Miss Dior Le Parfum EDP by Christian Dior

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I’m sort of working my way through the Miss Dior line of fragrances that Christian Dior has been releasing over the years. I’ve already done one on Blooming Bouquet and have another one in the works.

However, today I want to focus my attention of Miss Dior Le Parfum. The EDP flanker was released in 2012. How does it smell? Does it actually perform? When can it be worn? Is it worth a try? Please continue below for my full wear take on Le Parfum.

What does Miss Dior Le Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: amber, vanilla, mandarin, Turkish rose, and patchouli

Click here to try: Christian Dior Miss Dior Le Parfum Spray for Women, 1.35 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Miss Dior Le Parfum is just about the only time during the wear in which the mandarin orange note is truly prominent. You get that familiar citrus aroma sitting on top of a warm amber and a spicy patchouli note.

There is a beautiful almost sparkling quality to this fragrance. The sample card that came with the spray vial calls this scent, “Oriental Chypre Elegance”.

As it moves on, what you smell is pretty much what you get. The mandarin note gets toned down and the vanilla note emerges in it’s place. There is a rose note that you can detect if you try, but it has been subdued in the composition.

Le Parfum is very well blended and has a semi-sweet aroma thanks to the vanilla and citrus but ultimately it is a deep amber fragrance with smooth floral vanilla and that kick from the patchouli. The whole thing has a rich and enveloping sensation while wearing it.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I never felt like Miss Dior Le Parfum was a heavy fragrance. Sure, it has a ‘thick’ aroma, but the sillage wasn’t super overpowering. It’s more moderate to strong and quiets down into a creamier scent during the dry down period.

It’s longevity was actually good on my skin, about 7-9 hours of total wear, with maybe six of a full punch to it.  Certainly not an elite performer, but still gives you plenty to work with.

Seasonally, this Dior eau de parfum, is all about the autumn and winter. It’s got way too much warmth, creaminess, and spice to be built for the high heat of summertime.

One advantage it does have within that seasonal limitedness, is how versatile it is. Le Parfum could be worn at work or school. It can be worn casually.

Plus, it has enough appeal and attractiveness to be utilized during the night. Actually, I’d prefer it at night.  I find it to be pretty sexy and would love smelling it on a woman, that I was dating.

Overall Impressions of Miss Dior Le Parfum

Overall, do I like Miss Dior Le Parfum? Yes, it’s simple but potent. The mixture of vanilla, patchouli, and amber is satisfying and has a dark richness. On the performance end, it projects well and lasts for a solid amount of time after application.

Le Parfum not only smells good but has a versatile quality, which could make it someone’s go to scent during the colder months of the year.

Update: I don’t see this for sale anymore on Dior’s website, so, I don’t know if it has been discontinued or not at this point. But, a lot of these Miss Dior scents and other lines by Dior get reformulated into something new, under the same name. So, if it comes back around, it might be different from these notes.

Man Amber by Halston

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I’m winding down my reviews from the latest batch of fragrance samples I’ve received recently (although, I hope to buy some more scent to try out soon). One of the most interesting scents that I ordered seemed to be Man Amber by Halston.

I had no idea really what to expect from this cologne and reading the list of notes that were included grabbed my attention, since the looked different from many other scents. In this post, I want to give an overview on how it smells, performs, when it should be used, and if I think that Man Amber is worth a buy.

What does Halston Man Amber Smell Like?

halston man amber

Notes include: amber, geranium, bergamot, oud, musk, myrrh, oud, thyme

Click here to try: Halston Man Amber By Halston For Men Edt Spray 4.2 Oz & Eau De Toilette .25 Oz Mini

My Full Review

Update: I wrote this review many years ago and am updating it to fit the newer layout of the site. I’m pretty positive that this got discontinued a while ago.

Upon opening, it becomes very clear that Halston’s Man Amber is quite a unique scent. Just by taking a look at the notes, one can see that there is going to be something different about this cologne.

First, let me state that this fragrance has very limited use and isn’t going to appeal to everyone. The opening is a dry warmth with woody and smokey undertones. The myrrh note is quite distinct and prominent, even if it has ‘amber’ in its name.

I do enjoy scents that have amber as a note, so I was looking forward to seeing what this one was all about.

I’m not a big fan of oud scents. However, I think that it fits well in Man Amber and doesn’t distract me from the overall fragrance. To me, the wood notes give it a similar aroma to a cask, with the same smoke laden scent and added warmth and sweetness.

This is a fairly linear scent and most of what you get is myrrh, amber, and oud.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it does well, but Man Amber is on the softer side of colognes. So, a pretty moderate start, before it settles into something light.

It actually has good longevity and I got 6-8 hours out of it. That’s fairly good, but many of these types of fragrances will hit the 9+ hour range without question. This one is pretty moderate based on that metric.

