Cologne Reviews

Light Blue Pour Homme Summer Vibes by D&G

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Summer Vibes is the 2023 issuance under the Light Blue banner. I haven’t gotten access to the women’s Summer Vibes yet, but I did manage to buy a few samples of the pour homme off of eBay to test out. It’s good timing, as I’ve been making my way through reviewing all of the old Light Blue flankers lately. How does this one smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Light Blue Pour Homme Summer Vibes Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, cypress, amberwood

Click here to try: Light Blue Summer Vibes

My Full Review

Here’s how D&G describes it: The Italian holiday dream. The energy of summer by the sea. This fragrance captures the fresh energy of Italian holidays through an invigorating blend of Mediterranean citrus and woody notes.

Since this is one of the dozen or so Light Blue Pour Homme releases, I suppose that I’ll begin by comparing to other fragrances in the series.

It isn’t like the last two Forever or Italian Love, so, don’t expect the hyper grapefruit.

I’ll say that it is closest to Discover Vulcano and Swimming in Lipari, in terms of smell, while coming across as being fairly different. Both of those fragrances have a much more prominent use of citrus and are fairly sour in their openings versus Summer Vibes.

Luckily, I actually do have decants of both of those in my possession at the moment, to compare Vibes to.

Vulcano is the only other Light Blue fragrance with the cypress note. Dolce & Gabbana brings it back for this 2023 edition. You also get the same lemon note. While Vulcano was very heavily laced with cypress and tried to create a wearable volcano-like aroma, this is much more tolerable and sweeter.

The citrus note in Summer Vibes is led by the lemon note. There may be a touch of grapefruit for good measure, but it leans much more towards that lemon. Checking its ingredients versus Eau Intense, Summer Vibes has the same ‘citrus’ chemical ingredients. So, probably a yes to grapefruit.

That is the third comparison scent, Eau Intense. Mostly, it’s in the amberwood note, which is also found in Swimming in Lipari. I’d say Summer Vibes is closer to Lipari than Eau Intense. Sweeter than either.

The citrus accord here is subdued from the start. Summer Vibes doesn’t give you a super juicy or tart opening at all. It’s a bit watery, no saltiness or sea breeze, just a light aquatic feeling.

The cypress is going to be much less green than what I got from Vulcano. Summer Vibes still has a freshness, maybe a little spice from some unlisted note. But, it is much more focused on the wood of the cypress tree.

As we dry down further, the citrus is very faint. It’s a mix of the cypress and amberwood with some muskiness. Not really a complicated fragrance at all. In some ways, it’s got a style similar to a streamlined Costa Azzura EDP and the old Higher by Dior.

It wouldn’t shock me if there was cedar or vetiver in the notes pyramid, but D&G only gave us three notes. It smells like there’s something else in there other than amberwood and cypress.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is on the lighter end of moderate. This isn’t a heavy bomb, especially since that lemon note doesn’t come out with an initial punch. I’d say it’ll leave a nice scent trail for maybe the first hour.

Thereafter, expect it to project in the 2-5 foot range from the skin. Declining towards the lower end of that range by the second hour or so.

On my skin, it lasts for 6.5-7 hours. About what I get from other Light Blue fragrances in the series. Aside from, Eau Intense. Summer Vibes doesn’t massively project itself, but it does stick around for a solid amount of time.

Seasonally, late spring and summer, obviously. It is versatile within that time frame, particularly during the daytime.

It fits for any age of man. More put together and mature than some of the others in the series. This could go casually or for work or some semi-formal event in  the summer.

I actually do enjoy the way it hangs on the light breeze outside. It was warm outside today and Summer Vibes had a great freshness while I was walking around.

Overall Impressions of Summer Vibes

Overall, do I like this release? It’s pretty good, but not great. It’s better than Vulcano and Lipari, for sure, just doesn’t blow me away.

The scent is a pleasant one that should work well in the summer. If you don’t want a heavy citrus scent or the opposite with a heavy greenish one, this can fit the bill, since it is balanced woody aromatic.

It is still very much in the Light Blue tradition, bringing back familiar notes, and changing up the weighting of them.

The performance is middle of the road. Not a projection beast, but the longevity is decent enough for one of these summer colognes.

At least the bottle looks cool, as a bonus. Summer Vibes is worth trying out, but not necessarily something that you have to rush out and buy. I’d say find a tester in stores, give it a spray to see if it works for you, assuming you’re in the market for a warm weather scent.

Light Blue Pour Homme Discover Vulcano by D&G

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Discover Vulcano was the 2014 release in the Light Blue Pour Homme series. It’s one of the fragrances that really didn’t get too much attention upon release and still doesn’t to this day. I had the opportunity to grab a small decant of it to review for the site. So, here I am to give my thoughts on this one and whether or not it’s an underrated gem.

