Fragrances

Chrome by Azzaro

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Chrome is a fragrance by Loris Azzaro, which is quite often a best seller and has been for years. I mean, rally since its release in 1996. Like other Azzaro scents, Chrome is an inexpensive option for men, who want something fresh yet masculine. Update: The pricing can be more affordable and it seems to have stretches when it’s on sale, then expensive again. In this post, I am going to share my experience with this cologne and whether or not I think it is worth a try.

Note: I am continually updating this post, several years after the original, to expand upon my review and talk about my latest testing of Chrome.

What does Azzaro Chrome Smell Like?

Click here to try: Men’s Chrome by Azzaro Eau de Toilette Spray – 3.4 oz.

Notes include: neroli, lemon, bergamot, rosemary, pineapple, musk, woods, and jasmine

My Full Wear Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Azzaro describes it: Fresh, vibrant, aquatic, woody. “A harmony as pure as metal, a blend of strength and complicity.”

The first thing you notice about Chrome is the citrus notes, mainly a blend of lemon and pineapple. It is interesting how refreshing and bright this fragrance smells, it feels quite sharp and fresh. A big player in the beginning is neroli.

Obviously, this flower plays perfectly off of the citrus top, and is joined by a light jasmine note. The top is very similar to CK One, that citrus/floral aroma, has lots of overlap with that 1990s showstopper.

Chrome always induces thoughts are bright and sunny days, in the summer. It has an aquatic-like smell at times, without having any oceanic notes, which is a nice little trick of the mind.

After the first few minutes, where neroli is powerful, the rosemary begins to come through with that herbal spiciness. It’s similar to that note in Acqua di Gio, but these are ultimately pretty different fragrances.

The first hour or so, is really all about being a citrus/floral fragrance, with a light aquatic and soapy character. Thankfully, they didn’t overload the neroli and jasmine, to make it a bath soap-like scent, those notes are empowered just enough to make Chrome smell great.

I like the dry down period quite a bit, and it does have a metallic vibe to it as the name suggests, but I don’t think it distracts from the overall presentation. The notes that emerge during this time, are the various woods, and the musk.

The musk isn’t heavy, but it is noticeable. Chrome becomes a clean woody scent, with citrus sitting on top of it, and the floral notes don’t seem as relevant anymore.

Chrome is just really vibrant and reminds me of a sunny summer day. It isn’t a complex fragrance at all really, just one that is straightforward with a clean, soapy, citrus, masculine aroma.

How Long Does Chrome Last? How Strong is the Sillage?

It does seem to be pretty strong right out of the bottle, so there’s no need for more than a couple sprays. Chrome does settle down a bit, but it can be overwhelming if too much is used, in the wrong climate.

I’d say that the sillage overall, is pretty middle of the pack, once it settles. However, the initial burst, will provide plenty of power.

Updating this review here in 2020, I still find the longevity to be really good. It’ll go 7-8 hours, off of 2-3 sprays, before become a complete skin scent. I’m not sure how long it continues after that, but sprayed on a t-shirt, Chrome just kept on going. Still a great performance value, for the price.

When Should Azzaro Chrome be Worn?

Chrome can easily be worn year round. I think it’s awesome in the summertime, but it isn’t limited by season at all, unlike some other scents. It has great versatility for both younger and older men. You can wear this one casually, to school, to work, etc.

For me, I have enjoyed wearing this when it’s warmer outside and I’m just moving about town.

It doesn’t strike me as a nighttime scent, but it’s so fresh, that it’ll get complements. It’s just not a ‘sexy’ sort of cologne. Not a nightclub monster, by any means. Also, I wouldn’t call this formal and isn’t really a luxury kind of fragrance. So, if you want something high end, it’s not this.

Is Chrome Worth a Try?

Is Chrome worth a purchase? I say it is. It is a very inexpensive cologne (usually) and one that smells good and performs well. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it is pretty versatile and pleasant, as long as it’s not overused.

