By Designer

Gucci Guilty EDP vs Parfum

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Guilty has added another name to its lineup, with 2022’s release, Guilty Pour Homme Parfum. I bought a full bottle of it, as soon as it was released, and have been enjoying it. But, how does it compare to another best seller from the line, Guilty EDP? In this post, I am going to break down each, before declaring an ultimate winner.

Tale of the Tape: Guilty Eau de Parfum vs. Parfum

Guilty Parfum

Notes include: juniper, orange flower, cistus, lavender, nutmeg, lemon, patchouli, musk

Click here to try: Guilty Pour Homme Parfum by Gucci (Macy’s)

Read my review: Guilty Parfum

Guilty EDP

Notes include: rose, French lavender, neroli, chili pepper, orange blossom, patchouli, vinegar, salt

Click here to try: GUCCI GUILTY POUR HOMME by Gucci, EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY 3 OZ

Read my review: Guilty EDP

Opening

Guilty EDP does have a very interesting aroma. It opens up with a balsamic quality. It is warm, spicy, and greenish with that rose note coming through. It is fresh and has a soapy cleanliness underneath, with a pinch of salt hanging in the scent.

Neroli and red pepper bring some spiciness and the white floral notes sit underneath the rose. It definitely leans toward the rose, early on.

Then, the neroli and orange blossom come through more. Finally, the fragrance will feature the lavender and orange blossom.

With Parfum, you get a fresh and aromatic fragrance early on. The lemon is more peel than juicy fruit. It has a colder and woodsier feeling versus EDT. The juniper and nutmeg, really are pretty dominant at the opening stages, on me.

Which do I like more? Ehhh, it’s a pretty close call. Parfum reminds me plenty of the old Guilty Intense, with some distinctions of its own.

EDP? I find the opening act to be attractive and quite unique versus plenty of the others in the series. I’ll give it the edge here.

Edge: EDP

Projection

Guilty EDP is a lighter to moderate fragrance, with the moderate end of the scale being confined to the first two hours or so after spraying.

It isn’t a super powerful fragrance, the sillage isn’t much to write home about. Though, decent.

Guilty Parfum hits the upper end of what could be considered moderate. The first two hours definitely hit a higher high, than does EDP.

It’s also not massive, but it will project itself 4-6 feet for a while. Then, it too will begin to lighten up after a few hours. The peak isn’t that much greater than EDP, but it does hold it for longer, also.

Edge: Parfum

Longevity

With Guilty Pour Homme EDP, I get about 5-6 hours of wear, on my skin. The performance does leave plenty to be desired. While it’s not completely atrocious, it still isn’t great at a Gucci price point.

With Parfum, it is 7-8 hours of wear. Not a complete beast, either. Though, I can say that it has consistently outperformed the EDP version.

That extra bit of difference does help separate these two.

Edge: Parfum

Versatility

Both of these are very versatile scent. I probably wouldn’t wear either as a strictly formal sort of fragrance, but outside of that, they should be fine.

Also, neither is really a club beast. More daily wears, that can sometimes venture into the evening.

I do think that Parfum performs better in the warmer weather than does EDP. I don’t want either on the hottest days of summer, but Parfum fits better in the late spring, I’d say. That’s about the only real difference.

Edge: Parfum (slightly)

Overall Scent

With Guilty EDP the opening act is quite nice to wear. The balsamic rose with red pepper spice? Smells great and gives you something unique.

Not a complete love for me, but a strong like, and something that doesn’t bore me.

After that?  It is pretty boring. It’s got some of the same notes as earlier entries into the series. Lavender, orange blossom, cedar.

Floral, soapy, clean. More in line with the original Guilty, which isn’t bad, but it’s disappointing after that start.

Guilty Parfum? It’s a very good cologne. Doesn’t quite reach must have or classic status, but one that is enjoyable all around. I think that it is just better than EDP. Every aspect outside of the opening and even that is a close call.

You get balance between citrus, freshness, floral notes, and woodsiness in the dry down. It’s a nice entry from Gucci and takes this contest.

Update: I wore my bottle of Parfum for a while, but grew fairly tired of it. I do still like it more than Guilty EDP, but I’m not that into either of these scents anymore. They’re fine, just not something that I wanted to have on all the time.

