Cologne Reviews

Mr. Burberry EDT by Burberry

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Mr. Burberry EDT isn’t a cologne that I had tried out yet, so when I got a sample of it, I was hoping that it would be among the brand’s best efforts. This scent was released in 2014, which makes it one of the newer colognes from this line. It is a woodsy based fragrance with a citrus note provided by grapefruit.

In this post, I want to give my impressions of Mr. Burberry eau de toilette after wearing, describe how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a purchase or not.

What does Mr. Burberry EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: tarragon, cedar, birch leaf, grapefruit, cardamom, sandalwood, vetiver

Click here to try: BURBERRY Mr Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Mr. Burberry is a smooth blend of the grapefruit note along with some of the woods, notably the sandalwood and cedar. I can’t say that I’m blown away by the opening but I do find it pleasant and subtle on my skin. There’s just so many pairings of grapefruit and wood out there, it feels redundant.

There is a dash of mint in there, from the start, which lends a nice bit of coolness to the composition. It has a slightly herbal tone to it that underlies the citrus and woodsy notes but again, Mr. Burberry never comes across as anything special, in my opinion.

That isn’t to say that this cologne smells bad, it definitely doesn’t. Mr. Burberry is very clean and crisp and feels like a more dressed up type of fragrance, that can also be worn casually. The mint, cardamom and tarragon, is what really drives the best aspects of this cologne.

There is a hint of spice there, that is pretty much the only thing I find interesting about it. That’s the cardamom note coming through, to my nose, it is the highlight of Mr. Burberry. It plays wonderfully off of the mint, and then later, the woodsy base notes.

Nutmeg? I suppose, but it is none too strong. It just seems really generic and uneventful otherwise, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, depending on your own personal style.

As it dries down, I think this fragrance gets somewhat better than how it started. It’s got plenty of woody goodness in there and is quite fresh. Vetiver and birch, are the main notes I pick up from that aspect, along with the ubiquitous sandalwood.

The grapefruit is still around, not as sharp as it once was, but it does provide the main thrust of this cologne. The finish of Mr. Burberry is dry, woodsy, with the herbal/spice notes still floating around.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection is decent. You can get away with spraying a lot more of this stuff than some other entries. It’s stronger than a skin scent, but the sillage doesn’t carve out a path in a room. Mr. Burberry does everything smoothly.

The longevity is also pretty good, this isn’t an all day and all night affair, but it’ll probably get through most of a work day. During testing, I got in the 5-7 hour range, and that’s what it seems about capable of.

Having now used up the sample sprayer that I had, I’d say that’s the range I get each time. Mostly, closer to the five hour mark, rather than the latter.

Mr. Burberry is an elegant type of scent so it will do well in those dressier situations as well as at work or school. It really isn’t offensive and is simply something that smells good/fresh. It does enjoy some versatility too, as it seems like it could work in almost any season.

It’s not a night club beast, has a definite appeal, but not really a sexy quality. Women will enjoy it, but it’s isn’t something that truly captures attention, in my experience.

As much as it doesn’t really cultivate much excitement from me, I can honestly say that it’s versatility is perhaps its strongest point. It’s pleasant, low key, and has the ability to simply work in so many different scenarios.

Overall Impressions of Mr. Burberry

Overall, is Mr. Burberry a buy? For me, no. I actually like the way it smells and it is far better than Burberry Weekend, for example. There are just other Burberry colognes that I would rather wear.

Plus, since the performance isn’t outstanding, it loses more of my potential interest.

This cologne seems to get a lot of undue hate from a lot of folks, but it really isn’t a ‘bad’ fragrance, just not something I absolutely must have. If I could snag a really cheap bottle of this stuff, I probably would wear it on some occasions, and enjoy doing so.

It doesn’t stand out from the pack and that could be good or bad depending on your own tastes.

I do wish it was a bit more interesting and had some greater longevity. Even just the performance, could’ve made Mr. Burberry EDT worthwhile at the right price.

Hamptons by Bond No. 9

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In today’s review, we have another entry from Bond No. 9. It is a unisex fragrance called Hamptons. I’ve been wearing this around for the past few days, out of the sample vial that I received. In this post, I’m going to cover what’s in it, what it smells like, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a buy.

