Cologne Reviews

Eros Flame by Versace

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I have been waiting for many months to get my hands on a bottle of this new Versace release, Eros Flame. I heard about it, saw that it was released in Europe, and couldn’t find any info as to when it was coming to the US.

It was a few months in between its European release and when I could actually purchase a bottle for myself, but finally the day came and I ordered it immediately.

I am a fan of the original, so, I was pretty excited to try out the new Eros in the sharp looking red bottle. Does it meet expectations? What does Flame actually smell like? Can it match the performance of the original? Is it even worth a purchase?

What Does Eros Flame Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, tangerine, chinotto accord, black pepper, wild mountain rosemary, pepperwood, geranium, rose, cedar, patchouli, vetiver, oak moss, sandalwood, tonka bean, and vanilla

Click here to try: Versace Eros Flame 100ml 3.4Oz Eau de Parfume For Men

My Full Wear Review

Eros Flame opens in a similar manner to the original Versace Eros, but has enough differences to be a distinct fragrance. You can definitely tell that the two share a common DNA. The main overlap that I noticed immediately, was in the use of citrus in the top notes.

The lemon note is prominent in both, at the start, and is exactly the same. However, in Eros Flame it is joined by a tangerine note, that will eventually take over the composition from its citrus compatriot.

The tangerine/lemon combo is very bright and juicy at the top. It brings to mind not only the original Eros, but also, Ultra Zest by Thierry Mugler in its orange citrus use. This is especially the case, when the emergent vanilla and tonka bean bring about that smooth creamy aroma.

Versace says that the citrus pairing is a part of a chinotto accord, which is a carbonated soft drink in Italy. I’m not familiar with this at all, so I can’t really speak on what that supposed to smell like.

Now, there are of course, differences at the beginning even with all of the shared commonalities. The green apple from the original is gone and replaced by that tangerine. Also, the cool refreshing mint, has been replaced by a warm black pepper note instead.

The pepper here isn’t crazy spicy and probably not as strong as the mint is in the original. It does add a different element to the composition of Flame and really is the signal that this cologne is changing into something quite different from its predecessor.

On the whole, I really enjoy the opening act. The citrus and vanilla/tonka bean is familiar and there is a certain effervescent quality to the whole thing.

As it dries down, Flame takes on a lot of outdoorsy/woodsy elements, and even during this stage it share some with the original. Cedar, vetiver, oak moss and geranium are all here from the original.

The strength of each has changed particularly the cedar note but the geranium feels a tad more prevalent in Flame. One thing that is different is the rosemary, which I pick up a lot on, maybe an hour or so into the wear.

Flame has a woody and dry earthy base, like Eros, but it is much stronger in the newer version. Rosemary, cedar, some sandalwood, and a very slight hint of rose at times.

All of this sits underneath a top of tangerine, vanilla, tonka bean, and some light black pepper. It is noticeably different from Eros and especially the complete lack of mint here.

The dry down, isn’t my favorite part of Flame. Since wearing this, I really love the opening act, but seem to have to be in the right mood to truly enjoy the latter stages of it.

How Long Does it Last? How Strong is the Sillage?

Projection wise, Eros Flame is really strong on my skin. I definitely get that famous Eros sillage out of this flanker, and two sprays is fairly bold, I can pick it up when sprayed on an old t-shirt across the room. It does calm down, as it dries down, because that lemon top note fades.

However, it provides a solidly strong projection for the entire wear. This isn’t one that I need to spray, very much at all. It gets noticed by others, even with a lighter application, in my experience.

Update: The more time I spent with Flame the more I realized the sillage was crazy. One of the strongest mainstream designer scents that I’ve come across. I think that it actually outdid the initial batches of Eros EDT. I could spray this one something far away in another room and catch whiffs of it. Not sure if newer bottles maintained this power, but geez it was loud…

Longevity is also very good, I hit double digit hours with it each time, that I put it on. Versace didn’t screw this one up, in terms of performance.

