La Force 11 by Dolce & Gabbana Cologne Review

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During the last decade, Dolce & Gabbana launched their Anthology collection of scents, which were a series of short-run special fragrances. I recently procured a few more samples of these fragrances, as I did with 21 Le Fou, which I reviewed here. For this post, I am going to share my experience with wearing La Force 11 and see how it stacks up against other fragrances.

 

 

 

 

 

la force

Notes include: vanilla, cinnamon, sandalwood, pimento, cypress, heliotrope 

 

Upon the first sprays of this cologne, I was struck by its light and almost candy-like sweetness. To me, the interplay between the vanilla and cinnamon notes, brings back memories of Bubble Yum chewing gum. Only, La Force 11, has that extra layer of spice provided by the cinnamon. This fragrance is soft and pleasant in its presentation, a sort of powdery air about it, which makes me think that it is like a Joop!…if Joop! were toned way down and stripped of some of its component parts.

The sweetness later fades a bit and it becomes much more of a spicy and powdery fragrance. Honestly, I like the scent but it all seems pretty basic and lacks any real distinction. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, if dropping money on a designer fragrance, I want something with a little more nuance and which stands out from the pack.

The projection on La Force is fairly weak as well. With more sprays, you might rate it as moderate but that’s as far as I’d say it goes. It is also lacking in terms of longevity. 2-4 hours depending on the day and the weather is all I could get out of it. I think that this is a fine smelling fragrance but nothing that outstanding. It seems to be missing something that would allow it to be a distinct cologne. La Force 11 is both sweet and spicy to a point and could be classified as oriental but there are much better options in that sort of fragrance anyways, such as, Opium Pour Homme. I cannot really recommend this cologne, as I don’t really see the point of owning a bottle. It doesn’t last, it’s projection is poor, and though pleasant it is ultimately bland.

Axe White Label Forest Scent Review

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This is my second installment of reviewing the new White Label scents from Axe. In my first entry, I reviewed Night, and while that is a perfectly fine scent, I actually prefer Forest among the two options.

So, in this post I wanted to give my initial impression of this fragrance from Axe and why I think it is a good scent.

Axe White Label Forest Overview

Notes include: pear, starfruit, driftwood, and moss

My Full Review

Forest opens with a really intense note of pear blended with the starfruit, which makes it smell almost like a green apple.

This scent is energetic upon its opening and when lathered that moss and driftwood notes begin to emerge which give it that masculine scent.

As the name suggests, they are going for a woodsy fragrance and they have definitely succeeded on that end.

The fruit notes aren’t too sweet but add a layer of complexity to the scent, so that it just doesn’t smell like a pine air freshener.

The emerging scent is crisp and natural in its airs. Even after it’s had an hour or so to breathe in the air you can still detect the pear note which offsets the moss and sort of pure, forest scent.

Overall, I enjoy this shower gel, even more so than Night. I cannot say that this is the best Axe scent by any stretch but it is certainly a good one and I look forward to trying out the rest of the White Label lineup.

Axe White Label Night Shower Gel Review

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We generally cover the best in men’s colognes and ladies perfumes on this site. However, there are naturally other fashion and beauty products on the markets which command our attention from time to time.

Today, i would like to delve into a line known as the White Label by Axe which is a subsidiary of Unilever.

Axe is an industry leader in male body spray, deodorant, and body wash and has introduced the new white label line of scents here in 2015. For this post, I am going to give my impressions on the fragrance called, “Night” after using it in its shower gel form.

Axe Night Overview

Notes include: grapefruit, lavender, cedarwood and praline

My Full Review

The opening of this shower gel is smooth and dark. It comes out of the bottle colored purple and has a very good lather, once you begin working it.

To me, the most prominent note is the sandalwood and it provides a very clean experience and that element of darkness to the fragrance.

The cedar wood gives it a rougher and more masculine note and balances out the bitterness of the grapefruit quite well. This isn’t a cologne that has multi-layers to it but it does provide a fresh and very smooth scent.

In terms of its staying power, again, it’s not a cologne…though I am sure the deodorant or body spray will last much further into the day (Axe will generally last pretty much all day in my experience, especially the deodorant).

The shower gel, seems to have a staying power of maybe 4 hours depending on the environment you’re in. If I use it after the gym and am just lounging around the house, it obviously lasts much longer than if I am out and about.

Do I like this scent? I do but it isn’t my favorite among the two White Label shower gels that I have tried thus far.

Top Long Lasting Perfumes for Women 2015

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There are plenty of high quality perfumes out there on the market. However, some of those amazing scents don’t last for more than fifteen minutes. That can be highly disappointing after dropping $60+ for a bottle and the fragrance evaporates before it has any impact or attractive power.

It’s no fun investing in something with no return.  The following list of scents that I have put together are a variety of fragrances for ladies that have a long lasting scent and are versatile from the workplace to the night life.  I have linked each out to its page on amazon.com for ease of purchase and for further info.

