Hamptons by Bond No. 9

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In today’s review, we have another entry from Bond No. 9. It is a unisex fragrance called Hamptons. I’ve been wearing this around for the past few days, out of the sample vial that I received. In this post, I’m going to cover what’s in it, what it smells like, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a buy.

My Verdict

Bond No. 9 Hamptons is a very clean citrus-floral fragrance with sharp lime and lemon notes layered over jasmine, sandalwood, and a slightly herbal touch of sage. The opening can feel somewhat harsh, but it becomes smoother, greener, and more balanced after roughly 30 minutes.

The dry down has a fresh-out-of-the-shower quality, blending jasmine, sage, soft woods, and understated florals. It is pleasant and easy to wear, though it is more clean and casual than seductive or attention-grabbing.

Overall, Hamptons does its job well and is a solid choice for someone seeking a low-key, long-lasting citrus-floral scent.

🌊 Hamptons by Bond No. 9 — At a Glance
Fragrance Family Fresh Citrus Floral Woody
Key Notes Bergamot, Lime Blossom, Jasmine, Sage, Sandalwood, Cedar, Musk, Rose, Magnolia
Season Spring, Summer, Warm Weather
Occasion Casual Wear, Daily Wear, Work, Daytime, Relaxed Social Settings
Longevity Double-digit hours of wear, even with only two sprays
Sillage Strong at first, then settles into a consistent moderate projection
Rating ★★★★☆ 8.1 / 10
Quick Verdict A hyper-clean citrus-floral fragrance with sharp lime, jasmine, sage, sandalwood, and soft woods. The opening can be harsh, but it becomes smoother, greener, and more balanced during the dry down. Strong early projection, excellent longevity, and an easygoing unisex character make it a solid warm-weather option, although it is more fresh and casual than sexy or distinctive.

Hamptons by Bond No. 9 Overview

Notes include: bergamot, lime blossom, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, magnolia, musk, sage, and cedar

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Hamptons by Bond No. 9 For Men And Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3-Ounces

My Full Review

The opening citrus notes of Hamptons are quite sharp. I think it’s the fact that it is blending with the floral notes, which gives it this kind of odd feeling versus the usual citrus fare.

For me, 10-15 minutes into wear, I start to get whiffs of the jasmine and sage notes, that reminds me of walking through a green garden during springtime.

The jasmine remains the strongest floral note for me, throughout the wear. Not much rose or magnolia, at all. Very light and they sit underneath the main accord.

Hamptons is a hyper clean smelling scent, due to the power of the lime/lemon aroma that it generates that sits on top of what could be considered soapy/body wash ingredients including jasmine and sandalwood.

The slight herbal tinge provided by the sage, is one of the reasons that I think this gets compared with Creed’s Silver Mountain Water. I totally get the comparison but I feel that the Creed is the better fragrance, even if neither of these are really my style. As I recall, the Creed has a metallic quality that this one lacks.

It only becomes more green, fresh, and woody as it dries down. The sharp citrus opening fades at about 30 minutes for me and the scent feels much more well blended. Hamptons is so light and clean, in a very fresh out of the shower, kind of way.

The trail end is a woody mix of sage and floral notes. It’s a really nice mix, and develops into something quite a bit different from the opening act of the perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it starts out on the strong end but then morphs into a much more moderate fragrance. The sillage doesn’t require that much, in terms of sprays, because it can

The longevity is absolutely great. We’re talking double digit hours of wear with only two sprays, which should be how all fragrances at this price point perform.

For seasonality, I’d say spring, as a definite. Also, would work in the summertime. It wouldn’t perform badly in the cold, but I’d much rather wear something else that is more suited to the colder months of the year.

Hamptons is a casual scent. It’s pleasant but not really sexy. It is kind of ambiguous, as it is in reality a unisex scent. It would absolutely work on male or female.

Overall Impressions of Hamptons

Overall, would I recommend Hamptons? I like it. It just isn’t my own personal style. If you’re looking for a really clean citrus/floral, that is low key and gives good performance, it’s a solid buy.

