Cologne Reviews

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.

Light Blue Pour Homme Italian Love by D&G

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Since it was a new year, D&G released a new Light Blue flanker for 2022. Following up on 2021’s Light Blue Forever, they are now coming out with Pour Homme Italian Love. It appears to be a similar scent to Forever, but is that the case? I forgot to update this page last year, so, I grabbed a sample finally to test Italian Love out. How does it smell? Is it worth a buy?

What does Light Blue Italian Love Smell Like?

Notes include: Italian bergamot, grapefruit, green notes, violet leaf, ozonic notes, guaiac wood, vetiver, musk, patchouli

Click here to try: Light Blue Italian Love

My Full Review

Let’s see how D&G describes it:  It opens with Italian bergamot and juicy frozen grapefruit, revealing a fresh cocktail. It then evolves to an intensely masculine heart, with invigorating green notes combining with violet leaf and the fresh aquatic wave of the ozonic marine accord. Earthy vetiver combines with musks and the heady, mysterious note of patchouli, while the full-bodied note of guaiac wood brings new depth and an intriguing sensuality.

Tried it yourself? Leave your own review and score in the comments section below.

Italian Love starts out very close to what you get with Forever.  If you already have Light Blue Forever, you can probably skip this.

Yet, the differences that are between them, make Italian Love a better buy in my mind, for those who don’t have a bottle of either. Or, if the blend of Forever, just put you off.

Italian Love brings back the grapefruit note, but this time it is paired with a juicy and slightly sour bergamot note. Tart and sour, nothing sweet. I like it a lot. The balance is probably around 70/30 in favor of the grapefruit, but the bergamot gives it a better balance.

The second difference that I notice, is the toned down violet leaf in this Light Blue versus Forever. The violet leaf and green notes aren’t as prominent, but the ozonic gives it more of that airy sea breeze impression. Not salty, but leans very blueish and fresh.

As we move into the next phase, the grapefruit takes a more solid leading role in the citrus top. This is also when the light musk note and woods begin to emerge. Musk and vetiver are carryovers from Forever, maybe the musk is weakened in Italian Love, but it is essentially the same with how it comes across.

It’s interesting that Italian Love has a bit of fizziness to it. Can come across as a fresh cocktail of some sort. The bergamot really helps with that, along with the strengthened ozonic accord, and the guaiac wood which makes an appearance in the middle act.

The dry down is a blend of the citrus, musk, and mostly vetiver-dominant woody notes. A little patchouli and guaiac wood thrown in for good measure, but not extremely noticeable. That’s basically the ending of Italian Love.

One more thing to note, is that there is what feels like a light smokiness. Probably the guaiac wood mixing with vetiver, but the undercurrent of this cologne is quite a dry freshness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty moderate, just like Forever. The early stages come with the same blast of citrusy strength that you get with its predecessor, but it settles thereafter. It projects in that 4-6 foot range, initially, with a normal amount of application. Maybe 2-3 feet, past the first hour.

Still not incredible projection, but nothing to be disappointed by.

As a weaker skin scent, it’ll hang around for just over 7 hours, on my skin. That being said, most of what you’re going to pick up will be in the first couple of hours. It is still there, I just don’t notice it all that often.

Seasonally, late spring and summertime. The Light Blue flankers really lean into the summer appeal of the original, as seen with 2023’s Light Blue Summer Vibes (which I’ll review very soon).

It might be a little more versatile, with its appeal versus Forever, which smells like pure grapefruit at times. This one is great to wear out on summer days or nights, and one that can get complements since it performs in the heat. Casual, daily wear, and nightlife.

Overall Impressions of Italian Love

Overall, do I like Light Blue Italian Love? Yes, it is better than Forever. The blend just has a more delightful aroma and some better depth versus the 2021 release. I’m still not a massive fan of this much grapefruit, but this is one of the better releases from the Light Blue line.

The bergamot is the hero for me, in the early stages. It helps to pull back some of that overwhelming grapefruit of Forever, without destroying the appeal of that fragrance. Secondly, the heavier weighting of the ozonic notes, is just a better way to go for me.

Performance wise, it’s basically the same as what I got with Forever. So, it will all come down to which smell you prefer Forever (greenish grapefruit) or Italian Love (ozonic grapefruit blend). For me, it’s the latter.

