Rush by Gucci

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Apart from the massive amount of Bond No. 9 samples, I’ve accumulated recently, I have also gotten a hold of a few others that I wanted to review. One of which is a classic scent released by Gucci in 1999, Gucci Rush. This ladies’ fragrance has gotten quite a nice reputation over the years, but is it justified? Please continue below for my full wear thoughts about this scent.

What does Gucci Rush Smell Like?

Notes include: freesia, jasmine, coriander, gardenia, patchouli, rose, vanilla, and vetiver

Click here to try: Gucci Rush By Gucci For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Ounces

Full Wear Review

I’m am doing a review of the classic formula of Rush. I haven’t tried the newer bottles, but it may have been reformulated. I’m not sure, but just a head’s up if you’re considering this scent.

The opening of Gucci Rush is a smooth mix of floral notes and what smells like peach (though, I’m not sure this is even an ingredient since I cannot find it listed). I would say the floral aspect at the start is more dominated by the rose note and the gardenia.

Add to that is the familiar scent of patchouli, which is well blended in Rush, and never goes overboard in my mind.

Most of what you’re going to get from this one will from the peach, patchouli, and gardenia. It’s floral/fruity with a bit of a dirty side to it.

This scent just sort of grabs your attention from the get go and feels so perfectly smooth as a floral based scent and not overly ‘green’ or like you’re walking through a garden.

It has a certain energy and seductive quality to it, which I suppose is where the Rush moniker came from.

At it’s heart, Rush is a sweet perfume but once again it stays grounded by the vetiver and patchouli notes which give it an earthy/woodsy quality. Some spicy kick floating in the background, but nothing too intense.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I found Gucci Rush to be strong but it never really struck me as monstrous. It can be loud, for sure, but it isn’t insane by any stretch of the imagination.

For the longevity, maybe it’s just my skin, but I only got about 6-7 hours of wear out of Rush. That’s not terrible, but it isn’t an all-star in that regard. I think other folks do get more time with this, but for me that’s what it maxed out to.

Now, Gucci Rush is one of those scents that specializes in the nightlife. Think of this stuff as more of a club/bar/romantic kind of wear. If you apply lightly, you might be able to wear it no problem casually, but don’t go nuts with the sprays.

Rush is the type of perfume that I would love to smell on a woman during a cold winter night at a bar. On the dance floor or just hanging around, it’s pretty sexy stuff. Climate wise, I would try to keep it to autumn and winter, it wouldn’t be all that great in the heat.

Overall Impressions of Gucci Rush

Overall, do I think Gucci Rush is worth a buy? Yes, it’s a classic at this point. It’s a very good scent with nice performance, that is built for a specific purpose…to rule the night. It does a great job at that.

The aroma is gives off is well-balanced, interesting, and charming. It has a unique vibe that is upbeat, warm, and always full of energy. There is a reason why this is a highly rated fragrance from the early 2000s time period.

That being said, it never was one for everyone. Now, that this has been re-released, I don’t know how much of the original survives. So, it’s probably a try before you buy perfume.

Seductive Homme Blue by Guess

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I have a bottle of Guess Seductive, which I still use from time to time, when I want to wear something casual. For the price, Seductive is a great little cologne to have, as it smells really good and gives a good performance.

I had however, yet to try other Guess offerings, and decided that I would like to test out the flanker of Seductive, Guess Seductive Homme Blue.

In this post, I want to review Blue and give my thoughts on how it smells and performs as a fragrance.

What does Guess Seductive Homme Blue Smell Like?

Notes include: citrus, moss, caviar, black pepper, cashmere wood, cardamom

Click here to try Guess Seductive Homme Blue: Guess Seductive Homme Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, Blue, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Blue, really struck a note with me. Immediately, I liked this aroma better than the original Guess Seductive (which I really like).  Though, it feels a bit synthetic, it was such a unique and different scent that I was completely drawn in.

