Eros by Versace

Aftershave finds its way into my collection in a number of ways - PR companies send me samples, I buy some or they arrive from the other half in an attempt to cheer me up. In the case of Eros by Versace I had just been foiled in an attempt to have a go in a dune buggy while on holiday.

To avoid the risk of me tripping over my bottom lip we stepped into a perfume store and I left loaded down like a pack donkey but with a huge smile on my face.

After testing everything in the store, and I mean everything I had nailed it down to four that I really wanted. 

What was surprising was that I fell head of heels in love with the new fragrance from Karl Lagerfield but chose not to buy it, instead opting for Eros, the subject of today’s post a bottle of Uomo by Valentino.

I had seen the bottle to Eros in the past and thought “not for me” and gone on to instantly forget about it. My favourite Versace fragrance had always been Dreamer and that was what I was looking for without success. 

One glance at the notes to Eros however and I couldn’t wait to give it a blast, hey I even started to like the dark blue frosted bottle with bling-tastic Versace emblem on the cap.

The marketing blurb to Eros as outlined by Versace is:

‘Love, Passion, Beauty and Desire: these are the key concepts of the men’s fragrance by Versace. Eros, God of Love, able to make people fall in love with his bow and arrow. A luminous aura with an intense, vibrant and glowing freshness obtained from the combination of mint leaves, Italian lemon zest and green apple.

An addictive sensuality delivered by oriental, intriguing and enveloping notes like Tonka beans, Ambroxan (amber), Geranium flower and vanilla.

A racy virility symbolised by woods such as cedarwood from Atlas and Virginia, vetyver and oak moss, providing intensity and power.’

The official notes are:

• Head: Tonka Bean, Ambraxan, Geranium Flower
• Heart: Mint, Lemon, Apple
• Dry-down: Vanilla, Vetyver, Oak Moss, Cedarwood

As a fairly new fragrance on the market (it was launched in 2013) I had moderate expectations but was immediately blown away, so much so that Eros now sits as one of my favourite aftershaves, bumping old favourites like Acqua di Gio out of contention.

So, does it live up the marketing blurb and what does it actually smell like I hear you demand?

In short, yes it does and I love it.

The head notes of Tonka bean combined with hints of Geranium explodes out of the bottle and has an immense strength and depth which I found quite heavy on my nose, not because it is earthy, but just so evident - it is so sweet that I was actually scratching around to see if there was anything being used in the ingredients to do this artificially. There isn’t. The Tonka bean smashes out light hints of vanilla and it becomes lighter and lighter the longer it stays on.

After the initial head notes the citrus and fruity elements of the heart notes shone through making what was on first application a rather heavy fragrance so light and fresh. The apple is to thank for this but it blend with subtler notes of mint beautifully.

After about an hour the head and heart notes dry down, but rather than leaving the top notes to be dominated by the dry down they remain and flawlessly blend. Yes, vanilla becomes more evident as the Tonka bean and vanilla mix but it becomes much warmer as the oak moss provides depth.

At £46 for a 50ml bottle and just a few squirts from the atomiser to keep this lingering on and around you for well over 10 hours then this represents an aftershave excellent value for money. Throw into the mix that people around you both male and female will love it and actually enquire as to what you are wearing then you have the perfect mix of an aftershave that sits head and shoulders above the rest.

Perfect for daywear, special occasions and those romantic nights out I promise you that this would make an excellent addition to any collection either for yourself or as a gift for a loved one.

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The Bluebeards Revenge Eau De Toilette

Until I started this little corner of the Interweb, I had never knowingly smelt, seen or bought any products by The Bluebeards Revenge. I'm pretty certain my vice like memory that never lets go, would remember the very cool styling of the packaging had it ever crossed my vision.

The first time I clocked (that's Mancunian for saw) the brand was over on The Ged Lab blog, where I can recall leaving a comment that I needed to get my hands on some of their stuff to try.

Roll forward a couple of months and the beautiful, nay gorgeous PR people at the company asked if I would like to try their aftershave and moisturiser. I didn't have chance to respond myself, BeautyqueenUK had already said yes (made me think I might be starting to smell a bit).

Enter via my local Royal Mail sorting office a 100ml bottle of The Bluebeards Revenge Eau De Toilette which has a recommended retail price of just £19.99, yes under 20 pounds! 

The last time I bought aftershave for under 20 quid it was vile, gave me a rash and generally was used to keep foxes out of the garden all summer (seriously Diesel Zero Plus trickled around a garden fence will keep 'em away).