It can sell for a higher price at retail stores, but on the online secondary market, you can find really cheap bottles. Go for those. 2023 Update: I’m seeing bottles in the $35-50 range, right now. Again, that seems to change every so often, and the super affordable bottles gets bought up.

This original Chrome release is still nice, after all of these years. The other flankers can be hit or miss and not have much to do with the original formula.

Even though, not everyone will like it, Chrome is still extremely popular with the masses. If you’re in the market for a cheap everyday wear, it is definitely worth a consideration.

The citrus and floral opening is great, like CK One. It can have a sharpness to it that might be off-putting for some. I’m not too bothered by it and Chrome gets better.

But, I think when the woods start to come on strong, is when this Azzaro fragrance really begins to shine. Well done.

Guess Night by Guess

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I’ve already reviewed a few Guess brand fragrances for men on this site. Two of which were from the Seductive line of colognes that they put out. Both of those scents smell really good and are cheap to purchase (even if Seductive Blue is pretty performance poor, though, has a great aroma).

As such, I get eager to try out other offerings from this brand to see if there are other inexpensive gems that can be added to my cologne rotation. I recently tried out Guess Night which came out in 2013 and want to do a review on this fragrance to see what’s what with it. What are it’s notes? How does it smell? How does it perform? Is it worth a buy?

What does Guess Night Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, pepper, cedar, elemi, geranium, vanilla

Click here to try: Guess Night Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Guess Night is highlighted by the pepper note. It definitely has a spice to it but it isn’t all that extreme and seems to be subdued a bit by the woody cedar note and the smooth vanilla.

It is a warm kind of fragrance and I honestly don’t pick up much of the grapefruit note on my skin at all. I do, however, detect the elemi which has an amber-like aroma that I really like in a cologne.

Night is actually quite pleasant from the start but it is pretty generic and doesn’t stand out in quite the same way that the two scents from the Guess Seductive line do.

After the peppery opening, Night settles down into something more vanilla/woodsy. The cedar note gives it a dry aroma but doesn’t push this fragrance into the really ‘masculine’ category.

It is definitely for men but I wouldn’t have trouble imagining Guess Night being a unisex scent. Also, this isn’t something for mature audiences, this is a young man’s cologne for those who want something warm and inoffensive.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Guess Night is a very soft type of fragrance. It doesn’t project all that well at the start and quickly settles into a skin scent. I’d double up on the sprays for this one, and I’m someone who doesn’t like to be too loud with my colognes.

I’m not even sure I’d put that opening act at even an average level of power.

Longevity, like in Guess Seductive Homme Blue, is quite poor. You might be able to squeeze out 4 hours of solid wear, if it works with your skin and you double up. I was pretty lucky to get two hours or so with it.

That can be a downside to some of these inexpensive fragrances, even if the rest of the presentation is great. Although, they have released solid performers in the past.

This could be a fairly versatile scent, if you can get to last on your skin. It’s still one for younger guys, but it has a well put together and not a super sweet vibe, like many teenage type of colognes. Probably best for casual or daily wear at school or that sort of thing.

Overall Impressions of Guess Night

Overall, is Guess Night worth a buy? I don’t see why you would want it. I mean, it is really cheap and doesn’t smell bad. Though, it isn’t all that unique or amazing smelling either. What’s interesting is that this was in part a Francis Kurkdjian designed scent. Not his best cologne, however.

In a lot of ways, this one is like the later release, The One Gentleman. Pepper and vanilla are big players in that fragrance too.

I do like the elemi and pepper pairing up top, with the vanilla influence lurking beneath those two notes. To me, that’s the highlight of the wear.

If you want a Guess cologne that smells better and still has crappy longevity go with Seductive Homme Blue.

If you want a Guess cologne that actually performs well, go with the original Guess Seductive or 1981. Night isn’t another underrated gem, which is disappointing. I like what they were trying to go for, the execution was just poor.

I guess you can still take a chance on Guess Night, if the price is cheap enough, but I wouldn’t bother.

