Acqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani

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Since its release in 1997, Acqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani, has enjoyed an immense popularity and success in terms of praise and sales. This cologne is always at the top of the charts in terms of numbers of units sold and enjoys a near universal appeal.  For this post, I want to take a deeper look at this popular Armani fragrance and explore what exactly gives it this appeal.

Note: I have come back to this post, to revamp and really, do an all new review. I have grabbed a sample of the latest batch, that I could get, and tested it out. Reformulations do happen with fragrances over time (although this wasn’t completely different from what I remember of older bottles).

Key Takeaways on Acqua di Gio

  • An absolute classic, that’s continues to be a best seller
  • Breezy citrus aquatic with spice and jasmine highlights
  • Moderate performance with newer batches
  • Easy and approachable daily wear. Great starter fragrance.

What does Acqua di Gio Smell Like?

acqua

Notes include: bergamot, tangerine, neroli, jasmine, rosemary, patchouli, rock rose, hyacinth, persimmon, marine notes

Click here to try: Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

AdG Fully Tested Review

Acqua di Gio opens up with a whole host of citrus notes blended with a slightly salty marine aroma. It’s immediately very fresh and clean, easy to see why it has become an absolute classic. It is a bright scent with a summery disposition and conjures up images of a breezy shoreline.

The citrus is a lime and lemon affair mostly, but with definite bits of tangerine floating around in there. It’s a great smell, that can actually be sour at points, but that’s not a persistent feature.

AdG has always had this undertone of floral notes, I definitely pick up on jasmine being in the opening stages, which is a nice contrast from the juicy citrus and aquatic elements. Though, when you move forward in the dry down, there is neroli and hyacinth also peaking through at times.

I have really been enjoying that opening lime and lemon, especially when it starts to transition, and more of the jasmine comes out. That phase it utterly fantastic.

If all Acqua di Gio offered was some citrus and light floral notes, it would have never been as copied by other perfume manufacturers as it has been in these past 20+ years. No, what I think it is that gives it its strength, is that woody base and the pure aquatic vibe.

These two aspects permeate every part of this cologne, its sort of a water-logged cedar soaked in the citrus juices. Then, add some light musk, and other slightly spicy ingredients to boost the freshness. It never gets bogged down or overly spiced, just super clean and upbeat.

The version that I am using in 2020 for this review, doesn’t seem to have quite the same amount of woodiness, but it is still there. This batch feels quite more marine than I remember the older ones being, but that might be a trick of memory, rather than reformulation. Overall, it is quite like how I remember.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s always had a moderate but solid sillage. It’s an aquatic after all, so it’s not going to be a complete bomb of a scent. You can certainly over-spray and choke out a room, but with normal application, it will be a narrow radius of scent around the wearer.

I get about 6 hours of wear from this sample, maybe closer to 7 during some wears. Again, not amazing but a very solid daily wear.

This is probably one area, where this fragrance has lost a step over the years. The longevity, is still good, but the other AdG scents have a much better performance. The sillage in the later hours is fairly soft, also.

Seasonally, I really like it in the warm weather, but in actuality this can be an all-purpose cologne and that’s what guys have been doing for decades. It’s also kind of become a unisex fragrance, at this point, because many women really enjoy this smell and so don it themselves.

AdG is of course a very versatile cologne that can be worn casually or more formally or out on a date. It’s been a best seller for a reason, people really love this aroma, in general.

It does skew more for younger men, but I think its flanker AdG Profumo, is better for older guys (and better overall).

Nonetheless, it still has a mass appeal and can be safely worn by anybody. There’s a reason, it became a classic.

Overall Impressions of Acqua di Gio

Overall, do I still like Acqua di Gio, all these years later? I have to say that I do. It’s not my favorite cologne, I like Profumo more, and it’s been copied countless times…but it is still a very good scent.

It really set the stage for many colognes that came out from the late-1990s on and is going to be a best seller for many more decades probably. For citrus aquatics, this is still among the best to ever do it, and bottles are certainly easy to come by.

I do enjoy most of the newer AdG offerings more than this. However, the citrus opening and the use of jasmine here is still awesome. That’s what is distinct about it versus the others and experiencing it again, is what made me tear through my samples pretty fast.

This is still a good cologne. There are just other options out there, that smell very similar to this, but are much more affordable. For me, I appreciate this scent, but don’t have much use for it anymore.

