Fragrances

Tobacco Oud Intense by Tom Ford

by

Here’s a sample that I’ve had for probably over six months, at this point, and never got around to giving a proper review. Even though, I’ve worn it in the months it’s been in my possession. Tobacco Oud Intense is the flanker fragrance to the popular Tobacco Oud.

It was released in 2017, as a follow up. So, in this post, I will cover my experiences with Tobacco Oud Intense by Tom Ford. How does it smell? What are the notes? How does it perform? Is it worth a purchase?

What does Tobacco Oud Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: oud, tobacco, amber, cedar, coriander, tonka bean, patchouli, sandalwood, labdanum

Click here to try: Tom Ford Tobacco Oud Intense by Tom Ford, 3.4 oz EDP Spray Unisex

My Full Review

The opening of this fragrance, definitely goes hard with the tobacco and oud note. It has a dark and smokey aroma, with a slight spice, which I take is from the coriander. It’s not an intense smell, in my opinion, but there is just a large abundance of those ingredients.

There is a dirty and outdoorsy undertone, throughout the whole wear. I guess, I should just call it earthy, but it is quite noticeable up top before Tobacco Oud Intense transitions to its next stage.

Underneath this initial layer, and what emerges more and more afterward, is an amber/tonka bean combination. This is when, the perfume starts to get good for me, the sweet smooth notes settling things down. Those two notes really makes the smokiness of the Tobacco Oud Intense, much more tolerable, and it sort of has a leathery quality to it.

Also, during the dry down, I find that the oud isn’t as present. Of course, it’s still there, but I get way more tobacco in the last 3/4’s of this fragrance. The other wood notes (cedar and sandalwood) do sit at the base and create a woodier scent, as it moves along, it’s just not that signature oud scent overpowering everything.

Ultimately, I get a smooth ambery tobacco, with a mix of sweet/smokey and a woodsy base. It’s a warm and very smooth aroma, with a definite masculine edge.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it is fairly intense, but it’s not a crazy monster perfume. For the first few hours, you can definitely choke out a room, if you over-sprayed Tobacco Oud Intense. However, after that, this Tom Ford is more of a strong moderate.

While it’s not super powerful, this one does have a thick, almost enveloping aroma. Fairly complex with a density, common in winter fragrances.

The longevity seems to fall within the 7-9 hour range, again, not crazy but still very good. My skin doesn’t ‘eat up’ perfume, so, this probably about what one should expect. It was kind of surprising, as I would have thought that an intense Oud scent, would have gone on for ages.

Then again, the oud isn’t completely dominant here. Nonetheless, it is no slouch. On clothing, it does indeed last longer, than 9 hours.

Seasonally, it’s strictly for the cooler months of the year. This would be a mess in the heat of the summer. It’s a unisex scent, but it leans much more masculine, than other offerings from this brand.

It feels like something that should be worn at least in a semi-formal situation or business attire. Tobacco Oud Intense isn’t a Tom Ford fragrance for casual wear. Nor is it going to be something for the bar/nightlife scene.

It’s fairly niche and going to mostly appeal to oud fans and those who like these sorts of heavy scents.

Overall Impressions of Tobacco Oud Intense

Overall, do I like Tobacco Oud Intense. I like it for what it is, even if it’s not really my style of fragrance. It smells good, even though, I’m not personally a big oud fan. It does have a smoother and slightly sweeter smell versus the original Tobacco Oud.

If you’re a fan of these notes, this is probably one you’d want to consider. If you already have the original, this is close enough, that you probably don’t need it. Go with Intense, if you enjoy more amber and tonka bean, with a bigger dose of the tobacco note.

It’s not much more powerful or longer lasting. So, it really comes down to the level of sweetness, you enjoy.

6 Best Smelling Kenzo Colognes for Men

by

Kenzo is a Japanese brand, which kind of flies under the radar, in the world of men’s fragrances. Yes, it is a super successful fashion brand, but the name isn’t well known among the masses. At least, not as well as it used to be in the late 1980s and 1990s. Nevertheless, it is a line of colognes which has plenty to offer those who are willing to step outside of the box of best sellers. In this post, I am going to present my top six Kenzo fragrances for guys, in no particular order. 

 

 

 

What are the Best Kenzo Colognes for Men?

Best Winter Scent

Kenzo Jungle– The rest of the list, is going to mostly go in the opposite direction of Jungle. This cologne does have a standout profile, which is headed by spices, and provides a warm and enveloping sort of aroma.

There’s enough sweetness, to keep it interesting. However, Jungle is all about the exotic feel and spice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, and more. The cinnamon in the opening, with some light citrus notes and nutmeg, is really great. 

