Bleu de Chanel Parfum vs. Acqua di Gio Profumo

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Bleu de Chanel and Acqua di Gio are two famous names, in the men’s fragrance space. Both have numerous best sellers to their names, and are basically legendary at this point. In this post, I want to compare two of their flanker scents, Acqua di Gio Profumo vs. Bleu Parfum. I have reviewed and tested each, and now want to try and determine which is the better fragrance for guys. 

Tale of the Tape: BdC Parfum vs AdG Profumo

Bleu de Chanel Parfum

Notes include: sandalwood, cedar, lemon, lavender, mint, bergamot, tonka bean, amber, geranium

Click here to try: BLEU DE C H A N E L PARFUM, 3.4 oz./ 100 mL

Read my Review: Bleu de Chanel Parfum

 

Acqua di Gio Profumo

Notes include: bergamot, sage, patchouli, incense, geranium, rosemary, and marine notes

Click here to try: Giorgio Armani Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Profumo 75ml (2.5oz) Parfum Vapo., 2.5 Fluid Ounce

Read my review: Acqua di Gio Profumo

Opening

Bleu de Chanel Parfum kicks things off with a trio of citrus notes: bergamot, lime, and lemon. These ingredients don’t have a super sharp opening, because of the other notes at play, from the start. You have mint, cedar, and sandalwood which provide a cool woody freshness to the composition. 

Acqua di Gio Profumo, on the other hand, also has a bergamot note. However, it is alone, and more powerful than the citrus found in the Bleu flanker.  This one doesn’t have a pure citrus smell either, as it is joined by a dark oceanic breeze, filled with spicy sage, and incense. 

Which is better? It’s a very close call, in my mind. Though, I think that I lean toward the AdG scent. The smoky incense and sage, play very well off that familiar marine profile. Though, I must say that I do enjoy the woody/herbal qualitites of Bleu Parfum.

Edge: Profumo

Projection

Both of these fragrances start out with a strong sillage. They can project themselves, quite well. However, AdG Profumo seems stronger, and is more steady throughout. The Chanel fragrance, starts off strong, but becomes much lighter.

Acqua Profumo starts off stronger and ends as a moderately sillaged cologne. Bleu just never gets to the same highs nor does it keep its power at a high level. However, it also isn’t a weak skin scent, just not as good.

Edge: Profumo

Longevity

While Profumo has the edge in strength, BdC Parfum, seems to get the win in the longevity category. I get 8-10 hours of wear from the Giorgio Armani cologne, while the Bleu will go for 10+ hours, on my skin.

Both of these scents has great staying power, but one will go for longer, albeit at a lighter sillage.

Edge: Bleu Parfum

 

 

Versatility

Blue de Chanel Parfum is much more of an autumn/winter type of perfume. It can do well, in moderate climates, but isn’t very good in the heat. AdG Profumo can do well year round, but has more of a warm weather vibe.

Blue Parfum is the better fragrance for professionals or more formal wear. AdG Profumo is the better casual or daily wear, particularly for younger guys, but not exclusive to that age range by any means.

There is separation between these two, but no clear winner, in this category. It will really depend on your individual needs. Both can do well out on a date or for nightlife.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

What do I like about Bleu de Chanel Parfum? How it takes the familiarity of the Bleu lineup’s citrus notes and gives it a woody/herbal component. It’s got a darker profile, than its predecessors, and the sandalwood note is awesome. It’s creamy, woody, herbal, with some citrus zest.

Acqua di Gio Profumo takes the famous Acqua di Gio profile, deepens and darkens it, and gives you a more mature version. I love its incense and sea breeze blend, with the spicy blend of sage and rosemary.

Which is better? It’s a hard decision to make, as both are quite good scents, but I lean more toward Profumo. I think it will work better for most guys and I prefer to wear it versus the Chanel.

Bleu Parfum is nice and it will be an excellent choice for some portion of guys reading this. However, Profumo has the edge in my book, and also has a better price between them.

Winner: Acqua di Gio Profumo

Viking by Creed

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So, being in Las Vegas, I had to remember to make another stop at the Creed Boutique that is on the Strip. There were a few things that I wanted to smell while in there, including the new release, Viking.

