Perfumista Avenue by Bond No. 9

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I’m still working my way through writing up reviews for all of the Bond No. 9 samples that I have laying around. Today’s entry is Perfumista Avenue, which was released by the company to celebrate it’s 10th anniversary. In this post, I will explore: it’s ingredients, how it smells, how it performs, and whether or not I think it’s worth a buy.

What does Perfumista Avenue Smell Like?

Notes include: red plum, rose, saffron, patchouli, musk, nutmeg, peony, jasmine, amber, davana

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Perfumista Avenue EDP Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce

My Full Review

Geeeeeezzz, is this stuff loud. From the opening spray your nose is bombarded with rose, spice, and a very tart red plum note. The rose note smells more pinkish, than contained in many other scents.

I am admittedly, not a huge fan of rose and patchouli, but I would think that this stuff might even offend many rose lovers. At times, I start to think that it’s pleasant and interesting and then it starts to smell like really sour rose water mixed with booze.

It reminds me of one of those drinks at specialty bars that serve their own concoctions, sometimes brilliantly, and other times off putting.

Perfumista Avenue does settle down, somewhat. You eventually get a full bouquet of flowers while retaining it’s sharp and bright aroma. Underneath it all, there is an herbal scent but it kind of gives off this weird metallic smell.

What you will mainly get is the rose, plum, patchouli, and nutmeg. Everything else plays a supporting role. The saffron can be strong at times, but during the latter stages, I really don’t pick up any on my skin. Tart, rose, with a warm spiciness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Perfumista Avenue is a monster. Good lord, what a bomb of a fragrance this is. Whether you like it or not, you can’t say Bond No. 9 didn’t deliver a bang for you buck.

It also lasts seemingly forever. I’m not sure when it quits, as I scrubbed it off 8 or so hours after application, and it was still performing. Coming back to it another time, I’m convinced of this Bond scents as being an all day wear. It’s too powerful to fade out quickly.

This feels like a springtime scent to my nose. I cannot imagine this in the summer heat, and potentially, how overwhelmingly messy it could become. Moderate temperatures without much humidity would serve as the best option.

This is certainly a niche fragrance. I wouldn’t wear it in an office or school type of environment. More out for the day or night during spring. So, a casual fragrance to wear in a place with a breeze, and only so with a light application.

Overall Impression of Bond No. 9 Perfumista Avenue

Overall, can I recommend Perfumista Avenue? Not for the general public. This is a perfume that will have a very limited appeal. I’m not personally enthralled with it and it grates on my nerves.

However, I know there are some serious rose and patchouli fans who will dig this scent. Everyone around them might not, but hey, at least the bright pink bottle it comes in is pretty.

Mr. Burberry EDT by Burberry

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Mr. Burberry EDT isn’t a cologne that I had tried out yet, so when I got a sample of it, I was hoping that it would be among the brand’s best efforts. This scent was released in 2014, which makes it one of the newer colognes from this line. It is a woodsy based fragrance with a citrus note provided by grapefruit.

In this post, I want to give my impressions of Mr. Burberry eau de toilette after wearing, describe how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a purchase or not.

What does Mr. Burberry EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: tarragon, cedar, birch leaf, grapefruit, cardamom, sandalwood, vetiver

Click here to try: BURBERRY Mr Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Mr. Burberry is a smooth blend of the grapefruit note along with some of the woods, notably the sandalwood and cedar. I can’t say that I’m blown away by the opening but I do find it pleasant and subtle on my skin. There’s just so many pairings of grapefruit and wood out there, it feels redundant.

There is a dash of mint in there, from the start, which lends a nice bit of coolness to the composition. It has a slightly herbal tone to it that underlies the citrus and woodsy notes but again, Mr. Burberry never comes across as anything special, in my opinion.

That isn’t to say that this cologne smells bad, it definitely doesn’t. Mr. Burberry is very clean and crisp and feels like a more dressed up type of fragrance, that can also be worn casually. The mint, cardamom and tarragon, is what really drives the best aspects of this cologne.

There is a hint of spice there, that is pretty much the only thing I find interesting about it. That’s the cardamom note coming through, to my nose, it is the highlight of Mr. Burberry. It plays wonderfully off of the mint, and then later, the woodsy base notes.

