Cologne Reviews

Allure Homme Edition Blanche EDT by Chanel

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Allure Homme Edition Blanche EDT was released by Chanel back in 2008. I got a sample of this version a few months ago, along with the newer EDP that the brand still sells. My sample is marked concentree, so, I’m not sure if it was a further release beyond the regular EDT. Either way, this one is no longer produced, but I figured I’d do a review for posterity’s sake. 

What does Edition Blanche EDT Eau Concentree Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, pink pepper, vanilla, sandalwood, vetiver, tonka bean, amber

My Full Review

Blanche EDT opens with a sharp and dry use of lemon, vetiver, sandalwood, and pink pepper. You’re absolutely going to have to be a citrus lover with this one, to really appreciate it, as it is very sharp upon opening.

The lemon is going to dominate through much of the wear. Early on, it feels especially intense, but once the vanilla and tonka bean kicks in…it will settle.

The pink pepper is the first note to fall off and that gives the sandalwood and vetiver a bit more room in the base. The vanilla creaminess will start to envelope the lemon note, along with the tonka bean. 

This Chanel fragrance is actually pretty darn linear and there isn’t much development beyond that. Just more of the lemon/vanilla aroma and less of the other notes within the composition.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is moderate in the early stages and then pretty light thereafter. However, it does project itself very nicely early on and it’ll hang around well after spraying. Just don’t expect a complete beast for the duration.

Longevity wise, I get 6-ish hours on my skin with this Eau Concentree. Allure Edition Blanche spends much of that time, as a skin scent, but it does indeed hang around. Still noticeable, just not amazing with its performance.

 

Seasonally, Allure Edition Blanche is a spring and summer fragrance, all the way. Mainly, for the summertime. I like to wear it casually or even for a night out. Though, I’d say that it’s probably at its best in the daytime. 

Overall Impressions of Edition Blanche Eau Concentree

Do I like this fragrance? Absolutely. I know they don’t produce this version anymore, and the EDP is close enough, but I really do love this scent. Uden by Xerjoff is an available replacement (and in many ways even better).

That dry lemon and pink pepper opening act could scare some away from this. However, that creamy vanilla/sweet/dessert like finish is so damn good on a warm summer’s day. I have been slowly depleting my sample vial, since I know it’s such a rare commodity. 

The performance of Allure Edition Blanche was never its strong suit. The sillage is moderate, at its peak, but detectable. For much of the wear, it will be a softer experience. Though, it does stick around on the skin for a nice amount of time. 

I wish Chanel could’ve beefed up the performance a bit more.

If you want a bottle of this one in particular, you’ll have to shell out over $300 in all likelihood off a site like eBay. Or you can just go with the EDP, which is also near this same level. Uden is usually $200, but well worth it. 

Spicebomb Night Vision EDT by Viktor & Rolf

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Spicebomb Night Vision is one of the latest set of flanker fragrances from Viktor & Rolf for the very popular Spicebomb lineup. I’ve been testing out both of the Night Vision colognes for the past few weeks to see how each performs. What does the EDT smell like? When should it be worn? Is it even worth a try?

What does Spicebomb Night Vision Smell Like?

Notes include:  grapefruit, sage, black spice complex, geranium, roasted almond accord, tonka bean

Click here to try: Spicebomb Night Vision Eau De Toilette Spray By Viktor & Rolf Cologne for Men 1.7 oz

My Full Review

The opening act of Night Vision has been fairly strange in terms of what I pick up from it. Sometimes, it feels much sweeter and closer to the dry down stage of the EDP version. Then, it seems quite fresh and green during other wears.

The opening act is usually highlighted by the grapefruit, sage, geranium, and black spice complex. The spice complex is black pepper and it seems like a bit of chili pepper, as well. Though, sometimes it also smells like there is cumin in here…as I’ve said, it’s weird.

If I happen to get a sweeter opening, it’s usually the tonka bean popping up early to match with the grapefruit note. The sage freshness is always present.

Other reviews that I’ve seen on this scent, don’t seem to pick up as much geranium and sage as I do on my skin. But, that’s a lot of what I’ve come to expect from Night Vision.

The dry down is a tonka bean and roasted almond creaminess, with the aromatic freshness of the aforementioned notes. It’s a bit green and not as cold or woody as the EDP version. Really, this one isn’t too complex.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage with Spicebomb Night Vision is light to moderate. The first hour is pretty decent with how it projects itself. Then, it does go into skin scent mode pretty quickly on my skin and stay there for the rest of the time. Not really great.

The longevity is also lackluster, with this Viktor & Rolf cologne lasting just over 5 hours, in my experience. Maybe, it’s gotten close to six for one wear. The performance is probably the biggest negative for me, with this fragrance…it’s pretty bad for a designer cologne.

When it can be worn, is one of the strengths, however. Seasonally, Night Vision is fine, outside the height of the summer, but could work well in autumn through the springtime.

Spicebomb Night Vision is more of a casual or nightlife wear versus being anything formal. It also skews younger, think 20s through early 30s, and not a teenager’s cologne. The scent itself is pretty mass appealing and should be able to draw some complements. It’s not groundbreaking stuff, but I think plenty of people would enjoy Night Vision.

