Libre EDP by YSL

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Libre has become a pretty popular release for YSL. The original EDP (which I am reviewing here) was released in 2019 and has spawned two other flanker fragrances since then. I picked up a few samples of the eau de parfum and Intense a few months ago and have tested each over the ensuing time period. How does Libre smell? Is it long lasting? Is it even worth a try?

What does YSL Libre Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, white musks, orange flower, vanilla, orchid

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau De Parfum Spray for Women 90ml/3oz, clear

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how YSL describes Libre: The first floral lavender for a singular trail like a breath of freedom. The iconic orange blossom flower from Morocco, a luminous and sensual white flower, twisted by the lavender from France, an ambiguous flower often considered as masculine, bringing boldness, freshness and texture. 

The opening of Libre EDP gives me a strong burst of the orange blossom, with some additional citrus juice for good measure. The lavender is there, but it actually takes a back seat to the other floral note at first.

It’s a clean aroma, soapy, a bit musky, with a touch of vanilla creaminess. I will say, while this does have vanilla/citrus in it, this isn’t going to be a sweet perfume. In fact, the opening can be somewhat bitter versus what you might expect. 

As it moves along, the lavender really starts to take over to my nose. The orange blossom loses some steam, it becomes less musky, and the other floral notes all play off of the lavender. 

The vanilla is never too strong on my skin, but it does take the place of much of the muskiness during the dry down. That’s basically all I get from this perfume. Simple. Lavender and orange blossom, with some vanilla, musk, and orchid in descending strength. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, I’d put Libre on the upper end of the moderate range at least. It’s not overwhelmingly powerful but it is borderline strong and has a nice ability to project itself throughout the wear. Libre EDP is pretty consistent as well. The perfume doesn’t just weaken completely an hour in.

So, if you enjoy it, you will get your money’s worth in terms of performance.

The fragrance itself lasts for 8-9 hours. That’s on my skin, which is usually pretty good at holding most scents. The performance is darn good, and again, not something that will disappoint. However, it doesn’t ever quite reach that elite status of double digit hour or all-day wears. 

Seasonally, Libre EDP can fit in, nearly year round. I would skip wearing it on the hottest and most humid days of summer, but outside of that this is a scent that can do well.

 

 

The EDP version is more of a daytime fragrance that can venture into evening wear. While Intense, is more of the nighttime version. Libre EDP is a good daily wear option for those who want a nice lavender blend to wear.

I’d go easy on the sprays, if you’re working in a enclosed space, however. As far as its uses, I wouldn’t call this a sexy fragrance, and it isn’t super seductive. So, skip Libre on a date night or evening out, when you want attention. 

Use it when you want a lavender, soapy, clean sort of perfume. It’s close to being unisex, as well. But, appropriate for a wide age range.

Overall Impressions of Libre EDP

Overall, do I like YSL Libre? It’s nice for what it is. I’m not enthralled with the fragrance, but I enjoy it somewhat. Libre EDP isn’t super complicated, though, it is a pleasant experience as a whole.

This is the more floral version from this line of scents. So, if you want a good lavender and orange blossom led perfume, this is one that you should check out. Soapy clean and versatile with a bold performance, there’s nothing here that is terrible. 

The opening act isn’t my favorite, but I do enjoy the dry down more so, once the orange flower is out of the way. Which is strange, since I generally like that note more than just straight lavender. I think the vanilla and the fading of the musks, makes the latter stages better. 

All in all, Libre is a fine entry from YSL. Their probably going to milk this name for years and Intense is already a better option, in my opinion. Libre EDP, is a nice base to start from, and at least worth a try if you’re interested. 

Polo Cologne Intense by Ralph Lauren

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Polo Cologne Intense EDP is a 2021 release from Ralph Lauren that is a modern flanker to the classic original Polo, which dates back to the 1970s. It seems weird to finally put out a flanker, over 40 years after the fact, but whatever. I recently got ahold of a sample of this scent and have been testing it out. How does it smell? How long does it last? When should it be worn?

What does Polo Cologne Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, mint, basil, sage, patchouli, vetiver

My Full Review

Polo Cologne Intense opens up with a fresh blast of citrus and mint. The grapefruit is bright and cold, with additional mint, and the ever-growing presence of basil. On me, I get more mint at first, and then the basil becomes more prominent.

