Spicebomb Infrared EDT by Viktor & Rolf

by

Spicebomb is a series of colognes, for which I have generally positive opinion on. The more recent Night Vision entries weren’t that great and were a step down from the original and Spicebomb Extreme.

As such, I wasn’t all that curious about trying Infrared, lest it be another mediocre fragrance. Eventually, I grabbed a sample of the stuff to test it out and review it for the site. How does it smell? Does it perform well? Is it even worth a try?

Spicebomb Infrared EDT Overview

Notes include: red berries, tobacco, habanero, cinnamon, saffron

Buy from Macy’s: Spicebomb Infrared EDT

My Full Review

Infrared kicks off with its hottest notes coming through in a big way. But also, the sweetness of the red berry oil leading the way and giving the Spicebomb formulation a different aroma.

The cinnamon is the dominant spice here and early on it is joined by that habanero pepper which really ramps things up. Infrared is intense, but never heavy-handed with how it comes across.

It’s always got it its warmth coming through but the spiciness also has a very fresh aspect, that is great.

Underneath that initial blast is the saffron note, which will take over for the red pepper accord. The cinnamon sticks around, but it is joined by that saffron note for a while. Also, benzoin appears to be in the mix, but comes across more like a pure amber to my nose.

After that phase, it will mostly be about the cinnamon and tobacco. The fruity sweetness of the berries hangs around for the entirety, but you get closer to the familiar Spicebomb DNA for the rest of the wear.

The saffron is probably the fourth most prominent note, but the habanero heat from early on has disappeared from the blend.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Infrared starts off with a pretty strong sillage. It is powerful and will project itself nicely. However, it settles into much more of a moderate scent overall. It’ll hit that 4-6 foot range for a good portion of the wear, before coming closer to the skin.

Not a monster and not a weak fragrance.

I get about 6-7 hours of wear on my skin with Infrared. It’s about what I get from other entries in the Spicebomb series, outside of Extreme, which goes on forever. For an EDT fragrance, it’s pretty darn good. Though, it could be better.

I’m not disappointed that much in the performance, since I get plenty of use out of it within that time frame. Just know what to expect, before purchasing.

Seasonally, it is best for autumn and winter. The colder temperatures will really let Infrared shine. However, I wore it on a day where the temperature was around 75 degrees Fahrenheit and actually was really great.

It was outdoors with a breeze and that is what sold me on getting a full bottle of Spicebomb Infrared.

This one is best used casually or for the nightlife. It does lean younger in its target demographic, but anyone could wear this really, just don’t expect some super formal cologne. That’s not what Infrared is.

It does have mass appeal and a level of sexiness to it. Gourmand, warm, attractive, with a masculine tobacco note.

Overall Impressions of Infrared

Overall, do I like Spicebomb Infrared? Yes, it has become my second favorite entry from the Spicebomb lineup. Extreme is better in terms of smell. Though, since it’s better for colder weather and the climate around me doesn’t get there too often, I purchased this one.

This versus Spicebomb EDT is a close call. I think the original used to be better and be a better performer, but it’s lost a step.

The opening act is really awesome. I love the red berries, habanero, and cinnamon spice. It’s very warm, spicy, and sweet. This stage completely sells you on the ‘red’ color chosen for the marketing of this fragrance.

The dry down gives me more of the traditional Spicebomb aromas, but Infrared still does it’s own thing. Still sweet, with the cinnamon and tobacco notes really coming through to the end. Fresh, not too harsh, with a softer spice than encountered in the opening.

The performance is good enough. Not great, but not poor, either.

Overall, I like this one a lot. I mean, I bought a full bottle shortly after trying the sample for the first time. It’s not my favorite scent ever or anything, just one that I enjoy wearing and want to experience this autumn and upcoming winter.

5 Best Smelling Montblanc Perfumes for Women

by

Montblanc has a line of very popular men’s fragrances, but it doesn’t stop there, and also has a lineup of ladies perfumes. Although, there are definitely more male colognes offered from this brand.

Nonetheless, I wanted to present a list of the five best scents that have been released by Montblanc, who once again show that they can do a lot more than just produce fancy pens.

Note: there haven’t been too many new perfumes from this line, over the past few years. So, some of these may be tougher to find.

What are the Top Ladies’ Perfumes by Mont Blanc?

Woody Fresh 

Mōntblanc Presence D’uné Fémme Perfume for Women Eau de Toilette 2.5 fl.oz– A citrus note opens along with a spicy pepper and woody undertones, to create something fresh and fairly unique in the women’s fragrance space.

