Perfume Reviews by Jon_Remy
Dunhill Fresh by Dunhill
I absolutely love Dunhill Fresh. I also love Fahrenheit by Christian Dior. I wear them interchangeably. I purchased ten bottles because I love wearing Fresh and I get many, many compliments. Many people have often mistaken it for Fahrenheit. One red, one green. I believe the leather note in Fahrenheit is more prominent. Actually, I love them both equally, yet I can never get my fill. I find myself constantly wearing those two. I wonder how they would smell if worn together? I'll have to try that. I give fresh 5 stars, as well as Christian Dior's Fahrenheit.
Anucci Man by Anucci
I love Anucci for Men. I notice, however, that it smells almost identical to Boucheron for women. Nevertheless, I enjoy wearing this long-lasting fragrance, especially when I'm watching "The Greatest Game Ever Played" starring Shia LaBeouf. Reminds me of being at the country club with all the other snooty snobs, lol! Overall, I give it a 5 because I love it!ADVERTISEMENT
Fahrenheit Summer by Christian Dior
I love Fahrenheit Summer. Yes, it's a lighter more citrus version, but the longevity is just as great as the original. I could smell this on my wrist and clothes the next day. Too bad it was a limited edition. I would have kept it as a permanent addition to the Fahrenheit line. I'd probably wear this much more than the original if it were still in production.
Quattro by Mary Kay
I have loved Quattro by Mary Kay from the very moment I smelled it back in 1986. I was listening to all the new bands like Talk Talk, Vanessa Williams, Keith Sweat, et al., and I had just purchased my first synthesizer, an Ensoniq SQ-80 Crosswave synthesizer, and the smell of Quattro was in the music studio air. Thus, to me Quattro smells like a high-class state-of-the-art recording studio. I purchased several bottles off of eBay because I never want to be without the beautiful and clean smell of Quattro by Mary Kay! (PS-The same goes for Tamerisk, which I purchased around the same time. Tamerisk is a beautiful powder bomb for men.)
Arabian Nights by Jacques Bogart
I love Arabian Nights by Jacques Bogart! Upon first smelling it, it reminded me a lot of One Man Show Gold Edition or Silver Scent Intense. I smelled a lot of the violet that those two share, as well as some jasmine-like floral note. Whereas Silver Scent Intense reminds me a lot of a spice market bazaar, Arabian Nights is more floral and less spicy. I love the milk jasmine note. The base is somewhat similar to Body Kouros. Nonetheless, I love Arabian Nights and will keep purchasing it for as long as they keep making it. Also, it is, in fact, like all of Jacques Bogart fragrances, a POWERHOUSE! I'll keep this one close by!
Riviera Nights by Jacques Bogart
I tried Riviera Nights by Jacques Bogart. I then tried Arabian Nights. After comparing the two, I found Riviera Nights to be unpleasant compared to Arabian Nights, so I purchased Arabian Nights instead. It is a beautiful scent reminiscent of a cross between One Man Show Gold Edition and Silver Scent Intense. I do love it though and will be keeping this one and stocking up on it. The bottle, similar to Arabian Nights, is also beautiful, sleek black with silver top sprayer and gold band. Love it!
Eloge du Traitre by Etat Libre d'Orange
Who would want to wear a fragrance that means "Praise of the Traitor"??? What a strange name for a fragrance. Perhaps it should have been named "Death to the Traitor." I'll pass. The notes in this fragrance sound appealing, but the name itself is a big turn-off.
Fucking Fabulous by Tom Ford
Thanks for the heads up, that it smells like Bandit by Robert Piguet. Since I love Bandit and don't need another clone of it, I'll stick with Bandit and continue loving that fragrance exclusively. And, for the record, I'm not a huge fan of Tom Ford fragrances as they mediocre (smell like other fragrances) and are overly priced. I'd rather pay $150 for Estee Lauder's Tuberose Gardenia than $275 for Tom Ford's Orchid Soleil. Better yet, a nice bottle of herbal Lauder for Men for $62 would suit me just fine. One gets the impression that Tom Ford is ripping off the affluent. I would suggest the affluent continue to purchase Creed or that other exorbitantly priced fragrance (the name slips my mind at the moment)...oh, I remember now, Clive Christian! ...or perhaps those fragrances by Amouage...
