Cologne Reviews

Baccarat Rouge 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

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Baccarat Rouge 540 is a fragrance that has catapulted to insane levels of fame, probably thanks to social media. Some think it’s the best thing they’ve encountered, others think it is entirely overrated and terrible. Me, I don’t entirely fall into either camp. But, I have tested out samples of this perfume to see what it is really all about. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP?

Notes include: saffron, hedione, cedar, ambroxan, fir resin

Click Here to try: BR 540 at Saks

baccarat 540 review

My Full Review

Here’s how Maison Kurkdjian describes it: The woody scent releases a poetic alchemy, a highly condensed and graphic olfactory signature. Breezy jasmine facets, radiant saffron boost the ambergris mineral notes and the woody tones of freshly-cut cedar. Bright and sleek, Baccarat Rouge 540 eau de parfum caresses the skin like an amber and woody floral whisper.

BR 540 starts off with its saffron and jasmine notes up top. The hedione (jasmine) actually has a bit of a lemony tinge to it. Clean, sweetish (maybe more bittersweet with the saffron?), with a very unique smelling mix of resin and woods.

There is a little spice here in the opening stage, nothing extreme, just a bit of a bite.

The ambroxan note, plays a pretty big role here. Amberwood, ambroxan, etc. Different names for basically the same chemical molecule.

This one does seem to have more of a mineral/metallic kind of smell than some of the others that I’ve come across, which again, is probably heightened by the saffron.

Once the hedione has settled down, this one starts to get more resinous and woody. It’s a very dry fragrance with a potent freshness to it, through the back half of the wear.

Yet, it does come across to me as being a ‘fluffy’ smelling perfume, rather than the usual woody fare. That’s one reason Baccarat Rouge so often gets compared to Cloud by Ariana Grande.

This is better, but that overlap is indeed present.

Towards the end, this mainly becomes a cedar and ambroxan mix on my skin. That cedar note, can feel pretty sharp, it’s probably my least favorite in this composition. The resinous quality is still there, probably a blend of the fir and a few amber-like ingredients in the mix.

The jasmine is basically gone and there isn’t much saffron left, for me at least.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

So, Baccarat Rouge isn’t a terribly heavy scent. As I said, it does have a cloud-like fluffiness to it.

But, the projection is actually well above average. It can be a difficult one to gauge really. Sometimes, I can spray it on clothing and pick it up across the room. Other times, I can go nose blind to it, on my own skin.

I’ve read others say that they literally cannot smell a thing, with Baccarat Rouge.

Honestly, I think that all of the varying reactions to what it smells like and just how powerful it is, probably explains a good deal of why this perfume is talked about so much…it’s hard to get an understanding of it.

I’d say err on the side of caution, if you’re going to be in a situation where spraying too much might cause a problem for those around you.

The longevity with this Kurkdjian scent, is really good. Though, I must say, it does fluctuate quite a bit. It’s never bad, the minimum is 8 hours. It can, however, go for up to 12 hours on my skin.

It does usually split the difference and leans more towards double digit hours of wear.

Seasonally, I like this mostly in the colder weather of autumn and winter. Not a super heavy scent, just not one that I’d reach for in late spring or the summer. If it’s not too hot where you live, you might be able to get more use out of it.

It does have great versatility. It can be worn by all ages, is unisex, and can be worn on a variety of occasions. It leans more feminine, so, I wouldn’t advise all guys to choose BR 540…but it isn’t super girly or anything either.

I don’t really think of it as a nightlife perfume or one that is all that ‘sexy’. Outside of that, it can generally fit in and does have an attractive quality.

Overall Impressions of Baccarat Rouge 540

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, I think that it’s very good. However, it has somehow become insanely popular and overhyped to a crazy level. The Extrait version is better, in my mind.

It can be a strange scent. As some people apparently get a band aid or even a ‘dentist’s office’ sort of aroma from this. I understand the comparisons, it just doesn’t fully come across that way on my skin.