Winner: Parfum

Light Blue Pour Homme by D&G

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After writing hundreds and hundreds of reviews on this site, I’ve noticed that I skipped over or forgot about doing reviews on plenty of men’s colognes, that have been really popular. One of these scents, is Light Blue Pour Homme by Dolce & Gabbana, which I haven’t tried out in more than a few years by now.

As such, I got a hold of a new vial of the stuff, to try out the latest formulation and give it a proper review. Please continue reading below for my updated thoughts, on this best selling summertime scent.

What does Light Blue Pour Homme Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, grapefruit, mandarin orange, pepper, oak moss, juniper, musk, rosemary, rosewood, incense

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 6.7 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Light Blue opens up with a blast of fresh citrus, mostly the bergamot and grapefruit, with a hint of the mandarin orange rounding things out. From the start, this one is bright and upbeat, and immediately brings to mind summer days.

Beyond the citrus notes, there’s is some spice provided by the pepper and an herbal element of rosemary. Very similar style to the Acqua di Gio line, but they are still distinct from one another.

After 10 or so minutes, the base notes begin to come out more. Incense is quite noticeable, it doesn’t create a giant cloud of smokiness, but does create a light envelopment of the citrus notes.

The Brazilian rosewood is not overly prominent, but instead holds steady in the background, giving Light Blue a solid grounding to base itself from. There is some dried oak moss and musk, though, neither are all that strong.

More of just a light essence in the background. It all comes together as a very crisp and light fragrance. There isn’t too much development from this cologne, it’s pretty linear, and gets right to the point of what you’re going to get from the wear.

Citrus, pepper/rosemary, with a dry and woody base. Simple, is a good thing here, you don’t really want a heavy and complicated summer scent.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Pour Homme is a light to moderate scent. It’s not weak in my opinion, at least with this current formulation, and projects pretty darn well for around five hours before it winds down. The sillage on these current bottles is definitely passable and not at all ‘bad’.

Has it lost a step? Maybe. Though, I’m not sure if it’s my memory thinking that it used to be more powerful or an actual reformulation.

The longevity is also decent, it’ll carry along for 6-8 hours, depending on what the day is like. That’s actually good for a summertime citrus fragrance like this. It’s not elite, by any means, but this D&G will get the job done.

Seasonally, I like it best in the summer or the warmer months of spring. However, I’ve been testing it out so far in the winter, and it actually feels quite nice. Mostly, I’ll use it as a change of pace from the heavier and more wintertime only fragrances in my collection.

Light Blue has very good versatility, because it is super safe and inoffensive. You can wear it to work, casually, or out at night during the summer months.

Personally, I would wear something else for the nightlife, when its cold outside, but this could do the job when it’s simply too humid for a heavier scent. Light Blue Pour Homme is an attractive fragrance, so, you can’t really go wrong with it. Especially, if you are a younger guy.

It’s pretty close to being a jack of all trades. If you don’t need more formal or very ‘serious’ sorts of fragrances.

Overall Impressions of D&G Light Blue

Overall, do I like Light Blue Pour Homme? I do. It’s a simple fragrance that enjoys a mass appeal and women seem to enjoy it. It’s kind of an entry level cologne for guys just getting into fragrance and want a versatile value fragrance.

It’s not amazing to me, but I still do get enjoyment from this Dolce fragrance. And really, the entire Light Blue line.

The citrus notes are fresh and have a bit of sour lemonade quality, while the background notes add bits of themselves to the composition without being distracting.

This one has been so wildly popular for so long that it has become commonplace. You’re not going to stand out as unique with Light Blue on, but you aren’t going to choke out a room with it either. It really is a no brainer, easy reach, and mass appeal cologne.

I’m not big on the pepper and herbal aspects, which isn’t terrible here, but I prefer the citrus. Especially, on a warm day.

Personally, I prefer Light Blue Eau Intense to this one. I like the extra power and clean aquatic vibe that it puts off. It seems to be a toss up whether or not guys prefer the original or the intense version. Here’s my comparison: Light Blue vs. Eau Intense

Also, you could go with Light Blue Sun, which has overlaps with this original version; though, with a different overall profile.

