Fragrances

1 Million Prive by Paco Rabanne

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Today, I want to cover another entry from Paco Rabanne. This time it is a new take on the 1 Million name, entitled, Prive. Prive was released last year and as a flanker, retains some of the original elements of One Million, just taken in a slightly different direction.

As usual, I’ll cover how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not I think it is worth a purchase. Update: I have come back to this fragrance, to add to the review, after a few years of use. Also, Prive is now discontinued.

What Does 1 Million Prive Smell Like?

Notes include: tonka bean, apple, cinnamon, myrrh, mandarin orange, tobacco

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million Prive Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Prive is a flanker fragrance to the wildly popular original, 1 Million cologne. I actually really like 1 Million, so I was excited to see how they changed things up with Prive. Immediately, I enjoyed the smell of this stuff.

The cinnamon note is stronger than the original, and blends with the apple, to give it a sweetness that isn’t as candy-like as 1 Million.

1 Million tends to have that grape bubble gum opening and Prive is cinnamon applesauce at the start, in my mind.

Prive is darker and feels more mature than the original, though. Then, there is that lingering bit of citrus provided by the Mandarin.

Prive feels like Paco Rabanne took elements of the original and then bolted on other ingredients from Armani Code Profumo and added some myrrh and tobacco to round things out.

The tonka, apple, and mandarin are all notes that Prive has in common with Code Profumo, which makes these two scents seem related.

I love Code Profumo and really enjoy 1 Million, so Prive was right up my alley. The tonka give it that similar ‘creamy vanilla’ aroma that is present with Code Profumo.

As it dries down, Prive becomes much more of a cinnamon spice and sweet tobacco blend that is really quite lovely. 1 Million Prive is the type of fragrance, which envelops you, as you wear it.

It is very cozy, at its base, with the cinnamon and patchouli spice giving the composition a greater edge. This is a pretty straightforward scent, for the most part.

The final dry down, gives me: tobacco, tonka bean, cinnamon, myrrh, and whatever is left of the fruit notes.

The myrrh is an unsung hero in this fragrance. It adds a layer of depth and just a hint of exotic smokiness, that really sets Prive apart, from the rest of the 1 Million lineup. It’s odd that they went from this, back to a super sweet composition with 1 Million Lucky.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

Projection wise, Prive does a great job. I will say, that it isn’t as heavy and intense as the original 1 Million, but it is well above average in this regard. It’s not a scent that requires much in the way of spraying to be effective.

Longevity, it is very long lasting, 9-10 hours appears to be the norm. Prive isn’t as good of a performer as the original, but it is damn good.

After using this cologne many times, I’d call its sillage strong for 3-4 hours, and then moderate thereafter. I consistently get that 9-10 hour range of wear from this cologne. Doesn’t seem to want to go beyond that on my skin, not that it’d need to in most scenarios.

I like this scent for colder weather, not sure how it’ll hold up in the heat, but I think it’d be out of place.

Update: Coming back to this fragrance, it’s not great in the heat. Stick to the cold to moderate temperatures.

I could see wearing this scent casually, at the office, or school…BUT I think it’s made mainly for the night life.

Prive is a excellent selection for dates or just hitting up the bar scene. I have worn it out on the town, a good number of times, and have gotten lots of complements from different people. It’ll get noticed, but won’t be overwhelming those around you.

Personally, I can spray it on almost anytime during the winter and be fine with it. The versatility is probably its weakest point, though.

Overall Impressions of Prive

Overall, would I recommend 1 Million Prive? Yes, I like it a whole lot. Code Profumo and 1 Million were two of my most used scents over the winter, along with Man in Black. Seeing how much similarities it shares with the first two, it’s hard for me not to like it.

If you don’t like warm, sweet, cold weather fragrances…then you might want to skip this cologne. However, I think this is another hit from Paco Rabanne, and might actually become my favorite from this designer.

Update: 1 Million Prive, is the best 1 Million fragrance, in my opinion. It beats out the original and even the newer release, Lucky.

Update (Again): It’s no longer available. None of the others in the series, is quite like it. However, Elixir and Royal are two of the better editions of the 1 Million line. I did grab another sample of this, that I found on eBay. The myrrh note isn’t as good as I remembered and can get on my nerves at times. Still, this is probably the top pick from this Rabanne series.

Actually, it’s among the best designer colognes, available right now. It takes what was great about the original and adds a level of maturity.

The sweetness is there, but it isn’t overwhelming, nor is the sillage. It’s delicious, comforting, spicy, and stylish.