Funny, others get cotton candy from this…I guess, maybe a little.

I enjoy the saffron in the opening, the jasmine, and the resinous qualities of the dry down. That amberwood note is something that I think turns a lot of people off with this, especially with the cedar freshness.

However, I actually think the amber facets work here, even with that synthetic style amberwood that they put in so many perfumes nowadays. Most of the time, it’s not great, but I don’t dislike the Baccarat 540 use of it.

It is a major factor in this perfume, so, you’re going to have to like it.

The performance here is good. To me, it’s not a super loud scent, but it can have a bit more projection than you actually think it does. The longevity is fantastic, so no issues there.

Is Baccarat Rouge 540, worth a blind buy? I’d lean towards no, due to the price. I’d highly recommend getting a hold of a sample or trying it out in a store before committing.

It is a popular fragrance, but there are plenty of people who are let down by their experience.

That’s an expensive mistake that you don’t need to make. There are now many alternatives which have come out for cheaper and perfumes similar to Baccarat Rouge 540.

Coromandel Les Exclusifs de Chanel

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Coromandel is a fragrance from Chanel that I’ve admired for quite while now. I’ve gone through a few samples of this scent over the years and recently grabbed another to finally give this perfume a full review on the site. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a buy?

What does Coromandel Smell Like?

Notes include: frankincense, rose, white chocolate, benzoin, sandalwood, patchouli, neroli, bitter orange, and more

Click here to try: Coromandel at Chanel

My Full Review

Here’s how Chanel describes it: “I thought I fainted with happiness when, for the first time, I saw a Coromandel,” Gabrielle Chanel said. Mademoiselle had a gift for understanding a variety of styles and mixing them with her own. She filled her Paris apartment with precious, floral-adorned Coromandel screens, creating a mysterious aura. The COROMANDEL fragrance reflects this feeling of exquisite enchantment.

Note: This is a review of the Les Exclusifs eau de parfum version of Coromandel. There’s others, like an EDT, and an EDP that wasn’t in the “Les Exclusifs” bottle…though, I believe it’s exactly the same as that one.

Coromandel definitely has a lot going on from the very start. A very deep fragrance. The opening gives you bright citruses, bitter orange, and the floral spices of neroli. But, that is joined by a massive hit of patchouli, along with some other unlisted spices (cinnamon).

The initial blast of spice and some of that citrus will lose positioning. The lovely white chocolate note emerges, which really helps to set Coromandel apart, and make this a scent to remember.

After about 20 minutes, the orris root and the smoky/resinous/amber notes start to play a larger role. Benzoin gives Coromandel that sweetish, almost fuzzy smelling aroma.

The iris aroma is the only distinct floral aroma, I get while wearing. There is also a jasmine and rose here, but not something I pick up on.

There is a warm smoke from incense and the general sweetness from the white chocolate, that can sometimes come across as pure vanilla in this stage (vanilla is a note, also).

Further along, the smokiness/fuzziness smooths out and it becomes more of a traditional amber note. Amber soaked wood, the patchouli note is in control with a rich green aroma, and the white chocolate/vanilla combination.

The citrus is gone. Very little floral influence. Spices to a minimum. Has an earthiness to it that feels refined and not too much like an overbearing patchouli note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is at the upper end of moderate, at its peak. Not super strong or something that’ll fill a room, but you know Coromandel is there.

7-8 feet from the skin, at it’s max. Then, it’ll move in closer for a consistent level of projection.

On me, this lasts around 8 hours give or take. Sometimes, it’ll hang around a bit longer than that, I just bank on getting 8.

Seasonally, I’d stick to autumn and winter. This one needs to be worn in cooler temperatures for the best results. I’d put it away for summertime and find something else to wear then.

Coromandel is a unisex option from Chanel. Though, one that leans more feminine. It’s elegant and classy, not girly. So, if you’re a man, you can probably wear this without much issue. It just does lean more one way.

