Cologne Reviews

Devotion Pour Homme by D&G

by

Devotion is a newer series for both men and women by D&G. The women’s side of things got a head start, before Devotion Pour Homme was released in 2025. I recently bought a sample of this cologne to test it out and see what it’s all about.

What does it smell like? Does Devotion Homme last long? Is this Dolce & Gabbana fragrance worth a try?

Devotion Pour Homme Overview

Notes include: lemon, coffee, patchouli

Click here to try: Devotion Homme at Sephora

My Full Review

Here’s how they describe it: Dolce & Gabbana Devotion For Men Eau de Parfum celebrates unwavering and unconditional devotion, the power of love, and the joy of life. The fragrance, anchored by the timeless Sacred Heart, reflects the essence of a determined man, confidently guided by his instincts.

The opening is a warm roasted coffee note sitting underneath a giant squeeze of lemon juice. The lemon is pretty intense for a few minutes, before fading behind the coffee.

This isn’t really a coffee bean sort of smell or the grounds, this is like a literal interpretation of what a cup of coffee smells like. It’s spiced and given that citrus enhancement, but that’s what is here with this D&G cologne.

So, if you’re not into that, you probably won’t enjoy Devotion. At least the opening act.

A little bit further along, you start to get more of the patchouli note. Even that, isn’t enough to unseat the coffee from being the main focus of this scent.

It begins to be more of a coffee and woody/woodsy sort of aroma. Note sure which wood note is here, but there’s something underneath the patchouli and coffee. Things are still somewhat spicy, but this just seems more like a warm aroma. The lemon is pretty much just a sparkle now.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The opening spray does have some decent power behind it. It’s not a super heavy coffee blend or anything, but it’s got some reach in that first hour or so.

After that, this Dolce & Gabbana cologne will have a moderate projection, that trends fairly quickly to the lighter end of things.

On my skin, Devotion Pour Homme sticks around for about 7 hours. Nothing amazing with the performance here, but solid enough.

Seasonally, this is an autumn through springtime wear. So long as it’s not too hot or humid out, Devotion should be able to work.

This would be a good fragrance for younger guys, as far as daily wears go. It’s not formal or something that most would wear to the office. Nightlife, would be good. It’s not a massive projector, but its gourmand qualities are attractive.

Overall Impressions of Devotion

Overall, do I like Devotion? I do like it somewhat. I’m not sure what the hate this has gotten is all about, it’s a pretty good fragrance, not amazing but likeable. I guess this is more of a love/hate cologne for a lot of people.

The opening spray isn’t too amazing, but I do think that once the strength of the lemon wears off a bit, it’s an enjoyable enough scent. Just sort of harsh to kick things off. I like the coffee and the slight spiciness of the mix. It does smell like a cup of joe. Then, it softens into something else.

Again, I’m not in love with this one, and won’t be buying a bottle for myself. But, for the time that I’ve had it on, there is enough to like here.

When compared to the other D&G sample that I received, Light Blue Capri in Love, I think that it is a bit better than is Devotion.

If you’re interested I would for sure try to get this when it’s discounted, because I don’t think it’s too worthwhile at retail prices.

Light Blue Capri in Love Pour Homme by D&G

by

Light Blue is the line that keeps right on going for Dolce & Gabbana, on both the men’s and women’s side of things. 2025’s release is Capri in Love Pour Homme. I recently bought a sample vial of this new cologne to test it out.

How does Capri in Love smell? Does it last long? Is this Light Blue worth a try?

Capri in Love (Men’s) Overview

Notes include: fig, black pepper, patchouli

Click here to try: Light Blue Capri in Love Homme

My Full Review

Here’s how D&G describes it: A dive into the salty sea breeze and golden light of Capri.
Intriguing and enveloping, Light Blue Capri In Love Pour Homme Eau de Parfum opens with the spicy note of Black Pepper. At its heart lies the vibrant and green soul of Capri Green Fig, while Patchouli lends a deep and magnetic elegance, encapsulating the Mediterranean island’s allure.

So, there are only three listed notes here. But, looking at the ingredients there is a light citrus note up top that I’m smelling, which pairs up with the opening spice of the black pepper.

From the jump, you can tell that this one isn’t going to be too heavy and it will have a freshness that is great for the summertime. Very reminiscent of Kenzo fragrances and Paradise Garden (if you stripped it of mint and coconut).