On the whole, Italian Love is a very good summer fragrance. I’m not completely blown away by it, but I like it for what this scent is going to be used for.

Versace Pour Homme by Versace

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Versace is a brand that I can have mixed feelings about. On the one hand, they have fragrances such as Eros and Eau Fraiche, which I enjoy and then also have one’s such as Oud Noir, which I find repulsive. Recently, I received a sample of Versace Pour Homme, as it’s been a while since I’ve last smelled it and as such, I thought that I would go ahead and review it.

How does it smell? What’s the sillage like? Does it last a long time? Is Pour Homme actually worth a buy? Note: I am updating this review, years after the original, to add further thoughts on this scent.

What does Versace Pour Homme Smell Like?

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Notes include: bergamot, bitter orange leaves, geranium, sage, oud wood, mineral amber, tonka bean, musk, neroli

Click here to try: Versace Pour Homme Eau De Toilette Natural Spray 3.4 fl. oz.

My Full Wear Review of Versace

Versace opens up with, a clean and citric quality, that really captures one’s attention. The bergamot and bitter orange leaf notes are very prominent upon that initial smell and it stays that way on my skin for around 30 minutes.

Pair these two notes with neroli and you get an idea of how much citrus cleanliness, you should expect. Also, the initial opening is much stronger than a short time later in its life cycle, so just be prepared for that.

The sillage of Versace Pour Homme was really strong on my skin for about an hour.

That initial freshness can be intense, but it doesn’t really strike me as being super tart or anything. Actually, leans a bit more towards the sweeter end of the spectrum, but not completely that either.

After the initial hour, the tonka and green/floral notes started to emerge more and balance out this fragrance. It’s ultimately a citrus based, semi-aquatic cologne, which based on your preferences may or may not be your thing.

It’s still got that bright citrus demeanor, but you do get stronger undertones of floral notes and a musky herbal spice. At times, it can feel fairly soapy. I do get the comparisons to Allure Homme Sport by Chanel, but I like that scent better than this one. Not by a wide margin, just slightly.

Early on in the wear, it is less of a direct comparison between the two colognes. This is when Versace Pour Homme feels at its most distinct.

I pick up more tonka bean in the Chanel versus this Versace. That is probably why, I enjoy wearing that scent more. But, if you want one that leans into the citrus more so, and lacks the Chanel aldehydes this Versace could be a better bet.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

As I wrote above, Pour Homme really starts off strong for me. The sillage is pretty darn loud upon application. When the cologne settles down, it becomes more of a moderate fragrance overall.

You could definitely over-spray, within that first few hours time frame, but it should be tolerable to others thereafter.

On the whole, I’m not disappointed in what I get with its strength. The ability to sustain itself is a bigger issue than the sillage.

It isn’t super long lasting, 5-6 hours for me, but that is usually adequate enough for most daily purposes. Also, considering that this is a summery citrus fragrance, that time frame isn’t too bad at all.

It is sort of strange, after it started off so strong, that I can never get more time from this fragrance. Maybe some other people can get it to go longer, but for me that’s never been the case.

Seasonally, this one strikes me as a summer scent. I suppose that you could wear it anytime during the year, but it’s always felt out of place to me, in the cold temperatures of winter.

However, if you live in a hot and humid climate, Pour Homme is a fragrance option which excels in those conditions. It can be difficult to find a good daily wear in those areas, but this will absolutely do the job.

Another strength is just how versatile of a fragrance it can be. This is well put together, but not overly formal or buttoned up. You can of course wear it to work or formally and it works very well.

One could also wear this casually or for a night out no problems. It does draw complements, when I’ve worn it in the past, folks have seemed to appreciate its aroma.

Coming back to this one in 2023, I really do appreciate the versatility. It could very easily be (and has) a signature daily wear for a lot of guys. It’s just very wearable, not going to overwhelm a room, but it easily fits in for a wide variety of situations.

Overall Impressions of Versace Pour Homme

I like Versace Pour Homme, it’s just not the cologne for me. It doesn’t blow my socks off, but it does smell good. Women seem to like it, and for the right guy, it could be a very good option.

It’s enjoyable and is usually a solid performer in the right weather, so it might be one you have to be willing to give it a shot.