Coromandel might not be a daily wear for everyone. It’s not a nightlife bomb or party goer fragrance. It’s really good for more formal occasions, just not exclusively. Wear this one dressed up, to match its high price tag.

Overall Impressions of Coromandel EDP

Do I like this scent? Absolutely, this is a favorite of mine from Chanel, especially from their unisex options.

It’s got spices, amber, wood, smoke, resin, white chocolate, and a patchouli that’s actually awesome. Lots of detail and something that is utterly great on the right cold evening.

Everything here is well done and Coromandel manages to feel modern and classy without being stuffy.

The performance is well above average. Not completely elite or anything, but I’m not disappointed by it at all.

Is this a safe blind buy? I’d say probably not. It is definitely pricey, may not appeal to everyone, or might not fit your personal style at all. This is a Chanel, I’d for sure test out, because it can become a favorite perfume for the right person.

Higher by Christian Dior

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I recently got a hold of a travel size sprayer of Higher by Christian Dior. It’s been one that I’ve wanted to try out for a long while, so, I jumped at the chance to get a bit for pretty cheap.

This fragrance was released 20 years ago. As such, it isn’t all that abundant anymore. The question is, is Higher actually worth getting a full bottle of? How does it smell? Does it last?

What does Higher Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, peach, pear, basil, cypress, cedar, rosemary, pepper, and more

Try on Amazon:  Higher By Christian Dior For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

My Full Review

From the first spray, I immediately get a big dose of the herbal and spiced notes. Basil mostly, along with, pepper and rosemary. 

The fruit notes here are present, just really quite weak. The most noticeable aspect is the wateriness of the pear. A light lemon and some peach, for good measure. Everything comes together to exude a cold aromatic freshness.

It’s almost a melon-like feeling. Not necessarily a smell, but that cold, watery, crispness of a cut piece of melon.

Since this fragrance came out in 2001, Higher is a nice change of pace versus what else is popular these days. No giant ambroxan note, ‘blue-ish’ aroma, or anything along those lines. 

10-15 minutes into the wear, the pepper and rosemary, start to get replaced by cypress and cardamom. The basil sticks around for the duration and is one of the main notes in Higher.

What’s interesting is that during this stage, I get much more peach than I had before. It’s layered underneath, but I can distinctly pick out that fruit. It’s less of that original ‘melon’ and just a much more defined peach. 

The final dry down gives me: cypress, basil, cedar, and all of the other notes seem to blend together. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is a light sort of fragrance. The first few minutes made me think that this would be more of a middle of the road scent. However, it quickly loses much of that initial projecting ability. It’s not a complete skin scent, at least for a few hourse.

The longevity is where this one loses me. It only sticks around for 3-4 hours on my skin. It’s really note good at all. I’m pretty sure that I had the same problem with Higher Energy, when I tried it 7-8 years ago. 

 

There was a Higher Black version as well, which I think had more intensity. But, good luck finding bottles of that. It’s really a disappointment with this line and maybe a reason why nobody really talks about Higher, as a classic Dior fragrance.

This is a great spring and summertime wear. Gives you a different option from the usual aquatics or heavy citrus scents. This is cool, fresh, and herbal/woody. Green with watery highlights from the pear note (and some light fruity sweetness).

That being said, early autumn also works. I’d probably go with something more substantial for the winter months.

You could wear this casually, to the office, or out on a date. Higher is a very attractive scent, that is perfectly capable of drawing complements.

Overall Impressions of Higher

Do I like this Dior scent? Based on smell alone, I think that Higher is great. It gives me a fairly unique vibe, with some depth, and it’s just pleasant to wear across the board.

I do like the basil note. The use of cypress and when the peach has it’s coming out party. It all comes together well and is super versatile.

