Perfume Reviews by Jon_Remy
Métal by Paco Rabanne
What a wonderful fragrance! I just recently bought this fragrance for the first time a couple of weeks ago not knowing what it smelled like (I just liked the bottle, exactly like Calandre). What a rich unique fragrance. It reminds me a lot of Joy 1000 by Jean Patou, or No. 11 or 18 by Chanel. Very rich-smelling. I wear it because it smells like "wet wood."
Lacoste pour Homme by Lacoste
I was using the shower gel for this fragrance the other day, and didn't realize it, not until using the shower gel, that there is a very strong frankincense note in this fragrance, or at least the shower gel. I thought I was showering in a large cathedral with frankincense incense burning. What an exhilarating experience. If you own this fragrance, be sure to buy the shower gel, too. It's an absolutely "monk-like" shower experience. Love it! It is also a wonderful golfer's fragrance. I believe it is an older gentleman's fragrance, as is its women's counterpart. It's not really a spicy fragrance, but more along the lines of Boss 6, a little sweet, a little woody :), but very classy. I always seem to draw compliments whenever I wear Lacoste Pour Homme.UPDATE: You can really tell when a company is getting cheap when they stop using the silver labeling on the bottle. When it was new, Lacoste Pour Homme has a nice raised dark silver label on the bottle. From there, it progressed to still a silver label, however, it was not raised but flat (perhaps to save silver ink). Now, with the latest purchase, the silver has totally been eliminated and replacement with a flat dark grey ink that can barely be read! What is P&G Beaute doing??? They continue to make the packaging less attractive and it makes one wonder if that equates to them using less essential oils in the actual fragrance. It kinda sorta smells like the original, but I don't think the sillage or longevity is there like the original used to have. I might have to dump this one and just purchase the Boss Bottled No. 6 Intense (an eau de parfum concentration). P&G, you sure have a way of losing faithful customers!
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Starwalker by Montblanc
Well......I'm not impressed. Very, uh, let's say, NOT unique. Unfortunately, this fragrance is not as original as Presence. In fact, it is quite similar to Lacoste for men (gray box); however, I believe Lacoste is much longer lasting and the character is much deeper and with a little more vanilla. Starwalker is a Lacoste wannabe, but, sadly, didn't make the mark. If I were Mont Blanc, I would recall this fragrance and put something out there that is consistent with its name, i.e., since Starwalker sounds adventurous and exciting (Star Wars all full of action and suspense). I feel it should have been a little "louder" and with very noticeable but unusual notes. Sorry, Mont Blanc, but IMO this is not as good as Presence. Very mediocre indeed.
T Girl by Tommy Hilfiger
An excellent fragrance by TH. Dominant notes are daffodil, as well as the same sparkling clementine found in the men's version. Most definitely the best of ALL Hilfiger fragrances for women. Very feminine and unique. Particularly suited for the young women in the 20-35 age group.
Metal Jeans Women by Versace
Nothing special about this at all, not unique, not different, and not noticeable.
Chrome by Azzaro
I guess this fragrance does get attention, it got my attention when I had to ask my waiter at Red Lobster what he was wearing. When he informed me it was Chrome by Azzaro, I then went out and bought a bottle. It is a fresh and clean scent, not too sweet and not too floral, but a little marine-like too. The staying power is not that great, whereas the staying power of Bijan Wicked for men is much greater and smells almost exactly like Chrome. I think I will make the switch from Chrome to Bijan Wicked!
Pure Lavande by Azzaro
Probably the best in the "Azzaro Collection." It is very similar to Lalique's Le Faun (blue bottle). The other two, Vetiver and Cedrat, smell quite cheap and are sweet and candy-like. I would not wear those, although I have known some people to smell like lemondrops (Cedrat), and I suppose some people enjoy smelling very lemony and sweet. Actually, these fragrances would be more suited to the women's wardrobe. Apparently Azzaro has never been able to recreate the success and magic of the original Azzaro, but came close with Chrome, as it is a big seller, and smells like the new Bijan Wicked for men, which I believe has more staying power than Chrome.
