Cologne Reviews

Bleu de Chanel EDP by Chanel

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The original Bleu de Chanel became and remains a very popular men’s fragrance. The next release from this line, and the subject of today’s review, is Bleu de Chanel Eau de Parfum. The EDP version, is obviously going to have a higher concentration of fragrance, but what does it actually smell like? How long does it last? Is the sillage good? Is this version even worth a try?

What Does Bleu de Chanel EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, sandalwood, amber, vanilla, tonka bean, ginger, mint, and more

Click here to try: Bleu De Chaneâ…¼ Eau De Parfum Pour Homme Spray 1.7 Fl. OZ. / 50ML.

My Full Review

Bleu de Chanel EDP opens up with a sharp blast of citrus fruit, led by grapefruit, and some fresh spicy notes. Mint, ginger, and pink pepper are there. Though, I pick up mainly ginger and pink pepper, with a bit of mint.

Underneath all of this, is the warm amber. Yes, this Chanel fragrance, is a lot like its predecessor and the newer BdC Parfum release. Nonetheless, it can stand on its own as a distinct scent.

The citrus notes, dominate the composition, but are joined by the spicier notes in the beginning. Then, it will transition more into a citrus, amber, and smoky incense aroma.

It strikes me as sharp and fresh at first, then, it is warmer and smooth. Grapefruit and lemon, when blended with these other notes, can give off almost an orange-like scent at times to my nose.

As we move further along, Bleu, starts to regain some freshness. Not from the spicy notes, rather, the wood begins to emerge. Cedar with some sandalwood.

It comes across as quite clean, with the citrus sitting on top, and floating in a sea of amber. There is some sweetness from tonka bean and vanilla, in the latter stages, that got overlooked during that opening act.

I will say, for having: tonka bean, sandalwood, and vanilla this doesn’t have the level of creaminess that you might expect. It is there to an extent, as noted below, but you’d might think it’d be more so.

The final part of Bleu de Chanel EDP, is a fresh citrus and woodsy scent. Not as much amber, in my mind, but the sandalwood is nice and creamy and still paired with that clean cedar.

I did once get sent an odd bottle of Bleu EDP by mistake once, when I had ordered Allure Sport Eau Extreme. The bottle was cracked, but the smell of the scent itself was also way off. Too heavily weighted with the amber and felt screechy.

Bad batch, but it did give me an idea, about how bad this could turn out without the refined balance of this formula.

Sillage, How Long Does Bleu de Chanel EDP Last, Versatility

The projection on this one, isn’t super powerful. I’d say that the sillage starts of pretty strong, but settles, close to the wearer. Bleu isn’t a monster with its sillage and won’t really take over a room. It has a nice performance, but it is nothing insane.

It is, however, more persistent than the EDT or Parfum versions of Bleu. Parfum does feel lighter once it gets into its woody phase, despite the higher fragrance concentration.

The longevity is good, but not incredible. I can hit 8 hours, with it on my skin, but the last few are close to the skin. This EDP isn’t a powerhouse, but will do just fine, in almost any circumstance. Unless, you really needed it to go for 12+ hours or something.

While I’ve worn this in the summer, I’m not too in love with it, in the heat. I think that Bleu is at its best, in a more temperate climate. Spring or autumn, is when this one will really shine. It can be worn year round, and won’t be a mess in any climate, but it does have a sweet spot.

It gets really hot and humid, where I live. For me, it’s not a year round option. Other men will have better luck, in that department.

Bleu de Chanel is more than a casual fragrance. I think the EDP is somewhat more formal than the EDT, but manages to retain plenty of versatility. It of course works extremely well, as a dressed up perfume, but I’ve worn it with t-shirt and jeans. It didn’t seem out of place.

The whole Bleu series is a basic, ‘can do everything’ sort of cologne. I’d say ‘almost’ everything, but the versatility here is absolutely great.

Is it well liked by other people? Yes. EDP is very attractive. Sexy while being mature and women will complement it.

