Creed Viking vs Aventus Cologne Comparison

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So, here I am, back with another head to head cologne comparison. Today, I am following up my review of Creed Viking by comparing it with the most popular Creed fragrance, Aventus. How does the newest addition to the family stack up against, its highly rated counterpart? Continue below for my full take on Viking versus Aventus.

Tale of the Tape: Aventus vs. Viking

Creed Aventus

Notes of 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: Aventus For Men 4.0 oz EDP Spray By Creed

Click here to read my original Aventus Review

Creed Viking

Notes include: rose, pink pepper, bergamot, peppermint, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli

Click here to try: Viking Eau de Parfum Spray for Men by Creed

Read my original Viking Review

Opening

Off the bat, as I’ve written many times on this site, I’m not a fan of the opening of Aventus. To me, it’s really too sharp, but it does get better.

Aventus kicks off with pineapple and black currant out in full force. That black currant is the main culprit for sharpness, especially when paired with pineapple.

Underneath that, is an apple note adding an additional watery fruitiness up top. Birch and oak moss come through also, early on. These two notes add a very dry freshness to the mix.

Viking on the other hand, is extremely fresh and crisp. The peppermint note really grabbed my attention and I like how it plays off of the sandalwood and pink pepper notes.

I don’t think Viking is the most amazing opening ever, but I did enjoy it a good deal, and I think that it takes this category.

It’s pretty simple, but it has an appealing coldness with it’s fresher warmer pink pepper. I like it.

Edge: Viking

Projection

Viking is solid but not super strong or bold. Aventus is strong but not insanely so. However, Aventus does have the more intense and noticeable scent of these two fragrances.

I always feel aware that I have Aventus on, while it wasn’t the same experience with Viking. Viking is just a softer fragrance overall.

Edge: Aventus

Longevity

With Aventus I’ve generally gotten 7-8 hours, maybe 9. During my wear with Viking, I got about the same. I’d probably have to wear Viking around more to see if any differences emerged, but for now, I’m rating them the same.

Viking just doesn’t have the same sillage. Since it is a lighter scent, it doesn’t seem like it hangs around as long, but it actually does.

Update: It might be a slight edge to Aventus. I do occasionally get that extra hour out of it, which doesn’t happen when I’ve tried Viking.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Both of these scents work casually and as an office worker kind of cologne. I do think what separates them, is that, Aventus has more sex appeal than Viking. Viking is really fresh and clean and kind of an old school sort of fragrance.

Meanwhile, Aventus, is a proven winner that can work very well in a number of situations. That’s not to say that you couldn’t wear Viking on a date, it’s just not something that strikes you as ‘sexy’, to the same extent.

Other than that, both really cover a lot of bases as to when they can be worn.

Edge: Aventus

Overall Scent

Viking is a nice scent in my opinion. I enjoy the contrast of cold peppermint and the warmth that begins to emerge as the fragrance wears on. It’s a green fragrance with notes that provide a crisp and invigorating spice.

That being said, I wasn’t blown away by it. If it was cheaper, I might consider purchasing a full bottle, but for the price…it’s not all that impressive.

Update: The more that I’ve tried it, the past few years, the more I liked it. Still, never was crazy about wearing it. Nice, but not a must have for me.

Aventus is still better. It has pretty much become classic in under a decade, which is remarkable. I think that it’s overall the better fragrance. I’ve always hated the opening few minutes, but it develops a great profile as the scent dries down.

While Aventus gets the nod as the better cologne, if I had to choose wearing between wearing these two right now, I’d pick Viking.

I’m actually completely sick of smelling Aventus and no longer keep any around. Basically because everything tries to be a Creed Aventus ‘clone’.

Just the ‘new’ factor of Viking and the fact that it is somewhat enjoyable in the same way Creed’s Original Santal is, would get me to favor it.

Maybe I’ll come back to Aventus at some point, but not for a long while. Between these two, most people will absolutely favor Aventus, and it takes the win here.

Winner: Aventus

Insolence Eau Glacee by Guerlain

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Winding down on my current crop of scent to test out, I have today’s entry from Guerlain’s women’s collection, Insolence Eau Glacee. Now, I’m pretty sure that this one has been discontinued by this point in time, but you can still find bottles available online. I will of course cover how it smells, performs, what notes are included, and if it is worth a purchase.

What does Insolence Eau Glacee?

