Explorer Ultra Blue by Montblanc

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Explorer Ultra Blue is the follow up to the very popular Explorer from Montblanc. It was released in 2021, but I grabbed a sample more recently to test it out and see if it was actually worthwhile. How does Ultra Blue Smell? Does it last long? Is it better than the original Explorer?

What does Explorer Ultra Blue Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, bergamot, sea notes, fruits, ambergris, wood, patchouli, leather

Click here to try: Explorer Ultra Blue

My Full Review

Here’s how Mont Blanc describes it: Explorer Ultra Blue celebrates the Blue found throughout nature. Intense, infinite, and fresh, the eau de parfum reveals a citrus woody marine fragrance. Embark on an epic journey.

The opening of Ultra Blue doesn’t come across like the original Explorer. Actually, the opening of this fragrance is a lot like Light Blue Living Stromboli with how it smells.

Citrus, pink pepper, aquatic notes, and vetiver are the overlaps between them. This one starts out blended more, with a less intense use of the pink pepper (heavily featured in the D&G cologne).

After about ten minutes, this will separate away from that comparison, and more towards being its own thing.

Ultra Blue does have its own overlap with the original Explorer, but the smell is different. Notes shared, include: bergamot, pink pepper, leather, vetiver, amber. Different weightings and you replace the cacao with sea notes (which is simply going to be different).

It’s fresh, with a hint of citrus, a salty marine accord, and woods. Actually, some smoothness in there from a touch of leather.

That’s my dry down. A light amber, mixing with a mix of the marine, woods, and some leather. Not super deep or complicated.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The first hour or so does have a nice punch to it. It’ll extend out to about a seven-ish foot radius from where you sprayed, at its peak. By the end of that hour, it’s come closer to the three foot range.

So, Explorer Ultra Blue does pretty quickly dissipate with its power and ability to leave a scent trail. Not a heavy scent, that’ll bog down on you. At it’s height, it does have a substantial heft for a fresh aquatic.

The longevity here isn’t all that great. It’s okay, on my skin, in the 5-6 hour range in total. The last couple of hours are pretty light and skin scent level.

Seasonally, this is a cologne that is more for the spring and summer months. But, honestly, I’d be fine with it anytime other than when it is really cold out. That fresh bite, might be too much.

It’s a clean and fresh daily wear. Not very formal, romantic, or a club beast. It’s one that you can wear to work (at most jobs), casually, or at school if you’re a student.

Ultra Blue is pleasant and probably not ever going to offend anyone.

Overall Impressions of Explorer Ultra Blue

Overall, do I like this cologne? It’s okay. I don’t hate it, but I’m sure that I’ll forget about this one in a short amount of time.

Ultra Blue isn’t unpleasant, but there’s not much going on here that really grabs my attention. The aquatic accord is pretty nice, the citrus isn’t that strong, and all of the other notes kind of end up blending together.

If you want an easy blue aquatic with a relatively pleasant woody base…this could fit the bill. Though, I’d want a massive discount for it. Ultra Blue is very serviceable, though never spectacular.

I do have a full bottle of Living Stromboli, which I purchased for review, and has a comparable opening. I prefer that Light Blue flanker to this and that was never cologne that I particularly loved.

Everything here is just fine. Smell is just fine, performance, quality, etc. The original had its somewhat different take on the Aventus style. Yet, it is a much better fragrance than this more unique Ultra Blue flanker.

Safanad by Parfums de Marly

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Today’s review is going to be of Safanad by Parfums de Marly. Now, I still have three or so fragrances from this house to do a write up on, from the samples I received a few months back. I’ve tried them all out, just need to organize my thoughts and post them on here.

Anyway, Safanad is our target for the moment. This PdM perfume was released in 2013. As usual, I will cover: what’s inside, how does it smell, develop, perform, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Safanad by PdM Smell Like?

Notes include: orange blossom, sandalwood, vanilla, pear, ylang ylang, iris, orange, and amber

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Safanad for women Eau de Parfum 2.5 Oz./75 ml

Before we start let’s see how Parfums de Marly describes this perfume: Safanad “the Pure” Arabian breed, is personified through this Orange blossom note, leading to white flower bouquet, settling in a very sensual oriental base of sandalwood and vanilla.

My Full Review

So, the opening blast from Safanad is led by the orange blossom note and is flanked by ylang ylang and that familiar aroma of iris. It’s quite floral and does produce that bouquet effect that Parfums de Marly described it as.

