Cologne Reviews

Coach Platinum EDP by Coach

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For this entry into my ever running series of men’s fragrance reviews, with have a newer release from Coach New York called, Coach Platinum for Men. This comes on the heels, of the pretty popular fragrance, Coach for Men. How does this one stand up? What’s it smell like? How long does it last? Is it worth a buy?

What Does Coach Platinum for Men Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, sage, sandalwood, pineapple, leather, patchouli, black pepper, geranium, juniper berries

Click here to try: Coach New York Platinum Cologne for Men 3.3 fl.Oz Eau De Parfum Spray

My Full Wear Review

Coach Platinum opens up with pineapple, juniper berries, black pepper, and sage. Also, there is the ever present vanilla. It sort of smells like a spicier Dylan Blue mixed with Sauvage EDP, with an extra heaping of vanilla. Don’t worry, smelling like other fragrances, will be a common theme with this scent.

I actually like the pineapple and juniper mix up top, its fun and delightful. However, the pineapple craps out pretty quick, and the juniper is left on its own. At this stage, it is a battle to smell like a mix between Sauvage EDP and Luna Rossa Carbon.

It’s weird to have the Sauvage comparison, as there isn’t an ambroxan note listed. However, Coach Platinum does give off that effect.

It goes back and forth between smelling like those two fragrances, for a while. Finally, it decides that it wants to smell like a version of Carbon, with vanilla, leather, and sage. The vanilla becomes the strongest note, with a smooth leather in there.

The sage, along with other notes, substitute for the lavender found in Carbon. Gives Platinum a more aromatic spice, which I do enjoy.

The vanilla and leather, sit on top of sandalwood, at the end. I have to say, this part is quite enjoyable to smell on my skin. I dig it.

So, that’s it. Take Luna Rossa Carbon, add lots of vanilla, throw in some leather, and you have Coach Platinum for Men (for the most part).

I don’t want to make it sound bad, as I like all of these scents, as well as Coach Platinum for Men. It is just that, I’m sick of this formula, that every designer feels the need to replicate.

How Long Does it Last? What’s the Sillage Like?

The sillage of Coach Platinum, is not all that powerful. It’s not weak, but, pretty middle of the road. It’s not going to be a powerhouse scent, though, it is noticeable. At its absolute peak, it probably radiates maybe 7 feet from the skin, before it falls back inwards shortly thereafter.

It lasts on my skin in the 6-7 hour range, with normal sprays. The last few hours, sit really close to the skin, however. The opening act hangs around for 45 minutes or so, which is when this fragrance is at its most unique.

Even though it reminds me of other scents, it melded them into something very nice, and I wish that had continued.

When Should You Wear it?

Seasonally, I think that this would work in anything but the hottest climates. It’s not a heavy aroma, but it does have some warmth that wouldn’t fare too well in the heat. Coach Platinum is very versatile, in that respect.

It can serve as a daily wear, for a nighttime scent, and fits with any age group. However, it does skew towards the youthful end of the spectrum.

This is an attractive scent, it will get complemented by people, and seems to get positive responses fairly widespread. So, if you’re a younger guy and want something that can get some attention, Platinum works for that.

I would say that it leans more as a casual fragrance than anything formal. For those sorts of events, I would probably go with another option.

Overall

Overall, do I think Coach Platinum is a buy? In general, yes. For me personally, no. That’s not to say, I’m not going to use my mini spray of this one, I will.

However, It doesn’t offer me enough differences between, Luna Rossa Carbon and Sauvage EDP. The sage and vanilla are nice.

The very last bit of the wear, when the vanilla is out in full force is great, and so is the opening pineapple.

Actually, the more that I have worn this, the more I enjoy the opening and get bothered by the rest. I want the pineapple to stick around, as I think that part of the fragrance is excellent.

I wish that they had taken that aspect of the cologne and just ran with it to create something truly new and unique. The opening act with something other than that vanilla and leathery finish would have been awesome.

Platinum for Men is a good scent. The performance is decent, but it gets lost in the shuffle, for me. I’d rather wear the other mentioned fragrances, than this one, and there’s just no room for it in my rotation.