To me, this is built for casual to semi formal wear in the winter. I wouldn’t wear it on a warm day and it doesn’t feel like much of a nightlife scent, in my opinion.

Overall Impressions of Man Amber

Is Halston’s Man Amber worth a buy? That depends. I think that it smells good, but it doesn’t totally fit my style or tastes. I can appreciate this fragrance for what it is, but it really doesn’t appeal to me.

However, I know that there are plenty of people who would probably love this cologne. If you’re a big fan of oud or amber, this might be a good bet for you to try out. Also, if you just want something outside the norm.

The myrrh is a wildcard, as to whether or not someone will enjoy this scent, as it is the main attraction here. Overall, it is a good performer at a really affordable price point.

Nautica Voyage vs Perry Ellis 360 Red Comparison

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In today’s cologne comparison, I want to do a head to head match up between two of the most popular inexpensive fragrance options for men, Nautica Voyage and Perry Ellis 360 Red. As usual, I want to cover how each one smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and declare a winner that will suit most guy’s in the market for one of these colognes. Please continue below to see how each of these scents stacks up.

Tale of the Tape 360 Red vs. Voyage

Nautica Voyage 

Notes include: apple, musk, cedar, green leaf, amber, mimosa

NAUTICA-VOYAGE

Read my original review here

Try Nautica Voyage: Nautica Voyage By Nautica For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz

Perry Ellis 360 Red 

Notes include: bergamot, cinnamon, lime, orange, lavender, spices

360

My Perry Ellis 360 Red Review

Click here to try: 360 Red by Perry Ellis for Men – 3.4 Ounce EDT Spray

Opening

Nautica Voyage opens with it’s fruity/citrus and aquatic blend of notes. It’s completely summertime in a bottle. The apple note is quite prevalent and it actually takes on an orange-like aroma. With that there is the unique mimosa note and a good amount of musk.

Nautica really went with something different from the usual cheapie fare, when they released Voyage.

360 Red also brings the citrus but it is more defined with bergamot, lemon, and actual orange ingredients. 360 Red is a lot more in your face from the start and can come off kind of intense or harsh, even.

It does have a freshness about it but it is spicier and less smooth than Voyage. 360 Red is often compared to Acqua di Gio and it is a close comp. The citrus start is strong and the cinnamon spice also bubbles up.

Which is better? I prefer the unique aroma of Voyage’s start versus 360.

Edge: Voyage

Projection

Voyage is a moderate fragrance and is towards the lighter side of things. 360 Red settles down from its opening into something that is much more moderate. However, it is on the stronger side of moderate and projects better than Voyage.

Edge: 360 Red

Longevity

Voyage is no slouch in this department but it isn’t a beast either. I usually get around 7 hours of wear…not bad. 360 Red is a longevity beast, though.

It is the type of fragrance that gives all day performance, which is one of the reasons it’s such a bargain at the price. Meaning, all work day. With the last batch of this that I tried it would go anywhere from 6-9 hours.

The range is greater than Voyage, but it’ll hit a higher peak.

Edge: 360 Red

Versatility

Both of these are casual colognes that are great for office wear, school, or other places. Neither are really all that ‘sexy’ or club/date night type of scents. Seasonally, both are best worn in the warmer months and neither of them are fall/winter colognes.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Both of these fragrances are great bargain buys. 360 Red gets a lot of respect for being so similar to Acqua di Gio but with more of a spice to it. It is also a better performer than Nautica Voyage, which is why it’ll get the edge here.

Personally, if I want to wear something that smells like ADG, I’ll buy Acqua di Gio Profumo as I think that it smells the best out of all the options. There are lots of colognes that smell similar to ADG including 360 Red and Just Me by Paris Hilton .

Nautica Voyage is a very nice and linear semi aquatic fragrance for guys who want something inexpensive to wear. It is a perfectly valid option if you want to grab a bottle of that, if you don’t like the spiciness offered by 360 Red.

Again, both are cheap, so it really won’t set you back if you want to purchase both. Voyage is under $20 for a large bottle, so if cost is the only factor…go with that.

I only have a bottle of Voyage, at the moment, and won’t be buying another 360 Red because I frankly don’t need it when ADG Profumo is a better option in that category.

Winner: 360 Red

Burberry Brit vs Burberry for Men Cologne Comparison

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I really do enjoy Burberry’s lineup of men’s fragrances for casual wear (not Weekend, though). I’ve owned bottles of both Brit and Burberry for Men throughout the years and I always find myself going back and forth between them and Burberry London on autumn and winter days. So, in today’s cologne comparison I thought that I’d put two of these scents head to head and give my take on which one is the better buy. Which one lasts longer? Which one projects better? Which one is better smelling?

