Reviews by Jon_Remy

Actually, I do like Mankind a lot, even though it reminds me of some of the Lomani fragrances (Lomani, Lomani Best, El Paso). I wish they had made it in an eau de parfum concentration because I would wish it lasted a little longer without having to respray three or four hours later. It is available in a 6.7-ounce size, so I'll purchase that and just increase the number of sprays. If I go crazy and apply 12-15 sprays, it seems to last to my liking. For the price, Mankind makes a great go-to everyday fragrance that you can apply to your heart's desire. I like Mankind, but I think I prefer Mankind Legacy. I haven't tried Mankind Hero, Mankind Ultimate, or Mankind Unlimited, but will leave reviews on those if and when I get a chance to try them. Otherwise, Mankind is a great go-to everyday fragrance.

Actually, I do like H24 a lot. Yes, it's fresh and seemingly too light to be noticed, but that's not the case. It lasts all day on me. I actually love the metallic note and does, in fact, smells like someone is ironing. I went ahead and purchased the 4.2-ounce refill (don't know why the bottle you're going to refill is 3.4 ounces and not 4.2 ounces, smh). I suppose that'll leave you a little left over to fill a travel atomizer. Although quite different, my favorite Hermes fragrance to this day is still 24 Faubourg eau de parfum (an absolutely gorgeous orangey/ambery fragrance that I wear alternating with Ysatis by Givenchy, another all-time favorite).

I really like Mankind Legacy. I don't think it's an Aqua di Gio clone at all (like some have said). I love the performance. It has great longevity and sillage for about four hours. I respray after four hours if I'm going to still be out and about. I haven't tried Mankind Hero yet but have ordered a sample. The original Mankind is nice, although to my nose it smells like a Lomani fragrance a la Lomani original, Lomani Best, or Lomani El Paso. I actually love the bottle and think it's the best looking out of all of them with the silver strap encircling the bottle. I ordered the 6.7-ounce size because I don't mind overspraying this particular fragrance (then it lasts the whole day). I suppose I better stock up on the 6.7-ounce size while I can for $42 before it's discontinued and they charge $42 for the 3.4-ounce size. Actually, I like Mankind Legacy a lot and won't mind using it as my everyday fragrance. It's quite affordable and that means I can spray to my heart's delight, although, as previously mentioned, performance, longevity, and sillage are above average. I love it. PS-I'm not sure, but is that a subtle crisp apple note in the top notes?

Actually, I think I like Energy the best out of all three "layering" fragrances (Energy, Intensity, Serenity). I love the green smell with the neroli, orange, tuberose, magnolia, and jasmine. It reminds me a little bit of Paul Sebastian's Kinetic (don't know if that's still available, but probably not). For being such a light green fragrance, it seems to last all day, so the performance is great, as well as the longevity and sillage. I could still smells it on my clothes the next day when it took me aback and I asked myself what is that wonderful fresh smell. Anyway, I think I'll keep it in my wardrobe at this time, and for the current selling price ($22 on FragranceNet), I just might buy a few extra bottles. (For some reason Intensity and Serenity are selling for $80 on some sites.) Smells GREAT when layered with Issey Miyake's Soleil De Neroli!!!

I love Spellbound, and although they've packaged it in a 1.7-ounce bottle versus the larger 3.4-ounce bottle (who knows why they did that), it still smells exactly the same. Please bring back the 3.4-ounce bottle and, better yet, why not release a 5-ounce or 6.8-ounce bottle like others have. I've got Eternity and Oscar de la Renta in 6.8-ounce bottles, and a 5-ounce bottle of Hypnotic Poison EDT. If they can do it and give their customers a LOT of what they want, why can't Estee Lauder. It would be nice to see Lauder For Men in a large 6.8-ounce bottle! Hey, Estee Lauder, are you listening???