Armani Code EDT for Men

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Continuing with our recent restarting of more fragrance reviews on this site,  I thought I should take a closer look at some of the more popular colognes out there, that I haven’t touched upon yet.

One such fragrance is the ever best selling, Armani Code by Giorgio Armani. Armani is a brand with some major hits in its catalog of men’s fragrances, how does Armani Code stack up with the rest?

 Armani Code EDT Overview

armani_code

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

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

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Armani Code is quite sweet, with the fruit notes taking center stage. during the first thirty minutes to an hour.

This isn’t some girly or candy-like sweetness mind you, rather, one which is soft and sort of creamy/powdery. It is highlighted by citrus, The leather and tobacco notes really begin to shine after that point and fully develop this fragrance’s identity.

The newer bottles of Code seem to have a stronger tonka bean influence, which would lend itself to the sweet semi-creaminess of the fragrance. It’s actually very nice when paired with tobacco and leather.

However, the initial opening is more about the spiced aspect of Code, which stems from the star anise. Anise, citrus, and leather. Followed by tonka bean and tobacco, which gain in strength to replace the anise and citrus on the hierarchy.

Code is a very dark and sensual sort of fragrance, but isn’t bombastic or heavy in any way. It is a subtle, versatile, and refined.

I like that I could wear this for any occasion and it wouldn’t seem out of place. Also, this is one of those scent that women seem to enjoy and want to get closer when you wear.

As it wears on it develops more into the dark and clean scent and moves away from the sweetness/spiciness that can be found in the opener.

I am a fan of leather in fragrances when it’s done well and it is done quite well in Armani Code. The woods come in to the picture, sitting at the base, with a freshness a slight smoky edge.

Ultimately, I am left with leather, tonka bean, and tobacco. These notes are flanked by some very light citrus and whatever spice is still there. All sits on a base of wood.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

The sillage is still fairly strong, upon first application. Not a super powerful projector or anything like that, but, it does a very nice job for the first few hours. After that, Code settles down, into something that is near the middle of the pack in terms of its strength.

The longevity on newer bottles, doesn’t seem to be as good. Older ones could go 8 or so hours, but the newer formulation, doesn’t seem to hit that same level. Maybe, somewhere around 6, now.

Is Code versatile? Yes, as a moderate to colder weather fragrance, you can pretty much wear it whenever. It is fine for the office or casually or during the nightlife. Not great in the hotter weather, but any other time, this Armani works out.

Again, it is well-liked by women, and will generally get positive comments from those around you consistently. While the performance is just decent now, Code still has a great degree of wear-ability. It’s also not worn by everyone to the same degree that it used to be, as guys seemed to have moved on to other scents.

Overall Impressions of Armani Code

Overall, Code is a great and versatile buy for almost any guy. It is safe and moderate and smells really nice. It has good longevity and the projection while not overpowering is quite good as well.

It is very popular, so it really won’t be unique but it is definitely worth a buy. That is, if it were the only option from this line.

Armani Code has spawned numerous flankers over the years, which have surpassed it in greatness, both Profumo and Absolu. Absolu is now my favorite and is the peak of the Code namesake.

Update: Add Code Parfum to the mix, if you want another great one. The above two are discontinued now.

So, if price isn’t the only factor, I would pick either of those before the original. Though, the original can usually be found for cheaper. In the end, Code is a once great cologne, that is still very good…but has mostly been surpassed since its release.

In most cases, you can’t go wrong with wearing Code. It’s a classic that has cemented its place in history.

Mankind Ultimate by Kenneth Cole

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It’s been a minute since I have posted a new cologne review, so I figured that I’d jump back into the routine by reviewing a new men’s fragrance. I got a hold of a sample of Kenneth Cole’s new scent, Mankind Ultimate and being that it feels like a good summer scent, I decided to test it out a bit and put up this post.

Edit: I am now updating this post some 4 years after its initial release, in order to add more thoughts and experiences with this fragrance.

What does Mankind Ultimate Smell Like?

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Notes include: citrus, vetiver, cucumber, sandalwood, oakmoss, cashmere wood

Click here to try: Kenneth Cole Mankind Ultimate, 3.4 Fl oz

My Full Wear Review

My first impressions of this cologne upon first sniff were that it had a very clean and crisp air to it. It’s a very pleasant fragrance right out of the gate and just seems like a scent that you couldn’t go wrong with in just about any situation.

I was also struck by its familiarity. While it was a very pleasant smell, it seemed like a rehash or very close relative to some other men’s colognes out on the market.