It’s got a very fresh, green/herbal sort of profile. The basil takes over and it simply has a minty edge from there on, until you get to the dry down.

The next phase has sage and violet leaf, joining the basil which gives Cologne Intense even more of that herbal greenish profile. The basil doesn’t stick out as much to me and the entire thing seems more blended together and it’s harder to distinguish between the individual notes.

The final dry down is actually pretty earthy and dry. The green fresh spice is still there somewhat, but I mostly get the remnants of the violet leaf, patchouli, and vetiver. This is where it feels most like the original to me, but it’s still a fractional overlapping. You get some of Polo, just perhaps not as much as some might like.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one will project 4-7 feet from the skin. It’s not a complete bomb, pretty moderate, but I found it to be consistent and didn’t just quickly turn into a skin scent. I really don’t have any complaints, as I wouldn’t want this one to be a total monster.

The longevity was about 7-8 hours, on my skin. Again, it’s solid, just not going to be shockingly good at sticking around. For most purposes, Polo Cologne Intense will get the job done.

Seasonally, Polo Cologne Intense is actually very versatile. It might be a bit too fresh for the coldest days of the year, but it can work any other time. This is probably it’s greatest strength. Very close to an all-around cologne.

The original Polo in the green bottle, can seem too old school for many guys who grew up in a later time period. This one does have a more youthful feel to it, but not something that would be exclusive to younger guys either. It would work for early 20s and up without issue.

It is safe for work, a night out, or semi-formal occasions. Not really a sexy scent or a club beast, but it can be an easy reach for a lot of situations.

Overall Impressions of Polo Cologne Intense

Overall, do I like Polo Cologne Intense? It’s pretty good. I like the opening phase of this fragrance, but after that it becomes pretty much just an average green/outdoorsy scent with touches of the original Polo cologne.

That mint, basil, and grapefruit is a nice combination. Very fresh and bright. But, is that worth the price of a full bottle? Probably not. Maybe once this starts to hit the discounters, it might be worthwhile for some guys to pick up a bottle.

The performance here is good enough. Sillage isn’t completely weak, it is consistent, and will last close to a full work day.

If you liked the original, this is a more modern take. Don’t expect it to be an exact clone, with more power. This isn’t nearly as woody but does give you a herbal freshness, more of the basil that is found in the original.

Polo Cologne Intense is an okay effort from Ralph Lauren, not amazing, but definitely not terrible.

Bvlgari Man Black Cologne EDT

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Bvlgari has released a bunch of its Black flanker scents. Man Black Cologne was one that they put out back in 2016, that I never got around to. However, I recently grabbed a sample online to finally give a review. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Bvlgari Man Black Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: rum, citrus, orange blossom, tuberose, amber, sandalwood, musk

Click here to try: Bvlgari Man Black Cologne 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray

My Full Review

“A fragrance like burning hot water”. That is the description of Man Black Cologne that is printed on the sample card, I bought. Sure, whatever. 

Really, I wanted to try this one out because I loved wearing Man in Black and this one is a spring/summer version of that cologne from Bvlgari. 

Man Black opens up with sharp citrus, heavy rum, and a greenish aroma. It’s quite a pungent kick to opening things and has some of the floral notes already wafting up. Honestly, I’m not a fan of the beginning. 

It’s sharp and almost comes across like body odor. That’s short-lived and Man Black will become more tolerable, as it moves along. I don’t enjoy the citrus notes here for whatever reason.

Once the citrus note fade, there is a white floral blend of tuberose and some remaining orange blossom. All of this will be wrapped up in an amber/benzoin blanket, that has been splashed with rum.

This is probably the highlight of the fragrance for me. I like that it adds some sweetness to the composition. Amber, white floral notes, with some woody/musk, and that signature rum note. 

The problem is, Man Black Cologne loses much of its power by the time the best of the fragrance rolls around. It’s still detectable and sticks around, but that initial burst of strength, isn’t there.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here, much like Man in Black, isn’t all that powerful. Much more of a moderate aroma, with some decent projection for a time, but not going to blow the doors off. Still, it’s good for what you’ll need in the warmer months of the year.

The longevity is about 6.5-7 hours, on my skin. A bit better than Man in Black, maybe an extra hour or so of wear. Not a huge improvement, but it at least has an edge versus that version, in terms of performance. 

