By Designer

Boss Bottled Infinite by Hugo Boss

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Jumping back into the fragrance review, side of things. I have a post today of a newer release for 2019, in men’s fragrances, Boss Bottled Infinite by Hugo Boss. I didn’t even know, that they had come out with another flanker scent to this lineup, but wanted to give it a try when I saw it. What does it smell like? How does it perform? Is the sillage any good? Is this fragrance worth a try?

What Does Boss Bottled Infinite Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, apple, cinnamon, lavender, sandalwood, rosemary, olive wood, and patchouli

Click here to try: BOSS Bottled Infinite Eau de Parfum – Fragrance for Men, 3.3 FL. OZ.

My Full Wear Review

This is going to be a one wear review of Infinite, that I will come back and add to, when I spend more time with this fragrance. However, I got to wear it from the store and took along a card sprayed with it, as well. So, I got a solid idea to what this one is all about, not that it’s super complex.

The opening is a blast of mandarin and some apple, at the top, and surrounded by a sense of freshness. It’s a slightly spicy freshness, but at that stage, the notes weren’t too distinguishable from one another.

However, looking at the notes, I’d say it is the cinnamon and rosemary coming through. Those two are probably slightly tempered by lavender and some sandalwood.

As it moves along a bit further, the mandarin takes more of the fruit share from the apple. This is joined by a fully emerged lavender and the smell of rosemary. Very smooth and clean, with that rosemary spice, and woodsy undertones.

Sandalwood? Some. Mostly, what I guess is olive wood, as I’m not familiar with that aroma.

Finally, the dry down, is a woodsy lavender fragrance with some citrus. It’s lavender, wood, patchouli, and mandarin.

At times, this does remind me of Boss Bottled Tonic, but like a stronger inversion. Bottled Tonic, wasn’t great, and this share the fruit and cinnamon. Bottled Infinite beefs up the woodsy notes and doesn’t rely so much of the fruit.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

This fragrance starts off fairly strong, for about an hour or two. The sillage is great, at the start, and will get noticed. It calms down substantially, thereafter, and is pretty moderate. Not completely weak. The longevity was pretty good.

Wasn’t an all day wear, based off that one test, but not crummy like some other Boss scents. It probably ran in the 7 hour range, for me. Again, I still want to test it more, but that’s the first go round. Update: Yep, 6-8 hours is what to expect from this one. Mostly, that midpoint 7 hour mark.

The strength of this fragrance, probably stems from its versatility. It isn’t really beholden to any one season, but probably not best at the height of summer.

Seems good for spring or autumn. Winter, it’ll do fine, it’s not the typical heavy cold weather fragrance. This one can pull double duty as a daily wear and/or nighttime go to. Boss Bottled Infinite is a cologne that can cover a lot of ground for those who only want to own a few fragrances.

It has a masculine smell, with an attractive, and sexy sort of aroma. I can see this one becoming a popular cologne over the next few years. In fact, the lady at the department store said that, Infinite was the best seller among the new releases. It should get plenty of complements.

Maybe not the most formal of fragrances, but it is well put together and stylish enough to be a daily wear at the office or school if you’re a younger guy.

Overall Impressions

Do I like Boss Bottled Infinite? Yes, I do. The first wear was nice. Update: Trying this some more, I still really enjoy wearing Infinite. The mandarin, lavender, and wood blend feels distinctly Hugo Boss.

I like the apple and mandarin here and the lavender doesn’t feel like it’s too overwhelming in the mix. Infinite has a nice balance of its ingredients.

Really, this is one of the better Boss Bottled releases, maybe my personal favorite of the past handful of years. Nothing too groundbreaking here, but this formula just works for me.

Like, I’ve come across all of these notes in their other scents, and it brings to mind so many of them. The orange, made me think of Boss in Motion, as that also has a spiciness to it.

It isn’t a terribly complex fragrance, nor is it super original. Nonetheless, it smells good and gives a good performance. Infinite is a well-balanced scent, that is going to be a good option for a guy, who wants a daily wear. Wants something that is easy to reach for and is going to be well-liked by others.

That’s what you’re going to get with this. I do still want to give Boss Bottled Infinite some more wears, but right now, I can recommend it as worth a try.

Black XS by Paco Rabanne

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I recently got another order of fragrances which included the very good, 212 VIP. Also in the box, was a bottle of Black XS by Paco Rabanne for men. I have already reviewed other scents by this brand, 1 Million and Invictus, and so I thought that it was time to tackle Black XS. In this post, I want to present my opinions on how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it i worth a buy or not.