That being said, the performance is pretty bad. It just won’t last for more than 4 hours at best. I’d probably be willing to buy a vintage bottle of this scent online, but, not for $130-ish.

I think they might sell this still in certain regions, but it’s discontinued in the US. So, you might not have to pay a high price, unless you have to import it. 

The basil and cypress notes are great. Along with the spices, it makes me think of L’Homme Libre. Not the same smell, but the spices and woods, have a similar style. 

This is an underrated scent that seems to have flown under the radar. Really, an awesome smelling scent.

I can absolutely recommend this one on the aroma. Performance? Not so much. Whether that works for you or not, is your decision. 

L’Homme Ideal Cologne by Guerlain

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Okay, so, I have already reviewed L’Homme Ideal by Guerlain on this site. Since this initial publication, they came out with Cologne and a host of other fragrances under the Ideal banner. The subject of this review, L’Homme Ideal Cologne, always got me confused with the original EDT release because of the name and very similar original bottles. Anyway, I’ve updated the page for my review, for this fragrance I don’t even think they make anymore.

What does L’Homme Ideal EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, bergamot, orange, almond, musk, pink pepper, musk, neroli

Click here to try: Guerlain L’Homme Ideal Cologne EDT Spray for Men, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Ideal Cologne is an excellent blast of the citrus notes that makes up the composition. Mostly, it’s grapefruit and orange but I can also detect of bergamot. Really, I find it to be very attractive at the start, I love the citrus notes in this fragrance.

Now, the almond note is also there, and is the main attraction in the original L’Homme Ideal but this is an entirely different scent from that one (which is also a great fragrance).

This is more of a summery citrus based fragrance while the original is more of a sweet masculine scent for the colder months of the year.

About 15-20 minutes after spraying on my skin, the almond and vetiver notes become much more prominent. Man, it becomes such a smooth and pleasant scent to wear.

The citrus notes feel quite ‘cool’ and light, almost like a frozen drink, and then the almond and vetiver give it a bit more substance as it wears on.

Thankfully, the musk note in here isn’t overpowering and provides a nice touch. It screams freshness with that sort of zesty energy found with citrus.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Ideal Cologne isn’t a big hitter, and really doesn’t need to be. This is a light fragrance that doesn’t hit you over the head, rather, it lingers throughout the day.

None of the Ideal scents are complete beast mode, at least for long stretches of time. However, this is lighter than flankers like EDP, and is going to sit closer to the skin for much of the wear.

It’s longevity is better than the original fragrance. With this, I can hit 8 hours or more of good performance. Again, it’s not a powerful scent but it will stick around for a while. For a summer scent, it’s actually got great performance.

For me, this is spring/summer all the way. While I completely dig L’Homme Ideal, I felt that it’s performance wasn’t totally up to snuff, and I have too many other options in the colder months.

However, with Ideal Cologne, I get a very reasonable option for when it’s warm outside, nice performance, and a scent that is versatile. Update: Yeah, wearing this outdoors is a great experience during the early parts of the summer.

I could wear this casually or out on a date and feel like it would work well. It’s attractive in the sense that you want to smell it, but not necessarily a ‘sexy’ fragrance…it kind of skirts that line.

This is a good option for those who want something to wear during summer evenings. It’s clean and has a crowd pleasing aroma.

Overall Impressions of L’Homme Ideal

Overall, would I recommend L’Homme Ideal Cologne? Yes. I think it’s a really good cologne all around. Not the best thing ever, granted, but still a great wear that is still affordable.

Update: This has been discontinued for a while now. Though, it’s among my favorite from the Ideal series. Maybe, even number one, depending on the day. I doesn’t appear that you can still chase down cheap bottles. So, I don’t know if I’d pay the higher asking price. Over $100 is a bit much, unless you’re already sure that you love this one. 

This fragrance did grow on me, more and more, as I got more experience with it after initial testing. The Ideal fragrances are a bit overhyped, in my opinion, but they’re all enjoyable. 

