Men’s Fashion

A*Men Pure Shot by Thierry Mugler

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I’m a pretty big fan of a lot of men’s colognes from Thierry Mugler, so I’m always looking to try scents from this designer that I have yet to experience. I received a sample sprayer of one such fragrance, A*Men Pure Shot, which is from the Angel Men line.

In this post, I’m going to go over my experiences of wearing this scent, what in it, how it performs, what I like and don’t like, and if I think that this one is worth a buy.

What does A*Men Pure Shot Smell Like?

Notes include: mint, patchouli, juniper, pepper, and sequoia

Click here to try: Thierry Mugler Angel Men Pure Shot Eau de Toilette Spray for Men (Limited Edition), 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Pure Shot is a party of mint and patchouli with some juniper throw in for good measure. Immediately, I am reminded of Ice Men, also by Mugler which also a mint and patchouli heavy cologne.

These two are almost the exact same scent, which makes me wonder why one of the two was even necessary to produce in the first place.

The separation of the two comes from the juniper berry note, which in my opinion isn’t really distinct enough to set them apart. The spice in Pure Shot is pepper, while in Ice Men it is nutmeg, but the effect is basically the same for your nose.

I do think that Pure Shot develops a bit more than its counterpart, which is pretty linear throughout wear. It has a noticeable sequoia wood note as it moves along and the juniper does allow for distinction.

I do like the mint and juniper combination, it does indeed create that fresh, crisp, and very cool aroma. It’s not amazing, but I do enjoy it.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Pure Shot is decent. It can actually be pretty heavy at first spray, but that fades rather quickly. After that initial start, I was expecting a really bold and long lasting scent, but that wasn’t meant to be.

Longevity isn’t that great either, probably around 4-6 hours, depending on the circumstance. At this price point, it should be a lot better than this. I think that it has been discontinued, as of me updating this post, so it’s become even pricier.

This could be a nice casual scent for someone. I think it provides a nice contrast with the warmer weather and a good change of pace from the usual summer scents.

It’s cooled mint, juniper, and patchouli mix gives off a nice bite of icy spice. Not really a formal wear or something for the nightlife either. Just something to spray on during the spring and summertime, when you’re just hanging out.

Overall Impressions of Pure Shot

Overall, do I think Pure Shot is worth it? Not for me. It is slightly better than Ice Men, but almost completely identical aside from the juniper. It’s not a great performer and doesn’t live up to the other gems of the A*Men line of fragrances.

I don’t think it smells horrible by any means and if you like mint and patchouli, you’d probably enjoy this one, assuming you can get a cheap bottle. It’s a fairly average scent with nothing really special about it.

Azzaro Wanted vs Wanted by Night

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Azzaro really struck upon a hit with its release of Wanted. It followed up in 2018, with its flanker scent, Wanted by Night. As such, a lot of people now have a dilemma about which of these fragrances they should buy, the original or the flanker? In this post, I’m going to break down each and compare them by category, before declaring an overall winner.

Tale of the Tape: Wanted vs. Wanted by Night

Wanted by Azzaro

Notes include: tonka bean, lemon, cardamom, vetiver, juniper, ginger, geranium, mint, amber wood

Click here to try: Azzaro Wanted Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read my original Review: Wanted Review

Wanted by Night

Notes include: cumin, cinnamon, lavender, tobacco, lemon, orange, cedar, cypress, patchouli, fruits

Click here to try: Azzaro Wanted by Night Eau de Parfum for Men – Mens Cologne

Read my full review: Wanted by Night

Opening

The original Wanted starts things off with a prominent lemon note heading things up. It’s actually got a pretty similar smell to Invictus versus being a sharp and intense sort of lemon. Then, the next few minutes start to ramp up the warm and spicy cardamom, along with the creamy tonka bean note.

Meanwhile, Wanted by Night, plays down its own citrus and fruity notes. They are present, but take a back seat to the spices, particularly cinnamon and cumin. The start closely resembles Ultra Male by JPG, just stripped of the pear note, and the original Wanted.