What does Hampton by Bond No. 9 Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, lime blossom, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, magnolia, musk, sage, and cedar

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Hamptons by Bond No. 9 For Men And Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3-Ounces

My Full Review

The opening citrus notes of Hamptons are quite sharp. I think it’s the fact that it is blending with the floral notes, which gives it this kind of odd feeling versus the usual citrus fare.

For me, 10-15 minutes into wear, I start to get whiffs of the jasmine and sage notes, that reminds me of walking through a green garden during springtime.

The jasmine remains the strongest floral note for me, throughout the wear. Not much rose or magnolia, at all. Very light and they sit underneath the main accord.

Hamptons is a hyper clean smelling scent, due to the power of the lime/lemon aroma that it generates that sits on top of what could be considered soapy/body wash ingredients including jasmine and sandalwood.

The slight herbal tinge provided by the sage, is one of the reasons that I think this gets compared with Creed’s Silver Mountain Water. I totally get the comparison but I feel that the Creed is the better fragrance, even if neither of these are really my style. As I recall, the Creed has a metallic quality that this one lacks.

It only becomes more green, fresh, and woody as it dries down. The sharp citrus opening fades at about 30 minutes for me and the scent feels much more well blended. Hamptons is so light and clean, in a very fresh out of the shower, kind of way.

The trail end is a woody mix of sage and floral notes. It’s a really nice mix, and develops into something quite a bit different from the opening act of the perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it starts out on the strong end but then morphs into a much more moderate fragrance. The sillage doesn’t require that much, in terms of sprays, because it can

The longevity is absolutely great. We’re talking double digit hours of wear with only two sprays, which should be how all fragrances at this price point perform.

For seasonality, I’d say spring, as a definite. Also, would work in the summertime. It wouldn’t perform badly in the cold, but I’d much rather wear something else that is more suited to the colder months of the year.

Hamptons is a casual scent. It’s pleasant but not really sexy. It is kind of ambiguous, as it is in reality a unisex scent. It would absolutely work on male or female.

Overall Impressions of Hamptons

Overall, would I recommend Hamptons? I like it. It just isn’t my own personal style. If you’re looking for a really clean citrus/floral, that is low key and gives good performance, it’s a solid buy.

Just understand what you’re getting with this one and don’t expect some super sexy ‘club’ cologne. For what it does, Hamptons does it well.

Again, it’s similar to Silver Mountain Water by Creed, but not exactly. I wouldn’t try to substitute one for the other. Hamptons isn’t one of my favorite Bond scents, but it can definitely be worthwhile for the right person.

Beyond by David Beckham

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I have already reviewed multiple David Beckham fragrances for men on this site. For a line that hasn’t been in existence very long, it has already released quite a number of scents. Beckham colognes sell at a very attractive and inexpensive price point, which allows a greater number of people to try them out and not have to invest so much money to smell good.

Today, I wanted to review one of the newer offerings from this line, called Beyond. In this post, I want to explore a bit on how it smells, how it performs, and whether or not it is worth consideration for purchase.

What does Beyond by David Beckham Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, cardamom, leather, mojito, vanilla, black pepper

Click here to try: David Beckham Beyond Men’s Eau de Toilette Spray, 3 Ounce

My Review

One of the main draws of Beyond is its mojito note. Now, this excited me, as one of my favorite colognes to wear is Guerlain Homme which features a mojito accord as its main notes as well. If Beckham Beyond could act as a cheaper substitute for Guerlain, I would be quite pleased.

Unfortunately, the mojito feel in Beyond is completely subdued and not even close to being as good as Guerlain. You do get a sense of the mint but none of the rum or sugar. The opening is a woodsy blend with mint/leather/grapefruit providing a smooth and slightly spicy aroma.

During the drydown period, the cardamom/vanilla/black pepper becomes more noticeable and the mint become less prominent. Beyond does smell quite nice, however, it never really blows me away as a scent. It feels completely generic and uninteresting.

