212 VIP Black by Carolina Herrera

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I am a fan of the original 212 VIP from Carolina Herrera. In fact, I still have a full bottle of the stuff, that I break out on certain evenings when I want to project an air of boldness. It’s certainly not a cologne for everybody, but it is a club star.

So, when I had the chance to try out 212 VIP Black, I was really looking forward to it and wanted to see how they reinterpreted that boozy monster of a fragrance I so enjoy. How does VIP Black perform? What’s in it? What does it smell like? Is it worth a try?

What does 212 VIP Black Smell Like?

Notes include: absinthe, leather, lavender, musk, vanilla, amber, anise

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Black Men Eau de Parfum 3.4oz / 100ml – Launched in 2017

My Full Wear Review

The opening of 212 VIP Black, like the original VIP, is a boozy sort of scent. Now, the original had some strong vodka, while Black opts for absinthe.

I’ve never actually drank absinthe, so the aroma is pretty new to me, but it still has a familiar alcohol scent to it. The absinthe is joined by a warm amber and a spicy anise, while still being flanked by sweet and smooth notes.

The opening does have a deeper and more intricate sort of aroma than the latter stages, which turns much more into a vanilla dominant mix.

The fresh greenish/herbal type of spice, with the other notes coming in and taking away some of the roughness.

Black is energetic yet smooth with an early emergence of lavender and just a hint of leather. Honestly, the leather really isn’t strong at all, and pretty faint.

Not only that, the vanilla lends a sweet creaminess which contrasts nicely off of the booze and pretty prominent amber. It does have a resemblance to the Pure XS fragrances by Paco Rabanne. Not entirely, but the whole structure is similar.

After the initial boozy wave, turns into a sweet sort of musky scent. Vanilla, amber, musk are the most noticeable to my nose.

It is a pretty soft fragrance with spice and some remnant booze that soaks through. Candy-like in a lot of ways, I guess sugary, and upbeat definitely a party sort of cologne.

I like a good vanilla and amber combination. Not the most exciting blend on the planet, but it’s nice with the musk. The lavender does hang around to give it that extra cleanliness and distinction, but it doesn’t show up as all that powerful for me.

Sillage, Longevity, and When to Wear

Projection wise, I found VIP Black to be light to moderate. The sillage isn’t huge at all and not anything like 212 VIP, in that regard.

This is a toned down kind of cologne versus the original and also doesn’t smell anything like it. A bit odd for a flanker. Anyway, I wouldn’t expect a complete club beast, but I don’t think it’s completely weak or anything.

The longevity was okay, but again, nothing monstrous. Actually, this was my biggest disappointment with this cologne.

Maybe 5-6 hours on my skin, with plenty of that time spent as a skin scent or with the sillage limited to a few feet. It’s crazy how much this doesn’t come close to the same level as its namesake.

Seasonally, I’d put this in the autumn/winter category. It’s probably too sweet and warm for the more humid months of the year, but since it’s a nighttime scent, you might be able to get away with it once the sun goes down.

VIP Black, like the original, is a clubbing type of scent. Again, just not a sillage monster. It is masculine, has some sex appeal, and will catch attention when someone is close to you.

VIP Black leans much more to being worn by a guy in his early to mid 20s. Not one for the office or more formal occasions. Casual, nightlife, and when the temperature drops. These are most of your options.

Overall Impressions 

Overall, do I like 212 VIP Black? It’s okay. I don’t find it to be all that special and I prefer 212 VIP over this Black edition. It’s really not all that intense and the longevity is okay but not beastly. I like the idea of the scent, but the execution wasn’t very inspiring.

Would I wear it? Sure. Would I buy it? Maybe once it hits the discount outlets. It’s a nice mix of spicy and sweet with a boozy top. This one seems to have developed somewhat of a fan base, like the original has done. To me, it’s decent and not much beyond that.