Overall Impressions of Bleu EDP

Do I like Bleu de Chanel Eau de Parfum? Yes, I do. I think that I can safely say, it is my favorite scent from the BdC line, or at least the one I’d choose most of the time.

It is more complex and interesting than the EDT, while retaining more of the citrus when compared to, Bleu Parfum.

I really like the citrus notes here. The opening with the spice is cool, but I prefer the dry down, when I get my amber and woody notes. Parfum goes deeper into that direction, but I enjoy this more, as I get a greater representation of the other notes too.

I’m pretty sure nowadays, that Eau de Parfum is the best seller from the line. Just about every website has it ranked higher than the other Bleu scents, when you sort them.

That’s when this one is super smooth and just beautiful to wear. It’s a fragrance, that does everything well, from its ingredients to overall performance. Bleu de Chanel EDP, is kind of a no-brainer scent, it just works. Not really one you can go wrong with. That’s why there’s so many perfumes trying to clone Bleu de Chanel.

Is it going to be everyone’s favorite? Not necessarily. Some might find this boring. To me, it’s got more depth than it may be given credit for. There’s plenty going on here, but it still maintains an unreal ability to be mass appealing.

Acqua di Gio EDP by Armani

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Acqua di Gio keeps rolling right along with the 2022 release of the eau de parfum version. This following on the heels of the Profondo flankers. It’s finally available for purchase here in the US. How does this one smell? How does it compare? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Acqua di Gio EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: green mandarin, patchouli, sage, vetiver, geranium, lavandin, marine notes

Click here to try: Buy from Amazon

adg eau de parfum review

My Full Review

Let’s see how Armani describes it: ACQUA DI GIÃ’ EAU DE PARFUM encapsulates a powerful, long-lasting freshness, where innovative marine notes blend with natural green mandarin, sage, vetiver, patchouli, and a woody mineral dry-down. The infinite horizon of the sea is captured in a new innovative refill bottle.

If you’ve tried it, you can post a review and score in the comment section below.

Acqua di Gio EDP starts off much like Profondo Lights and Profondo. I’d say it’s closer to the former, with the prominent green mandarin note, but thankfully none of the cardamom. That was the note, which made me not really care for Lights.

The mandarin feels more pronounced in this eau de parfum version. It’s bright and much juicier/sweet than the Profondo colognes.

A strong citrus start, some of the blueish sea notes, sage, and geranium. Another thing that it lack is, the cypress note of the Profondo scents.

Is this similar to the EDT? Yes, but the original AdG has more of a floral feel. But, you can obviously tell that all of these fragrances are related. I always get a lot of jasmine on my skin with the original.

After a while, that top will start to burn off. EDP becomes less citrus dominant and the patchouli, sage, and geranium really start to come in stronger. During this part, the eau de parfum will start to resemble Profumo, and less of the Profondo editions.

It’s interesting, Acqua di Gio EDP will do its own thing to an extent, but it closely mimics the other releases throughout the duration of the wear.

So, during the Profumo-like part, it lacks the incense smokiness and darker feeling of that fragrance…but it’s near identical outside of that.

That too, will start to shift. This becomes a drier fragrance as it moves on. You do still get that sweetness from the mandarin note, but patchouli, the fresh mix, and a touch of the mineral note is most of the rest of the development.

The mineral note is there, like in Profumo, just toned down. Especially towards the end, its a lot of patchouli, vetiver, and that mineral note. The sage, mandarin, and geranium are basically just an impression that you can vaguely pick up on.

gio edp review

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one starts off with a decent amount of power. But, it will go quickly into moderate territory, and follow that up being fairly light.

Acqua di Gio EDP isn’t a powerhouse, nor a beast performer. It’s been solid on my skin, for about two hours, then it enters its lighter phase.

How long does EDP last? In total, 6-8 hours. Keep in mind, those last hours are very much a skin scent, but I can still pick it up on me during that time period.

Update: After wearing this fragrance a large number of times, it skews much closer to the six hour range than it does the eight. It is still capable of hitting 8, EDP just isn’t consistent in this regard.

The performance here is just okay. Not going to blow the doors off or anything, just be pretty much serviceable in its wear.