That being said, I’ve been seeing Armani put this one sale a whole lot lately. So, maybe some of that value can come into play for those looking to get a bottle. With discount codes, you can get a giant bottle for at a nice price, and I could be swayed to grab one if the mood struck.

Le Jardin de Monsieur Li by Hermes

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I have a ton of reviews to write up and hundreds of other assorted posts coming over the next month or two, so, it’s going to get busy around these parts. Let’s kick off this extravaganza with a unisex perfume review.

Today’s entry we have a 2015 release by Hermes: Le Jardin de Monsieur Li. How does this scent stack up? How does it perform? Is it any good? Please read below for my full take.

What does Le Jardin de Monsieur Li Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, kumquat, sap, mint, grassy notes, watery notes

Click here to try: Hermes Le Jardin De Monsieur Li Eau de Toilette, 3.3 Fluid Ounce

Hermes: Real or imaginary…A garden of awakening and harmony

Full Wear Review

Le Jardin de Monsieur Li opens up with an exceedingly bright and sweet aroma, led by the kumquat note. It’s got a very citrusy scent, that is quite watery, and does indeed remind me of a small garden pond. This fragrance is really peaceful, attractive, and well put together in its simplicity.

At the start, I do get some minty element underneath the watery kumquat, but it never really takes over the composition. Instead, it is a light and cool spice, that dances in the background. At the heart of it all, is the jasmine note, which gives off its usual clean white floral scent.

It’s really super fresh at the start, but, increasingly becomes a floral garden blend as you move along. However, while that kumquat and mint are really big, Le Jardin totally grabs your attention.

Further along in the wear, it feels greener, with some herbal or grassy sort of smells mixed into the scent. The kumquat dies down about 20-30 minutes into the wear and the jasmine becomes more pronounced.

As it dries down, the jasmine will become the main aroma, and I detect only bits of citrus and grass. Even so, it is still a very attractive fragrance, at that point.

Finally, it is a sort of soapy jasmine perfume, with a persistent watery element. I do like how Hermes, managed to capture that walking in a garden on a summer’s day feeling.

It reminds me of trips to the various botanical gardens, I’ve been to, over the years. Upbeat, smooth, but quite a simple and straightforward fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on Le Jardin is pretty light and airy. However, it isn’t really weak. This is one of those perfumes you won’t notice that you are wearing at times, and then, suddenly catch a whiff of. Others will notice it too, it’s just not one that will take over a room.

Longevity is in the 4-6 hour range depending on the day, not that amazing, but still useful. I think this is all by design, though. It is supposed to evoke memories, create an experience, that you’re unsure of if it is real or isn’t.

But, even with that being the case, I do wish that you could squeeze a few more hours out of the wear. 4-6 isn’t bad for a warmer weather fragrance, but it isn’t great either.

Seasonally, this one is spring and summer, totally. This is listed as a unisex fragrance, but it does lean more towards the feminine end of the spectrum.

Though, it is still completely wearable for men, I had no problems with smelling too ‘girly’ while wearing this Hermes. A green garden aroma, with jasmine and mint, is pretty much right down the middle.

Le Jardin is good for casual or dressed up daytime wear and I wouldn’t be opposed to wearing it for an evening out. It is attractive and quite pleasing to be around, not really sexy, but something people will definitely enjoy smelling.

I would wear this more during the day casually, versus formally in the evening, or to a bar or wherever. Point blank, probably not going to be a signature perfume for most people, but one that could for sure have a spot in a fragrance rotation.

Overall Impressions of Le Jardin de Monsieur Li

Overall, do I enjoy Le Jardin de Monsieur Li? Yes, it is a very elegant and simple scent. This Hermes fragrance is put together beautifully with the kumquat, jasmine, and green elements. I really do like the opening 20 minutes, a whole lot. I think that the kumquat and light mint are utterly superb.

There isn’t much development or complexity, but it really doesn’t matter here, at all. It is all that it needs to be in order to be successful with the mood that it is trying to accomplish.

A moment in time, in a meditative garden? Sounds about right. Too many of these garden scents go the overly floral route, to where it is simply too much. Others will go hyper green and smell like a collection of watery stems. Hermes went the simple route and it paid off.

