Cologne Reviews

Bvlgari Man by Bvlgari

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Since I’m doing a whole slew of new cologne reviews on the site , I figured I’d take some time and do one on a Bvlgari fragrance. In this post, I’m going to be taking a closer look at Bvlgari Man. It’s a woodsy/green type of fragrance which I tend to either love or hate.

What are some of the notes in Bvlgari Man? How does it smell? How does it perform? Is it worth a buy? Please read on for my full review of this cologne.

What does Bvlgari Man Smell Like?

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Notes include: Lotus, bergamot, vetiver, honey, violet, woods, musk

Try Blvgari Man: Bvlgari Man Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 5 Ounce

My Full Review

With a name like Man, you expect this Bvlgari scent to be something masculine and confident, and on that accord this cologne delivers. The opening is very refined and fresh.

I’m not completely blown away by it but it certainly smells very good as well as being quite crisp and clean.

Update: Coming back to this scent years later, I really do enjoy the opening act more so, than I had.

There is a light floral mix of lotus and violet leaf, with just a touch of pear and citrus. Even in the beginning, I am picking up more vetiver and wood. It is woody, warm, with thickness provided by the honey. 

Man does have a slight smokiness to it maybe from the vetiver? But then there is also a warm, woodsy, sweetness to it provided by the honey and musk. The impression it leaves is of a somewhat sweet grassy floral, with lots of wood.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

However, like some of my other favorites, this one does have longevity and projection issues. It isn’t a big time in your face scent to begin with but it could’ve at least made up for it with some longevity.

It doesn’t last nearly as long as I’d like, and it falls quickly into a skin scent. If you spray more than you usually would, it can be serviceable. I can only seem to must 3-4 hours total, though. It doesn’t hit the same level as Man in Black or other offerings. 

What this scent does right is provide an appealing if sort of generic aroma which would probably work very well in an office type environment.

I would say late 20s through 30s would be best served by wearing this. I want to say, I truly do enjoy this cologne, when it settles in Man becomes so damn good.

So, casual or business wear for this. It is attractive enough to pull complements, though, I wouldn’t really categorize it as a ‘sexy’ cologne. Very attractive, with its own style. 

Overall Impression of Bvlgari Man

Overall, would I rate this a buy? It’s fantastic for what it is, it just doesn’t last. It’s really a shame because I could envision me wearing this as a casual fragrance on a regular basis if it just projected itself better and lasted longer.

I might have suggested going with Bvlgari Man Extreme, but that seems to be a completely different fragrance. The more time that I’ve spent wearing Bvlgari Man, the greater appreciation that I have for this scent.

It’s unique and honestly has moments of utter greatness. The performance just sucks. 

I have a mini bottle, that I still throw on from time to time. Usually, it’s just before heading to the store or around my house. Really, because it’ll fade in most scenarios, before any real use is gotten out it. 

Update: This has been long since discontinued.

Man Ice by Jimmy Choo

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I’ve been working my way through all of the offerings from Jimmy Choo’s fragrance line over the past six months. I’m getting pretty close to being done with the current men’s releases, but knew that I still had the topic of today’s review, to go.

Jimmy Choo Man Ice, is another flanker using the Man moniker. It was released in 2017. How does it smell? What’s the performance like? Is it even worth a try?

What does Jimmy Choo Man Ice Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, cedar, vetiver, lime, grapefruit, mandarin, musk

Click here to try: JIMMY CHOO Man Ice Eau De Toilette, Citrus Aromatic Woody, 3.3 Fl Oz 

My Full Review

Before we get into my personal review of Man Ice, let’s see what Jimmy Choo says about it: Man Ice is a dangerously seductive and sophisticated scent designed for the contemporary man. Created with lime top notes and an underlying musky base, the fragrance evokes a flirtatious sweetness with a rich and woody depth. Finished in a sophisticated design, Man Ice is the ultimate day to night

Jimmy Choo Man Ice starts off with a giant burst of citrus. I know, they say lime, but I pick up a lot of lemon. I’d say it’s probably 60% lemon, to my nose, over lime or mandarin. Nevertheless, this fragrance is a cold lemonade-like citrus drink in fragrance form.

So, pretty much Dior Homme Cologne? Well, yes, it does start off as a near identical fragrance to that one. They do diverge at some point, but the start is very similar.

That’s a good thing, because I do enjoy how that Dior fragrance smells. It’s longevity is a problem, but it’s a fun summer cologne.