Love in Capri is definitely a departure from the rest of the series. Dolce & Gabbana have done some really different takes on the Light Blue name, like, Vulcano and Stromboli.

Clean, spicy, slightly sweet, and a greenish base is how this Light Blue edition starts out.

Then, it really become fig dominant for the rest of the wear. If you don’t like fig, you’re not going to enjoy this. For me, this is something that I do think I’d enjoy, at least somewhat. A good fig mix for summer, isn’t usually something that the mainstream designers do.

Anyway, it’s basically just fig and a light patchouli the rest of the way. There are some woody undertones popping out as well. A pretty simple use of notes for the warmer months of the year.

But, I do think that this one shines once that black pepper starts to fall off. The green fruitiness of the fig works well.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This sillage here is a lighter moderate. It’s not weak, it’s just not going to be a heavy thick cloud of scent. Nor should it be. It’s light, clean, and somewhat refreshing. Though, the reach it has with it’s projection is good.

On my skin, this one lasts somewhere in the 6-7 hour range. That’s about what I expect from these D&G Light Blue releases, this edition is par the course.

Seasonally, obviously we’re going spring and summer with this one. That’s what it’s built for.

Within that, though, I think that Capri in Love has plenty of use cases. It can be a daily wear, something casual, or even venture into the nightlife if need be.

Also, this is one that can be worn by any age group. Capri in Love is a well balanced summer cologne.

Overall Impressions of Capri in Love

Overall, do I like Capri in Love? So far, I do kind of like it. I’m not blown away by it, but for what it is, I think this Light Blue edition is nice.

It’s not too complicated of a fragrance and is fairly linear once that fig note kicks fully into gear. If you enjoy the Kenzo scents, K by D&G, etc.; you’ll probably like this one at least somewhat too.

If you’re a fan of the usual Light Blue citrus heavy colognes, this one might not be worth your while.

Either way, I don’t think it’s a great scent. Probably too high priced, at the initial release, but if you want an enjoyable change of pace for the summertime, this can do nicely.

Performance is mid, as usual with the Light Blue fragrances. Yet, it does enough to make it useful.

If you want a simple designer fig cologne, this is a good option. If it doesn’t sound appealing to you, I don’t think it’s going to shock or change your mind, if you try Love in Capri out.

Lost Cause by Phlur

by

Lost Cause is another of the Phlur fragrances that I got with my sample set a few years ago. It’s also one that I haven’t done a proper review of, until today, after finding that set sitting in the closet.

So, let’s correct that error and see what this perfume is all about. How does Lost Cause smell? Perform? Is it worth a buy?

What does Lost Cause Smell Like?

Notes include: cassis leaves, apple, bergamot, rhubarb, freesia, lily of the valley, jasmine, ambergris, vanilla orchid, orris, mate absolute

Click here to try: Lost Cause by Phlur

My Full Review

The opening of Lost Cause has a lot of rhubarb coming through, between it in the citrus, it’s almost like a green/floral Hugo Red for Men, in the opening. Much more tart with the Phlur.

Also, it’s got a clean shampoo-like aroma, that becomes more prominent after the initial phase begins to dissipate. Part of this can be chalked up to an apple note, it’s not really distinct, just a crisp watery aroma.

Green cassis leaves and dew give it a springtime vibe with hints of being an aquatic perfume. 

The cassis play a dual role with that fruitiness and greener qualities.

The next phase features a calmer rhubarb note, that is paired with freesia and lily-of-the-valley. On my skin, I get a lot more of the freesia for the duration of the wear, but the lily and jasmine are also noticeable. A good blend overall.

Yet, this one is still much more of a bright greenish fragrance than a pure floral perfume. That’s going on the the background. I’m still getting the fruitiness and citrus and the leaves pulling things together.

The back half is less sharp to my nose, when the ambergris and vanilla, round of the composition. There’s still the dewy greenish aroma, but it’s creamier and an interesting way to close out things.

Turns out there is also an orris note in here. If I detect much of it, it’s within a blend between it and the vanilla.

Really changed my thoughts on this one as the wear moved on. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this isn’t a heavy scent, it has the aquatic/ozonic sort of lightness to it. But, that initial hour actually has decent projection. Not a massive beast, but I can smell it just fine.