The composition is dominated by the orange blossom, however, and the vanilla note emerges with is own sweetness to go along with the other floral notes. I do get a bit more of the iris than the ylang-ylang, but neither is particularly massive within the mix.

I’ve seen some other reviewers say that they get a lot of the ylang-ylang, but on my skin, it’s much less potent for whatever reason.

As it moves along, I do indeed pick up on a pear note in Safanad, it’s really not my favorite ingredient by any means but it is nice here. It’s there at the start, but gets overshadowed in my opinion, until things settle. A good little sparkle, but that’s about it.

About half an hour or so into the wear, it becomes a creamier sort of scent, with the iris and vanilla notes wrapped up in a warm and embracing amber.

It’s very well done and held together by the sandalwood base note. I’m not exactly sure what it is in this fragrance, but there is a very slight boozy element to Safanad, if I’m really paying attention. Can’t quite put put my finger on what is creating that vibe.

At the end, I get plenty of amber, vanilla, sandalwood, and orange blossom. Those are the notes that make it through and form the last dry down period.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Safanad has a moderate to strong sillage. I don’t find it overpowering, but wouldn’t want to go nuts with the sprays either. It’s exactly what it should be, not too powerful, but not wholly weak.

The longevity was decent on my skin, maybe 7 hours, but not more than that. Somewhat of a let down for something at this price point.

Not that you always need a perfume to go much longer than this. Though, it’s nice to know that it can when needed. I was expecting more, after it started off so strong.

Seasonally, this is a fragrance mostly for cooler weather. It’s like a comforting blanket, rather, than some airy fruity scent you’d find in the summer. It works for the autumn and winter. You could probably get away with it in springtime, also. I just wouldn’t like it in the high heat.

I don’t find this Parfums de Marly perfume to be particularly sexy, but it is attractive, and pleasant to smell. I’d say it’s a good daily wear, casual, or even formal.

It is definitely a more feminine fragrance and has a well put together vibe. Lovely, creamy, just not mouth watering.

Overall Impressions of Safanad

Overall, do I like Safanad? I do. It’s a nice floral scent for the wintertime and doesn’t go full on ‘green’ garden or bouquet the entire time. You get some lovely floral notes, amber warmth, creaminess/powdery, and a solid sandalwood peaking through.

This is a sweeter type of floral, without going full on sugary or becoming a cloying or immature mess.

The sweetness of the pear and the great orange blossom note are really a highlight. As is, the amber. I don’t have too many complaints with the way that this fragrance smells.

Again, maybe you’ll get more of the ylang-ylang than I do, but I also usually favor an iris note over that yellow flower. Just a preference and I also really enjoy orange blossom, in most fragrances.

The longevity isn’t amazing, but the performance here is pretty darn good overall. It’s a really pretty fragrance and one that has a unique-ish aroma, that will help one stand out from the crowd, while not being too in your face about it.

Safanad is among the better releases from Parfums de Marly. It gets overshadowed by Delina and some of the others, but is very good itself. If it sounds interesting to you, it’s well worth a try.

Women EDP by Calvin Klein

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So, Amazon randomly sent me a sample of the latest Calvin Klein women’s fragrance (note: I’ve updated this since), titled appropriately enough: Women. Released in 2018 Yeah, sure. Beyond the highly original name, I was actually curious to know how this one smelled, and whether or no there was a good perfume inside the sample vial.

As usual, I have worn it, and now have shared my thoughts below on everything Calvin Klein Women.

What does Women by Calvin Klein Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, grapefruit, bergamot, cedar, black pepper, eucalyptus, orange blossom, musk, ambroxan, tea, and more

Click here to try: Calvin Klein WOMEN Perfume For Women 3.4 fl.oz(100ml) Eau De Parfum Spray

My Full Wear Review

Calvin Klein Women starts with an ultra-sharp citrus mix of lemon and grapefruit. It actually reminds me of a more feminine Sauvage, in that respect.

It seems like after every designer put out their version of a Sauvage clone for men, the women’s side had to also start adding heavy citrus and ambroxan and pepper to everything.

It comes across as strange though. Super citrus with spice, kind of messy. All of this sits on top of cedar wood and has a slight herbal tinge, from the tea note.

However, that sort of aroma at the start doesn’t last too long before Women shifts into more of a spicy orange blossom fragrance. I feel at times, as though I’m smelling bits of Light Blue by D&G, within this perfume’s DNA, but it never fully commits to smelling exactly like that fragrance.