The marketing blurb for the aftershave says:

'The Ultimate Fragrance for Real Men! - Refreshing new fragrance aimed at the modern, masculine man

This refreshing new fragrance opens with ozone notes accented by Sicilian bergamot and Ligurian basil. The heart features a rich blend of jasmine, black tea and watermint, while the rich base notes include Madagascar vanilla highlighted by sandalwood and patchouli along with oakmoss and musk.

Inspired by the real life heroes and other larger than life characters who put the "Great" into Great Britain, this eau de toilette features an atomiser spray that is easy and efficient to use.'

I didn't investigate the notes before trying this, so without any preconceptions of what it would smell like I just sprayed and prayed (hey I managed to get a MAC10 machine gun joke into an aftershave post) - and to cut a long story short was impressed, not just by the fragrance, but also by the bottle, the lasting power and the way in which it changed but remained as marketed.

As soon  as it is sprayed from the atomiser you know that it has a cool and refreshing aroma. Yes you can detect citrus but to me it had hints of what I would call soapy and quite rich, almost bitter on the nose. It is far more lighter on application than CK One or Acqua di Gio but seems to warm up within minutes with subtle hints of warm spice before drying down to a masculine woody base.

After an hour I can still smell this on myself and that is quite rare. What you can pick out is black pepper that gives the masculine edge with warmth through the spice down to the base.

It is just simply stunning to experience this fragrance change and even better, to smell it again 10-12 hours later as good as it was when it was applied. This has strength and longevity that gives the highest of the high end brands a run for their money.

On a personal note I like the aftershave a lot. It's hardwearing and excellent value for money. It will turn heads and is very different to anything I have smelt recently, but I will be using this for office wear and maybe the odd night out down the  pub.

If you like Fahrenheit by Dior but want something cheaper and lighter then you should get a bottle without delay.

RECOMMENDED

Finally the last cool thing about this company? On the inside of every box there is an advert for Orchid, the charity that fights male cancer along with advice for men in relation to lets be frank, their balls and checking for lumps.

Gentlemen, you should visit the Orchid site just for information.

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Fathers Day Fragrance Gift Ideas

Personally picking a gift for Father’s Day is a nightmare. More often than not I opt for the easy answer of a card and a promise of a gift at a later date. 

As the day (15 June people) fast approaches instead of leaving it to the last minute I’ve actually put some thought into potential gifts this year and while doing so thought I would categorise them and share possible ideas with my readers. 

As a bit of an aftershave freak I’ve narrowed down the type of dad to help me break this down and hopefully be a bit more helpful to potential consumers out there.  

Going back through the various reviews of aftershave I’ve done here and previously under a different guise for an opinion website here are my recommendations for gifts this Fathers Day. It's worth noting, these recommendations are good all year round for birthdays and Christmas.

The categories are: Trendy Dad, Earthy Dad and Sporty Dad (it‘s like a bastardised version of the Village People/Spice Girls).

Trendy Dad

The dad that doesn’t want to grow up (this is my dad, pushing 60 and still clinging onto the hope that he can behave like a 30 year old. He dresses in the latest trends, tries and fails to remain hip).

L’Eau D’Issey Pour Homme by Issey Miyake

An extremely light, sweet and fruity fragrance. Carnation and lily are the top notes that fade fairly quickly. Personally I can detect a hint of lemon and citrus but the notes make no such mention of such an ingredient.

Although it seemed to fade, that first initial blast from the bottle always gives me a fresh feeling and is like a fragrant wake up call. It’s a pleasant assault on the senses.

Although the smell is light it is strong and starts to get heavier over the course of the day. With woody earthy undertones of nutmeg and cinnamon I find that over time it becomes so subtle that it doesn’t leave people around you gagging, in fact you’ll be surprised by the compliments. 

With longevity, a few squirts of this will last for well over 10 hours. 

At around £30 for a 75ml bottle you can’t go wrong.

My full review of L'Eau D'Issey can be found here.

Acqua Di Gio

One of my own personal favourites you can’t go wrong with this beautiful citrus explosion. This light fragrance on contact with skin changes dramatically. The light fresh smell of citrus is still evident, and a woody undertone starts to work its way through the top notes. The major thing for me is that as it sits on the skin the strength of the fragrance magnifies making it incredibly hardwearing.

This stuff smells so good I have to remind myself not to smell my hands whenever I've used it at night. It's addictive!