The final act, brings out some woody notes. Mostly, it’s all about those spices. Surprisingly, it isn’t too heavy or demanding. This is the best option for winter, though, Jungle isn’t limited to the colder months. It does have some well-done versatility. 

Best Summer Kenzo

L’eau Par Kenzo– L’eau Par Kenzo is a delightfully refreshing summertime wear, highlighted by both lemon and yuzu. Yes, the two citrus notes are similar but still remain distinct from one another. The juicy citrus sits on top of a watery aquatic base, with a familiar lotus and lighter musk, coming in the dry down.

Not a huge sillage here, but pretty good longevity for such a light warm weather cologne. The opening act has almost a bubbly aroma, with a crisp cold spiciness, provided by the moderate mint note. 

L’eau Par Kenzo is a clean and masculine aquatic, that can be a joy to wear casually around town, when the heat rises. 

Best Seller

Kenzo Pour Homme– So, Kenzo Pour Homme has been around for decades now. However, it has apparently been reformulated from the original, and lost some of its luster. I’m not familiar with the original blend, but I still think that this cologne is definitely worthwhile.

What you’re going to get is an 80s inspired aquatic scent, that is big on the woody notes. Fir, pine, and sandalwood give Kenzo Pour Homme a cutting freshness. The opening aquatic rush, is actually really great, and there is only a bit of citrus with some herbal aromas from notes, like sage. 

Very interesting and gives you a throwback scent, that is both unique and still very charming. Lots of wood, during the dry down, but can be a great pickup, even with the changes.

Awesome Aquatic

L’eau Kenzo Intense– L’eau  Kenzo Intense is none too complicated, but does bring the wearer quite a pleasant aquatic experience. This one is headed by its marine accord, a nice salty sea water, that is flanked by citrus notes (yuzu and lime).

The next level, brings on lotus, cedar, and basil. The basil is the most noticeable, but there is also plenty of lotus here. Less complex than L’eau Par Kenzo, but has a greater use of the oceanic ingredients, and really has much more of that classic marine appeal. L’eau Par Kenzo is better, in my opinion, but this is the better bet for those who want that oceanic style. 

 

Most Unique Fragrance

Power by Kenzo– Power is a fragrance from Kenzo that has been discontinued, but is good enough to make the list, regardless. Now, it isn’t going to be a scent that appeals to all men, and that’s okay.

Power is rather bold, but takes a different direction from the others on this list. You get a lovely blend of floral notes, spices, and woods. It is masculine without being overbearing and delivers a stylish and somewhat powdery finish. 

Soft and fresh, with a cardamom and coriander spice blend, that gives Power its strength. If you can track it down, at a decent price, it may be worth a shot for the right guy.

Underrated Kenzo Cologne

Kenzo Homme Night– This one adds a unique tropical type of flair, to the mix. Mango with hints of citrus, serve as part of the main attraction. The other, is a very attractive tonka bean note, which actually works in the warmer weather without melting away. 

Cardamom is the lead spice and the one that I could pick up most, when I tried this out once. There was some other vague spices, but my nose couldn’t really distinguish. Kenzo Homme Night is both underrated and can be somewhat difficult to find.

Nonetheless, Night is a very nice performer, with an attractive tropical sweetness and enough spice to give it an edge. 

Creed Aventus vs. Bleu de Chanel vs. Sauvage

by

There are several best-selling citrus based men’s fragrances out there. At the top of the pyramid are the trio of: Aventus, Sauvage, and Bleu de Chanel. Not only that, they each have various flanker fragrances, which can make deciding on which is best for you quite difficult. Luckily, I’ve used them all and tested extensively, and will create a power ranking of these colognes in this post. Which is the best smelling? Has the top sillage and longevity?

BdC vs Aventus vs Sauvage: Which is the best smelling cologne?

Overall Rankings

First, I’m going to give you my rankings of these fragrances, before getting into the why of each. Again, each has variations on the original formula, and I’ll be ranking each of those as well. Here’s the list and my review of each.

  1. Bleu de Chanel EDP
  2. Bleu de Chanel Parfum
  3. Sauvage EDP
  4. Bleu de Chanel EDT
  5. Aventus
  6. Sauvage Parfum
  7. Sauvage EDT
  8. Aventus Cologne

The Best Version of Each Cologne

Creed Aventus

Top: Blackcurrant, Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla.

Click here to try Aventus: Creed Aventus Creed 4 OZ Millesime Spray For Men

Bleu de Chanel EDP

Notes include: grapefruit, sandalwood, amber, vanilla, tonka bean, ginger, mint, and more

Click here to try: Bleu De Chaneⅼ Eau De Parfum Pour Homme Spray 1.7 Fl. OZ. / 50ML.