Again, there is a divergence, sometime during the first hour. Man Ice, becomes a bit less of the lemonade sort of smell, and takes on a woodier complexion.

There is a very slight crisp apple note in there. Weak, but it’s there. Mostly, it is cedar, vetiver, and musk. Vetiver comes in strong, during the middle of the wear. Then, musk and cedar round out the base.

What I’m left with is a frozen lemony scent, with hints of musk, and a woodsy base. That’s pretty much it. Not very complicated.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s not too powerful. You’ll get good sillage for the first 30 minutes or so. After that, it’s a pretty light to moderate cologne. The citrus notes, do project well right after you spray it on. The lemon/lime hit and it’ll definitely be noticeable.

With the longevity, it seems to hang around in the 4-6 hour range, depending on the day. It’s winter now, technically, but it’s quite warm outside. If I’m in and out of the house, it’ll usually be closer to 4 hours. If I’m inside, it’s a six hour wear.

Seasonally, this is a summertime cologne. I had to test it out here in winter, but save this for the warmest days of the year, that’s when it’ll fit best. A cold citrus drink with woody undertones? Summer.

It can be worn to the office, casually, semi-formally. Stick to the daytime, pretty much. I guess it could be a night wear, on certain occasions, but generally not.

It’s attractive and pleasant. Less sexy, but people will enjoy that familiar citrus aroma. I enjoy smelling it on my skin, just like I did with Dior Cologne.

Overall Impression of Jimmy Choo Man Ice

Overall, do I like Jimmy Choo Man Ice? I do. It’s a pretty targeted fragrance. It has it’s place and role, does it well, and isn’t meant to be all-encompassing.

If you want a nice change of pace in the summer months or live in a tropical setting, you could do a lot worse than this. Citrus, ice, musk, and dry woods. Simple yet effective.

I’m not crazy about it, but for the right price, I could see me wearing this more. I am a fan of lime notes, and I don’t get many opportunities to wear them, but Man Ice will be one of them.

Like other citrus focused fragrances, it’s not going to be a beast performer. Though, its a blast while it sticks around.

It is also usually much cheaper than Dior Cologne of Allure Homme Sport Cologne, both of which have a lot of overlap with this one.

360 Red by Perry Ellis

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It is important to note that not all worthwhile fragrances are super expensive or even moderately priced. Sure, the cheaper scents tend to use more synthetic ingredients and are generally less complex and more linear but that doesn’t preclude some from smelling quite good.

Today, I want to review one such cologne, 360 Red by Perry Ellis. In this post, I want to give my impressions of it and see just what makes it a potential buy. Also see: 360 Red vs Nautica Voyage

What does 360 Red by Perry Ellis Smell Like?

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Notes include: bergamot, cinnamon, lime, orange, lavender, spices

Click here to try: 360° Red by Perry Ellis for Men, 6.8 Ounce

My Full Review

360 Red gets a lot of attention for being in the opinion of some, an Acqua Di Gio clone.  I definitely notice the similarities between these two scents but I think 360 Red’s citrus notes are stronger and more defined than they are in Acqua Di Gio. It’s only right that they smell similar judging by the overlapping of some of each cologne’s notes.

However, I don’t want to get bogged down in comparison with an Armani fragrance when 360 Red presents an interesting fragrance at a fraction of the cost.

The opening is a pretty intense burst of mostly lemon and lime notes which exudes freshness right from the start. Now, it can be kind of overpowering at first but 360 Red settles down nicely and develops much more character as it wears on.

This one actually has a whole host of citrus based notes, from lime to orange, and bergamot. It’s going to be very citrus heavy throughout, with a spicy edge to it.

With the citrus in the opening, are an accord of spice, led by cinnamon. Cinnamon and some clove, are mainly what you’re going to pick up, on the skin. There is supposedly nutmeg in there too, but I can’t pick it out, if that’s the case. It is indeed quite close to AdG, but without the oceanic influences.

As it settles down, the spicier notes begin to flourish more. Again, this isn’t an overwhelming spice, rather, something that is smooth (sort of peppery) and envelops a definite warmth. This is definitely an attractive fragrance and one with just a hint of cinnamon to give a unique distinction.