This is an ideal gift and at £32 for a 50ml bottle it isn’t that expensive when you consider that it lasts, and lasts, and lasts some more. 

My full review of Acqua Di Gio can be found here.

Bvlgari Pour Homme

A massively biased entry here from me - bar Prada Luna Rossa this is my favourite fragrance of all time and at just under £30 for a 100ml bottle it represents not excellent value for money it is one of the freshest and lightest aftershaves ever.

A few sprays will fill your bathroom with the gorgeous aroma. 

On application it hits you that this is a light, citrus fragrance similar to CK One with hints of lemon and lavender. 

On dry down it continues to become lighter but much spicier on the nose.  It is such a delicate fragrance that after only a short you can’t tell that you are wearing it. 

Three tiny sprays of Pour Homme or one/two of the Extreme version cover me in a light citrus fragrance that became spicy with only the mildest of woody undertones for in excess of 10 hours. Now that is a result.

My full review of Bvlgari Pour Homme can be found here.

Earthy

The dad that loves the outdoors, the man who is expert at DIY, loves to potter in the garden and is a general all round mans man.

Fahrenheit by Dior

Don’t be put off by the rather bland looking packaging to Fahrenheit, it is a hidden gem that really doesn’t get the credit it deserves. It’s reasonably priced at under £20 for a 50 ml bottle and the warm sensual fragrance with hints of hawthorn, honeysuckle, sandalwood, cedar and patchouli are to die for. 

As soon as it is applied you are struck by the warmth that this gives off on the nose and it has delightful woody overtones. On dry down you can detect hints of honeysuckle that take the edge off the warmth and stop this from being overly masculine. 

Although this is marketed as a sensual fragrance I wouldn't say that it's one of those aftershaves that will make heads turn (not unless you put too much on) in the street but it is very pleasant. 

This is a quality man's aftershave for daywear.

My full review of Fahrenheit can be found here.

Bvlgari Man Extreme

I’ve been using Bvlgari Man Extreme for just over a year and the people I work with share my view that it is one of the best hardwearing fragrances around. Unlike most of the male fragrances from Bvlgari this doesn’t have the light citrus tones, instead it plays up it’s warmth and woody blend of notes to create something completely unique.

When first applying it has the freshness of Bvlgari, light on the nose but quickly becomes heavier, warmer and with hints of spice it screams “I am man” without going too far.

60ml will set you back just over £40 but as this is the concentrate a little goes a very long way. I have found a 60ml bottle will last well over 6 months when using nearly on a daily basis.

Invictus

Invictus, an aftershave I’ve only had for around two months and bought solely on the notes advertised. It sounded great on paper and far exceeded my expectations. This is the must have for any dad who wants to be ever so unique, smell masculine while turning heads in the street. 

Not only does the bottle allow you to pretend you are lifting the Champions League trophy (yes, I can be that childish) it is an aftershave that will make you stand out in the crowd. 

The top notes of grapefruit zest provide a fresh and zesty intro to the fragrance as you prepare for the immediate dry down to warm amber and then patchouli.

50ml will cost just over £30 which can seem a touch on the expensive side but remember, when it comes to writing wills and dividing up assets, when he is torn between leaving you the house or his frankly poor collection of antique gardening tools, you’re going to get the house (please note this is gallows humour and not to be taken literally - there you can‘t sue me now). 

My full review of Invictus can be found here.

Sporty

The dad that hit’s the gym, likes to be fit and healthy while also trying his best to be trendy.

Ralph Lauren Polo Sport

My love affair with Polo Sport started in my late teens (sad to say nearly two decades ago now) when living with a cousin. 

The scent is strong, fresh yet very masculine. 

While the notes to Polo Sport state that this aftershave has a clean and invigorating scent that energises the skin with natural citrus extracts, soothing agents and protective emollients I don‘t find anything that stands out as soothing. 

This aside, it does have a hardwearing citrus zest that dries down to more earthy and woody undertones. Without looking at the actual ingredients, once blended I find that I can detect hints of moss and cedar wood which give it legs in the lasting power stakes.

For just over £20 you can pick up 75ml of this beauty and you will be flavour of the month. 

My full review of Polo Sport can be found here.

Chanel Allure Homme Sport


A quick confession, I adore the female version of Chanel Allure. I can be stood on a train platform and detect it from 20 paces it is so lovely so when the male version was released I just had to have it.