Update: I have been using my bottle for months now and the longevity is insane on my skin. I can hit 13-15 hours, at times. It just keeps going.

Update 2: Newer bottles don’t have this same staying power or even close. Same thing happened to the original Eros. Now, it’s in the 8-9 hour range and not nearly as strong.

Versatility. When Should You Wear Eros Flame?

Seasonally, it doesn’t differ in my opinion, from the original. It is best in the colder months of autumn and winter, but can extend its wear into the spring. I think that the absence of amber, could let it perform a little better in the heat, but it’s not a summertime fragrance for me.

Eros Flame has good versatility. If you go super light, it can be an office scent…though, I wouldn’t use it for that purpose. But, it’s best as a casual wear, and especially as a nightlife one.

For some guys, they would choose this as a daily wear and it could certainly serve that purpose, as well.

It still has that Eros vigorous youthfulness, but never feels like something only a teenager can wear. It is attractive and has a level of sexiness about it. Obviously, I think it’s less sexy in the later stages, but I’m sure others will disagree.

Overall Impression of Flame

Overall, do I like Versace Eros Flame? I do. I bought a full bottle of this stuff as a complete blind buy and still plan on wearing it, after testing it out. That’s a good sign, I at least didn’t throw away money.

Update: The more that I wore it, the less I enjoyed Flame. I like the opening citrus, but the later dry down, gets on my nerves. Seriously, that dry down just grated on me. Something about it, that I’ve also found with the newer batches of Eros EDT…just to the extreme with this one.

The vanilla and tonka bean started to have less of an influence, in those latter stages. Also, once the citrus had mostly burned off, I just felt it less.

I ended up getting rid of my bottle, after not using it much at all past those initial 5-6 months. Even during that phase, it was sparsely worn. So, it sat on my shelf for over 2 years. The red bottle did look fantastic, however.

I know that this is some people’s favorite Eros. To me, it’s the worst. Opening hour or so is attractive and after that…meh. 

If you enjoyed the original Eros, you’ll more than likely be into Flame. If you didn’t like Eros, it probably won’t change your mind.

I don’t think that Flame surpasses the original, it has a lot of similarities, but offers more woodiness and enough differences to keep it interesting for me. Flame is a great balance of sweetness with dry woods and a peppery spice.

The citrus is similar at the beginning to Eros, but changes, and is a consistent aspect of the cologne. It is worth a try and should enjoy plenty of popularity in the near future.

1 Million Lucky by Paco Rabanne

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Sometimes, I completely miss that a new popular fragrance has been released, and don’t find out about it until months later. That is the case with today’s cologne review, a new flanker scent by Paco Rabanne, 1 Million Lucky.

Yep, there is a new continuation of the 1 Million namesake, but how does Lucky stack up? What’s it smell like? Is it any good? Continue below for my thoughts on this cologne after wearing it around for a while.

What does 1 Million Lucky Smell Like?

Notes include: hazelnut, cedar, green plum, patchouli, grapefruit, amber, and more

Click here to try: 1 Million Lucky by Paco Rabanne Eau de Toilette Spray 100ml

My Full Review

Many people are going to wonder how much Lucky smells like the original 1 Million. I’m going to do an entire comparison between these two scents in another post, but for now, I will say that there is some shared sensibilities.

The main highlights are different but they have a similar core with the overlapping cedar, patchouli, amber, and grapefruit notes. Those weren’t the main attractions in the original, but they were indeed there.

The opening of 1 Million Lucky, is a freshly sweet, warm, and woody aroma. The plum note sits on top and is paired with a bit of honey and a dash of citrus. It actually does have a tart quality, as well, which some may not enjoy. I like it.

These sweeter notes sit on top of a cedar wood base that is covered in amber. It’s a warm, though, not spicy cloud which has a creamy/nutty quality to it thanks to the hazelnut.

About 30 minutes in, is when I really notice the similarities with the original 1 Million, but again they are ultimately quite different. At this stage, I am detecting quite a bit of the cedar, amber, and the familiar patchouli note.