Much later in the wear, I get touches of lavender, and a woodsy base. It’s fresh and pretty dry later on, though, it doesn’t dominate the composition. 360 Red is still all about the citrus and spice notes. However, it is a nice change of pace, to develop things further.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Longevity wise, this one is a performer. Seriously, for the price, it’s pretty much all of a full work day scent in most circumstances. Projection is moderate to very good. It’s not a heavy or overwhelming scent but you’ll notice it on you for sure.

Could you overspray this? Sure, but normal application isn’t going to choke out a room. I would expect anywhere from 6-9 hours of wear, depending on the climate, and circumstances of when you’re wearing it.

Versatility wise, this is going to lean more towards younger men. It’s not a complete teenage scent, but most older guys can opt for something better. 360 Red operates best in the warmer months, definitely a good daily wear candidate for late spring and summer.

It has a certain level of attractiveness. It smells good, but not necessarily sexy. A younger man, could wear this on an evening out no problem, though.

Casual, school, office, and potentially evening for the right occasion. So, you do get a wide berth of uses, with Red. That’s great news for something, at this price point, where colognes are usually extremely limited in use and performance.

Overall Impression of 360 Red

Do I think 360 Red is worth a purchase? Yes, it is a great value pick and if you like Acqua Di Gio or similar scents, you might as well save some money and get this and a bottle of something else for the same price.

Honestly, the original AdG probably isn’t even worth buying nowadays (at retail prices, discounted, sure), since we have so many other options. This or Just Me for Men, can replace the Armani scent. Also, Acqua di Gio Profumo, is a better fragrance overall.

With 360 Red, I really dig the citrus strength of the opening, and the cinnamon note. It’s a bit sweet, spicy, and you have enough woody notes to keep it interesting. 360 Red has freshness and a drier base, than does Acqua di Gio, in lieu of sea notes.

All in all, this Perry Ellis cologne is a great pick up, for guys who want something cheap with a mass appeal.

Erolfa by Creed

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I have several more cologne reviews on the way within the next week or so. However, before I got to those I wanted to do one on the last Creed fragrance I sampled while visiting their boutique in Las Vegas, named Erolfa.

Yes, it’s an odd name but it’s taken from the letters of the names of the Creed family. I had never encountered this particular Creed scent before trying it out on my vacation, so, I came at it with no real expectations of performance or smell.

Update: I have tried this again, years after the original review, so I’m adding to my thoughts on this scent. This cologne is in the aquatic/marine end of things and as such I was interested in giving it a whirl in the desert heat.

What does Creed Erolfa Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, ambergris, lime, melon, orange, violet, ginger, coriander, pepper, sandalwood, musk, amber, cedar

Click here to try: Erolfa By Creed For Men. Millesime Spray 4.0 Oz.

My Full Review

The opening of Erolfa is mainly a citrus affair. The lime, melon, and bergamot really stand out in the start which reminds me of pieces of other Creed fragrances such as Imperial, Virgin Island Water, and Silver Mountain Water. Now, it isn’t wholly similar to any of them, just vague reminders from these opening notes.

I rather enjoy the opening that is a citrus blended with saltier notes which replicate the air of the sea, sort of like Acqua di Gio Profumo.

I think that Creed has done a really good job at creating a summertime fragrance that is so reminiscent of spending time on the water. It is fresh, bright, with a clean, quasi-soapy aroma to it.

Mostly what I get from this scent, beyond the citrus opening, is a slightly spicy/woody undertone with that prominent saltiness that hangs in the air.

The musk, ambergris, cedar, and sandalwood are the notes which stood out the most to my nose. The citrus stays throughout but it does weaken as time moves on and these other ingredients begin to shine.

 

It is still a rather fruity fragrance, with salt watery elements, and ambergris sitting on top of a woody base.  What I did notice about Erolfa, the second time around, is the secondary notes. 

This time, I made sure to really pay attention to the composition. I definitely got more violet, than previously, and an underlying earthy dryness. Now, neither is all that powerful, but you can zero in on each if you’re focusing.

Nonetheless, Erolfa is going to be more about the citrus, melon, ambergris, woods, and musk. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Erolfa is honestly pretty moderate. It isn’t really a heavy hitter in that regard, decent but nothing to write home about either. The projection will stay within about a 5 foot radius from your skin and move in closer from there. 

Longevity, I don’t know if it was just that one test I did or if it has problems, but I got a little more than 4 hours out of Erolfa. This is disappointing when compared to other Creed scents but then again it might have just been a one time thing.