K EDT by Dolce & Gabbana

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K (King) is the newer series of fragrances from the Dolce & Gabbana lineup. K EDT, the subject of today’s review was released back in 2019. This is one that I’ve tried a few times previously in-store, but finally grabbed a sample of in order to do a proper review. How does it smell? Does K EDT last long? Is it worth a try?

What does K EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: juniper, blood orange, citrus, sage, pimento, cedar, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Dolce and Gabbana K Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3 Fl Oz for Men

My Full Wear Review

Here’s how D&G describes it: Masculine, authentic, charismatic. K by Dolce & Gabbana Eau de Toilette is a perfume which captures the essence of the contemporary man: a king of everyday life.

K begins with its citrus freshness front and center. I’ll get to the spices in a second, but the opening is full of the blood orange and lemon notes. Personally, I get more blood orange, on my skin and the rest is more of a mass of citrus notes.

Underneath the citrus is the warmth and spice of pimento and the fresh/fizzy aroma of the juniper note. The latter when paired with the citrus, gives K EDT a bit of a gin drink scent.

This one is noticeably less warm and spicy than K EDP, without the fig too, but pimento is still playing a big role here. That’s probably the note that provides the distinct qualities of this cologne.

The third layer of the opening and one that emerges more so 15-20 minutes in, features some light sage and geranium. Not heavy, but it is there. Further freshness and noticeable when that citrus blast has toned down

K EDT will really begin to turn into a drier, woodier, aromatic. The middle phase features lots of the juniper, lavender, vetiver, and some remaining pimento.

Really, that’s the biggest shift for me the rest of the way, the absence of the citrus and pimento notes. It’s like a woodsy lavender cologne, clean, while being kind of generic. Not nearly as unique as you get with the opening.

In the end, it’s lavender and a mass of wood notes. Maybe some cedar, not much of the juniper left, and I guess a touch of the vetiver.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

K starts off with a rather bold kick. Not massive sillage, but the scent trail it leaves behind will be above average. While it settles and will move closer to the skin, I think that it remains above average for the first half and then is gradually into skin scent territory.

The longevity here is pretty good. I get just over 7 hours with K EDT, usually. Maybe it can hit 8, on the right day, but I don’t expect it to. For an eau de toilette, King is solid.

Compared to the EDP version, K EDT is better when its warmer outside. Lighter and more of that citrus influence. However, it’s also not exclusively a summer scent and works fine in autumn or spring as well.

K EDT is a casual to semi-formal daily wear, mostly for younger guys. But, it isn’t juvenile and the age range isn’t too settled. There aren’t any notes in the mix that are going to make this one feel too cheap or cloying.

K EDT is attractive and should be able to draw complements while wearing. Not a complex or entirely novel fragrance, but it has enough going for it in its simplicity to be appreciated.

Overall Impressions of K EDT

Overall, do I like K EDT? I do like it somewhat. The EDP is slightly better than this one overall, but this version certainly has its merits. I’m not totally in love with it or going to buy a full bottle, but it is easy to wear and a very solid entry on the whole.

The opening with the citrus is a highlight, I actually do like the brightness, slight fizziness, and the use of the pimento note. It’s not amazing, but still comes across as pleasant.

After that, it’s woody and clean, but not with a whole lot of development. It’s fine, smells nice enough, and you do get a good enough performance for this Dolce & Gabbana scent to be worthwhile.

If you need an easy go to for daily wear, you could do a lot worse than this. I’ve seen K priced pretty reasonably at different places, so, one can even get a good deal nowadays.

For me, it’s worth trying out. Not necessarily one you need to run out and buy immediately. Though, a likeable enough cologne.

Millesime Imperial by Creed

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I thought it was about time to review another Creed fragrance, especially since, I grabbed another sample vial of Millesime Imperial with this last batch of cologne samples. I really do like this scent above all of the other samples that I received, some of which were down right horrid.

