Polo Blue vs Ultra Blue Cologne Comparison

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For this installment of my head to head fragrance match ups, we have two entries from Ralph Lauren: the original Polo Blue EDT vs. Ultra Blue. Which smells better? The original or its newer flanker cologne release? I have tested out both of them, and as usual, will break down each to some key metrics and declare an ultimate victor.

Ultra Blue or Polo Blue EDT? Tale of the Tape

Polo Blue

Notes include: amber, melon, patchouli, geranium, cucumber, tangerine, moss, musk

Click here to try: Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren for Men, Eau De Toilette Natural Spray, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original review: Polo Blue Review

Ultra Blue

Notes include: lemon, salt, amber, bergamot, basil, verbena, sage, juniper

Click here to try: Ralph Lauren Polo Ultra Blue 2.5 Fluid ounce Eau De Toilette

Read my review: Ultra Blue

Opening

Polo Blue EDT starts out with a crisp blend of melon and cucumber. It’s chilled with a hint of tangerine and amber. To me, it’s always felt kind of bland. It’s nice but not anything spectacular.

I do like that crispness, slight spice, and semi-aquatic feel. On a summer’s day, it can be quite invigorating, even if it isn’t super unique or exciting.

Ultra Blue goes with lemon and salt at the opener, which ain’t much more exciting. It is more of an aquatic and the saltiness is sort of like an ocean breeze. Ultra Blue tracks closer to the EDP version of Blue.

Which is better? Ehhh, it’s a tough call, as neither are great but I think I enjoy the original Blue more here. Ultra Blue tries to go for more of the herbal freshness, with oceanic elements.

That’s not a bad thing, but the execution, isn’t amazing. Pretty good, enjoyable, but I’ll still go with Blue EDT for the starting portion.

Edge: Polo Blue

Projection

The original Polo Blue isn’t a beast, the sillage is moderate for much of the wear, but overall quite solid. You’ll notice it and so will others. I get good performance from the EDT, in this regard. It’s definitely not meant to be a projection monster, but it does give you

Ultra Blue is really kind of weak. It’s somewhat moderate for maybe an hour and then turns into a skin scent. Ralph Lauren fragrances can be so hit or miss, with the power.

Ultra Blue is one of the releases, that is pretty noticeably weak. Particularly when compared to the rest of the Polo Blue lineup, which aren’t that powerful themselves.

It’s kind of surprising, as the other Blue scents are around the same with their sillage. Ultra Blue sort of falls flat.

Edge: Polo Blue

Longevity

Polo Blue always lasted about 7-8 hours on my skin, which is a very respectable amount of time. Blue EDT is at least above average, each time that I’ve worn it. It hasn’t disappointed me, at any time.

While Ultra Blue has weak sillage, it actually stays on the skin for 6 hours, which is a bit weird. However, it is such a light fragrance that its lack of sillage really undercuts how long you think it lasts, since you’re not smelling it all of the time.

Neither one of these colognes peters out early. Blue still wins it fairly easily, with both the hours it can last, and its sustained strength.  But, it’s also true that neither is an absolute performer, on the skin.

Edge: Polo Blue

Versatility

Both scents are spring/summertime wears, since they share a common DNA. I’d wear either casually. They could both be worn at an office or for school. They sort of share the same space.

They can technically go year round, but fit in much better during the warmer months. The summer is the peak of Polo Blue’s powers, it’s really a nice and simple wear for that time.

Each is a very versatile wear, that can serve as a daily cologne, for many guys. No clear winner here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Ultra Blue isn’t a bad smelling cologne. Actually, I quite enjoy the aroma. The lemon, the saltiness, swimming in amber with just a hint of sage and basil sitting underneath. It’s nice. The sillage is just bad and it offers no real advantage over either Polo Blue EDT or EDP.

I’m not even that much of a fan of the original Polo Blue EDT because I find it to be pretty boring. It does smell good and has nice performance, which versus Ultra Blue, that’s all that you really need.

Polo Blue EDT is the winner here, but I’d take the EDP over either of these. Actually, if you were leaning towards Ultra Blue, the newer Deep Blue is closer to that but with better performance. Much more oceanic and with a nice mango note.

I think nowadays, my number one and two from this line would be Blue EDP or Deep Blue. Really depending on the day, which would take that first spot. EDT is fine and can be an easy to wear scent, but it pretty easily takes the win here.