6 Best Smelling Tommy Bahama Colognes

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Tommy Bahama fragrances tend to stick to a maritime theme, as the brand image would suggest. Over the past decade plus, they have launched new scents consistently, and have put out some enjoyable fragrances that represent a quite casual and carefree lifestyle.

For this post, I want to explore six colognes from this line, which I consider to be the best and you can still readily find. I have updated this post, to include some newer releases, and to get rid of some that are no longer available.

What are the Best Tommy Bahama Fragrances for Men?

Best Overall Tommy Bahama Scent

Tommy Bahama St. Kitts Eau De Cologne Spray for Him, 3.4 Ounce– Keeps up with the aquatic theme of the Set Sail line but takes on fruitier notes. Star Fruit and citrus are the opening stars to go along with a nice salty sea water note and the underlying masculinity of cedar.

You get orange, lime, and the star fruit notes. This sits on an aquatic accord, with a salty aroma. Very light woods give St. Kitts a bit more substance, but overall, its a very simple and refreshing wear for the warmer climates.

This one is closest to St. Barts, in terms of smell, but comes across as less boozy/creamy. Sweet, fruity, with a tropical chill permeating the entire composition. St. Kitts Full Review

Simple, Clean, Musky

Tommy Bahama Martinique Men Cologne, 3.4 Fl Oz– I really wasn’t much of a fan of this stuff at first, but I must say that it’s grown on me as a casual option. An aquatic/sea water aroma with lavender, citrus, and a dose of musk. I think that it settles in nicely and works well in the warm weather.

It opens up with blue lavender and a nice sharp bergamot. It isn’t overly sharp, as the aquatic notes and lavender temper the citrus a bit. The sea breeze notes are salty, but not super intense. Then, you get a musk and pepper note, to round things out.

However, the main part of this is lavender and musk. It turns into a suntan lotion-like scent, floating in a sea breeze/sea weed. The sillage is light to moderate, but you get some pretty good longevity here.  Set Sail Martinique Review

Top New Release

Maritime Journey– I got the chance to spray this one on at the store, but haven’t had enough experience with it to do a full review. Update: Here it is.  However, I think it is good enough to make the list.

Maritime Journey has some light fruitiness from apple, a very crisp and somewhat cold sensation. This is offset by fresh cedar, warm cardamom, and dry oakmoss.

It is more of a fresh woods, than a tropical fragrance like some of the others, but with a light spiciness to go along.

Nice Citrus Aquatic Fragrance

Tommy Bahama St. Barts Men Cologne,3.4 Fl Oz– Often compared as a poor man’s version of Creed’s Virgin Island Water (sans coconut), Set Sail St. Barts opens up with a blast of lime and sea notes that transforms into a boozy lotion, that makes you feel as if you’re right on the beach. I think that this and VIW have similarities but they strike me almost completely differently.

The lime note and sea notes, are also joined by guava, giving Set Sail St. Barts, a truly tropical aroma. It’s salty, with a very juicy citrus profile, that is quite intriguing. I really do love this lime note.

Once that opening act fades, you get palm wood with sea salt spray, and agave. Like a clean shot of tequila, while sitting on an island. Fresh and creamy summer wear, that I can get 6-7 hours with, when I go heavier on the sprays. St. Barts Full Review

Best Fresh Spice Scent

Tommy Bahama Very Cool Eau De Cologne Spray for Men 3.4oz– Ginger and citrus notes are the main players here. This is another one that took time for me to really appreciate. It’s a nice, slightly spicy smell for casual use.

It’s masculine with a light touch. Wish it lasted longer but nothing a few extra sprays wouldn’t fix.

Very Cool opens up with the ginger being the star, it is joined by nutmeg, and paprika. Unlike the other fragrances here, the citrus notes sit underneath the ginger spice, and it doesn’t have that oceanic quality.

As it moves along, the citrus notes do come out more, and it’s kind of a 50/50 split with the spice. Together, it is a soft and cool spice, almost powdery how it comes across. Nice freshie to spray on, casually. Very Cool Full Review

Fresh Aromatic Woody Cologne

Maritime Deep Blue– Maritime Deep Blue is a good release from Tommy Bahama, but it’s not as unique as other offerings from the brand. This is fairly closely related to Eternity Aqua and Polo Blue, in terms of smell.