Update: This is a ongoing review, that I come back to every few years, when I try a new batch of this consistent best-seller.

Anyways, in this post I want to take a closer look at this Creed fragrance for men and what makes it special. How does it smell? How does it perform? Is it even worth a buy? List of the Best Creed Fragrances for Men

What does Millesime Imperial Smell Like?

imperial

Notes include: Lemon, Iris, Green Bergamot, Mandarin, salt, musk, wood

Click here to try: Creed Millesime Imperial Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

Let me start by saying, that this scent has a fruit based aroma to it. The lemon note that is contained in Creed Aventus (Aventus vs Imperial Millesime Comparison Review), is not the same type of lemon as in Imperial, this lemon is Sicilian lemon and it is blended with a sea salt and bergamot note to help produce a melon sort of aroma.

Yes, the opening has a fresh watermelon/melon vibe to it with a background of marine notes and musk, which get hidden a bit from the start. Imperial has a musk note that peaks in from the start, it really isn’t heavy, but provides a great complement to the bright citrus open.

Millesime Imperial is a crisp and clean cologne which is beautifully constructed. It reminds me of a summer day spent along the coast, as it is warm, inviting, and almost juicy in its presence.

The dry down period subtly shifts from the abundant fruity notes to the more marine or oceanic side of things, which reveals a certain masculinity to the scent.

This one has plenty of that salty oceanic smell to it, as it wears on, but the fruit notes are still the star overall.

Further along, Millesime Imperial, continues as a fruity marine scent but the light iris note comes through with a hint of powder sitting underneath it all. It’s a nice touch to a fragrance, that is already luxurious, and that create such a strong imagery of coastal summers.

There’s a warm dryness which runs through its heart and really stands out from other aquatic colognes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This cologne is a fairly light one, probably more moderate, so you won’t blow out the room with it. Don’t expect huge sillage with Millesime Imperial. However, it does lend itself well to more intimate moments, where someone is much closer.

It is still a pretty good performer, even without being a complete beast or insanely overwhelming. It fits in nicely with the season it’s to be used in. For me, I get a few hours where this one is noticeably above average versus the standard cologne on the market. Then, it’ll gradually lighten up.

Some people do, however, report longevity problems. I get moderate longevity out of it, it’s not a distance runner by any means but it’s not horrible in that regard either. Seems like it works for around 7 hours on my skin, sometimes it will go longer.

I’d say it maxes out at 9 hours, on a good day (few and far between), but 7 hours is usually what I can expect to get, when wearing it.

Another positive, is its versatility, Imperial can be worn for almost any occasion and work. This is no doubt a Spring or Summer scent. It really shines during the warmer months of the year, when so many other colognes begin to wilt in the heat.

It’ll add a clean and subtle touch to any man’s summer wardrobe. I really liked to wear it casually or wearing something semi-casual during the summer months, that’s when it felt correct to apply for me.

It’s not the most formal cologne out there, but it is well put together and has a classiness about it, that many warmer weather fragrances do not.

Overall Impressions of Imperial

All in all, I do think Millesime Imperial is a great choice for guys, especially during the summer months. It is a wonderful blend of oceanic and fruity notes that won’t overpower and spells class the whole way.

This has a pretty unique aroma overall and doesn’t have that same old vibe, as many other aquatic fragrances out on the market.

I really like that opening melon-like aroma. Fresh, aquatic, sweet, juicy, and salty. It provided something pretty unique back when it came out. Nowadays, it’s obviously been copied and duped. Though, this still stands on its own as a very enjoyable wear.

Like any other Creed fragrance, this one is definitely pricey, so if that’s a problem maybe consider picking up a small bottle for special occasions. This is one that I do think is worth the price for what you’re getting. It’s now considered a classic, across the board.

It’s a more mature summer aquatic, fairly simply, but does so much well. The scent itself is really captivating and it is without a doubt, a top Creed cologne.