OMG, have they REALLY discontinued Nautica classic??? What the heck is going on at Nautica (or whomever manufacatures it)? I purchased Nautica when it first came out and I love it to this very day. There have often been times when I've smelled this on other men and asked what they were wearing because it smelled so GOOD. You can imagine my surprise when they say Nautica. I am taken aback and say, "I own Nautica!" Yes, it's an aquatic with a very rich quality. I can't believe they've discontinued it because there is absolutely NOTHING else out there in cologne world that smells anything close to Nautica. Why don't they discontinue many of the Nautica iterations that have been released (and there have been many)??? They should keep their namesake fragrance because there are a LOT of us that still love the original classic version the BEST! I suppose I'm going to have to stock up while it's still available online (...and before I see it on e-Bay for $300.00 a bottle after it becomes rare and hard to find)! NOW, if Fendi would please bring back, or relaunch, Fendi Uomo and Fendi for Women. Those were two classic Fendi fragrances I was REALLY sad to see go. Not to mention Balencia Pour Homme by Balenciaga and Cristobal (both men's and women's) and Talisman and Rumba, both for women. I've seen Rumba online for sale, but it's apparently made by Ted Lapidus now. I also loved Creation (a beautiful intense white floral similar to Balenciaga's Rumba) and Creation The Vert (which smells almost identical to Light Blue by D&G). Again, I'm so saddened that Nautica "Classic" is being discontinued. :(

I seem to love ALL fragrances by Chevignon, my favorite being Chevignon (which smells like the now-discontinued Polo Crest), and Best of Chevignon (which smells like the now-discontinued Casual by Paul Sebastian). I love Chevignon!

This came out in 1989, not 1994. I was on a plane to Munich when another passenger said she worked for the Calvin Klein company and was incidentally carrying a sample of CK One in her purse, which she gave to me. She said it was a unisex fragrance (something new at the time). I thanked her, and have loved CK One ever since 1989.

Smells identical to Hiris by Hermes.

I like it. It reminds me a lot of Marc Jacobs eau de parfum (at a fraction of the price).

Yes, it's different, and I do smell a waxy candle which has just burned out its wick. It smells very "waxy" to me, which, for some odd reason, I like. I think this should have been the men's version of Bill Blass' Amazing for women. It would have been a lot closer to the women's version of Amazing than the original version of Amazing for men. I don't see the connection with fig newtons or Oscar by Oscar de la Renta (which, to me, smells more like the now-discontinued vintage gold-tinged Burberrys for Men in the bottle with the offset cap). Nevertheless, I am a niche fragrance person and I do like Bourbon Homme. I think this would be best worn during the cooler months and even in the extreme cold of wintertime. I think I'll keep it, especially when I am in the mood for a different fragrance. Also, if you like Bourbon Homme, you probably will also like Comme de Garcons' Odeur 53, which I also love. Odeur 53 is definitely a nice fragrance, with notes of electricity, burnt metal, electrical tape, ozone, etc. Now, that's a niche fragrance I really love! Also, of note, Calvin Klein's Truth for Women smells very similar to Odeur 53 (in my opinion), and I wear them both interchangeably. Ah, gotta LOVE those nich fragrances. The L'Heures line by Cartier is also exquisite, and my favorites from that lineup is XII L'Heure Mysterioux (the mysterious hour) - a more vanilla/woody version of L'Heure XIII parfum, and XIII L'Heure Treizieme (the thirteenth hour) a burnt woody parfum that smells like an old burnt French castle door, lol (really, it does).

I love L'heure Treizieme XIII. To me, it smells like an ancient old wooden castle door! Could also smell like the burned lining of oak barrels in which whiskey is stored. Nonetheless, it smells very medieval. I love it. What I don't like is that Cartier decided to change the bottle. It is no longer the gradient brown bottle with a beautiful clear cap, but now comes in a boring clear bottle with what looks like a plastic cap wrapped in purple string. Very incongruous with the scent inside the bottle. I wish they would have left the packaging alone. The new packaging looks cheap compared to the distinguished intriguing old bottle style. Go figure. Who exactly at Cartier is in charge of making these stupid decisions??? I ordered a bottle from Neiman Marcus, and I'm hoping the formulation hasn't changed because the bottle has changed. I know when they changed the bottlel design for Red Door (by Elizabeth Arden), they went and changed the formulation, too, and NOT for the better. Red Door is now watered down and smells like a boring rose water, not the rich and decadent amber rose smell that lasted all week. The new Red Door sucks, and I won't be surprised to see its sales plummet and it eventually discontinued. Shame on EA Fragrances for changing that classic bottle and formulation. Many classic fragrances have gone by the wayside, e.g., Balenciaga Pour Homme, Cristobal, Polo Crest, Ralph Lauren Monogram, Boss Spirit by Hugo Boss, Rush For Men by Gucci, the original vintage Gucci Pour Homme, Fendi Uomo, Fendin for women, Insense by Givenchy, Moods by Krizia, etc. It's criminal!