Just understand what you’re getting with this one and don’t expect some super sexy ‘club’ cologne. For what it does, Hamptons does it well.

Again, it’s similar to Silver Mountain Water by Creed, but not exactly. I wouldn’t try to substitute one for the other. Hamptons isn’t one of my favorite Bond scents, but it can definitely be worthwhile for the right person.

Bloom Nettare di Fiori by Gucci

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The Bloom series from Gucci is still ongoing and doesn’t seem to be slowing down with its flanker releases. In 2018, the Italian brand released Nettare di Fiori, under the Bloom banner. I grabbed a sample of this along with the rest of the Bloom perfumes, in order to give them all full reviews. How does Nettare Smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

2026 Update: It looks like this version has been discontinued.

My Verdict

Gucci Bloom Nettare di Fiori is a tuberose-heavy white floral fragrance with a fresh opening of ginger, rose, and green-leaning tuberose.

It smells pleasant and works well for spring or summer daytime wear, but the familiar floral dry down does not feel especially distinctive.

Overall, it is a solid option for tuberose lovers, though the scent and performance may not justify paying a high price for it.

🌸 Gucci Bloom Nettare di Fiori — At a Glance
Fragrance Family White Floral Tuberose
Key Notes Tuberose, Ginger, Rose, Jasmine, Rangoon Creeper, Patchouli, Musk
Season Spring, Summer, Mild Weather
Occasion Daily Wear, Office, School, Casual Wear, Formal Events
Longevity Around 6.5–7 hours, with roughly three hours of stronger performance
Sillage Light to moderate — noticeable for the first few hours before becoming a skin scent
Rating ★★★☆☆ 6.9 / 10
Quick Verdict A fresh, tuberose-focused white floral that opens with ginger and rose before settling into jasmine, Rangoon creeper, patchouli, and light sweetness. It is pleasant, versatile, and easy to wear, but the dry down is familiar and the performance is only average. Best suited to tuberose lovers who can find it at a reasonable price.

What does Bloom Nettare di Fiori Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, tuberose, jasmine, ginger, musk, and more

Click here to try: Gucci Gucci Bloom Nettare Di Fiori for Women 1.7 Oz Eau De Parfum Intense Spray, 1.7 Oz

My Full Review

Tuberose and ginger. That is the main attraction here, upon my first spraying of Nettare di Fiori. A little bit of a pink rose, as well. If you’re in the market for a tuberose heavy Gucci Bloom flanker, this should immediately be in the running.

That’s what you’re going to experience for the opening. Then, as Nettare develops more, the jasmine and honeysuckle (Rangoon creeper) start to make an appearance. Unfortunately, that rose note seems to go away entirely on my skin.

The tuberose has a greenish aroma to it. While the supporting jasmine adds that white floral touch. There’s a cold freshness to the entire composition and a very slight creaminess, but nothing that becomes too extreme (though, that develops more over time).

You can definitely tell that this is a Bloom perfume, very similar to the original in a lot of ways, but enough distinction to stand out somewhat on its own.

That initial ginger fresh spice moves away and the tuberose and jasmine fully take over in their partnership. Beneath that is the nice sweetness of Rangoon creeper and patchouli. That’s pretty much it for the rest of the way. Very floral, particularly white floral, light sweetness and a patchouli note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatilty

Sillage wise, this one is a lighter moderate perfume, on my skin. It never really came on too strong for me, but what fairly decent for the first few hours. After that, Nettare di Fiori is much more of a skin scent.

The longevity here is okay, just not that great. I get 6.5-7 hours of wear in total and probably just over three hours wear it’s got its strength going. Not a complete waste of time, by any means, but not a super performer either.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summer wear. What’s good about the light sillage, is that if you like white floral scents, this one is low key enough to be worn on a daily basis in an office or school. It can go casual to more formal.

Nettare di Fiori isn’t a nightlife or date night kind of perfume, so I wouldn’t expect an all-around scent to wear whenever. But, it is a versatile fragrance.