The woody notes add a smooth and well-blended base to the rest of the perfume, which morphs into something sweeter with vanilla coming through later on. It’s a dry scent with a crisp aroma and moderate sillage.

Rosewood and mahogany are quite strong for a time, but the dry down features a good bit of sandalwood. For much of the wear, it will feel citrusy and woody, and fairly unisex. The vanilla portion of the wear is more feminine.

Most Popular Montblanc for Her

MontBlanc Lady Emblėm for Women Perfumė 2.5 fl. oz Eau de Parfum– A very nice rose based scent with fruity undertones that includes citrus. Lady Emblem has a bit of a sweet/sour fruit blend on top of the rose note, which allows it to be upbeat and cheerful.

During the dry down, it becomes more musky and woody, but they really remain background players.

It’s a clean grapefruit and pomegranate opening, giving it a sparkling quality in the early stages after spraying. It has its moments of sweetness, but overall Lady Emblem smells floral and fresh. Decent but not amazing performance. Quite versatile, as well.

Best Winter Fragrance

Montblànc Femmė de Montblànc for Women 1.7 oz Eau de Toilette– A sweet and sour gourmand type of fragrance with cinnamon spice, chocolate, and pineapple to give Femme de Montblanc that little zing.

It is a fresh scent that takes on more of a patchouli based aroma as it moves forward. Ultimately, pretty sweet and spicy, with solid longevity for colder weather. Good gourmand, that isn’t overwhelming but does come across as being nice and cozy.

Cinnamon and patchouli are the big players, in the end stages, with sort of a vague sweetness from the remnants of the opening pineapple and chocolate.

Top Newer Release

Montblanc Signature for Her– This one seemed to totally fly under the radar since its release last year. I mean, I only recently found out about Signature, which is a shame because it is a great fragrance from the brand.

I think the reason is because it only seems to be available from a few outlets, mainly Nordstrom’s (linked above). It’s not even an option from Montblanc’s own website.

Anyway, this one features notes like clementine, white musk, and vanilla. Add to that, it’s floral notes of ylang-ylang and peony.

The opening is bright and juicy with the clementine citrus note having its time to shine. Although, you definitely pick up on that overall creaminess of the perfume, pretty much right away. Vanilla and a milky coconut.

It isn’t an overbearingly sweet or creamy aroma, that’s built for the winter months. It’s clean, also a bit powdery at times, and hangs softly in the warm air of spring/summer. The dry down is more musky clean than creamy, to my nose. Really easy to wear.

Woodsy/Floral

MONTBLANC Femme Individuelle Eau de Toilette, 2.5 fl. oz.– Pink pepper and rose are the main highlights. It’s sweet but very soft and has a gentle spice provided by that pink pepper note.

Femme Individuelle has a nice vanilla note that adds a creaminess and then starts to dry down into something with more of a woodsy/floral personality. This is a different ladies’ scent, versus much of the mainstream favorites, but that makes it so much more appealing.

The performance and versatility is a highlight. It’s familiar while having its own unique qualities, but can be worn as a daily scent, and will keep up for the duration of a work day.

Paris-Deauville by Chanel

by

The Les Eaux de Chanel line is a more recent endeavor for the brand. The name’s of each fragrance starts with Paris and ends with another destination in France. I have gotten ahold of samples of each of the released scents so far and will be posting up my full reviews of them. Today, I am going to cover one of my favorites of the bunch, Paris-Deauville. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a buy?

What does Paris-Deauville Smell Like?

Notes include: lime, mandarin orange, lemon, basil, petitgrain, jasmine, patchouli, and rose

Click here to try: Paris-Deauville from Chanel

My Full Review

Here’s how Chanel describes it: Inspired by the country landscape along the Normandy coast, PARIS-DEAUVILLE Eau de Toilette is a lively, aromatic scent with a radiant freshness—the fragrance of the open air.

Paris-Deauville opens up with a delicious burst of its citrus notes. The main ones are going to be lime and mandarin orange. There is also so lemon. The orange note is very familiar, since it’s the same orange from Coco Mademoiselle.

Basil adds a great fresh spiciness to the blend. The citrus and green aroma is very attractive and bright for the summer months.

It all sits on top of a generally green and slightly floral mix in the base. It’s all very fresh and bright. Quite unisex.

Basil and lime are the main attractions for most of the wear. The other citrus notes play a supporting part. As it dries down, you do get a bit of jasmine and rose, but not much. Patchouli is the third strongest and really works well with the other two.