After that, it is more intimate. But again, I have not trouble smelling it on myself. Lost Cause just isn’t a perfume that is going to wallop you with its presence. 

The longevity is also just okay. 6-6.5 hours, on my skin. 

Seasonally, this is a spring and summertime wear. It really works well in this warmer and even more humid weather. I wore it outside the other day and the fragrance came alive.

This is a unisex perfume. There are stretches where it leans more masculine, but then it’ll move towards being more traditionally feminine. Anyone can wear this one, though.

Within the spring and summer season, it does have fantastic versatility. In the daytime, it’s a staple, and at night it can work as well. Not a club beast, but it’s an attractive scent once it’s settled in.

Basically, this is a perfume that is going to serve as a daily wear when it’s warmer out. 

Overall Impressions of Lost Cause

Overall, do I like Lost Cause? I have to say, yes. But, it’s more of a mixed bag for me. I do like this more than Missing Person, for example, which is probably the more popular of the Phlur line.

I’m not thrilled about the opening act, while I really do enjoy rhubarb as a note, and how it is here. There are parts throughout the wear that I’m not exactly enjoying and then I’ll love other parts of this.

The back half, while pretty weak in terms of performance, is fairly awesome in terms of how it smells. 

So, I’ll say a decent opening hour, with a really good rest of the wear. It’s a difficult fragrance to rate for me, but I’m sure this one has people who are crazy about it. Also, I’ve been trending in the positive direction on Lost Cause.

The longevity and performance overall is decent. Again, not a massively projecting or heavy perfume. A lot of the Phlur scents are like that. Keep that in mind, before grabbing your bottle of the stuff.

Apparently, this one is or has already been discontinued. So, if you want to try it out, you’d better act quickly before it starts becoming scarce.

Luna Rossa Ocean Le Parfum by Prada

by

The Ocean series from Prada’s Luna Rossa line has gained a lot of popularity over the past few years. In 2024, they released a Le Parfum version of Ocean. I grabbed a sample of it with another order to test this fragrance out and give it a review.

How does it smell? Does it last long? Is Ocean Le Parfum even worth a try?

Ocean Le Parfum Overview

Notes include: lemon, saffron, amber, oak

Buy on Amazon: Le Parfum

My Full Wear Review

Ocean Le Parfum starts off as a saffron bomb. That’s the main note, but it actually does take on a bit of a tobacco-like aroma, with the way it blends with the other notes. It’s rich, spicy, somewhat sweet, and smooth.

Lemon essence is around in the opening, you can definitely detect it, but it’s well blended in the mix and not a completely overwhelming or sharp citrus blast.

The lemon essence reminds me of the same way there’s a citrus not in the opening of Spicebomb, except even more subdued in Le Parfum. Has some overlap with Spicebomb Infrared, too.

The base note is oak wood. The sample card says it’s a ‘leathery oakwood’. Nice and this one gets a bit smokier in the dry down, but in the opening it comes across like a woody leather paired with that saffron note.

That amber extreme note is present throughout and this one will dry down into a woody/amber mix. Those two notes with a remaining saffron and leathery aroma on top of that.

At first, I wasn’t too enthusiastic about the dry down, but after a few wears I enjoyed it more.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one opens up strong, has some heaviness to it, and a very good projection. That first hour isn’t a complete beast, but it will provide a good amount of power.

It does moderate after that. Though, Le Parfum doesn’t completely fall off the map and is plenty noticeable.

Finally, we have some performance in this line. The longevity isn’t amazing for me with Ocean Le Parfum, but it safely lands in the 7-9 hour range, which is a nice change of pace.

I’ve been quite happy thus far, with how this cologne lasts on skin.

Seasonally, I’d put Ocean Le Parfum in the autumn through spring category. As it gets warmer, I’d save it for the nighttime and probably skip summer altogether.

It does give you plenty of time to wear within that frame though.

This isn’t a completely formal wear, so it might not be a daily office sort of scent for a lot of guys. Outside of that? You will be able to wear it and the warm leathery and spicy kick does lend it to nighttime wear too.

Overall Impressions of Ocean Le Parfum

Overall, do I like Ocean Le Parfum? I do. It’s grown on me, the more that I’ve smelled it. I still like Ocean EDT as my favorite smelling fragrance of the line thus far, but Le Parfum is easily the most unique and best performer.