I couldn’t even identify any notes and had to look them up just to know what I was smelling. It’s a soft scent with a refreshing and slightly powdery/spicy smell yet has an aquatic/woody heart to it.

The cardamom note is dominate in this one and when paired with a vague hint of citrus, it takes on a La Nuit by YSL kind of scent. I’m not saying it smells just like the YSL cologne, however, those two notes make these colognes seem like distant cousins. Also see: Guess Seductive vs Guess Seductive Blue

Blue is really fresh and the aquatic pairing with a powdery spiciness is just great. One of the notes is caviar for God’s sake…it doesn’t really get more oceanic than that but when added to other hints of the sea and you’ve got something really different than other scents in this cheaper price range.

It isn’t a super masculine scent either, it could honestly be unisex. It gets drier as it wears on, as the smooth cashmere wood kicks in with a little bit of a mossy element. Plus, a small peppery kick.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Seductive Homme Blue is on the softer side of moderate. This isn’t one that will completely take over a room but it is just about right for casual wear.

The longevity of this cologne, sucks though, at least with light spraying. One spray will last somewhere between 20-30 minutes before you have to press your nose to the skin in order to smell anything.

Upon further tries with Blue, if you double up the sprays you can get decent longevity out of it. 4-6 hours, depending on the day. However, it is always a very light fragrance, pretty darn airy.

The good news is that, this is offered at such an affordable price, that you can spray a ton without much concern about having to buy a new bottle.

The original Seductive Homme, has pretty good longevity and better than Blue head to head. So, the fact that this one has problems was a major disappointment.

In terms of who should wear this, it will be best for teenagers and guys in their early 20s. At that age, you can wear it pretty much on any occasion.

Not really a formal scent, but otherwise, you’re good.  Seasonally, it can hold up in all conditions…in terms of the aroma, the longevity still might be mediocre.

Overall Impressions of Seductive Blue

Overall, is Blue worth it? I actually like how it smells better than the original Guess Seductive. However, this one has bad longevity. You could definitely spray more than usual to get it to last longer or reapply it throughout the day.

This could be an absolute steal for the price if it performed better or you don’t really care about having to spray a lot. So, I’d say pick up a bottle for cheap and see how it fares on your skin or find something else within this price range that lasts.

Eau de Lacoste L.12.12. Red

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I picked up a few samples from Lacoste’s L.12.12. line of fragrances, Blanc and Rouge (White and Red), and have been wearing them around for the past few days in order to get a full take on these colognes.

Today, I want to do my review of the Red scent from this collection, which was released in 2012. As usual, I am going to give my thoughts on how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a purchase or not.

What does L.12.12 Rouge Smell Like?

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Notes include: ginger, mango, black pepper, mandarin liqueur, cardamom, red roiboos tea

Click here to try: Lacoste Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Rouge Eau de Toilette for Men, 3.3 fl. oz.

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Eau de Lacoste Red really highlights this fragrance’s uniqueness in the men’s cologne space. It definitely has it’s own feel, which I appreciate, while feeling somewhat familiar and not too far out there.

The mango note which is one of the main stars from the start, really reminds me of something like Polo Black. Although, the mandarin liqueur and tea notes take it in a different direction all together.

Red is really a nice summery scent, which would be great as a casual wear along with one of the brand’s signature polo shirts.

This rouge bottled cologne is quite a bright yet layered experience with the second wave of notes really coming through about 10-15 minutes into the wear.

Ginger and black pepper give Eau de Lacoste Red a nice earthy and spicy kick which provide a great richness to what should just be a basic summer/casual fragrance.

During this stage, the mango and mandarin notes, fall back somewhat and the spices become more pronounced. There is also a cardamom note, which begins to take up a significant portion of the dry down.

This entry in the L.12.12. collection is crisp and warm through the use of spice which sets it apart from a lot of summery colognes which go the ‘cold’ citrus route. It honestly is a pretty unique fragrance, which I’ve got to give Lacoste credit for.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on Red is pretty good, at least at first. I applied it before heading out to run errands and was loving getting whiffs of it off of my skin. I thought that I’d found a nice summer wear with decent sillage.

