bvlgari

Bvlgari Man Terrae Essence

by

Bvlgari has released an Essence series of fragrances over the past number of years, each representing some part of the natural elements. I have been testing these out, after receiving samples of these colognes, a few months back. Today’s entry is the ‘earth’ portion of the line, Terrae Essence. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Man Terrae Essence Smell Like?

Notes include: vetiver, citron, orris, styrax, terrae accord

Click here to try: Bvlgari Man Terrae Essence

terrae essence review

My Full Review

Here’s how Bvlgari describes it: Continuing to harness the natural elements, Bvlgari Man Terrae Essence pays tribute to the power of the Earth, its authentic richness and diverse fertility. A scent impeccably translated through a contemporary and original vetiver interpretation, combined with an exclusive smoky Terrae accord.

Terrae opens up with a light citron note sitting on top of vetiver. Vetiver, to me is the second most prominent note throughout the entire duration of this fragrance.

The interesting part of this cologne, is going to be the terrae accord. I think, that it is what will make or break most people’s enjoyment with this scent.

The terrae accord is earthy, smoky, leathery, and woody. The styrax from the base also gives this one a warm and somewhat spicy balsamic presence.

Orris doesn’t come come across as being very strong or powdery. It’s more of an earthy root variety, but softens up that dirty aroma of the start.

At first, the fragrance has a spicy dryness and dirtiness about it. But, that really shifts to my nose, to become warmer and fresher as things move forward.

In the end, this is a prominent vetiver with a rich and dry earth, resin, citrus, and woods. Pretty different from most of the mainstream.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one does come out with a pretty strong level of performance during the first hour or so. That will settle into something moderate, but above average in terms of leaving a scent trail and just general projection.

It’s not going to completely blow out a room, but 4-6 feet of projection from the skin or clothing, seems about what Terrae Essence is capable of.

The longevity isn’t bad. Again, it’s above average, but not great. It stayed around for about seven hours, on my skin, with pretty decent projection for the vast majority of that duration.

Terrae Essence doesn’t just quit early. So, if this is a scent you like, it’s a decent enough deal.

Seasonally, this works just about anytime, in terms of climate. The extremes of heat and cold, I’d probably stay away from. However, a nice spring day or the early part of autumn is when I’d say this is at its best.

This isn’t a formal cologne. Not a nightlife or sexy romantic wear (for most folks at least). It does have that rougher dirty quality to it, that might not always be crowd pleasing.

Terrae Essence also isn’t frivolous or childish. So, as a daily wear, casual, or even semi-formal fragrance this could totally work…if it’s your style. It’s ability to work in a variety of climates, gives one some leeway in terms of what occasion you’d want to wear it.

Overall Impressions of Terrae Essence

Overall, do I like Terrae Essence? I like it more than I thought that I might, it’s just not a strong like for me.

I appreciate that Bvlgari went in a different direction with this fragrance, as creating an earthy based cologne, isn’t going to win over most people out there. That being said, Terrae is very wearable.

I like the freshness here. The terrae accord itself, does have that nice touch of smokiness and leather that pairs well with the dirtier aspects of it. The dry down itself is more of a traditional vetiver fragrance. Dry with citrus, but the resinous notes give this one some more personality.

Performance is good enough. Not spectacular, just will give you most of what you need on a daily basis.

Terrae Essence can be a solid pick for the right guy. Blind buying just might not be the way to figure that out, as there is a real risk of an individual not liking this at all. Terrae is probably one you’d want to test out, if you don’t want to risk spending money on.

At full retail, I think this is overpriced. At a discount, it certainly has its merits.

Bvlgari Man Wood Essence

by

Bvlgari Man has had some great entries over the years. More recently, the brand has released its Essence series of fragrances. I’ve gotten samples of each of them, have been testing them out, and am ready to share my impressions of them in review. Today, I am going to cover Wood Essence. How it smells. When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Bvlgari Man Wood Essence Smell Like?

Notes include: coriander, Italian citrus zests, cypress, vetiver, benzoin, cedar, ambergris

Click here to try: Bvlgari Man Wood Essence

wood essence review

My Full Review

Here’s how Bvlgari describes it: With Bvlgari Man Wood Essence, Bvlgari honors the universal nature of wood. The fragrance is composed of vital materials and ingredients that reconnect the urban man to nature, pulsating with the energizing power of its wood elements. Formulated with revitalizing Italian citrus accords and woody resins of Cypress and Vetiver gathered from the Mediterranean landscape it represents.