Pure Vetiver by Azzaro
All I can say is CHEAP. I bought all three fragrances from the "Azzaro Collection" and found all to smell like cheap candy, especially the Cedrat lemondrop smell. Too bad, because the bottles are quite nice and simple, with a somewhat rubberized plastic top. The best of all three is the Lavender, which is very similar to Lalique's Le Faun (blue bottle). I would, however, not recommend any of these.
T for Him by Tommy Hilfiger
I really LOVE this fragrance by TH. I remember as a young boy digging through our utility closet at home, where we stored citronella candles, a canvas umbrella, and that "webbed" patio furniture. For some reason, when I smell T, it takes me back to those days of being around the smells in that utility closet. It's not a bad thing either, because this scent really jogs my memory for that particular time in my youth, a time when I first listened to Alice Cooper's "Billion Dollar Babies" album.
Minotaure by Paloma Picasso
I agree with dandush. The reason I bought MINOTAURE was because I smelled it on someone else in a discoteque and absolutely went crazy when I got a whiff of that man. I had to ask what he was wearing, and when he told me MINOTAURE, I went out and bought a LARGE bottle (4.2 oz. size) immediately. It's a superb fragrance and is very unique. I think it might have a touch of vanilla, but it doesn't really smell like vanilla. It's a beautiful concoction of elements that come together in a delicious and enticing scent that gets noticed. I just bought three bottles just in case. LOVE IT! PS-I recent purchased a bottle of Nicole Miller for Men, and upon smelling it, it smells almost IDENTICAL to Minotaure (with probably a little less vanilla). Now, I love them BOTH and wear them interchangeably. Also, the Minotaure is the logo for the classic rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer!
Versus Uomo by Versace
I love the pine/cedar/lemon complexity of this fine fragrance. Perfect for the rugged lumberjack-type fellow living deep in the forested mountains of Colorado with his partner. A very outdoorsy, not too piney scent. I just bought four bottles in anticipation of its discontinuation. Does bring back memories of the early 1990s, when I wore this fragrance going out to the discoteque. Got many compliments and close hugs and kisses just to smell me.
Bijan Style Men by Bijan
I don't know if it's my nose playing tricks on me, but when I sprayed this on in the store it reminded me very much of Creed's Tabarome. I am still considering buying this fragrance and may do so in the future. I truly enjoy ALL the Bijan fragrances, but I still enjoy the original the most.
Bijan Wicked for Men by Bijan
Smells almost identical to Chrome by Azzaro, but BETTER. It lasts longer than Chrome and I think it smells better than Chrome, although as stated it is very similar. I'd buy Bijan Wicked over Chrome.
Black Jeans by Versace
A very nice kind of "tar-like" scent, but not overpowering. It reminds me of walking along the railroad tracks on a late morning mid-spring day (when it's not hot outside, but a slight balmy intermittent breeze occasionally wafts by and you know summer is on its way). A very unique quality and one of those fragrances that doesn't smell like the newest thing coming out or trying to copy another fragrance. It makes one think that this would be the fragrance worn by the engineer of a steam locomotive in the "old" days. It is quite different and pleasant, yet masculine with a touch of musk in there somewhere. I'm glad I purchased several of these along with the shower gel and deodorant when I found them online on clearance at very good prices.
Versace l'Homme by Versace
On second sniff, yes, it is very similar to Photo by Lagerfeld, but I think it's even more similar to Ricci Club by Nina Ricci. How about Tiffany for Men? Anyone agree? Nonetheless, I love ALL 3 OF THEM (as I shake my feather boa at you!!!). If I had to choose though, I would take Ricci Club over Versace L'Homme, and Versace L'Homme over Photo by Lagerfeld. I would, however, LOVE to see Tiffany for Men re-launched as I miss it dearly. Don't get me wrong, I love them ALL, and each has its own (tiny) little difference of a nuance. Ta-Ta!