This is a perfume that is designed to create an impression and experience. Sort of a ‘concept’ fragrance. I think that its really great in that aspect. I do enjoy the overall experience, but more so the beginning.

Most of this line of fragrances from Hermes are really good. This one ranks right near the top, in my opinion.

It’s one from the series that you should definitely try. Though, admittedly, it won’t appeal to everyone. Probably wouldn’t be something you’d completely hate, but might not find enticing enough.

The pricing here in 2024, has gotten pretty high for what this perfume is. So, if you want to buy, try to get it from a discounter to save some cash.

7 Best Baby Powder Scented Perfumes for Her

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Baby powder is an aroma that most of us are familiar with and have had memories of, since our earlies stages of development. That soft and delicate scent, almost instantaneously brings about thoughts of being clean. As such, that style of smell, is pretty popular in the fragrance world. It’s not super dominant or anything, but happens often enough to be its own niche.

In this post, I am going to give seven options, for perfumes that are scented like baby powder. I have already done the men’s list, so, check that out too for more options (that aren’t overly masculine).

What are the Best Ladies Perfumes that Smell like Baby Powder?

Classic Kenzo Powder

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.

Prada Iris

Prada Milano Infusion D’Iris Eau de parfum Spray Women by Prada, 3.4 Ounce– Less of a heavy powdery iris note here, but one that is very clean, fresh, with lovely citrus notes in support. The iris being kept in check somewhat, actually works to this fragrances advantage.

Orange flower, mandarin, neroli, and cedar come together to create a beautiful Prada fragrance with a soapy/powdery sort of dry down. Infusion D’Iris is woody and green to go along with the iris note, which create a soft ,and airy gem of a perfume.

Coming back to this one again recently, it really comes across as being dry and a freshly clean sensation. The iris and cedar note in the final stages is utterly wonderful.

Sweet Gourmand Powder

EAU DE CHARLOTTE Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Eau de Charlotte is a wonderfully unique yet simple blend of floral notes, vanilla, and cacao. You get a strong mimosa in the start of the perfume, then the floral aroma shifts more to lily of the valley.

Even the cacao note, gives Eau de Charlotte a drier quality versus a creamier refined chocolate sort of smell. It does give a slight variation to what we’re going for but still close by.

Meanwhile, the clean and sweet undertones, create a powdery and ever so slight gourmand scent. This one is light with decent performance and a cheerful disposition. Not an exact replica of baby powder, but an interesting take, nonetheless.

Guerlain Baby Powder and Cream

Shalimar Eau De Toilette Spray for Women by Guerlain, 3 Ounce– The EDT version of Shalimar goes much more in the baby powder direction, than does the EDP. The opening features a nice citrus top, provided by bergamot, before the other notes fully emerge. In this one you get: iris, tonka bean, and vanilla.

Obviously, that iris is going to give you a powdery finish, while the tonka and vanilla bring that creamy sweetness. The citrus note, sets this one apart, and give Shalimar EDT a nice distinction from the rest of the lot. Shalimar is refined, classic, and mature without being stale.

The opening has a dynamic feeling to it, with the citrus and a greater influence of the other floral notes. Actually, some earthiness is present early on. Not a lot, but detectable. The dry down softens and becomes more weighted towards powdery and vanilla touches.

Donna Karan Clean Fragrance

Cashmere Mist By Donna Karan For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4-Ounces– Suede, vanilla, and sandalwood come together to create a powdery sort of aroma. Later, Cashmere Mist becomes a bit muskier, but the EDP has less of that than the other versions.

It is fresh and clean, with an amber and sandalwood dry down. The jasmine/sandalwood, gives it a somewhat soapy quality, but it’s more of a powder overall.

Very soft and cozy wear. The undertones are floral and woody versus anything coming across as sweet. Clean, powdered, and comfortable with a nice performance level.

Floral Make-Up Bag and Baby Powder

Paris By Yves Saint Laurent For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Oz.– A classic from YSL named after the city and provides a wonderful floral experience with very powdery qualities. Now, this one kind of mixes that lipstick/makeup bag sort of powder with a more traditional baby powder, probably leaning more towards the former.

However,  the rose, mimosa, and heliotrope notes ebb and flow in terms of power and can definitely change how this comes across. This used to be a heavier powdery fragrance, it’s still there but not to the same extent, from the last time I checked in.