Winner: Polo Blue

Dylan Blue vs Dior Sauvage Cologne Comparison

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There has been a lot of talk over the past year about Dylan Blue and Dior Sauvage EDT. Both are best selling scents who have a ton in common in terms of smell and performance. However, if one is in the market for a bottle of either, which is the best bet? Which of these colognes actually smells better? Gives a better performance? Continue below for my full comparison breakdown.

Tale of the Tape: Sauvage or Dylan Blue?

Sauvage

Notes of Sauvage: bergamot, ambroxan, lavender, pepper, wood notes

Click here to try: Christian Dior Sauvage for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Original Sauvage Review

Dylan Blue

Notes include: black pepper, violet leaf, grapefruit, bergamot, tonka bean, ambrox, fig leaf

Click here to try: VERSACE Pour Homme Sealed Dylan Blue Eau de Toilette, 3.4 Ounce

Read my Full Review of Dylan Blue

Opening

The opening of Sauvage gives me a strong ambroxan (amber) aroma with pepper and a sharp bergamot note. Indeed, the reason people look towards these two colognes, is because they are so similar in their composition.

To my nose, Dylan Blue is a lot stronger on the citrus from the start, paring the bergamot with grapefruit. After 10-15 minutes, Dylan Blue morphs into some kind of clone of Sauvage.

Coming back to these two colognes, a few years after this original comparison, I have a much higher opinion of the Versace fragrance’s start. The grapefruit note with the bergamot is really nice, however, the main attraction is the fig.

The fig and citrus blend is super enjoyable for me, when I’m in the mood for it. While the Sauvage opening, is sharp and can feel too abrasive, many times.

As such, I am revising the winner in this category. The better start? Dylan Blue. It’s not a major difference, but I find myself liking the beginning 30-60 minutes of Blue, much more than I used to.

Edge: Dylan Blue

Projection

For the first hour, Dylan Blue is pretty strong on my skin. Then, it drops off a lot and becomes much more of a moderate skin scent. It’s never completely weak or anything, but it doesn’t maintain the height of its power for very long.

Sauvage is probably the same strength as Dylan Blue during that first hour. The difference is that Sauvage does a better job as sustaining itself throughout. The decay of the strength, is a slow process, and Sauvage takes its sweet time.

Edge: Sauvage

Longevity

The Versace gives me 5-6 hours, at the most. I’ve worn it a lot, trying to get more out of it, and yet it remains a moderate fragrance. This has remained true, for every time that I’ve used it over the past 3 or 4 years.

Sauvage isn’t an absolute beast but it is a few hours better. You’re looking at 7-8 hours of solid wear from this Dior cologne. In the right circumstances, I can pull off 9 hours, but it’s not a guarantee.

If we’re talking about the EDT version, it’s better. If you go with the other Sauvage’s they can usually hit 10+ hours easily.

Edge: Sauvage

Versatility

As these two scents are so similar in their presentation, there is no clear cut winner here. Both can be worn casually or out on the town for an evening. Both shine in warmer weather and yet still can fit in the rest of the year.

Neither is a formal type of fragrance and both do tend to skew towards being worn by younger guys.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I’m going with Dior Sauvage as the winner. Dylan Blue has grown on me, over the years. I used to find it completely uninteresting, but eventually began to like the opening act a good deal. Nonetheless, it doesn’t really sustain itself.

The fig paired with the citrus is pretty nice, but there is a huge ambroxan note here, that gets bothersome to me (as does the Dior).

Neither cologne is my personal favorite to wear. They are both pleasant and versatile scents that give good enough performance.

Sauvage is just better at everything. Dylan Blue, does have the nice citrus opening but then it fades out too quickly, which is a disappointment to me.

Once I get past the opening act, Sauvage is more tolerable to me, but still isn’t a must have. It just takes this head to head.

Unless pricing is a serious consideration, go with Sauvage. Though, if you want to save some cash, Dylan Blue will get you most of what you want from Sauvage. There are also a million other fragrances that have tried to ‘dupe’ Dior Sauvage.

To me, Sauvage EDP is the best of either, and I’d prefer that to the original EDT.