What does Light Blue Discover Vulcano Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, cypress, ginger, lavender, cedar, vetiver

Try here: Discover Vulcano

My Full Review

Discover Vulcano opens up with a huge blast of citrus, along with, cypress and ginger. It’s actually quite sour, ashy/smoky, with a certain saltiness to it. This is sort of like the Light Blue version of AdG Profumo (in terms of style), just way less subtle in the opening (and not nearly as good).

Once that initial lemon blast tones down, this one is much more wearable, but still the most unique smelling of the line. Whether or not that’s a good thing, is probably up to your personal tastes.

Lavender is what I think comes in for a while to help take some of that sourness away. It’s not too prolific of a note here, just a stabilizing force. The cypress is absolutely massive, on my skin, and this scent goes full on dry and fresh woods.

If we’re trying to capture the scent of a volcanic island, I think it works as well as one could expect, without creating something noxious. I like the spicy hints of ginger and can deal with the cypress bomb, once it’s not completely surrounded by a sour lemon.

Vulcano actually is a pretty simple scent. The only real changes towards the end, is the inclusion of more cedar and vetiver butting in on the space of the cypress. Those three notes covered in a light spray of lemon juice.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is about the same as some of the other flankers, but towards the weaker end of the series’ spectrum. Like, Italian Zest, Vulcano opens up very strong with its citrus before retreating into something that sticks to 2-3 feet from the skin.

Though, this is a tad better with its projection than Zest.

Again, this is another Light Blue that will go for about 6 hours. Probably 5-6 hour range, for most people. It’s not very strong, nor is it going to be an all-day wear.

Seasonally, this is a summertime wear. Daytime for casual wear or those in need of refreshing. I suppose it could be worn to work, also, for some people.

This is probably the lease mainstream appealing from the series. Not one that is probably going to appeal to most younger guys or draw a bunch of complements. If you’re one who loves woods or an older man, this might work for you…but far from a guaranteed winner.

Overall Impressions of Discover Vulcano

Overall, do I like Light Blue Discover Vulcano? Not really. I’d have to say it’s my least favorite of the Light Blue line. It’s not my style, even if it has a more unique smell than the others in the series, it’s just not all that good.

Some might dig this. If you want a cheaper summer use of cypress and other woods. But, there are better examples out there than Discover Vulcano. From performance to the scent itself, it’s all pretty mediocre.

Bottles of it don’t seem to be too hard to find, even today, after its limited run back in 2014. Not too many people are checking for this cologne. I don’t recommend it, unless you’re just very intrigued for whatever reason, or are someone like me who needs to complete the entire Light Blue series.

Light Blue Pour Homme Italian Zest by D&G

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Italian Zest is the Light Blue flanker release from 2018. It really wasn’t one that I was too interested in trying out, but since I’m working my way through the entire Light Blue Pour Homme line, I grabbed a small decant to put through its paces. How does Italian Zest smell? Does it last long? Is it worth getting a bottle?

What does Light Blue Italian Zest Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, grapefruit, bergamot, mandarin orange, Sichuan pepper, rosemary, rosewood, musk, hedione, moss, incense, amberwood

My Full Review

The opening of Italian Zest is a mix of sour, bitter, and tart citrus aromas. The lemon has the upper hand early on, with strong contributions from the usual Light Blue grapefruit, and the lighter bergamot.

That will settle into something more tolerable rather quickly. But, that first minute or two is pretty tough.

Underneath all this is a dry, spicy, and musky aroma which will grow in prominence as we move forward. The rosemary, Sichuan pepper, and even a very light smokiness from incense are all here.

The lemon note will fall back and the grapefruit will come back into play. Italian Zest starts to resemble more of the original Light Blue, but a muskier and woodier version, in the latter stages.

So, once that lemon has taken a backseat, you will get a bit of an orange peel aroma that is surrounded by light floral touches. Really, the floral notes here aren’t major players.

The progression of this scent is: citrus, citrus/spice, citrus/musk/spice, citrus/musk/woods.

That’s pretty much the extent of it. Not super complicated, but one that does evolve throughout the wear. The ending is the remaining citrus blend, rosewood, musk, and a general dryness underneath it all.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Italian Zest Pour Homme starts out with a bang, but that will very quickly dissipate into something that is a lighter moderate. The citrus opening can punch you in the face from across the room, but the fragrance for most of the duration will be in 2-3 foot range, from where you sprayed.

Fine. It’s a lighter summer cologne.