What Does Black XS Smell Like?

Notes include: Kalamanzi, Calabrese lemon, patchouli, praline, cinnamon, black amber

Click here to try: Black Xs By Paco Rabanne For Men, Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4-Ounce Bottle

black xs paco rabanne review

My Full Review

The opening of Black XS is hardly reminiscent of anything ‘black’ or dark for that matter. I suppose it takes on the name because of the black amber note, which is strange, since it isn’t one of the main noticeable ingredients.

You initially get a pretty pungent blast of lemon. sweetness of praline, and a spicy/leathery sort of aroma from the cinnamon and patchouli.

The cinnamon note actually reminds me of 1 Million. Much like that other Paco Rabanne fragrance, Black XS’s notes take on a different kind of fruity smell than its ingredients would suggest.

In 1 Million, you get the sensation of warm, leathery grape bubblegum. While in Black XS, it smells a lot like a strawberry flavored candy of some sort blended with praline.

When I wore this cologne the other day, I really didn’t like the opening at all. It was too sweet and harsh for my tastes and I felt like I was getting a headache. However, I decided that I’d chalk that up to being really sleep deprived and not feeling good in general.

Today, I consider it to be much more pleasant, though it still doesn’t blow me away with how it starts. In fact, I can detect the separation of the notes much better, and it doesn’t smell like such an intense strawberried mess which bumps it up a few points in my mind.

As it wears on, Black XS does indeed get ‘darker’. It still isn’t a dark scent in my opinion but it definitely isn’t as bright as the opening. It does retain its sweetness and grows into something that is rather warm and more woodsy. I detect more of the cinnamon and patchouli during the dry down period of this fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Black XS starts out pretty strong, but not nearly anything like 1 Million. It does lose some of its power as time wears on, so don’t expect a beast scent throughout.

That opening is pretty sharp and loud. So, because it stays at that level or a while, it drags up the overall average of Black XS’ sillage. Really, once it’s toned down this one is moderate.

Longevity is pretty good but again not spectacular. I’m getting 6 hours of solid use, so far, and maybe a little longer as a purely skin scent. Update: Yes, 6-7 hour seems to be the norm with this one. Which can be surprising when you’ve experienced that bold start.

Black XS is yet another cold weather scent. I think it could be alright in the spring but definitely not during the heat of summer. It is much more of a youthful type of fragrance, think, early 20s and below. It’s kind of playful and not stuffy and serious like some other scents.

It also strikes me more of a nightlife kind of cologne but it wouldn’t totally be out of place in a casual situation. For the close quarters of an office or something like that, it’s not the best option. It can be too sharp and cloying, which will bother other folks.

Overall Impression of Black XS

Overall, is Black XS worth a buy? Perhaps. This isn’t a fragrance for everyone and I don’t even know if it’ll be one for me (at least on a regular basis). I picked up a bottle on sale for $20, so, I’m not entirely disappointed with it.

It is definitely an interesting scent and is attractive in a lot of ways. You will have to enjoy sweet fragrances, obviously. Plus, lemon and patchouli are ingredients you’ll have to like, otherwise stay away.

Black XS is a very solid fragrance but not anything insanely impressive. It might find a home in your collection but I don’t think it’ll become a signature scent.

Update: I’ve had this cologne for a few years now and the bottle is still almost completely full. I just never could get into wearing it. The lemon, praline, and patchouli combination is just too much for my nose.

Sharp and sweet. I don’t hate it, but it’s not my style. I think Pure XS is a better option, but the performance on that one, isn’t great. The fragrance can be quite acidic to the nose and it’s pretty limited in when I ever wanted to wear it. There was always a better fragrance option.

I Love New York for Him by Bond No. 9

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For my second review in this series of Bond No.9 scents, I will tackle, I Love New York for Him. This is of course, one of the male fragrances from the ‘I Love NY’ line that came out 5-6 years back. As usual, I am going to cover my impressions, how it smells, how it performs, when it could be worn, and whether or not I think that this cologne is worth a buy or not.

What Does I Love New York for Him Smell Like?

Notes include: patchouli, leather, musk, grapefruit, ginger, geranium, lavender, amber, sandalwood

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 I Love New York For Him Eau De Parfum Spray 50ml/1.7oz

My Full Wear Review

The opening of I Love New York for Him, seems to me to be an intense burst of mainly the grapefruit and patchouli notes, with just a hint of musk. Frankly, I don’t find it to be all that enjoyable. It smells quite acidic and concentrated and too overpowering at this stage for my tastes.