Touch for Women by Burberry
I love Touch for Women by Burberry. To me it smells like early fall in Paris right after a light rain. It's definitely original and I love it for the images it conjures of an afternoon in Paris after a light rain, or anywhere else for that matter after a light rain. I love it and just ordered four bottles!
Touch for Men by Burberry
I love touch for Men by Burberry. It has a great "sweater" smell with a hint of Fahrenheit by Christian Dior. It is very warm and is the perfect fragrance for colder months. I couldn't stop sniffing the sample on my wrist and went back later that day to purchase a full bottle. I've been through 9 bottles and continue to purchase it. I would put this one in my Top 5 and it tends to be my signature fragrance a lot of the time.
Red by Giorgio Beverly Hills
I loved Red back in the early 1990s. Is it me or has it changed? I remember it being quite a long-lasting fragrance that projected very well and lasted all day. Now, it seems it is barely detectable only minutes after spraying it on. Have they decreased the amount of essential oil? The cherry/rosewood seems lighter than I remember. When I get fragrances that are watered down, I tend to pour them in a potpourri crock and let them "reduce" down to a stronger concentration, let them cool, and then transfer them to a different atomizer. This lets the alcohol evaporate and leave a more concentrated fragrance (in essence, changing an eau de toilette into an eau de parfum). I've done this with several fragrances and it seems to work because they now are more like an eau de parfum concentration and last much longer. I "reduced" many of the newer and weaker fragrances and got them to smell and behave like their original ancestors. I suppose I'll have to do this with Red for Women by Giorgio Beverly Hills. It is an eau de toilette, however, but would prefer an eau de parfum if they ever decide on making such a concentration in the future. I'll keep Red but "reduce" it to the concentration of my liking.
Empire by Trump by Donald Trump
I have Empire by Trump and I absolutely LOVE it! I now place it in my Top 15!!! Try it, you'll LOVE IT!
Nicole Miller for Men by Nicole Miller
UPDATE: See below.I absolutely LOVE Nicole Miller for Men. Now that Minotaure by Paloma Picasso is getting harder and harder to find in the 4.2 oz. size, Nicole Miller for Men is a very appropriate replacement. It smells almost identical to MINOTAURE, although there may be more woody undertones (basenotes). I do, in fact, wear Nicole Miller for Men and Minotaure interchangeably. They are both wonderful fragrances and as long as they don't discontinue them both, I will be tremendously happy with either of them. Minotaure is pricier than NCM, but for the very affordable price of NCM, you can spray to your heart's content. I give Nicole Miller for Men FIVE STARS due to its quality and uniqueness (other than being very similar to Minotaure)!
UPDATE: Whereas the Riviera Concepts was the original and BEST of Nicole Miller for Men, and I thought the Parlux version was of equal quality although a slightly reformulated version, the Luxury Brands, LLC version is ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC! I ordered this latest version of Nicole Miller for Men (distributed by Luxury Brands, LLC), and I sweat, it did not last ten minutes on my skin. I had to force myself to sniff my wrist really hard and could only make out a faint semblance of a cheap leather basenote. Gone were all the beautiful spicy bourbon, honey, apples, and expensive leather. All that was there in the newest reformulation was a cheap leather skin scent. Enough said, and I am totally through with Nicole Miller for Men. I will cherish the seven bottles I have left that were distributed by Parlux. Just ANOTHER classic fragrance thrown to the wayside by the new generation of "perfumers" who think they HAVE to reformulate everything and screw with the original formulas. The quality of fragrances nowadays is so pathetic in that they last only as long as a scented water. What a great way to screw over the public and their once devout customers. It has become mandatory to purchase either the pure perfume concentration or eau de parfum in order for the fragrance to last, and even then, I've had some eau de parfums that didn't really last that long. I don't know if IFRA regulations have anything do to with it, but why are fragrances like Poison by Christian Dior STILL powerbombs??? Are perfume companies royally ripping off the fragrance-loving community? It appears so. Now that many regulations have been eliminated, shouldn't those regulations regarding perfume ingredients be reversed also? It's about time. It's been way too long having cheap, ingredient-regulated fragrances being sold to the public. Bring back the ingredients that made perfume exceptional! Or, find an alternative that works just as well, or better.