Further along, the hazelnut plays a bigger role. It is there at the start,  but really starts to show later when some of the fruit has burned off.

However, I ultimately get a sweet plum/honey mix as the strongest players within the composition. It’s plum, honey, amber, hazelnut, with a little grapefruit sitting on top of a cedar finish.

The very tail end is like a honeyed woods. Cedar and vetiver come through the most for me. Maybe a bit of patchouli which aids in the gourmand qualities of the honey and remaining hazelnut.

Feels much drier in the latter stages, not the same level of tart/sweetness either. The tart aspects are pretty much completely gone with the degraded plum.

Sillage, How Long Does it Last, and Versatility

Projection wise, is this a beast like the other 1 Million scents? Not really. The sillage isn’t bad but it isn’t a fragrance that will completely bomb a room, either.

It hangs much closer to the skin and projects out to maybe a 3-4 foot radius around the wearer. That’s a nice change of pace.

Don’t get me wrong, Lucky is still well above average and can be over-sprayed. It’s just that you probably won’t with most usual applications. All though, that opening 20 minutes or so, can be fairly loud.

Longevity wise, it isn’t that 12 hour plus wear of the original. I get about 6-7 hours from Lucky. Perhaps, as much as 8 hours, with the last bit being super close to the skin.

I’ve worn this probably 10+ times by now and I seemingly get the same results each time. 6-8ish hours of wear. Then, it is gone. That’s not bad performance at all.

Is Lucky a versatile fragrance? Yes, I think that this is the aspect where it has the original definitely beat. Since it is much more understated, Lucky can be worn during your everyday life, while also still serving as a club scent.

It is also kind of a unisex fragrance, more so than one simply for men. I know that they’ve released a women’s perfume version of Lucky, as well, but this one could be worn by anyone. Though, leans masculine.

It has more of youthful vibe, like early to mid 20s, but isn’t as polarizing as the original 1 Million. It does come across as unique and that plum note can have a sharp sort of smell.

What’s great about Lucky’s versatility, is that it works year round. It can do somewhat well in the heat of summer and won’t completely melt. These particular sweet notes aren’t going to melt like the usual gourmand sugary ingredients.

But, if it is too hot and humid, I’d skip out for something geared more towards that climate. 1 Million Lucky is at it’s best in colder to more temperate weather. Actually, autumn was my favorite time to use my mini bottle.

Overall Impression of Lucky

Overall, do I like 1 Million Lucky? Yes. At the moment, I’m not blown away by it, but I definitely enjoy it. It’s got a pretty unique profile versus most of what is out on the market today and differentiates itself enough from its predecessors.

I like the plum note here, as I think that it adds a different sort of sweetness than is found in many colognes. It’s ultimately a very good mix of sweetness, woody base, and a nutty top that has an understated attractiveness.

That being said, I don’t prefer it to either 1 Million or Prive. For younger guys, it actually could be a solid first option. It’s something I can only really throw on once in a while, but I do like the tart and sweetness.

The performance is good. It’s not elite, but for the mass of designer colognes out there, Lucky can hold its own versus most of them.

Update: It looks like this one is being discontinued now, just as Prive was a few years ago. As of this moment, it’s still available in stores, but it might be the last of the new stock. So, if you want this one, you would do well to grab a bottle.

Bad Boy by Carolina Herrera

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Bad Boy was released by Carolina Herrera in 2019 and has become a rather popular fragrance. I’ve pretty much ignored it, up to this point in time. I have smelled it before, but really wasn’t that intrigued. But, with the release of Le Parfum, I figured I should get a hold of this one as well and do a full review. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is Bad Boy EDT worth a try?

What does Bad Boy by Carolina Herrera Smell Like?

Notes include: white pepper, cocoa, sage, tonka bean, vetiver, pink pepper, grapefruit, and amber

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera Bad Boy EDT Eau de Toilette 3.4oz / 100ml For Men, Black

My Full Review

This fragrance opens up sort of weird for me. On my skin, it resembles a honeycomb (like an actual honeycomb) dipped in amber and then sprinkled with pepper. Early on, I get very little citrus and almost no real sweetness to this scent.