The absinthe is fairly interesting with the anise and other notes. I like the opening act, but it ends pretty boring. I like the scent. VIP Black wouldn’t be a bad buy for most guys at all. It’s solid, but I’m not even sure that I prefer it to the Paco Rabanne fragrances either.

If it sounds interesting to you, if you find it cheap…go for it. Full price? Probably not.

Tommy Bahama St. Barts Cologne

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Tommy Bahama is a fashion and fragrance line that’s all about the beach and sailing type of lifestyle. It’s casual and laid back in its presentation, plus it has released some pretty great fragrances, at a price that is wholly affordable. In this post, I want to take a closer look at Set Sail St. Barts and determine if this cologne is worthy of a buy or not.

I have updated this page since my initial 2015 review, after spending much more time with this fragrance, and having some additional thoughts.

What does Set Sail St. Barts Smell Like?

FullSizeRender (48)

Notes include: blue agavae, salty sea spray, musk, guava, lime, tequila, vanilla, palm wood

Click here to try: Tommy Bahama St. Barts Men Cologne,3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Wear Review

I was really interested in trying out this fragrance because of the compilation of notes reminded me somewhat of Guerlain Homme, which I absolutely love wearing. Guerlain has a mojito accord which gives it that summery alcoholic drink vibe and the lime plus tequila notes in this Set Sail cologne struck me as a slightly different variation on that theme.

Plus, the bright blue bottle with the gold metallic cap and nautical rope tied around, it looked really awesome.

Initially, one is struck by the lime note, as it is very potent at first and it is joined by a creamy almost coconut aroma that is less pronounced. The whole opening is very reminiscent of a margarita and the sensation of being on an island in the tropics.

The tart lime note is huge, at first, and is paired with a salty marine note, and some guava for extra fruitiness. Everything is so citrusy and juicy at the start and I kind of don’t want it to ever end.

The lime note settles down quite a bit after about 20 minutes or so and what is left behind is a fresh and delightful scent. I really detect the palm wood and sea salt spray during this second act.

It’s like the opening is enjoying the margarita on the beach and then getting in the water yourself. Set Sail St. Barts really is one of those mood setting colognes, that will take your mind to the tropics, upon smelling this fragrance.

Also during the dry down, there is a heavy vein of that tequila/blue agave aroma, it becomes less of a tropical cocktail and more towards a clean shot glass of tequila.

There is a very light vanilla/musk combination, that when blended with the lime and guava, smells somewhat lotion-y with a suntan lotion like creaminess.

Ultimately, what you get is a marine soaked lime with saltiness and tequila. Underneath that is bouts of woodiness and creaminess. Very summery and bringing up memories of the island life.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Now, while that lime notes is pretty potent at the start, it really isn’t an overwhelming cologne at all. I would say it is light to moderate and you might even want to test spray yourself a few times and see how it reacts.

Maybe then, deciding to apply another spray. I tend to over spray St. Barts, not only to give it a boost, but also because I got a large bottle for so cheap. There’s really no reason for me to skimp on the application.

Longevity is also pretty moderate, but certainly not terrible at all. With heavy sprays I can get 6-7 hours, on my skin. If I go a few sprays, 4-5.

As far as when to wear, this is a casual scent all the way. Summertime or other warm weather. Ideally, outdoors and by the sea. I’d wear it to the gym sometimes, but mostly just on summer days when I was out and about.

Not really one for formal occasions or even much for wear during the remainder of the year. Unless, of course, you live in the tropics.

Overall Impressions of St. Barts

Is this cologne a buy? It’s a summertime fragrance and will appeal to those who really like that summery/beach/island vibe. Look at the notes and if you’re not too crazy about the laid back margarita sort of scent, then this might be a pass for you.

I really do like the lime note here. Yes, it is loud and bold, but that’s a part of the appeal. The tequila note is interesting and is one of the reasons it gets noted as a ‘poor man’s version’ of Creed’s Virgin Island Water, which uses rum instead.

I’ve never personally been to big on that one, but it is an alternative, that many people love.

