Men’s Fashion

Joop! vs. Cool Water

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For this edition of the head to head men’s fragrance match ups, we are going to be breaking down and comparing, two of the most popular colognes from the 1980s: Cool Water vs. Joop! Homme. Which of these classic scents, smells the best? I am going to be comparing each, in a number of categories, before declaring an ultimate winner. I have linked my original review of each scent below, for further details on these colognes.

Tale of the Tape: Cool Water vs. Joop!

Cool Water

Notes include: lavender, mint, tobacco, amber, musk, jasmine, sandalwood, neroli, coriander, rosemary, and more

Click here to try: Davidoff Cool Water Edt Spray for Men, 6.7 oz

Read my Review: Cool Water

Joop! Homme

Notes include: orange blossom, vanilla, cinnamon, mandarin, amber, cedar, jasmine, bergamot, lily, heliotrope, tonka bean, patchouli, and sandalwood

Click here to try:  Joop Pour Homme Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 4.2 Fluid Ounce

Read my review: Joop!

Opening

Cool Water obviously starts off with its aquatic accord front and center. However, the top is also composed of prominent mint and tobacco notes. It all comes together as green with a spicy freshness, that is later joined by floral notes, to create a soapy sort of effect.

Joop on the other hand, opens up spicy with patchouli and cinnamon, creating a bold tandem at the top. These notes are joined by an enveloping and warm amber with some light citrus coming through. It has a mix of spicy and syrupy honeyed sweetness, with floral undertones.

I like how Cool Water starts initially, with a very clean and green freshness. However, I do prefer that initial punch from Joop!, that just hits and dominates. Yes, it’s spicy, but there is a lot else to enjoy in there.

Edge: Joop!

Projection

Joop! is still a sillage monster. Perhaps, the modern version doesn’t have the same peak as the vintage bottles, but it still has a lot of power. Cool Water is probably in the same boat as to reformulations, but it never had that same projecting power, as Joop did. It’s more of a moderate fragrance, not weak, but doesn’t touch its competitor.

Edge: Joop!

Longevity

Cool Water will get me 6-7 hours on my skin. Joop is good for 7-9 hours of wear for me, depending on the climate and other factors. However, it still consistently equals or outperforms the Davidoff scent.

Edge: Joop! 

Versatility

This is the category where Cool Water has an advantage. It is great in the warmer months of the year, but can go year round.

Meanwhile, Joop is pretty much a cold weather scent. It doesn’t do well in the heat. Joop is better for nightlife, but Cool Water can fit in many situations, as it is much more moderate and less in your face than Joop can be.

Edge: Cool Water

 

 

Overall Scent

So, when it comes down to it, which one of these men’s fragrances is better? I like either one of these scents and both definitely have their positives.

Cool Water is a classic and a solid choice for everyday wear. It blend of green and aquatic notes at the top is great, before it moves into a classic soapy clean. The performance is still quite good, even if it doesn’t reach the levels of Joop Homme. 30 years after its release, the fragrance still sells a ton of bottles, and might be the better choice for most guys.

However, I think Joop! smells better, and is the more interesting fragrance. The spicy beginning is bold, when paired with that honey-like sweetness, it is a real attention grabber.

Then, the dry down comes along with the floral notes and the vanilla/sandalwood blend. This was always a fun cologne to wear, even if it was sometimes limited in its uses.

The versatility of Cool Water might be a selling point in a lot of cases, but if I have to go with one of these, I am wearing Joop! Homme most of the time. It’s the winner, in this match up.

Winner: Joop!

Rochas Man by Rochas

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Rochas Man cologne for men has been around for well over 15 years now and during this time has served countless men well in the pursuit of the opposite sex. Simply put, Rochas Man is well-loved by the ladies.

The really good news for guys is that they can get a hold of this seductive scent for under $30 and start grabbing attention upon first wear. In this post, I want to take a closer look a Rochas Man and give my opinion on this fragrance.

Update: I am adding further thoughts to this one in 2019, to expand upon this review, and share my more recent experiences with this Rochas fragrance.