As it dries down, I get more grapefruit than the lemon note, to go along with cedar and some floral notes…mainly, the aforementioned orange blossom, but a few others also.

The cedar seems to grow stronger the further along in the wear you are and the citrus still has that super sharp quality to it.

Once that initial blast wears off, Women becomes a very wearable, albeit not spectacular scent. I like the citrus, orange blossom, and fresh cedar pairing. Not too sharp anymore, but has a great cleanliness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Calvin Klein Women starts off really strong, and then dries down soft to moderate. It was weird how much it settled down from that huge sillage it has at the beginning. So, it’s ultimately a fairly moderate fragrance.

It’s one of the quickest turnarounds that I’ve ever experienced. Seriously, it bombs at first, and it settles into something lighter in record time.

Longevity was pretty good, somewhere in the 6-7 hour neighborhood on my skin, not great but usable. CK fragrances, tend not to be ones that go on for double digit hours. Depending on the price, the value of having this scent can vary a loot.

The citrus and floral notes makes this one seem like it’s suited to be worn on the warmer days of the year. Though, it could be safely worn whenever. It just really feels like a spring/summer sort of fragrance.

I’d call it a casual, everyday wear. One could probably wear it to work, but it’s not a nightlife or date kind of perfume.

Overall Impressions of Women by CK

Overall, do I recommend, Calvin Klein Women? Ehhh, it’s okay. I hate how this perfume starts out but I think it gets better as it goes along. Although, even then, it never blows me away. You get a citrus/woody fragrance with floral and herbal spice undertones.

I feel like it strays more towards unisex, than something designed specifically for women. But whatever, I didn’t design their marketing campaign. It’s decent, though. This Calvin Klein isn’t anything special.

The one strength that it really has is how easy to wear and versatile it is. It does everything else decently, but this one isn’t original, nor will it knock your socks off.

If you’re a big fan of Light Blue or similar scents, this might be one to check out. Goes in a different direction with the orange blossom, but has a style that is reminiscent of that popular D&G perfume.

Cactus Garden by Louis Vuitton

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Cactus Garden is another one of the Les Parfums Louis Vuitton fragrances which came out in 2019. Another scent built for the warmer weather of summertime and housed in a cactus green bottle. What does this one smell like? How does it perform? Is Cactus Garden worth a try?

What does Cactus Garden Smell Like?

Notes include: mate, lemongrass, bergamot, incense, geranium

My Full Wear Review

Before we get into my thoughts about this fragrance, let’s see how Louis Vuitton describes it: The enthusiasm of mate to exalt the emotions. The cool freshness of an exotic patio. A breath of leaves defies the heat wave like an enchanted frisson on the skin.

The opening act of Cactus Garden is so utterly pleasant and has a bright summery attractiveness. I was kind of disappointed that the fragrance doesn’t actually contain a cactus note, which would’ve been an interesting touch. Though, it also doesn’t really need it.

Instead you get a delicious bergamot note, with lemongrass, and the herbal tea-like aroma of mate. The lemongrass in Cactus Garden is absolutely beautiful and it takes the lead, after the first few minutes from the bergamot.

As I get a bit deeper into the wear, the geranium freshness becomes more pronounced. Cactus Garden starts to feel more refreshing and cold than it had with the opening citrus brightness.

I know that Louis Vuitton says that there is an incense note, but it must be very light, because I don’t really get it. Maybe it’s just my nose, however. 

Eventually, the bergamot fades. Then, the lemongrass starts to bow out. Eventually, the last note standing is the mate. I mean, I do like the smell of that note, but the dry down is definitely the weakest of the entire composition. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here isn’t overly powerful, but it also isn’t weak. The first few hours are on the upper range of what could be considered moderate, before it settles much closer to the skin. Not a complete projection monster, but very decent.

The longevity is also pretty good, just not incredible. It will go for 7 hours on my skin, mostly as the remnants of the herbal aspects of the scent, but it is indeed still there.

Seasonally, this is spring and summertime in a bottle. Preferably, late spring and into the days of summer. It’s a well put together casual or semi-formal scent for either men or women. Very easy to wear and quite balanced for everyone. 

It does have an attractiveness to it, but it’s not a nightlife powerhouse or a date night scent either, really. 

 

Overall Impressions of Cactus Garden

Do I like this scent? Yes, I think that it is unique and the opening act is really outstanding. It’s such a great mix of citrus and that herbal aroma. Cactus Garden is a nice change of pace from the never-ending cycle of aquatics and other standard summer fare.