I love Cartier L'Heure XII. To my nose, it smells like XIII with vanilla being added. It still smells exceptionally delightful to me, and they smell great when layered. I think XII and XIII are my favorites. What I don't like though is that Cartier has changed the bottle design. It now comes in a clear bottle with a plastic cap wrapped in string. To me, it looks cheap and they should have left the old bottle alone, the brown gradient glass with clear top and gold striping. Who makes these decisions??? When they change the bottle design, it also makes me wonder if they changed the formulation, too? They did it with Red Door (Elizabeth Arden). When they changed the bottle, they reformulated the fragrance, which then became a very weak version of rose water, no longer the rich long-lasting fragrance of the original Red Door. Why can't these perfume companies leave well enough alone, or just produce a new fragrance under a different name. They should leave classic vintage fragrances alone!

I love Azzura by Azzaro! I'm glad I stocked up in some years back. I purchased ten bottles of the large eau de toilette spray bottles, and 25 bottles of the smaller 1-oz. refillable parfum spray. They were clearance items on sale at Drug Emporium. I just opened one of each a few days ago, and since they've been new-in-box and sealed in cellophane, they smell just as beautiful as the brand new fragrance did. As long as no air gets into the bottles, these should last forever! I just love the sophisticated deep orange fragrance. Similar to Le Feu by Issey Miyake, although perhaps not as bitter, as Le Feu smelled like bitter chewed up vitamins, lol! Nevertheless, I love them both, but now Le Feu has also been discontinued. :(

After I could no longer find Blv for Women by Bvlgari, I found that Lacoste Pour Femme replaced Blv PERFECTLY! LPF smells as I remember Blv, however, seems to be stronger in its concentration. As a matter of fact, I love Lacoste Pour Femme even more than Blv for Women. Lacoste Pour Femme and Lacoste Pour Homme will always be in my wardrobe. I hope they never discontinue these two classics (fingers crossed)!

ANOTHER one discontinued by Paul Sebastian??? I wore Casual for Men on a regular basis. I would constantly receive compliments on how great I smelled. It is an aromatic white fragrance. I found it very similar to Best of Chevignon (of which I still have two full bottles remaining in my wardrobe, as well as the original Chevignon, which smells like the now-discontinued Polo Crest). I've got only one full bottle left of Casual for Men, so I will have to use it very sparingly and now only on special occasions. Again, I can't believe they discontinued Casual for Men since it was readily available not that long ago.

What a beautiful powerhouse of a women's fragrance! It smells wonderful, like roses, carnations, and chrysanthemum! I had a small vial in my t-shirt pocket and kept wondering where that beautiful smells was coming from. I realized it was coming from the vial which had warmed up due to my body heat. I then realized how much I LOVE Design by Paul Sebastian. I hope they NEVER discontinue this gem, because I have started wearing it on a regular basis. Thank you to the vial in my pocket that made me realize how much I truly LOVE this fragrance. Luckily, it is still readily available online. A+!

Why did they discontinue Design for Men??? It was one of my all-time favorites and I always received compliments on how great I smelled. It's unfortunate, but a poor decision on Paul Sebastian's parent company's part. I suppose it's the "younger" people coming into the company and "weeding out" all the fragrances that those above age 50 love. So sad, and so discriminatory. These cretins don't know quality when they smell it! PS-The performance, longevity, and sillage are excellent. I thought I liked Burberry Man until I compared it to Design for Men by Paul Sebastian. Design blew Burberry Man out of the water. Still so disappointed that Paul Sebastian discontinued Design for Men as well as Casual for Men. I can't believe the women's versions are still in product but the men's aren't. That makes no sense to me. I wish I had stocked up on Design when it was marked down. I only have three bottles left so I am going to have to make them last. If you liked Casual, you might light Best of Chevignon by Chevignon, although I believe that one is discontinued also. Anyway, I give design an A+, five stars!