What does Rochas Man Smell Like?

Notes include: coffee and lavender, with low notes of amber and sandalwood.

Try Rochas Man from Amazon:  Rochas Man Eau de Toilette, Woody Gourmand, 3.3 fl. oz.

My Full Review

The first things one notices about Rochas is that it is a rather sweet fragrance, with hints of cocoa and vanilla. This doesn’t mean that it is a feminine scent by any means but one that has a seductive charm to it.

Rochas Man is titled that for a reason, it is a masculine fragrance but with a mysterious undercurrent that I think is the key to drawing women closer and closer.

Rochas Man opens with that coffee/cappuccino note, some fruity hints of raspberry, and a calming lavender.

Additionally, there is the familiar smell of vanilla, which comes in and grows stronger as the wear moves on. It feels warm, with only a light amber note, giving Rochas that enveloping feeling.

As it settles down, this one does become drier, to my nose. There’s a light woody base to this fragrance and only adds to the smoothness, as the lavender and vanilla notes, pull it through.

It’s got a great blend of powder and creamy vanilla lurking throughout. Ultimately, I get: coffee, lavender, vanilla, and a bit of amber.

One major selling point of this cologne is its pricing point. It is available for significantly less than most other men’s colognes but delivers as much value as most of the expensive designer brands as well.

Rochas Man is versatile enough to be worn every day at places such as work or school but can also be applied at night for evenings spent out with friends or especially on a date.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of Rochas is quite good, but not too heavy. It will project itself a decent distance from the wearer, but it doesn’t choke out a room, unless you go crazy with the sprays.

It is a warm gourmand fragrance, that sort of creates an enveloping cloud around you, but not overpowering.

The longevity is also solid and seems to fall into that 6-8 hour range of wear. Not a beast, but still very useful for most occasions.

I like Rochas as a fragrance mainly in the winter and fall months, as I feel that the sweetness projects well in the colder air around this time. Also, it has that projection of warmth and confidence which contrasts well with the harsh winter landscape.

This one is light enough to be a daily wear to school or even the office. However, it can definitely pull double duty and be a nighttime wear for the coldest months. A lot of women, find this one attractive, and will draw closer when you have it on.

It’s ‘sexy’ to some extent, but just a really pleasant fragrance, that is highly enjoyable to smell.

Overall Impressions of Rochas Man

If you’re looking for an inexpensive scent with just the right amount of sweetness and spice, have a look at Rochas Man, because it’s a winner. For about 20 years now, it’s been a great option for guys who want a sweet, and well-blended cologne.

This one is attractive, performs well enough, and can usually be found at a great price point. Yes, it is more limited to the times when its cold outside, but it’s actually pretty amazing and well worth having despite its limitations.

Chez Bond by Bond No. 9

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Getting further into my Bond No. 9 fragrance reviews, I’m going to take a closer look at Chez Bond, one of the more popular men’s scents from the brand. It came out in 2003 and has been sticking around ever since. In this post, I will present what it contains, what it smells like, how it performs, and whether or not I think it is worth a purchase.

What does Chez Bond Smell Like?

Notes include: sandalwood, tea, citrus, cedar, leafy greens, violet leaf, vetiver

Click here to try: Chez Bond by Bond No.9 Eau De Parfum 3.3 oz Spray

My Full Review

All right, I’m first going to address the similarities that this fragrance has with others. Notably, Green Irish Tweed. Yes, these two are quite a bit alike, and share many of the same notes.

Also, Riverside Drive by Bond No. 9 is quite similar to GIT and L’Homme Libre. So much overlap.

Between the two, I think that Chez Bond has a much smoother aroma, and more of the tea element. Yes, it is quite a bit like a lemon herbal tea with greens and violet leaf.

I don’t know, GIT always came across as having a more earthy quality to it, while Chez Bond is more airy and warm.

The citrus up top is quite bright and really a great smell. From there, the greener notes come through. It’s violet leaf, tea, and some light grassy notes.

I’m not usually a huge fan of a strong violet leaf note, but it works well within this composition, as it gets balanced out.