Allure Homme Sport is better to me than this one. It’s performance is also not great nowadays, so, it comes down to which smell you prefer. If you want a really tonka heavy version of this style, Eau Extreme, is another choice.

Pour Homme gives you a pretty straightforward clean citrus smell and is almost universally pleasing. For me, I’m not too wild about a scent such as, Versace Pour Homme. It doesn’t smell bad, but it really just isn’t my style.

There are aspects of it that I enjoy. Particularly, the opening act, where it is a brighter and semi-aquatic citrus. I’m not too huge of a fan of neroli and the later herbal/soapy elements. That’s pleasant, just not as good. Performance is just okay, on my skin.

Voyage Heritage by Nautica

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Nautica Voyage is a super famous name, in the fragrance world, and a best-seller for years now. It has become pretty renown, as a cheap cologne option for men. Now, the brand has released a new addition to the lineup in 2019, Voyage Heritage. What does this one smell like? Is it worth a try? Does it last a long time? I picked up a bottle and have been testing it out. As usual, I’ve written my thoughts in a review, where I break it all down.

What Does Voyage Heritage Smell Like?

Notes include: rosemary, peppermint, sandalwood, lavender, ginger, bergamot, vetiver

Click here to try: Nautica Voyage Heritage by Nautica

My Full Wear Review

With the massive success of the original Nautica Voyage, the brand was obviously going to release some flanker fragrances, under the same banner. Voyage Sport was one such effort, that was ultimately disappointing.

So, when Nautica Voyage Heritage was released, it was going to get the comparisons to its popular predecessor.

Up front, Heritage is a distinct cologne from Voyage. It doesn’t share any commonalities with the original. It’s kind of weird to share a name, but not have any of the same ‘DNA’, that a particular fragrance is famous for.

Heritage opens up with a blend of warm and cool spices. The spice isn’t heavy, just a fresh sort of aroma. Rosemary, is the strongest note at the top, and is paired with peppermint.

There is a nice herbal quality to it, with a bit of citrus underneath, from the bergamot. Honestly, the bergamot is pretty weak, here. I actually wish they would have boosted that note, to give it more of a citrus aroma, but it instead leans toward an herbal spice.

A few minutes in, the rosemary relents somewhat, and ginger becomes stronger. That’s a positive, in my mind, as ginger brings that light cool spice that pairs well with mint.

At this point, I can see where Nautica is going with this one, creating a light non-citrus freshie that works well in the warm weather.

The notes are blended quite a lot, on the skin. During the wear, it can be hard to differentiate between the light spicy notes, as none seems to want to take the dominant role. It becomes calmer, a fresh smell, with an emerging woody base.

What’s dominant at the base? Lavender and sandalwood. To my nose, sandalwood is the stronger of the two, but that familiar lavender aroma is definitely there. I don’t really pick up on the vetiver, which I doubt would be all that strong in a Nautica cologne, anyway.

Finally, I am left with: peppermint, ginger, sandalwood, and lavender. Again, it’s a cool freshness, and not a heavy warm spice. Smooth and woody, underneath that.

Sillage and Longevity

The projection of Voyage Heritage isn’t all that powerful. I can spray the same spot three times and it will be moderate. This one isn’t going to fill up a room and quiets down to something which hangs closer to the skin.

The longevity isn’t amazing, about what I expect from the brand and price point, around 4-6 hours. This depends on the day and the climate. It could’ve had more depth, something to give Heritage a larger sillage, or a few more hours of wear.

Update: Having had this a little while longer after this initial review, the longevity did seem to skew closer to that four hour range versus the full six.

The performance isn’t going to be extreme, but it is passable. I’ll do 2-3 sprays to each side of the neck, that seems to work well, for me.

When Should it Be Worn?

Seasonally, this is a good choice for spring/summer. The cool freshness, works well in the heat. However, it can definitely be worn year round, without issue. Voyage Heritage is something that you’d wear casually, during the daytime, or at work. So long as you want to be low key, this isn’t a beast fragrance. It can work well for any age range.

Overall 

Voyage Heritage is a fairly nice fragrance, but not amazing. From the perspective of price, I’d say that it’s worth giving a try. It’s hard to go wrong with this one for $20.

However, if I could afford better, I would do so. At this pricing point, it delivers a pleasantly fresh, spicy, and woodsy aroma. It’s not going to stand out, but it does a ok enough job.