However, the longevity of this one, seems to be pretty weak. I actually love the dry down of this scent which is an outdoorsy sort of blend of spice, wood, and fruit…but it is short-lived.

Lacoste Red becomes a skin scent within a couple of hours, in my experience thus far. Sure, if you really load up on it, you’ll get better longevity but it will be really heavy to have to wear at first.

Update: Even after several tests with this fragrance, I’ve gotten the same results. Probably around 5-6 hours max.

L.12.12. Rouge is best as a summer casual cologne. I feel like I could wear this to a work event, school, or out and about during the daytime.

I can’t classify this as a sexy or nightlife kind of fragrance and I would also put it towards the more youthful side of the spectrum.

Overall Impressions of Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Rouge

Overall, is this one worth a buy? Eh…I like it and think that it smells pretty unique BUT the longevity kind of sucks. If you can grab a bottle for cheap, it might be worth a shot. Maybe, it’s just bad performance due to my skin, and it’d work better on someone else.

I appreciate what Lacoste was going for here but you might be better served by picking up a bottle of Polo Black, which at least has some similarities with L.12.12. Red.

Rouge had a lot of potential to be a nice wear for the summer months. I really do like the scent , the blend of mango and spices works well with each other.

It’s just not enough to warrant paying full price, in my opinion.

Yellow Diamond Intense by Versace

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Today, I’m going to review another women’s perfume by Versace, Yellow Diamond Intense. I’ve had this sample for a while and have been giving it consideration today. Intense came out in 2014, as a flanker to the popular original. In this review, I will cover what’s in it, how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a purchase or not.

What does Yellow Diamond Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: pear, citron, neroli, bergamot, freesia, orange blossom, jasmine, bezoin, musk, amber wood

Click here to try: VERSACE Yellow Diamond Intense Eau De Parfum, 3 Fluid Ounce

My Full Wear Review

OK, so I reviewed the original Yellow Diamond perfume on the site a few days back, but I also have a sample vial of the Intense version so I thought that I should review it next.

The notes are the same, so how different could the fragrance actually be? Was it just going to be a ‘stronger’ version of the original?

Upon smelling the opening for the first time, I knew that it wouldn’t be the same. Versace definitely reformulated the potency of each note, as well as making it more intense.

Yellow Diamond Intense starts out with a bold presentation of the citrus notes, while the floral notes take a much more subservient role than they did in the original. I have to say, that I enjoy the opening of the Intense version much more than the original.

After about 5-10 minutes the pear note began to take hold and the citrus quieted down somewhat. The second phase is a citrus/pear/white floral combination that is quite cheery and upbeat.

Later on there are some woodsy notes but I don’t feel that this version gets ‘green’ or too plant-like as the original does with its mostly floral/wood disposition. This is a very clean scent and almost has a soapy vibe to it at times.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Yellow Diamond Intense actually lives up to its name. It does deliver some intensity after the soft-spoken original fragrance. It projects quite well and never felt weak to me. I sprayed it on an old t-shirt days ago and it seems to still be going strong on the fabric.

Is it going to fill up a room? Probably not, unless you go big with the sprays. It’ll be noticed and create a nice scent bubble around you for the day.

Longevity is also better than the original. On my skin, it lasted right around 8 hours, and I only used one spray on my wrist. That’s a great sign.

Update: With some more testing, it seems that 8 hours is about what to expect. Maybe an extra hour or so, on occasion. I did get about nine and a half hours once.

Yellow Diamond Intense is of course a spring/summer scent. It really has a naturalistic feeling of fruit and flowers that takes your mind to walking through a grove or garden. It seems like a versatile fragrance, as well, it would be fine for the office or casual situations.

Not really a club scent, but possible for dating. I do find it to be sexier than the original, but still wouldn’t classify it as a ‘sexy’ or ‘seductive’ perfume. Mostly a good daily wear for the warmer months of the year.