Notes include: red berries, apple, iris, violet, and citrus

Click here to try: Guerlain Insolence Eau Glacee Eau De Toilette Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Insolence Eau Glacee was marketed as an ‘icy’ aroma and while I have come across multiple men’s colognes which also go this route, this one doesn’t seem to strike the same ‘cold’ tone. I mean, it’s there but not nearly to the same degree.

Initially, I get a lot of violet and apple in particular which is supported by the iris note. This gives the fragrance a crisp yet powdery sensation, that is quite pleasant.

Apple is the main fruit note, but the berries and a very light citrus blend is there as well. The citrus isn’t a major factor in this Guerlain. All together, the fruity notes are more tart at the beginning, then it’s a tad sweeter during the dry down.

This is a pretty linear scent and after a few minutes, what you smell is what you get. More of the iris note development and some juiciness supplied by the red berries. Violet, apple, and iris, with the additional highlights of the berries.

It’s a watery sweetness, as if the fruit notes have been soaked in a vase of the floral notes that are present here. The iciness is a nice touch, that gives it the feeling of more depth versus what it actually has.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Eau Glacee is soft and understated. This isn’t a bold or in your face sort of fragrance, it is quiet but you’ll know that it is there. It’ll project maybe 3-5 feet from the skin and that’s about it.

While it isn’t a strong perfume, it is one that lasts a work day. During testing, I managed about 8 hours with a few sprays. The performance is good, as a low key scent, that isn’t going to take over a room.

It is interesting when you get a softer fragrance that actually sticks around despite not being a complete bomb.

Eau Glacee strikes me as a casual scent or one for a business type environment. It elegant and has a seriousness to it, that doesn’t come across to me as a ‘sexy’ perfume. Nonetheless, it is pleasant and has its own charm.

I’d also say, it’s probably best in the springtime or other days in which the climate is mild. Maybe venturing into the early days of summer.

Overall Impressions of Insolence Eau Glacee

Overall, do I think Insolence Eau Glacee, is worth a purchase? If you’re a fan of violet and iris and you happen to need something low key. I think it smells fine, it’s not harsh or ugly in anyway, but I don’t think it’s incredible.

It is a solid performer that is well blended and takes you on an easy and steady ride. I like the iris, berries, and that chilly quality that comes through. Nice, clean, tart/sweet, and plenty of powder.

Eau Glacee has some very familiar aspects found in many other perfumes. It’s not super unique, though, it’s nice enough for what it is.

Update: This one seems to be long gone and got discontinued at some point after this review.

Gentlemen Only by Givenchy

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I’ve been trying out more and more colognes over the past few weeks and I recently got a hold of a couple scent by Givenchy. Gentlemen Only and Gentlemen Only Intense. In this post, I want to take a closer look at the former, and give my opinion and rate how this fragrance measures up.

What is it composed of? What is the opening like? How does it smell? How long does it last? Please continue reading below for my full review of Gentlemen Only.

What Does Gentlemen Only Smell Like?

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Notes include: Birch wood, patchouli, vetiver, cedar, pink pepper, mandarin

Click here to try: Givenchy Gentlemen Only Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 100ml, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

My first impressions of Gentlemen Only is that it is a dry and slightly sweet woodsy scented fragrance. It is simple and refined. I was really digging this scent when I first applied it, and enjoyed the interplay between the vetiver and birch/cedar notes, that I could pick out.

This Givenchy fragrance is one in which I could completely imagine myself applying while wearing a suit and even though I was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, I definitely felt quite fresh with it on.

Also, the opening has a citrus aroma provided by the mandarin note, that fades away during the dry down period. This mandarin and pink pepper give it the sweet/spicy undertones which helped to make Gentlemen Only quite appealing to my tastes.

As the citrus fades, it takes on more of a smoky type of aroma (think less of tobacco or a whiskey cask and more towards incense). Birch really becomes prominent on my skin, at this point.

The top is a citrus mix of that mandarin and bergamot, the latter being quite light. Pink pepper joins in to add some warm spice, to the very dry composition. It’s nice to have that juiciness on top of what is ultimately going to be a fresh woody fragrance.

As it moves further along, the smoky wood aromas, really start pouring out of this. Vetiver starts to take over the composition, with the lingering mandarin still hanging around. Under that, is the birch wood and some cedar.

Ultimately, Gentlemen Only is a somewhat spicy and smoky woods-based fragrance, with enough sweetness to change things up. Very nice and refined.

