Cologne Reviews

Pure XS by Paco Rabanne

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For today’s review, I’m going to take a closer look at one of the newer Paco Rabanne releases, Pure XS. This cologne was released in 2017, and I’ve been wearing this scent out of my sample vial, in order to collect my thoughts. How does it smell? What are the notes? How long does it last? Is Pure XS even worth a purchase? Please continue below for my full wear review of this fragrance.

What does Pure Xs Smell Like?

Notes: ginger, vanilla, myrrh, thyme, sugar, leather, musk, liquor, cinnamon, cedar, and grapefruit

Click here to try: PACO RABANNE Pure Xs Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Before we get into my review of Pure XS, let’s see how Paco Rabanne describes it: Pure XS. Excess in its purest state. An overflow of ginger. The temperature rises. Carnal vanilla and myrrh release. Skin over-heating. An untamed-Oriental, on-fire and fresh, decadent and raw.

Pure XS opens with a boozy and sugary ginger note, that is really quite fresh. It’s a blend of sugar sweetness and spice from a dash of cinnamon that is added at the top. There is the slightest hint of citrus thrown in there to add to that clean feeling.

Immediately, I am reminded of both Code Profumo and La Nuit Eau Electrique. Not because the smell exactly like Pure XS, but that is sort of the same family of fragrance, I’d put this one in.

Warm, spiced, boozy, and sweet. Very nice and confident start to this scent. I actually had no idea what to expect before trying this Paco Rabanne out and was pleasantly surprised by the aroma that I was met with.

It isn’t all that spicy, which is what you’ll get to the follow up Night edition (linked at the bottom). Smooth and enveloping, even if it isn’t an overly heavy fragrance. It produces a nice coziness over  your skin.

As it dries down, the myrrh comes in and gives Pure XS its Oriental edge. I like this note being included here, as it is usually paired with oud a lot, and it’s a nice change of pace within this context. It’s warm, there is a resinous quality, and it is met by an undertone of leather.

Ultimately, what I get with this scent is vanilla and myrrh, as the two main notes. With ginger, leather, and a sugary mix of a few other notes. Myrrh becomes dominant in the composition, the further that it moves along in the wear.

While myrrh isn’t really a mainstream note, that’s in a ton of popular colognes, Pure XS definitely brings the mass appealing elements and is easy to enjoy.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage starts off moderate and within a few hours becomes much lighter. That’s my biggest disappointment with Pure XS, is that, the sillage is kind of weak and it becomes a skin scent too quickly.

Much too soft for what it seems like they’d be going for, with this sort of scent.

I hope they make an intense version or a L’excess variant of this one (update: they released Pure Xs Night, review linked in bottom section). Despite that, the longevity is fairly good, even if it’s a skin scent for most of the wear.

It’ll last around 7 hours or so, on my skin. Again, only for a portion of that time, is it truly noticeable. At first for others, then, for you to be able to detect it.

Seasonally, I feel like this one could be worn year round without much problem. Maybe skip wearing it on the hottest or most humid days, but it’s fine in cold weather or a more moderate springtime. It’s got great versatility as well.

I wouldn’t go for summer, as there are plenty of better options available for those months of the year.

Since it’s light, you could wear this to work or school. It’s fine for casual events. Plus, it’s got a sexy aroma, and would be great for nights out…as long as you’re fine being low key after a few hours. Pure XS seems best for a guy in his 20s to early 30s.

Though, teens can totally use this as well, for a something a bit more mature than the average fare.

Overall Impressions of Pure XS

Overall, do I like Pure XS by Paco Rabanne? Yes. I think that it smells really great. The ginger, vanilla, and myrrh create a nice dynamic and the boozy warmth is almost always something that I enjoy.

There are other colognes that smell similar to this one and it’s projection could be much better, but it’s still a worthwhile wear. I’ve been spraying a bit more than I’d usually wear and that’s boosted it to more of a moderate fragrance for a longer period of time.

Still, the power is the weak spot with this cologne. I might try the Night version, that seems to have a lot of overlap with this original. Update: Pure XS Night review. The Night version has a lot more spice, particularly the ginger note in the opening.

All in all, I think that this is a solid addition to the Paco Rabanne lineup. I don’t think that this was has gotten as many fans as others from this designer, but it is certainly one to check out.

Allure Homme Sport by Chanel

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Chanel’s men’s lineup of fragrances has a lot of great selections. One of the main titles, other than the popular Bleu line, is Allure. Particularly, the Allure Homme Sport releases. The first of which was released back in 2004.

I grabbed samples of this one last year to give an updated review of how things currently stand with Allure Homme Sport. How does it smell? Does it have good performance? Is it worth a buy?