Update 2: Guerlain basically re-released this as Ideal Platine Prive. So, try to find that if you can. That is a limited edition too, but still more bottles available versus the Cologne version.

The citrus and almond combination is awesome here. Taking these notes found in the rest of the line and giving them precedence versus the heavier leathers and smoke that can be found in other Ideal scents.

From what I’ve seen you can pick up a nice sized bottle for under $40, at most places online. I’m quite impressed by this and will probably pick up a full bottle for myself at some point. For the summer, it’s a nice pick up and it isn’t too well known.

Obsessed for Men By Calvin Klein

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Walking through a department store, I made my usual pass around the fragrance counters, and saw a Calvin Klein display with a men’s fragrance I have yet to try. Apparently, it’s a new release and called Obsessed for Men. There was a tester spray bottle, so, I hit my arms up with three sprays in order to experience it and do a one-time wear review for the site.

In this post, I’m going to cover all of the usual aspects of this cologne, and give my take on how it wears and performed during my limited interaction with it.

What does Obsessed by Calvin Klein Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, cardamom, pepper, ambroxan, leather, grapefruit, cedar

Click here to try: Calvin Klein Obsessed for Men Eau De Toilette, 1 fl. oz.

My Full Wear Review

Obsessed for Men seems like a very familiar scent even though I cannot pinpoint what specific cologne it reminds me of. I’m leaning towards it being a mix of several fragrances and just triggering my memory all at once.

The opening gives me a really fresh start with the grapefruit, pepper, and cedar stepping out in front. The vanilla note is always present and really ties the whole thing together.

Obsessed is a very clean fragrance, it is on the lighter side, and almost unisex but man, I like the super fresh energy that I get from it.

I think Obsessed is supposed to be a flanker fragrance to the original Obsession or at least a nod to it.  There does seem to be some overlap but since it’s been a few years since last wearing Obsession, I can’t really give a detailed head to head.

However, it does share the grapefruit, vanilla, and amber/ambroxan notes, so there is some similarity…but I don’t really recall the original smelling like this.

As Obsessed wears on, it becomes more vanilla/spicy/ambroxan than it’s initial grapefruit, though it doesn’t ever really become masculine. Still quite fresh and clean and upbeat.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Obsessed is okay. It’s not really a powerful scent but it isn’t as bad as some other CK releases. Not a powerhouse, but it can give you a few feet of radius off of your skin.

The longevity for my test run was about 4-5 solid hours and then maybe another hour wear it was still noticeable but weak. Again, not great but not the worst either. Maybe it’d be better in different weather or with more wear from me but that’s what I got with the one time deal.

Even if I had spent more time with this fragrance, I wouldn’t expect more than a few more hours on the high end of things. This, like a lot of other CK scents, isn’t a big time performer.

Seasonally,  you do get a lot of use from a cologne like this. It’s probably not great at the extremes of temperatures, but for spring and early summer it’s fine. Also, in the autumn months, Obsessed would be quite nice.

I’d call this a casual cologne, though, I could see myself wearing this on a date. Again, it’s not the most masculine scent but it does have a certain attractiveness/sexiness to it. The vanilla note is sweet, fairly warm, and darkened by the spice. It’s quite intriguing.

Overall Impressions of Obsessed

Overall, would I say Obsessed for men is a buy? Maybe. I actually do really like the way it smells, but I’d want some more time wearing it before making a call. It’s not a hyper unique scent but it is quite pleasant.

It’s clean, with some spice, and sweetness. The ambroxan isn’t too overpowering in the mix. Yes, it’s a leader in the composition, just nothing crazy. I liked the vanilla note here, along with that cardamom.

I have some concerns about the longevity but maybe it’d be better with more testing. This is a solid offering from Calvin Klein, it could be better, but I like it well enough. Perhaps, it is a buy at the right price.

Full price? Nah. At a discounter? You could do a lot worse than this one.