dolce and gabbana

Dolce Rose by Dolce & Gabbana

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Dolce Rose is another release from this series by Dolce & Gabbana and was released in 2021. I received a sample of this, when I purchased a lot of fragrances, and it’s been sitting in a box for months. I recently broke it out to give it a test, so that I could post my review. How does it smell? Does it last? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Dolce Rose Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, musk, red currant, apple, mandarin orange, peach, magnolia, and sandalwood

Click here to try: Dolce Rose EDT

dolce rose review

My Full Review

Dolce Rose definitely starts out juicy and sharp. This is a fruity floral fragrance and that’s completely apparent from the jump.

Red currant is the lead fruit, but its supported by that same green apple found in Light Blue. Under that, some orange and peach. I’d say peach is number three in terms of the strength of the fruits, but as it dries down, it takes over for the apple.

Beyond that fruitiness, there is of course the rose note. With the musk coming up from the base, the fruits and rose together do seem to give off a body wash kind of clean and sharpness.

Once the initial fruit explosion wears off, this does become more floral. The fruits at this point are basically peach and a general mass of the other three.

Rose, magnolia, musk, and some woods come into play. It’s a nice peachy rose aroma with musk and a hint of the others. Still sweet and playful, but much more toned down versus how this one starts.

Finally, in the end it’s rose, fruitiness, and musk. It’s an aroma that you’ve probably come across a whole lot. Yet, it is till pretty nice.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Dolce Rose starts off fairly strong on my skin. It projects far and leaves a scent trail for about the first hour or so. Seriously, those sharp fruit notes can make this one seem pretty beastly.

But, it’s still a lighter and not a heavy fragrance. The latter act is a moderated sillage. Still noticeable, but not dominating the room.

The longevity seems to be in the 7-8 hour range for me. Not an all-day marathon, but should be able to hit a full workday for most people.

d&g perfume

Seasonally, keep this one for the spring and summer months. In the cold air, this D&G seems like it would cut like a knife.

This does have a more youthful or girly kind of vibe. More of a casual fragrance, that skews younger, while not necessarily being just for teenagers.

Stick to the daytime, but probably avoid the office or anything formal with Dolce Rose.

Overall Impressions of Dolce Rose

Overall, do I like Dolce Rose? Sort of. There are aspects that I enjoy, but also the scent sort of wears on me, after a while.

The apple, musk, red currant, and peach are nice. Though, it’s also a smell that I get tired of quickly, because it is so sharp and intense from the get go. I think the fragrance calms down, but that dry down is pretty basic.

If you want a super rose dominant scent, this isn’t it. It’s fruity/floral for much of the wear. Then, when the rose does take the top spot, it’s still sharing the stage.

As such, you should want a fruity clean fragrance with a rose note, if you’re going to go with this one. If that’s your thing, you’ll at least get your money’s worth, since the performance is solid all around.

From this series, I think that I prefer Dolce Shine, more than this one.

Dolce Rose isn’t a must have fragrance for most people. But, it’s probably not one that most people would find awful. Pretty girlish, with a body wash kind of scent. Nice enough, but nothing that special.

Light Blue Pour Homme vs. Forever

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Light Blue has spawned a ton of different flankers, seemingly every year for a long time now. The latest, is the blue-bottled Light Blue Forever, that gained a lot of popularity since its release. Though, how does it compare to the original? Which lasts longer? Smells better? Should you buy?

Tale of The Tape: Light Blue Pour Homme vs. Forever

Light Blue

Notes include: bergamot, grapefruit, mandarin orange, pepper, oak moss, juniper, musk, rosemary, rosewood, incense

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 6.7 Ounce

My review: Light Blue

Light Blue Forever

Notes include: grapefruit, violet leaf, white musk, vetiver, ozonic accord

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Forever for Men by Dolce & Gabbana Eau De Parfum,3.3 Fl Oz

My Full Review: Light Blue Forever

Opening

Light Blue starts off with its citrus fruits led by bergamot and grapefruit, with a bit of mandarin orange. It is super bright and summery, with a spicy pepper note, and an herbal aroma of rosemary.

After 10 minutes, the citrus is bolstered by some base notes, of incense and rosewood. This gives the scent a touch of smoky wood, lingering in the background.