However, for those who are into this sort of beach island cologne, I would definitely recommend checking this out as a casual summer fragrance.

It’s a fairly inexpensive and versatile choice for the hottest months of the year and really helps set the tropical tone.

As far as the Tommy Bahama scents go, this is probably my second favorite. St. Kitts is still the best of the bunch, if you want to go with a more tropical fruit cologne, without the tequila.

Update: In 2022, it is harder to find a cheap bottle of this stuff, but Tommy Bahama still sells it at full price. A few years ago, you could get it for $20-30. I wouldn’t pay full price for it, but with a discount, it’s worth a shot.

Versace Man Eau Fraiche vs. D&G Light Blue

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For this entry into the head to head men’s cologne match ups, I am going to be comparing two of the most popular fragrances on the market, D&G Light Blue vs. Versace Man Eau Fraiche. These two citrus based scents have become staples in the rotation of many guys around the world, but which one actually smells the best? Which lasts longer? Which is ultimately the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Light Blue vs. Eau Fraiche

Light Blue

Notes include: bergamot, grapefruit, mandarin orange, pepper, oak moss, juniper, musk, rosemary, rosewood, incense

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 6.7 Ounce

My review: Light Blue

Versace Man Eau Fraiche

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

Read my review: Man Eau Fraiche

Opening

Light Blue starts off with a blend of citrus notes from bergamot to grapefruit to mandarin orange. These notes are then joined black pepper and rosemary. It is bright and spicy. A clean and fresh blend.

After about 10 minutes of wear with Light Blue, I do get the incense note coming through more, a touch of smokiness.

Eau Fraiche kicks things off with lemon and bergamot, but adds starfruit, which gives it a very nice and distinct juicy aroma.

It’s a very refreshing and juicy citrus smell without the same level of spiciness of Light Blue. It has some herbal elements, but not the pepper, found in the competitor.

As it moves along, the cardamom and tarragon will become more apparent, before moving into a woodier phase.

Which is better? I really like the great lemon citrus of Versace Man Eau Fraiche, when combined with the starfruit, the opening is super clean and pleasant. I prefer it to the spiciness found in the D&G.

Light Blue has more going on up front, but the Versace just has a better presentation in that opening act.

Edge: Eau Fraiche

Projection

Neither one of these scents have giant silage. They aren’t going to fill up a room and are pretty moderate.

That being said, while they start off pretty much the same, Light Blue is more consistent for longer. Fraiche has a lighter sillage, hours into the wear, versus Light Blue.

Fraiche is just not as heavy of a fragrance, even if Light Blue isn’t all that heavy either.

Edge: Light Blue

Longevity

Light Blue always gets me in the 6-8 hour range of wear, and as I said, it is consistent during that time. It’s really one of its best strengths. That performance is like clockwork.

Eau Fraiche is a 6-7 hour wear, but not more than that, and the sillage is lighter towards the end of the 3-4 hour mark.

Eau Fraiche isn’t a powerhouse or a crazy performer. Either way you measure it, I’ve always gotten better performance out of Light Blue. Not an insane gap between them, though.

Edge: Light Blue

Versatility

These are two very versatile fragrances, as they can hold up well in the heat, are pleasant, and can go casual  or to the office.

They’re both best sellers because they are non-offensive and are great starter fragrances. Neither is a club beast and are more ‘nice smelling’ than sexy. No real separation here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

This can be a tough match up to decide on, as these have a similar profile, and are pretty simple colognes. Light Blue is very good. You can’t really go wrong with buying this fragrance, as it is well liked, and brings a good performance for a citrus based scent.

I like the citrus and spice mix, with the herbal and woody notes in the dry down. It’s fairly linear, but gets the job done.

Versace Man Eau Fraiche has a very enjoyable opening act. The dry down is more full of rosewood and amber, but the citrus hangs around throughout. There is plenty of overlap between these two, but Eau Fraiche feels like a woodier aroma to me.