This one has less of the citrus or aquatic elements of those colognes, but with more woodsy notes. The citrus is still quite prevalent, but not to the same intensity, in my experience.

It’s base has a certain dryness to it, with a really solid juniper note, which is the main distinction from the Polo Blue’s of the world. Maritime Deep Blue Review

Gucci Guilty EDT vs. Parfum

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Gucci keeps coming out with new versions of their Guilty line. Some, are wildly different from the originals. While others, share a pretty similar overall vibe. Guilty Pour Homme Parfum, falls in that latter category. So, with that being the case, how does Parfum compare to the original EDT? Which lasts longer? Smells better?

Tale of the Tape: Guilty EDT vs Parfum?

Gucci Guilty

Notes include: lemon, orange blossom, lavender, patchouli, cedar, pink pepper, neroli

Click here to try: Guilty By Gucci EDT spray for Men, 3 Ounce

Read my original review: Gucci Guilty

Guilty Parfum

Notes include: juniper, orange flower, cistus, lavender, nutmeg, lemon, patchouli, musk

Click here to try: Guilty Pour Homme Parfum by Gucci (Macy’s)

Opening

Gucci Guilty opens up with a blend of lemon, pink pepper, and lavender. It’s a light, warm, and calming fragrance with added base notes of cedar and patchouli.

While it feels basic, it’s actually fairly unique in how it comes across when compared to other scents. At least when compared with non-Guilty fragrances.

With Guilty Parfum, you get a fresh and aromatic fragrance early on. The lemon is more peel than juicy fruit. It has a colder and woodsier feeling versus EDT. The juniper and nutmeg, really are pretty dominant at the opening stages, on my skin.

Which is better? I like EDT. It’s quite nice to smell. Straightforward and attractive.

But, I prefer the opening of Parfum more so. It’s a better mix, with some more depth, and a different profile. Plus, I like that juniper and nutmeg blend.

Edge: Parfum

Projection

Comparing an EDT to a Parfum, it’s pretty clear that the latter should have the greater sillage, just based on the perfume concentration. Parfum, for sure does. But, it isn’t a total beast, however.

Guilty EDT is moderate for the first few hours of the wear. Then, it will be pretty light and airy for the rest of the way. Not a huge performer, but it generally stays above skin scent level right up until the end.

With Guilty Parfum, it hits the upper end of the moderate range. Not massive, but it will project itself 4-6 feet for a while. Then, it too will begin to lighten up after a few hours. Still, it maintains more than Guilty and reaches a higher high.

Edge: Parfum

Longevity

Guilty EDT isn’t a workhorse. Anytime that I’ve used it, I’ve only gotten 5-6 hours of wear from it. It’s pretty average and doesn’t simply disappear. But, it’s not something that keeps going.

Is Parfum better? Yes, but it’s longevity is in the 7-8 hour range. Solid, but it also isn’t a complete performer. 7-8 hours is good and about what I would expect with something like this.

Parfum has the clear edge here. 

Edge: Parfum

Versatility

Both of these are extremely versatile. They can be worn nearly year round…accepting the hottest and coldest days. Both are great daytime wears, with the ability to handle the nightlife. 

These two Guilty fragrances are kind of no-brainers. Not the most formal occasions, but fit in fairly well most other places.

But, I think that Parfum has more maturity in comparison. Older guys can enjoy it, as well as younger ones, who are more the target audience for EDT. Very easy to wear, either way, but Parfum gets the nod.

Edge: Parfum

 

Overall Scent

Gucci Guilty EDT has always been something that I liked, but never really had much attraction to wear. I’ve always preferred its flankers.

It is a simple and clean fragrance, that is a good go to for a wide variety of situations. The main focus is simple and are the lemon, lavender, and pink pepper note.

It has a slight woody/earthiness to the aroma, but also some nice floral sweetness. By no means a bad one, just nothing that jumps out.