As it dries down, I still get the tea but less of the citrus notes, and its ups the content of the sandalwood, vetiver, and cedar.  It is a lush green forest  just a way’s away while your standing outside with a cup of hot herbal tea. Is that odd? Maybe. However, it is also quite nice.

The sandalwood and cedar can be pretty strong, during the latter stages of the wear. To me, it has more of the fresh woody smell, and less of the creamy sandalwood aroma. It starts to get dry, as a fragrance, and more of a woods than the herbal tea smell. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Chez Bond is pretty soft to moderate. It isn’t an overwhelming projection beast, by any means. It’ll venture out about 4-6 feet from your skin and a shorter distance, once it settles down.

But, it does have good longevity, it pops up and reminds you that it is still there for 8-9+ hours depending on the day. Very nice performance.

It’s a bit surprising, given how soft it can be at times, but Chez isn’t one that quits early.

This stuff doesn’t remind me of a crisp fall or winter day. More like a cloudy/rainy one. Yes, I would say that it’s best during that time of the year and into the springtime.

Summer, I’d go with something else. On those temperate days, this stuff is really great to put on, and reaches a higher level than it is usually capable of.

Chez Bond is a good casual cologne and beyond. It is refined and stylish, probably best for men in their mid-20s and up. I wouldn’t call this a romantic or sexy scent, it is just pleasant, and definitely not a club beast.

You could also wear it to work, since it is none to offensive. While not super formal, Chez Bond also doesn’t come across as being juvenile. As such, you can get plenty of use out of it, and the versatility is one of this fragrance’s strengths.

Overall Impression of Chez Bond

Overall, would I recommend Chez Bond? Yes, provided that it fits your style. If you’re a fan of Green Irish Tweed, this one will be a scent that you enjoy.

I personally like it, but it really doesn’t go along with my tastes, there is a lot that I’d rather wear instead. That’s not to say it’s bad, it isn’t, and it’s a well blended fragrance. Just not my thing, per se.

I do like the citrus notes, herbal tea elements, and the forest smell. As I said, on the right day, Chez Bond is an excellent wear. Still not my favorite, but it can be very wearable. 

There’s no real weak points with this scent, unless you demand it be super heavy or project like crazy. It’s well above average in every other aspect and I do consider it to be one of the best from Bond No. 9 New York.

The Essence by David Beckham

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I have been on a cologne testing kick recently and one of the new scents that I have tried out is The Essence by David Beckham. The former footballer has released many fragrances over the past few years and has created a niche for himself in the inexpensive cologne category.

How does The Essence stack up? What is its composition? Is it worth a buy? Keep reading while I go in depth about this cologne.

What does The Essence Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, tonka bean, pineapple, apple, lavender, kashmir wood, and more

Click here to try: The Essence for Men, 2.5 ounce

My Review

The opening is very fresh and citrusy. I can definitely detect the interplay between the grapefruit and pineapple notes. The apple note is there as well, but I find it to be on a tier below the other two fruits.

It really reminded me of a Nautica scent, somewhere between Voyage and Blue with a grapefruit twist. So, yeah, the opening is quite aquatic-like in character with that citrus accord which works well for spring and summertime.

The citrus notes are very nice, but ultimately kept in check by the lavender, tonka bean, and cardamom notes. It’s got that clean lavender scent, for much of the wear, and the warmth of cardamom, coming in an hour or so into things.

The dry down period is where I think that The Essence really begins to shine. It begins to take on a more earthy/woodsy type of scent and still remains just as fresh but much smoother.

The Essence has a noticeable violet leaf, that mixes with the lavender, and woody base notes. So, at this point, the fragrance is a toned down fresh grapefruit with clean earthy ingredients rounding it out.

Again, this cologne is reminiscent of many other fragrances, like Azzaro Chrome and even somewhat like Drakkar Essence with its grapefruit and lavender notes. Which means, if you’re looking for something unique, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

It’s projection is moderate. At first, the grapefruit opening comes on somewhat strong, before it settles down into something much lighter. Overall, it’s not a beast with its sillage, but it will be very noticeable for at least a few hours.