Gentleman (new) by Givenchy
What's with ALL the "Gentleman" fragrances all of the sudden by Givenchy? No, no, no, no, NO!!! Leave the classic Gentleman alone. They could've called it Homme, Baron, Sire, etc. Why do these new perfumers come in and think they can change a classic into something of their own preference. Leave a good thing alone! Givenchy Gentleman is a true classic. If they want to change the formula, then give it a completely different name. The strong and long-lasting leather and patchouli of the original is what those who have worn this for decades LOVE. Please leave the formulation alone, or else market the new creation under a different name. Does Givenchy plan on discontinuing the original Gentleman? If so, I'm stocking up!
Horizon by Guy Laroche
I'm glad I bought 10 bottles of this when I saw it on sale some years back. It is a lovely fragrance that is reminiscent of the suave and elite club room at the prestigious golf club with hints of sharp, dry citrus with undertones of wood paneling. Definitely smells high-class to me. A fragrance a wealthy sequestered curmudgeon would wear in his paneled library and bar. I find this fragrance excellent and am happy I have enough bottles to last for a very long time!
Volupté by Oscar de la Renta
A truly great fragrance by Oscar de la Renta. However, some of the tops on the newer bottles are screwed up and don't sit flush on top of the bottle. Who the heck is in charge of quality control at the manufacturer? They could at least make sure the bottles aren't defective when they ship out. I hope they correct the problem because the unique bottle is one of the features I love about this fragrance. If there's a big unsightly gap between the bottle and cap, it just puts one off. Get the bottle and its cap right. I might then think of purchasing Volupte again. Also, my older bottles say Made in France. The newer bottles say Made in USA. I prefer the Made in France version because they seem to be made by a superior perfumery.
Paradise for Men by Alfred Sung
As with most of the "department store" fragrances I've purchased in the past, they seem to have more essential oil when these fragrances are initially launched. Once they move into obscurity, like this one, it seems the perfume companies start to back off on the amount of essential oil they include in the formulation. I remember this being quite a powerhouse and lasting all day on me (this is when the fragrance first came out and I purchased it at Dillards in Dallas, Texas). Now, after many years and purchasing it again at one of the perfume spots on the internet, it seems as they is any lasting essential oil in the formulation. They may have kept the name Paradise, but I believe they've skimped on the essential oil without telling us. The same thing occurred when Calvin Klein re-released Calvin for Men some years ago. I purchased a couple of bottles; however, it was NOT the same Calvin for Men that I remembered and it lasted less than 15 minutes, compared to all day with the original Calvin for Men. Suffice it to say, I returned them. I will return any and all fragrances that don't live up to the staying power that I remember. It seems nowadays you have to purchase an eau de parfum for them to have any lasting quality. However, when I recently purchase the eau de parfum concentration of Christian Dior's Eau Sauvage, I ended up sending that one back because it was definitely NOT an eau de parfum, but more of a skinscent which did not last more than 15 minutes! Even though the box says eau de parfum doesn't mean it's a lasting fragrance. Sometimes I think the perfume industry is pulling the wool over the eyes of those of us (and the public) by using less essential oil in their formulation. We DO, in fact, notice when the formulations have changed, and when they don't last on our skin/clothes like their former selves. A good example is Fred Hayman's Touch for men. The original had a black top with gold stripes, and the new version has a gold cap, although they are shaped the same. The original smelled like a classier and longer lasting version of Brut by Faberge. The new version with the SAME NAME smells nothing like Brut by Faberge but like some completely new animal! I think when they completely change the formulation, they need to change the name. I ordered Touch for Men thinking it was the original formulation, but ended up sending them back when I was disappointed to find it smelled nothing like the original! How sad that they do this without telling us. It's a waste of time and money having to send the product back because they marketed a totally different fragrance under the SAME name! I'm going to stop buying fragrances and just sticking with the tried and true ones that I KNOW will last long. I would say that most, if not ALL, of the Jacques Bogart fragrances are GREAT and last ALL DAY!!!
