Fragrances

Bvlgari Aqva vs Aqva Marine Cologne Comparison

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Alright, when dealing with flanker fragrances, there can often be a lot of overlap (by design) between two scents. Sometimes, a designer will go completely in another direction, and a new iteration of a scent will smell completely different than its predecessor. Bvlgari’s Aqva line, takes the former route.

This is especially true with Aqva Pour Homme and Aqva Marine, these two are very close relatives of one another. However, which one smells better? In this post, I am going to compare these Bvlgari fragrances and try to separate a winner.

Tale of the Tape: Aqva vs. Marine

Aqva

Notes include: mandarin, seaweed, cedar, orange, lavender, petitgrain

Click here to try Aqva: Aqua By Bvlgari Eau De Toilette Spray For Men 3.4 oz

Read my Full Review of Aqva Pour Homme

Aqva Marine

Notes include: grapefruit, seaweed, neroli, cedar, rosemary, mandarin

Click here to try Aqva Marine: Bvlgari Aqva Marine Pour Homme by Bvlgari 3.4oz 100ml EDT Spray

Opening

The opening of the original Aqva Pour Homme, is a mix of the orange, cedar, and seaweed notes. This is when you’re going to get the most citrus-y aroma of the bottle before it moves on into a more salty aquatic.

This period lasts for 10-15 minutes on my skin.  Aqva Marine, on the other hand, starts off with a citrus blend of orange and grapefruit. The seaweed note is ever present but the cedar doesn’t seem to be as strong in Aqva Marine.

It really comes down to which you prefer, more or less citrus, but neither opening aroma lasts long at all.

Edge: (Slight) Aqva

Projection

Both are about the same, in my opinion. These aren’t super strong colognes but do have strong starts and stay noticeable for a good amount of time. For much of the wear, they’re essentially lighter moderate fragrances.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Again, we are dealing with extremely similar creatures here. Five or maybe six hours is about all you should expect from either Aqva scent. Both are just okay, in this regard.

Edge: Push

Versatility

To me, they are both casual summertime fragrances, that I would prefer to wear out and about versus the office. These aquatics are good to wear when the heat and humidity is up during the summer or when you live in a year-round tropical climate. Not any distinction here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

There is really so much similarity between these two but there is just enough distinction to set them apart. Aqva will deliver a salty marine blend of lavender and cedar, with the orange notes eventually fading into the background.

You will get a strong orange opening which transitions into a much softer smooth marine/woody aroma.

Aqva Marine has a different citrus edge to it. It is much more oceanic in my opinion, with a watery saltiness to go along with the seaweed. The cedar is scaled back and there is a slight floral scent provided by the neroli.

If you want more of the oceanic scent, go with Aqva Marine.

I personally like the blend of the original Aqva Pour Homme a bit more than its flanker fragrance. The difference isn’t dramatic, but I do have a preference, and I go with that as the top dog.

Winner: Aqva Pour Homme

3 Colognes that Smell Similar to Tsar

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Tsar has been a popular enough fragrance for 30-plus years for it to have developed a fan base of adherents. As such, people want to find alternatives to this scent that can offer something similar but with a different feel or strike a close chord. In this post, I want to present 3 cologne options that smell similar Tsar by Van Cleef & Arpels.

Which Fragrances Smell Like Tsar by Van Cleef & Arpels?

Best Designer Option

Jazz by Yves Saint Laurent– Jazz is a YSL fragrance which dates back to the 1980s and strongly favors what you get with Tsar. It opens spicy, with notes of coriander and nutmeg, with some hints of basil early on.

Lavender is quite present here, along with drier and woodsy notes, when the initial spice fades. Tobacco, oakmoss, and a hint of leather. Once it gets to the floral heart, they are very similar, with artemisia, lavender, and geranium being big players in both.

With Jazz, I get 9-10 hours of performance, so if you want a near match with Tsar that gives you what you pay for…this is a great choice. My Full Review

Woodier Aroma from Cartier

Cartier Pasha De Cartier Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.3 Fluid Ounce– This doesn’t have the same level of lavender (still plenty), when compared to something like Jazz, but it has the woodier notes that make up Tsar.

Pasha is a great performer and sits beautifully in the colder months of the years. Oakmoss and mint, give it a dry freshness, and then the caraway for some added spice. The scent warms up, while retaining its green outdoorsy depth, and the coolness of the mint.

The lavender is most noticeable in the latter stages, along with sandalwood and rosewood.

pasha

 

 

A Polo Classic

Safari by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau De Toilette Natural Spray, 4.2 Ounce– Safari isn’t an exact copy of Tsar, but it is another option for those who enjoy this style of fragrance. It is also a delightfully masculine smell with a sweetness that many other fragrances lack. The main thrust of it is an outdoorsy, green herbal plant and woods mixture.