Wood Essence starts out being quite interesting to my nose. The citrus is there, yes, more of a zest than anything super heavy and juicy. But, it smells sweeter than the usual lemon fare. More like a cool summer drink.

But, that citrus doesn’t have its own moment to shine. The coriander, cypress, and resinous benzoin are present quite a lot early on.

The coriander has an initial spicy period for about 15 minutes or so (with benzoin). This is balanced out by the freshness of the wood notes. Cypress and cedar, with the former having a much heavier weighting. And indeed, the cypress is the star of the show.

The coriander leaves pretty much after its initial run. The citrus has a bit of a longer stay, but not much influence thereafter. Just a sweet impression keeping things from being ‘too woody’.

Wood Essence is very much about those wood notes. Wood with warm and resinous amber, dry and fresh vetiver playing a minor support role.

Greenish, fresh, with sweet and resinous highlights. That’s about what I get from Wood Essence.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is a moderate wear, towards the lighter side of things. For the first hour or two, you should get a nice trail going with a normal amount of sprays.

It projects in the 5-7 foot range, at its peak. Thereafter, it will be more intimate, but not a complete skin scent. More of a two foot or so scent bubble.

The longevity is fine. It usually sticks around for 6-7 hours, on my skin. Nothing beyond that for me. Blvgari Man Wood Essence isn’t going to blow the doors off with its performance. Just be good enough for most occasions.

Seasonally, I like this more in the moderate temperatures of spring and autumn. It wouldn’t be bad in a bit hotter temperatures or even when it’s chilly out. I’d just stay away from the extreme heat and cold.

This is a very versatile cologne. Not just in terms of seasons. The sweetness here, makes it one that’s an easy wear for pretty much all age groups. It also gives it an attractiveness and pleasant aroma that should gather complements.

The balance allows it to be worn day or night. Casually or in more formal situations. Wood Essence is a scent that should get plenty of use, if the way it smells is something you find yourself craving.

Overall Impressions of Wood Essence

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I like it somewhat. It’s solid overall, just not amazing. I enjoy that opening act, because it does have a fairly unique aroma versus many other colognes on the market today.

It’s a smooth and calming cologne. Wearing it outside, when it isn’t too hot, is where I got the best experience with Bvlgari Man Wood Essence. Catching whiffs of it with a light breeze going, was very pleasant.

It’s a balanced woody cologne. The cypress is the leader, but there is plenty of cedar and vetiver coming through in the mix,, as well.

The performance is decent. There’s a good amount of projection, but not overwhelming. Attractive and versatile.

Wood Essence does everything well, but nothing exceedingly great. I like that brightness and resinous support to the wood notes. It’s all very wearable.

Wood Essence is worth a try, especially if you can get a cheaper bottle. But, not something that is a must have for most guys.

Bvgari Aqua Pour Homme Marine

by

Yes, we’re heading into the winter months, in the Northern hemisphere. However, I wanted to get some reviews done this week, and the first up is a decidedly summer scent. Bvlgari Aqva Marine is one of the offerings from the Aqva line, by Bvlgari. How does this one stack up? What does it smell like? Is the performance good? Is it worth a try?

What does Bvlgari Aqva Marine Smell Like?

Notes include: neroli, seaweed, orange, grapefruit, cedar, rosemary, aquatic notes

Click here to try: Bvlgari Aqva Marine Pour Homme by Bvlgari 3.4oz 100ml EDT Spray

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Aqva Marine immediately hits with a familiar citrus aroma, much like in the original from this series. Yes, the orange note is the same, but this Marine has more grapefruit and balance between the two fruit notes.

The original Aqva, had a pretty short-lived orange note. After that, it became much more of what you’d associate with a marine sort of fragrance. Aqva Marine, has more depth.

Add to that, the neroli note, softens and adds a different cleaner component to this version of Aqva. To my nose, the seaweed’s influence is lightened up, and I get more of the oceanic watery fragrance.

This cologne becomes very fresh, crisp, and a bit salty sitting underneath the citrus notes up top. The coldness of this scent, seems to come and go on my skin, but it’s one aspect that I rather enjoyed.

