Monday, September 26, 2011

Issue # 45 - New Smells for a new season

issue # 45 - New smells for a new season!

Well hello gents. It's been a while since i've reviewed some fragrances, and i figured it was about time to get back to it! Recently i've tested some great new smells, and I am very much excited to share them with you. The autumn usually brings out a bunch of new smells, and below i've listed 3 of them that i highly recommend. So without further ado, here they are!

Hugo Boss Just Different  -

After several let downs with Hugo Boss scents, I was reluctant to try this one. To be honest, the only reason I paid any attention to this one at all was because the spokesperson is Jared Leto, whose music and personal style i am a large fan of, and because of the bottle itself; red on black is a slightly sinister combination that stands out among ornate glass bottles and frilly design of other fragrances. All things considered, I was still expecting a let down typical of recent hugo boss scents; heavily synthetic smells with no real personality, a lot of chemical essence, and an extremely short life span. However, I am very hapy to announce that "Just Different" is just that: Different. It's a bright, refreshing scent that opens with a blast of mint, but mellows into a heart that blends cool citrus with warm notes of basil, transforming it into a completely different character. The basenotes are what gives this scent its massive uniqueness, evolving into a rich, warm, masculine scent of patchouli and cashmeran, which in itself is a combination of several warm, intimate scents. This is an absolutely perfect everyday fragrance for the man on the go, transitioning flawlessly from a busy workday to a mellow date night. It screams confidence and energy, and i highly suggest this as a staple in your collection.

CK ONE Shock -

Again, being a man who loves marketing and great packaging, this bottle jumped out at me. It's shaped like the traditional CK ONE bottles, but is glossy black with a neon green "SHOCK" added to look like graffiti. The ad campaign is similar, using a lot of grainy security cam type images with a noticeably green overtone to them. From looking at these two aspects, I expected this scent to be somewhat dramatic, highly explosive and colourful...upon spraying, it wasn't nearly what i thought it would be.

Don't get me wrong. It's not a bad scent at all, as i will soon tell you. It just caught me off guard, as the marketing and the product don't match each other, in my humble opinion. Much like Tommy Hilfiger's "LOUD" was rather quiet. That being said though, Shock is actually a ridiculously complex and compelling scent. I've worn it a few times, and have fallen in love with it, although never being able to place the notes...it is a soft, yet attention getting scent, with a vanilla-esque warmth to it; familiar and comforting. But there was something i just couldn't place, and it drove me crazy. As i researched the notes of this scent, i was absolutely floored when i saw what it includes. The top notes are a great mix of tangerine and cucumber, mixed with...get this: RED BULL. Yes, the energy drink. This has to be a first for the fragrance world, and it makes total sense why it was a familiar, yet unplaceable scent. It goes on to mellow into some of my favourite heart and base notes of Tobacco, black pepper and cardamom, and is a very long lasting scent. I suggest this for night time use, or any time you really want to make an impression. The most shocking part of Shock? How many compliments i've received while wearing it. One last thing, it's a potent scent, so don't overdo it. This one whispers and screams at the same time.

John Varvatos USA -

I end today's issue with one of my very favourite line of scents, and favourite designer, John Varvatos. I have reviewed almost all of his fragrances (there are still 2 i can't seem to get my hands on), and it's no secret that I absolutely love everything this man does. His newest scent is no exception and I'm quite excited to write about it. You'll notice that he has discarded his trademark bottle shape, for a much different, much more dynamic flacon. It has a spring loaded cap and a sleek bottle, and is undoubtedly masculine. The top of the cap, is apparently inspired by a subway token, which i find very intriguing. The most intriguing part of this though is, not surprisingly, the fragrance. My nose expected a familiarity of his fragrances; heavy orange influence with tobacco and leather, as several of his scents use in varying levels. What i got was something extremely unexpected. John Varvatos USA uses top notes of red ginger from Laos, juniper berries and cedrat. The heart blends blue spruce, green cardamom absolute and osmanthus absolute, while a base introduces vetiver, Venezuela tonka and belambre. It's highly complex yet suprisingly light and crisp, fusing the high energy networker and the laid back artist. Varvatos says this scent is for a man who loves wearing jeans and dresses unconventionally, and for a man who is effortlessly charming and confident. If that sounds like you, or who you want to be, then i highly suggest this one. It's at the top of my list for my next addition to my collection, and i hope you dig it too!

Well gents, that's all for now. I am eagerly awaiting a test of the new YSL fragrance, and will let you know when i get it. Until next time gents,

SG

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