I will say, if you want a more low key scent in this style, Coach Platinum would be a nice pick up. The retail price is a bit high for the performance that you get out of it, but if you shop discounters, this can be a very wearable cologne.

Bleu de Chanel Parfum by Chanel

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I’ve been on a bit of a testing kick, over the past few months, and I have plenty of new reviews coming down the pike. As such, let’s get things started with a somewhat new offering from Chanel released in 2018, Bleu de Chanel Parfum. Now, this is of course, a flanker fragrance on the BdC line. How does it stack up? What does it smell like? How’s the longevity? Is it even different enough, to warrant a try?

What does Bleu de Chanel Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: sandalwood, cedar, lemon, lavender, mint, bergamot, tonka bean, amber, geranium

Click here to try: BLEU DE C H A N E L PARFUM, 3.4 oz./ 100 mL

bleu parfum review

My Full BdC Parfum Review

Bleu de Chanel Parfum opens up with the usual citrus infusion from this line, lemon and bergamot. However, it is joined by mint, and the ever present wood notes. It’s a very smooth freshness, right from the start, and starts out pretty similar to the other Bleu de Chanel scents.

However, I think the differences really begin to show, later on in the wear. Though, in the opening act, I’d say it more resembles EDP versus the EDT.

After a few minutes, I start to get more lavender, and the mint fades away some. The citrus here isn’t as sharp, as in the EDT version, and its really tempered by the wood notes. There is a slight herbal quality to this fragrance, but it’s mostly about the clean cut cedar and sandalwood.

Once past the opening stages, this has a pretty noticeable shift into a warmer sort of scent. The sandalwood takes full control of the scent, but the lemon note sticks around for the whole wear, just not to the same degree. The citrus accord, becomes much more of a zest.

During the dry down, I get a good amount of amber wood, lurking around. I think that it added some depth to the composition and pairs well with the tonka bean. Mostly at this stage, you get sandalwood, lemon zest, cedar, lavender.

I really enjoy the dryness and freshness of the wood, it feels like those notes have been ‘soaked’ by the more familiar ingredients of the Bleu line of fragrances from Chanel.

Sillage, Longevity and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage here isn’t crazy. It starts off pretty strong, but then, will stick closer to the skin for the rest of the time. It does create a nice little scent bubble around you, it’s not a complete skin scent, or anything. At least for over half the wear.

I honestly expected a bit more from the sillage and that is the weakest point, in terms of BdC Parfum’s performance.

The longevity, was actually fantastic on my skin. It lasted for over 10 hours, which is better than what I’ve experienced, from the other Bleu colognes. I will get a 3 or so hours with really good sillage, before it becomes a lighter scent.

Some reviews I’ve seen report it not having that level of performance, but it hasn’t disappointed any time that I’ve used Parfum.

Seasonally, it can work year round, except the absolute hottest of days. I wore it out in the desert heat, once,  and it got absolutely blasted.

However, this is a great option for colder days, through a more temperate climate. The woodiness works amazingly well, when the temperatures, are in a moderate range.

That is a bit of a change of pace from the EDT version, which holds up better in the heat, and the EDP to some extent. This is the most cold weather appropriate of the lot. The woods and the general warmth of the base notes, lends itself well to that time of the year.

Bleu de Chanel Parfum, smells like a classier fragrance. It can be worn casually, but I think that it is great for formal events, or the office. It is quite versatile, because it has a certain appeal into the nightlife, also. It’s going to get complements and is a really attractive aroma.

Overall Scent

Overall, do I like Bleu de Chanel? Yes, I think that it is a wonderful scent. It has enough of that original EDT or EDP formulas, running through it, but takes it in a more refined and woody direction. The Parfum formulation is very well done.

The sandalwood note in here, is spectacular, and really sells this one for me. The performance is great, in terms of time it lasts, while the sillage is solid enough to enjoy.

It’s been awhile since I’ve worn the other BdC fragrances, however, I’m pretty sure this is my new favorite. I will go back and forth between this and EDP, as to which one is tops…both great, though.