For others, this could easily be their favorite in the Ocean series so far. Depending on your own personal taste.

It doesn’t have any oceanic vibe though. Not that the others were true aquatics, but this one is different. Not that blueish mix. Which may be a good thing, if you didn’t like the other releases.

Darker, woodier, spicier, with the amber tying it all together. I like the amber here, much more than in Ocean EDP. I also prefer Le Parfum to it overall.

So, in exchange for finally solving the mediocre performances of the first two Luna Rossa Ocean releases, they took things in a new direction. I still don’t absolutely love the smell, but it’s nice to wear sometimes.

I do wish the price wasn’t so high for this one. I don’t think it’s worth the retail, at all. Try to get a bottle at a discounter, if at all possible. Looks like it’s more available now.

I’ve seen bottles of Ocean EDT for almost 50 percent cheaper than this retails for. I’d go for that and just overspray to help try to squeeze some performance out of it.

Some people will love this one and I think that most people would like Le Parfum, as it’s not a difficult fragrance to wear. The saffron really sets it apart.

Angels’ Share Paradis by Kilian

by

Angels’ Share, the wildly popular release from Kilian has finally got a proper flanker version that has some significant changes from the original here in 2025, Angels’ Share Paradis.

I bought a decant of this newer Kilian perfume in order to test it out and compare it with my bottle of Angels’ Share. How does it smell? Does Paradis last long? Is it actually worth a buy?

Angels’ Share Paradis Overview

Notes include: raspberry liquor, cognac, praline, tonka bean, Bulgarian rose, moss, oak, sandalwood

Click here to try: Paradis

My Full Review

Angels’ Share Paradis starts things off with a boozier aroma than the original. The cognac and raspberry liquor are really prominent versus the apple and cinnamon kick that you get with the first Kilian release in this series.

So, it’s more alcoholic, sweeter, and doesn’t have the same spiciness.

The next things that I notice, in terms of differences, are the tonka bean and moss notes.

The moss note hear gives Paradis a fresher and woodsy vibe that the original doesn’t have. Now, the oakmoss isn’t a massive note, but it is a persistent one which plays its smaller role well.

The tonka bean also seems like they added to it in this version of Angels’ Share. The more that I wore this one, the more noticeable the tonka bean was, particularly in the middle act of its development.

Also, there is a Bulgarian rose addition to this. Not too distinct, since it does have a lighter sweetness and greenish touches usually. As such, it blends in pretty well in this mix.

The back half of this feels like the original Angels’ Share with some raspberry lingering around and that moss.  Warm, with oak, and an edible gourmand aroma to it.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The performance here is exactly the same that I get with Angels’ Share. Tried both multiple times both together and separate. Noticed no difference.

Maybe you could say that the sillage is a bit lighter thanks to the slight freshness of Paradis. To me, not really. The projection is still quite strong when it opens up and it lasts as a moderate perfume for the rest of the way.

Longevity is also in the 9-13 hour range for me. No increase, but they also didn’t manage to screw this up.

Seasonally, this is still an autumn and winter wear. Have tried it on a warmer day and wasn’t feeling the results. I’d stick with the cooler parts of the year.

Still indeed a unisex and very versatile with it. Mass appealing, but maybe you don’t want to wear a boozy scent to the office. Same rules apply as Angels’ Share.

Overall Impressions of Angels’ Share Paradis

Overall, do I like Angels’ Share Paradis? Yes. However, I don’t like it more than the original and that kind of defeats the purpose of me owning a bottle. Especially, at the elevated price point versus what I can get a refill of Angels’ Share for.

It’s different but not greatly so. Plus, the performance is basically the same as what I already get with the first one.

The raspberry is a nice addition and the moss adds a nice touch to the blend, but I’m not too excited about it versus what I already have a bottle of.

I do think it’s worth trying out, if you liked the original. If you can test it out, these differences might make a bigger impact on your sense of smell than it did mine. Angels’ Share Paradis is a very likeable perfume, still great, but a step behind its predecessor in my opinion.

Personally, I’ve wanted to wear my travel sprayer of Smoking Hot by Kilian versus getting a bottle of Paradis. I would grab a full bottle of that or a refill of the original, before shelling out more money for a raspberry version.