Overall Impressions of Nettare di Fiori

Overall, do I like Bloom Nettare di Fiori. It’s fine, but it doesn’t blow me away. It’s an above average fragrance, in terms of its smell, and a nice tuberose wear. Beyond that, it doesn’t truly stand out and isn’t the best Bloom release.

There isn’t a part of the wear that I dislike. I enjoy the ginger/rose/tuberose start, even if I wished that it lasted longer. The jasmine and tuberose is a familiar smell, not bad, just well tread territory with a million other perfumes.

The performance is pretty average and probably should be better based on what you’re going to pay for a bottle of this stuff.  All in all, it’s a nice Gucci perfume, that will have some appeal for tuberose lovers but maybe not much beyond that.

I don’t even see this listed on Gucci’s website anymore, so if you want it, you’d better grab a bottle.

YSL Libre vs. Mon Guerlain Comparison

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Libre by YSL has become a pretty popular lavender based fragrance. Another such option, is the even more popular Mon Guerlain. Due to their similarities, they often can get compared and become the final two options that women are deciding on to purchase. In this post, I want to give my comparison of these two perfumes, and go through why I think one is better than the other.

Quick Overview

Mon Guerlain is the better overall fragrance in this comparison, offering a sweeter, smoother, and more balanced blend of lavender, vanilla, tonka bean, and jasmine.

Libre has stronger projection and a bolder floral character, but its orange blossom and lavender combination feels less deep and refined.

Libre is still a solid choice for someone who wants the louder, more youthful option, while Mon Guerlain wins for overall scent quality.

Category YSL Libre EDP Mon Guerlain EDP Winner
Opening Opens with citrus, orange blossom, and a strong lavender presence. Bold and heavily floral from the beginning, with the lavender becoming dominant. Starts with sweet vanilla and tonka bean, creating an almost caramel-like scent. It later shifts toward a smoother combination of lavender and vanilla. Mon Guerlain
Projection Strong and well above average. It projects clearly and has the louder presence of the two fragrances. Moderate projection that remains noticeable without becoming overpowering or filling an entire room. YSL Libre
Longevity Lasts just over 9 hours during testing, with dependable and consistent performance. Usually lasts at least 8 hours and can exceed 10 hours. It has a lower floor but a higher performance ceiling. Mon Guerlain
Versatility Works well for everyday and casual wear through much of the year, but has a somewhat younger and more playful character. Also suitable for daily and casual wear, but fits a wider age range and can transition more easily into dressier or formal occasions. Mon Guerlain
Overall Scent A bold lavender and orange blossom fragrance that becomes creamier as the vanilla develops. Pleasant, but not especially deep or balanced. A smoother and more balanced lavender-vanilla fragrance, with jasmine, tonka bean, and an appealing caramel-like opening adding extra richness. Mon Guerlain

Tale of the Tape: Mon Guerlain vs. YSL Libre

Mon Guerlain

Notes include: jasmine, vanilla, lavender, sandalwood, tonka bean

Click here to try: Guerlain Mon Guerlain Eau De Parfum Spray 100ml/3.3oz

Read my review: Mon Guerlain EDP

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

Opening

Mon Guerlain starts things off with a sweet aroma of vanilla and tonka bean. Though, the way that the fragrance mixes with other notes in its composition, it starts to develop a caramel-like scent.

Then, Mon Guerlain will shift and become more about the lavender and vanilla notes, striking a somewhat similar smell to Libre.

Libre begins with citrus, but is already heavily floral from the start. Orange blossom is paired with the lavender early on, but the lavender will take on the much stronger role between the two. 

Which is better? I prefer the start of Mon Guerlain. You still get the lavender note like YSL Libre, but you also get that sweeter and delicious opening. I think that it smells better and also more interesting.

Edge: Mon Guerlain

Projection

Mon Guerlain has a moderate sillage overall. It’ll be noticeable and project itself fairly well, but isn’t going to overtake a room with a normal amount of spraying.