Sillage and Longevity

Projection wise, Gentlemen Only starts out pretty good in that regard. For the first few hours, I could notice it on myself and liked it a whole lot. In many regards, I though that I had found a new potential casual fragrance for me to wear.

It’s not going to leave a huge scent trail. It will be noticed for a little while, but isn’t going to take over a room. Then, it’s not going to even do that.

However, the longevity on this one is really disappointing.  After three hours or so I could no longer even detect it on my skin, I had sprayed some on my forearms, and got absolutely nothing from it. It’s so hard to find a good long lasting cologne sometimes.

This Givenchy isn’t one of them.

When Should it Be Worn?

Surprisingly, this isn’t too heavy of  a scent. Smoky and dry woods, sounds more like a winter thing, but here it isn’t really. I would say that Gentlemen Only works best in moderate temperatures. It’s not terrible in winter, but I wouldn’t wear it in the summertime.

It can be a daily wear at the office, or something you put on for semi-formal to formal occasions. It is attractive enough for the nightlife, but again, the performance isn’t great. It’s actually got a pretty wide use case.

Overall Impressions

Overall, is this Givenchy product worth a try? I definitely like the scent, although, I seem to enjoy the Intense version more… BUT Gentlemen Only just does not last. Plus, the Intense version isn’t really ‘intense’ and is quite a different fragrance all together.

If you want a woodsy/smoky/spicy cologne in this price range, consider: Burberry London or perhaps, YSL L’Homme Libre, both of which have much better longevity.

Gentlemen Only might not be a bad buy, if you can get it at a discount on the secondary market. Perhaps, it will last longer on your skin, versus my own. The scent itself, is worth it. The question is, how much performance can you wring out of this cologne?

It is interesting and has its moments, but ultimately probably not worthwhile for many guys.

Omnia Crystalline by Bvlgari

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In today’s review, I am going to be covering a popular ladies’ fragrance by Bvlgari, Omnia Crystalline. I’ve had a sample vial of this for a few months now, so I figured that it was about time that I try it out and report back with how it smells, performs, etc.

As usual, I’m going to cover my impressions and it longevity and whether or not I think that it is worth picking up a bottle.

What does Omnia Crystalline Smell Like?

Notes include: bamboo, lotus flower, nashi, musk, tea

Click here to try: Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline for Women Eau De Toilette Spray, 2.2 fl oz

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Omnia Crystalline is a rather interesting and somewhat unique experience, at least when compared to other popular perfumes. It’s light, clean, and has a bit of a soapy quality to it but with a distinctly Asian influence.

Lotus, tea, and a pear-like smell (provided by the nashi fruit) are the main attractions here, which gives this Bvlgari perfume a floral-plant type of outdoorsy scent.

Omnia Crystalline is quite a feminine fragrance and doesn’t seem to include anything that could be considered heavy or overwhelming, which should make this one a good choice for the warmer months of the year.

The tea note really reminds me of a men’s cologne that I cannot quite recall the name of (maybe by Roberto Cavalli?), it’s really distinct and green, in it’s aroma. I also detect a hint of Alien Aqua Chic in this composition.

However, the major player here is the lotus note…so, if you’re not a fan, look for another perfume. It does have a different feel than the usual rose, iris, violet notes that are so often found in other ladies’ fragrances.

There is a slight musk which gives it some warmth and body. The dry down is woody and green, with some remaining fruit sweetness, but mostly that lotus flower as the focus of it all. Bamboo and a bit of moss coming through.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s a light fragrance but does a pretty good job at projecting itself. You will know that it’s there while wearing; but it isn’t going to choke anyone out. A few feet away from the skin, is what I got for most of the wears during testing.

It’s not one to leave a huge scent trail or fill a room. But, while it’s got its power, it will be picked up by those around you.

The longevity is meh, but usable. 4-5 hours seems to be the norm, maybe 6 under the right conditions. This is by no means a powerhouse or a workhorse, which means you should probably get it at a good price and not at retail.

I’d save this one strictly for the spring/summer months, as a casual scent for a day out or the office. I don’t find it to be particularly sexy or something that would scream attention to itself, rather, it is a clean and simple scent that smells good in a low key way.

It’s a good no-brainer daily wear that isn’t going to offend. Omnia Crystalline can easily be a go to during the warmer months for the right lady.