 

Seasonally, this is a spring and summertime wear. I do like the concept of giving us a Man in Black for these seasons, since that was limited to the colder months. 

Man Black Cologne is best used for casual outings or an evening on the town. It’s probably going to appeal most to guys in their 20s through early 30s. This isn’t an office wear or something formal, but you can pretty much wear it out to wherever else during summer.

Overall Impressions of Man Black Cologne

Overall, do I like Man Black Cologne? It’s fine, but it didn’t have the same appeal to me as Man in Black. That one was great, just middling performance. This Bvlgari is pretty good with middling performance. 

The citrus, amber, and floral notes don’t particularly sit well on me. It’s got a harshness in the early stages, that made this one lose some of its appeal for me. 

The floral stage is nice. I don’t love it either, though with the rum and softened citrus notes, the amber and white floral notes. It’s softer, smoother, and still has that boozy spice. 

I don’t hate any of this. It’s just nothing all that amazing, either. The performance is decent, the smell is decent, and that’s about all. There are better summer citruses, boozy summer wears, etc. This isn’t a terrible investment, but Man Black EDT isn’t something I’d really ever reach for. 

5 Best Alfred Dunhill Colognes for Men

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Alfred Dunhill is an English brand that has been around for more than a century. It has a long history in the fashion game and it has produced some quality fragrances for both men and women in that time span. For this list, I have selected what I feel to be the five best colognes for men by Alfred Dunhill.

 

What are the Best Smelling Dunhill Fragrances?

Most Popular Dunhill

Desire– A sweet and dynamic fragrance that is energetic and quite popular. It’s been on the market for over 20 years now and it still has a following of people who swear by it. I do like it, but it’s a bit too sweet and rosy for me to want to wear it often.

It opens up with its fruity notes in full effect. Apple and citrus (lemon and bergamot). The rose will come in, on top of a layer of fresh musk. 

The rose is joined by orange blossom, which will give way to the vanilla note, which takes away some of the sharpness from the fading citrus notes. 

Dunhill Desire is an inexpensive play from the early 2000s, still has nice performance, and is very unique versus the mainstream of what you’re going to get nowadays. Read my review here.

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Signature Sandalwood

Dunhill Signature Collection Indian Sandalwood Eau de Parfum for Men, 3.4 fl. oz– This is a nice option for sandalwood lovers. Maybe not as good as some of the niche plays on the market, but Indian Sandalwood is an enjoyable wear.

This Dunhill Signature option is a lighter and cleaner experience. The sandalwood is creamy with hints of fruit notes coming through, but mainly a powdery orris, that adds a coldness to the composition.

The base notes are dry and earthy with patchouli and synthetic moss giving Indian Sandalwood a greener finish. Performance is solid, even if the sillage isn’t too heavy. 

 

 

 

Summery Citrus

Dunhill Signature Collection Amalfi Citrus Eau de Parfum for Men, 3.4 fl. oz.– Another one from the Signature Collection and Amalfi Citrus is a dynamic and fresh option for the spring/summer months.

This does have a similar profile to the Tom Ford citrus/floral fragrances. However, this is much more weighted to the citrus notes, and has more of a masculine vibe overall. Lemon and mandarin, is mainly what I pick up from the citrus.

There is also a nice amount of cardamom spice/sweetness and some additional herbal spice, sitting on top of a light white floral blend. 

Top Dunhill Icon Scent

Dunhill Icon Racing Eau De Parfum, 1.7 Fl Oz– Icon Racing is a mix of sweet and fresh spice. It opens up with citrus and a prominent cardamom note, which adds spice and also a bit of a lemony aroma to the mix. 

That will quickly transition and the cardamom weakens in favor of the lavender and orange blossom notes. It feels like a sweet floral fragrance with a light powdery/musk aroma coming up from the base.

It’s aromatic and sweet with a nice aroma for the spring and summer months. Nothing too unique, does have somewhat of an Invictus-like quality, but doesn’t fully stray into that category to my nose.

 

 

 

80s Throwback

Edition– A men’s fragrance which dates back to the 1980s, Edition, is another woodsy based scent with underlying citrus notes of bergamot and lemon. Edition has an earthy/herbal feel to it to go along with a masculine spice. It is refined and mature.