Burberry for Men vs. Brit

Brit Tale of the Tape

Notes include: wild roses, tonka bean, green mandarin, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, cedar

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Read my original review

Click here to try: BURBERRY Brit for Men Eau de Toilette, 1.0 fl. oz

Burberry for Men Tale of the Tape

Notes include: mint, lavender, sandalwood, cedar, and  amber.

FullSizeRender (49)

Read my Burberry Review

Click here to try: BURBERRY for Men Eau de Toilette, 1.0 fl. oz

Opening

The opening of Burberry for Men is a smooth blast of cool mint blended with warm amber and a prominent cedar note. Meanwhile, Brit provides a slightly spicy ginger not combined with rose and tonka bean.

Brit is fresh and already begins to develop its powdery air. To me, there really isn’t any separation during the opening sequence for each scent. They both start out very nicely and it mostly depends what mood I’m in when selecting between them.

Edge: Push

Projection

Both of these scents are rather moderate in how they project. I think Burberry for Men feels a little bit bolder based on the mint note while Brit is a softer and perhaps cleaner type of an experience. For that reason, I’ll give the nod to Burberry for Men but it isn’t a huge gap.

Edge: Burberry

Longevity

Both have good performance in this category. However, I usually get better wear out of Brit despite it being a softer cologne. Burberry for men usually gets 6-7 hours while Brit is hovering around 8. Again, not a big difference but a bit of an edge.

Edge: Brit

Versatility

Burberry for Men and Brit are both great and safe for casual everyday wear. I’ve worn both on dates but I’d say Burberry for Men is the sexier one between the two. Though, neither are really nightlife colognes. These are autumn/winter fragrances, so, don’t expect to wear either in the heat. I’d say Burberry for Men is best in fall and Brit is better in winter.

Edge: Push (maybe slight Burberry)

Overall Scent

Gahhhh, I really like both of these scents (as well as London). Burberry makes some very good everyday wear colognes for men. So, to me, it comes down to my particular mood that day.

Update: I’m changing my pick to Brit. I picked up another bottle of both of these and Brit was what I wanted to use a lot more often.

On the other hand, Brit is a great all around buy and it will work for most guys. If you like something more woodsy/masculine Burberry for Men is right in the middle between London (more masculine and woodsy) and Brit.

Brit definitely has a softer green/powdery kind of scent, so if that’s not your thing go with Burberry for Men.

Winner: Brit (barely)

Nolita by Bond No. 9

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Another Bond No. 9 sample I received, is of their new 2017 release, Nolita. It is a citrus/floral mix and the full bottle comes with a lipstick as a part of a product combination. In this post, I’m going to explore how Nolita smells, performs, and whether or not I think that it is worth a buy.

What does Nolita by Bond No. 9 Smell Like?

Notes include: freesia, tangerine, lily, amber, rose, sandalwood, musk, jasmine

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Nolita Perfume + Lipstick Duo: 3.4 oz (100ml) Eau de Parfum Spray for Women

My Full Review

The opening of this fragrance gives me the scent of the tangerine note, the freesia, and some light rose. The citrus is the dominant note for the first five minutes or so before becoming well-blended with the rest of the composition.

In my mind, the tangerine is the most prominent throughout, but not by much after that initial five minutes.

As it moves along, Nolita, starts to give off a warm and slightly powdery aroma. It is much more of a floral at this point in time than it had been with the emergence of the lily and wonderful jasmine. However, the rose almost became non-detectable for me.

I really like how the amber note supports the floral notes and gives them that intriguing warmth. The tangerine is what keeps this from becoming too much of a green floral bouquet and brightens it all up.

Nolita is a fairly straightforward perfume. After that initial citrus burst, it is pretty much the floral notes jockeying for position the rest of the way.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on this is rather light. Nolita is a soft fragrance, that you’ll have to be close to in order to detect. That is of course, unless you’re spraying a crazy amount. Not necessarily a bad thing, just don’t think you’re going to be getting an absolute bomb here.

The longevity for me was roughly 5-6 hours and after that it was very sparse, if anything. Not that great for something at this price point, but not absolutely terrible. Close though.

Bond No. 9 describes this fragrance as ladylike and I have to agree. It’s very soft, fresh, and powdery. Something to be worn casually or at the office during the daytime. Nolita is attractive but not really ‘sexy’ or ‘seductive’, just a pretty floral with a citrus top.

Very much a warmer weather fragrance, but not really for the extreme heat of summer. Rolling out of winter and through the springtime is the best opportunity to wear this one.

Overall Impressions of Nolita

Overall, would I recommend Nolita? It’s nice but not spectacular. It’s supposedly almost an identical twin of Bond No. 9’s Mother’s Day scent, which I think might be the only sample I didn’t get of the I Love NY line.

So, I’m not sure whether the comparisons are apt or not. As a standalone, it’s a decent fragrance that is safe and non-offensive. Do you want more from a fragrance with this cost? Probably. Maybe the lipstick it comes with is better…