Light Blue Forever also starts with a grapefruit note. But, it is the sole focus of this scent, and isn’t splitting duties between citrus fruits as the original does. It also smells more realistic and has a very fresh crispness to it.

Beneath that, is a blue-green ozonic accord that adds a watery freshness, and the ever-increasing violet leaf.

Which is better? Forever. If you’re going to make one note the focus, you’d better do it well. D&G definitely nailed the grapefruit experience and it is just more enjoyable early on.

Edge: Forever

Projection

I’d call both of these fragrances moderate, at their peak. With Forever, you get that bold grapefruit burst initially, which does project itself quite well. But, after that it will become lighter, and will be very light for much of the wear.

With Light Blue, it’s moderate also, but I’d call it more consistent with its sillage. It does also get lighter, but holds on to the middle for a few more hours.

Edge: Light Blue

Longevity

With longevity, I have gotten 6-8 hours with the original Light Blue in the past. Newer bottles seem to be on the lower end of the spectrum. Not too bad considering what you get with many long-running popular colognes.

With Light Blue Forever, it gets me just over 7 hours of wear, even with that lighter kind of strength level. Again, pretty good for a super citrusy fragrance.

I might have given the edge, to the original with older bottles. But, I’ll call it a tie with today’s offerings.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are at their peak in the summertime. Also, can venture into the spring, but really great on the warmer days. I think that Forever actually has more refinement, than the original, and that’s really the separation between them.

Not that it’s a formal cologne, by any means, but it can go better into semi-formal situations. It isn’t a massive difference, with when they can be worn, but a slight edge to Forever.

Edge: Forever

Overall Scent

I do enjoy Light Blue quite a bit. It isn’t my favorite, by any means, but it is so easy to wear and has plenty going for it. It’s clean, fresh, and a great first buy for many guys just starting out with fragrances. It gives you a decent performance for the price.

It’s got a drier, spicier aroma than the more green/ozonic qualities of Forever, that some men may prefer.

With Forever, I really do like that opening act with the grapefruit note. After that, it becomes a greener and woodsier scent and the grapefruit becomes just another part of the composition.

Violet leaf and vetiver with some musk…once you get past the grapefruit, I don’t really lover it.

It smells fine, at that point, but is pretty weak with its sillage. I don’t hate it, but once the opening fades, the appeal is gone for me.

The opening alone might have me recommend it over the original. As a whole, I’m kind of torn between the two. I think the original is still more enjoyable overall. It feels more dynamic and has a better ability to stick around with some power.

So, I guess the nod goes to Light Blue, over the newer Forever. But, it’s pretty equal. Forever has a higher high, but it’s short-lived.

Winner: Light Blue

Light Blue Pour Homme Eau Intense vs. Forever

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Light Blue is a seemingly endless line of fragrances from Dolce & Gabbana. I mean, why quit when you’re so successful with the formula? The latest edition is Light Blue Forever Pour Homme, which made waves in the summer of 2021.

It’s a well-liked cologne, but how does it compare to another popular option from the line, Eau Intense? In this post, I will compare the two and declare the best option.

Tale of the Tape: Light Blue Eau Intense vs. Forever Pour Homme

Light Blue Forever

Notes include: grapefruit, violet leaf, white musk, vetiver, ozonic accord

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Forever for Men by Dolce & Gabbana Eau De Parfum,3.3 Fl Oz

My Full Review: Light Blue Forever

Light Blue Eau Intense

Notes include: mandarin, frozen grapefruit, juniper, aquatic accord, amber woods, musk

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Intense Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce

My review: Light Blue Eau Intense

Opening

Eau Intense has similarities to the original Light Blue, much more so than Forever. It kicks things off as a citrus scent with its mix of grapefruit and mandarin orange.

The scent has a chilly aroma, as the grapefruit note is ‘frozen’. It doesn’t have the peppery accord of the original.

In its place, I pick up a light juniper note. The main difference from the original is the inclusion of an aquatic accord. It is slightly salty but not really oceanic, more like sitting by a hotel pool, while on an island. You pick up aquatic elements of sea and pool water.

The juniper and amberwood in Eau Intense give it very fresh profile, that is great to spray on during the summer.

Light Blue Forever also starts with a grapefruit note. That’s it’s main attraction and it smells much more realistic and fresh versus the one found in the rest of the series.