Along with the cinnamon and cumin, is a nice tobacco note and some benzoin.

Which is better? I’ve always thought that Wanted was decent but not amazing at the start. Wanted by Night, is the better of the two in my opinion. It retains some sweetness, but the cinnamon spice and tobacco notes really set it apart.

Edge: Wanted by Night

Sillage

Which of these two is stronger? Both of these start out pretty powerful and can project themselves well. After that, each settles down to a more moderate scent, while still being above average when compared to other colognes.

I’ve worn both of these plenty and don’t really notice a clear cut winner, in this category, it’s about even.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Again, the performance for me is about the same. Both of these gives me 7-9 hours of wear, on my skin. Neither is elite, but they are quite good and can give you the full work day equivalent. They are similar scents, so, this is not to be unexpected.

Versatility

Seasonally, I think is where Wanted gets the edge. It can venture much more easily into the warmth of spring and when it’s not insanely hot out during the summer. Meanwhile, Wanted by Night is more confined to the autumn and winter months.

Both would be geared a bit more toward casual wear and nightlife. I don’t consider either to be formal or more of an office scent. Wanted by Night is a bit more mature, but still has a youthful vibe.

Edge: Wanted

Overall Scent

Wanted was always a pretty good cologne to me, but I never felt blown away by it. Its similarities to Invictus at the start, wasn’t a selling point to me. However, the dry down is much nicer with the apple and juniper notes.

However, Wanted by Night is just better to me. I like how it starts, I like the spiciness, and since it resembles much of what you get from Wanted in the latter stages…it makes more sense to pick up. I like the darker qualities while having enough sweetness to avoid being a spicy mess.

I like both, not in love with either, but I’d rather wear Wanted by Night. I mean, I have been wearing Night over the past few weeks, fairly regularly and that’s never been the case with Wanted.

Winner: Wanted by Night

Bvlgari Aqua Pour Homme

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I’ve had this review idea sitting in my drafts folder for a couple of years now. I entirely forgot to review Bvlgari Aqva, way back then, and have overlooked it ever since. So, here I am to remedy that oversight, armed with another mini bottle of this Bvlgari aquatic fragrance.

This one was released in 2005.

How does it stack up? What does it smell like? Does it last long? Please continue reading below for my full take of Aqva. Note: I have updated this post, a few years later, to add some further depth and experience with it.

What does Bvlgari Aqua Smell Like?

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

My Full Wear Review

It doesn’t get much more ‘aquatic’ than a scent whose main note is seaweed. Yes, that green stuff at the bottom of the ocean, gives Bvlgari Aqua a very interesting aroma which helps sets it apart from the crowd.

The opening blends this seaweed note with cedar and both types of orange to create something that is familiar with its citrus content while still remaining fresh and unique.

I like the citrus notes in the opening, but their strength is short-lived. They do still stick around, just not with the same intensity. 

This opening lasts about 10 minutes or so and then Aqva changes course. It becomes more oceanic and salty, with a bit of smoothness from the lavender note. This is when this fragrance really shines as an aquatic, as you will pick up on that watery sea vibe.

Also, Aqva begins to hang much closer to the skin, and you won’t detect it for a few minutes and then it’ll hit your nose again. It’s kind of a weird experience.

It is interesting, how Aqva goes from being a clean and upbeat citrus blend, to something darker and deeper. Closely emulating the sea itself. Is it a naturalistic sea blend of notes? Not really, you can tell that it’s manufactured. However, it is a very good simulation. 

 

What I’m finally left with is seaweed, soaking in the ocean, with hints of lavender and cedar that has become driftwood. Salty and a bit of fresh spice from the latent sage note. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it starts off pretty strong and as I wrote, it turns more into a skin scent that can be sneaky strong. I guess I could say that it’s fairly moderate, when you don’t notice it but other’s in your general vicinity will.

Longevity wise, it’s okay, and not something that lasts more than 5 hours or so.

I’ve had a mini bottle of this for ages, now. On my skin, that 4-5 hour range, is a hard limit. It does have that light watery sillage, but this one isn’t ever going to be an all day wear. More like, something you throw on during a warm day, knowing it will fade into the evening.

