Fragrances

CK One vs Eternity by Calvin Klein Fragrance Comparison

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Today’s comparison is between two mega hits from the Calvin Klein collection, Eternity and CK One. Eternity for Men is a cologne while One is a unisex scent that became wildly popular in the 1990s. In this post, I want to see which one performs better, which one is more versatile, which one smells better, and which one is more worth a buy? Read below for the head to head breakdown.

Tale of the Tape: CK One vs. Eternity for Men

Notes: papaya, pineapple and jasmine. green tea and amber

ck one

Read my CK One Review

Try CK One: Ck One by Calvin Klein for Men and Women, Eau De Toilette, 1.7 Ounce

Eternity for Men

eternity

Notes include: lavender, mandarin, basil, jasmine, sage, sandalwood, amber, rosewood, vetiver, geranium

Eternity for Men Review

Click here to try: Calvin Klein ETERNITY for Men Eau de Toilette, 3.4 fl. oz.

Opening

The opening of Eternity for Men is a clean/soapy lavender based scent with hints of the sandalwood and jasmine. I like the mandarin note up top, but you do get plenty of the woodsy notes peaking through at the start, as well.

CK One is also very fresh and clean but instead utilizes the citrus, pineapple, and green floral notes to create a light yet quite attractive aroma. It’s really a blend and it does also have a blast of papaya. I like CK one, but it does have that super bright citrus opening.

Eternity is supported by citrus notes and has more of a dry spice to it. I think that Eternity is much more interesting than CK One.

Edge: Eternity

Projection

CK One is a light to moderate type of fragrance. It isn’t a beast but it isn’t completely weak. Eternity, is a moderate cologne but has fairly good projection. It won’t take over the room but it is stronger than One.

Edge: Eternity

Longevity

Neither fragrance is an amazing, all-day type of scent. I’d say both give about 5-7 hours of wear before dying down. No real advantage. The older bottles of Eternity may have been better, but nowadays, they’re equal.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Being a unisex fragrance, CK One seems to have more versatility since it can be worn by both men and women. Both of these scents are built for spring and summer but Eternity works well in the autumn too.

These are casual fragrances which are safe for work and school. Neither is a ‘romantic’ type of fragrance.

Edge: Push

 

 

Overall Scent

So, it comes down to whether or not you want something that is more green/dry/soapy/spicy in Eternity for Men or you want something light a more fruity.

Both scents are pretty simple and linear and I personally like wearing Eternity for Men more than CK One, as it’s just more my style. Plus, I think it has a slightly better performance profile.

Winner: Eternity

Angel Men (A*Men) Pure Tonka by Mugler

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This will be the second of my one time wear, cologne reviews, of scents I’ve tried out while traveling. Today, is a Thierry Mugler cologne, that I sampled while walking around the airport in Ibiza…Angel Men Pure Tonka. Now, I’ve smelled this before and love tonka, so I was excited to give it a full wear and my impressions on this scent. As usual, I’m going to cover what’s in it, how it smells, performs, and whether or not I think that it is worth a buy.

What does Pure Tonka by Thierry Mugler Smell Like?

Notes include: tonka bean, lavender, coffee, rosemary, patchouli, vanilla

Click here to try: AMen Pure Tonka Eau De Toilette 100ml

My Full Review

Admittedly, this may not have been the best time to test out, Pure Tonka. This is a fall/winter cologne and I was testing it in late spring, in Ibiza, so it was pretty warm. Not too awful but around 75 degrees F, which is probably the max I would wear this one around in.

Tonka bean is probably one of my favorite ingredients in men’s fragrances, as it is really smooth and creamy, when done right.

The opening of Pure Tonka doesn’t disappoint, there is a noticeable burnt roast aroma provided by the coffee note that pairs quite beautifully with the tonka bean.

There seems to be at least some resemblance, in my mind, to Pure Havane. The latter is much heavier with tobacco and honey, but I do get a bit of the same sweetness for some period of time.

During the initial stages, there is a minty coolness which peaks through, as well.

Upon my second testing of this, a few years after the initial review, I get way more coffee than I remember. It’s dark, roasted, with that cocoa finish.

Very well done and I really adore its pairing with tonka bean. I think that the sweet notes, don’t smell refined like in a sugary sense, closer to the raw and unrefined ingredients.