Naturally, I sprayed it on myself multiple times, in order to give my one-time wear review. How does this Creed cologne stack up? What does it smell like? Is it worth a purchase?

Update: I am revising this post, a few years after the fact, and after using Viking some more.

What does Creed Viking Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, pink pepper, bergamot, peppermint, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli

Click here to try: Viking Eau de Parfum Spray for Men by Creed

My Full Viking Review

My initial impressions of Viking are specifically related to just how fresh and green of a scent this is. The peppermint is crisp and biting. This note is then met by a wooden note, sandalwood (sandalwood), which I believe was suppose to lend to the aroma of being like a Viking ship.

Having never been on a ship in the 9th century, I have no real idea, if that’s the case or not.

It opens up with a bit of citrus, pink pepper spice, and the really nice peppermint. The more that I’ve tested this over the years, the more I have come to really enjoy this opening. Fresh, cool, warm, and super crisp. It has such a great hook.

Viking has a certain warmth to it, that goes along with the colder peppermint. It reminds me of Original Santal in that regard (especially with sandalwood), warm/masculine, but Viking opts for a spicier pink pepper instead of a sweeter scent. Yet, there is a hint of sweetness in the opening act.

Viking is extremely well-blended and nothing seems out of place. Even the rose note, isn’t remarkably noticeable to my nose, just adds a dash or floral sweetness the the mint/pepper freshness.

As I’ve spent more time with Viking, the rose does have its moments, just not a huge factor overall.

I don’t really get all that much citrus from it Viking, somewhat at the start, but it quickly fades. It is a minty/spicy/wood with green vibes and a slight smokiness to the wood like the sort of smell you’d get from a dying campfire.

When it fully dries down, I pick up more patchouli and maybe another floral note, that I can’t identify.

Most of what you’re going to get is an old school sort of fragrance that’s got a cleanliness to it, through the interplay of the peppermint and pink pepper notes.

Pink pepper, mint, and drier woody notes. Vetiver, patchouli and sandalwood come through big time on my skin. The end of the wear, really shifts into a classic clean sort of masculine scent. Mature and polished.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it was solid. Not super strong stuff but with two sprays on my forearm, I knew it was there while wearing. It’s also got pretty good longevity, somewhere in the 6-8 hour range, it seems.

I had gone all around the Vegas Strip and the cologne hadn’t faded away at all. I have no real complaints about the longevity.

Update: So, the first time I reviewed this fragrance, part of the time was spent in the Las Vegas heat. It held up pretty well in that circumstance. Now, in more moderate temperatures, it will go more in the 9 hour range pretty consistently.

It’s still not a powerful scent, but it is noticeable, and projects well for a majority of the wear. Just don’t expect a completely ‘in your face’ fragrance, that’s not what Viking is.

Viking is much more of a casual (like business casual) kind of cologne. You could wear it to work, as it’s not offensive, and not super dressy.

It’s an attractive fragrance, like being fresh out of the shower and well groomed, but it doesn’t strike me as something particularly sexy or attention grabbing.

Again, the more time I spent with this cologne, the more it hits me as a classic sort of wear. The opening act, has a great modern take, but it settles down into something highly familiar while retaining its own unique identity.

Overall Impression of Creed Viking

Overall, do I like Viking? Yes, I like it. I wasn’t really impressed with it, either. It’s a good scent but it smells familiar and it’s not reminding me of any kind of remarkable cologne. I think it might be one that would grow on me much like Original Santal did.

Even then, it would never be my go to scent, and at that price..why bother? I think that the bottle looks really cool, though, it’d be a nice decoration.

I think there’s been a lot of people who have been pretty harsh on this scent, but I think that it’s above average, and enjoyable. Just maybe not, $350, enjoyable.

Update: I have come to enjoy Viking, a bit more than originally. I find it to be much more striking, than my initial impressions of it. The pricing concern, isn’t as relevant nowadays, as it has come down somewhat.

You can find bottles discounted. Is it worth the reach? Maybe. I still don’t think that I’d go out of my way to get a bottle, but I do think that it’s a very good fragrance.

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.