes the lead, after the first few minutes from the bergamot.

As I get a bit deeper into the wear, the geranium freshness becomes more pronounced. Cactus Garden starts to feel more refreshing and cold than it had with the opening citrus brightness.

I know that Louis Vuitton says that there is an incense note, but it must be very light, because I don’t really get it. Maybe it’s just my nose, however. 

Eventually, the bergamot fades. Then, the lemongrass starts to bow out. Eventually, the last note standing is the mate. I mean, I do like the smell of that note, but the dry down is definitely the weakest of the entire composition. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here isn’t overly powerful, but it also isn’t weak. The first few hours are on the upper range of what could be considered moderate, before it settles much closer to the skin. Not a complete projection monster, but very decent.

The longevity is also pretty good, just not incredible. It will go for 7 hours on my skin, mostly as the remnants of the herbal aspects of the scent, but it is indeed still there.

Seasonally, this is spring and summertime in a bottle. Preferably, late spring and into the days of summer. It’s a well put together casual or semi-formal scent for either men or women. Very easy to wear and quite balanced for everyone. 

It does have an attractiveness to it, but it’s not a nightlife powerhouse or a date night scent either, really. 

 

Overall Impressions of Cactus Garden

Do I like this scent? Yes, I think that it is unique and the opening act is really outstanding. It’s such a great mix of citrus and that herbal aroma. Cactus Garden is a nice change of pace from the never-ending cycle of aquatics and other standard summer fare.

It actually has a similar style to Creed’s Green Irish Tweed, but I think that this Vuitton is the better smelling of the two. Again, the dry down isn’t at the same level, but I liked wearing this a lot. 

Is it worth the price? It isn’t a must have for everyone, that they should run out and pay LV prices. That being said, if that’s not an issue personally, I can recommend at least giving this fragrance a try…if not just grabbing a full bottle. 

I enjoy the smell and the longevity is decent for this type of perfume, but maybe not the price itself.

Update: As of 2023, Cactus Garden is now discontinued by LV. The 100mL bottle is listed as unavailable and it appears that it is gone for good. 

For potential dupe alternatives of Cactus, Dua has one called Garden of Thorns for sale. That should be a good one to go with for a very similar smell and ingredient list based on the Cactus Garden formula.

Code Absolu by Giorgio Armani

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I recently requested and have now received a sample vial of the new for 2019 Giorgio Armani fragrances release, Code Absolu, and was really excited to try it out. Armani has come out with a lot of awesome scents in the past five years, including another Code flanker, Profumo.

That was one of my favorites a few years back during the wintertime, so, I wanted to see how this one would stack up. What does it smell like? What are the notes? How’s the performance? As usual, I have been wearing and testing this cologne out, and below are my full thoughts.

What does Code Absolu for Men Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, tonka bean, suede, nutmeg, rum accord, mandarin, apple, orange blossom, wood, and carrot seeds

Click here to try: Giorgio Armani Code Absolu EDP Eau de Parfum For Men 3.7oz

My Full Wear Review

The immediate opening of Absolu strikes me not like the original Code, rather, Code Profumo. This is awesome, because I loved Code Profumo. While there is a whole lot of similarities, the two fragrances, are somewhat distinct from one another.

But, wow! I am completely drawn into this scent, from the very beginning.

Absolu opens up with a strong mix of nutmeg, rum, suede, and tonka bean. I also catch the light citrus from mandarin and a hint of crisp apple.

To my nose, the nutmeg is the strongest at the top, along with tonka bean. This lasts for 5-10 minutes before the suede really comes in.

Even with the light touch of the fruit notes, they do play an important role, by not making the scent too dark and heavy. There’s just enough citrus for my nose to pick up on, but I love when I can pick up that underlying juiciness.

The nutmeg and rum accord, add a really fresh spice to the opening, but it isn’t as boozy as you’d find in something like Man in Black. That’s probably a good thing here, as it would distract from the overall smoothness of this cologne, and ruin the balance that it has.

The suede blending with the other notes, really has more of a leather smell, at times. It’s quite rich and just a fantastic addition to the overall composition. The orange blossom and mandarin note, are still detectable at this point.

I love that aspect, because orange blossom is one of my favorite floral notes. There’s not a lot of it, but just enough to catch my attention.

Further along, the vanilla and tonka bean, really assert themselves. Those two notes are going to be the main thrust of Absolu, so one will need to like them, to enjoy this cologne. During this dry down, there is a secondary layer of wood and the suede.

It smells fresh and darkly warm, with sweetness coming from mandarin and vanilla. It’s not as sweet as Profumo and I actually enjoy that fact, because that could be overwhelming at times, with that scent.

From there, it’s pretty straight forward, a warm mix of tonka and vanilla. Then, strong undertones of suede, wood, and what’s left of the rum spice/mandarin orange. However, in its simplicity, Code Absolu is still very seductive and enticing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage with Absolu is quite strong, but not overpowering. It can project itself a ways away from the wearers skin, but it feels lighter than Code Profumo, and less likely to take over a room. That being said, it can be strong at first, so over-spraying is definitely possible.

The longevity is also outstanding and I’ve been routinely achieving double digit hour counts, while wearing Code Absolu. Performance wise, this fragrance is utterly great. The more I wear it, the more impressed I am by both its strength and longevity. Great stuff.