Paris does have an old school feeling, but I’ve always found it to be a charming perfume.

paris

A One Note Perfume

Demeter by Demeter Baby Powder Cologne Spray 4 oz– Demeter is a brand that sells perfumes, specifically designed to smell like a specific note or product. The results can be hit or miss, but this one, definitely captures that baby powder aroma to a tee.

It is essentially that fresh and slightly sweet aroma in a spray perfume form.

You can get a bottle for $20-30, but don’t expect much in the way of development, or insane performance. However, if you want just a pure capture of that scent in perfume form, this is it.

Best Les Eaux de Chanel Fragrances

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Chanel released its line of perfumes under the Les Eaux de Chanel banner starting a few years ago. There are currently five fragrances with the designation and I grabbed samples of them a few months ago.

Since then, I’ve tested out these scents, and wanted to create a post ranking them. The following is my current standings and I’ll update this page if I change my mind or any new releases are brought to market in the future.

What are the Top Les Eaux de Chanel Perfumes?

The Best

Paris-Venise by Chanel– Paris-Venise is my pick for the best of this Chanel line. My number two pick was a close challenger, but I think Venise pretty easily surpasses the other options.

Venise features notes of neroli, vanilla, and tonka bean. It kicks off with a great citrus accord, ylang-ylang, and a powdery mix of iris and violet. It’s fresh, unique, and a dynamic summertime wear.

The citrus, iris, and ylang-ylang (plus other floral notes) are most prominent in the opening act. Then, as it settles, you get the softer sweet and creamy notes coming through. With enough of the iris/violet combination to make it interesting. Paris-Venise is a very beautiful fragrance.

Lime and Basil Wonder

Paris-Deauville by Chanel– Deauville secured the number two spot without much trouble. After testing each of these perfumes, I kept coming back to this gem, time and time again.

Lime, lemon, and mandarin orange start things off here. But, it’s not a purely citrus fragrance, as there is also a prominent basil note and an overall green aroma in Paris-Deauville. The main notes are lime, basil, and patchouli.

That’s the trio for most of the wear. There is a floral aspect to this with a bit of rose and jasmine, but they really aren’t that major in the mix.

I get about 7 hours of wear on my skin. Deauville is a pretty simple scent, that’ll be a spring and summer wear, but it’s a really great use of lime. Read my full review

Green Gin Forest

Paris – Édimbourg– Paris–Édimbourg is the next in line and the top Eaux des Chanel for men. The others on the list, outside of Biarritz maybe, are pretty darn feminine.

This one is also the most unique. With this we go green and really fresh with notes of juniper and cypress, producing a gin-like aroma. It’s bright and woodsy, with the vetiver playing a larger role in the latter stages.

Vanilla adds a light creamy and sweet touch to the fragrance and helps to keep it more in the unisex camp. If you don’t want to go with a citrus or citrus/floral wear from this line for the summer, check out this, because it could be your number one pick. Paris-Edimbourg Review

Zesty Neroli

Paris-Riviera by Chanel– Riviera could easily be in the third spot, but I ultimately decided that I liked the unique aspect of Edimbourg more.

Paris-Riviera is a citrus floral perfume, with top notes of orange, neroli, and petitgrain. I recognize that Chanel orange note immediately and the neroli reminds me of the various Tom Ford summertime perfumes.

Riviera is quite zesty and uplifting in the early stages with a slight fresh spiciness to it. As it wears on, this Chanel will become more about the floral notes. Jasmine will eventually overtake the neroli, but it is a pretty even split.

The tail end becomes muskier with a late kick from the sandalwood note to add a further dryness to the mix. While I like Biarritz listed below, Riviera is better and lasts longer, so it’ll get the number four spot.

Hyper-Citrus Aquatic

Paris-Biarritz– Paris-Biarritz starts off with a powerful blast of cold citrus notes. Here it is going to be grapefruit and mandarin orange, according to Chanel. However, there is also very clearly a lemon note in here and it’s actually the strongest at the beginning.

Underneath that, what I think may throw some folks off, is the aquatic note in here. There is an oceanic aroma, not super strong, but it’s there and gives this a different feel. Lily of the valley and vetiver are present in the dry down.

I’m giving this one the bottom spot, even if it’s not a bad fragrance. Actually, I like it quite a bit. However, there are better options on this list that have a similar style and other Chanel fragrance that are also close to this.