The longevity is also pretty basic. I get just about 6 hours of wear, maybe 5.5, as I wasn’t keeping exact time. Just don’t expect some all day monster fragrance.

Seasonally, summer. Wear Italian Zest on the hottest days of the year. It holds up as well as it can and actually smells it’s best in that sort of weather. I wore it on an 80+ degree Fahrenheit day and it was more enjoyable than inside with the AC running.

Like the other flankers in the series, Italian Zest is casual and mostly suited for daytime wear. Even during the summer, I’d go with a different evening cologne. It’s appealing enough, not sexy, but a laid back scent to freshen up when it’s hot.

Overall Impressions of Italian Zest

Overall, do I like Italian Zest? It’s not something that I dislike, but it’s pretty average in terms of smell and the performance is below average for this line. It’s like a worse version of the original Light Blue and on the bottom half of the list for all of these flankers.

That opening is a sharp citrus mess. I’m glad that it doesn’t last long. The next phase is lighter and easier to wear. Surprisingly, after that bold start, Italian Zest is actually one of the worst projecting (if not the lightest) from the Light Blue Pour Homme line.

Musky, woods, the usual take on this line. I do like the additional spice from the pepper which comes across for a while.

The performance isn’t really good enough for me to want to pick up a full bottle. Sure, this is a basic summer scent, but the other D&G options smell better and give me a little bit more power and longevity.

Since this was a limited edition, bottles of this stuff are getting scarce. It’s not really worth ponying up very much money to acquire Italian Zest. I’d say skip it and you can pretty much grab any other summery citrus cologne to get the same effect.

Light Blue Love is Love Pour Homme by D&G

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Light Blue flankers are like clockwork, with a new one coming each year. In 2020, Dolce & Gabbana released, Love is Love editions for both the men’s and women’s line. Today, I’m going to review the men’s version of this scent. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth buying?

What does Light Blue Love is Love Pour Homme Smell Like?

Notes include: Granny Smith apple, ice cream, grapefruit, bergamot, mandarin orange, rosemary, pink pepper, amberwood, musk, vanilla

Click here to try: Light Blue Love is Love

My Full Review

Right off the bat, Love is Love isn’t going to be a flanker to fit every man’s tastes. It tries to be sort of a bridge between Light Blue Pour Homme and Light Blue Pour Femme. In particular, it takes lots of elements from Light Blue Pour Femme Intense and blends it with the original Pour Homme.

Oh, and add a dollop of vanilla ice cream to the mix.

The opening  features a variety of citrus notes, but this isn’t overwhelmingly citrus. It’s basically the same accord as in Light Blue Italian Zest, just stifled by the other notes.

The apple note from the women’s version is pretty prominent early on and easier to distinguish for me versus the individual citrus ingredients. There’s something floral here too, it might be a touch of jasmine, which is in the women’s version. If so, it’s not listed.

Love is Love feels aromatic, crisp, but with an underlying creamy sweetness. The rosemary of the original is there, but not too heavy. This is a softer take, quite unisex, and even leaning to the feminine side of the spectrum. Which is strange, since D&G did also put out a women’s version of Love is Love.

As we move further along, the apple and more feminine aspects of the scent will back off a bit. Pink pepper and the rosemary have a nice influence in this second act. With that, amberwood and vanilla.

Love is Love actually strikes me as being somewhat similar to The One Gentleman, also by Dolce & Gabbana, at this stage. The peppery vanilla, just with a Light Blue style.

In the end, it’s got the same amberwood that’s in both versions of Light Blue Intense. That, the vanilla, a mix of the fruit, and musk is what’ll be there in the final stages. Much of the apple and ice cream has basically vanished.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this isn’t a massive fragrance that’s going to leave a long scent trail in your wake. The projection isn’t amazing and is lighter than most of the Light Blue colognes. It’s not terrible, just don’t expect too much past that first hour.

On my skin, Love is Love will stick around for about six hours on the nose. Pretty middle of the road, but again, below average for this line from D&G.

Seasonally, spring and summer. Yes, the ice cream and vanilla notes do sound as if they’d be thicker and create a cloud around you. But, Love is Love really manages to retain a lightness that is pretty delightful in the warmer temperatures.

As a casual or nighttime  wear during the summer, this is pretty versatile. I wouldn’t use this one dressed up or with any real formality, but it works fine elsewhere. Very unisex, leans feminine, then back to masculine. But, one for the younger crowd to enjoy.

Overall Impressions of Love is Love

Overall, do I like Light Blue Love is Love? I like aspects of it. I see what they’re trying to do and it does work to some extent. It’s pretty good. Honestly, it’s not going to appeal to a wide swath of guys.