Also, you’ll get around 6 hours of life on your skin, maybe a bit more than that. Now, this six hour time frame isn’t spend entirely at full strength. The latter half of the wear is going to sit really close to the skin. It’s still there, you may catch whiffs, but not going to feel like a constant.

I would say that it is a safe scent to wear, for just about any occasion, and not offend anybody. Seasonally, spring or summer is when it’ll be at its best. It’s fresh and bright with an upbeat citrus zest.

I’d say this will skew younger. Probably appropriate for men in their early 20s. If older, you can definitely wear it on casual occasions, no problem. It doesn’t come off as a ‘kids’ cologne.

The Essence is clean and subtle. Not really a club type of fragrance or for dates or evenings out. Simple, clean, daily wear.

Overall Impression of The Essence

Overall, is The Essence by David Beckham worth a purchase? Yes, if you’re in the market for a warm weather wear and on a tight budget. It has shades of many other scents, so it is kind of generic. However, for the price it is clean, fresh, and effective.

The overall smell is nice. I like the grapefruit and pineapple notes, the tonka bean, and the lavender. The performance isn’t amazing, but a full bottle is less than $20, so I can’t complain too much. There are plenty of expensive colognes, that don’t even reach this level.

Probably won’t be amazed by this fragrance, but it is a deal, and easily enjoyable to wear.

Epic Man by Amouage

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In my recent sample haul, I picked up 5 vials of different colognes from Amouage, and as I’m getting close to being through with the current box of fragrances…it’s about time that I do my first review of this high end designer.

Today’s post is going to cover Epic Man, which is described as, “Evoking memories of the ancient Silk Road journey from China to Arabia”. Yeah. Think this one is going to be exotic? You better believe it. Please continue below for my full wear review.

What does Epic Man Smell Like?

Notes include: leather, saffron, patchouli, incense, oud, nutmeg, pink pepper, myrrh

Click here to try: Amouage Epic Cologne, 1.7 Ounce

My Full Review

Based on the notes alone, I was expecting to really dislike Epic, as I don’t personally enjoy many oud scents. However, this one intrigues me, and while I cannot say I loved it, I do think that I got some enjoyment from wearing Epic. It is an ‘oriental’ style of fragrance, it at times reminds me of Opium Pour Homme (with more spice and no vanilla) and Man Amber.

Right out of the gate, you experience the full oud note which is complemented by a very smokey spice mix. The leather, patchouli, incense, and myrrh notes create a very masculine, warm, and smoke-laden aroma that is actually quite nice.

Epic is dry, like a desert heat, and does conjure images of travels through Central Asia along the Silk Road.

After about 20 minutes or so, the smokiness calms down and it becomes more leathery and I begin to notice the pink pepper note. At this stage, there is a less in your face spiciness and a sweet smoother fragrance emerges from the pretty powerful start.

This is a very complex cologne, it takes you on a journey or different aromatic experiences throughout it’s life cycle and never strikes me as boring.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this is a heavy hitter. Epic starts out very strong but does quiet down to a tolerable level of intensity. You won’t have to overdo the spraying with this one.

It also has some good longevity to it, I get 6-7 solid hours of wear, and I can still detect it at the 9 hour mark in a diminished state. Epic is a nice performer.

This is a highly masculine animalistic kind of cologne, so it won’t be for everybody. Late Fall and Wintertime, would provide the best results with Epic. I didn’t really like it, when it was exposed to the heat of August, here in the States.

I’d put this more towards the business/casual side of things, it might be passable for romantic wear for some guys but that’s not how I’d describe it.

Overall Impressions of Epic Man

Would I recommend Amouage Epic Man? Again, I’m not personally enamored with oud scents, they don’t really do anything for me. BUT I kind of like this one, it’s not my style but I appreciated the complexity and quality of the fragrance.

This is probably a niche kind of scent that will appeal most to guys who like smoky/spicy/masculine/oriental colognes, as Epic nails the vibe the designers were going for. Not for everyone, but this will definitely appeal to a subset of the population.