What does Allure Homme Sport Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, musk, tonka bean, cedar, sea notes, aldehydes, vanilla, pepper

Click here to try: Chanel Allure Homme Sport Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 5 oz

My Full Review

Allure Homme Sport starts off with a very nice and rather unique blend of freshness and sweetness. At one end, you have the citrus of the mandarin orange and infused sea notes. On the other end, is the vanilla and tonka bean providing a sweet creaminess.

The mandarin is really great here. Not super heavy, but it gives you that nice juiciness out of the gate.

All of that is tied together by the inclusion of aldehydes which gives Allure Sport a cold air quality to it. That really helps to give Sport that distinct Chanel style. However, the vanilla and tonka bean will play a larger role later on. At first, it’s more of a supporting role and other notes play their part.

That freshness is enhanced by the cedar and pepper note. The pepper is pretty noticeable early on, but it is probably the first note that fades away in the composition.

As it moves along, the marine notes will recede also. Vanilla, cedar, musk, tonka bean, and some mandarin/neroli will pretty much jockey for control throughout the rest of the way. Musk becomes stronger as the aldehydes weaken.

The floral neroli note will take over for the juicier mandarin citrus aroma, that is found at the top. Allure Homme Sport takes on a creamier/muskier finish towards the end. The vanilla and tonka bean really stand out on my skin.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it is a pretty light to moderate fragrance throughout the wear. You do get a nice initial ability to project itself fairly far. However, that will change into a more personal scent bubble, and ultimately sitting close to the skin.

Not terrible, but not exactly a powerhouse.

With this batch from 2020, I get about 5-6 hours of wear from Allure Homme Sport. With older bottles, it was probably closer to 7-8, at least for me. Never was one that would be going on and on, but it used to bring more to the table.

Update: Here years later, I’ve tried this one once again, and I’m still getting the same five or six hours of wear. So, it hasn’t completely fallen off of a cliff since 2020.

Seasonally, I’ve worn this one year round without much issue. Though, it’s best in moderate to warmer temperatures. It can come across as a bit too fresh in the depths of winter. But, I like it in autumn and late spring.

A great feature of Allure Homme Sport is just how versatile it really is. It isn’t just a ‘sporty’ cologne. In fact, it might not even conjure up that kind of imagery for people. It can be worn as a daily wear, in semi-formal scenarios, just around town, and even venture into the nightlife if necessary.

Now, I’d probably wear something else as a nighttime cologne, but this one is up for the job.

It can also be worn by men of all ages. It’s well put together, but not stuffy. Dynamic, but not too youthful. Great balance.

Overall Impressions of Allure Homme Sport

Overall, do I like Allure Homme Sport? Yes, I really love the way that this Chanel smells still. The play between the citrus, aldehydes, vanilla, and marine notes is fantastic. It’s a bit simpler than Eau Extreme, but it works and the dry down is awesome.

From a smell and versatility perspective, Allure Sport can have a place in almost any man’s rotation. The problem comes with the merely okay performance nowadays. It isn’t entirely worthless, but Eau Extreme exists, and gives you a bit more power and longevity.

As such, I’d go with that version if I wanted to buy from the Allure line. Update: Coming back to both of them, I did go with Eau Extreme, when I bought a full bottle. I came close to going with Allure Sport, but the performance just doesn’t do it for me. Still a very likeable fragrance with some really great moments.

This is still nice and sometimes I actually prefer the smell to Allure Sport of its flanker.

Allure Homme Sport is a classic. It’s a solid buy, but not a necessary one, when you can get Extreme instead.

Jersey Les Exclusifs de Chanel

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When I picked up my last batch of Chanel fragrance samples, I made sure to get a few from the Les Exclusifs line of fragrances. One of those was Jersey, which I didn’t have any prior experience with, and wasn’t particularly clued into what it was all about. Now that I have given this perfume a fair shake, I’m going to share my thoughts on Jersey. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a buy?

What does Jersey by Chanel Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, musk, Bourbon vanilla, wildflowers, rose, tonka bean

My Full Review

This Les Exclusifs Jersey opens up with an initial blast of the familiar Chanel aldehydes. Close to what you get with No.5, but I’d says it’s more like L’eau No. 5. It’s got a very cold and fresh aroma, at the start.

One thing I get immediately is the lavender. There is a lot of it in this mix. Surrounded by a heart of wildflowers and a pretty herbal/grassy aroma. It’s pretty sharp in the early stages.

As it moves along, Jersey gets smoother and with a muskier finish. The lavender is tempered by the other floral notes somewhat. A bit powdery with a sweetness, there might be a violet note or something resembling that in here.

This one doesn’t get all that complicated. It’s a simple scent, but what’s interesting is that the aldehydes last for the duration, at varying levels of strength. In many of the other Chanel’s, those notes have a tendency to fade.