For sure, some will really enjoy this and it might even be one of their favorite Light Blue flankers. For me? It’s got some positives, but ultimately falls towards the bottom of that Light Blue Homme list.

I like the ice cream aspect, not a heavy creaminess, kind of a gelato sort of scent. The apple does add some freshness and a different vibe to the men’s line which usually only has the citrus. Eventually, that signature grapefruit presents itself more in the mix.

The rest of it? Ehh, pretty mid. I don’t dislike it, but it doesn’t cover much new ground, and isn’t as likeable as the basic Light Blue Homme formula. I like the original and Light Blue Intense for Women, but this doesn’t really capture either. Once the ice cream has faded, it’s forgettable.

If you can get it for cheap, it might be worthwhile to have, if it sounds interesting to you. For most, it won’t be something that you’ve just got to try. I thought that I’d like it more than I did, based on the notes. Ultimately, it doesn’t do much for me.

Light Blue Swimming in Lipari by D&G

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Light Blue Pour Homme has spawned a ton of flankers over the years and it still keeps right on going. I’m currently working my way through reviewing the rest of them that I have missed, including today’s entry, 2015’s Swimming in Lipari. How does this smell? How long does it last? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Light Blue Swimming in Lipari Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, musk, sea salt, orange, rosemary, ambergris, wood

My Full Review

Swimming in Lipari opens up very much like the rest of these earlier Light Blue Pour Homme flankers, in that you can easily tell which cologne it is based on. It’s just got that same early vibe of something like the original or Light Blue Sun, which I have a bottle of.

But, this is obviously going to have its own personality versus the others. While Sun, bring a somewhat tropical coconut accord, Lipari goes salty and marine. The grapefruit is also joined by a mandarin orange early on, which also distinguishes things.

Take the grapefruit and rosemary of the original, add the amberwood base of Eau Intense, and amp up the saltiness of a marine/sea breeze accord…that’s basically Swimming in Lipari.

Very fresh, not as citrus dominant throughout. We’re going woody, salty, and amber. More along the lines of something from the Bvlgari Aqva series (without their seaweed accords).

Note that the grapefruit here, isn’t the hyper-realistic grapefruit rind of Forever or Italian Love. It’s the more synthetic type of the earlier Light Blue’s. Towards the bitter side of things, slightly sweetened up by the mandarin orange.

The next phase of this is noticeably less citrusy. Musk and the ambergris really come up from the base to join that sea salt accord. The orange is basically gone, at this point. It’s a salty and refreshing swim in the Mediterranean with grapefruit highlights.

Essentially, that’s the dry down also. However, the weighting shifts and things become woodier, also. The ambergris becomes more noticeable, this feels closer to Eau Intense, at this point. Not the same, but the vibe is there.

The saltiness will dissipate, it’s still fresh and a little spicy, with the grapefruit hanging around on the skin.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here isn’t too heavy or far reaching. It’s a clear notch or two below the original or even Light Blue Sun, in my experience. It starts off roughly as the same, above average moderate. It’ll be noticeable and project itself well.

Then, it will mostly be sticking closer to the skin. Maybe a 1-3 foot radius, depending on where you’re at in the wear. Not great, but I wasn’t expecting all that much here.

The longevity is actually better than you’d expect from the sillage. It stays for 6-6.5 hours, before finally fading completely. Again, not going to blow the doors off with how it lasts, but very serviceable.

Seasonally, we’re obviously going summertime. Warm or hot weather. It provides that coastal oceanic vibe very well.

This isn’t going to be a formal wear or even something you’d might want to reach for on a daily basis. This is summer casual. You’re hanging out, by the pool being active, or actually on the coast. Pleasant, but not a romantic wear or club beast.

Overall Impressions of Swimming in Lipari

Overall, do I like Swimming in Lipari? Sure, it’s somewhere in the middle of the pack, in terms of Light Blue Pour Homme scents. It’s a clear variant of the original, with more appeal for those that want a greater marine experience. Let’s just say the name fits what you get here.

I like the saltiness and Bvgari Aqva-like aroma, without straying too far into a realistic oceanic smell. Swimming is salty and has that decent ambergris note,

The performance is slightly better than the average cologne, but not as good as others in the Light Blue Pour Homme series.

Who is this cologne for? You like the original Light Blue and want a salty sea note version for the summer months. Or you’re just a fan of salty aquatics.

It did come out in 2015. As such, bottles are becoming fairly scarce. I wouldn’t overpay too much to add this to my collection. But, if it sounds like you’re cup of tea, you could do well to snag yourself a full bottle before Swimming in Lipari disappears forever.