Overall Impressions of Omnia Crystalline

Overall, would I recommend Omnia Crystalline? I mean, I like it well enough. It isn’t an amazing perfume by any means but it will get the job done for what it is. If you like the listed notes and need a good casual scent, then this might be right up your alley.

However, if you want a bold type of fragrance, then it’s best to look elsewhere for something with that kind of quality.

The opening act with the fruit, bamboo, and lotus is actually very nice. The tea note, is the one that tends to stand out and delivers a nice experience while its around. The dry down is fine. Not something I’m completely enthralled by, but it’s likeable.

It’s a very straightforward, elegant, crisp, and pleasing scent. No more no less. It would be a lot better, if the strength was boosted up some more. Still useful, just not incredible.

Scandal for Women by Jean Paul Gaultier

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As a part of my latest giant batch of sample fragrances, I bought a bunch of female perfumes in the lot. At this point, there are more and more perfume reviews on this site, and that trend will continue (not that I have slowed down on the men’s colognes side of things).

Today, I have another entry from Jean Paul Gaultier, an EDP called, Scandal. How does this perfume perform? What does it smell like? Is it worth a purchase? Continue below for my full take.

What does Scandal by JPG Smell Like?

Notes include: honey, blood orange, patchouli, gardenia, caramel, jasmine

Click here to try: Scandal by Jean Paul Gaultier Eau de Parfum Spray 50ml

My Full Review

First, I’m going to let the Eau de Parfum’s sample card describe this scent and what to expect from it: “A honey chypre. During the day, it’s a delicious, fresh honey with the wonderful scent of gardenia and blood orange. At night, it’s a sensual and scandalous honey combined with patchouli: an addiction that’s just so Jean Paul Gaultier.”

So, from the immediate spray, I’m obviously going to get a strong honey note…which I do. However, it isn’t alone, as there is a familiar note of beeswax and patchouli occupying the flanks.

I used to work at a place that had beeswax as a part of its inventory and that note really stood out to me.

There is a sweetness here, but it is more of a floral/honey kind of sweet, rather than candy-like. Although, the caramel note emerges later and adds a sugary quality to the mix.

A few minutes after the initial spray, I pick up a dose of gardenia, and a sprinkle of jasmine to boot. It’s a floral aroma that hangs around in the background throughout its life cycle.

Mostly, what I pick up on throughout are the honey, patchouli, caramel, and gardenia notes. The blood orange is definitely present but it feels completely bonded to the caramel note in this EDP.

With a name like Scandal, I was expecting something either bold, dark, hyper-sexy, or some combination thereof.

I will say that it is a pretty fragrance and has a certain sexiness to it, I don’t really think the name fits particularly well. What’s so scandalous about it? Scandal isn’t a boring office scent, but it doesn’t have a real edge to it either.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this thing can definitely fill a room. You don’t need to overspray to get any type of real sillage. It’s loud, maybe that’s the scandalous aspect? If you’re looking for a bold sort of wear, Scandal can provide that kind of huge sillage.

Spray it on and it will follow…and leave a trail.

Also, it gives a great performance. This is an all day wear eau de parfum, that can easily hit the double digits. Anywhere from 10-11 hours at the max, is what I got from Scandal during testing. Outstanding, in this regard.

There are some crummy designer fragrances, with how long they last. But, this isn’t one of them.

Weather wise, wear it in the cooler months all the way up to moderate spring days. It doesn’t seem like it’d hold up well in the high heat. Just keep it in that cold to moderate temperature range and it should be just fine.

Again, I don’t think this is an office scent or one for school. Daytime casual on days off? Yes. Nighttime? Yes. Romantic wear? Yes. This does have an attractive and sexy kind of aroma, just not a formal perfume.

With that, it can be somewhat limited in its use when compared with some other popular fragrances. Bold and smells good, but probably not one to reach for on a daily basis.

Overall Impressions of Scandal

Overall, do I like Scandal by Jean Paul Gaultier? I really do. It’s not very unique in the female perfumes space with those honey, caramel, and orange notes but it also does everything well. It’s attractive and something that will get complements.

It performs extremely well and one would get good use out of it for the price. I’m not blown away by it, but this is something that I enjoy smelling and would like very much on a lady.

On all fronts, with its smell and its longevity it is at least above average. If you’re in the market for a loud nightlife or casual fragrance, this can be a great pickup. Not for everyone, but this is a great representation of this niche.

Scandal at least gives you some bang for your buck, with nothing standing out as being too much of a weakness.