When to wear? Summertime, of course. This is a casual scent that is built for the summer months. I wouldn’t be wearing it to the office or while dressed up but at the beach or at a laid back bar at night, this would be good stuff to have on.

This is straight coastal and island life in a bottle.

Keep it casual. Aqva isn’t going to be a date night scent and the sea notes, really don’t put out a formal vibe, in the slightest. For a fairly popular fragrance, it uses are pretty limited.

This shouldn’t be the only cologne on your list of potential buys, if you don’t have anything else to use, for the rest of the time. 

Overall Impression of Bvlgari Aqva Pour Homme

Overall, do I like Aqua? Yes, it’s kind of a niche fragrance in terms of its use, but has a wide appeal in terms of its smell.

This is a unique scent by Bvlgari (before they released all of the flanker versions), the seaweed and oceanic aroma give it a defined spot to wear on the calendar, and it is a great wear from the aquatic category.

It doesn’t have amazing longevity but it is decent for what it is. If aquatics/oceanic scents aren’t your thing, skip this one. Otherwise, you might do well to check Bvlgari Aqva out. I’m still not a huge fan of the sea weed note, but it’s not horribly offensive, in this version.

Some of the other Aqva scents, go seriously heavy into the oceanic side of things, but this is more moderate.

Bvlgari Aqva gives you a nice citrus fruitiness with the refreshing notes of the sea, along with woody undertones. It’s not the most outstanding thing on the market, but it can have it uses for the right kind of guy. 


Noir EDP by Tom Ford

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I have been doing a lot of different reviews of other companies’ fragrances as of late, but I am indeed still working my way through a bunch of Tom Ford scents, and today will cover the popular Noir eau de parfum.

This one was released in 2012 for the men’s lineup. How does it smell? What are the notes involved? Please continue below for my full take after wearing Tom Ford Noir for Men.

What does Noir Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: iris, patchouli, amber, pink pepper, nutmeg, black pepper, civet, vanilla, vetiver, bergamot, rose, violet, and more

Click here to try: Tom Ford Noir for Men Eau de Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Tom Ford Noir is known to be a scent that can be hit or miss for a lot of people. I think a lot of that has to do with the opening of this fragrance and how polarizing it can be. It opens with a lot of patchouli and a good deal of pepper.

As such, that can turn off a lot of people, and honestly it’s my least favorite part of this one. It’s pretty strong and has a certain dirty quality to the aroma, plus, an animalistic aspect provided by the civet.

So, with patchouli, pepper, and civet being prominent in the opening; it is no wonder why this can scare a lot of folks off from wanting to wear it. Beyond those notes however, Noir also gets quite floral, the more it wears on the skin.

The most noticeable is definitely the violet at first, although, there is also rose and iris lurking around as well (iris later takes over). Noir becomes quite powdery and has a tinge of sweetness from bergamot and vanilla.

With a name like Noir, is this a ‘dark’ sort of fragrance? Yes, for something this floral, it does have plenty of warmth, spice, and a resinous ‘thickness’ throughout its life cycle.

So, while it is floral, it still has an earthiness that many of the modern clean colognes just don’t. Noir is pretty old school in that way.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Noir really bombs out a room at first. One or two sprays is huge and the sillage can make it across the room without issue. Now, it does calm down, and turn into something that is on the upper end of the moderate spectrum.

It just hits really hard at first. It’s not one that I’d go crazy with the sprays. The longevity is also very good and seems to be able to hit double digit hours fairly easily.

When testing it, Noir seemed to hang around for 11-12 hours. Though, I tend to lose track of fragrances, once they get past that point. So, it could’ve kept going.

Seasonally, this is for the autumn and winter months. I wouldn’t want to wear this in heat, so, if you’re in a warm and humid climate it might not be the best bet. Even if it is pretty popular, Noir always strikes me as something that is more niche.

It’s not going to be a crowd pleaser. It is best served to be worn in a more formal setting or at least in finer clothing.