However, that’s only the beginning as Safari is a complex, and unique aroma. It’s masculine but tempered by citrus and floral notes. That’s the main difference, is Safari seems a bit brighter and not nearly as green and woodsy as Tsar. It still has plenty of that, just to a different amount.

Herod vs Tobacco Vanille Fragrance Comparison

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Herod and Tobacco Vanille are two popular high end fragrances for those who want a tobacco scented fragrance with some sweetness. Both have their strengths and admirers, but ultimately, which one is better? Which lasts longer? Which should you look to buy?

Tale of the Tape: Herod vs. Tobacco Vanille

Herod

Notes include: tobacco leaf, musk, cinnamon, vanilla, vetiver, cedar, patchouli, pepper, incense, and labdanum 

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Herod Men’s EDP Spray, 4.2 oz.

Read my Review: Herod by PdM

Tobacco Vanille

Notes include: tobacco, vanilla, dried fruit accords, cocoa, tonka bean, wood sap, spices

Click here to try: Tom Ford Beauty Tobacco Vanille Private Blend Spray/3.4 oz.

Read my Review: Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford

Opening

Tobacco Vanille opens up with a sweet tobacco, as the main player. It is bold and joined by vanilla, cocoa, and creamy tonka bean. Also, there is a spiciness, which I take to be the cinnamon note. This can start off really powerfully and a bit overwhelming.

Herod also has a sweet tobacco note, but the profile is overall much spicier than the Tom Ford fragrance. Cinnamon and incense give it a different feeling. While these two get compared often, they have much different scents at times.

Herod takes on a aroma closer to something like B*Men or Burberry London. Not that they are exact, but I can definitely pick up the similarities.

Which is better? Honestly, Herod comes across much better in the opening. Darker, spicier, while still retaining a sweetness. 

Edge: Herod

Sillage

Tobacco Vanille comes across as stronger, at the start. I think that they are somewhat equal for a while, but the Tom Ford edges out the PdM fragrance overall. It’s not that much better at projecting, but it does have a bit of lead.

Edge: Tobacco Vanille

 

Longevity

Both of these lasts for over 10 hours, on my skin.  Really well beyond that, too. I don’t see one as being better here since they both go all day. Great performers.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Herod and Tobacco Vanille sort of occupy the same space. Both are cold weather wears all the way. They have enough personality to be worn out, but enough style to be worn in the office, more formal occasions, or casually.

There’s really no separation from my perspective.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I like Tobacco Vanille, particularly as it dries down and becomes less in your face. The tobacco is more of a greenish variety, not toasted or processed. Vanilla and cocoa still give it its sweetness and it comes across as very well put together. 

The performance also lives up to the price tag.

Herod is darker with more of spicy/sweet blend than Tobacco Vanille has. Also, the tobacco is smokier and cured, with a resinous aroma supporting the entire thing. It’s a close call between these two options, but I prefer the Parfums de Marly. The incense and resin is great and I love the tobacco note here. 

Winner: Herod

4 Best Smelling Lalique Colognes for Him

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Lalique as a company didn’t get its start in fragrances, but when it decided to dip into this space, it did a great job of putting together some wonderful scents. It’s men’s line has produced a lot of fan favorites, which are usually available for a very inexpensive price. However, Lalique is inexpensive, and not cheap. It produces scents that can stand up against a lot of the big boys, that cost much more, but may not deliver nearly as much value. In this post, I have selected four colognes by Lalique which I feel are the best of the bunch.

What are the Best Lalique Colognes for Men?

Most Popular Lalique

Lalique Encre Noire Pour Homme EDT Spray, 3.3 oz– A very popular scent that is inexpensive but provides a lot of bang for your buck. Encre Noire is a wood based cologne with cypress, vetiver, and cashmere being the main attractions here.

Of course as the name suggests, it is a dark scent with an air of mystery, and a nice dash of smokiness. It is dry and features a vetiver note that feels a bit unique than some of the others on the market.

The cypress really comes through at the start, providing its green-ish aroma, then there’s the smokiness and overall dry quality. L’Extreme, listed below, is another option. I actually tend to prefer that one to this, but the original Encre Noire still has plenty of fans.

Unique Masculine Floral

Lalique Hommage A L’hommê Cologne for Men 3.3 oz Eau De Toilette Spray– Wow, what an interesting fragrance. Even the bottle looks like a work of art, as it was designed for the company’s 20th anniversary of creating fragrances.