Pure Tonka is of course very sweet but not in a girlish way. It retains it sense of masculinity, with a darker, warm, and almost brooding appeal.

The lavender note is there and seems to give Pure Tonka some grounding and prevents it from becoming an overly sweet mess.

This is a very gourmand fragrance, the trio of tonka, coffee, and vanilla create a chocolate-like aroma that is very rich and as if you were walking into a bakery.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on Pure Tonka, like the other A*Men flankers, is fantastic. You really only need a few sprays and the job will be done. No weakness here.

Longevity wise, it is also a beast, I’ve gotten over 8 hours on a warm day, so I figure it should be 10+ during winter wear.

Update: Coming back to this one, in cooler temperatures, and it did go above 9 hours.

Pure Tonka has the appeal of being able to be worn casually, while pulling double duty for romantic wear. Again, you don’t need to spray very much, but this is a great winter scent to get closer to someone.

It’s fairly unisex in its presentation, more masculine, but it could be worn by anyone without much trouble. It’s wearable in most any situation, just avoid the high heat, and stick to the autumn and winter months.

Overall Impression of Pure Tonka

Overall, is Pure Tonka worth a buy? Yes, provided you know what you’re getting. To me, it almost seemed like too much of a good thing, at times. I really do enjoy it but it began to drag on my nerves a bit.

Maybe that was only due to me traveling and not being in a great mood, but I thought that I would point that out. I actually think, that I might like it better than Pure Havane, but I don’t know if I like it more than Pure Malt…but I’d have to do more testing.

The A*Men series of scents are pretty much great across the board and Pure Tonka is no exception.

Update: Coming back to Pure Tonka for another time, it is about on par with my enjoyment of Pure Havane and not as good as Pure Malt. It has a lot of elements that I really enjoy, but I have to be in the mood for a gourmand scent.

This will have some mass appeal, but it is going to one for either tonka bean fans or those who like sweeter scents. It’s really good overall.

Update Again: This has been discontinued, as far as I can tell. That’s unfortunate, as this was a fun one.

1 Million vs Armani Code Cologne Comparison

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Over the past 10-15 years, two of the best selling men’s fragrances, have been our two competitors featured in this post. 1 Million by Paco Rabanne vs. Code by Giorgio Armani. They are extremely well known, well loved, but which option is the better cologne? Which lasts longer? Which should you buy?

Tale of the Tape

1 Million

Notes include: Mint, Grapefruit, Rose, Patchouli, Amber, Cinnamon, White woods, Blond leather, Blood orange, Spice notes

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million By Paco Rabanne For Men Edt Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read my review: 1 Million

Armani Code

Notes include: citrus, lavender, apple, leather, tobacco, star anise, woods

Click here to try: Armani Code By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Oz.

Read my review: Armani Code

Opening

The opening of 1 Million is a blend of notes, that is quite bold, and starts off with plenty of power. It’s a mix of mint, blood orange, leather, rose, and grapefruit. It’s a mix of spice and sweet, with warmth and cooler elements. All of this is surrounded by a nice amber note.

Armani Code kicks off with citrus and apple, being fairly strong at the top. It turns more powdery with some spiciness from notes anise, tobacco, and leather. The fruity notes start to fade, somewhat after the first minutes.

Which is better? I like how Code starts off, its quite nice. However, I prefer the beginning of 1 Million. It’s intensity and depth, is a bit more engaging, and the smell is better to me.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

Armani Code has some power, at the start, but is really pretty moderate for the majority of the wear. The newer bottles, don’t seem to have the same strength. Meanwhile, 1 Million has a very strong sillage, and has always had the reputation of being able to fill up a room.

Update: Newer 1 Million bottles also don’t seem to have that same power and longevity, but are still better than Code EDT.

Edge: 1 Million

Longevity

Code used to be better, in this regard. I could get 8 hours of wear from it. Now, it seems to go 5-6 hours. Either way, it never hit the same level as the Paco Rabanne. 1 Million will go for over 10 hours. It pretty easily wins this category. Update: 1 Million is now around 8 hours.

Edge: 1 Million

Versatility

Due to its sillage and somewhat youthful vibe, 1 Million mainly gets relegated to nighttime use. Plus, it holds up better in the colder months of the year. So, a casual or nightlife scent. Not a workplace wear.

