By Designer

Polo Blue Parfum by Ralph Lauren

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Polo Blue Parfum is one that I had encountered once last year in 2022, when it was released. This year, I finally got a sample, in order to test out this latest incarnation of the Blue formula. I had pretty much forgotten what it was like, so, this was almost like a new experience for me. What does it smell like? Does Polo Blue last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Polo Blue Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, cardamom, pink pepper, clary sage, vetiver, lavender, jasmine, oak, olibanum, patchouli

Click here to try: Polo Blue Parfum

My Full Review

Here’s how Ralph Lauren describes it:  (Polo Blue Parfum) is an enveloping and seductive fragrance that adds a new intensity of rich sensuality to the iconic fragrance collection.

Blue Parfum starts off with its top notes different from the usual Polo Blue formula, but I can tell that this is a Polo Blue fragrance. It’s just using some different notes.

Actually, one thing I noticed is how this also resembles an Acqua di Gio scent. For me, it comes across as a spicier and less marine version of AdG eau de parfum. Also, lacks the metallic note of the Armani.

These two colognes do have a lot of overlap: mandarin, vetiver, patchouli, clary sage, and lavender.

So, Blue Parfum is like a Polo Blue (maybe closer to EDP) and Acqua di Gio EDP.

Anyway, Parfum starts off with its mandarin note, being quite apparent. Not as standalone powerful, as in AdG, but its there and noticeable. For me, I get clary sage, with the pink pepper and cardamom not overwhelming me with their intensity.

Yes, this is spicy and fresh, but it’s totally balanced with that citrus note.

The next phase comes in, with more of the vetiver and lavender. It’s smoother, less spicy, and the mandarin takes a back seat. The fruit, will stick around just not to the same extent.

Woodsy, clean, aromatic, with some earthy smokiness popping through. No worries though, this isn’t going to go completely ‘dirty’, sticking close to a mainstream wearable fougere fragrance.

As I get further into the dry down, it’s really woodsy. Oak, vetiver, patchouli, sage, and the rest all working in a balanced harmony with one another. Nothing too complex here, but clean and fresh and easy to wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one is none too heavy, but has a decent projection radius of 6-7 feet, in the early part of the wear. That will come in towards you, to become a more intimate fragrance shortly thereafter.

However, it’s certainly not weak and can hang in the air quite nicely.

On my skin, it’ll go 6-7.5 hours. The others in the series tend to be in the 5-7 hour range, but this gives me about an hour more, on the whole. Though, it seems to have made it to at least six hours each time that I tested Parfum out.

Blue Parfum is of course a very wearable fragrance for most of the year. It works well in warm weather, is decent on the hotter days as well. It’s one that is designed to be an easy to grab daily wear and it fits the bill.

It’s suitable for all ages. Can be worn to work, school, etc. Not a club beast or one of the ‘sexiest’ colognes out there, just smells nice and has a good balance.

Overall Impressions of Blue Parfum

Overall, do I like Blue Parfum? It’s pretty good. After testing this one for a while, I think I enjoy others in the series like EDT, EDP, and Deep Blue more than this.

Parfum certainly has its moments of being enjoyable. I like how they changed up the usual formula, while still managing to keep it a recognizable Polo Blue scent. Again, I don’t believe it to be better, but it certainly can compete with others in the series.

You get a woodsy rather than citrus and woody finish. More nuance than the EDT, depth, and a change in the notes. So, it has that going for it, if you happen to dig this style versus what you get with the others.

It’s still not completely unique, what with the overlaps between the other Blues and Acqua di Gio.

The one drawback is the price. This one is expensive for retail, especially considering that it might not be better (or that much better, depending on you tastes) versus others in the series.

I’d almost certainly go with an AdG or Chanel scent, if the choice was between them and Parfum, at this price point. With a good discount? Sure, this isn’t a bad selection.

Velvet Incenso by Dolce & Gabbana

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Velvet Incenso is one of the entries from the ‘Velvet’ line of fragrances by D&G. This one was released back in 2018. I received a sample of it, with another batch order of other samples and testers, some months ago. But, I have been testing out this perfume to see what it’s all about. How does it smell? Perform? Is it worth a try?