Update: After coming back to both for another round, I’ve squarely settled on the EDP version of Bleu de Chanel as my favorite. This takes the second spot. It never does a full imitation of Bleu de Chanel EDT, but I definitely like the changes its made to that formula.

If you’ve enjoyed any of the fragrances in the series, you will have a good idea of what to expect with Parfum. If you have a bottle of one, you probably won’t need a bottle of another.

Yes, there are plenty of differences, but not so great that they demand having the entire collection. Unless, you really just want to have the complete set.

Gentleman EDT by Givenchy

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Today, we have a review of a newer Givenchy cologne release, that uses the name of an old one: Gentleman Givenchy. This 2017 fragrance is a woody floral fougere, but does it smell any good? In this post, I’m going to give my thoughts on it’s aroma and performance after wearing it around, and figure out whether it’s worth a buy.

What does Gentleman by Givenchy Smell Like?

Notes include: orris, pear, lavender, leather, and patchouli

Click here to try: Givenchy Gentleman by Givenchy for Men – 3.3 Ounce EDT Spray

My Full Wear Review

Alrighty, so, apparently this is supposed to be a new take on the old Gentleman name that was used with the fragrance back in the 1970s. This is Gentleman Givenchy. Not to be confused with the lineup of Gentlemen fragrances from the brand…can these companies ever come up with a new name for anything?

The opening of Gentleman Givenchy gives me a juicy pear and mostly an iris note. This is going to be another woody floral fragrance for men, mostly floral. In the same vein as something like Dior Homme, which has some similar notes, but ultimately is different. I’d say that the Givenchy is more floral and doesn’t have the same solid woody base as the Dior.

There is also a distinct leather richness and the calming lavender note, which grows in power as the fragrance dries down. Gentleman Givenchy is soft and airy, plus has that familiar pear aroma, as its main attraction.

I also just sprayed my bottle of Ultra Male and although they take different paths, that pear note rings throughout both.

Floral pear? Yep, it’s not too bad, though. It can actually be fairly enjoyable to have on.

What prevents this fruit and flower fragrance from becoming too feminine and actually quite masculine is the patchouli note. This note dirties up the composition a bit and lends to the earthy/woods quality.

That along with the leather note are the highlights for me. Pear can become a bit grating on certain days and isn’t a note that I really crave wearing, all that often.

I can’t think of the exact Gentlemen Only scent that this reminds me of, but there is another in that Givenchy line, that has a very similar quality to this one.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this is quite the moderate. That one spray of Ultra Male that I applied to my t-shirt, overpowered the three sprays of this Givenchy fragrance. Don’t expect beast sillage, this one is much more everyday and low key.

That said, don’t overspray it either, because it can be a bit much, with the pear and floral notes. On skin, it is moderate for hours after application. Then, it becomes pretty soft, but still pretty noticeable. It just won’t dominate a room.

It’s longevity is ok, not great, but a respectable 5-7 hours. When I’m in an air conditioned environment for the majority of the day, it will hit much closer to that 7 hour mark. If I’m out and about, it seemed to kill of a few hours.

Seasonally, I think this one would work in every season except during the height of summer. Not exclusively cold weather, as it does perform nicely in the springtime

It’s a moderate fragrance that can work casually or at the office. It has good versatility, with a laid back style that can also be dressed up. It’s pleasant and inoffensive, if treated lightly.

Overall Impressions of Gentleman Givenchy

Overall, do I recommend Gentleman Givenchy? I like it. I’m not wowed by it, but it’s nice for what it is. I find it to be too much floral for my tastes, but I think a lot of other guys will enjoy it. It is at least a change of pace from many other popular scents.

Sparkling pear, iris, and lavender isn’t something that I really think about reaching for on a daily basis. So, I don’t have a need to own a bottle.

I’ll still rock with any of the Dior Homme line, over this one, so it really has no place in my rotation. If you can get a cheap bottle, it would make a fine everyday wear. With a nice discount, it wouldn’t be a bad fragrance to have.

Though, I’m not exactly sure where it would fit, as it can be quite a bit different from the most popular men’s colognes. That being said, it does certainly have fans and I’ve seen it being offered at decent prices, so give it a try if you’re interested.