Code, on the other hand, can venture into the office. It is good for nighttime wear, casual, or even more formal events. It’s also better in the colder climate, but it has more uses than 1 Million.

Edge: Code

Overall Scent

Armani Code is still a really good pick for a daily wear. It’s got solid versatility and performance, even if it’s lost a step. The smell itself is still a beautiful composition. The powdery elements, the apple, citrus, leather, and creamy tonka bean are all great. For many guys, it will be the better choice, out of these two based on lifestyle and need.

However, which one is better? I still like 1 Million more than the Armani. Yes, it skews to a younger wearer, but this scent can still be a great wear. I’ve always loved its boldness and the awesome blend and balancing act between different aromas and styles.

Beyond that, the performance has always been great for me. Strong, bold, and something that I can throw on during certain occasions and completely love wearing it. Both of these scents are great, 1 Million, just a little more so.

Update: If you’re looking for Code, I would nowadays go with Code EDP for the closest thing to the original. Code EDT just doesn’t hold up anymore. You could also go with the other Code flankers, which are great, but smell somewhat different.

Winner: 1 Million

Boss Bottled EDT (No. 6) by Hugo Boss

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In this latest installment of this site’s series of ratings and reviews of men’s fragrances, I want to take a closer look at Boss Bottled EDT (aka No. 6) by Hugo Boss. It was released in 1998. I have already created a list of the top Hugo Boss colognes but I wanted to zoom in a bit and focus on this one individual fragrance from the line.

So, continue below to get my full take on this scent and whether or not it is worth a buy. Note: I have updated this review, 4 years after the original, to expand further on No. 6.

What does Boss Bottled EDT (No. 6) Smell Like?

Notes include: apple, cinnamon, vanilla, woods, plum, sandalwood

Click here to try: Boss No. 6 by Hugo Boss for Men – 3.3 Ounce EDT Spray

Full Review

My first impression of Number 6 is that it is a really clean fragrance. Note: It just gets called Boss Bottled EDT, nowadays. I could right away see how this could work as an everyday wear and something that people around you would respond positively towards.

The apple note is most noticeable to me, and the way it blends with the cinnamon, sort of reminds me of the flavoring in Apple Cinnamon Toaster Strudels. Not like the apple note in something such as Tommy Hilfiger.

Up top, the apple gets paired with a somewhat tart plum. Though, I’d still lean toward calling the entire composition sweet, at this point.

The first part of the wear, is more of a fruity cologne, with underlying spices. It will then shift, towards being less dominated by these notes.

As we move further along, the vanilla and wood notes, really start to come through. Sandalwood, cedar, and other woods begin to rise of from the base. The vanilla, which was always present, takes over for much of the plum and apple.

The vanilla note does give it that smooth sweetness, which I tend to like, but I don’t feel as if Boss Bottled goes too far into the ‘sweet’ category (during the dry down).

This is because the sandalwood and cedar notes especially, give it a woodsy base, that seems to keep it masculine and intriguing.

Finally, what I’m left with is a woody vanilla fragrance with strong whiffs of apple and cinnamon. It is creamy, fresh, and still sweet.

While this has been replicated by others recently, Boss Bottled, for sure had plenty of uniqueness when released in the 90s.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one isn’t a projection beast but it isn’t totally subdued either. There are many other options for guys who want a loud fragrance, Number 6 however, is soft to moderate in its scent but still quite sensual.

For the first hour, it will create a nice radius of scent around my skin, and then draws closer.

Longevity wise, I’d say it’s on the lower end of moderate…4-6 hours of decent projection, which was quite disappointing. That’s not absolutely terrible, but if you’re paying full price per bottle, it can be.

Boss Bottled is a rather versatile scent. Climate wise, it can fit in most situations, except for extreme heat and humidity.

Honestly, it’s not the worst at that, just not great in the summer months either. The rest of the year, and especially temperate climates, it works very well.

Outside of the seasonal aspect, this Hugo Boss scent is very versatile. It can work for younger men, but isn’t limited to that set. Not that this is the most mature perfume, but, older guys could certainly wear this.

I’ve worn this casually, semi-formally, and to an office setting. No issues with any of that. Is it attractive? Yes, the masculine sweetness will garner complements, and can be used for dates.

Bottled No. 6 isn’t really a club scent, in the sense that, you want a projection beast. If you want subtlety, sure.