It’s an enjoyable cologne but don’t expect anything unique or special.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Beyond, is light to moderate. It isn’t a heavy hitter at all and feels like it’d be an everyday wear for casual situations. I’ve now tried this out a few times and it never has great sillage on my skin. For the first little bit, it is noticeable but not heavy

Longevity isn’t great either. I got 1.5-2 hours of solid performance before it became strictly a skin scent. This was just further disappointment, as it really failed to live up to my hopes of a cheap Guerlain alternative. and it offers nothing much that makes it stand out on its own.

Again, it’s pretty consistent in that range. During one test, it lasted a little more than three hours, in an air conditioned environment.

When should this be worn? Assuming it lasts on your skin, I’d say anytime except in the extreme heat or humidity. That seems to really mess with the staying power of Beyond. It’d be at its peak, on a brisk day.

It smells attractive enough, for a date or and evening out. Meanwhile, it can also totally be used for a daily wear. Again, it’s really up to what kind of performance you get from Beyond.

Overall Impression of David Beckham Beyond

Overall, can I rate Beyond a buy? Not really. I just don’t see the point of owning this Beckham cologne. It is pretty generic, though, it smells nice. It doesn’t even last long, so it doesn’t make up for its completely average scent.

It is inexpensive but there are better Beckham options available and choices from other brands.

Beyond is just a wasted effort in my opinion, if it had a little bit more intensity, it could be a serviceable cologne to wear at school or work…but it failed to even accomplish that. Upon trying it a few more times, I do appreciate aspects of the scent itself.

I like the leather and mint, but I want a stronger impact from that mojito accord. Really not a ‘bad’ smell, just held back by mediocre performance.

Oud Essentiel by Guerlain

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I’ve had this Guerlain sample vial for three months or so and knew that I needed to get around to wearing it so that I can post a review. The scent? Oud Essentiel. Released in 2017, this Guerlain fragrance is a unisex offering, for folks who are in search of a great oud perfume. Does it live up to the billing? Please continue below for my full take.

What does Oud Essentiel by Guerlain Smell Like?

Notes include: Bulgarian rose, agarwood (oud), leather, frankincense, and saffron

Click here to try: Oud Essential Guerlain EDP Spray

My Full Review

Before I start with my review, let’s see what Guerlain has to say about Oud Essentiel: To create the new fragrance in the Absolus d’Orient collection, Guerlain Perfumer Thierry Wasser drew his inspiration from the unique and precious oud wood. The fragrance is a majestic celebration of this rare ingredient which reveals its true strength and sensuality. Both mellow and intense, this woody leather fragrance blends the mysterious notes of leather and frankincense and the sweet notes of Bulgarian rose in a subtle alchemy. A unique olfactory encounter between East and West.

This is the second review I’ve done from the Absolus d’Orient collection, the first being of Santal Royal. Obviously, this whole line is going to be more of a niche luxury collection, than anything that will ever appeal to the mass market and usually focuses on a singular note of that part of the world.

Oud Essentiel opens up with a really sharp/sweet mixture of the rose and oud. Underneath that is saffron and just a peak at the leather note, which emerges later on in the wear. This stuff is an absolute monster at the beginning, very loud, and in your face.

You know right off the bat, that this is a fragrance that isn’t going to appeal universally, and won’t have a place in everyone else’s collection.

I don’t feel that the oud note is ever totally dominate in this composition. It is most certainly there, however, it is blended expertly with the other notes. It super sweet, dark, and resinous.

One can tell that the quality of the ingredients is very high, as each note, smells absolutely wonderful. Very bold but very wonderful.

As it dries down, the composition is still lead by the oud and Bulgarian Rose. It is fairly linear, in that regard. However, the frankincense, leather, saffron, and other woody notes each seem to take their turn being a highlight.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage is huge for the first half of the wear or so. Two sprays is more than enough and one spray will be all that is required many times.

Think half of the wear isn’t long enough? Well, this one hits 12 hours or so on my skin. So, half or more of that time, it’s a beast. Then, calms down into something more moderate. Either way, performance is top notch.

This is billed as a unisex fragrance, but leans more masculine. A woman can wear this absolutely, but it requires confidence (for anyone) to put this on. When you consider what most modern fragrances are, this one stands out totally.