It has a similar smell to both Mont Blanc Legend and Abercrombie Fierce. Is it exact? No, but if you’re familiar with either of those colognes, it’s about what you should expect. Sort of like close cousins, of one another.

Similarities aren’t a bad thing necessarily. However, if you can get one scent over the other for cheaper, and the performance and experience is pretty damn close…

Mankind Ultimate opens up with an aquatic citrus blend with a bit of cucumber. The top notes sort of remind me of a less spicy Eternity Aqua, as it is bright, crisp, and watery. I like it, Ultimate is cool and refreshing to spray on, particularly on a warmer day when the humidity is up.

Another difference between this and the comparable colognes, is that Ultimate has a bit of a sweeter profile overall. The especially feels true at the top to middle part of the wear, as I do get some tonka bean.

As it dries down, Mankind Ultimate gets a fresher woodsy smell. It’s still mostly aquatic with the citrus notes lightening up, but sandalwood and vetiver really start to come through. These notes add a dry masculine base, to balance out the juicy aquatic notes from the top.

This is pretty much what you’re going to get from the entire rest of the wear. A sandalwood/vetiver aquatic with citrus notes surrounding this main core.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Performance wise, Mankind Ultimate is very solid across the board. The sillage is pretty good, solid at the beginning, but lightens up quite a bit a few hours into it.

It’s not a marathon fragrance but it isn’t one that peters out after fifteen minutes either. Seems to last in the 6+ hour range, on my skin.

I really do like this scent, and completely appreciated the fresh and energetic feeling that I got, while wearing it.

I think it’s a good choice for spring or summer months, not that it holds up brilliantly in searing heat (hardly anything does), but it seems to match the mood of those seasons.

It is an easy to wear, fairly aquatic cologne, which can fit right in to a variety of situations. It’s safe for work, to wear casually, and is attractive enough to wear out in the evening. Not a club beast or super sexy, but Mankind Ultimate, is very pleasant.

Overall Impressions of Mankind Ultimate

I really do like this scent and think that it smells wonderful. Then again, there are lots of other colognes that smell just as wonderful, so this isn’t one for someone looking for a unique or signature scent. It’s a really good cologne with lots of versatility and will garner complements.

Just understand that it might not stand out from the crowd. I will say, that I actually like it better than Mont Blanc Legend, because of the opening act.

If you can pull a bottle of this at a good price, it’s one that you’ll be able to get plenty of use out of.

London by Tom Ford

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I’ve had a sample vial of Tom Ford’s London, for the past six months or so, and just never got around to writing up my review of it. I’ve worn it a few times, in the intermediate time, and so have gathered my thoughts on this cent. As usual, I will cover what in this perfume, what it smells like, how it performs, and whether or not it’s actually worth a purchase.

What does London by Tom Ford Smell Like?

Notes include: black pepper, tobacco, oud, saffron, coriander, jasmine, cedar, birch, cardamom, coffee, cumin, and more

Click here to try: Tom Ford London Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.7 Ounce

My Full London Review

London opens up with a lot of warm spice and some oud, which will grow in strength later. The spice aren’t really sharp, but there’s just a wide variety of them. Particularly, I get black pepper, coriander, and cumin. It’s sort of like a spice rack, you’d find in your kitchen joined with some indistinct warmth, and wood notes.

A few minutes into the wear, I get a smokey incense note, surrounding plenty of the cumin and coriander. At this point, I’m not sure what to make of this fragrance. It’s not really pleasant, but I don’t totally hate it either. Pretty much, indifferent to London, completely.

It all comes together as very dark, warm, and spicy. Then, as it dries down, I get more of the oud with some of the tobacco. It does have some similarities as Tobacco Oud, but I think that Tom Ford is the better scent overall.

The final part of the wear is heavy with the oud, smokey incense, musk, jasmine, and the cedar note. It’s probably at its best, during this stage. Less spicy, less sillage, and just more of a subtle fragrance with a masculine edge.

I’m still not completely on board with this perfume, but it’s much less annoying to my nose, at this point.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage is solidly strong at first, but not monstrous. Then, it comes down into a much more moderate scent. You won’t bomb out a room, but it’ll get noticed.

The performance is good overall, from the sillage to the longevity, which lasts somewhere in the 8-10 hour range.

After testing the sample out a few times, it doesn’t go beyond 10 hours on my skin. Not the best of the best, but great.

When paying Tom Ford prices, this is much more important to me, than it otherwise might be. However, it’s up to snuff with how it performs.

