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Showing posts from May, 2014

Regine's for Men by Parfums Regine

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Bergamot, Galbanum, Green Notes, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli, Pineapple. Clary Sage, Coriander, Cyclamen, Jasmine, Rose. Amber, Cedar, Musk. Every now and then, I run into too much of a good thing. I'm not hating on this blind purchase, but it's giving me the "Damn" factor when in fact, I was hoping for the Wow factor. Yes, it was a blind buy and on a hunch, I pulled the trigger. The listed notes intrigued me for one, while the fact that another release by this house called "JimmyZ" proved to be acceptable. The totality of this scent simply isn't "me", but I'm getting a little ahead of myself here. I may have saved myself the trouble and expense had there been more reviews and information available. The tuning of implemented notes simply doesn't suit me. Looking at the accords, I held out high hopes that this could be a substantial performer. It performs all right, but the overall aroma doesn't cut it. The fruit note ( pineapp

Bergamot Vert by Thymes

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Bergamot, Cypress, Jasmine, Lemon, Petitgrain, Red Currant, White Musk. With the warm weather finally here to stay for awhile, it's a habit of mine ( like many others ) to try different citrus oriented scents that are time-appropriate. Not too long ago, I had opportunity to buy Bergamot Vert along with Azur. Having already reviewed Azur, I thought it timely to wear Bergamot Vert a few times in order to get the gist of it. Truthfully, I've worn it quite a bit as of late and in spite of being linear, the straight forwardness of this fragrance has become endearing. Definitely a spray 'n' go choice for summer, Bergamot Vert succeeds on my skin as a pleasant, casual daytime aroma that performs well in close quarters. There's not much to dissect here and to over analyze this fragrance would be an exercise in hearing myself talk. It's exactly what the name denotes and what one would expect from a "Bergamot Vert". What I experience is a combination o

Cachet by Matchabelli

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Aldehydes, Galbanum, Herbs, Spices. Jasmine, Orris Root, Patchouli, Rose, Vetiver. Amber, Civet, Leather, Musk, Oakmoss. Wearing a fragrance, any fragrance, is different than smelling it on another individual. Since I'm a mature male, it would stand to reason that I've smelled this on women during my lifetime. I was able to snag a bottle of this recently and upon applying it the first time, I truly didn't care for it. To be honest, the opening was a bit too old fashioned and sharp for my current tastes. I remember thinking that I was glad I bought this vintage perfume cheap. $1.50 US for a 99% full bottle completely intact is always a win-win. I admit to not recognizing the aroma during the duration of the opening. It smelled like a blast from the past, but not something I recall experiencing on the female persuasion. After 5 minutes however, I did an about-face, not only liking the transition but also knowing that I had smelled this before. It was the top accord,

L'Eau D'Issey by Issey Miyake

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Cyclamen, Freesia, Lotus, Melon. Carnation, Lily, Peony. Amber, Cedar, Musk, Sandalwood. L'Eau D'Issey has been around now for a few decades and other than smelling this on others in passing, this is the first time I've gotten to sample it numerous times. My first thoughts are fresh, lucid, feminine and pleasant to be around. After numerous wearings, I can't say that impression has changed any. I don't find it groundbreaking in any way like some others, but this is a subjective hobby after all. It is a deserving scent though and most assuredly warrants a test run if this genre floats your boat. L'Eau D'Issey isn't over the top feminine, but just enough so that I choose not to wear it. The first 5 minutes of applying L'Eau D'Issey graces the wearer with a sheer accord consisting of Freesia, suggestions of fruit and an ozonic-green stem quality. I find it bracing, but not necessarily sharp and it only lasts moments before dissipation oc