Seasonally, this like the others in the series, is a spring and summertime fragrance. But, a super versatile daily wear within that timeframe. Plus, it wouldn’t be too out of place during the rest of the year, but there are better options for cold weather.

Also, the age range is wide. From younger men to older, no problems. It’s enjoyable, but not a club beast, and I’m not sure if it’d be classified as being ‘sexy’. I haven’t worn it around any women, yet, so I’m not sure.

acqua eau de parfum

Overall Impressions of AdG Eau de Parfum

Overall, do I like Acqua di Gio EDP? I do like it. Though, it’s not completely amazing, nor a must have. If you already have other AdG fragrances, you probably won’t need this.

I do like it more than Profondo Lights, but maybe a notch below Profondo and Profumo, during this initial testing phase.

I really like the opening act. That mandarin note is great, giving you that citrus juiciness without as much in the way, as with the Profondo scents. I also enjoy the fact that I get to experience the others in the series, all wrapped up into one bottle.

I already have my Profumo bottle and this will give me elements of the others, during this spring and summer.

I do wish that this was a stronger scent. The longevity is well enough, but if it could pack a punch for a longer time, this would be more worthwhile. Better than the EDT? Yes, but that’s been weakened over the years, and this isn’t a huge step up.

I like its aromatic freshness and the fact that it doesn’t go too heavy with the mineral note. I do kind of wish that it was more marine, adding more of that ‘sea note’ accord.

On the whole? I’m enjoying EDP thus far. Is it a buy? Sure. However, you might not need it, if you’re already someone who has bottles of the other.

Update: After almost a year of having it and using quite a bit during the last summer, I must say it still basically holds up, as far as me enjoying it. I still really like that opening hour or so way more than I do the dry down. Though, I’ve knocked a couple of points off my original score below, in this update.

Also, wearing Acqua di Gio EDP outside, it’s a much more likeable fragrance for the duration. Indoors, it starts to feel very casual and not all that compelling. I’m going to finish off this bottle and don’t think that I’m ever going to re-up.

If not? Give it a try, you might like it better than Profondo or Profumo. To me, it’s up there. Not necessarily a must have, but I don’t regret buying a full bottle, in the slightest.

Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme by Chanel

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Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme is one that I came across on and off for many years, but really haven’t had any contact with for a long while. In fact, I’ve been rediscovering for myself, a lot of the Chanel men’s and women’s fragrances. I got a hold of a sample of Eau Extreme in order to finally do a proper review of this one for the site, using the latest batch. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it really worth a buy?

Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme Overview

Notes include: mandarin orange, tonka bean, cypress, musk, sage, mint, sandalwood, pepper, cedar

Click here to try: ChaneI Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme Eau de Parfum Spray 1.7 Fl. OZ. / 50ML.

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Chanel describes it: Allure to the extreme. A powerful, dynamic and invigorating fragrance for the man who thrives on extreme sensations and pushes himself beyond his limits. An intense Eau de Parfum, like a rush of adrenaline.

Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme starts off with a fresh coolness and green quality that the original Allure Sport lacks. Eau Extreme doesn’t have the same mandarin or sea notes, but instead, goes with mint and sage as prominent players.

The citrus is definitely still there, just toned down. It’s a cypress, sage, mint, and peppery start up top. Musk is hanging around as well, but for me that really starts to show up more in the latter stages.

I have been going back and forth for years, whether I prefer the opening act of Sport or Eau Extreme. Having had samples of each in the past few months, Eau Extreme has taken the lead for me.

Some of that initial sage will then wear off and it’s more just about the mint and the cypress note. However, the tonka bean and musk notes also really begin to emerge and give this fresh scent an aromatic sweetness.

Eau Extreme does give you a different take from the original Sport, but during the dry down is when these fragrances really start to smell similar. Though, Eau Extreme strikes me as muskier and less of a sweet aroma with that spicy fresh kick.

The tonka bean really begins to take control of the wear, it feels sweeter and warmer. Together with the musk, it is super smooth and very appealing. Along with those two notes, I get the remnants of pepper and the wood accord, which it’s pretty tough to pick out just the cypress anymore.