Libre is firmly in the strong camp. Not the most powerful scent that I’ve come across, but it is well above average, especially among most popular designer scents. Both have nice performance, but Libre is a notch above.

Edge: Libre

Longevity

During testing, Libre would last on my skin for just over 9 hours. While it does have the stronger sillage, I actually get better performance most of the time from Mon Guerlain.

So, Mon Guerlain will do 8 hours at the low end, but it does go over 10 hours. It has a higher ceiling, but lower floor when compared to the Saint Laurent perfume.

Edge: Mon Guerlain

 

Versatility

Both of these scents can be worn for much of the year, outside of the summertime. So, seasonally they are about equals. 

They are both very versatile, being daily wears, that can also be worn casually. I’d say that Mon Guerlain has the edge, as it can venture closer to formal wear and doesn’t skew as much to the younger age range as Libre.

Edge: Mon Guerlain

Overall Scent

Libre is an interesting fragrance and has it merits, but I’m not in love with it. It’s a bold lavender fragrance, that dries down into a creamier scent, with its vanilla note. Not a very deep scent and has an emphasis on the floral notes, including that opening orange blossom.

Mon Guerlain is just better to my nose, overall. It also has the lavender and vanilla, but feels more balanced, especially when the jasmine comes into play. Beyond that, the opening sweetness is a great touch, and Mon Guerlain is smoother/creamier.

Mon Guerlain pretty easily wins this one. Libre isn’t a bad perfume, it just doesn’t reach the same level as its competitor.

Since I first wrote this post, YSL has launched a slew of different Libre variants. The best that I’ve come across is Le Parfum…which is actually better than Mon Guerlain.

Winner: Mon Guerlain

Mon Paris Intensement by YSL

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Mon Paris Intensement is a flanker fragrance of the original and fairly popular, Mon Paris from Saint Laurent. It was released in 2020 and I recently bought a sample of this fragrance to give it a whirl and see if it’s actually a worthwhile scent. How does it smell? Does it last long? Please continue below for my full take on this YSL perfume.

My Verdict

Mon Paris Intensement is a sweet floral fragrance that opens with black currant, rose, and patchouli before becoming softer, muskier, and more heavily centered on rose and peony.

I enjoy the early fruit-chouli stage most, and the scent feels like a slight improvement over the original Mon Paris in both aroma and performance.

Overall, it is a very solid casual fragrance that offers good value when found at a reasonable price.

What does Mon Paris Intensement Smell Like?

Notes include: datura, Centifolia Rose, cashmeran wood, black currant, white musk

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris Intensement Women EDP Spray Floral 3 Ounce

🌹 Mon Paris Intensement by YSL — At a Glance
Fragrance Family Sweet Fruity Floral Woody
Key Notes Black Currant, Rose, Peony, Datura, Patchouli, Cashmeran Wood, White Musk
Season Fall, Winter, Spring, Mild to Moderately Warm Weather
Occasion Casual Wear, Daily Wear, Dates, Night Out, Social Events
Longevity Usually around 8–9 hours, with some wearings reaching up to 10 hours
Sillage Above average — projects well with a few sprays without becoming overwhelming
Rating ★★★★☆ 7.9 / 10
Quick Verdict A sweet rose-centered floral with black currant, patchouli, peony, cashmeran, and musk. The early fruity stage is the highlight, while the dry down becomes a softer musky rose. Strong performance and good versatility make it a solid value, although the scent is not especially original.

My Full Review

A woody floral chypre, a bouquet of flowers as grand as the Eiffel Tower. The hypnotic accord of Datura flower is heightened by the elegance of Centifolia Rose absolute and the sensuality of Cashmeran wood. The scent of mad love, to be lived intensely.

The opening of Intensement is similar to the original Mon Paris. Black currant (other berry notes, also) is stronger here and the datura accord is toned down, but it’s pretty similar overall.

Another main difference, is that the rose note here is much more prominent throughout the entire wear. That comes through early on with the patchouli, creating an early fruit-chouli type of fragrance.