Extravagance d'Amarige smells to me like a cross between True Love by Elizabeth Arden and Eau Parfumee The Bleu by Bvlgari. A nice soft fragrance that is good to spray on your pillow before sleep conducive to quality rest. I liked it so much that I purchased four bottles. It's unfortunate that they stopped manufacturing it in the original bottle (which was cute), and is now mass produced in a nondescript plain bottle. What these fragrance companies do sometimes baffles me. I'm sure the difference in cost of packaging is mere pennies. Cheapskates!

Like Fahrenheit deodorant/antiperspirant, the Givenchy Pour Homme deodorant/antiperspirant smells BETTER than the actual fragrance itself. Although I stoked up on GpH when it first came out, I wear this strictly in the autumn/winter, and it remains locked in my fragrance locker for the rest of the year. It is a very nice fragrance on a cold winter day when you're eating at an exclusive upscale restaurant with other affluent Mercedes-driving patrons. Yes, I've received many compliments on Givenchy Pour Homme. Too bad the actual fragrance doesn't smell like the deodorant/antiperspirant, because that smells Heavenly (just like the Fahrenheit). There must be ingredients in the deodorant/antiperspirant that gives it that extra something that brings out the beautiful warm and sweet notes.

I currently have the version made by P&G Prestige Beaute. The vendor I buy from said the current distributor is Coty US, LLC, and is Made in Spain. I'm wondering if I should take a chance on purchasing the one made in Spain. I am hesitant as a lot of companies are watering down their formulations to cut corners. Is anyone familiar with the made in Spain version. It is weaker? Is it (fingers crossed) possibly a stronger version? Has the formulation changed? I have purchased fragrances recently, only to send them back because the distributor had changed and the "new" ones didn't last five minutes on my skin or clothes. Please advise.

UPDATE: Well, I took the plunge and ordered three bottles of the Coty US, LLC version. Well...I am NOT happy. With most fragrances nowadays being reformulated and watered down, I guess I should have expected that with Boss Number One. It is weak as water, and there is only a "hint" of the original formula in there somewhere. It's good that I have five backup bottles of the version made in the U.K., because the current one Made in Spain SUCKS! Suffice it to say, I will cherish my U.K. bottles and just use up the Made in Spain bottles as fast as I can to get rid of them. It has come to the point in my fragrance-buying history that I will no longer purchase those fragrances currently being produced, only vintage fragrances or high-end fragrances that at least smell like the originals, e.g., Chanel, etc. It's really sad that Coty US, LLC totally screwed up a once classic, beautiful, and very long-lasting fragrance for men, Hugo Boss' namesake! A lot of companies have either discontinued or reformulated their namesake fragrances, and now they smell nothing like the original. For example, Balenciaga is gone, Halston 101 is gone, Gucci Nobile, Gucci Envy, Gucci Rush, and Gucci "I," the original Gucci Pour Homme (with the Italian ribbon around the cap) are gone, as well as many of the women's Gucci fragrances. Now, Fendi Uomo and Fendi for women are discontinued an long gone. It's truly sad how the "new generation" of marketing bozos are taking over the fragrance companies and discontinuing fragrances they deem as "too old," or reformulating classic fragrances to the point they are no longer recognizable as the originals. Again, I'm done with any current or "reformulated" versions, and will from now on only purchase vintage whenever I can (either that, or stick to a fragrance house like Creed or Clive Christian, who maintain their original formulations, and stay true to them, instead of younger "geniuses" coming in an re-imagining classic fragrances to suit THEIR tastes and not the tastes of the original fans and consumers. Fragrance quality nowadays SUCKS, thanks to IFRA and the minority getting their way. Oh, the poor things complain about their allergies, etc., depriving the rest of us fragrance aficionados the joy of collecting and using great and classic fragrances. Truly a sad day for some of the classics that have been butchered, which will now most likely forever be discontinued because people like myself will REFUSE to pay for a watered down product, especially one that has been screwed with and/or changed totally beyond recognition. Also, beware of Nicole Miller for Men. It was once a lovely bourbon vanilla musk fragrance when made by Parlux, but, again, has become weak as water and nothing like the original since the distributor/manufacturer has changed hands.