As it moves forward, Aqva Marine becomes less of a citrus based scent, and the oceanic ingredients really take control. Again, the seaweed is way less intense than in the original, which I take as a good thing. The seaweed, could become a bit overwhelming at times.

From here, this is a fairly linear fragrance. Sea water, seaweed, light citrus, neroli, with a touch of herbal notes from rosemary and petitgrain.

Similar to the original Aqva, but with enough difference to let it stand on its own accord.  Clean, but something that is going to appeal to a certain segment of the population.

Longevity, Sillage, and Versatility

The sillage of this one is light to moderate. Definitely not a complete monster, but then again, this isn’t the sort of scent you’d want to be one. It’s going to hang close to the skin, as a fresh aquatic. It’s got enough power to be noticeable, particularly during the opening act.

The longevity is pretty good, for this category of fragrance. Usually you cannot expect all that much from a citrus/oceanic cologne, but this one can hit 6 hours of wear, depending on the climate conditions. Again, not spectacular, but very solid.

It falls right in line with the other Aqva fragrances in this series. Not too bad, especially since this isn’t really going to be a stand alone daily wear for most men.

Climate wise, warm weather, all the way. This is a spring/summer fragrance or a year round, if you live in a tropical region. I wouldn’t call this a romantic wear or a nightlife go to, by any means.

This is more casual and potentially some office wear, on the right day. Also, something you could put on for a trip to the coast or a beach day. A very relaxed and chilled out fragrance.

Don’t expect very much beyond being a nice an refreshing grab, during the daytime in the summer. There’s no real age range on this, it could work for young men to older guys, as well. Quite balanced and non-offensive, at least for a summertime wear.

It actually seems like it might be a good candidate for layering with another cologne. It has depth on its own, but it could be interesting in a blend.

Overall Thoughts on Aqva Marine

Do I like Aqva Marine? Yes, I think that it’s a nice wear, in the aquatic space. I’m not blown away by it or anything, but it has its strengths.

Mainly, it can serve as a more balanced and easier to wear option, versus the other Aqva colognes. Those other ones, are probably more unique, but also more polarizing. This is a good middle ground.

I’ve never been a huge fan of the oceanic type of aquatics. Some of them are pretty good, but smelling like seaweed and salt water, isn’t really my thing. That being said, Aqva Marine is one of the better examples of this type done right, on the market.

The performance is solid, the smell is pleasing but not amazing. I’d rate this as being above average, and definitely worth a try, for guys who enjoy a good oceanic aquatic.

Is it anything amazing? No, but it doesn’t do anything poorly either, and can usually be found for a decent price.

Jasmin Noir EDP by Bvlgari

by

In this post, I want to share my experiences with a Bvlgari fragrance for her: Jasmin Noir eau de parfum. It was released in 2008. Now, I think that this particular fragrance has been discontinued by the company, but you can easily still find bottles of it online (update: not so much anymore).

As usual, I am going to cover how it smells, what the ingredients are, when it should be worn, how it performs, and if it is worth a purchase or not.

What does Jasmin Noir Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, tonka bean, gardenia, almond, licorice, amber, musk, patchouli, wood

Click here to try: Bvlgari Jasmin Noir by Bvlgari for Women – 3.4 Ounce EDP Spray

My Full Review

Before I get into my own review of Jasmin Noir, let’s see what Bvgari has to say about it: Jasmin Noir is a flower of the imagination, rich and delicate that at nightfall reveals its intriguing sensuality.

The opening of Jasmin Noir doesn’t strike me as too dark, as the name would suggest. It starts off with a floral burst of jasmine and gardenia.

These two notes are surrounded by a sweetness and spiciness. It’s actually a fairly unique aroma, almond and licorice, with some patchouli hanging around in the back.

The tonka bean emerges a few minutes after spraying and adds another layer of sweet smoothness.

This is also when a woody base is revealed giving Jasmin Noir, a center from which to hold all of these sweet notes together. Together, it all strikes me as a rather seductive aroma.

Ultimately, what Jasmin Noir is highlighted by is almond, jasmine, gardenia, and licorice. To my nose, the jasmine and licorice are the strongest notes here, but none are super powerful. It’s well blended and doesn’t drop too much into a straight jasmine fragrance.