That will fade, however, and the rose and peony really take over the composition. The patchouli pretty consistent during the entirety of the wear. But, those berry notes start to fall by the wayside and fall pretty far from prominence.

The result is a rose, peony, and datura blend with a sweetness covering it. From there add some cashmeran wood and muskiness from the base and you’ve pretty much have experienced the entire scent.

The final dry down is more of a musky rose blend, for maybe the last hour or two that it lasts on my skin.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Mon Paris Intensement is a strong perfume, though, not completely overwhelming. It is safely above average and can project itself well with only a few sprays. The sillage is solid overall and it doesn’t just cut out early to become a skin scent.

It can last for up to 10 hours, on the skin. But, I mostly got 8-9 hours of solid wear out of it. So, that’s more along the lines of what to expect on a daily basis, with some additional time on occasion.

The performance is one of the strengths of this YSL perfume and you get a good deal based on what you’re paying for it.

Seasonally, it can it in a wide range of climates, excepting the extreme heat of summer. It’s not completely terrible when it’s hot, but the fragrance definitely isn’t at its best. Ideally, slightly cool to moderate temperatures is when Mon Paris Intensement shines.

Mon Paris Intensement can be worn in a variety of situations, but I wouldn’t call it a formal sort of scent. It feels like it skews toward the younger crowd and is best served as a casual scent, either during the day or night.

Overall Impressions of Mon Paris Intensement

Do I like this perfume? I actually do enjoy it. It’s still not a love for me, but I think that it is better than the original, on balance. From the smell to the performance, Intensement just gives you a bit more than the original (which was pretty decent).

I really do like the early sweet stages of this scent. The rose, the black currant, and the patchouli are a familiar but enjoyable pairing. The main knock that I’d give to Mon Paris Intensement is that it isn’t very original.

I mean, not only is it a flanker to the original, but it has a decent amount of overlap with a ton of other scents, like Armani Si…but doesn’t smell as good.

It’s a nice scent, nothing spectacular, and not one of the top perfumes from YSL. Nevertheless, if you can good a nice price for it, this can totally find a way in your rotation. It does everything well and does provide a good deal of value.

Polo Deep Blue Parfum by Ralph Lauren

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It’s 2020 and Ralph Lauren has launched another fragrance, adding to the laundry list of offerings to the Polo Blue line up. This one, is called: Polo Deep Blue Parfum. I got to test it out and wanted to share my initial thoughts on this new release. How does it smell? Perform? When should it be worn? Is Deep Blue even worth a try?

2026 update: This one is now discontinued. You can still find bottles online, if you’re interested.

My Verdict

Polo Deep Blue Parfum is a fresh, masculine aquatic fragrance with an appealing opening built around green mango, citrus, sage, and a salty oceanic accord.

Performance is solid, with roughly 7–9 hours of longevity and strong early projection that gradually settles closer to the skin.

It works especially well as an easygoing spring and summer scent for daytime, casual wear, or semi-formal occasions.

Overall, it is not groundbreaking, but it is an attractive and versatile crowd-pleaser that may be one of the better fragrances in the Polo Blue line.

🌊 Polo Deep Blue Parfum by Ralph Lauren — At a Glance
Fragrance Family Fresh Fruity Aquatic Woody
Key Notes Green Mango, Grapefruit, Bergamot, Deep Ocean Accord, Sage, Cypress, Fir, Ambroxan
Season Spring, Summer, Warm Weather
Occasion Casual Wear, Daily Wear, Daytime, Night Out, Semi-Formal Events
Longevity Around 7–9 hours, with the final few hours sitting closer to the skin
Sillage Strong early projection that gradually settles to a moderate level
Rating ★★★★☆ 7.9 / 10
Quick Verdict A fresh and masculine aquatic scent with green mango, citrus, sage, salty oceanic notes, and woody undertones. The opening is bright and captivating, while the dry down becomes more familiar and ambroxan-heavy. It delivers solid longevity, good early projection, and plenty of warm-weather versatility. Not especially complex or groundbreaking, but an attractive crowd-pleaser and a strong entry in the Polo Blue line.