Also, check out: Sexiest Perfumes for Ladies, Perfumes Men Love, Moschino Top Scents

Angel by Thierry Mugler for Women – 1.7 Ounce EDP Spray
A best seller for over 20 years now, Angel is a delicious blend of citrus and other fruity notes combined with vanilla, sandalwood, and patchouli. It can start out a little intense for some but it mellows and goes all day.  Click here for the best Thierry Mugler fragrances!

angel

Vival La Juicy Couture Eau de Parfum Spray, 0.5 Ounce
A sweet perfume of fruits, florals, and gourmand ingredients such as caramel and vanilla. This perfume is sexy from the get go but is versatile enough to be worn at the office or for a night on the town. Add to the fact that it projects and lasts well into its life cycle and you’ve got a great fragrance on your hands. Top JC Perfumes

VIVALAJUICY

Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf for Women, Eau de Parfum, 3.4 Ounce Spray
This expressive and fairly pricey floral seduces with its light and airy scent. While it is a light fragrance, its complexity is remarkable and it does last for many hours, just subtly. Here is our list of the best Viktor & Rolf perfumes!

flowerbomb

Beyonce Beyonce Midnight Heat Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce
This celebrity scent features notes of plum, sandalwood, starfruit, and patchouli. It is a highly sensual fragrance that begs to be inhaled throughout the evening and will probably last until the next morning. Our list of Beyonce’s top fragrances.

midnight heat

Guilty by Gucci for Women, Eau de Toilette Spray, 2.5 Ounce
Peach, lilac, pink pepper, and mandarin team up to help make Gucci Guilty one sexy perfume. It isn’t overbearing in its presentation but it has an underlying energy which is wholly seductive.

guilty

OPIUM For Women By YVES SAINT LAURENT Eau de Toilette Spray 3 oz
A classic and exotic fragrance best served for more mature women. Coriander, florals, and mandarin. List of Best Yves Saint Laurent Perfumes

opium

Jean Paul Gaultier Classique By Jean Paul Gaultier For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.6 Ounces
Has an oriental scent to it with notes of vanilla, wood, and spicy amber. This can be worn casually as well as out on the town for an evening.

jean paul women

Hypnotic Poison by Christian Dior for Women 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray
Almond, woods, jasmine, vanilla, cedar, and amber are some of the notes which create this seducer in a bottle. It is just about everything you want in a romantic type of fragrance: it smells amazing, lasts a long time, and draws admirers to you…the name is entirely accurate. Top Christian Dior Ladies’ Fragrances

hypnotic poison

Cinema By Yves Saint Laurent For Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 90 ml, 3 Ounces
Another great long-lasting option from YSL. Cinema is a sweet perfume with many layers to it. Clementine gives it a sweet citrusy middle before it dries down into a vanilla/floral/powdery end that keeps on ticking. Absolutely lovely.

cinema

L’Eau D’Issey Nuit Pour Homme Review

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The original scent from Issey Miyake, L’eau D’Issey has enjoyed popularity for roughly 20 years since its release. Since I enjoy that fragrance and it has a place in my rotation of scents, I thought that I would perhaps enjoy another version.

I bought a sample vial of Nuit D’Issey to see if this one had the potential to land a spot on my dresser full of fragrances.

Did it make the cut? Well, no, it didn’t. Actually, I was pretty disappointed with its whole presentation and thought that I would write a review for the site based on my experience with this cologne.

nuit

Notes include: bergamot, grapefruit, leather, wood, vetiver

Current 4.2 oz price: $65.33

I have to say that my recent run of sample fragrances were a major let down. I didn’t find one scent that I would consider purchasing a larger bottle of and Nuit D’Issey is no exception. My first impression was, “Great, another bug spray type fragrance.”

This came after I tried my sample of Versace Oud Noir, which was just awful in my opinion. Nuit D’Issey is better than Oud Noir but still not something I could wear.

Honestly, I don’t get the citrus note in this one at all. I don’t smell any grapefruit, just a really strong blend of pepper and leather.

It’s odd, I really enjoy leathery fragrances, even a mass market one like Dirty English and also like spicy/peppery scents like Burberry London and Opium by YSL. Nuit is just way too much and has a bitter and very synthetic quality to it.

While the scent does calm down quite a bit after a few hours of wear, the opening is too harsh and overboard for my senses. It does get better as time passes and the dry down isn’t as horrid, but still, I cannot get through it. The scent is really unpleasant to me and with so many other better options, I have no desire to wait for a mediocre dry down.

I think that some guys might like this fragrance. It’s more masculine and outdoorsy than a lot of popular scents but quite frankly I don’t find it very good at all. I accidentally sprayed some Nuit on my desk and couldn’t scrub it off fast enough. I’d say stick with the original Issey Miyake, it’s much better.