What does Velvet Incenso Smell Like?

Notes include: elemi, black pepper, labdanum, incense, benzoin, amberwood, vanilla, patchouli, cashmere wood

Click here to try: Velvet Incenso

My Full Review

Velvet Incenso starts off with a kick of black pepper, smoke, and its resinous notes. Early, it’s elemi and balsam representing that aspect.

The incense is going to be a factor throughout. However, I’ve never found this perfume to be super smoky. Yes, it’s there, just not a heavy burning aroma.

That mix of balsamic, fresh and warmer spice is exactly what you’d expect out of a fragrance like this. You will also get a sweetness, which becomes more apparent as Velvet Incenso smoothens out.

The black pepper will begin to fade. In it’s place, vanilla will really peak through. Along with the amber and labdanum. Dry and warm, less of an intense punch like the early stages.

The amber, labdanum, benzoin, and elemi notes can be tough to distinguish at times from one another. Though, I do feel like each gets at least a little time in the spotlight, before they each recede back into the amber/resin/balsamic mass of notes.

As we dry down further, the becomes more about the incense. Incense embraced by a warm amber, some vanilla, and cashmere wood. It’s still got it’s smokiness, just without the spice of the pepper and some of the other notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one opens up strong, not insanely heavy ever, but the spice and smoke to hang around in the air well. I imagine with a full bottle, having the sprayer would help immensely.

Still, even with the sample this one projects well for that first hour. Then, it will turn moderate as we enter the middle act. Incenso does hold up well, however, never completely falling off in its performance. Just a steady decline.

With the longevity, Incenso lasted between 7-8.5 hours on my skin, each time that I wore it. It’s good, but never hit the double digit mark for me. I don’t think that’d be a problem for most people, however.

The versatility has its strong positives and some weaker points. Velvet Incenso is a true unisex fragrance. Anyone can wear this without issue.

It does have a better profile for colder weather. Yes, moderate climates work well, also. I wore it outside on a fairly mild evening and I thought that this perfume was lovely in those conditions.

When can it be worn? Well, that’s going to depend on when you want to smell like amber and incense. Probably not going to be a daily wear for most people. Not super formal or sexy, either.

Overall Impressions of Velvet Incenso

Overall, do I like Velvet Incenso. I do. It’s a niche fragrance for those who love the incense note, but still very approachable for everyone else.

I will say, that I do kind of prefer Encens Satin, to this one. The performance of that Armani is also better, even if Velvet is no slouch.

This one is very good, though. It’s got a nice balance between different notes and aspects. You get your warmth, spice, sweetness, smoke, etc. It all comes in different phases and is pleasant to wear throughout.

The performance is good. Not ever reaching elite levels for me, but you’ll know that its there and it can last a full workday.

I’d say that Velvet Incenso is worth trying. The price is high, so, I’d definitely recommend tracking down a sample before committing to a full purchase. But, I don’t think you’d be disappointed, if you’re in the market for this sort of perfume.

Luna Rossa Ocean EDP by Prada

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The Luna Rossa series from Prada continues with the recent additions of the Ocean flankers of this line. For 2023, the brand released Ocean Eau de Parfum, a follow-up to the fairly popular EDT entry. I recently purchased a travel sprayer size of this fragrance to test out. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it better than the original?

What does Luna Rossa Ocean Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, wood, incense, vanilla bean accord, amber extreme

Click here to try: Ocean EDP

My Full Review

Here’s how Prada describes it: Luna Rossa Ocean Eau de Parfum combines intense sophistication and sensuality through pioneering technology and nature’s finest ingredients. Opening with an invigorating burst of grapefruit essence, contrasted with the woody vibrancy of incense and a rich Vanilla Bean accord.

The opening of Ocean EDP gave me high hopes that this version would take the highs of the original and flesh things out more. It opens up somewhat like that initial release.