Another thing that has stood out to me with Bad Boy EDT, is how different it can smell up close versus what I pick up in the air. Throughout the wear, if I smell it on my skin up close, I get amber, pepper, and sage mostly.

However, at a distance from my skin, it becomes much more about the tonka bean, cocoa, and other assorted notes. That aroma, I absolutely have started to really enjoy.

Now, the Carolina Herrera website lists black and white pepper as notes. Then, it lists the notes as white and pink pepper. I’m leaning towards it being pink pepper with more of a generic white pepper, not being involved. In either case, it wasn’t super prevalent.

What’s interesting to me, is how much citrus I pick up after 30 minutes or so. It’s a part of the top notes, but get almost zero on my skin at first. Then, it comes on and blends in that sweet tonka bean and cocoa mix.

I don’t think that Bad Boy is a really nuanced fragrance, but it is a strange one with how it develops and interacts with my skin. It can smell very different based on distance alone.

That’s what I get for most of the rest of the wear. A warm amber-soaked cocoa and tonka bean, sitting on top of a fairly woodsy base. Not super sweet, but with enough fresh spice hanging around to keep things balanced.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Bad Boy isn’t a heavy fragrance, more of a moderate, but it has a consistency through the wear. It’s not one that opens up huge and then falls apart quickly. With a good amount of application it is going to hang around and be noticed by others.

I’d call it above average, but I think it sticks more in the 3-5 foot range for most of the wear, before becoming more intimate as you close in on the finish line.

The longevity is pretty decent, but not elite, by any means. For me, it’ll go for 7 hours and maybe a little bit more…but not quite 8 it seems. If it were pumped up a bit in performance, this would be a darn near classic, in the realm of youthful colognes with popular mass appeal.

Is it a super unique fragrance? Not really, as you’ve probably smelled other scents that have a similar vibe and style. However, this specific construction of notes is a bit different. It’s similar to many things, but not a straight match of anything that I can think of.

Seasonally, this would be best in autumn and winter. You could also wear it out at night, when the temperatures aren’t too high, just avoid the heat with this.

Bad Boy definitely skews younger, but since its more of a casual or nightlife wear, an older guy could absolutely wear this. I doubt most people would be trying to spray on Bad Boy when going to a business meeting.

This is more of a fun, somewhat sexy, and borderline party fragrance. Not to the same degree as something like 212 VIP, but this isn’t a stuffy formal wear.

Overall Impressions of Bad Boy

Overall, do I like Bad Boy? I do. Wearing it a few times, made me really appreciate this fragrance for what it is. It’s not some niche masterpiece, but it is something that plenty of guys are going to enjoy (they already do).

Up close, it does smell a lot messier and synthetic than when you come across it floating in the air. That sweeter, amber/woody aroma is actually very attractive and something that I enjoyed catching off my skin during the day.

The performance is good, even if I’d like it amped up some more. Neither this nor Bad Boy Le Parfum are powerhouses.

Even still, I think that it has enough going for it to be a worthwhile fragrance to try. I don’t think it’s amazing, but it has its merits, and probably gets hated on way too much.

This is one of those colognes that will draw complements especially from those who dig a sweeter scent. This one is a good mix of the sweet and spicy. Not something that I’m personally going to run out and buy, but I like it.

YSL Pour Homme Haute Concentration

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YSL Pour Homme was the famed 1971 release from the French designer. 1981 saw the introduction of Kouros, followed in 1983 by the subject of today’s review, Yves Saint Laurent Pour Homme Haute Concentration. This higher concentration version of the original, is an under the radar 80s powerhouse. But, how does it smell? Is it still worth tracking down a bottle of nowadays?

What does YSL Pour Homme Haute Concentration Smell Like?