Polo Deep Blue Overview

Notes include: Hawaiian Green Mango, fir, sage, Deep Ocean Accord, Cypress Oil, ambroxan, grapefruit

Click here to try: POLO DEEP BLUE by RALPH LAUREN 

My Full Deep Blue Review

With lock downs ending, I’ve had a chance to try Polo Deep Blue, for an initial test run. Usually, I like to wear a fragrance multiple times before a review, but I’m going to give my initial thoughts on this scent and update later.

I gave it three solid sprays on my arm, at the pulse point, with the tester bottle right before exiting the store. That turned out rather favorably, as Deep Blue smelled wonderful outside in the fresh air.

Initially, you get a great mango note. This is the same note found in the Polo Black series, which is a great addition to this one. The mango is blended with some lighter citrus (bergamot and grapefruit) and what Ralph Lauren is terming ‘Deep Ocean Accord’.

What is deep ocean accord? Well, a somewhat salty aquatic aroma. Not quite the same marine note, like Bvlgari Aqua, but a fresh and pretty captivating aroma.

The next wave brings the fresher herbal and woody notes. I mainly get sage and cypress. During the part of the wear, it feels more like Polo Blue EDP. A different wood highlighted, but the sage is a dead ringer. More aquatic and with the mango, but you do get the close resemblance.

A few hours in, the Deep Ocean, smells almost purely like ambroxan. The note heavily featured in Sauvage, Dylan Blue, and many others. Deep Blue comes across as a fruity and fresh herbal scent sitting in a pool of ambroxan.

The latter stages feel like some kind of mix between Polo Blue EDP and EDT, with that ambroxan presence and added mango. It’s fine, but it’s not nearly as intriguing as the opening act. The opening hour or so, is great, and I wanted it to continue exactly like that.

Sillage 

Polo Deep Blue projects itself well, before slowly decaying during the rest of the wear. I’d say it starts off strong, at least strong enough to be over-sprayed, but it isn’t a complete powerhouse.

If you’ve tried the other Polo Blue colognes, this one is on the same sort of level as Blue EDP. Not weak, but not an insane sillage monster.

How Long does Deep Blue Last?

In total, I got somewhere in the 7-9 hour range. I kind of lost track of the time, during this initial test run, but it was a solid performer. Again, the ability to project itself does die down, as it wears on.

The last few hours definitely hung close to the skin, but the first 2+ hours performed quite well.

Versatility and Season

When should you wear Deep Blue? As far as the season goes, this is a spring and summer fragrance, all the way.

The oceanic influences, the citrus, and vibe just screams out summer. It will be most useful as a casual to semi-formal daily wear. Deep Blue is attractive enough to gather compliments and go from daytime to night wear.

Though, I would most prefer to wear this during the day, while out and about around town. It is suitable for all age ranges. If you’re looking for a more niche or grown up scent, be aware that this is more of a mass crowd pleaser. It’s a good one, but won’t be the height of complexity.

Overall Impression of Polo Deep Blue Parfum

Overall, do I like Deep Blue Parfum? I do. I think that it’s a great take on the Polo Blue name and structure. It might be my favorite release under this Polo Blue banner, but I’ll need to spend more time wearing it, to reach that conclusion.

You get an attractive and fresh fragrance. It has plenty of overlap with both the EDT and EDP versions, but with enough distinctions, to separate itself…especially early on. Later, it does smell more like the others.

I like the Deep Ocean Accord, which seems to be a combination of ambroxan and something else, I can’t quite pick out. That note does get overused, but I like it here.

The mango, sage, and woody undertones are very appealing and strike a masculine tone. This is probably the most aquatic feeling of the Polo Blue line. Is it different enough to own Deep Blue, if you’ve already got a bottle of the EDT or EDP?

Initially, yes. How much you want a bottle of a similar fragrance, is up to you. If you’re looking for a new summer cologne, this is one to check out. Groundbreaking? No, but a nice all around fragrance, with mass market appeal.