Winner: Sauvage

Kouros Body by Yves Saint Laurent

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I first posted this review of Kouros Body back in 2014 or so. But, this was one of my go to wear’s in the previous decade also. I love this fragrance. So, I had to do an update for the site. It doesn’t quite fit comfortably in a category, the notes are unusual on their own, and quite weird when placed together.

However, it was always great, and an absolute joy for me to wear. I’m going to cover: how this Yves Saint Laurent cologne smells, what’s in it, how it performs, and when it should be worn.

What does Kouros Body Smell Like?

KO14M

Body Kouros Notes: Incense, eucalyptus, benzoin, cedar, sage

Click here to try: Kouros Body by Yves Saint Laurent for Men – 3.4 oz EDT Spray

I would describe the scent of Kouros Body as sweet with a spice. Not sweet like a fruity scent would be,  but rather a bit like candy. The spice is subtle, more of an undertone, but gives Kouros Body a certain character and warmth. This cologne is highly distinctive and memorable.

On nights I’ve worn it out to a bar, it always seems to have women inching closer before they ask, “What are you wearing that smells so good?”

The scent profile is rather unique, as I’ve never come across anything else like it, and it doesn’t share any real connection with the original Kouros from YSL.

I mean, when the strongest note is benzoin, and you have a smokey incense note throughout the wear…you’re going to be a different type of cologne.

Anyway, Body is pretty warm and enveloping, with a medicinal touch from the inclusion of eucalyptus. I find it to be smooth and soothing.

The benzoin and eucalyptus are paired at the top of this cologne, along with the spicy sage note. It’s not a heavy spice, by any means, just a part of the warm cloud everything is wrapped up in.

As it dries down, Body Kouros, feels quite herbal and sweet but with less of the eucalyptus and more of a cedar coming through. The composition is so simple, but manages to have such a great smell on my skin.

In the end I get, lots of benzoin with burning incense, and sage and eucalyptus flanking that. Very fresh.

I have to admit that Kouros Body is one of my personal favorite colognes and one that I like to have on hand. It doesn’t have the same attention grabbing qualities as other scents. Body is to me, like a slower and more methodical seduction, almost hypnotic in its draw.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this one was always pretty moderate on my skin. Body Kouros isn’t a heavy fragrance and the sillage is going to hang pretty close to you, after about an hour of wear or so.

But, it’s not a total skin scent. Just one that is lighter and not a powerhouse.

The older bottle that I had would give me about 6-7 hours of wear, sometimes better on colder days. I’m not sure what the newer bottles are putting out, but it was always solid.

One draw back for me is that it doesn’t perform as well during the summertime. Especially, if you live in an area of high humidity like I do. No, Kouros Body begs to be worn during chilly days or evenings when it’s warmth can fully emanate outwards.

Stick to wearing it in the autumn through early spring and you should get Body at its best.

This was definitely one of my go to scents during the winter time, in the 2009-2013 era, of my life. I could wear this out for a night at the bar, somewhat dressed up, with an overcoat.

It wasn’t clearing out the room, like 1 Million would, during that time period. However, when women got close to me, a whole lot of them were digging this YSL gem.

It’s got a good age range on it too. It’s not irreverent and young, nor does it smell stuffy and old. Men in their early 20s and older gentlemen, can spray this one on without issue or feeling out of place.

Overall Impressions of Kouros Body

Kouros Body will always have a soft spot for me, after being a great wear for such a long stretch. I should get a new bottle at some point, but I have so many reviews and tests to do for this site, it gets difficult to not have sparsely used bottles laying around.

However, I can recommend this scent, but it’s not going to be one that everybody enjoys wearing. Body is its own thing completely, and kind of a time capsule cologne, that represents the turn of the new century when not every fragrance felt like a clone of another.

Eucalyptus and benzoin are actually a great combination. It’s resinous and herbal, while being smooth and fresh. It’s an easy to wear fragrance, even with its more unique style, and women have seemed to compliment it quite often over the years.

Then, you have the warmth, sweetness, and smokiness from incense. It’s not really anything like the original Kouros, but does its own thing, and does it well.

Again, I’m not sure if the newer bottles got reformulated or not, but it’s one to try out. But, understand that it might not be a favorite for everyone.