 

Seasonally, I could only see wearing London during the autumn and winter months. It’s a cold weather scent, all the way. The heat would take this warm oud and spice mix and make it unbearable to wear. So, if you’re in a tropical climate, this isn’t for you.

London is a fragrance that you could wear to the office or out for an evening or formally. I wouldn’t call it sexy, it’s more of a masculine scent. More niche, than crowd pleasing.

Overall Impressions of London by Tom Ford

Overall do I like London by Tom Ford? Ehhh, it’s okay, but I don’t really enjoy it. I’ll never understand these high end designers, complete obsession with oud. It’s in like every damn scent they make.

Here it’s quite strong and when combine with coriander and pepper, it can kind of take on a body odor smell, at times. Not the whole way through, but there are definitely spots, where it’s not great to wear.

Again, this one is going to have a very limited appeal. Oud fans, who like lots of cumin and coriander? I guess, but for most of the rest of folks out there, London won’t be worth the price of admission.

Dirty English by Juicy Couture

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I am updating this original review from five plus years ago, as I’ve spent much more time with this Juicy Couture fragrance, and want to expand upon things.

Dirty English has begun to enjoy a popularity of sorts nowadays, because the price has come down so much, that it can be a nice buy for not a lot.

Some guys may be reluctant to try a cologne from a brand that the word ‘juicy’ stretched across many overweight women’s sweat pants but I assure you that this is a really nice scent for guys to try out.

Though, it is not for everyone, Dirty English has a deep and masculine scent which will work for many men who don’t enjoy the fruitier or more aquatic scented colognes.

What does Dirty English Smell Like?

english

Dirty English Notes: Blue Cypress, Mandarin, Bergamot, Black Leather, Sandalwood, Amber, Musk, Atlas Cedar, Vetiver, Wood, Black Moss Absolute, oud, cardamom

Click here to try: Dírty Englísh Cologne 3.4 oz Eau De Toilette Spray MEN

My Full Wear Review

Dirty English opens up with a blast of oud, which is flanked by black leather, and very light citrus from mandarin orange and bergamot. The citrus adds just a bit of bright juiciness to the fragrance, that is overall pretty dry.

That dryness is a factor of all of the wood notes that are present in this Juicy Couture cologne as there is also a distinct cypress from the beginning, and runs through the heart of things.

Things begin to get smoother, as it wears on further. The oud is still very noticeable, however, the leather and other variety of woods get heavier to balance the composition out.

You also do get elements of moss and vetiver coming through, this has a definite outdoorsy aroma, but doesn’t stray too far into that space thanks to the lovely leather note and spice. The spice in this one isn’t heavy and is mostly provided by cardamom.

What I ultimately get from Dirty English is a leathery oud with plenty of dry warmth and a slight boozy aroma, that I don’t really know what’s causing that effect.

You do get whiff of mandarin orange throughout the wear, which is a good change of pace. Oh and lots of smooth fresh woods.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this stuff is strong. Not insanely heavy, but I don’t need much of it. Now, I will say that my bottle is from 2015, and I’ve heard about possible reformulations of this. I don’t know, but its performance was always very good.

Here’s what I had to say in the original review from 5 years back: Dirty English is definitely not a light fragrance, it has a certain strength and heaviness to it, so overdoing it will probably produce bad results for those wearing it. One spray on the neck and another rubbed between my wrists and forearms is all that I have been using. 

The longevity gives me 8+ hours on my skin, with that bottle that I have. It will keep going and never quits early on me.

Seasonally, this is a cold weather fragrance, all the way.  I have thus far only received positive reactions while wearing this cologne. As fall is just now kicking off, this is another great one to pair with the crisp weather. it could be termed a ‘sexy’ cologne, just not a sweet one.

Definitely skip wearing Dirty English when it gets warmer outside. It turns messy in the heat.

This fragrance is fresh and manly, which is what one would suspect with notes of leather, woodsy elements, and that dirty oud note. Don’t think I’d wear this one to the office or school, but outside of that, I will.

Overall Impressions of Dirty English

Overall, do I like Dirty English? Yes, I think that it is a nice cheapie, as the price from its original release has come down so much. It has a very masculine and unique vibe, which I like, and the performance has always been great for me.

It’s one that I reach for when I want to wear a dry woody scent and the leather is always something that I’ve enjoyed about it.

Update: I had a full bottle of this stuff for a while. It’s nice enough, I liked it more the first time around than when I got this newer bottle. I wore it less and less often, until I got rid of it. For the price? Still worth a try, if it sound interesting to you. But, again, not one with super mass appeal.