Notes include: Amalfi lemon, carnation, oakmoss, nutmeg, rosemary, petitgrain, wood, tonka bean, patchouli

My Full Review

I’ve been thinking about this one for a while, after purchasing another bottle of Opium Pour Homme and considering getting Kouros Body, for some further nostalgia. I’d never tried it, barely remember what the original YSL Pour Homme smelled like, and bottles of Haute Concentration were pretty insane on eBay (and unknown quality).

As fate would have it, I was scrolling through Jomashop’s website, and a tester bottle of Haute Concentration was for sale. $120. Very quickly purchased it, as even the limited batches YSL had been doing during the past decade are now discontinued.

But, that ordered got cancelled, since they didn’t actually have it in stock. Went back to eBay and found a old gift set (with soap) of the original Haute Concentration in the black bottle for $100. Quality be damned this time, I wanted it.

Now, I have no idea how old this particular bottle is. I do know that it’s in the original black bottle, which became clear glass later. This was also, I believe, re-released as a part of a special collection, featured in yet another bottle.

Update: I looked up the batch code, it’s a bottle from 1986 apparently. 

Anyway, this opens up with the Amalfi lemon note being very prominent. With my bottle, it feels sort of sour for a minute (may just be due to age), but that quickly fades and becomes a dusty lemon surrounded by plenty of old school oakmoss, rosemary, and petitgrain.

I actually think that this might be true oakmoss, pre-regulations, it smells great in comparison to many of the newer synthetic varieties.

The real stand out with the lemon early on though, is the rosemary note. The start of this scent reminds me of D&G Pour Homme, not exactly (and better), with the use of the lemon and herbal notes.

It’s dry, a bit green in the early stages, with some spicy hints from that carnation ,nutmeg, and rosemary note. The carnation and nutmeg come in more to my nose, once that initial lemon and rosemary fade off somewhat.

The next phase will be more about lemon and moss, with tonka bean adding a touch of sweetness and powder to this aroma. YSL Haute Concentration drifts more into the aromatic soap category of perfume.

It’s not a lather and thankfully doesn’t go into the usual lavender/jasmine realm of things. It’s a classic and stylized clean, like you stepped out of the shower after washing with a high end soap bar (which my gift set that I purchased actually came with).

Finally, the dry down comes along. This one has a musk/oil ingredient in there somewhere. It’s not massive, but you can smell it. The lemon has been subdued into a mix of wood, patchouli, and moss. A fresher woody soap, at this point, but still balanced.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Based on reviews that I had read prior to buying this, I was expecting Haute Concentration to be an absolute bomb. For my bottle, that’s not the case. I did buy this one pre-opened, with 95%+ left in the bottle, so it’s possible that it’s lost some steam over the years.

Yet, it’s not weak. Solidly above average, allowing me to catch whiffs of the fragrance on my wrists, when I went outside for a walk.

During my initial tests, it seems to want to hit the 8-9 hour range, on my skin. Maybe it once got more than that. After at least 25 years or so, I have no problems with how this one sticks around. Still better than some modern designers, even as an EDT formulation.

Seasonally, this is a year round fragrance. It’s been both cold and warm during the tail end of this winter, and YSL Pour Homme is magnificent in either case. Maybe not a hottest days of summer play, if you’re going to be outside. However, it’s not super thick or cloying either.

This is one that can be worn casually, but I prefer it dressed up more. It functions well as a daily wear, office scent, and can even venture into the nightlife. Again, it’s clean and fresh, and might not be the ‘sexiest’ cologne out there.

Personally, I think it’s still attractive, and presents something different versus just about any mainstream fragrance out there now. Not a scream for attention night club or party scent, but you will smell great.

Overall Impressions of Haute Concentration

Overall do I like this fragrance? Yes, it’s a fantastic wear. It completely captures that 70-80s vibe, in a trimmed down but concentrated version of the original YSL Pour Homme. Again, I only have vague memories of that one, but it all seems familiar.

I like this better than both Kouros and Jazz, which are two other 1980s releases from YSL. I know Kouros gets all the headlines, but this is simply more appealing to me.