Overall Impressions of Yellow Diamond Intense

Overall, do I recommend Intense? I liked the original, but I like this one better. It’s bolder and I think the composition is more refined. Add to the fact that it has a higher level of performance and it’s a winner.

I really like the bright and upbeat citrus notes here, particularly in the opening few minutes. The jasmine and orange blossom, do a great job at supporting the citrus fruit. I’m not a huge fan of pear as a fragrance note, but it does a nice job in this perfume.

I’m not totally blown away by Yellow Diamond Intense, but I find no real faults with it either. This Versace is quite solid all around. It’s a very good choice and if you happen to like the notes as shown, you could do a lot worse than picking up a bottle of this stuff.

Burberry London vs Brit Men’s Cologne Comparison

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Here in yet another cologne comparison posts, I want to put two Burberry scents head to head, Brit and London. Now, I wear both of these colognes and enjoy both of them a lot. So, I do recommend both of them, but I want to break things down further to see what separates the two. Which one performs better? Which is sexier? What do they smell like? Which one is better overall?

Tale of the Tape: Brit vs. London

Burberry London

Notes include: bergamot, cinnamon, pepper, lavender, port, mimosa, moss, tobacco leaf, leather

london

My original London Review

Shop on Amazon: BURBERRY London for Men Eau de Toilette, 3.3 fl. oz

Burberry Brit

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

Opening

London is a darker and much more masculine scent than is Brit. London features a sweet tobacco leaf note that blends with cinnamon, pepper, port wine, and leather for a spicy and smooth start. The leather comes on stronger a bit later and the port wine ultimately disappears.

The opening is when London is at its spiciest and when it has a boozy edge. The cinnamon and pepper can be quite sharp, but it’s held in check by that tobacco note.

Brit on the other hand, is fresh and powdery with a hint of spice provided by the ginger note. The opening isn’t quite as smooth, as it will ultimately be. In fact, the opening feels quite green with the wild rose note, nutmeg, and a green mandarin orange. Not when Brit is at its best.

Brit is eventually much cleaner but I think that London is way more interesting and attention grabbing, at the start. The opening isn’t a strength for either, but London has a better go of it.

Edge: London

Projection

London is the heavier of the two scents. However, neither is really overpowering by any stretch. I’d say London is on the upper edge of moderate and Brit is a softer moderate.

Both do their job and do it well, just because it’s softer doesn’t mean Brit is weak BUT I’d say London gets the edge. I never have any issue with either being detected, either by my nose, or by those around me.

Edge: London

Longevity

Both sit in the 6-8 hour range for wear. There really isn’t an advantage between either to me in this category. I’d say both tend more toward 8 hours versus 6. I’ve tried recent bottles of each and the performance is still the same.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Both of these colognes are in the autumn/winter wear category of men’s fragrances. I have worn both casually and on dates. I’d say that London is definitely sexier and more of a romantic cologne than is Brit.

I’ll give London the edge because I think it is a better evening wear fragrance but again Brit isn’t bad by any means. Neither is going to be one you’ll want to wear in the summer months.

Edge: London

Overall

I honestly do love wearing both of these scents. As I said in the Burberry for Men vs Brit cologne comparison, I often will switch between these colognes depending on my mood.  Brit is a very good scent, I love its freshness and powdery/green aroma on cold winter days.

London is just an interesting fragrance. It is spicy, woodsy, dark, and kind of boozy. London is the most masculine of the three while Brit is the softest.

London won’t be for everybody and plenty of guys will enjoy the rose, tonka, and ginger notes of Brit; but I’m going to give the edge to London. Conversely, there are plenty of guys who won’t like the powdery quality of Brit, even though it is a dynamic example.

Updating here, I’d rank them: 1. London, 2. Brit, 3. Burberry for Men. I have been loving wearing Burberry Brit, lately, as I more recently purchase a new full bottle.

Winner: London