Cologne Reviews

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.

212 VIP Men by Carolina Herrera

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Maybe I just haven’t been paying enough attention but I think that Carolina Herrera fragrances are criminally underrated. I have yet to come across a scent from this house that I didn’t at least like a bit.

There aren’t too many designers that I can say that about. Recently, I bought a full bottle of 212 VIP, which seemed right up my alley based on the notes and the description of the cologne.

How does this one rate? What does it smell like? Does it have good longevity? Keep reading below for my full thoughts and reaction on 212 VIP for men.

What does 212 VIP Men Smell Like?

Notes include: caviar, lime, frozen mint, black pepper, vodka, ginger, amber, apple, King wood, tonka bean

Click here to try: 212 Vip by Carolina Herrera Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

212 VIP Herrera

My Full Review

The opening of 212 VIP for men starts with a smooth yet spicy blast of the vodka, tonka bean, amber, and pepper notes. Supporting roles come into play from the mint and lime which while not prominent, I think gives VIP a little extra something unique. It has a fizziness from gin, that really allows for it to develop that alcoholic drink personality, up top.

Once the initial spray passes, the passionfruit and lime, bring a fruity sharpness to 212 VIP Men. It has a very citrus appeal, with a refreshing spice, and comes together as a crisp/cold beverage.

After the initial stages, the sweetness of the tonka provides the slight vanilla aroma that blends well with the warmth of the amber. It sort of reminds me of The One by D&G in this regard, yet, these are wholly different scents.

Now, with the vodka note this does have that boozy feel to it, which is perfect for the nightlife…and it’s designed to be that way. As it dries down, I do sense more of the ginger as the spice and less of the original pepper from the opening which allows VIP to take on a different vibe.

I would say that the cologne definitely gets better as time wears on. 212 VIP softens up from the more intense opening but still retains its alluring sexiness.

The base notes of leather and wood, aren’t that strong here. You can pick them up hours into it, but they never really overtake the main ingredients.

Sillage, Longevity, and When to Wear

Projection wise, this stuff is great. A couple sprays were enough to have it be very noticeable without going into the realm of being too much.

It’s a loud and confident kind of fragrance. I get really good longevity out of this too, 8+ hours seems to be no problem thus far…so you do get some bang for your buck.

Update: The sillage on this, is really strong. 212 VIP can be a monster, so spray lightly. Once I grabbed a full bottle of this stuff, the projection absolutely dominates a room.

Update 2: I’m basing all of this on the original bottles, I’m not sure if it’s taken a step back.

It does settle some, but is well above average for the rest of the way until VIP is done. It will routinely get me over 10 hours of wear, sometimes less, but it does its job well.

This is cold weather performer. I’ll be wearing this a lot during the wintertime, as it seems I’m always finding great scents to wear during this time of the year.

This isn’t so much a casual fragrance. I mean, one or two sprays will probably be okay while at work but 212 VIP is built for nights out.

This is a club/bar banger, much like 1 Million but I’m finding VIP, to be the more mature and interesting of the two. Yes, this is a sexy, date night, lady attraction kind of cologne and I will be wearing it as such.

Really, outside of the club/bar scene, this fragrance hasn’t had much application for me. The strength and booziness can be prohibitive, in that regard, and it isn’t able to stray much outside of its niche.

Overall Impression of 212 VIP

Overall, do I think 212 VIP is worth a buy? Yes! I bought my bottle and am very glad that I did. It’s great across the board. It smells really good, it lasts a long time, it isn’t weak, and it’s amazing for nightlife.

Now, I do love a lot of scents that have that sweet tonka, warm ambery, boozy kind of feel to it…so, if that’s not your thing, you should probably go with something else. However, if you want a cold weather cologne that doesn’t let you down, I would strongly consider 212 VIP.

Update: This is still my favorite from the 212 line. I no longer have my full bottle, yet this is one I would want to wear every once in a while. If the price is right this can still be worth it.

Again, this stuff is powerful, and the vodka/gin is an integral part of its composition. You should consider it, if you’re younger and still involved in the bar/club scent. Outside of that, it probably won’t be much use to you.

Le Bateleur 1 by Dolce & Gabbana

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Dolce & Gabbana released it so-called Anthology series of fragrances a few years ago and I have already reviewed two of these colognes on this site already (La Force, Le Fou). In all honesty, this line of scents has been quite disappointing.

Not that they are horrible fragrances by any means, it just seems that they are all sort of bland and/or weak in their longevity and projection. In this post, I want to take a closer look at Le Bateleur 1 from D&G.

What does La Bateleur 1 Smell Like?

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Notes include: coriander, juniper berries, cardamom, cedar, vetiver, and birch

My Full Wear Review

Upon the first spray, I noticed an aquatic quality to this and definitely the juniper berries. That’s what the opening is mostly consisting of in my opinion, water and juniper. It’s nice and has an earthy and woodsy fragrance to it sitting underneath that main accord.

This is a woodsy aquatic, versus the usual fruity or oceanic type of scent. That’s good, if you’re looking for a change of pace.