The vetiver note here is very good with the citrus top notes and a bit of a smoky base. May have been reformulated, but I haven’t come across a new bottle in a long time, so I can’t say for sure.

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Luna Rossa by Prada

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I’ve been doing a lot of posts on Prada colognes lately and I do have a few more coming down the pipeline. Today, I am finally getting around to writing a review of the original Luna Rossa. I guess I could’ve done this at any time, but I just never did, and wanted to buy a new mini bottle so my thoughts wouldn’t have to rely on old memories.

As usual, I will cover how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not Luna Rossa is worth a purchase.

Note: I have come back and updated this review, a few years after the original, after spending much more time with this fragrance.

What does Luna Rossa Smell Like?

Notes include:  lavender, sage, spearmint, ambrette, ambroxan, and bitter orange

Click here to try: Prada Luna Rossa Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The first few minutes after spraying Luna Rossa on my skin, I get a very fresh blend of citrus and lavender. The citrus is orange and it is bright with quite an upbeat vibe. After that initial blast of citrus, the spearmint note begins to emerge and take over a larger part of the composition.

I really enjoy how the juiciness of the citrus plays off of the calm vibe of the lavender, it weakens gradually, but that top is great.

Luna Rossa has such an interesting and pretty unique blend, even the mint note has a different style from something like Guerlain Homme. The mint doesn’t have that same sharpness to it and is smoothed out but the lavender note, which is ubiquitous in all of the Luna Rossa fragrances.

The mintiness is joined by sage, so you get even more of a boost of fresh spice. Yet, it always remains clean, with that green herbal freshness and not a more distinct pepper like found in other fragrances.

I think I’ll say that this is a ‘breezy’ kind of cologne. While the amber is there, it doesn’t have that cloud-like warmth that hangs over you, it’s a cooler and refreshing breeze. The drydown, has more of a powdery/soapy feeling to it, but always retains the extreme freshness throughout.

The amber/ambroxan does show itself more in the latter stages of the wear, and by that point, it is mostly just lavender, a weaker mint, and that ambroxan.

Still, it is a very nice scent, even in the latter stages. Is it pretty simple and linear? Yes, but Luna Rossa works so very well, within that simplicity. I have found myself wearing this more often lately, in the later part of this spring, as it is such an easy cologne to reach for.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of Luna Rossa is pretty moderate. This one doesn’t need to be a bomb. In fact, it works much better being subdued, it’d get on your nerves if it were super loud.

This doesn’t mean that it’s weak by any stretch, you’ll know its there, but it won’t suffocate. I have a mini splash bottle and find that a few dabs are perfectly adequate. It also stays stable after application, Luna Rossa isn’t a scent that quickly turns into a skin scent.

Longevity, is good on my skin, I don’t think it’s amazing in this regard but it seems to fall into the 6-8 hour range…usually the higher end of the spectrum. It has been supremely consistent with how long it lasts.

It could be better in terms of how long it sticks around, though, it still is above average when compared to the whole lot of designer fragrances.

Is Luna Rossa a versatile fragrance? Yes, it is. However, it seems strange because you really don’t know how to categorize this scent at times. It can be worn casually, at work, or on a date. It’s fresh and clean, but also sexy, in its own way. Luna Rossa is a soft fragrance but also masculine in its presentation.

Warm weather, cold weather…it works. As I’ve said, I’ve been wearing this Prada a lot lately, and have been receiving plenty of complements when I have it on. It seems to appeal to women, pretty much across the board.

Overall Impressions of Luna Rossa

Overall, do I recommend Luna Rossa by Prada? I do. I actually enjoy wearing all of the Luna Rossa scents, as I think that they each have their own appeal.

The original, has a great citrus opening and a unique blend of lavender and spearmint. It grows on you, and has such a simple minimalist appeal, that it defies expectations at times.

Luna Rossa is a good staple for almost any man to have in his rotation or for a guy who wants an everyday wear. You must enjoy the smell of lavender, if not, you might look elsewhere. However, it has enough of the mint/sage and orange, for the lavender not to feel like too much of a distraction.

It is bright and energetic, yet has a coldness about it, that is appealing. The closest to the original in the Luna Rossa lineup, is probably Luna Rossa Eau Sport.

Luna Rossa is an all-around performer, very balanced and easy to wear. This is one of my favorite Prada fragrances to spray on.