However, we get a grapefruit note to start things off, as our citrus ingredient. Not the same as the original, still, there is a closely related blue-ish sort of aroma here.

Not as sweet, lacking the caramel and suede influence, but I like the way it kicks things off. Still smooth and a bit powdery. Tonka bean and iris aren’t listed as notes officially, but there’s enough of that Ocean EDT influence to make me believe those notes are present.

But, that opening is short-lived, after a few minutes it really shifts into a slightly smoky vanilla and amber fragrance.

Initially, this will be a sweet, smoky, and spicy blend with some woody freshness. The spice will fall first, then the smoke, and you’re left with what this one is really all about.

That being, an amber and vanilla blend with woods and a general sweetness about it. Warm and it gets smoother as you go deeper into the dry down.

There does seem to be a phase where Luna Rossa Ocean EDP is sort of screechy with its sweet/amber mix, but seems to resolve itself.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The ability to project and leave a scent trail, in your wake, is pretty much the same as with the original EDT. Now, that first initial 20-30 minutes might be a tad stronger, and the first hour might be a bit more steady. Outside of that, not much of a difference.

Though, EDP does have a slightly heavier feeling due to the amber extreme and vanilla notes, versus the iris dry down of the EDT.

The longevity here is also about the same. On my skin, it sticks around for 5-6 hours of total wear. Like its predecessor, Ocean Eau de Parfum isn’t a great performer. It’s about average and nothing more.

I tried again and again, in different conditions with this one, and still only hit around that six hour mark.

This one is still very versatile with its use cases. I’d say, it’s not as good as the original in warmer weather. I like this more in the chilly temperatures or something more temperate.

It’s good for daily wear, casual situations, or going out at night. Ocean EDP doesn’t strike me as being all that formal, but it’s fine pretty much anywhere else.

Overall Impressions of Ocean EDP

Overall, do I like Luna Rossa Ocean Eau de Parfum? I do to some extent. I’m not enthralled by it, it smells fine, and I don’t want a full bottle.

The Ocean lineup thus far is annoying with its performance woes. Plus, I’m tired of getting lured in by that opening act, just to be unimpressed by the rest of it.

Seriously, every time that I’ve worn this or the EDT, I enjoy how they start and think I may want to wear it more often. Then, the back half comes in and it’s completely middling.

I also think the ‘oceanic’ theme could have been done differently with these to make the name fit. Though, the EDT’s blue-ish opening is better suited to that name.

The amber and vanilla thing has been done a million times before…and much better. Coach Platinum, Invictus Victory, probably some of the Armani Code’s are all sort of like Ocean EDP’s dry down. Luna Rossa Black has a similar style, but way better.

It’s fine, a nice enough fragrance, that is overpriced at retail level. With a substantial discount, I wouldn’t be opposed. But, I do think this is one of the weaker Luna Rossa scents, that Prada has put out.

Himalaya by Creed

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Creed is a highly respected and world-renown fragrance designer. Personally, I like a lot of what they do and Millesime Imperial is one of my favorites for the summer months. However, I am not wild about all of this brand’s fragrances.

For instance, Himalaya wasn’t one that I was too enthusiastic about when I first tried it, many years ago and reviewed it for the site. Now, I am coming back to this page, trying it again to see if my opinion has changed. How does Himalaya smell? Is it any better this time around?

What does Creed Himalaya Smell Like?

creed himalaya

Notes include: sandalwood, musk, bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, pepper, nutmeg, vetiver, tonka bean

My Full Wear Review

Just to be upfront from the start, I don’t like this scent at all. Some guys might, however, I think it’s quite poor. The opening is a bitter citric accord  (grapefruit, lemon, bergamot) mixed with sandalwood and ambergris.

I’ve tried this one multiple times, over the years, and still really don’t enjoy the opening act. Which is strange, because I usually love citrus. It must be the inclusion of musk and ambergris notes, which is bothering me. The musk, is particularly noticeable.

Update: I don’t hate the opening anymore, not pleasing to me, but it’s okay.