Is it sexy? It could be considered that, but not really overall. It is mature, powdery, resinous, with spices. So, even if it does have good performance, I wouldn’t be using it as a nightclub scent. Also, probably not the best for younger guys.

Overall Impressions of Noir by Tom Ford

Overall, do I like Noir? Personally, it’s not my favorite, but I appreciate it. This is one that just doesn’t fit my style but I can understand why some people love it so much. Then again, I also understand the hate some people have for it.

Not a universally beloved cologne by any stretch. However, it is an interesting throwback fragrance, that hits the beats that it is aiming for perfectly. Strong, long lasting, and develops a barbershop clean with its own twist. Best to give it a whirl, before buying a full bottle.

These aren’t really all the same fragrances or even quite similar variations. But: Noir de Noir, Noir Extreme, and Noir Extreme Parfum are better than this one.

Tommy by Tommy Hilfiger

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Tommy Hilfiger was a major force in 1990s fashion and his line of fragrances for men and women have enjoyed great popularity even since that time. Hilfiger is a lifestyle brand which tries to celebrate the American spirit and caters to the tastes of classic Americana.

Tommy Hilfiger cologne is a perfect example of this brand association with the United States and as we will see in the notes of this fragrance one that brings together familiar elements to produce a nice casual scent.

What does Tommy Cologne Smell Like?

tommy

Tommy by Tommy Hilfiger notes: citrus, cranberry, mint, lavender, cactus, amber and cinnamon apple pie

Click here to try: Tommy by Tommy Hilfiger for Men – 3.4 oz EDC Spray

My Full Wear Review

I first got a bottle of Tommy Hilfiger cologne as a Christmas gift from a relative, many years back. From there it found its way into my rotation as a daytime fragrance for going to school and work.

I think that is probably the best use for this fragrance, not necessarily one designed for the nightlife but is a good choice for days during the spring and summer.

Tommy opens up with an intense blast of the fruit notes: grapefruit, apple, and cranberry with a healthy dose of mint popping through. At first, it is really fresh and crisp, but later it will turn more into an apple pie accord with warm cinnamon and amber.

It is a really interesting blend of tart cranberry, cool mint, and that crisp watery apple note. Tommy is an upbeat and very positive feeling fragrance, everything about it brings back memories of the late 1990s, when this scent was everywhere.

Being that it is comprised of fruity notes, Tommy does have a really sweet smell to it, one that is more citrusy than candy sweet. Before it gets more to the apple pie stage, Tommy is really green and smooth with lavender and what I assume to be the cactus note.

I think that this fragrance has always had balance with the bright citrus to not going too far in the warmth of the pie accord, because it is a completely chilled scent at times, too.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection always started out pretty heavy, but it just feels like a solid moderate wear, after an hour or so. People will be able to smell it, but I never choked out a room even with the vintage bottles.

Tommy Hilfiger cologne lasted a full work day in my experience and never overpowers the people around you. It is a rather ambient fragrance that is youthful and warming in its presentation. Hours 6-8 aren’t very strong, but it does stick around.

The price has come down a lot, but at one time this was a sought after designer scent, and it actually does give good performance.

Tommy was always a pretty versatile fragrance. Mostly for guys in their teens or twenties, but could be worn to work or school or casually or even on a date. Not a nightlife scent, but wearable during the daytime, seemingly year round.

Overall Impressions of Tommy

Is Tommy by Tommy Hilfiger worth a buy? I’d say, yes. If you aren’t looking to spend a lot of money on a fragrance and are looking for a casual or everyday wearer than I would recommend giving Tommy Hilfiger a shot.

It’s not much of a mature fragrance, but it isn’t completely childish, by any means. This stuff has been a best seller for over 20 years, at this point, and there is good reason for that.

I don’t know how often I’d wear this nowadays, but I do get that feeling of nostalgia smelling it, and I used to wear this very often in my late teens.

If you’re older or want a more mature cologne, go elsewhere. But, if this sounds like it fits your current age range or style, it is worthwhile. Good smell, nice performance, and well-liked.