Very refined and doesn’t have any of the usual trappings of the modern men’s fragrance. It’s a fresh aromatic, with a balanced use of woodsy notes, spicy herbal notes, and a great lemon note. Even with that, somewhat sour start.

It’s a classic style, though, not particularly challenging to wear. There’s no insane or particularly heavy notes in here that might scare someone off. Maybe some bottles will still have more potency and you might not need to use much, lest you choke out a room.

It’s plenty versatile, balanced, and could probably be worn by any age group if they really wanted to. It exudes a classiness, however. Not necessarily straight formal, but I’d like to wear this outside of just the usual t-shirt and jeans.

It can be worthwhile to track down a bottle. I know most people searching for this and reading this review will be collector types, since the general public doesn’t know this even exists. The $108 price tag is about what you’d expect with some high end designers. Sure, it’s only a 2 oz bottle, but not a bad deal.

I’m going to be wearing YSL Pour Homme Haute Concentration, for years to come it seems.

Perry Ellis Aqua EDT

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With my last purchase, I picked up a mini bottle of a Perry Ellis fragrance, that I wasn’t too familiar with: Perry Ellis Aqua. So, I decided to try it out, and see if it was worthwhile to wear. In this post, I am going to give my thoughts on its performance, how it smells, and whether or not I think it is worth a purchase or should be avoided completely.

What does Perry Ellis Aqua Smell Like?

Notes include: sea water, lime, bergamot, musk, coriander, lavender, wood, ambergris

Click here to try: Perry Ellis Aqua Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Perry Ellis Aqua opens up with a blend of the citrus notes and a salty sea water ingredient. It has a similar start to Set Sail St. Barts, but that Tommy Bahama cologne, has a stronger lime opening and more of a creamy aroma.

I like the start, it is fresh, and has a nice summertime vibe. Underneath that initial layer, there is a bit of spicy from the musk and coriander combination. It’s a light and non-offensive spice, but has a real nice quality to it.

Neither of these notes takes over the composition, but I can distinctly pick them out from the rest. At this point, you have a blue aquatic with lime, and some underlying spices.

Further along in the fragrance’s dry down period, Aqua’s lavender and wood notes emerge. The wood is extremely light, but the lavender, is a calming influence on the scent and tempers the coriander quite a bit.

From here, it’s a pretty linear scent, with the aquatic sea note leading the charge. I get that, a layer of citrus, lavender, and musk.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Perry Ellis Aqua starts off with a moderate and very noticeable sillage. Later, it gets much lighter, but the performance is actually not bad.

The cologne lasts for somewhere in the 6-8 hour range on my skin. I have found that this is one to spray more than usual, as you will get some better sillage, and it’s cheap enough not to break the bank.

This is a spring summer wear all the way. I like it for casual days or nights out. It does fit younger guys much better, say college age and mid-20s, but it doesn’t have a overtly teenager fragrance kind of aroma.

It’s a relaxed vibe, not completely complex, or something that stands out as a must have.

While Aqua, is a pretty straightforward fragrance, it is a pretty attractive one. While it’s still in the projection stage of its wear, it could definitely get some complements. It isn’t a sexy fragrance, but clean and pleasantly fresh, all the way.

Overall Impressions of Aqua

Overall, do I like Perry Ellis Aqua? For what it is, yes, it’s fine. It isn’t an amazing fragrance, by any means, but it is a cheapie that performs well enough and has a good smell.

It’s not one which will stand out, but just quietly go about its job, and is a good example of a very inexpensive aquatic scent.

It’s probably not something that I’m going to wear personally, very often, but I also already have countless other options. For guys, who want something simple and cheap for the summer months, this could fill that role well enough.

The salty aquatic air, the lime and other citrus, with musk and coriander highlighting the top. That is probably the best part of the wear, in my mind. The lavender does calm down the coriander aspect, but I think that initial rougher aroma is the most interesting.

I wouldn’t run out and buy this, but if it fits your needs and you can get it for around $20, I’d say it’s fairly worthwhile.