Overall Impressions of Night Vision EDT

Overall, do I like Night Vision? When I first tried out this Spicebomb scent, it wasn’t that appealing to me. However, it did grow on me somewhat. Even with a bit more appreciation in its favor, Spicebomb Night Vision isn’t all that great.

It smells fine enough and there are periods, that I quite enjoy. As a whole, there’s nothing that really stands out about it. The fragrance’s performance isn’t good, the smells is nice but not super attractive, and it doesn’t supplant any of the other Spicebomb colognes.

For the retail price, I cannot recommend it. If you can find it on sale, then maybe it’s worth a go. Still, I like the Eau de Parfum better. It actually has decent performance and a better aroma, as a whole.

It certainly has some positive aspects to its presentation, but overall this is pretty forgettable. At the price point, you could do better.

The Scent Intense by Hugo Boss

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The line of Hugo Boss fragrances released under “The Scent” banner, have had many incarnations over the past 5+ years. I’ve reviewed the original EDT on the site, but recently picked up the other offerings to try and complete the collection (I know, I’m late). Today’s entry is going to be of The Scent Intense. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does The Scent Intense by Boss Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, cardamom, maninka fruit, leather, vanilla, lavender, wood

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Hugo Boss describes it: An irresistible fragrance, unforgettable like a savored seduction. Exquisite notes of spicy cardamom, exotic maninka fruit, vanilla and leather unfold over time for an intense experience.

The Scent Intense opens up with a much spicier aroma than does the original. Off the bat, there is a lot of ginger and cardamom. The ginger is amped up from the original The Scent and the cardamom is a newer addition.

It’s a nice change of pace and I do like the intensity of the spice in the opening. The maninka fruit is still present, but it is without its citrus pairing. The Scent Intense is much less of a fruity fragrance, than is the EDT. 

The spicy top sticks around for a while, but Intense will quickly move into its leathery phase. Maninka, lavender, and leather are basically what is around for the middle act. To my nose, the ginger is gone, and the cardamom has weakened significantly.

Finally, the end game will mostly be vanilla and leather, along with the remaining maninka. I do like the combination of these notes, but I actually prefer the spicy opening act, to the vanilla and leather finish.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The Scent Intense does indeed open up with some power and the ability to project itself is actually really nice for a while. However, the overall sillage is pretty moderate, as the intensity drops pretty far once the spices have dissipated.

Nonetheless, it is much better than the completely weak EDT version. The longevity also goes for over 7 hours on my skin. It’s not completely beast mode, but very serviceable and useful for most purposes.

 

Seasonally, autumn through springtime like the original. It has a nice versatility, can be worn day or night, by a variety of age ranges and many different scenarios. The Scent Intense does have a sexy aroma, that should allow you to venture into the nightlife with confidence and appeal.

Overall Impressions of Boss The Scent Intense

Do I like this cologne? I do. In terms of smell, I actually do like the original a bit more. However, the performance here is actually pretty good, especially when put head to head with the dreadful performance of that original release.

While I like the leather and vanilla dry down, I wanted more of that initial freshness and spicy warmth that I got with the intense opening act. I enjoyed the cardamom and ginger mix, but it didn’t go on for long enough.

It seems like The Scent Intense is getting difficult to come across these days, since it was released back in 2017. It’s worth trying, if you can find it at a reasonable price.

I don’t think that it’s an amazing fragrance, but it’s very good overall. If one liked the original, this one should have something to offer you.

Chrome Aqua by Azzaro

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Azzaro has been churning out flankers to its mega-hit Chrome for decades now. In 2019, they released Chrome Aqua to the market, to go after that aquatic cologne segment. I recently grabbed a sample of this and didn’t know anything about it beforehand. How does it smell? When should Chrome Aqua be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Chrome Aqua Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, basil, vetiver, violet leaf, sea notes

Click here to try: Azzaro Chrome Aqua Eau de Toilette – Cologne for Men

My Full Review

The opening act of Chrome Aqua is a lot more ‘green’ than I was expecting. Now, it is quite fresh and the sea notes are there, but it’s not the blue aquatic that I thought I was getting. But, I did go in blind to trying this out.

Initially, I get a big dose of basil, bright grapefruit, and a cooling vetiver aroma. There might be some mint in here also or it could just be the basil and vetiver interacting…I’m not sure. However, do expect a bit of minty-like spice in the composition.

The further along in the wear that I get, the less and less of an aquatic it becomes. Which it never really hit that pure aquatic status. The dry down sees the basil note getting weaker and the violet leaf/vetiver combination taking root.

Finally, almost everything else is gone and I’m left with the impression of a fresh woody type of cologne. It’s really hard to distinguish the individual notes

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Chrome Aqua starts off with a nice burst and I thought that it would be a borderline strong fragrance, as it projected well from my skin. That initial power, dissipates pretty fast and it devolves into a moderate, and finally skin scent.

It’s pretty average for the first few hours and then it’s a skin scent. Disappointing.