Polo Black by Ralph Lauren

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For my review today, I want to tackle Polo Black by Ralph Lauren. This men’s cologne was released in 2005 and has enjoyed some decent popularity ever since. It spawned one flanker, Polo Double Black, but never seemed to get the endless re-imaging of the Red or Blue scents.

As usual, I will explore what it smells like, how it performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not I think it’s worth a purchase. Note: I am updating and adding to this review,  years after the original, and spending more time with this fragrance. 

Polo Black Overview

Notes include:  mango, sandalwood, tonka bean, tangerine, sage, lemon, patchouli

Click here to try: Polo Black by Ralph Lauren for Men – 4.2 Ounce EDT Spray

My Polo Black Review

The opening of Polo Black features a striking mango note, that is accompanied by an underlying woodsy spice, provided by the patchouli and sage notes. This is a fruity type of aroma, but it isn’t overly sweet, like some other tropical noted scents out there.

It takes a different tact from Polo Double Black, which I previously reviewed, and sticks to being a much brighter fragrance than the darker coffee and spice of its flanker scent. I really find it interesting, how the sage plays off of the mango, which is itself a pretty unique choice for a fruit note in a men’s cologne.

Aside from the mango, (mostly) tangerine is present in the beginning, and gives this one a further tropical sort of appeal. The citrus is juicy and with the mango, allows Polo Black to have a watery aroma, which is energetic and refreshing.

The herbal and earthy spice give it some added depth in the beginning, but never overpower the fruit notes or even reach equality with their strength.

During the dry down period, the woodsy notes begin to take more prominence. The smooth and familiar sandalwood note comes through and I can detect the tonka bean as well, which is one of my favorite notes.

Also, the lemon and tangerine are still there somewhat, which gives the top layer an added citrusy zest to it. The citrus is nice, a welcome addition really,  but isn’t the main attraction.

To me, the opening act of Polo Black is the most dynamic aspect of this fragrance. You get an interesting development and contrast, between fruits, spices and wood. After that, the cologne becomes much more of a linear affair.

It’s mango, citrus as a background, sandalwood, and tonka bean. This Ralph Lauren fragrance, becomes less juicy, and has more of its dry woody element come through.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility

Polo Black is a moderate type of fragrance with good projection, but it isn’t really great, in that regard. The longevity is also moderate, it is usually better than Double Black, which only lasts 4-5 hours on my skin.

However, Black isn’t a beast in terms of its use, for me at least. Six or seven hours, maybe. Don’t expect a complete monster with its sillage or staying power. Nonetheless, it is a completely serviceable cologne, and not weak at all.

The neat thing about this fragrance is that it kind of is a year round scent. It works in the summertime pretty well but can also be worn (and is better), in the fall and winter months.

I’d say this scent is like a ‘dressy’ casual, in that, it works well for work and school but it can be worn out if need be. It does have some pretty nice versatility.

Is it an attractive fragrance? Yes, women seem to really enjoy this one. It will get complements, fairly often, and can be a nice go-to for younger guys to wear on a date and the like. Polo Black is the type of scent that has pretty universal appeal and isn’t going to be polarizing to have on.

Overall Impression of Polo Black

Overall, I do think that this is a really good effort from Polo. I wish the projection and longevity were better (maybe, an intense version that Double Black should have been) but for what it is, this is a nice cologne. Again, it isn’t poor quality, just would enjoy more of a powerhouse.

It smells great, and does have a unique enough feel, for guys who want to stand out a bit from the crowd. On the flipside, this one is completely safe, and very versatile in its applications.

The mango note has the advantage of being delicious and attractive, but being underused in most men’s fragrance. Hence, it can put on the air of being unique, while the rest of the composition, is fairly commonplace.

Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate Polo Black, more and more. It’s kind of underrated, at this point. It’s a do-it-all cologne, that people enjoy, and provides a solid value. I recommend giving it a try.

I still think that it’s one of the best fragrances that the brand ever came out with, maybe the best, for all of the bases that it covers.