Beneath that, is a blue-green ozonic accord that adds a watery freshness, and the ever-increasing violet leaf.

Which is better? I enjoy both, but I think that Forever has the better start to things. That grapefruit note, while not my favorite aroma in the world, is absolutely great in just how much like the real thing it smells like.

This first category goes to Forever.

Edge: Forever

Projection

Light Blue Eau Intense starts off pretty powerfully and it has the ability to project itself pretty far from the skin.

That first hour or so, it is certainly possible to overspray and take over a room. Though, it does settle and become much more of a moderate fragrance for the rest of the wear.

Forever opens up with that nice grapefruit burst, though it’s pretty moderate as a whole. It never hits the same heights as Eau Intense and much of the wear will be spent near skin scent level.

You get a few hours of solid performance, then it will be a lighter cologne.

Eau Intense has the better sillage.

Edge: Eau Intense

Longevity

While, Forever isn’t the best with how it projects, it actually does stick to the skin for quite a while in this lighter state. It gets me just over 7 hours of wear, with the first couple being in its moderate strength.

However, Light Blue Eau Intense gets me around 9 hours of wear, with a better ability to project. Between these two, Eau Intense clearly has the better performance.

 

Edge: Eau Intense

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are best in the summertime. They can both go casual and can fit in, for an office environment.

I do think that Forever, is the better of the two with how it can fit into those sorts of semi-formal circumstances in comparison to Eau Intense.

It’s a pretty close race and there is plenty of overlap. Forever does have a slight edge in when and where it can be worn.

Edge: Forever

Overall Scent

This is a close call to which of these two fragrances I prefer. Both of them have their strengths and are enjoyable in their own right.

Light Blue Forever is the new kid on the block and has already made a name for itself. I really do enjoy that opening act with the grapefruit note.

After that, it becomes a greener and woodsier scent and the grapefruit becomes just another part of the composition. Violet leaf and vetiver with some musk to boot. Once it has dried down, I’m not that enthralled with Forever.

Update: Forever has since been discontinued. It is still available online at some places. D&G came out with Italian Love the next year, which was a slightly different take on the formula (which I preferred), and can also serve as an alternative to Light Blue Forever.

Either way, you’ll now have to find both from 3rd party online stores, that may still have stock of each.

It smells fine, at that point, but is pretty weak with its sillage. I don’t hate it, but once the opening fades, the appeal is gone for me.

Eau Intense is a summertime workhorse. It starts off slower, but I think has a better smell overall. Not a huge margin, but I do like it better. Plus, I get 9 hours of solid performance.

I love the aquatic nature and freshness from the juniper note. Eau Intense is cold and clean reminding me more of sitting by the pool versus the ocean.

Between these two, I still give the edge to Eau Intense.

Winner: Eau Intense

The One Sport by Dolce & Gabbana

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Marching on with my reviews of recent fragrance samples I’ve received, I’m going to tackle a scent by Dolce & Gabbana, that is a flanker fragrance to The One for Men. The One sport is a fresh and obviously sporty take on the original but how does it stand up to its predecessor? Also, what does it smell like, and is it even worth a purchase?

What does The One Sport Smell Like?

Notes include: sequoia, rosemary, cardamom, musk, patchouli

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana The One Sport Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

I was a big fan of how the original The One by D&G smelled, in fact, it was one of my favorite scents ever…except for the fact that it lasted less than 20 minutes on my skin. So, I was curious as to what my experience with The One Sport would be in light of the weakness of the progenitor.

Upon first sniff, I immediately recognize a familiar aroma, and it’s that of Deep Energy by Adidas. That Adidas fragrance is another sporty scent for men and it shares a very large part of its character with this D&G cologne.

The notes between the two overlap with the cardamom, musk, patchouli, and a wood note (albeit different trees). Add to that, they are also quite watery/aquatic in nature.

The biggest difference between the two is that The One Sport has a rosemary note and Deep Energy uses citrus. The variation is actually pretty slight and these scents are very close to one another.

So, beyond smelling like a rosemary laced Deep Energy, The One Sport is a pretty linear affair. It’s a very basic scent that doesn’t really develop much personality or surprise you in anyway while wearing it. What you originally smell is essentially what you get throughout.