L’Homme EDT by YSL

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I am a longtime fan of YSL fragrances. In fact, two of the first three bottles of cologne that I ever bought were Opium and Kouros Body.  Needless to say, there is something about this design house’s scents that really speak to me.

Today, my review is going to focus on another entry from Yves Saint Laurent, L’Homme. Introduced in 2006, this has been a fairly big hit in terms of its popularity. Is it worth buying? Read on to find out.

What does L’Homme by YSL Smell Like?

l'homme

Notes include: Virginia Cedar, Ginger, Violet, Citron, White Pepper, Basil Flower, Ozone, Tonka Bean, Sandalwood, Vetiver

Click here to try: L’homme By Yves Saint Laurent Eau De Toilette Spray For Men 3.3 oz

My Take on L’Homme by YSL

The first batch of L’Homme that I reviewed years ago had really poor longevity. I loved the smell, but I couldn’t get it to last on my skin, it was a similar situation with The One by D&G.

Having essentially forgotten about that experience, I picked up a small sprayer of this cologne to test it out, and see if things would be different this time. Thankfully, it was a much better batch of fragrance this time or my skin is finally adept at taking this.

Note: This has been a continuing review since around 2014, documenting changes as I come back to newer bottles of L’Homme.

YSL L’Homme is super clean and has a soft yet utterly fantastic aroma. I completely dig the way this one opens up. The bergamot and citron is light yet retains their juiciness, but never feel like they ever stand out on their own within the composition.

As such, you don’t get the usual sharpness that you would from these notes in higher concentration.

This citrus aroma is light and joined by a warm and slightly spiced accord of ginger and basil. All of this comes together with the inclusion of a creamy tonka bean, for a very-well blended and balanced fragrance.

Ginger is the standout of the spices. Basil played a greater role in the flanker, L’Homme Libre, but isn’t too much of a factor here.

One further addition at the top is the violet which brings a simple floral touch to L’Homme. The spice on this one is not heavy in the slightest, very herbal/green with enough pepper to make it interesting.

Violet is one of my least favorite notes and I don’t particularly like it here, but it isn’t all that bothersome. To me, that’s the weakness in the mix. In the very brief dry down period, expect some cedar wood and vetiver, with most of the top notes having faded away entirely.

This cologne is a blend of sweet and spicy but under the umbrella of being completely fresh. It is all tied together with a cedar wood base, as the last element to a fairly simple presentation.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this stuff is still very light, quite airy. I really wish they beefed up the sillage. Yes, there is an Intense version, but it really doesn’t smell the same at all.

It’s not going to project much. Potentially, if you spray the hell out of it, you may get some good sillage. It’s a skin scent, in reality. The performance really is my biggest problem with this scent, very frustrating.

Update: 2021 bottles have roughly the same sillage. That actually hasn’t diminished.

The longevity is maybe 4-5 hours on my skin, from this use. Again, I absolutely hate the performance, but love this aroma. I’ve never been able to get more time than this.

Update: I bought a new bottle here in 2021 since it was buy one, get one free with La Nuit. The performance is now 2-3.5 hours with massive amounts of spraying (for both fragrances). For $50 I can afford to overspray this, but just be ready to have extra ready, if you decide to buy.

Also, my skin isn’t the type to ‘eat’ up a fragrance, as I get great performance from many other colognes.

Seasonally, it makes me think of warm weather, not necessarily the heat of summer. However, I do think it can be worn year round without much issue. I’d like it best in early spring or late autumn.

That being said, it works well in the colder months too. Personally, I’d use something else for the winter, but L’Homme is fine there.

It is a casual or dressed up office wear scent. Very pleasant but not really sexy, when people can actually smell it on you, they find it enjoyable. It’s the type of fragrance that you can wear, pretty much whenever, without it feeling out of place. That’s one of its main strengths.

Overall Impressions of L’Homme by YSL

Overall, do I like L’Homme by YSL? I really really like the way that it smells, but still cannot for the life of me, get it to perform up to par. I hate that aspect. Just make it a beast and I would have a bottle pretty much at all times.