Jersey dries down to lavender, musk, and a touch of creaminess from the vanilla/tonka bean. The vanilla and tonka bean do become more noticeable the further along you get into things.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Jersey has some decent ability to project itself, but isn’t super heavy or one that is going to reach across a room. Expect more of a moderate scent bubble, that will at times extend to the 4-6 foot range, but settle much closer to the skin.

The longevity is solid, but again, not amazing. On my skin, I got around 7.5-8 hours of wear during testing. It’ll provide you with plenty of opportunities to wear it, and Jersey, is by no means a perfume that performs poorly.

The strong suit of Jersey is probably its versatility. While it’s not a romantic wear or something that is going to scream for attention, it can be worn in a wide variety of situations and basically year round.

It does strike me more as something to wear during the spring, but it really wouldn’t be out of place in most climates. Maybe avoid the extreme heat and cold, but in moderate to warmer temperatures, you’ll be golden.

This one could serve as a daily wear or something for casual to semi-formal wear. I think Jersey is listed as a unisex perfume, but it really leans much more towards being a traditionally feminine wear.

Outside of having to test it for the site, I don’t think I’d be wearing it as a man.

Overall Impressions of Jersey

Overall, do I like Jersey by Chanel? It’s pretty nice, but not something that I’d be clamoring to wear or would go crazy for smelling it on a woman. You definitely get that Chanel vibe right from the get go and it is a pretty pleasant and somewhat unique floral.

I like the chilled aroma and the vanilla finish with this one. It’s got an attractive freshness. The lavender isn’t too overpowering here and the perfume still manages to come across as feminine. There’s nothing that stands out to me, as being ‘bad’, in this composition.

But, nothing that truly jumps out to me as being spectacular. There are many other Chanel perfumes, that are better than this one, and I’d rather wear or be around.

However, if it sounds appealing to your personal tastes, the performance is quite good and while it probably isn’t a value play…it’s a fair deal.

Roses on Ice by Kilian

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Roses on Ice is one of the releases from The Liquors collection by Kilian. I have been excited to try out all of these since discovering the gem that is Angels’ Share. But, this is the one that I was least intrigued by as it seemed like a rather simple gin based aroma. Is it actually? Is Roses on Ice actually a sleeper pick? Does it have good performance? Is this one worth a try?

What does Roses on Ice Smell Like?

Notes include: juniper, cucumber, lime, rose, musk, sandalwood

My Full Review

Here’s how Kilian describes it: Anyone for notes of gin, distilled with rose and cucumber? The perfume Roses on Ice opens with the aquatic freshness of cucumber and the aromatic uplift of juniper berries, creating an icy sensation, rounded in an accord with voluptuous Rose Centifolia.

Roses on Ice kicks off with a semi-aquatic profile of crisp cucumber and a bright lime note. It is indeed quite a cold feeling, juicy, with a spicy finish thanks to that cucumber. It is a heavy weighting to that note early on, so be prepared.

Beyond that, juniper and rose start to come up from the heart early on, and will only grow in strength as we move forward. Very much a gin-like aroma with tonic carbonation, super boozy in its presentation.

After some time, the cucumber note will fade. Juniper and rose take the top, with a growing strength of sandalwood and a general muskiness.

Roses on Ice isn’t all that complex. In the end, I get a generally chilled scent with a heavier weighting towards the juniper, musk, and the lingering rose.

It really is exactly how it is described by Kilian. So, if you can imagine that impression in your mind, you have a close idea of what this perfume is all about. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is lighter to moderate. That’s a good thing in this case, as I really wouldn’t want a heavy gin based scent. Well, maybe 212 VIP, but that has a whole lot else going on with it. 

With Roses on Ice, you’ll be able to notice it from 4-6 feet away, at its short-lived peak. From there, it will sit approximately 3 feet from the wearer. Not terrible and pretty standard issue for many perfumes.

Longevity is surprisingly good with up to 8 hours, on my skin. It isn’t a powerhouse, but I was impressed that it stuck around that long. I wasn’t expecting a lighter wear like this to pull it off, but it does keep itself going.

Seasonally, I’d go with wearing this in the warmer weather of spring and summer. The chilled quality isn’t all that amazing in the cold. More of a casual daytime wear than anything. Not super versatile, as it does have that booziness.

I’d say it is for sure unisex. It doesn’t really lean one way or the other. Anyone can be fine wearing this. They may not enjoy it, but anyone can wear it. 

 

 

Overall Impressions of Roses on Ice

Overall, do I like this Kilian fragrance? Not particularly. It’s the worst of the Liquors collection that the brand has come out with thus far. It’s not completely terrible, but I don’t find it to be really appealing, especially at this price point. 