Nutmeg? I suppose, but it is none too strong. It just seems really generic and uneventful otherwise, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, depending on your own personal style.

As it dries down, I think this fragrance gets somewhat better than how it started. It’s got plenty of woody goodness in there and is quite fresh. Vetiver and birch, are the main notes I pick up from that aspect, along with the ubiquitous sandalwood.

The grapefruit is still around, not as sharp as it once was, but it does provide the main thrust of this cologne. The finish of Mr. Burberry is dry, woodsy, with the herbal/spice notes still floating around.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection is decent. You can get away with spraying a lot more of this stuff than some other entries. It’s stronger than a skin scent, but the sillage doesn’t carve out a path in a room. Mr. Burberry does everything smoothly.

The longevity is also pretty good, this isn’t an all day and all night affair, but it’ll probably get through most of a work day. During testing, I got in the 5-7 hour range, and that’s what it seems about capable of.

Having now used up the sample sprayer that I had, I’d say that’s the range I get each time. Mostly, closer to the five hour mark, rather than the latter.

Mr. Burberry is an elegant type of scent so it will do well in those dressier situations as well as at work or school. It really isn’t offensive and is simply something that smells good/fresh. It does enjoy some versatility too, as it seems like it could work in almost any season.

It’s not a night club beast, has a definite appeal, but not really a sexy quality. Women will enjoy it, but it’s isn’t something that truly captures attention, in my experience.

As much as it doesn’t really cultivate much excitement from me, I can honestly say that it’s versatility is perhaps its strongest point. It’s pleasant, low key, and has the ability to simply work in so many different scenarios.

Overall Impressions of Mr. Burberry

Overall, is Mr. Burberry a buy? For me, no. I actually like the way it smells and it is far better than Burberry Weekend, for example. There are just other Burberry colognes that I would rather wear.

Plus, since the performance isn’t outstanding, it loses more of my potential interest.

This cologne seems to get a lot of undue hate from a lot of folks, but it really isn’t a ‘bad’ fragrance, just not something I absolutely must have. If I could snag a really cheap bottle of this stuff, I probably would wear it on some occasions, and enjoy doing so.

It doesn’t stand out from the pack and that could be good or bad depending on your own tastes.

I do wish it was a bit more interesting and had some greater longevity. Even just the performance, could’ve made Mr. Burberry EDT worthwhile at the right price.

Beyond by David Beckham

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I have already reviewed multiple David Beckham fragrances for men on this site. For a line that hasn’t been in existence very long, it has already released quite a number of scents. Beckham colognes sell at a very attractive and inexpensive price point, which allows a greater number of people to try them out and not have to invest so much money to smell good.

Today, I wanted to review one of the newer offerings from this line, called Beyond. In this post, I want to explore a bit on how it smells, how it performs, and whether or not it is worth consideration for purchase.

What does Beyond by David Beckham Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, cardamom, leather, mojito, vanilla, black pepper

Click here to try: David Beckham Beyond Men’s Eau de Toilette Spray, 3 Ounce

My Review

One of the main draws of Beyond is its mojito note. Now, this excited me, as one of my favorite colognes to wear is Guerlain Homme which features a mojito accord as its main notes as well. If Beckham Beyond could act as a cheaper substitute for Guerlain, I would be quite pleased.

Unfortunately, the mojito feel in Beyond is completely subdued and not even close to being as good as Guerlain. You do get a sense of the mint but none of the rum or sugar. The opening is a woodsy blend with mint/leather/grapefruit providing a smooth and slightly spicy aroma.

During the drydown period, the cardamom/vanilla/black pepper becomes more noticeable and the mint become less prominent. Beyond does smell quite nice, however, it never really blows me away as a scent. It feels completely generic and uninteresting.

It’s an enjoyable cologne but don’t expect anything unique or special.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Beyond, is light to moderate. It isn’t a heavy hitter at all and feels like it’d be an everyday wear for casual situations. I’ve now tried this out a few times and it never has great sillage on my skin. For the first little bit, it is noticeable but not heavy

Longevity isn’t great either. I got 1.5-2 hours of solid performance before it became strictly a skin scent. This was just further disappointment, as it really failed to live up to my hopes of a cheap Guerlain alternative. and it offers nothing much that makes it stand out on its own.