I wish the performance was a bit better. An extra bit of power, would be nice. It can also feel kind of bland, like there needed to be one more ingredient, to make it special. I’d say a stronger citrus top, would have been pretty great here. Then, it could settle into the other notes.

Update: I got rid of my full bottle pretty quickly. I just never had any interest in wearing this one. Voyage Midnight ended up being a better flanker release, a year or two after this came out. There are still bottles around of Heritage, but it’s sort of a why bother, at this point?

I’m not super impressed, but you could do a lot worse. Heck, I got a full bottle for $12, which is a fair deal for Heritage. It has no real connection to the original, which isn’t a bad thing, I just wish this brand would step up and make something new that’s great. Heritage ain’t that, but it’s not bad.

Eternity Intense by Calvin Klein

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So, I saw that Calvin Klein had released a new fragrance, Eternity Intense, and figured that I might as well give it a try. Now, CK scents are a mixed bag for me, some smell good and perform well, while others simply don’t make the cut.

I like the original Eternity, as such I thought that this might be a welcome addition to the lineup. In this post, I want to give my impressions of this cologne, what it smells like, how it performs, and whether I think that it is worth a purchase or not.

What does Eternity Intense for Men Smell Like?

Notes: iris, vanilla, grapefruit, bergamot, orris, cedar, pepper

Click here to try from Amazon: Calvin Klein Eternity Intense Eau De Toilette for Men, 3.4 oz.

My Full Wear Review

So, right off the bat, I want to compare this to the original Eternity for Men. I like the original scent, though, it definitely isn’t my favorite by any stretch. It’s good, decently priced, but does have a bit too much of a soapy aroma to be an everyday wear for me.

But, it is a legit scent. Eternity Intense, on the other hand, I don’t really know what to make of it. It isn’t intense…like at all.

Secondly, it immediately has a heavy reliance on the iris note, whereas the older Eternity was much more lavender based. I think the floral notes are too heavily weighted in the composition.

However, I don’t want to bash the scent or give you the idea that the floral notes make this a ‘girly’ fragrance. It isn’t. The pepper note gives it a spice and a light smokiness is added to it for a masculine air.

There is also some light citrus that is reminiscent of the original but it seems really soft. I do get the black tea, for a short time, and I actually like it with this blend. Wish it stuck around for a longer period.

The bergamot and grapefruit pairing don’t even reach the same level as the old Dior Homme, which the citrus in that is also light. Here, it’s almost miniscule.

It’s somewhat like a poor man’s Dior Homme, which I love, but  this is not nearly to the same level. No real depth and the quality isn’t up to par either.

As it dries down, this gets some woodsy influence from geranium and cedar. Mostly it’s about the iris and some vanilla influence.

I actually think that it smells pretty nice and doesn’t have the same soapy quality as the original Eternity. Though, it isn’t great or all that impressive either.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it doesn’t live up to the title. It isn’t intense and is actually a fairly soft cologne. What the hell? This isn’t the first time that I’ve run across an ‘intense’ scent that completely lacks in this department. If it’s not going to be a powerhouse, just name it something else.

Also, the longevity is really weak. You might eek out a few hours with this scent or it will be gone within an hour. The original Eternity was pretty good in this measurement but the Intense version drops the ball.

I don’t know, if I’m the only one who has had issues with Intense, but the performance is really bad.

Eternity Intense would probably fall under the casual cologne family, in my opinion. That is, if it actually lasted and performed well. It feels like a springtime wear with the floral notes.

If you get a better performance than I, this would be a pretty easy on to spray on, in a variety of situations. Not the greatest or highest quality fragrance, but it’d work well enough for most guys.

Overall Impressions of Eternity Intense

Overall, is this a buy? No. I don’t get it. It smells decent but its performance sucks. Like, there are so many other options out there, there is literally no reason for this. It doesn’t do anything well enough for me to justify a purchase.

The dry down is pretty nice and I like the black tea, to the extent I get any of it. But, it just never hits a higher level. Maybe it’d be a fine pick up for really cheap, just to see if you get some performance from it. As is, I’ll pass completely.

If you like the original Eternity, just stick with that, and skip Intense. The other Eternity flankers are at least decent to quite good, this one just completely misses the mark. Not a good entry from Calvin Klein performance wise, which makes the rest of the fragrance pointless.