Seasonally, I’d stick to this in fall and winter. Colder weather only, for me at least. I wouldn’t want to have this on in the humidity of the summer months. This is more for semi-formal to formal wear. It’s loud, so, it might be out of the question for some folks to wear to work.

I could see throwing this on at night, though. Wouldn’t call it sexy, as many women would probably think that it’s too loud. This is one perfume that you’ve got to wear for yourself and not solely to draw complements.

Overall Impressions of Oud Essentiel

Overall, do I like Oud Essentiel? For a oud scent? It’s got one of the best oud notes, I’ve ever come across. It’s not my kind of style, since I’m not a huge fan of wearing oud. But, I still think that it smells good.

For those who love the note, love bold fragrances, and can afford the Guerlain prices; go for it. It’s a great blend and the performance is utterly magnificent.

Lucky You for Men by Lucky Brand

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I’ve done literally hundreds of fragrance reviews on this site from the very expensive to the completely cheap. It can be tough to compare the top shelf stuff to the inexpensive wearers because frankly they’re not the same thing. As such, I tend to grade the inexpensive colognes on a different scale, so to speak.

They are there for everyday wear, to smell good, and to have decent enough performance…if they pass those hurdles and it fits your style, then they are usually a decent buy because you don’t have to break the bank to acquire them.

Today I’d like to take a closer look at Lucky You under the Lucky Brand label and under the Liz Claiborne umbrella, which is usually available for under $15 a bottle.

What does Lucky You Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: tamarind, bamboo, cardamom, cotton flower, musk, sandalwood

Click here to try: Lucky You Lucky Brand Cologne Spray 3.4 Oz For Men

My Full Review

During the opening of Lucky You, I really have a hard time detecting exactly what the notes are supposed to be.  It’s green, fresh, somewhat soapy, and has its own distinct aroma. Looking at the ingredients, I can tell why it can be difficult, as most of those notes aren’t everyday smells.

After a few minutes, I definitely start getting the musk note, which isn’t heavy but does give this cologne some character. The opening does come on pretty strong, even if Lucky You is overall pretty mild.

There’s really green almost grassy note supported by a base of various woods, which while making it interesting, might scare some folks off initially.

Since this is a Liz Claiborne creation, I compare it to scents such as Curve or Bora Bora or Mambo.  Out of the four, Curve is still the best smelling, in my mind.

However, I think I’d put Lucky You as a secondary candidate, it has its own unique thing going on while still being attractive. It isn’t any type of grand creation that will blow you away, it’s pretty synthetic smelling, but there is a definite appeal here.

The fragrance itself is rather simple and straightforward. Most of the development, is one note gaining strength while another fades. For instance, more musk early on, with a grassier/floral disposition later on. It loses some of that soapy clean quality, while still remaining totally fresh.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Lucky You isn’t strong outside of the first few minutes. Also, the longevity is pretty weak also, one will need more sprays than usual to get anything more than a few hours with this.

However, if you do over-spray, it’ll go for 4-6 hours, mostly as a skin scent. If you’re wearing a t-shirt you don’t care much about preserving, it can spray on fabric and last a decent amount of time. Still not a workhorse.

It’s best served as a casual fragrance for younger guys (think teens to mid 20s) and since it is so inexpensive, it fits naturally into that demographic. This isn’t a date night or club wear, though…it’s an everyday, casual school/work type of scent.

Lucky You is a nice little change of pace from the usual fare, in the spring and summertime. It wears very well in the warmer weather, without having an aquatic or super citrus vibe like others.

Overall Impression of Lucky You

Overall, is Lucky You worth a buy? If you fit into the demographic and need something really inexpensive to wear on a daily basis, I might give it a try. It doesn’t really fit with me so I’ll pass.

I also think that there are much better smelling scent for cheap (as I’ve documented here and here) but I won’t say this is a bad buy. Lucky You is pretty good, although it’s longevity leaves much to be desired.

But again, it costs like $10-12 per bottle usually, so I can’t complain too much about performance. It’s a nice smelling starter cologne for those on a tight budget. If you can afford more, definitely go with something else. Even if you can’t, there are still yet more options.