Update: I’ve tried this again, since the review in 2016, I got around 5-6 hours the second time. Still, not all that great. I think the extra few hours were due to being inside more, during the second wear. 

I’d definitely say that Erolfa is a warm weather or summertime scent. I couldn’t see myself wearing this at any other time of the year. It just captures that kind of atmosphere.

Erolfa seems more of a casual daytime wear more than anything. It smells nice but it isn’t a date night or club wear by any means. Not really a sexy cologne.

You could wear it in a semi-formal situation during the spring/summer months, but it doesn’t come across as being for any specific purpose. 

Overall Impression of Erolfa

Overall, is Erolfa worth a buy? To me, I don’t think so. I like it but I was never blown away by it and I think there are not only better Creed colognes but also better seaside aquatics out there for cheaper.

I enjoy aspects of this fragrance. Coming back to it, I really appreciate the bergamot and melon notes, here. The melon is on the lighter end of things, but it pairs very well with the citrus.

Erolfa is a very pleasant fragrance, but I still can’t say that it reaches another level of greatness. 

Erolfa didn’t really wow me with its performance and while it’s pretty nice, I don’t want to spend that kind of cash for something that isn’t remarkable.

If you need to add to your Creed collection, then, by all means have at it. Anyone else, should probably look elsewhere.

CK Be by Calvin Klein

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Calvin Klein was a major force in the fragrance world during the 1980s and 90s. From Obsession to Eternity to CK One and everything in between, this line of scents were constant best sellers, and still are in many ways.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at another unisex fragrance by Calvin Klein, CK Be. Is this fragrance still one to wear? What are its pros and cons? Is it worth a purchase?  Also see: CK One vs CK Be

What does CK Be Smell Like?

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Notes include: magnolia, peach, lavender, musk, sandalwood, bergamot, mint, vanilla

Click here to try: CK BE by CK Unisex Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz.

My Full Review

The opening of CK Be is quite pleasant and doesn’t overpower you like some fragrances. It is a subtle blend of musk, lavender, peach, and citrus provided by the bergamot.

Again, this is a unisex scent, so don’t expect anything that screams masculine but it isn’t some ‘girly’ perfume either.

Be starts off with a fresh mix of notes like mint, lavender, and juniper. These are paired alongside the lighter fruit notes. Lavender strikes me as being stronger, up top, but there is a nice cleanliness to the supporting ingredients.

At this stage, it does have its soapy-like aroma, but it feels ‘greener’ than it will later on. Bergamot, peach, mint, and juniper bring it about during this time.

CK Be is warm and somewhat spicy and highlighted by that citrus vibe. It’s got a youthful energy that really reminds me of late spring and the early summer months.

It’s got such a clean and almost soapy quality when it settles on the skin and really starts to bring out the floral/woodsy notes that are blended in it. Lavender, musk, magnolia, and sandalwood with a fruity soap finish. It is sweeter and less ‘green fresh’, in the latter part of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it isn’t a big bold scent but it isn’t completely weak either, at least at first. The longevity isn’t anything to write home about and that’s what sort of ruins this as a scent to me.

In totality, I’d call it a light to moderate projecting fragrance. It was never completely weak, on my skin, but never had that huge sillage.

About 4-5 hours of good use before you should probably reapply. CK Be is usually really inexpensive, so it really isn’t too much of a problem for the price, but it is pretty annoying to not have it be an all day performer.

Seasonally, CK Be is a warm weather fragrance for the spring/summertime. It’s probably best for those in their teens or twenties. Something that anyone could wear to class, a job, or just casually during the daytime.

This isn’t an extremely attractive or sexy scent. Though, it’s a smell that is quite popular, with its delightful aroma. CK Be can be sprayed on by men or women, who want to wear a non-intrusive and clean kind of perfume.

Overall Impression of CK Be

Overall, is this scent worth it? It is if you want something light and fresh at this price point. It is a really good option for either men or women that need something versatile and safe to wear on a day to day basis.

However, the longevity issue can be a problem, and if you aren’t in love with the smell one might as well get CK One instead. I’m not sure if this fragrance has been reformulated or discontinued, because I haven’t really seen it around recently.

CK be is a worthwhile purchase, at the right price, and I’d place that at under $30 or so. It’s going to give you a clean and versatile wear, that won’t offend, and is a pleasant experience all around. Is it amazing? To me, no. I like it, but it’s not something I’m particularly crazy about.