Again, it’s pretty consistent in that range. During one test, it lasted a little more than three hours, in an air conditioned environment.

When should this be worn? Assuming it lasts on your skin, I’d say anytime except in the extreme heat or humidity. That seems to really mess with the staying power of Beyond. It’d be at its peak, on a brisk day.

It smells attractive enough, for a date or and evening out. Meanwhile, it can also totally be used for a daily wear. Again, it’s really up to what kind of performance you get from Beyond.

Overall Impression of David Beckham Beyond

Overall, can I rate Beyond a buy? Not really. I just don’t see the point of owning this Beckham cologne. It is pretty generic, though, it smells nice. It doesn’t even last long, so it doesn’t make up for its completely average scent.

It is inexpensive but there are better Beckham options available and choices from other brands.

Beyond is just a wasted effort in my opinion, if it had a little bit more intensity, it could be a serviceable cologne to wear at school or work…but it failed to even accomplish that. Upon trying it a few more times, I do appreciate aspects of the scent itself.

I like the leather and mint, but I want a stronger impact from that mojito accord. Really not a ‘bad’ smell, just held back by mediocre performance.

YSL Libre vs. Coco Mademoiselle

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Coco Mademoiselle has been a best seller for a long long time and is still sticking around as a great perfume. Libre EDP from YSL, has become a very popular option since its release some years back.

This popularity and somewhat similar styles often leads to questioning as to which one is better to buy? Which lasts longer? Etc. In this post, I want to break down my experience with these fragrances and declare my winner, in this battle.

Tale of the Tape: Libre vs. Coco Mademoiselle

Libre EDP

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

Read my review: Libre EDP

Coco Mademoiselle

Notes include: orange, neroli, may rose, patchouli, vetiver, jasmine

Click here to try: Coco Mademoiselle

Read my full review: Coco Mademoiselle EDP

Opening

Coco Mademoiselle opens up with a bold blend of orange and neroli, along with a solid amount of the patchouli note. That’s the very opening phase, that is joined in rapid succession by the other floral notes.

In this case, it’s mostly jasmine, but a bit of rose starts peaking through too.

Libre opts to go with the orange blossom and a lighter use of actual citrus fruits. This YSL starts out with a soapier aroma and a bit of creaminess. Lavender is the major player and there is more musk, as things move along.

Which do I like better? While Libre is pretty nice in the beginning, I still prefer the Chanel to the newer release. It stands out strong and brings a beautiful warmth that only develops further.

Edge: Mademoiselle

Projection

No worries, as either one of these fragrances will bring the power. So, unless you need an absolute bomb, it probably won’t be the deciding factor.

Libre is in the upper end of the moderate range, if not the lower end of the definitively strong end of the spectrum. It brings it.

However, Coco Mademoiselle has a better ability to project, in my experience. It’s not a massive difference, but it is noticeable.

Edge: Coco Mademoiselle

Longevity

Again, this is another category where Libre is no slouch, but comes up short in comparison. 8-9 hours is what it seems to go, on my skin. Very good and not much to complain about.

Coco Mademoiselle lasts at least 10 hours for me. It can tack on hours even beyond that.

Edge: Mademoiselle

Versatility

To me, they’re pretty evenly split. Both the Chanel and YSL scent can work in a variety of climates, if you’re avoiding the height of summer.

Also, they can fit into a casual daily wear, work, or even out on the town for an evening. Though, they’re not specifically nighttime scents.

Very versatile and great options for a perfume that can do almost anything.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I think that Libre is a nice perfume, that definitely has its strengths, and will be a good option for many women. It’s not too complex, mostly its going to be about the lavender and orange blossom, which may or not be a selling point for you personally.

If you’re a bigtime lavender fan, it might be the one to go with here.

For me, Coco Mademoiselle is a classic and still has its charm after two decades. Not only does it have better performance, I also think that it just smells better.

I enjoy the opening act more, the floral notes are more appealing to my nose, and I like the way that vanilla and musk is used in this composition versus Libre EDP.