Personally, I enjoy the overall smell of Eau Fraiche versus Light Blue. Yes, it is also very linear, but I feel that it hits a higher peak than does the D&G.

Light Blue has a bit better performance, but I think Eau Fraiche smells better. I’m going to give the latter, the nod in this match up, but it is really close.

I actually like Light Blue Eau Intense more than either, but between these two, I’d go Versace.

Winner: Eau Fraiche

Uden EDP by Xerjoff

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Uden is a fairly popular fragrance from the Italian luxury brand, Xerjoff. More exactly, its Shooting Stars collection Yet, in many ways I think that it gets overshadowed by other perfumes in the company’s extensive line. I grabbed a few small samples of this fragrance, to try it out and see whether or not it spoke to me. How does it smell? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Uden by Xerjoff Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, grapefruit, rum, sandalwood, rose, vanilla, coffee, guaiac wood and musk

Click here to try: Uden from Saks Fifth Avenue

uden xerjoff review

My Full Review

Before I get into my review, let’s see how Xerjoff describes it: Uden opens to the nose like a surging wave, with sea spray and a bright marine breeze bringing the senses to life. Hitting top notes of zesty lemon and grapefruit, the citrus character of this fougere fragrance travels to a bright heart of rose, sandalwood and rum.

I first wanted to try Uden, due to its comparisons with Chanel’s Allure Home Edition Blanche. I really enjoyed the lemon and vanilla blend in that, so, Uden absolutely had to be on my list.

The comparisons are pretty obvious, early on. But, they will end up in different places, and Uden is the better of the two. The Chanel can too often disappoint with its performance.

The initial blast of lemon and grapefruit is pretty sharp and intense. I know, some folks don’t like lemon colognes, but when done well, it is one of my favorites. This is one of those.

That opening citrus will calm down and the blend will become sweeter, fresher, and spicier. Rum, is the first note to let itself be known, alongside that vanilla creaminess.

Now, rum and citrus isn’t always great together, see: Bvlgari Man in Black Cologne. But, with this Xerjoff, the additional vanilla and coffee bring a sweetness and creaminess to the mix which is just delightful.

That citrus sharpness will calm down dramatically. In the mix, will come the woody notes. Oud and sandalwood. To my nose, the latter is the stronger of the two. Again, I love a good pairing of that with vanilla and the lemon top.

Sweet vanilla, boozy woods is basically the finish with Uden. Really quite beautiful and a pleasure to pick up hints of when the fragrance begins to fade.

Update: In my own bottle, the sandalwood really stands out in the latter stages. A bit different from the sample, but the blend is still magnificent.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty moderate. Initially, you will get some good projection from Uden, but it will sit pretty close to the skin for the rest of the wear. Not a complete best, but with a decent amount of sprays its solid.

Better than Chanel Blanche, anyway.

The longevity is pretty good. Somewhere in the 7-9 hour range, on my skin. It kind of fluctuates in that range, but mainly sticks to the lower end of the spectrum. Which for this price, is kind of a disappointment. 

xerjoff perfume

Seasonally, this is more geared toward autumn or spring, in my opinion. It does have a heaviness that makes it too much for the daytime in summer, but I had good results with it in the evening.

A high level of heat and humidity is something you’d want to avoid with this Xerjoff perfume.

It’s also a unisex fragrance that can realistically be worn by anyone. Probably leans masculine with the rum note, but not really too much in either direction. 

This can be worn in a variety of situations. Maybe avoid really formal outings, if you don’t want that rum note to make it seem like you’ve been drinking.

Overall Impressions of Uden

xerjoff meteorite stars

Do I like this fragrance? It’s one of my personal favorites. So, yeah. Is it for everyone? Probably not.

I love a good vanilla and citrus scent and this is among the best that I’ve encountered. If that’s not your thing, you can pass on Uden. If it sounds somewhat intriguing to you, I’d track down a sample, to see how you enjoy it.