However, Deauville doesn’t develop all that much as a fragrance. You’ll get most of what you’re going to get early on in the wear. The good news, is that it is a very nice perfume and enjoyable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here ranges from light to the upper edge of moderate, in the early stages. The boldness of the citrus and basil notes can pack a bit of a punch initially. However, that will calm down and Paris-Deauville becomes more of a classic summertime wear.

The performance here is overall solid for this type of scent. A lot of citrus based perfumes like this can disappear in a few hours. This Chanel will hang around on my skin for up to 7 hours. Usually, it’ll hit six without issue, and that last hour is up for grabs.

Seasonally, mainly going to be the summer. But, late spring will be plenty doable for many of us. It’s not overly formal, but when it’s warmer you could wear Deauville casually to semi-formal. It’s more of a daytime fragrance than a nightlife powerhouse.

Very unisex, maybe leaning a bit more feminine. I really had no problems wearing this one, as a man.

Overall Impressions of Paris-Deauville

Do I like this scent? Yes, to me, it is the second best of the Les Eaux de Chanel lineup. Probably the best, as a unisex fragrance. Paris-Venise is more feminine, but I think better as a whole.

I love a good use of lime in a perfume. There have been some, but they usually have poor performance. Chanel has solved this, with its use of strong basil and patchouli. Paris-Deauville does have a slight Coco Mademoiselle quality to it with the mandarin and patchouli, also.

It’s not too complicated of a fragrance. Though, I find it really enjoyable and one with a rather unique profile. The citrus and greenish aroma. Very fresh, cold, with enough of a floral contingent but not anything that overwhelms the composition.

Sure, it will have a limited use case for most folks, being only the spring and summer. Though, within that timeframe, one could get plenty of enjoyment out wearing Deauville.

I like this fragrance. It’s definitely a Chanel that you should at least try and one that I think will have plenty of appeal for most folks.

The Scent Private Accord by Hugo Boss

by

The Scent from Hugo Boss spun off a ton of flankers in a pretty short amount of time. Overall, the lineup was good, with some that were even better. Private Accord was brought out in 2018, to give a new interpretation of the maninka fruit-based The Scent DNA. What does this entry smell like? How long does it last? Is it even worth a try?

What does The Scent Private Accord Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, maninka fruit, mocha, cocoa absolute, pepper, bergamot, patchouli, woods

Click here to try: BOSS The Scent Private Accord for Him, 3.3 Fl Oz 

My Full Review

Private Accord kicks things off with an immediate impact from the cacao note. It is very strong from the start and joined by the fresh spice of ginger. Ginger is one of my favorite spicy notes, so, I think the opening here is sort of awesome.

Underneath that is a further spiciness supplied by a dash of pepper. Along with, the usual fruitiness of this series, maninka fruit. However, in this one, you get some pineapple to go along with it.

I will say, that the maninka and fruitiness as a whole, is toned down in The Scent Private Accord when compared to the others.

Once it has settled somewhat, the spiciness subsides. Cacao will at first be joined by a coffee note. Think more 75% cacao, 25% coffee. Then, the coffee will mostly be replace by vanilla, with the gourmand aroma being held together by a nice patchouli note.

 The dry down is probably my least favorite part of this fragrance. It becomes much drier with a powdery cacao smell. It’s a sweet and dry cologne, pretty distant from that early great freshness of spices and fruits.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Private Accord has good sillage. It will project itself around 6-8 feet from the wearer, at it’s peak. Strong, but ultimately hits the upper end of moderate for much of its wear. From then on, it will still have a nice scent bubble, but not permeate the room.

I get just over 8 hours of wear with Private Accord. It isn’t an elite scent, in this regard, but much better than some of the others in this series from Hugo Boss. I really had no issue with the performance from this one. 

So, if you like the smell, you’ll at least get your money’s worth out of it.

Seasonally, stick to the autumn and winter. This is very much a colder weather wear and would kind of get gross in the heat. That sweet, spicy, warmth isn’t exactly built for the summer.

This one also skews toward younger guys. The chocolate and vanilla combination dominates, once the initial ginger spice burns off. Not strictly a teenager’s scent or anything, but Private Accord isn’t something formal.

It’s good casually or for the nightlife. Would for sure, want to wear this Hugo Boss out for an evening on the town versus whatever during the daytime. 