Unfortunately, it’s probably a wrap after I finish this newer bottle. At least there are a lot of decent flankers that have stemmed from this name, many of which have been discontinued though.

The original is a great cologne with extremely mediocre performance. L’Homme Eau de Parfum was something that I liked, but the performance wasn’t great with that either.

Performance doesn’t tend to get better, as fragrances have been on the market for longer periods of time. Some batches, may be better than others, but none are super powerful. This has been especially true of this one.

I still enjoy the scent, not as keen on it as when I first started getting into fragrances, but L’Homme does smell very nice. Though, there really isn’t much of a point in owning this cologne anymore.

Maybe the only case is getting a bottle for insanely cheap and not minding re-applying it every 3 hours.

I’ll use my remaining bottle for the gym or just as a quick freshie. As for anyone else, it might be a better idea to look elsewhere, either with YSL or another brand.

Allure Homme Edition Blanche by Chanel

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Allure Homme has spawned a number of flankers, including the Sport series. Edition Blanche is another flanker of this popular Chanel name and has had a few variations of its formula over the years. In this post, I want to take a closer look at the current eau de parfum version, and share my thoughts on this scent.

What does Allure Homme Edition Blanche EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: Sicilian lemon, bergamot, vanilla, vetiver, sandalwood

Click here to try: Allure Homme Edition Blanche by Chanel

My Full Review

Let’s see how Chanel describes it: A composition with a new, modern character. A true creative statement. A fresh, Oriental fragrance that strikes a perfect balance between elegance and uniqueness.

I’ve already reviewed the older and no longer produced EDT version of Blanche. Obviously, the two are going to be very similar to one another, but there are indeed differences.

In this one, the lemon is stronger early on. It doesn’t have the same harshness or spiciness, since the pink pepper note isn’t present. It’s got that dry quality coming up from the base notes, but you get more of the lemon and vanilla combo early.

Lemon and bergamot lead the way with their bright and sharp citrus smell. The vanilla starts to add it sweet creaminess and Edition Blanche does start to have its lemon cake phase. Maybe some kind of cream-sicle. Either way it’s an awesome gourmand.

There’s really only two phases with this Chanel cologne. First, that citrus and vanilla start. Then, the sandalwood and vetiver. The citrus will fade away and it becomes more of a fresh, dry, and creamy fragrance.

The dry down is quite light. The woods show up earlier in this newer version and play a more dominant role. It’s vanilla, sandalwood, and some vetiver for the rest of the way.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is light to moderate. At it’s peak, it is noticeable, but not going to fill the room. It projects in the 3-5 foot range from the skin. Most of the wear it is going to be much closer to the skin, as Blanche is not a beast with its performance.

The longevity is around 5 hours with normal sprays and I can get it to around 6 hours if I double up. Performance is the real weakness of Allure Edition Blanche. Even though it is an eau de parfum, the extra concentration doesn’t do much to give this one more power.

That’s something you need to be aware of before getting this fragrance, so you aren’t completely shocked.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summer wear all the way. The lightness, the citrus, and that vanilla finish are great when it’s warm out.

Edition Blanche is pretty versatile within that time of the year. It’s low key enough for work, can be worn semi-formally, or even casually. It’s more of an attractive or delicious smelling fragrance versus being something sexy for the nightlife.

Overall Impressions of Allure Homme Edition Blanche

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, I do. Based on the aroma alone, Allure Homme Edition Blanche is among my favorite Chanel colognes. That lemon and vanilla sweet creaminess is fantastic and I really enjoy the dessert-like quality to it. Especially, in a summer scent.

At the price point, I do wish that it had better performance. That would go a long way toward recommending it more. 4-6 hours is okay. It would be good enough if the sillage were stronger, but with a lighter projection, it’s meh.

Also, I prefer the similar smelling perfume, Uden by Xerjoff to this Chanel. It is even pricier, but surpasses Blanche in scent and performance.

All in all, I recommend trying this fragrance out. It won’t be for everybody, and for those that enjoy it, this EDP may not be one you want to spend the cash on. Sharp, sweet, creamy, and dry woody. Simple and lovely.