Personally, I think that this is a masterpiece. The smell is just outstanding. It took everything that I liked about the Chanel fragrance and made it better. Plus, it goes in its own direction. The rum and coffee really help to set it apart.

Additionally, it’s not as dry with the vetiver. Much creamier and the citrus notes are great here.

The performance is good. Not elite, but I don’t have too many complaints about it. But, the scent is so delightful to me, that I do with that it kept going on and on.

As of now, I haven’t splurged on a full bottle, but it is definitely on the list of one that I want for my own collection. It’s just pricey. 

Update: I finally bought my full bottle, with the help of some credits and a discount code. As you can see, the presentation from Xerjoff is pretty elaborate and I got my own meteorite pieces, for the Shooting Stars collection.

 

5 Best Sarah Jessica Parker Perfumes

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Sarah Jessica Parker has been a well known actress for decades now. She also happens to have her own line of fragrances for women, which have become quite successful in their own right. These scents are not the expensive design fair that price many people out of the perfume market. SJP’s scents are affordable, wearable, and are quite attractive as a whole.

What are the Top SJP Perfumes?

Best Seller

Lovely– The most popular of the perfumes by Sarah Jessica Parker. It is a mature and moderate scent with notes of musk and apple martini as its main attraction. A great all-around fragrance for everyday wear that is elegant and refined.

It opens up with mostly musk and lavender. This is paired with the apple, mandarin orange, and a nice orchid note. Musk is prevalent throughout, but the patchouli, grows in strength later on. Finally, it’s floral/musky with smooth woods and lavender.

The fragrance is affordable and has good performance, I found it to stick around for 6-7 hours during my testing of it. Does indeed smell similar to Narciso Rodriguez EDP, but a notch below in terms of quality. Lovely Full Review

lovely perfume parker

Fruity Summer Perfume

SJP NYC– Notes of rose, mandarin, honeysuckle, strawberry, rum, and more. SJP NYC is a sweet, fruity, and fun fragrance for those warm days of the year. It is bright, cheerful, and not an overbearing affair. Delicious scent.

NYC starts off with the sweetness pretty strong, for the first hour or so. Strawberry is the main attraction. Then, it will shift to have a more noticeable floral profile, with rum and musky undertones.

The strawberry sticks around, but it isn’t nearly as strong as it once was. Good amount of honeysuckle, which is a plus, if you dig that ingredient.

sjp

Uplifting Lovely

Lovely Sheer– The best of the flanker fragrances from the Lovely perfume lineup. Actually pretty similar to the original, but with its own distinct differences.

Up top, you’re going to get more citrus notes and for a longer lasting time, then with the original Lovely. The apple martini is gone. White floral notes like gardenia and orange blossom are in and to a greater degree.

It has a more energetic feel and the opening is fairly sharp until it settles down. The dry down is clean and musky, but the floral and citrus notes hang around for a long while. Not a massive sillage (sheer), but the longevity is actually great for this price point.

best jessica parker scent

Refreshing Floral Scent

Dawn– Dawn is a very clean floral fragrance with underlying notes of citrus. It’s mostly a soft violet influenced fragrance that is refreshing and crisp. This is a good floral, that is sometimes dewy, and then has a powdery finish.

Underneath the floral and musk notes, this does have a somewhat watery feeling. Orchid and violet leaf, can produce that sort of aroma, in a fragrance.

This is a great subtle daily wear, if you can find a bottle. I think that it’s been discontinued, but bottles, can be picked up online still.

dawn

Woody Gourmand

Covet– Chocolate note with lemon and some florals give Covet a darker and richer mood. The scent has some woodsy notes as well, which help to take the sharpness of the lemon away, and leave something that is smooth and unique.

The opening act can be quite a zesty experience, though, the lavender will prevent it from going too far. But, different people’s skin, will lead to differing effects. The drydown is the highlight of Covet.

This SJP fragrance, becomes creamy and have a luscious almost dessert-like quality. Not super sweet, but the chocolate/lemon pairing with the woods and musk highlights gives you some beautiful moments.

covet