Paris-Biarritz does have that awesome ice cold citrus and aquatic aroma that I like. Ultimately, the performance isn’t good enough and it doesn’t do anything better than the others on the list. Really, the 3 to 5 spots could be up for grabs, but this is how I’ve landed after using each for a while.

Guilty Love Edition Pour Homme by Gucci

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Guilty is a line that is continually having new fragrances brought out under its banner. 2020 saw the release of the first Love Editions, which were followed up in 2021. For this review, I am taking a closer look at Guilty Love Edition Pour Homme (2020). I hadn’t tried it out last year and wanted to see what it was all about. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a buy?

What does Guilty Love Edition Pour Homme Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin orange, kumquat, ginger, lavender, rosemary, geranium, pink pepper, vetiver, patchouli, benzoin

Click here to try: Gucci Guilty Love Edition by Gucci Eau De Toilette Spray 3 oz Men

My Full Review

Guilty Love Edition opens up with a fresh blast of kumquat and mandarin orange. This is sitting on top of a mix of ginger, rosemary, and pink pepper. The ginger has a short run at the top, but the rosemary will become a more dominant force.

The citrus, floral, and spiciness is pretty reminiscent of a fragrance like Acqua di Gio. That’s the style of cologne to expect here, but this Gucci isn’t really an exact match.

The citrus is bright, but not all that juicy. In fact, this comes across as a pretty dry fragrance. The mandarin does have the edge, in terms of strength over the kumquat.

Once that initial opening burns off, we enter a more floral/woodsy phase. The stars here will be: geranium, lavender, and vetiver. Rosemary sticks around and fully overtakes the pink pepper and faded ginger note.

Guilty Love now has a soapier quality to it versus that initial citrus blast. The lavender is the center point, though, it doesn’t completely overpower the other notes. Guilty Love Pour Homme has more balance.

The geranium and vetiver give it a cold and dry aroma. Then, there is the remaining herbal notes floating around. The patchouli is noticeable at this point, giving this an earthier kick to finish. It’s not too complicated of a cologne.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is a light to moderate fragrance. You do have to go pretty heavy on the sprays for it to have very much ability to project. Even then, it’s not going to be for all that long. Performance is definitely the weak spot of Guilty Love.

In terms of longevity, I can get up to six hours of wear. It’s more of a range of 4-6 hours. Again, not great, but I’ve got other workhorses in my collection for it to be too much of an issue personally.

However, this wouldn’t be my go to cologne, if I were looking for one scent to be my go to.

Seasonally, it’s mostly a spring and summertime wear. I’ve been wearing Guilty Love Edition here in the autumn and it works well. So long as it’s not too cold, this is a decent option.

This Gucci flanker is mostly or casual wear. It is clean enough to be worn semi-formally and light enough that it isn’t ever going to offend. The cleanliness and freshness do allow it to have more use cases versus something completely niche.

While it’s called Love Edition, that doesn’t seem to have any real bearing on its actual presentation. It’s not a particularly sexy fragrance, even among its peers in the series.

 

Overall Impressions of Guilty Love Edition

Overall, do I like Guilty Love Edition Pour Homme? I do. I bought a full bottle in my last fragrance order, so, it definitely appeals to me.

That being said, this didn’t seem to be all that popular of a cologne in 2020. I just really enjoy the opening act and how it emanates from my skin. Mandarin and kumquat together are great. I love ginger as a note and the dry fougere base notes give it some more refinement.

I had the sample of this Guilty along with the EDP version and kept coming back to this versus that one. Both of them have spices and floral notes, but I think the pairing simply works better here.

Is it the greatest ever? Nope. The longevity is pretty mediocre also. The 2020 version of Guilty Love Edition is upbeat and enjoyable to wear. It requires lots of sprays and I’ll go through the bottle fast, but it’s worth it.

At full price? Probably going to be a pass for most guys. At a discount? Give it a shot or at least get a sample to see if it vibes with you.

Update (2024): It’s been out of production for a while now and definitely left the scene without making too much of an impact. I finished my bottle, mostly using at as a chill summertime scent or something light that I might wear to the gym.

If you can find a bottle for cheap, it can fit that sort of casual role well. I wouldn’t go out of my way to obtain a new bottle, but it’s a fragrance that I got some enjoyment out of wearing for a while.