I had a hard time deciphering this scent, until I read the ingredients, and got a better sense of what I was smelling. There is this strange aroma of soft and bitter citrus with this almost metallic scent that hangs around.

Update: Once that grapefruit wears off, I get a brighter lemon note, with some of the nutmeg/pepper peaking through early. The musk feels substantial and it’s giving the citrus accord a very clean feeling.

While there are plenty of scents who’s opening I do not care that much for (see: Creed Aventus), these colognes tend to settle down into something more palatable or beautiful. Himalaya never does, in my opinion.

It’s a clean fragrance with soapy qualities to it but it really isn’t pleasant to me nor is it interesting. The woodsy and musk notes do emerge more in the dry down, though, it never quite takes off into something special.

Sandalwood with a dash of pepper, join the citrus top notes about 20-30 minutes in, and then really take over. I think the middle of the wear, is the best part, and still not too impressive. Yes, its clean and soapy, and the sandalwood note is very good.

The pepper and a slight nutmeg, give Himalaya a bit of a spice, for a period of time. However, that Creed ambergris and musk come in, and take the dry down a notch below of what it achieved in the middle.

Update: Nowadays, it strikes me as an old school cold/fresh/clean sort of scent. The sandalwood and musk give it the clean sort of barbershop vibe, but it never fully goes in that direction (at least by the more shaving cream lavender cologne standards).

Still has that soapiness and some spice among the wood and musk. The citrus hangs around, but I’m still definitely not in love with the top notes here and how they integrate in the composition.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

It’s sillage and longevity are both moderate to very good in my opinion. That is one bright spot, however, if you actually enjoy the scent itself, then I suppose that this would be a selling point for you.

I can get around 7-8 hours from this fragrance. While the sillage isn’t super powerful, it is quite noticeable, especially during the first 2-3 hours of the wear.

In terms of its versatility, Himalaya is best in the springtime and it can venture into the summer months, as well. For me, it felt too sharp wearing around in the cold of winter. I mean, it wasn’t terrible but it stood out too much.

This can be worn casually, at work, or more formal occasions. It is a well put together scent, like most of the other releases from this designer.

Overall Impressions of Himalaya

Overall, I cannot personally recommend this scent. It’s not completely offensive to me like something such as Oud Noir or Issey Nuit but it just isn’t a great cologne. Especially, at the price point Himalaya is sold at, I expect something better.

I know that I could buy 3 bottles of cheaper colognes, and make out much better, in the deal. In the end, it strikes me as a sandalwood/musk soapy, with a bitter semi-metallic opening act.

Creed has much better options than this, but some people still dig Himalaya. I’m just not one of them.

Update: I’m still not a massive fan, but I have come to enjoy this Creed a bit more. I don’t want a full bottle and it’s still one of their ‘mid-tier’ offerings, to me. The citrus is meh. The rest of it past the opening 30 minutes or so is fairly enjoyable.

Nothing amazing, a classic clean cologne with some soapy vibes. It’s worth checking out, as others will appreciate this style much more than me. Too expensive for what you’re getting in return, unless you really love it.

Ombre Leather by Tom Ford

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I received in the mail a sample card from Tom Ford with a pull down tab of the new unisex scent, Ombre Leather, inside. I sniffed the card and really enjoyed the fragrance that I was smelling.

So, I headed to the mall to get me some actual sprays onto my skin for a review. Then, tried it once more a few days later. (note: I’ve updated this page since the initial post)

With that in mind, I have gathered my thoughts on this 2018 release, and type them up in this post. As usual, I will cover: what’s inside, what it smells like, when it should be worn, and whether or not I think it is worth a purchase.

What does Ombre Leather Smell Like?

Notes include: leather, moss, jasmine, amber, patchouli and cardamom

Click here to try: Ombré Leather Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.7-oz.

Okay, so, before I dive into my own review of Ombre Leather let’s see how Tom Ford describes it:

Vast. Untethered. Driven. Freedom comes from within, the desert heart of the west wrapped in leather. It moves forward, Untethered, through the still air of wide-open space. Dust on wind, skin on skin, Ombre Leathers reveals itself like a landscape in layers, where stretches of rock transform into sunrise blonde low on the horizon. 