The way things come together it does create a sweetish-powdery kind of aroma. Not like baby powder, but some people might not like the tonka bean note in this.

After coming back to this one during this past year, this reminds me of Luna Rossa Sport, in the dry down. Not the same, but that tonka bean is just so prominent.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Eau Extreme starts out fairly strong on my skin, but not a complete beast. It actually will be pretty moderate throughout the wear, but an improvement on Allure Sport, especially compared to the newer batches.

Solid. Though, I still wish it was cranked up a bit more with its projection abilities.

On my skin, I get right about 8 hours each time I’ve worn it. Amazing? No, but very good. Again, a little more ‘extremeness’ would’ve been nice, but I can’t complain too much. Those last few hours are pretty light, which is probably one of the downsides here.

Seasonally, Eau Extreme can work pretty much whenever. I would prefer it in warmer weather and not the winter, but it’s not bad there. It is a ‘cold’ sort of scent, so, I’d rather go with something thicker and warmer in icy conditions.

To me, it’s best in the moderate range of temperatures from slightly chilly to a bit warm. At the far ends of the scale, it’s not as good.

Aside from that, Allure Sport Eau Extreme is very versatile. It can be worn by any age range, in a variety of situations. Sort of a jack of all trades and one that most guys could own as their only bottle of fragrance. It’s not really a formal fragrance, but not terrible there either.

The sportiness is there. Others in the category, seem to go a lot more dynamic or even skew the line between being an aquatic. Allure Sport Eau Extreme brings you a refined and energetic aromatic freshness.

It’s also got an attractive and mass appealing smell. Women like this and it does get complements. Maybe not a night club monster, though, it fits into the nightlife fine…just less ‘in your face’ about it.

Overall Impressions of Eau Extreme

Overall, do I like Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme? Yes! I’m so glad I came back to this one. The long time away from it, really made me appreciate what it is. I’ve found that I like the original Allure Homme less, Allure Sport about the same, and Eau Extreme more so.

The opening freshness gives you a nice change of pace from Sport. The mint, pepper, and cypress is great. The mandarin is less intense, but adds a brightness to the cold feeling of the composition. Then, the tonka bean, musky/woody finish is super smooth and attractive, if also being a bit fuzzy/powdery.

This is an easy to wear, all around versatile sort of scent. The sillage isn’t amazing and it’s not really what I’d term extreme, but the performance is still pretty darn good. I think complaints on this front are overblown. That 6-8 hour range of the wear, isn’t strong, but it is still pretty well detectable.

Eau Extreme is one of the better Chanel fragrances for men and very useful in any guy’s collection. Very mainstream entry from their collection and easy to wear.

Again, some people are just not going to like the tonka bean note in Eau Extreme. As such, one of the Bleu de Chanel’s might be the better starter cologne from the Chanel line.

Kouros Fraicheur by YSL

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After receiving my bottle of YSL Haute Concentration, I decided to buy another vintage Saint Laurent fragrance. This time I grabbed a bottle of 1993’s Kouros Fraicheur, a flanker to the original released in 1981. I was intrigued to get the original Kouros experience, blended into a lighter and more wearable version. Is it actually any good, though?

What does Kouros Fraicheur Smell Like?

Notes include: clove, pineapple, bergamot, ginger, orange blossom, patchouli, vetiver, amber, honey, oakmoss, incense, coriander, vanilla, tonka bean

My Full Review

The opening is full of that familiar spiciness and animalic quality found in the classic Kouros. Civet is toned down, but it is definitely there, adding an intense musk to the top of this scent.

Yet, I think they used aldehydes to a greater extent here, like I get with the last batch of Kouros I reviewed. A warm spice blended with that cold fresh airy blast.

But, the main difference with Fraicheur is the inclusion of lighter notes up top like pineapple and bergamot. This brightens up the composition with less of a massive pungent heaviness, that the 80s bottles of Kouros had.