Overall Impression of Boss Bottled No. 6

Overall, I think that Boss Bottled is a very good cologne. It is pleasant, versatile, sexy, and seems to work well in temperatures outside of the brutal summer.

Is it a buy? I’d lean towards yes. While it smells great, it doesn’t necessarily perform as well as other potential colognes.

However, it isn’t terribly expensive either, and I could definitely see a guy getting use out of it.

Though, nowadays, I might just pick up a bottle of Ferrari Black which is a cheaper version of this scent pretty much. Since this isn’t an amazing performer, you should consider getting something close to this smell, for a whole lot less money.

I still like this one and it hasn’t completely lost a step. But, it did come out 25 years ago, and a lot has been done that is better than Bottled EDT. At a discount, I might still pick this up versus all of the imitators that have tried to mimic this Hugo Boss.

Intimately Beckham by David Beckham

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I have already reviewed a few fragrances from the David Beckham line of men’s colognes (The Essence and Instinct) and thought that I’d tackle another one of the popular scents, Intimately Beckham. I want to take a closer look to answer some questions as to its particular scent and performance during wear. This is another really affordable everyday cologne but is it worth a purchase?

What does Intimately Beckham Smell Like?

intimately-beckham-men-edt-50ml-30003492-0-1321522359000

Notes include: Amber, sandalwood, cardamom, grapefruit, star anise, nutmeg, violet

My Full Review

Intimately Beckham is a bit of a change up from the two scents that I previously reviewed. It is a play between sweet and spicy but not in a heavy way, it is more of a refreshing spice and not overwhelming.

The opening is fairly woodsy/earthy from the violet, sandalwood, cardamom, and of course the nutmeg note which highlights this cologne’s start. I’m honestly not too big of a fan of the opening 10-15 minutes of this fragrance, it’s kind of weird and synthetic to me but I think that it develops pretty well from there.

There are some light citrus notes in the opening, but they don’t particularly stand out, to my nose. It’s a bit sweet, but I mostly pick up on cardamom and nutmeg, paired with those notes such as grapefruit.

When it finally does develop, I get a total late autumn to winter wear vibe from this scent. It would probably be awful to wear outside on a hot day, as it’d just become an overheated mess.

On the other hand, when used in its element, Intimately Beckham provides a warm amber and slightly powdery aroma that vaguely reminds me of a lower grade version of The One by D&G.

The sandalwood base, really begins to take hold for me, about 20 minutes in. At that point, any citrus is pretty much gone. Violet and amber emerge, the spice of anise/nutmeg/cardamom, pretty much surround these notes.

Finally, we get to what we’re left with for the remainder of the wear. Sandalwood is a major player in the latter stages. Frankly, the major player. It is soaked in a nice amber note, with a nutmeg spice.

It’s warm, fresh, with enough underlying sweetness to prevent it from going too heavy into the spiced category. It’s actually very smooth and refined, at this stage. Intimately smells much more expensive than its low price tag would otherwise indicate.

Sillage, Versatility, and How Long Does it Last?

Intimately Beckham actually projects itself better than Instinct, in my opinion. It does seem to have more strength although like Instinct, doesn’t shave the type of longevity I want out of a cologne.

I’d call the sillage moderate, for the first hour or so. Then, fairly light thereafter. On skin, it seems to go 4-5 hours. Sometimes, a little less, but usually it will hit those metrics just fine.

It’s safe and non offensive and does smell very pleasant for casual wear on the cooler days of the year. Again, avoid the heat with this one. It’s a warmer, fresh, and cozy sort of cologne. Not going to hold up well in the summer.

It is, however, quite an attractive fragrance. For younger guys, this can be an all around wear for autumn and winter. It is mature enough, to be used for dates or evenings out, as well.

Overall Impression of Intimately Beckham

Overall, this fragrance does smell good, but it isn’t a standout must have, for me anyway. For the price, it isn’t a terrible buy but it won’t set you apart much from the crowd.

It is attractive and the people around you will probably like it, while it lasts. If it were more expensive, I’d say no but at this price point, I don’t think it’s a bad buy at all.

Intimately Beckham is a good pick up for the younger set. It’s dirt cheap, but you get a very nice aroma from it. Performance isn’t great, but you can certainly re-apply or over spray, without breaking the bank. If this lasted a 6-8 hours on skin, it’d be an absolute steal. As is, it’s not a bad bargain.