 

 

Overall Impression of Private Accord

Overall, do I like this Hugo Boss scent? I think it’s a nice smelling fragrance overall. It does get a little too heavy on the cacao and vanilla, in the latter stages. That part isn’t bad, but it’s a noticeable step down.

The early stages with the ginger, pepper, and maninka fruit are worthwhile and ranks among the best in the series. There isn’t too much development, but the sweet powdery quality isn’t amazing to me.

I prefer The Scent Absolute from this series. Actually, I liked the original better also, it just had terrible performance. Private Accord at least has solid performance going for it, with a nice smell.

That being said, Private Accord is an above average to very good cologne. It might not be for everyone, as you’re going to have to really be into dry chocolatey gourmands. Not super sugary, but more of a warm powder.

Update: Here in 2024, it appears that Private Accord got discontinued at some point. Not surprising, since this fragrance came out in 2018, and Boss is still releasing other flankers in ‘The Scent’ line.

As of now, it looks like you can still purchase bottles at a reasonable price from third party sites. Still wouldn’t be my first pick in the series, but you could do a lot worse for $60 than picking up a bottle of Private Accord.

Rose des Vents by Louis Vuitton

by

Louis Vuitton has been putting out a ton of new fragrances over the past five years or so. Over the past months, I’ve been working my way through most of them with testing and full reviews. Rose des Vents was released by the luxury brand in 2016. The rose in the name should tell you what it’s all about, but how does it smell? Perform? Is it worth a try?

What does Rose des Vents Smell Like?

Notes include: Centifolia rose absolute, Turkish rose, Bulgarian rose, cedar, Italian iris, pepper, peach, black currant

My Full Review

Before I jump into my thoughts on this fragrance, let’s see how Louis Vuitton describes it:  An olfactory guide, Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud transports us to the middle of a field of roses in Grasse. Buffeted by the wind, this singular flower seems to breathe. Sleek and stately thanks to iris and cedar, this perfume takes on glazed accents as it comes into contact with pepper. Gradually, the composition becomes as delicate as the skin of a velvety fruit.

Rose des Vents starts off with its roses taking center stage. It’s familiar, a well done rose that smells quite nice. This is joined by a fresh spiciness and greenish aroma that sitting underneath the top petals.

The fresh spice is from the pepper note. It doesn’t stay around for the entire wear, but it plays a fairly prominent role in the beginning.

There are some fruity notes in here, peach and black currant. However, this leans heavily to the rose floral side of things. The fruits add a sheer juiciness to the underlying composition, but the actual weighting of these notes is pretty small.

While the roses dominate things, the perfume does have a delightful sweetness and fresh exuberance about it.

The overall composition isn’t too complicated. The dry down sees more of that rosy/green combination of the top. There is a light powdery aroma from the iris note and it’s all sitting on top of a fresh woody cedar.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage of Rose des Vents starts out strong. During testing, it was capable of projecting itself pretty far from where it was applied. It’s not a monster fragrance, but the start is very noticeable.

This Louis Vuitton dries down into a moderate perfume. You’ll know it’s there, but it isn’t constantly grabbing attention.

On my skin, I got 8-9.5 hours of wear before it finally faded for good. The performance isn’t incredible by any means, but it does its job well.

Seasonally, this is a lighter rose scent that is best in the spring and summer months. Moderate to warmer temperatures is wear it’ll shine. Though, year round wear is certainly possible for some folks.

Rose des Vents is a very versatile fragrance. It’s not a super sexy night life wear, but it can go casual, semi-formal, to work, etc. I wouldn’t worry too much about getting use out of this one, it’ll be fine in plenty of scenarios.

Overall Impressions of Rose des Vents

Overall, do I like Rose des Vents? I like the smell. I don’t think it’s an amazing perfume, but it’s certainly above average. It’s definitely a scent for lovers of rose as a note. If that describes you, this Vuitton scent is worth a try at least, and one you’ll probably appreciate .

I think the opening with the rose and pepper spice is interesting and attractive. The greenish aroma isn’t great, but it doesn’t diminish my enjoyment too much.

The sheer quality of the fruits doesn’t allow this to get too overwhelming, but I might have liked some extra strength from them. The sweetness is an aspect of Rose des Vents, which I found appealing.

The performance is also solid for what this is.

Rose des Vents isn’t a fragrance that I think that you can particularly go wrong with. Nothing about it is bad or subpar. Is it worth the money? Well, Louis Vuitton says it’s currently their best seller. So, I guess plenty of people dig it. It’s a pretty safe buy at least and probably won’t offend anyone.