Versace Man Eau Fraiche

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I am a fan of Versace fragrances. Versace Eros, while it can be a bit heavy if overused, is still one of my choices to wear during the cold winter months. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Versace Man Eau Fraiche. This isn’t a cold weather fragrance like Eros, rather, it is one which shines during the heat of summer and invokes images of day’s spent along the beach.

In this review, I want to delve into this scent a little bit deeper and see what makes it such a great summer cologne for men. How does it smell? What are the ingredients? How the sillage and longevity? Is Eau Fraiche worth a buy?

What does Versace Man Eau Fraiche Smell Like?

versace man eau

Notes include: Lemon, Rosewood, Carambola, Cedar leaves, Tarragon, Sage, Musk, Amber, Sycamore

Click here to try: Versace Man Eau Fraiche By Gianni Versace For Men Edt Spray 3.4 Oz

Eau Fraiche Full Review

What I notice right off the bat with this fragrance is that it has such a fresh and citrus based opening note that really grabs one’s attention and draws you in for more.

It’s always a good sign that a cologne has a good opening note and doesn’t require 20 minutes of wear before it even begins to get good.

No worries with Versace Man. Lemon, bergamot, and carambola (starfruit) lead the way. The aroma is great, very bright, and utterly captivating to my nose. I really do dig the opening.

The lemon is definitely the star of the show here in the opening and everything else it just in a support role.

The next striking thing about this cologne is how much it smells like a summertime fragrance. It’s warm, clean, confident, with a bit of elegance sprinkled in. Plus, it’s projection actually gets better with some heat, unlike all too many fragrances which wither in the warmer months.

While I find this feature to be a positive, one could argue that this narrow usage acts as a strike against it. If you are looking for an all-weather and daily wearer, then this Versace cologne isn’t for you.

However, depending on the climate of where you live, you could get 3-6 months use out of it.

The citrus becomes less pronounced after about 45 minutes or so and some spicier notes begin to emerge which adds a layer of energy to this fragrance that brings the intensity up a notch.

The spice is pretty herbal in its feel, you have sage, tarragon, and cardamom among other notes.

The base notes really help to bring out the personality and sexiness of this scent. At times, it really begins to remind me a lot of Light Blue, but I think I prefer this Versace (but Light Blue Eau Intense is better than both). More in the style, than the exact smell of the fragrance.

Finally, once the citrus has calmed down from its powerful beginnings, the woody base is on full display. Sycamore, rosewood, and cedar. It kind of blends into a generic ‘wood’ aroma, but you can detect the differences at times, if you’re paying attention.

So, from Versace Man Eau Fraiche, you get: a lemony aroma with a slight aquatic quality, bits of herbal spice, and a woody dry down.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Versace Man Eau Fraiche has decent projection, which as I said, gets better with a little bit of heat. Overall, I would say it is moderate in that regard. This doesn’t need to be too loud, but it projects itself well when compared to other summer scents, in the same vein.

Also, it’s not a marathon runner in terms of how long it lasts on your skin but it does seem to perform adequately, usually about 6-7 hours in my experience.

Not great by any means, but good enough for most usage. I am basing this off of a batch of 2014 fragrance, so, I can’t speak to any reformulations that may have occurred thereafter that effected performance.

It’s kind of an all-around wear in the summer months. Things are generally more casual during this time anyway, but this is a safe scent to smell fresh and pleasant. Not really a club beast, nor super sexy, but it is attractive.

Overall Impressions of Eau Fraiche

All told, this cologne is a very good option to wear during the warmer months. It’s not spectacular, but it smells pretty damn good and delivers good performance on my skin.

There are definitely some cheaper options out there, but I wouldn’t be opposed to owning a smaller sized bottle of this, because I do find it enjoyable. Although, this one has become more and more affordable over the years, since it’s so popular.

Personally, I have so many different autumn and winter fragrances, that I like colognes like this one, to switch up the pace for the summertime. Eau Fraiche is a solid choice.

To me, that star fruit and lemon opening, really hooks me in. Star fruit is one of my favorite summertime notes and this is a great rendition.

The herbal spice is attractive and the woody base is fine, but probably not the most intriguing part of this Versace.

But, all told, you get an awesome scent with decent enough performance for what it’s going to be used for. As far as hot weather colognes from mainstream designers, Versace Man Eau Fraiche still does rank near the top of the list.