Guilty Pour Homme Parfum? It’s a very good scent. Not a complete classic, but one that I’ve enjoyed wearing in this short time since its release. It’s just an across the board better cologne than the original EDT.

It has similarities to Guilty Intense, but even feels like an improvement upon that. You get balance between citrus, freshness, floral notes, and woodsiness in the dry down. I just like wearing it more so than the original. Plus, better performance.

It’s a clean sweep for Parfum.

Winner: Parfum

Light Blue Pour Homme vs. Forever

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Light Blue has spawned a ton of different flankers, seemingly every year for a long time now. The latest, is the blue-bottled Light Blue Forever, that gained a lot of popularity since its release. Though, how does it compare to the original? Which lasts longer? Smells better? Should you buy?

Tale of The Tape: Light Blue Pour Homme vs. Forever

Light Blue

Notes include: bergamot, grapefruit, mandarin orange, pepper, oak moss, juniper, musk, rosemary, rosewood, incense

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 6.7 Ounce

My review: Light Blue

Light Blue Forever

Notes include: grapefruit, violet leaf, white musk, vetiver, ozonic accord

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Forever for Men by Dolce & Gabbana Eau De Parfum,3.3 Fl Oz

My Full Review: Light Blue Forever

Opening

Light Blue starts off with its citrus fruits led by bergamot and grapefruit, with a bit of mandarin orange. It is super bright and summery, with a spicy pepper note, and an herbal aroma of rosemary.

After 10 minutes, the citrus is bolstered by some base notes, of incense and rosewood. This gives the scent a touch of smoky wood, lingering in the background.

Light Blue Forever also starts with a grapefruit note. But, it is the sole focus of this scent, and isn’t splitting duties between citrus fruits as the original does. It also smells more realistic and has a very fresh crispness to it.

Beneath that, is a blue-green ozonic accord that adds a watery freshness, and the ever-increasing violet leaf.

Which is better? Forever. If you’re going to make one note the focus, you’d better do it well. D&G definitely nailed the grapefruit experience and it is just more enjoyable early on.

Edge: Forever

Projection

I’d call both of these fragrances moderate, at their peak. With Forever, you get that bold grapefruit burst initially, which does project itself quite well. But, after that it will become lighter, and will be very light for much of the wear.

With Light Blue, it’s moderate also, but I’d call it more consistent with its sillage. It does also get lighter, but holds on to the middle for a few more hours.

Edge: Light Blue

Longevity

With longevity, I have gotten 6-8 hours with the original Light Blue in the past. Newer bottles seem to be on the lower end of the spectrum. Not too bad considering what you get with many long-running popular colognes.

With Light Blue Forever, it gets me just over 7 hours of wear, even with that lighter kind of strength level. Again, pretty good for a super citrusy fragrance.

I might have given the edge, to the original with older bottles. But, I’ll call it a tie with today’s offerings.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are at their peak in the summertime. Also, can venture into the spring, but really great on the warmer days. I think that Forever actually has more refinement, than the original, and that’s really the separation between them.

Not that it’s a formal cologne, by any means, but it can go better into semi-formal situations. It isn’t a massive difference, with when they can be worn, but a slight edge to Forever.

Edge: Forever

Overall Scent

I do enjoy Light Blue quite a bit. It isn’t my favorite, by any means, but it is so easy to wear and has plenty going for it. It’s clean, fresh, and a great first buy for many guys just starting out with fragrances. It gives you a decent performance for the price.

It’s got a drier, spicier aroma than the more green/ozonic qualities of Forever, that some men may prefer.

With Forever, I really do like that opening act with the grapefruit note. After that, it becomes a greener and woodsier scent and the grapefruit becomes just another part of the composition.

Violet leaf and vetiver with some musk…once you get past the grapefruit, I don’t really lover it.

It smells fine, at that point, but is pretty weak with its sillage. I don’t hate it, but once the opening fades, the appeal is gone for me.

The opening alone might have me recommend it over the original. As a whole, I’m kind of torn between the two. I think the original is still more enjoyable overall. It feels more dynamic and has a better ability to stick around with some power.

So, I guess the nod goes to Light Blue, over the newer Forever. But, it’s pretty equal. Forever has a higher high, but it’s short-lived.

Winner: Light Blue