Sauvage EDP

Notes include: nutmeg, bergamot, ambroxan, vanilla absolute, lavender, Sichuan pepper, anise

Click here to try: Sauvage by Dior Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml

Best Smelling Fragrance

Bleu de Chanel EDP

Any of the top four picks, could have taken the crown, but BdC EDP is the best overall. I find the aroma a bit more appealing than BdC Parfum and the versatility to be better than Sauvage EDP.

It doesn’t have the same power or longevity, as Sauvage, but lasts as long on my skin as Aventus.

Different guys will have different opinions on which is the best Bleu de Chanel scent. I think EDP is the best overall and most balanced.

Though, I could wear any of them, and be perfectly happy. I think during summer, I’d probably go with EDT, a good portion of the time.

Top Winter Pick

Sauvage EDP

I would also consider Bleu de Chanel Parfum here. However, I think that Sauvage EDP is fantastic in the colder weather. The sillage and longevity of this fragrance is great, better than the BdC scents, in fact.

It’s more of an autumn and winter wear, to me. However, it can absolutely go year round, in most cases. But, during those colder months, this rockets to number 1 in my rankings. I’d go Chanel in warmer weather, Sauvage EDP in colder.

Best Value

Sauvage EDT

While it is lower on the list, the original Sauvage, can usually be found at the most affordable price. It represents the most bang for your buck. I’ve never been too high on Sauvage EDT, but it can be a good scent for many guys.

It has become insanely popular, and overused, in my opinion. Nonetheless, it can have a better price point than any others on the list. To me, Luna Rossa Carbon is closer in smell to this fragrance, but even better.

So, those are my rankings of these fragrances. I enjoy any of the Bleu de Chanel fragrances more than any other scent, except Sauvage EDP. I would wear any of those before Aventus or the other Sauvage offerings.

Give me a BdC scent and Sauvage eau de parfum…I’d be ready for almost any situation.

Guess Seductive Homme vs Seductive Homme Blue Comparison

by

Two of the more popular inexpensive fragrance choices for men are made by Guess under the Seductive title. The original Seductive Homme has been one of my favorite cheap wears for the last couple of years or so and as such I was curious to see how its flanker fragrance, Seductive Homme Blue stacked up against it.

Which of these two scents smelled better? Did they perform equally as well? Is one worth a buy or should they simply be bought as a package deal? In this post, I want to continue my cologne comparison series, by taking a look at the Guess Seductive line.

Which Guess Cologne is Better Seductive Home or Blue?

Guess Seductive Homme Tale of the Tape

Notes include: Cardamom Milk, Pink Pepper, Patchouli, Sandalwood, And Musk.

guess seductive

Read my Original Review Here

Click here to try: Guess Seductive Men Edt Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Seductive Homme Blue Tale of the Tape

Notes include: citrus, moss, caviar, black pepper, cashmere wood, cardamom

Read my Review

Click here to try: Guess Seductive Homme Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, Blue, 3.4 Ounce

Opening

The opening of the original Seductive Homme is rich and warm with noticeable tones from the cardamom milk and pink pepper notes contained within. It is actually very nice and pleasant. Blue, on the other hand, is soft, aquatic, powdery, and slightly spicy.

I was really digging Blue from the initial spray, as it had such a unique quality to it. I like both but Blue really drew me in much more. I’ve had a bottle of Homme for years, but Blue took the cake.

It is much like La Nuit by YSL, but with an underlying aquatic aroma. The cardamom note here, gives it the similarities, but it has a powdery aquatic vibe. Blue is actually pretty unique, as a scent, not super oceanic but does have that marine touch.

Edge: Blue

Projection

Seductive Homme is pretty moderate projection wise, though, it can fall towards the heavy side when oversprayed. Blue is a very light fragrance, actually, too light in my opinion.

Seductive Homme is also more stable throughout the wear, while Blue starts to decline pretty rapidly with its sillage. Seductive Homme really wins this round easily.

Edge: Seductive Homme

Longevity

This is where the separation really becomes noticeable. I get a solid 6 hours or so of wear out of Seductive Homme, when I use it.

Blue just fails pretty miserably here, light sprays become a skin scent within 45 minutes or so, but it can do ok when more is applied. If you go heavy with the sprays, maybe 2-4 hours of wear.

It’s a shame that Seductive Blue has such bad longevity. Homme isn’t amazing, but for the price it is very good, and perfectly fine for most situations you’d have to wear it in.

Edge: Seductive Homme

Versatility

If Blue lasted longer, it’d probably be more versatile. Seductive Homme isn’t that great during the summer, as the humidity and heat does a number on its scent.

Blue is a soft, powdery, aquatic that seems to have a greater range of uses but its longevity holds it back. Seductive Homme, during the rest of the year is great. It works well for younger guys to wear casually or out on a date. It is attractive, just not superb during the hottest days.