When compared to the modern Kouros, I think this one is actually the more potent of the two, even though this was the ‘lighter’ version of the original 30 years ago.

Like Kouros, I get a good deal of coriander in the spice profile. Maybe some ginger. Most of it is going to be a mix of those spices, musk, patchouli, and what smells like neroli (not just the orange blossom alone).

Once we’re past that initial heavy mix of many different notes, things start to shift to an earthier blend. Some smokiness from incense, lots of vetiver, patchouli, and a bit of amber. This earthy smokiness is pretty well-blended with the floral notes (perhaps honey, too?) and the remaining pineapple/citrus.

I think this phase of the wear is great. The civet/aldehydes have take a back seat to these earthier notes and you start to get an unobstructed smell of the floral notes, also. It’s a mix of the cleaner and dirtier notes, but gradually becoming calmer.

At times, I really pick up on a powdery or creamier scent in this. It’s not distinct enough to be just one note, but the way everything starts combining.

While Kouros ends as a musky/floral/herbal fragrance, Fraicheur dries down woody/floral/sweet. There are hints of vanilla coming through and enough of the top pineapple influence to be noticeable if you press your nose.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one will leave a trail and fill a room, especially in that first hour of wear. It reaches much further than the Kouros sample I reviewed a few months ago. Fraicheur doesn’t require a ton of sprays to be effective.

That being said, past the first hour, and this cologne calms down a lot. Still very noticeable, but it doesn’t radiate quite like it does when it’s in full civet, aldehydes, pineapple, and spices mode.

The longevity is also great. It seems to stick around for about 9 hours on my skin. Remember, this is a ‘freshie’ EDT, and it’s putting out this kind of power. Most vintage colognes were just built different.

Seasonally, this is actually really nice in (near) springtime and could work in summer too. Fraicheur wouldn’t feel too out of place anytime of year. But, I think it’s best in mild temperatures and above.

Fraicheur still comes across as a vintage scent. Very different from just about anything that’s come out in the past decade-plus. It will probably appeal much more to older guys or those who appreciate the classic stuff.

I think that this is an approachable way to wear the vintage Kouros. It’s not overwhelming and the animalic facets aren’t the main event here. Still, it’s a classic chypre style, that you may have to grow to love.

Overall Impressions of Kouros Fraicheur

Overall, do I like Fraicheur? Yes, I actually prefer it to Kouros itself, especially in its modern incarnation. This 1993 version has a better strength and heavier reach than the newer bottles of Kouros, while having a lighter and more appealing scent.

You can absolutely still tell that this is very much a Kouros derivative. As such, if you don’t like Kouros, I doubt that you’ll enjoy Fraicheur. I like it somewhat more, but it’s still never going to rate as a personal favorite.

That initial spray is jam packed with things going on. I think it’s nice enough at that stage. I like the pineapple and citrus editions, but I think that Kouros Fraicheur really comes into its own once you get to the earthier and floral parts of the cologne.

All in all, I think this is a great release by Yves Saint Laurent. Obviously, it’s discontinued nowadays, and can be pricey to track down. I paid about $95 for a 1.11 ounce (30 mL) bottle, which isn’t too bad. But, this is mostly going to appeal to collectors.

Spicebomb Extreme EDP by Viktor & Rolf

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Today, I am going to be taking a closer look at and giving my thoughts on Spicebomb Extreme EDP, after wearing it around. This Viktor & Rolf creation is a flanker to the original Spicebomb, which has long been a popular choice. What does Spicebomb Extreme smell like? How does it perform? Is it worth a try?

Spicebomb Extreme Overview

Notes include: tobacco, cumin, cinnamon, saffron, vanilla, bourbon

Click here to try: Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Extreme Eau De Parfum Spray 50ml/1.7oz

My Full Review of Spicebomb Extreme

It’s been a very long time since I’ve smelled the original Spicebomb, so, I’m not going to make any direct comparisons beyond, I think that Extreme isn’t as spicy. But I’m reporting that from memory, so it might not actually be the case.

