Handsome by Tova Borgnine ( Beverly Hills )

Lime, Citrus, Green Notes
Orange Blossom, Lavender
Amber, Cedar, Oakmoss, Musk, Sandalwood, Tobacco, Vanilla

Did you ever get the feeling you smelled something before, but can't put your finger on it exactly? Handsome by Tova has given me that feeling, yet I cannot recall what fragrance it is that it's reminiscent of. If I smelled this blindfolded with no idea who made it or when, I would have taken a stab and said it was a Caron.

Now, whether I'm way off base saying that or not, this fragrance isn't anywhere near as inferior as I was led to believe from reviews I've read. I find it more interesting than the much favored Tova Cologne for Men I just reviewed. The ratio of Lavender and Vanilla is giving me that Caron reference, but others may disagree with me and that's okay. I'm already on record stating I'm not a big fan of certain Caron masculines, but I'm enjoying Handsome for Men. Go figure........

The manner in which Handsome opens is on the subdued side. On me, it's restrained but I can immediately detect citrus, lavender-vanilla and the suggestion of tobacco underneath it all. The notes are blended in such a way as to emit a denseness without volume. This is one of those fragrances that I get more acclimated to with each wearing. The "tobacco" rendition is actually one I like as it's subtle and implemented as an accent. It's also not of the smoky variety. It augments the lavender-vanilla nicely.

Now, is Handsome a sleeper or at a least very interesting acquisition? I wouldn't recommend anyone going out of their way or paying a good bit of money for it, but if you can get a bottle for a great price, then I would say it would be worth it. Sometimes, certain fragrances develop a sort of cult status due to limited written opinions and scarcity. I'm ( more often than not ) disappointed when I finally come across one of "those". They never seem to live up to the reputation.

Neither of the Tova masculines are worth the money commanded on auction sites. Yet, both are pretty good in their right. It's not their fault sellers have inflated their worth due to erroneous quality and availability. Sillage is very moderate with Handsome while longevity is approximately 3 to 4 hours on me before I'd consider reapplying. Thumbs up for Tova's Handsome for Men from Aromi with the strong suggestion to sample either one of these in lieu of purchase.