 

Seasonally, it also leans colder weather like Profumo, but I think with it smoother profile it can fit right in during the spring or other temperate days. In the heat, not really, but I’ve been wearing it on fairly warm spring nights and have had no issues with Absolu thus far.

Is it a versatile wear otherwise? Yes, it is. It can be worn from casual to formal occasions. It will fit well for men of almost any age. I do think that this one, is going to be another superb addition to the nightlife, and it will fit right in at a bar or nightclub.

It’s got the performance, but with an underlying sophistication. Code Absolu will garner complements and is a sexy type of cologne.

Overall Impression of Armani Code Absolu

Overall, do I like Armani Code Absolu? Yes, I really do. I compared it to a few sprays that I had left of Profumo, and I must say, I prefer this new release. They are very similar, so if you have one you won’t need the other, but I think that Absolu is smoother and more refined.

I love the way that the tonka and vanilla interact, the period in which the suede note gets its shine, and that nutmeg spice at the start. The more time that I spend with this fragrance, the more I find myself enjoying it. Profumo was amazing to me, and this, I feel takes it to another level. 

This is a great release from Armani and one that I’m going to be wearing a lot of, in the future. That’s saying something, as Armani has been crushing it with their new releases, in the past few years.

Update: Here in 2023, this one seems to be discontinued. Sad, as this was a fantastic flanker. Possibly the best Code flanker that Armani ever released, certainly top 3.

If you want a bottle now, you’d better be prepared to pay up for it. The women’s version still seems to have more bottles available, but the supply of this has evaporated.

I probably should’ve grabbed a bottle when Armani had its final sale and a discount code with Absolu for Men. 

Polo Red Parfum by Ralph Lauren

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Polo Red Parfum is another flanker in the long line of Red colognes, put out by Ralph Lauren. This one was released in 2023. I’ve already tried this one out once before, but now I’ve gotten a sample size sprayer in order to do a full review. How does it smell? Does Red Parfum last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Polo Red Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: blood orange, bergamot, pink pepper, absinthe, lavender, orris, musk, cedar, opoponax 

Click here to buy: Polo Red Parfum

My Full Review

Red Parfum starts out with a prominent blood orange note, like in Red Extreme. This time, however, it isn’t flanked by coffee and wood. Instead, early on, you get some assistance from a citrus bergamot note and some like warmth/spice of pink pepper.

The pink pepper is pretty subdued to my nose, especially when I compare it to other fragrances with a heavy use of that note.

I was interested in this scent, after reading about the absinthe as a note. Maybe a bit of bitterness in the first hour, underneath everything else. Other than that, it really doesn’t show up on my skin.

One thing that I will note, is the cranberry found in Polo Red EDT, does seem to be here to some limited extent. Not listed, but I keep getting hints of it coming through. So, it probably actually is a part of this blend.

A difference with the others in the line, is that the citrus loses much of its strength after 15 minutes or so. By this time, the lavender and orris notes have moved in. Now, the orris root adds a touch of powder to the scent, but is vastly overshadowed by lavender.

At this point in the wear, it’s: lavender, blood orange, pink pepper, musk, and orris.

Quite fresh, clean, warm, with some increasing resin in the base from the opoponax. In the end, it’s still sweet with the blood orange residue. But, mainly Red Parfum is about the lavender, musk, cedar, opoponax. Orris and pink pepper have faded to basically nothing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Red Parfum isn’t a super heavy fragrance that bogs down. It does open up with a strong projection and a further reach than Red EDT.

From there, it’s in the upper range of moderate for a few hours, before it slides into something lighter to middling. Pretty good with the power, just not amazing.

On my skin, I get somewhere in the 6-7.5 hour range. It might go 8 hours, at times. Beyond that, I wouldn’t expect much. It’s above average and good for most uses.

Seasonally, Polo Red Parfum can work pretty much whenever, outside of the hottest days of the year. I’d go with something else during the summer months.

It is more of a casual and daytime wear. I think it can fit in more places than Red EDT since it doesn’t have that lemon and strong cranberry coming through the entire time.

Especially, once the citrus notes tone down, this will be able to be worn at the office or school without trouble. It’s not a formal sort of fragrance, but can fit in for the nightlife, without being a ‘club beast’.

Overall Impressions of Polo Red Parfum

Overall, do I like Red Parfum? I do. It’s about on par with the original Polo Red. I might like this one slightly more, but that could change day to day. Nonetheless, it is one of the better releases from this series, while still trailing Red Extreme.

I do love the return of the blood orange note, with the bergamot, and phantom cranberry note giving a nod to the original. It’s got a great citrus blend, fresh spice, clean lavender, and a woodsy base.

The back half of the wear is more basic. Polo Red Parfum loses some of its luster. Though, I find it to still be pleasant enough, and not bad at all.

The performance is better than the EDT and is above average, while not being elite. I never expect Ralph Lauren colognes to have crazy performance, but this is one that I have no real problems with.

All in all, it’s worth checking out, if you like this series. One of the better releases from this brand as of late.

It’s different in some ways, with familiar elements poking up throughout. Less tart and candy sweet than the EDT, over the long haul. It’s probably safe enough for a blind buy, but I might wait for it to go on sale, before grabbing a full bottle.