It usually settles down within 5-10 minutes, and becomes a much more enjoyable blend of citrus and spice. Though, I really don’t like that initial part. The ginger note comes in, which makes this feel fresher, along with a light juniper berry ingredient.

The thing that I noticed most about this Bond No. 9 fragrance is how much it smells like Just Cavalli Him. They share the ginger and geranium notes and the Cavalli exchanges the grapefruit for bergamot but, man, there is a lot of overlap here.

I Love New York does have better performance and the patchouli/musk combo sets it apart but these two are definitely related in many ways.

The middle part and the dry down gives you periods of lavender and leather, coming through stronger underneath the citrus. The geranium is still present and kind of sits in the middle of the lavender and leather cycling back and forth between second strongest.

The base is pretty much musk, with some sandalwood. Eventually, what I’m left with is: grapefruit, ginger, lavender, patchouli, leather, and musk. The freshness stays but much of the spice and stronger intensity of the leather is gone.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility 

The projection with this one is rather moderate. Although, I will say I enjoy it more during the dry down stage than in the beginning, it simply isn’t as intense.

I Love New York for Him does have really good longevity and I can detect this cologne all work day. Maybe 9-ish hours, in total. So, it does actually deliver on the performance aspect. Decent sillage paired with the type of longevity that you’d want.

If anything, this cologne is good for casual wear during the warmer months of the year. It is a clean kind of fragrance but I wouldn’t call it sexy in the slightest. But, on these warmer days it does have a pleasant enough aroma to draw me in.

I wouldn’t ever think to wear this scent on a date or out for a night at the bars. I guess it’s more of a casual or perhaps office-type of wear. Rather clean and inoffensive.

Overall Impressions of I Love New York

Overall, is I Love New York for Him worth a buy? I’d say no. It’s not terrible by any means but it’s so generic and simplistic to me. Plus, the price is the usual high end of the spectrum that Bond No. 9 is known for. If you’re going to spend that much, at least get the best colognes of the brand.

The immediate opening isn’t good at all. I do like the citrus, geranium, juniper and ginger laden fragrance that follows. But, with the leather and patchouli, it just doesn’t fully work for me.

Even if you did dig this scent, I’d simply buy Just Cavalli Him for cheap (update: that’s not really an option anymore) and buy some other scents in conjunction with that. Otherwise, I don’t really see a purpose for this cologne.

The performance is good, the smell is decent, but unless you can score a cheap bottle, why? To me, this isn’t among the brand’s best scents and really offers nothing unique. I’ll pass, as I have no real place for it, in my rotation.

Vert des Bois by Tom Ford

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Getting back into the Tom Ford fragrance reviews, today, we have another one from the Private Blend collection: Vert des Bois. This is one of the offerings from the ‘Vert’ series, on fragrances which really focus on the green notes. How does this one stack up? What does Vert des Bois smell like? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Vert des Bois Smell Like?

Notes include: plum, olive leaf, poplar, anise, jasmine, mastic, and patchouli

Click here to try: TOM FORD VERT DES BOIS EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY 1.7 oz / 50 ML

My Full Review

The opening of Vert des Bois is very green, as you’d expect from the name. Poplar buds and olive leaf are joined by a distinct anise note and a healthy dose of patchouli. At the heart is a solid wood structure, but at the start, there is a sweet plum note, and a bit of the oily olive smell.

I know, it sounds weird and shouldn’t work, but it actually does. It’s listed as a part of an ouzo accord, which while I am familiar with the name, I’ve never actually had. So, I can’t really speak to its aroma.

The plum note isn’t around for too long and isn’t all that strong while it is. I thought it might play a stronger role, when I saw the ingredients list, but nope.

Vert des Bois is quite a natural smelling fragrance, and about 20 minutes into the wear, I get the emergence of a jasmine note, which takes away some of the initial spiciness of the anise. At this point, it is a smooth wood and floral combination, with that olive leaf and the patchouli.

There’s also a really great smoky note that is sitting gently in the background of this perfume, which adds another level to the rich Greek nature theme.

From there on, this Private Blend scent, stays roughly on the same path. The jasmine weakens and it becomes more wood dominant, with the poplar really taking hold. It is flanked by olive and patchouli, among some other woodsy aromas.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on Vert des Bois, isn’t terribly strong. It strikes me as more of a moderate, but it is noticeable, and consistent throughout the wear.