My Full Review

Upon first smell, Ombre Leather naturally brought to mind Tom Ford’s, Tuscan Leather (without raspberry, but there does seem to be a bit of sweetness there). However, I actually feel like this 2018 Ombre Leather, smells more like Godolphin by Parfums de Marly at the start.

It took me a while to remember which Parfums de Marly, was reminding me of the Tom Ford, and had to look up the notes when I got home. Yep, they share the amber, leather, moss, and jasmine notes.

While I like Godolphin, I think that the leather note in this one is utterly fantastic.

It is a very dark sort of fragrance but not some overwhelming monstrosity with heavy spices. Ombre Leather is definitely unisex, dry, and warm; like how they describe the desert in the paragraph above.

The leather aroma smells like a high end jacket fresh off the rack, intense, and you can almost feel its presence in the room. It’s all super supple and smooth.

It does have spice early on. Cardamom and saffron really come through. The cardamom is there after that initial spray, but is the quickest of the notes to begin to fade.

The amber here is honestly not that intense, it kind of lurks in the background, but never really jumped out at me during the wear. Not that it isn’t totally present throughout. It does provide nice support, however.

What I do get during the dry down, is that familiar jasmine aroma, which lightens and adds a floral sweetness to the composition and allows Ombre Leather to become more unisex.

Geeeeezz, the leather and jasmine combo is really great. It’s pretty much what makes this scent for me.

This one is very well blended and can be somewhat difficult to distinguish the notes beyond just the leather at some points. There is a very nice dried outdoorsy spice in this one. Quite earthy moss, vetiver, and patchouli, which isn’t very heavy but does add some depth of character to Ombre Leather.

It does seem to be more vetiver at times, but I’ve seen both it and moss listed as notes…so who knows, how much is there of each. It’s difficult to discern.

Overall, it’s a clean and warm sort of scent, but it does have that rough/dirty side to it. The Western theme of the marketing campaign, actually does seem to fit, unlike so many other ridiculous fragrance adverts over the years.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this one starts out strong. You won’t need more than a few sprays, because it veers into beast mode, at the beginning. It does dry down into something that is much more moderate, but by no means light. Just know, that it can be intense.

The longevity is actually very good, but there are two stages to it. The first is when it is noticeable, which is 6-8 hours of wear.

The second, as a skin scent, which will go on for about 3 more hours. Honestly, in most situations the longevity will be a-ok, for most anybody. It’s just not a 12+ hour ride of crazy loudness.

On clothes, Ombre Leather will go for days on end. Not massive projection that far into it, but you can pick up on it when you’re wearing the item of clothing.

Seasonally, autumn and winter. I don’t think it’d be truly awful in warmer weather, but it is simply great in the cold.

Does it have sex appeal? I think it does, but not everyone likes the smell of rich leather, so it’s not going to be universally beloved like a lot of the most popular fragrances.

Ombre Leather seems to perfectly straddle the line with the elements of masculinity but can still be oh so good on a woman. Wear this one with a leather jacket, or semi-formally, or with formal wear at night.

Overall Impressions of Ombre Leather

Overall, do I like Ombre Leather? Yep. Tom Ford did good with this one. I wasn’t too enthused with Noir Anthracite last year, but man, am I starting to love Ombre.

The leather is some of the best I have ever smelled in a fragrance and I enjoy the overlap it has with a scent like Goldolphin.

If you don’t like leather, then this is obviously not for you. Though, I think that this fragrance should be give a try, if you dig the leather note at all…because the one here, rocks. It takes a different tact than many other leather scents, but still remains familiar and has a nice amount of depth.

Update: Coming back to this in 2022, this might be my favorite leather scent. It’s really great and long lasting. I’ve also compared it to Ombre Leather Parfum, but I still prefer this.

The initial warmth and spice, the jasmine note, that earthy rugged desert vibe lurking underneath. The amber note…Ombre Leather is great. One of Tom Ford’s best.