Il Mondo di Odore

Lemon, Lavender, Orange Blossom, Patchouli, Cedar. I'm wondering what is causing the guilt in the composition of Guilty Pour Homme? Is the wearer held accountable for smelling generically good or is he responsible for the actions of others once they get a whiff of this? No matter I suppose. I share none of the guilt associated with this scent. I can safely see myself wearing this without any repercussions whatsoever from anyone. The reason being is that Guilty Pour Homme is guilty of being a "safe" release that would easily smell as good on a man as it would a woman. Yes, this is my opinion. Since when can't the feminine persuasion pull off an aroma of citrus and subtle gourmand with earthy aspects? I suppose what I like most about the totality of this rather simple fragrance is how unremarkable it really is while performing pleasantly. I used to abhor releases such as this for being uninspired or dull. I think Gucci is guilty of this, but if the conviction ...

Mandarin, Grapefruit, Bergamot, Juniper. Rosemary, Pepper, Rosewood. Musk, Incense, Oak Moss. About 4 years ago, I purchased a bottle while at the mall. For me, 2 things were wrong with that scenario. I never buy "retail" or at least rarely do so, nor do I purchase frags at the mall. I revel in "deals", so that kind of nudges retail out of the picture. Also, at that particular period in time, I was heavily into Classic Masculines and experiencing torrid love affairs with the likes of Capucci Punjab and those of his ilk. Light Blue P.H. just didn't float my boat at the time. I, like the times, have changed just enough to appreciate certain things I was incapable of enjoying in the not too distant past. I believe this was due to wearing and smelling only powerful fragrances. If I chanced upon something not as substantial, I perceived it as lacking. These days, I sample enough diversity to circumvent that from happening. It's not by design either, j...

Lemon, Rosemary, Pineapple, Bergamot, Neroli. Coriander, Jasmine, Cyclamen, Oakmoss. Cedar, Tonka Bean, Musk, Cardamom, Sandalwood, Rosewood. I suppose the most interesting aspect of wearing Azzaro Chrome ( for me ) has been the interplay between the herbal and marine elements. I'm assuming that this interaction is giving the impression of a metallic quality to numerous reviewers. I can't say I get the metal aspect, but I can see where others may. Aside from the spicy, herbal ozonic nature evident during the life of the scent, Chrome also possesses an underlying green stem note that permeates. Azzaro Chrome also implements an aromatic component that is at odds with its marine character. I've smelled similar oppositions before in other releases, yet it works extremely well here. To be honest, the theme dreamed up here is rather scatter-shot, but not the results. Citrus, Herb, Spice, Ozone, Woods, Earth, Balsam, Camphor and Musk can easily turn out to be a muddled m...

Bergamot, Clary Sage, Lavender, Lime, Lemon. Carnation, Cedar, Geranium, Jasmine, Orris Root, Patchouli, Vetiver, Amber, Honey, Musk, Tonka Bean, Vanilla. The first impression I get when spritzing on Stetson Original is the classic aroma I've come to expect from the notes you see listed in the accords above. With scent, it all comes down to how the ingredients  are tuned. Another fragrance could use this exact accord and not smell remotely similar. Stetson's aroma is indicative of classic construction and the word "cologne" in its name belies the strength it actually has. Stetson opens with an eye opening shot of Citrus and Clary Sage supported by Carnation, Honey and Vanilla. The citrus is zesty and the bite of it compliments the Carnation. The assertive introduction settles down in a few minutes to reveal slowly rising woods, earth and floral tones. There's also a slightly feral quality in the mix that's partly sweet to go along with its growl. Th...

Bvlgari pour Femme  (1994) Created by Sophia Grojsman nearly twenty years ago, Bvlgari pour femme smells today surprisingly fresh and new. This feminine composition features sweet florals—rose, mimosa, and violet loom large—in a clean resinous base and does not seem dated in the least. Having recently received one of the small .8 ounce purse sprays of this creation, I am able to report that there is no obvious distinction between my “vintage” bottle and the latest iteration of this now classic perfume.  Many of Grojsman's perfumes have been reformulated—to their detriment and to the disappointment of most of the people who fell in love with them at the time of their launch. Bvlgari pour femme is a rare exception to the rule. Is this because this jeweler's perfumery branch has not been sold off to one of the corporate conglomerates? Perhaps. Bvlgari pour Femme edp is one of only a few perfumes which I wore in the twentieth century and still wear today. N...

For as long as I can recall, I have been a sucker for orange. Whether or not it's the theme of a fragrance or a well implemented rendition of the note, I suppose I like what I like. I also own my fair share of these and have a few stockpiled for future use since everything is reformulated these days. If any fragrance becomes popular enough to keep in production, there's no telling how many times it will be "changed" over time. Artisan, by John Varvatos has slipped by me these last few years. That is, until I obtained a large sample that was included with a bunch of others recently procured by yours truly. I admit I didn't expect to like it as much as I do. I chalk that up to the numerous, disappointing masculines presently available at our local malls. That's not to say that all things current suck. That would be assanine on my part, but let's face it, the standout releases are becoming few and far between. The ingredient restrictions surely aren...

Mandarin, Cardamom, Rum, Pepper, Jasmine, Patchouli, Cognac, Oud, Cedar, Musk. Okay, so I'm guessing that the designer houses feel the need to add the oud note in their accord listings these days. The "oud" in Klein's Encounter is reminiscent to barbershop implementations the likes of Black Elixir. To be honest, I prefer this type of oud rendition than I do the boisterous versions found in most high end releases. They tend to be permeating beyond reason, but there are exceptions. The more low-end the oud, the more balanced it seems to be to me. One must take into consideration that the barbershop "ouds" I've tried smell nothing like niche versions. I'm not certain it should even be called oud, but that's another argument. Encounter by Klein opens with a peppery citrus and balsam. There's a herbal element here lending a polite,stem-like aspect to a safe top accord. Nothing groundbreaking, but pleasant is better than the alternative. It...