After a while, it does seem to shift a bit more into the woodsy feeling than being strictly an aquatic with berries. Cedar and birch are the woody notes early on. Then, the dry down will be more about cedar and vetiver.

The final dry down is a cold and fresh woody fragrance. Still quite aquatic, but no

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it’s below average. The opening act isn’t too bad and it reaches a moderate status during that part. However, for most of the wear, I forgot that I was even still wearing La Bateleur.

If I pressed my nose close to the skin, I could detect it. But, outside of that, not really.

Longevity wise, it isn’t that great. Maybe 4 hours on my skin. It’s quite subpar with how it performs. If it had more of a boost in this department, I would be more enthusiastic about adding this one to the collection.

It is a fresh smell that is slightly masculine but could pull off a unisex application. It’s not heavy and animalistic, just a clean woodsy and sometimes hard to pin down scent.

That’s the strength of this scent. You can pretty much wear it whenever and it wouldn’t be that bad of a choice. I would skip nightlife or if you’d want to draw complements. It doesn’t really stand out.

Overall Impressions

Like the rest of the Anthology series (save for L’Imperatrice 3), I feel that this cologne isn’t really anything that special. I definitely like it but not as much as Le Fou 21 or any of the plethora of great fragrance options that I have.

It seems to me that all of the fragrances in this series have plenty of positive qualities, however, none are complete. It’s like they are all missing one ingredient are quality that would tie them together and make them good performers.

Do I recommend it? Not really. It’s a nice scent but I couldn’t justify buying a whole bottle for myself. Give the sample size a try and see if it works for you. It’s not one that even smells terrible, it’s just completely forgettable.

Update: This one came out in 2009, was never popular, and isn’t really around much anymore. Getting a bottle now, would probably be too expensive to even be worth it. So, unless you do get a sub-30 dollar bottle, don’t even worry about this.

Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin

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I received a bunch of cologne samples from Fragrancenet.com yesterday and as such there should be a flood of new fragrance reviews on this site. The first one I’m going to serve up is Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin. Lolita Lempicka is an extremely popular perfume for women and this is the men’s take on it.  So, without further introductory statements let’s just right into it here.

What does Lempicka Au Masulin Smell Like?

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Notes include: licorice, basil, wormwood, ivy, vanilla, violet, rum, tonka bean, sandalwood, praline, cedar, labdanum

My Full Review

The opening note is almost wholly dominated by the licorice note and if that’s not your thing then you may not like it. Usually, I’m indifferent towards the smell of licorice but it kind of became too much for me with Lolita Lempicka.

After about ten minutes or so the licorice gets muted a bit and the scent adds a layer of sweetness to it with the vanilla and makes the scent a whole lot more palatable.

Anise is also heavily present up top, along with wormwood and a general booziness from a touch of rum. The wormwood, anise, and licorice give it the absinthe aroma. So, absinthe and rum.

At this point the cologne is light, fresh, and warm plus utterly sweet. That might be my issue with this fragrance, it is too sweet for my tastes, which I usually enjoy.

The praline is the next in line for the gourmand side of things.. The licorice does tone down and this one becomes a fresher and powdery blend. Violet, which is hidden up top comes out along with the anise/basil spice and the woodier base notes.

That’s the ending for me. A fresh and spicy powder, surrounded by a whole lot of sweet.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The opening sprays here do pack a punch. Au Masculin hangs in the air, leaves a pretty far reaching trail in one’s wake.

But, it will gradually get lighter and lighter. The last few hours are a skin scent, consisting mostly of the woody notes. It’s still around, just not to a massive degree.

How long does it stick around? Somewhere around the 8-ish hour mark. It’s actually pretty darn good at this price point. Not a complete marathon runner fragrance, but it’s never quit too early for me.

Seasonally, you need to think colder to moderate temperatures. As such, I’d keep this Lolita Lempicka to autumn through early springtime. If it gets too warm, this one becomes pretty gross, in my opinion.

This is a youthful cologne, better for more casual use. It’s not one for formality or even school, with its absinthe and anise. The dry down fits in better, but I’d still go with something else for anything semi-formal and beyond.

Overall Impressions

I don’t hate this fragrance, though, I don’t particularly like it very much either. It’s just perhaps a bit too girly or sweet to make it something that I would wear all the time or on a semi-regular basis.

It has a candy-like profile but doesn’t have the same effect as a cologne of similar make up, such as Kouros Body. It gets compared to that other 2000 release in terms of style, but the YSL is much better.

On the plus side, it’s inexpensive, light, and is definitely a fragrance that is attractive to a lot of people. I am just not blown away by it and wasn’t feeling it in terms of my style. Wasn’t the worst sample size I got with this round, but it wasn’t the best either.

Update: Au Masculin seems to be discontinued. Bottles are now super expensive from what I’m seeing…aka not worth it. L’Heure Verte by Kilian is a lot like this one, but more tolerable. Less of the sweetness, more of the absinthe-like aroma. I would try that out, before grabbing Au Masculin.