That’s not to say that I think that it doesn’t smell good. I mean, I like it, but I’m not blown away by the scent. It’s an upbeat and fresh scent with a bit of spice and wood. That’s about it. Straightforward and to the point.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this scent is pretty weak. It is fairly noticeable at first but then dies a quick death. Longevity is about an hour, maybe two, if you’re lucky.

It really does seem like The One Sport was designed to be worn at the gym and that’s it. Maybe casually on a summer’s day.

I honestly don’t know when else you would wear it. It doesn’t really smell sexy, and doesn’t last long enough, to be a workplace fragrance. So, it’s kind of pointless otherwise.

Overall Impressions of The One Sport

Overall, would I recommend The One Sport? I don’t see a reason to own this cologne. At this price point, it is very limited, if all you want to do is wear a fragrance at the gym why not just buy the Adidas scent for around $10? (Update: That’s not even possible anymore, at that price point)

You get basically the same scent and it actually performs better and lasts longer. The One Sport is just about completely pointless. It smells just fine, but offers nothing besides that. I’ll pass.

Somehow they decided to make a sport version of The One EDT, a scent with fairly notoriously bad performance. I know that this hasn’t been available for about a decade, but The One Sport is easily the worst of this D&G series.

Dolce Floral Drops by D&G

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In today’s review, we have another fragrance from Dolce & Gabbana, from their Dolce line: Floral Drops. This one was released in 2015 as a flanker to the original Dolce perfume. So, how does this one smell? What are the ingredients? How does it perform? Is it actually worth a purchase?

What does Floral Drops by D&G Smell Like?

Notes include: peach, apple, daffodil, water lily, neroli, papaya flower, musk, sandalwood, cashmere

Click here to try: DOLCE GABBANA Floral Drops Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 2.5 Fluid Ounce

Full Review

Floral Drops opens with a very crisp and watery aroma. It’s certainly the green apple in the top note, but the peach is also present. The peach is light but adds that sweet familiar smell. The fruit here, is a nice mix of floral and the actual fruit.

So, you get apple but also neroli and papaya flower, as well. It’s all sort of citrus and vaguely tropical. It’s sweet, summery, but not a sickening candy-like scent.

After the initial top notes, the white flowers move in to the dominant position. I can definitely smell the water lily in here and what I suppose is the daffodil, though, that isn’t a scent that I have a distinct memory of.

It’s all sort of blended together into more of a singular floral scent, rather than stand alone and distinct floral notes.

At its base, Dolce Floral Drops has a very small amount of musk and some woodiness provided by cashmere and sandalwood.

None of these notes come through all that strongly. In the end, it is juicy/watery, floral, and greenish. I do enjoy the almost aquatic aroma, that this one develops, as it moves along. Very nice.

Sillage, How Long it Lasts, Versatility

Projection wise, Floral Drops has a light sillage. It’s an airy sort of perfume and isn’t going to overpower a room. That being said, I did notice it plenty while wearing. Not extreme in the slightest, though.

The longevity is an area in which this perfume does under-perform. It lasted about 4-5 hours on my skin, which isn’t horrific, but definitely not where I’d want it to be.

Trying it a few times, Floral Drops does tend to stay in the 5 hour range, on the skin. On clothing, it’ll give a few more hours. Nonetheless, this perfume doesn’t have great longevity.

Seasonally, I’d call this D&G fragrance, one for the spring/summer months. It’s light, clean, and cheerful. Floral Drops can be worn at work or casually during the day.

I wouldn’t call it a sexy fragrance, but I certainly think that it is pretty enough to wear on a date or on a night wear one wants to be low key. Mostly, it’ll serve as a daily wear when you want something simple and pretty.

Overall Impressions of Floral Drops

Overall, do I like Dolce Floral Drops? I actually do. It’s not super amazing or anything but is a nice take on the usual white floral perfume.

The fruit notes, while light, add a different dimension and make Floral Drops quite an attractive scent.

The only real issue is that this perfume isn’t all that great at lasting for very long. However, if you only need something light and pretty for freshening up, this would be a solid choice.

Floral Drops is a good fragrance for the warmer months, very clean, and pleasant to have on throughout its cycle. My favorite part has to be the initial apple and peach, which gives it more personality than the usual white floral fare.