Blind buy safe? Absolutely. Unless you really don’t like citrus based colognes, one shouldn’t have a problem finding enjoyment out of this one.

7 Best Smelling Kenzo Perfumes

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Kenzo has been an innovative and respected French design house for about 45 years now. In that time, it has also established a name and niche following in the world of fragrance. It grabbed praise and attention with it’s signature scent, Flower, and has produced unique and highly feminine perfumes ever since. For this list, I have chosen what I consider to be the top seven ladies’ fragrances by Kenzo.

What are the Best Smelling Kenzo Perfumes?

Best Bold Perfume

Jungle L’Elephant– Besides having a cool elephant on the bottle, Jungle by Kenzo is designed to “bring the animal out of you”. It is energetic with an oriental spiciness that will stand out from the crowd and delivers a long-lasting scent.

This one definitely isn’t for everyone. It is extremely bold and can take over a room. Which is why, it is probably best for outdoor use. Nonetheless, warm cardamom and caraway, get paired with strong cloves and a calming vanilla note.

It has a dryness and slight smoky quality, with that spice. Which by the way, isn’t all that sharp or unbearable. Yes, it has a big personality, but this one is still selling over 20 years later.

l'elephant

Juicy Fruity Perfume

Kenzo World–  A clean peony fragrance, with the sweetness of some red berry notes. Kenzo World is a newer release, but one that I think should make the list due to its scent and uniqueness.

At times, it comes off as very much a juicy berry fragrance, with other fruits assisting things. Then, you get more of the warmth of amber and the floral notes. Somewhat soapy, not overly complex, but a decidedly intriguing fragrance. Probably best for younger women.

The Powdery Classic

Flower by Kenzo for Women – 3.3 Ounce EDP Spray– Kenzo Flower is a very popular fragrance and has been for a long time now. It also happens to have an aroma that pretty closely approximates baby powder.

It’s a bit sweeter and creamier, than the real thing, which is to be expected with vanilla and black currant notes. However, the violet and rose, give Flower a very powdery finish that is quite soft and comforting.

The opening act, is probably the least like our target, but it settles down into that fresh powdery scent. The rose note isn’t overwhelming here, either. So, don’t expect it to be heavy, in that regard.

flower


Most Popular Kenzo

Kenzo Amour by Kenzo– An affordable, soft and floral, vanilla based fragrance for ladies. Amour is vanilla flanked by frangipani, heliotrope, and cherry blossom. This one is a nice example of vanilla, but used in a somewhat unique way.

Not only do you get, some different floral ingredients, from the run of the mill, Kenzo Amour also features a warm, fluffy, rice note.

The whole thing comes across as clean, inviting, with a bit of a fresh powdery finish (and smoky incense). Very nice performance and a versatile daily wear type of perfume.

Unique World

World Power by Kenzo– This Kenzo World flanker isn’t one that is going to be appreciated by everyone. It’s got a fresh, salty aquatic, and tonka bean finish.

The aquatic sea notes are more early on in the wear, but the saltiness stays going. The saltiness paired with the cold cypress wood notes gives this one a really interesting and almost unisex feel.

Then, the sweeter tonka type of finish brings it back around. The saltiness hangs around in a warmer amber form, with the woody base. World Power does actually have a nice punch of sillage to it.

It has great performance, in a rather simple presentation. Again, this one isn’t going to be appealing to everyone, but it’s nice and different.

A Green Spring/Summer Wear

D’ete- A clean and green floral that brings a certain sweetness to its layers. Warm and great for casual wear on a day to day basis and has a scent unique to itself.

It has a lighter floral appeal, much like the entry below. However, this one focuses much more on the flowers themselves, along with a dewy undertone. While L’eau Par Kenzo is cold and fresh, this one is warmer with some slight spiciness lurking around.

d'ete

Best Aquatic Perfume

L’eau Par Kenzo– A blend of aquatic and floral notes make Par Kenzo a very nice choice for the warmer months of the year. Simple. refreshing, and understated.

L’eau Par Kenzo isn’t a citrus aquatic or anything like that. This one gives you some great floral notes, like lilac and water lily, to provide a clean and memorable aroma. This all sits on top of a watery and fresh base.

What’s great is the mint note, which gives this an icy sort of start, while being paired with some herbal ingredients. Unique and uncomplicated, though, a totally underrated fragrance.

par