That initial 30-45 minutes does create a nice enough scent trail. It’ll probably reach in the 5-8 foot range, at its peak, before retreating closer.

The longevity is really good. I got somewhere in the 8-10 hour range of wear, I kind of lost track, but it was going strong well into the evening. I wouldn’t doubt the ability to routinely get double digit hours. You do get your money’s worth in terms of the performance.

So, Vert des Bois, is very green but it doesn’t seem like it falls strictly into the spring or winter months for wear. I had it on during a warm spring day and it worked fine, without issue.

It is also definitely a unisex fragrance for most of the time, pretty much square in the middle of the spectrum, not overly manly or feminine. Then, it does dry down quite woody, and masculine. Another well blended Tom Ford scent.

Overall Impressions of Vert des Bois

Overall, do I like Vert des Bois? I do. Though, it is much more of a niche scent, than many others that I review here. It is a really unique fragrance, that captures a natural Mediterranean woods concept very well, but I’m not sure who it is for specifically.

Someone will have to be in the market specifically for what this offers, because while it does what its designed to very well, it’s not a mass appeal sort of scent. If you like green, woody, with notes you’d associate with Greece, Vert des Bois is a great choice.

The performance is great. I enjoy the mix of unique notes, which often don’t get used or at least not paired together. It’s for sure one of the more unique mainstream designer offerings.

The olive tree wood, the great anise, mastic, and even a little plum. It does become more of a traditional jasmine and woods aroma, as it dries down. But, it’s still uniquely attractive, fresh, and with a smoky background.

Not one for the masses, but a cool option to wear from Tom Ford.

Defy EDT by Calvin Klein

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Defy is a cologne release from Calvin Klein that the brand put out back in 2021. It was good to see them taking a bit of a break from just putting out Eternity flankers all of the time and starting a new line. I got a sample of this recently to finally do a proper review and see if it’s worthwhile to actually purchase.

What does Defy by Calvin Klein Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, amber, vetiver, lavender

Click here to try: Defy EDT by Calvin Klein

My Full Review

Upon first spraying Defy, I’m immediately reminded of Y EDT from YSL. Very similar style with the blue-ish aroma, bergamot, and heavy use of ambroxan. Not one to one exactly the same, but the style is very much related.

The initial citrus here is juicy and has a nice freshness. It kind of fades quickly from prominence in favor of the lavender note.

For a while, there is more of a balance between the bergamot, ambroxan, and lavender. But, the lavender will consolidate more control, as we progress. Funny enough, the ambroxan does back off and there is another round in which the bergamot comes through more on my skin.

Defy doesn’t really develop all that much though. It’s like a generic ‘blue-ish’ cologne smell mixed with that lavender. There is some vetiver in the dry down, but even that isn’t too heavy or involved.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is light to moderate. Defy isn’t a fragrance that is going to leave a massive cloud in one’s wake or dare to take over a room. It’s just kind of middle of the road, extending out maybe to 5 feet, at its peak.

The longevity is also meh. I get about 5, maybe 5.5 hours on skin. So, if you do end up going for this one, you’ll probably have to bring the bottle with you for re-application later in the day.

Seasonally, it is good for the spring and summer. I don’t know that I’d wear it on the hottest days, though. It’s seems like a better play on moderate to warm days. I wore it out on a day where it was 65 degrees Fahrenheit and that seemed like a good spot for Defy to work in.

This cologne does lean more towards younger guys. It’s not a formal or refined kind of fragrance. Casual or a daily wear for something like school. It has enough mass appeal to grab some complements, but it’s a very basic and entry level cologne.

Not particularly going to stand out as unique, but younger guys could do a lot worse than this, as far as scent goes.

Overall Impressions of Defy EDT

Overall, do I like Defy? It’s okay. I think that it can be pleasant at times, but isn’t ever something that’s remarkable. Sure, it’s close to the original Y EDT in terms of smell and style, but that’s till better than this CK release. And, I’m not even a big fan of that one.

I don’t hate this either. If you can get it for cheap and are in your teens or twenties, this could be a very serviceable cologne for you. It smells nice enough and doesn’t have any repulsive qualities about it.

The opening is probably the highlight for me. I do like that bergamot note, when it is at its strongest. The dry down is fine, just not dynamic.

The performance isn’t great, which makes it even less appealing, even if you enjoy the smell. Five-ish or so hours, isn’t going to cut it for most guys. Especially, if this is selling a retail. I would only shop at discounters and see if they ever have this one sale. Outside of that, I probably wouldn’t even bother.