It actually has a similar style to Creed’s Green Irish Tweed, but I think that this Vuitton is the better smelling of the two. Again, the dry down isn’t at the same level, but I liked wearing this a lot. 

Is it worth the price? It isn’t a must have for everyone, that they should run out and pay LV prices. That being said, if that’s not an issue personally, I can recommend at least giving this fragrance a try…if not just grabbing a full bottle. 

I enjoy the smell and the longevity is decent for this type of perfume, but maybe not the price itself.

Update: As of 2023, Cactus Garden is now discontinued by LV. The 100mL bottle is listed as unavailable and it appears that it is gone for good. 

For potential dupe alternatives of Cactus, Dua has one called Garden of Thorns for sale. That should be a good one to go with for a very similar smell and ingredient list based on the Cactus Garden formula.

Wonderstruck Enchanted by Taylor Swift

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Taylor Swift has been a giant pop star for a long time now. Add to that, her fragrance line has been around for about a decade, as well. Her Wonderstruck perfume was a rousing success, and was followed up by today’s review entry, Wonderstruck Enchanted.

Enchanted was released back in 2012. How does this T. Swift fragrance smell? What are the notes? How long does it last? Is it even worth a buy?

Update: Coming back to this years later, Taylor’s perfume line has been defunct for a long time, with no new releases since 2014.

What does Wonderstruck Enchanted Smell Like?

Notes include: pink poppy, wild berries, vanilla, peony, passion fruit, fressia, musk, champaca, woods

Click here to try: Taylor Swift Enchanted Wonderstruck Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce 

My Full Review

Enchanted Wonderstruck begins with a burst of sugary berries and passion fruit. The berries occupy about 80% of the fruit blend, to my nose, and the rest to the more tropical aroma.

Very sweet and juicy, but I find it to be fun and delicious. Underneath, these fruit notes is an array of flowers. The floral notes, aren’t too noticeable for me, until about 5 minutes in. Then, I do get poppy and some peony. Still, they’re quite light in the composition.

Most of this wear, is going to be a fruity/floral, with emphasis on the fruity part. Once the initial fruit wave has passed, you start to get some musk, and creamy vanilla.

At this point, it becomes more of a berry and vanilla blend, with passion fruit playing very little role at all. It tones down a lot of the excesses of the sweetness, in terms of the fruitiness. But, the sugar will start to dissipate, as well.

This is most of what you’re going to get from Wonderstruck Enchanted. A woody base, does emerge, to give this fragrance some grounding.

However, it is still completely led by berries, vanilla, and musk. The floral notes are around, but pretty much just blend into a non-descript aroma.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this isn’t a very strong fragrance. The projection isn’t going to make its way throughout a room. You can spray it fairly heavily and it will settle down closer to the skin, pretty quick.

That being said, the longevity was actually good for me. It was hanging around for 7-8 hours, at that point, it’s more about vanilla. Nonetheless, that’s still a great length of time, for the type of scent this is.

Seasonally, Wonderstruck Enchanted is cold weather dominant. It can venture into spring, but I’d keep it out of the heat. That sort of thick sweetness, will melt. But, within the colder months it is a very nice aroma and well worth a shot.

This Taylor Swift perfume definitely skews towards younger women. It’s not too childish or anything, so, someone older could wear this casually. Think wearing this to school, for casual wear, just to feel cozy, maybe a date. It’s not a formal sort of fragrance.

Overall Impression of Wonderstruck Enchanted

Overall, do I like Enchanted? I actually do enjoy this Taylor Swift perfume. The berries smell awesome, I know not everyone likes the sweet stuff, but I certainly do.

While I like the juicy fruit opening act, I particularly like when the vanilla and berries get to mix in the dry down. What a delightfully warm gourmand.

It’s not a super powerful fragrance or one that really projects all that much, but it actually provides solid longevity. Just an all around attractive wear for colder days, geared toward the younger set.

I believe that Wonderstruck Enchanted has been discontinued, so, you’ll have to grab a bottle online. It was inexpensive when introduced, but when supplies get limited, that can change. However, for the right price, this is a worthwhile try.

I wouldn’t pay a high price for it. If you’re getting close to designer prices, that’s probably too much. For a cheapie, this is a great winter sweet wear for a younger woman.

2023 Update: Yep, prices have officially gotten crazy for the limited bottles left. I’ve seen them selling for almost $200 a pop. Unless you’re a collector, it’s not worthwhile, at that price. Shame, this was a great value perfume, at one time.