Rouge Royal for Men by Marina de Bourbon
An excellent fragrance for the wintertime. Very red-smelling. An excellent choice for the on-the-go bachelor who is adventurous in the big city. I find it very similar to Hermes' En Rouge perfume. It has a very "French" quality to it and reminds me of how floor-to-ceiling deep red velvet curtains would smell, or some old and affluent San Francisco hotel with that red velvet wallpaper. I do love it a lot.
Boss Spirit by Hugo Boss
The BEST Hugo Boss fragrance to ever come out. Forget Elements, In Motion, etc. Boss Spirit was the BEST Hugo Boss EVER made. Perhaps it appealed to an older gentleman, and now Hugo Boss is mainly appealing to the "younger generation" with all these citrusy fragrances. Boss #1, aside from the discontinued Boss Spirit, is really the only Hugo Boss fragrance that I find appropriate for a middle-aged man like me. Hugo Boss needs to relaunch Boss Spirit so I can buy 20 bottles for the future. Whoever was in charge of discontinuing such an exquisite and original fragrance like Boss Spirit needs to be terminated from the Hugo Boss company. They truly made a bad decision!
Louis XV by Bourjois
This was a wonderful fragrance, one that I wore in my previous life. Although it was discontinued in 1905, it was quite popular when it first came out in 1891. It was a basic fragrance, but did have note of royalty. The two main notes I remember were lilac and lavender. It also seemed to have a base of cedar/leather. It was a nice "green and purple" fragrance, similar to The Baron, although with a more woodsy/leathery undertone. The lasting power was tremendous. I was also known to be worn by some of the ladies of the day. I suppose they had fragrances back then that are nowadays called "unisex." I miss those days in my previous life, and I definitely miss Louis XV.
Scuderia Ferrari Black by Ferrari
I like this fragrance. I like the bottle. It reminds me a lot of Desire by Alfred Dunhill, the one in the red bottle. Yes, I'll probably buy this one, as well as #1, Ferrari Red, and Ferrari racing. If I buy one brand, I usually buy the whole line. These will be most affordable as Perfumania.com sells them at a reasonable price.
Ferrari Racing by Ferrari
I heard this was a nice and spicy fragrance with notes of patchouli and incense. If that's the case, I'll most definitely be purchasing some.
Aspen for Men by Coty
I LOVE ASPEN! I love Aspen for Women, too! It brings back memories of the fall 1989, the year I spent autumn in Munich and the Bavarian countryside. Harkens me back to Oberammergau and Neuschwanstein Castle in the forest. It is truly and beautiful forest scent, which is a quality, long-lasting fragrance. I just love it, and it is definitely one of the "memory joggers." I also love Aspen for Women, as it, too, reminds me of days hiking up on the trails of the Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I would spray on Aspen for Women and go hiking in the forest above Albuquerque all morning. When I got back home at noon, Aspen for Women was still lingering. Definitely a quality women's perfume and worth the price, too. A damn good women's fragrance.
Number 3 / Le 3ème Homme / The Third Man by Caron
To sum it up in two words: NOT GOOD. I sent this bottle back, along with the bottle of Yatagan, also not a good choice. This is also a cheap-smelling fragrance. It smells like a cheap imitation or poor attempt at copying Pour Monsieur by Chanel. There is a similarity in the initial impression, but Pour Monsieur by Chanel is much more complex and intense. This is really a cheap-smelling fragrance, something you would find in a five-and-dime in the discount aisle. Don't waste your money, go buy Pour Monsieur by Chanel instead.
Molto Smalto by Francesco Smalto
I love it! Very nice. Reminds me a lot of Cool Water, but with a darker side (or maybe I'm thinking of Minotaure by Paloma Picasso). It definitely had staying power, much more than the weaker Cool Water. For some reason Cool Water never stayed on me, but Molto Smalto did! I've got four small bottles that I'm saving for special occasions. What a shame it's been discontinued. When I wear Molto Smalto I never fail to get compliments. I like that in a fragrance, when people notice it and they like it and tell you.