Edge: Seductve Homme

Overall Scent

I honestly think that Seductive Homme Blue, smells better than the original. I really like both but Blue is just more appealing to me. That said, the longevity issues damage its case as the better fragrance.

If they had made Blue more intense and with even a few hours of better performance, I’d give it the win. Honestly, it’s really inexpensive, so getting a hold of a bottle wouldn’t be the worst thing.

Seductive Homme smells wonderful and it is a solid performer. When you can buy a bottle for under $20, it becomes a clear choice for those seeking an inexpensive casual scent.

Winner: Seductive Homme

6 Best Smelling Liz Claiborne Colognes

by

Liz Claiborne is a brand known for producing scents that are very-well liked at a very inexpensive price point. No, this isn’t a Creed or Bond No. 9, where it’s all about the top of the line ingredients and the standing that comes with the name…Claiborne scents just smell really good.

It is a brand that doesn’t make you break the bank to get an attractive scent, which is actually appreciated by many ladies. I am including Lucky Brand in this list, as well.

What are the Best Smelling Liz Claiborne Colognes?

Still the Best

Curve– A scent that has been widely popular for years and for good reason. Curve is a really attractive scent that is so simple in its presentation but amazingly clean.

Curve has been going strong for decades now. This is because, it has a unique aroma at a cheap price and gets complimented like crazy. Juniper, pineapple, and citrus play a role early on, giving it a slight fruitiness.

Then herbal and plant elements come in to give it a boost of freshness and appeal. Ginger and lavender are major players in the latter stages. This is such an easy first time cologne for younger guys. To me, it still gets the top spot. Read my review

curve

Next in Line

Curve Soul– A deep and darker men’s fragrance then the rest. This is a very unique cologne, with a strong bamboo note, sandalwood, some sweet/spice blend, and a touch of amber and leather.

I’m not sure they produce this one anymore. All of the bottles on the market, that I can find, seem really expensive. Obviously, none of these are worth paying an extraordinary amount for, as they are still just good cheapies.

Curve Soul is probably the second best smelling, in my opinion, and is worth a try if you can find a good price.

Soapy and Green Scent

Lucky You– A fresh green/woodsy type of scent that is a great casual option for younger men. It’s an inexpensive and natural scent with notes of moss, cardamom, and sandalwood.

Lucky You opens up with a really fresh and somewhat soapy mix. It can be difficult to pin down the exact notes of this cologne, but the aroma is at least quite a pleasant experience.

What I start to pick up within the fragrance is a blend of musk, a somewhat grassy ingredient, all sitting on top a woody base (bamboo and tamarind). Those two woods aren’t often used within men’s fragrances, as such, Lucky You produces a rather interesting and engaging wear.

Not my favorite fragrance, but you can usually get it for $10-20 or so. At that price, this is a nice little wear, and definitely one of the best from this brand. Full Review

lucky you

Energetic and Smooth for Summer

Mambo– A spring/summery type of fragrance which is smooth and with notes of lime and sandalwood it is clear why. It, like the first two colognes on this list is fresh and clean but Mambo has its own upbeat style to it.

Mambo opens up with its citrus notes on full display. These are joined by both lavender and a light spice. It definitely gives you an energetic and lively feel, that so many scents lack.

The lavender, cedar, and sandalwood take away most of the sharper or sour elements of the citrus notes. Meanwhile, thyme, cinnamon, and patchouli give the cologne its spicy heart.

Mambo is a different sort of scent from most others on the market and provides a great deal of value. This stuff will last on my skin for 8-9 hours, at times. Good for casual wear and nightlife. Mambo Cologne Review

Light and Sweet

Curve Crush– A simple fragrance that works well for guys in high school.  It is a bright and sweet blend of fruity notes like apple and orange that is blended with cedar to give it a masculine center.

This is a youthful scent, so, something for a certain subset of men but it’s still something that smells really good. It is light and clean, but Curve Crush actually has good performance in my experience. I managed to get 6-7 hours of wear, during testing, which is great at this price point. Curve Crush Review

curve crush

Best Tropical Fragrance

Bora Bora– A more exotic and masculine type of scent that fuses kiwi, musk, lemon, leather, and other notes to create something wholly delightful. The kiwi is prominent and gives it a tangy kind of sweetness yet still retains that attractive freshness.

Later, the kiwi becomes less of a factor. Leather, woods, and hibiscus flower come in and give it a smoothness while retaining its tropical vibe. It has a light sillage and from that point, this fragrance is pretty linear and its presentation.

Bora Bora is best for casual daytime wear, during the warmer months of the year. It has a clean and woody finish, utilizing that kiwi note to really bring home that island life aroma. Bora Bora Cologne Review

bora