Though, it seems ‘darker’ during the dry down than it did at the start. The constant undercurrent of nuttiness provided by the almond note, is one of the highlights.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this Bvlgari perfume doesn’t have crazy powerful sillage. It is a fairly moderate scent, but one that isn’t weak. In terms of longevity, this one lasted 6-7 hours solidly on my skin, and then some additional time as a skin scent. Not crazy but very respectable.

Seasonally, Jasmin Noir fits right in with autumn and winter. However, it doesn’t strike me as being limited to just then, as it would be fine for springtime too. Really hot and humid days, probably won’t do too well with it. I think that it is also a pretty versatile scent.

Since it’s not overpowering, it is office safe. By the same token, it is not only subtle but also quite sexy and alluring.

Jasmin Noir EDP is actually at its best in the evening, wearing something revealing yet expensive. It is a very inviting perfume, that will catch attention, and draw complements.

Overall Impressions of Jasmin Noir EDP

Overall, do I like Jasmin Noir eau de parfum? Yes, I do. Licorice isn’t my favorite note, as it tends to give me a headache, but it’s not too bad here. The almond is a great little addition and almost always seems to get added to sexy fragrances.

This scent has solid but not amazing performance, but fits a definite role, as something to be worn on certain evenings and versatile enough to make appearances in the daytime.

You’re just going to have to like those particular flowers, almond, and licorice. But, if that’s the case, this one is very enjoyable to wear.

Now, it isn’t as easy to find as of this update. I’ve seen bottles selling for $200+, which is crazy high. Unless it is a fragrance that you already love, I’d pass on tracking down Jasmin Noir.

Bvlgari Man by Bvlgari

by

Since I’m doing a whole slew of new cologne reviews on the site , I figured I’d take some time and do one on a Bvlgari fragrance. In this post, I’m going to be taking a closer look at Bvlgari Man. It’s a woodsy/green type of fragrance which I tend to either love or hate.

What are some of the notes in Bvlgari Man? How does it smell? How does it perform? Is it worth a buy? Please read on for my full review of this cologne.

What does Bvlgari Man Smell Like?

FullSizeRender (4)

Notes include: Lotus, bergamot, vetiver, honey, violet, woods, musk

Try Blvgari Man: Bvlgari Man Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 5 Ounce

My Full Review

With a name like Man, you expect this Bvlgari scent to be something masculine and confident, and on that accord this cologne delivers. The opening is very refined and fresh.

I’m not completely blown away by it but it certainly smells very good as well as being quite crisp and clean.

Update: Coming back to this scent years later, I really do enjoy the opening act more so, than I had.

There is a light floral mix of lotus and violet leaf, with just a touch of pear and citrus. Even in the beginning, I am picking up more vetiver and wood. It is woody, warm, with thickness provided by the honey. 

Man does have a slight smokiness to it maybe from the vetiver? But then there is also a warm, woodsy, sweetness to it provided by the honey and musk. The impression it leaves is of a somewhat sweet grassy floral, with lots of wood.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

However, like some of my other favorites, this one does have longevity and projection issues. It isn’t a big time in your face scent to begin with but it could’ve at least made up for it with some longevity.

It doesn’t last nearly as long as I’d like, and it falls quickly into a skin scent. If you spray more than you usually would, it can be serviceable. I can only seem to must 3-4 hours total, though. It doesn’t hit the same level as Man in Black or other offerings. 

What this scent does right is provide an appealing if sort of generic aroma which would probably work very well in an office type environment.

I would say late 20s through 30s would be best served by wearing this. I want to say, I truly do enjoy this cologne, when it settles in Man becomes so damn good.

So, casual or business wear for this. It is attractive enough to pull complements, though, I wouldn’t really categorize it as a ‘sexy’ cologne. Very attractive, with its own style. 

Overall Impression of Bvlgari Man

Overall, would I rate this a buy? It’s fantastic for what it is, it just doesn’t last. It’s really a shame because I could envision me wearing this as a casual fragrance on a regular basis if it just projected itself better and lasted longer.

I might have suggested going with Bvlgari Man Extreme, but that seems to be a completely different fragrance. The more time that I’ve spent wearing Bvlgari Man, the greater appreciation that I have for this scent.

It’s unique and honestly has moments of utter greatness. The performance just sucks. 

I have a mini bottle, that I still throw on from time to time. Usually, it’s just before heading to the store or around my house. Really, because it’ll fade in most scenarios, before any real use is gotten out it. 

Update: This has been long since discontinued.