Hommage is a heavy bomb of a cologne that features a wonderful powdery violet note, other florals, oud, and a creamy thick tonka bean.

It is a fresh and masculine floral/wood blend, that is rather unlike almost any other men’s fragrance that I’ve come across.  That uniqueness will probably keep this as a niche scent rather than universally beloved.

Dark Winter Woods

Lalique Encre Noire A L’Extremé Cologne for men 3.3 oz(100ml) Eau De Parfum Spray– This version of Encre Noire is much darker, intense, and has a dryer aroma than that of the original. They are similar, but not really the same. L’Extreme does its own thing, in many ways.

L’Extreme has a great smooth woody smokiness provided by the incense and cypress combination. Best used as a cold weather scent, but it really does shine during those frigid months of the year.

Beyond that, this one feels like it envelops you more so, as the resinous notes really come through. Enough benzoin to make things interesting. Ultimately, this one is woods and vetiver in the dry down. Can seem boozy and warm at the start.

Versatile Summer Wear

Laliquë Whîtë Cõlogne for Mén 4.2 oz Eau De Toilette Spray– A bright lemon leaf citrus paired with spicy pepper notes and a warm musk. It is classy, bright, and upbeat. Lalique White is an ideal choice for men during the spring/summer months.

The spice comes across as fresh and crisp, rather than an overwhelming warmth. Not too loud of a fragrance, the citrus aroma tones down as it moves along. Nutmeg and pepper early on, then more of a shift to pepper and musk.

Finally, the base is dry and woody, with cedar providing its fresh bonafides. An elegant and understated wear for the moderate to warmer weather.

Habdan vs Oajan Cologne Comparison

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Parfums de Marly is a higher end designer with a lot of great fragrances to choose from. As such, the question often arises as to which one is the best. I’ve listed my top 5 already, but now I am going to place two of these colognes head to head: Habdan and Oajan. Which of these scents smells better? Which gives better performance? Please continue below for my full take on this comparison.

Tale of the Tape: Oajan vs. Habdan

Habdan 

Notes include: saffron, amber, frankincense, caramel, apple, myrhh, rose

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Habdan Men’s Edp Spray, 4.2 Ounce

Read my Full Review: Habdan Review

Oajan

Notes include: tonka bean, cinnamon, honey, vanilla, benzoin, musk, labdanum, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Oajan EDP Spray, 4.2 oz.

Read my review: Oajan Review

Opening

Man, this is going to be a tough one to sort out. Oajan is fresh and dark with cinnamon and benzoin before it shifts into more of a sweeter profile with honey and vanilla. It reminds me quite a bit of 1 Million Prive and how it starts off.

Habdan also has the sweet/spicy blend but adds a smoky twist. Incense, saffron, and crisp apple take the center stage. It has a layered sort of aroma and a warm almost leather-like scent, at times.

I really dig both of these colognes and how they start off, but I think I’ll give Habdan the edge, just based off being more unique.

Edge: Habdan (slightly)

Projection

Oajan is the clear winner here. It is heavier and the sillage is much more powerful than what Habdan brings to the table.

Edge: Oajan

Longevity

Habdan isn’t bad in this regard. In fact, it performs for a solid 7-8 hours, which is plenty for most uses. However, Oajan is an all day wear. It hits the double digit hours on my skin, without a problem. Oajan is much more of a powerhouse than its Parfums de Marly compatriot.

Edge: Oajan

Versatility

They are about the same in this category. Either can be worn on a variety of occasions and are both sexy enough to be worn out on a date. Work, casually, semi-formal, formal.

Both are best worn in cooler weather, but I’d say that Habdan can handle the heat better…that’s not to say it’s built for summer, but it can be worn on moderate spring days.

Edge: Habdan (slightly)

Overall Scent

This is one of those comparisons when there isn’t much of a clear cut winner. These are two of my favorite Parfums de Marly colognes and the one that I would prefer to wear would change based upon my moods.

Habdan has a great saffron, caramel, apple, and incense blend. It is a smoky sweetness, that has great personality, and complexity to its profile. I will say, that it probably doesn’t enjoy the same universal appeal for most guys.

I think it is great, but it isn’t the same level of crowd pleaser as Oajan is. Habdan is more niche.

For most guys, I think the safer bet is Oajan. It has that mainstream appeal and a very close similarity to the aforementioned 1 Million Prive, which is a best seller.

Again, I like both, and Oajan is a great blend of sweet and spicy. The notes are well blended and nothing ever seems to be too heavy-handed.

So, the winner is Oajan. I’m basing it off of it’s better performance and greater mass appeal. Though, some guys reading this are going to absolutely adore Habdan, just a smaller percentage of readers.

Winner: Oajan