Update: I grabbed some newer samples of Spicebomb EDT since originally posting this review. That has a lot of cinnamon, pink pepper, and citrus up top in comparison to this one. Full the full breakdown, here’s my comparison post: Spicebomb vs. Extreme

Anyway, Extreme opens up with lots of tobacco, sweet vanilla, some lavender, and then a bit of spice. Again, it isn’t overly spicy, rather, it is smooth, warm, and sweet. I actually really dig how fresh and comforting it is on my skin and kept putting my nose to my wrist to get another whiff.

Mainly, this fragrance is about the tobacco note, more so than any spices, which seem to just be playing a support role here.

Cinnamon and cumin are the spices in this version, which is why it reminds me of other spiced colognes, while wearing it.

According to Viktor & Rolf’s list of notes, there is also bourbon within the composition (maybe they meant Bourbon vanilla? Totally different.), but Extreme doesn’t put off much (if any) of a boozy vibe to me, especially not a bourbon aroma.

One thing that I do notice, which adds to the freshness, is saffron which I’ve been seeing listed in a lot of colognes recently. This has been especially true of higher end scents. It’s great and not too intrusive in this.

As it dries down, I get a lot of vanilla and tobacco. The vanilla almost comes up to equal strength with the tobacco note and the entire scent feels very warm, if not hot.

Then, there is still the spices flanking the main aroma. It’s actually a fairly straightforward and linear sort of cologne. You get: tobacco and saffron, vanilla, with lingering spice throughout.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I’d say that the sillage is quite large but not heavy. Meaning, for first the 4-5 hours of the wear or so, it can cover a lot of space around you…but it’s not super heavy. Extreme hangs lightly in the air. The rest of the wear, it is much more light to moderate.

It’s definitely got a long reach, but I don’t ever feel like it’s just a dense cloud of fragrance hanging around me.

Longevity is awesome here, 10+ hours of wear. Seriously, this is one that I can spray on, and have it hang around for seemingly as long as I want it to. Obviously, you’re going to shower at some point during the day, but Spicebomb Extreme should stick around until then.

I can safely say it’s double digit hours, with how long it lasts, but 14-15 isn’t surprising on my own skin with Extreme. Perfect.

I don’t know how this performs with other people, but this and Eros Flame, are two of the longest lasting mainstream designer scents I’ve come in contact with. Both are absolute monsters with the longevity.

Seasonally, this is a cold weather wear, all the way. Not something I’d want to put on when it’s warm or humid outside. It can be appropriate for work, if you go light. If you’re going to wear this, you’re probably not going to live in a tropical area.

Mainly, I’d wear it casually or for a night out on the town. It is pretty unique, not necessarily the style of fragrance, but there won’t be many guys wearing Spicebomb Extreme.

It does have a certain sexiness to it, which only adds to its appeal. I think that this Viktor & Rolf creation is really an attractive option. You’ll get enough use out of it in autumn and winter, could potentially be a signature cologne for that stretch of the year.

I put it in the same class as, Man in Black, except that Extreme has much better performance and no booziness. It terms of smell, I think they’re both great and among the best winter options for guys.

Overall Impressions of Spicebomb Extreme

Overall, do I like Spicebomb Extreme? Yes, this stuff is fantastic, provided it fits your style. Again, a cold weather scent, so if you’re not in the right climate it won’t be great.

Tobacco, vanilla, spices, and saffron/lavender. A sweetish somewhat gourmand quality. Not necessarily an appealing prospect for everyone.

If that doesn’t sound nice, avoid this. However, I think most guys would enjoy wearing this cologne, and the performance is top notch.

To me, it’s not really a spice ‘bomb’, it’s a fragrance that has spice. The original fits the moniker much more than this, but Extreme blows it away in terms of performance.

For me, this is the best of the Viktor & Rolf men’s line currently. Second and third, is a toss-up between Spicebomb EDT and Infrared, depending on how I’m feeling. Followed by the green bottled, Night Vision EDP.

This is a very nice tobacco cologne, with sweet hints and calming elements. Nonetheless, it’s a great wear. Really quite perfect for most situations in the late autumn through the winter months.