Open by Roger & Gallet
Yes, I can see the similarity between Smalto and Jacomo.Open smells like a cross between the two. I was hesitant at first, but I think I'll keep this one. Very linear and not as "smoky" as Jacomo, but smoky enough for me. I'll use this one liberally and use Jacomo for special occasions. This fragrance works very well in the winter when it is most noticeable. Actually, I love Open by rogeR&Gallet!!!
273 Rodeo Drive by Fred Hayman
I absolutely LOVE 273 Rodeo Drive by Fred Hayman. A beautiful floral that is quite strong and long-lasting. It is worth every dollar at this price. I wear 24 Faubourg by Hermes every once in awhile, and I get a ton of compliments when I wear that; however, 273 Rodeo Drive gets just as many compliments and it seems to last forever on my skin and clothing. I hope they never discontinue 273 Rodeo Drive, as I hope to wear it for the rest of my life! I LOVE IT!!!
Fendi (original) / Fendi Donna by Fendi
What TOTAL IDIOTS to discontinue their fabulous and legendary Fendi for women. I don't believe they discontinued it because it wasn't selling, because many women I know wore it and it was still very popular. The Fendi Uomo was also a classic that should have NEVER been discontinued. How can a company discontinue their original namesake fragrances!? It's appalling in my opinion. However, if you miss Fendi and want something similar, I found that if you mix The Perfumer's Workshop's Tea Rose with Clinique's Aromatics Elixir that you get something very similar to the original Fendi for women. Try it! Perhaps Fendi will re-release both Fendi and Fendi Uomo in their ORIGINAL concentrations sometime in the future (hopefully within the next couple of years). Demand that Fendi bring back Fendi EdP for women and Fendi Uomo!!!
Man.Aubusson by Aubusson
I like it. Yes, it does resemble Cool Water, but since I ran out of Cool Water, I'll wear this instead and see how it compares with regard to longevity and sillage. So far so good. I'm liking it and keep sniffing it on my wrist, just as I did when I first purchased Declaration by Cartier. I think I'll wear this one during the cooler months of the year.
Deauville pour Homme by Michel Germain
I like it and it is somewhat unique. Although I haven't smelled Tiffany for Men in a long time, I think this might be what I remember it smelling like. Does anyone else agree (or disagree). I like it for both formal and casual occasions. Hope they keep making this for a while.
Touch for Men by Fred Hayman
OLD REVIEW (see update below): Too bad this one is being discontinued. It's a great scent for formal occasions and I consider it a "classy" fragrance. Smells like a stronger version of Brut by Faberge! Better stock up!UPDATE: The ORIGINAL had the black top with gold bands on it. The reformulation has the same shape of cap but it's gold. If you're looking for the ORIGINAL Touch, stay away from the bottles with the gold caps as they are the reformulation and smell NOTHING like the original (like Brut). It's the bottles with the black caps and gold bands that smell similar to Brut by Faberge. After purchasing this at Marshall's and taking it home and spraying it, TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT. This is NOT the FH Touch that I knew a few years back. There has been a definite reformulation which I do not like. I was expecting the quasi-Brut fragrance, but got a reformulation with vanilla and nutmeg notes. No thank you! No wonder it's being discontinued. Men (or their wives) aren't going to buy a reformulation that smells nothing like the original. I do like Brut, but I liked Touch for Men better because it seemed to last longer than Brut and had a slightly "greener" note. Touch no longer smells like the Touch I remember when I first purchased it. I really don't care if the "reformulation" is discontinued, as I'll just go back to wearing Brut! So sad when they start to screw around with reformulating fragrances without any prior warning from the company as to what they're planning to do. I definitely do NOT like the reformulation and now Touch smells like any other fragrance on the market! :(