I get the gin as inspiration, though, it isn’t a favorite of mine and it’s pretty heavy on the cucumber note…that’s better in smaller doses. 

Roses on Ice isn’t going to be a mass appealing fragrance, very much niche, and something that’s going to be for your own personal enjoyment. So, really it will have a small subsection of fans, and a large quantity who either hate it or are indifferent. I lean toward the latter camp.

Unless you really really love a rosy gin and cucumber aroma, I’d probably skip this one. It’s Kilian prices, but not really worth that for most people. If you happen to find yourself intrigued, I’d definitely get a sample first to see how it works with your chemistry.

Performance, is pretty solid. Which, at least it isn’t a total ripoff, but one that most of us can do without. 

L’Homme Le Parfum by YSL

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L’Homme has become a long running and popular series of men’s fragrances for Yves Saint Laurent. In 2020, they released a Le Parfum version of this scent, and I’ve been recently testing it out to give it a full review on here. What does it smell like? Does it have good performance? Is L’Homme Le Parfum worth a buy?

What does L’Homme Le Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, cardamom, cedar, vetiver, amberwood, basil, violet leaf

Click here to try: L’homme Le Parfum by Yves Saint Laurent Eau De Parfum Spray 2 oz Men

My Full Review

The opening of L’Homme Le Parfum really matches the color of the juice. This is a very modern blue-ish fragrance. You can tell the original L’Homme’s DNA is here. But, it is infused with elements of other YSL colognes.

L’Homme Ultime and Libre, come to mind. Those aren’t made anymore, but when it is all blended together, the opening gives off strong Y EDP vibes also. So, it becomes the original L’Homme blended with Y EDP.

The opening act features a strong blend of citrus and the basil. That basil note is what L’Homme Libre was built around and along with the violet leaf brings me flashes of that scent, within Le Parfum.

The basil, lemony spicy cardamom, and actual lemon are all sitting on top of the fresh and dry cedar wood and that synthetic amberwood aroma. The amberwood really steers the blue-ish feeling of this fragrance, like other modern colognes which pair that with citrus.

Unlike Libre, Le Parfum’s basil freshness is tampered down by the sweet spiciness of the cardamom note. Which gives it those L’Homme Ultime vibes, with the geranium. Strip out the sage and apple of Y EDP and Le Parfum is a good approximation, in its early stages.

This fragrance starts out leaning more towards the fresh end of the spectrum, with a solid amount of sweetness. However, in the dry down that flips and Le Parfum becomes sweeter than the other releases that I’ve mentioned.

It’s a woody sweetness with that fresh and hefty dose of geranium in the middle. It ends up being smoother and sweeter in the end, versus the somewhat sharp and synthetic opening act.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

I really appreciate the performance of Le Parfum. I have a recent bottle of L’homme and the sillage and longevity are terrible. With Le Parfum, YSL changes course and delivers something much more substantial.

Early on the sillage is strong. Not a bomb, but one that could easily be over-sprayed. That phase will last 30 minutes or so. After that, Le Parfum fall much more in the moderate camp with its projection. It’s a good deal.

The performance here is also solid. It isn’t elite in regards to how long it lasts, either. But, I’ve been getting around 8 hours of wear on my skin.

So, it will deliver what you will need for most purposes and circumstances. Better than almost any other release in this series (it might actually be, but I can’t think of any which exceed it, off of the top of my head).

Seasonally, I’d wear this in the moderate to warmer temperatures of early autumn, the whole of spring, and much of the summer months. It’s a bit too sharp for the cold and probably wouldn’t hold up all that well in the extreme heat and humidity.

Plenty of use, though.

I don’t consider this to be a formal wear. It’s office safe, if you don’t overdo it. However, I’d prefer to wear this out on the town or casually day to day. Think more of evenings in the spring and summer months.

Can easily be worn be any age group. It might be too sweet for some guys, however. That blue-ish ambroxan mix can be a turn off for some and you get plenty of it with Le Parfum.

Overall Impressions of L’Homme Le Parfum

I like it. It has enough of the DNA of the original and blends it with other releases. Not my favorite by any means, but it can do a nice job of replacing L’Homme, which now has atrocious performance.

I like the basil touches, cardamom, and the cedar freshness. Very easy to wear and versatile. A true ‘blue’ cologne with plenty of ambroxan in the base. It is very much an amalgam of other fragrances from this brand, so if you’ve tried any of the one’s that I’ve mentioned, you basically know what this one is like.

I enjoyed wearing it during testing, but it still wasn’t something that I’d personally want a full bottle of. L’Homme Le Parfum does everything well enough and be a solid addition to someone’s rotation.