The Visionary by Gap

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Caraway, Fennel, Geranium. One of the Gap Individuals series, The Visionary has been in my wardrobe for years now. I wear it in rotation with all the rest and even now, after all this time, it still smells more like a linear niche offering than it does an economical designer. I have the series and each one is a viable scent that either gender can pull off. While not my favorite of the Individuals series, the Visionary is still something I reach for when I want to smell just a bit different. The scent is fully developed from the initial application and is the epitome of a linear fragrance. That aside, the Visionary has this persistent quality inherent in the composition that permits it too smell full bodied for an impressive length of time. What blankets my skin is some heady, herbaceous spice and Geranium. I won't say that this is a conventional rendition of Geranium, but the floral component is there nonetheless and the result is positive. The Visionary somehow conveys a

Thymes Azur

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White Tea, White Pepper, Water Lily, Jasmine Blossom, Bergamot, Amber, Vanilla. I recently procured a full 50ml. bottle of this locally. After multiple wears, I've come to the conclusion that the strength lies somewhere between a Body Mist and Eau de Cologne. It doesn't state anything on the bottle, so you'll have to take my word on this. It's simply an educated guess on my part. Azur lags in the presence and longevity departments, but does reveal other, pleasant attributes. First and foremost, Azur is a fresh and easy to wear scent for either gender. I use the "shared" description often regarding other fragrances, but this is as shared as it gets folks. Yes, Azur is unremarkable, but still finds a way to perform pleasantly and due to its genre, it exhibits versatility. Imagine spritzing on a body mist that's light, enjoyable and will offend absolutely no one ( with the possible exception of someone with allergies ). The listed accord came from t

Celebrate by Marilyn Miglin

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Frangipani, Jasmine Sambac, Gardenia, Apricot, Magnolia, Aquatic Notes, Mimose, Peony, Teakwood, Musk. Marilyn Miglin seems to be an interesting woman. She has her hand in the arts, politics and humanitarian endeavors among other things. I've worn this particular fragrance numerous times now and while not exactly celebratory, it's actually a pleasant and inoffensive wear. It's lucid and breezy, but with substance. Celebrate wears like a clean, feminine floral should. There are other facets to it, but the thrust of this scent is to smell casual and enjoyable. There's an underlying stem quality present and I like the fact that the main accord is anchored to this aspect. It seems to lend a vibrancy to the composition. Celebrate, while sheer, possesses an impressive longevity factor on my skin. After 20 minutes or so, it does become a personal space scent, but with hang time. Upon application, I can't claim to experience transitions as it seems to be fully dev

Exotica by Remy Latour

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Black Currant, Mandarin, Cyclamen, Freesia, Muguet, Rose, Fruits, Amber, Cedar, Musk, Sandalwood Looking at what I consider gaudy packaging, I figured I was in for an unpleasant wear at best and just maybe a scrubber. Amazing how visual stimuli can make me presumptuous about different things I come across. I come to find that, while not a terrific feminine by any means, Exotica is rather pleasant and I enjoyed sampling it. Yes, it is a fruity floral but it wears evenly and has manners. The tuning of Freesia, Red Fruits and Woody Musk are balanced and afford whoever wears this a comfortable experience. I would have no problem being next to a woman who was rocking this. The rendition of Amber provides a soft resin that's in keeping with the aforementioned. There's not one specific player that jumps out at you once this is developing on the skin. A bit blurred perhaps, but it works. Marketed as an Eau de Parfum, Exotica wears much more like an Eau de Toilette that lacks de

Pecksniff's Classic for Men EDT

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Bergamot, Lemon, Cassis, Clary Sage, Armoise, Clove, Lavender, Musk. Awhile back, I picked up a few bottles at a local retailer and among them was Classic by Pecksniff's. My initial wearing gave me the impression of "safe" and staying within the perceptions of what we have become accustomed to in "classic" masculines. We all have first impressions of everything we encounter and in hindsight, I know I was only partially correct. Classic is a somewhat contemporary take on what I have smelled countless times in my younger days. It breaks no new ground, isn't edgy or exciting. Still, I find it a viable scent after numerous full wearings simply because it possesses a lighter feel, coupled with the fresh aspect that's commonplace in current releases. It's an easy yet forgettable wear. I suppose not all fragrance needs to make a statement. Classic, at least on my skin, wears more like a body mist than a conventional EDT. It does however stay aroun