Update: The Libre line has been expanded to include better entries like Libre Intense and Le Parfum. Le Parfum might be one that I might choose over Coco Mademoiselle, but I think that the Chanel is more versatile and it would be a closer contest.

So, go with Coco versus the original Libre, but I’d consider checking out Le Parfum as a potential alternative.

Winner: Coco Mademoiselle

Poison Girl Unexpected by Christian Dior

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For today’s review, we have a 2018 release from Christian Dior, Poison Girl Unexpected. This is of course, a new flanker fragrance of the original Poison Girl. In this post, I am going to talk about what’s in it, what Unexpected smells like, how it performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not it is even worth trying out.

What does Poison Girl Unexpected Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, salt, tonka bean, Damascus rose, lemon, blood orange, hazelnut, almond, vanilla, and cashmeran

Click here to try: Christian Dior POISON GIRL UNEXPECTED EDT Spray Sample Vial .03 oz / 1 ml Womens NEW

My Full Review

Before we get into my review let’s see how Dior describes it in the sample’s card: The sparkling freshness of ginger surprises in a game of hide-and-seek with a sensual Damascus Rose.

Unexpected opens up with the two citrus notes being prominent, blood orange and lemon. These create a bright and sunny disposition and are flanked by the ginger, vanilla, and tonka bean.

Now, I read on Dior’s website, that the perfume who created this wanted to go for a candied smell and it really shows. It’s very creamy, with a light lotion like quality from the jump, and the vanilla and citrus creating that candy vibe.

Also, adding to the effect is the ginger note that has been salted, and smells really damn good. I honestly found the opening extremely attractive and unique. I know that it shares some of the same structure as the original Poison Girl, but this one just has its own aroma that isn’t really like anything else I’ve come across. I like it a lot. Sweet and creamy, but not overly sugary.

As it moves along, Unexpected’s Damascus Rose note emerges more to be paired with the ginger. It’s a pinkish rose and not heavy at all, it’s done just right within the composition. The ginger adds an ever so light spice to Poison Girl Unexpected and really helps to set it apart from the other scents in this line.

Drying down, it becomes nuttier, with almond and hazelnut, which reminds me a bit of men’s fragrance 1 Million Lucky.  I get lots of ginger, the nuts, and rose note dipped in a orange creaminess of vanilla and tonka bean.

The two strongest ingredients in the dry down is the ginger and Damascus Rose, but everything is so well-blended that neither are overbearing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage isn’t too intense. I don’t think that it is as powerful as the original, but it isn’t weak. It will give you a decent perimeter of scent around you, though, not a total envelopment. Unexpected is just a lighter kind of perfume.

However, it actually has very good performance with its longevity. It was lasting 9-10 hours on my skin, with about the same consistent sillage. So, it’s going to last a full work day without issue. Definitely get your money’s worth here.

Seasonally, it could honestly work in all seasons, I’d think. The citrus notes prevent it from being too much of an overwhelmingly heavy gourmand. Also,  the ginger freshness could be fine in warmer weather. This isn’t a Poison Girl flanker that is relegated to just the wintertime.

Maybe stay away from wearing it in the most extreme heat conditions. I think Unexpected would be best in the cooler months, through the springtime.

Add to that, it has great wear versatility, as well. This could be a daily wear at office or at school. Yes, it can be worn by either teens or adults.

Yet, it has plenty of attractive appeal to pull double duty and be a nightlife or date night perfume, too. It’s just not one that is going to dominate a room.

Overall Impressions of Poison Girl Unexpected

Overall, do I like this new Dior offering? Yes, I think it’s really great. It touches so many different aspects from sweet and spicy to warm and cool. It’s got a great citrus opening, fresh ginger, pinkish rose, and nutty undertones.

Seriously, I love the almond and hazelnut, with citrus, and ginger (another favorite of mind). Really delicious stuff and a rather unique gourmand perfume.

Unexpected should enjoy a pretty large appeal among the masses. It gives a solid performance and a delicious aroma throughout. It has it’s own unique qualities while remaining true to the Poison Girl lineage.

I don’t think that this got the respect that it deserves, upon release. Perhaps, too many folks wanted something much more like the original. Unexpected has elements of that, but does its own thing, and is still completely appealing.