The longevity isn’t much better. On my skin, it will go 5-6 hours in total. Yep, most of that is going to hug the skin closely. This one isn’t a monster or even a overachieving performer.

My Overall Impressions of Chrome Aqua

Do I like this scent? I do like the way it smells. Basil gets underused in fragrances and this makes me think of the old L’Homme Libre. That had a very close vibe to what you’re getting with Chrome Aqua.

I like the freshness here. The basil and vetiver are really nice together. I do wish that it actually was more aquatic than it ends up being. A lot of what marine qualities it has, seems to just come from the violet leaf note.

Nonetheless, the dark marine aroma that it has for a period is solid and I enjoyed wearing the scent, as a whole.

The main gripe with this one is the performance. It opens up with a nice sillage, but the strength and ability to project just falls apart, rather quickly. Also, the cologne seems to last 5-6 hours at the most. Much of that, as a skin scent.

That mediocre performance is really what hampers this Azzaro from really being worthwhile. It’s fine, but doesn’t give you enough reason to want to own it.

Seasonally, Chrome Aqua is a spring and summer wear. It’s appropriate for any age and can fit in a variety of situations. More of a daytime wear versus a nightlife cologne. Though, since it isn’t overpowering or too niche, you can find plenty of opportunity to spray this one on.

What Fragrances are Similar to Chrome Aqua?

Acqua di Gio Profumo has a similar style to this one. There is some overlap in the actual aroma. Like, if you stripped away the incense from Profumo and toned down the marine notes. This one isn’t nearly as ‘aquatic’ of a scent, despite the name.

Profumo also has much better performance. Plus, I think it smells better.

The Most Wanted by Azzaro

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The Wanted line has been a big hit for Azzaro, which kind of needed something other than just more Chrome flankers. It’s garnered plenty of fans over recent years, which means that we should be getting more issues like The Most Wanted. This one was released in 2021 from the brand. Is it any good? Does it last long? Is it worth a buy?

What does The Most Wanted Smell Like?

notes include: caramel, cardamom, amberwood

Click here to try: Azzaro The Most Wanted Eau de Parfum Intense | Cologne for Men 1.7 fl oz

My Full Review

Wow. My initial impressions of The Most Wanted is that this is the best of the series. I was pretty indifferent to the original Wanted and liked Wanted by Night, but this is really nice.

Cardamom is in the lead off of the bat. There is a nice spiciness to it, but nothing close to the cinnamon note found in Night. The spice is actually offset by a sweetness the permeates the fragrance.

Up top, it actually has a fruity aroma. This is from the specific cardamom blend that they used, that comes off like an impression of  lemon (think the original Wanted…except way toned down). The sweetness is smooth and candy-like. Sort of like that vibe you get from 1 Million.

The spiciness here is fresh and warm, but not an overwhelming or enveloping gourmand scent. The base has a slight smokiness from bourbon vanilla, but mostly the freshness of vetiver. The Most Wanted definitely has a green-ish aspect in the composition.

Ultimately, what I get from the rest of the wear is a sweet and spicy caramel with balsamic and fresh highlights. The Most Wanted isn’t a super complex fragrance, but it has plenty of interesting combinations of aromas, within its relatively simple composition.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

In terms of its projection, this has the ability to emanate off of the skin well. I wouldn’t call it an absolute beast, but it is definitely strong and could be over-sprayed. That being said, you get your money’s worth with the Sillage of Most Wanted.

On my skin, this lasted right around 9 hours. Again, it’s well above the average fragrance out there, but not an elite marathon type of scent. I have no complaints with how long it lasts.

Seasonally, this is probably best in autumn through springtime. Though, you might be able to use as a nightlife scent in the summer, if it’s cool enough. Avoid the hottest days.

It does skew younger, but not a teenagers scent. It’s just not what you would really consider a mature fragrance. It could be a daily wear from casual to semi-formal occasions. I would mainly use it for nightlife and romantic wear, as The Most Wanted does put off that sexy vibe.

Overall Impressions of The Most Wanted

Do I like this one? Absolutely. I was really surprised how well Azzaro did with this one. Again, I was never enthused with the original Wanted. So, they’ve only gotten progressively better with each successive release from the series.

The cardamom and caramel are great together. It isn’t a stuffy or have that overbearing thickness that heavier sillage gourmands tend to. This still gives you great performance, but enough versatility to use outside of the dead of winter.

If you liked the rest of the Wanted line, this is probably going to be a must try for you. Or if you want a nice sweet and spicy blend with mass appeal, this is a great bet. I might have to grab myself a full bottle.

What Fragrances Smell Like The Most Wanted?

I do get the comparisons to Stronger with You by Armani. To me, that one is heavier on the vanilla and has a more complex profile. Obviously, the cardamom overlap is huge, the vanilla and hazelnut sweetness, and similar style.

I do like The Most Wanted more so. It’s fresher, spicier, and easy to wear in my opinion. I do like the Armani and think it could be a nice alternative.

Pure XS Night, if you want something spicier (other than Wanted by Night). The ginseng and ginger opening is bold, but it has the caramel/vanilla notes for the sweetness…just not nearly as sweet.