The initial shock of how much it costs is blown away, as are the senses as soon as you smell it. It is awesome. It does actually do what it says on the tin (well, the bottle) and blends from a fresh fragrance down to a warm and spicy hardwearing aftershave.

After around an hour you can almost feel the warmth on your nose while hints of freshness remain. It is a sensory master class with a zest that dries down to an earthy yet light woody undertone. Slight hints of spice take the edge of this making it sportier.

A few sprays and hey presto, you have a good 10 hours of coverage that will turn heads for all the right reasons wherever the wearer goes. That you can’t argue with.

At nearly £50 for 50ml this is one of the most expensive aftershaves on my list but well worth a look if you want that dazzle as your dad opens this gift from you. Chanel oozes style and quality and Allure Homme Sport does this with ease.

Armani Code Sport


With heart notes of Spearmint and Peppermint you’d think that this would leave you smelling like a lump of chewing gum - you couldn’t be more wrong. The minty top notes blend wonderfully with the mandarin and lemon to create a light citrus that is both refreshing and light. 

While it dries down to become more sensual, the ginger and base notes of rosemary give it an edge that says yes I’m sporty, but I’m also a rugged manly fragrance. 

Personally I like the initial application and the smell that lingers in the air for well over an hour before it becomes warmer. A few liberal sprays of Code Sport will leave you with an air of confidence that you smell divine.

At £45 for 50 ml again this isn’t a cheap aftershave but as it lasts for well over 12 hours from just a few sprays it has longevity making it worth the initial outlay.

As always, thank you for reading and I hope that I've given you some useful ideas for a gift for your dad.

What would you recommend for a trendy, earthy or sporty dad?

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The five aftershaves I couldn’t be without!

I’m fairly new to blogging about my beauty experiences. I only set up www.beautykinguk.co.uk in January. Today's post is a Guest Post I have written for Beautyqueenuk who asked me to guest for her. With the guidance that I could write about anything I wanted I put aside thoughts that made me grin wildly, things like ‘top 10 limericks’ and ‘top ten bars I’ve lost nights in’ and instead plumped for something close to my heart, well close to my skin – aftershave.

Over the years I’ve spent an absolute fortune on the stuff – I’ve tried discount brands, I’ve paid through the nose for luxury brands, been pleased, dazzled and repulsed in equal measure. Today however, I’m going to look at my 5 favourites.

The first that I can’t live without is Bvlgari Extreme – it is by far the best aftershave I’ve ever had the pleasure of owning and my collection is never without a bottle.

Extreme is the concentrate of Bvlgari Pour Homme which means that a little goes a long way. With a fresh citrus fragrance the notes of Darjeeling tea, rosewood and pepper blend beautifully to create a fragrance that has people swooning as you pass by.

A 100ml bottle costs around £30 and it is worth every penny. It oozes class and gives the wearer confidence.

The second is another aftershave from the Bvlgari stable, Bvlgari Man. This is fairly new fragrance launched in 2010 and, and has quickly become a personal favourite.

Again, a 100ml bottle is just £30 and a bottle lasts for ages. The oriental woody fragrance has notes of lotus and bergamot. The heart notes of honey really stand out after dry down and while it’s heavier than aftershaves I normally go for the sheer volume of positive comments mean that it is a must have.

In third place I was torn between choosing either Ralph Lauren Polo black or the blue version. In the end I’ve opted for blue.

While not the cheapest aftershave on the market, it can cost up to £50 for a 125ml bottle the fragrance is divine. It’s been around for over a decade and is more in line with aftershaves I go for.

It’s cool and refreshing while it has warm dry down notes that linger for well over 10 years. With a blend of cucumber and tangerine this is a fresh scent that is fruity on the nose.

Wear this and you will get noticed.

In fourth place is Acqua Di Gio by Georgio Armani which comes in at £35 for a 50ml bottle. Again, it isn’t cheap but it’s worth every penny.

Approaching 20 years since it was launched this fell into my collection after I smelt it on my dad.Crisp and cool it's sold as a bracing oceanic fragrance for men. It has an almost citrus tang to it and I’ve written about it on my blog.

The fragrance has a fresh and almost uplifting property to it and the light nature of it means that while you won’t be able to smell it those around you will – and they will adore it.

My final choice was really difficult, but after much consideration I had to pick Dreamer by Versace. A 100ml bottle is just £25 making it good value for money.

This first came into my collection when I was 16 – it was one of the first I owned and as the marketing blurb says, it does combine being fresh with warmth.

It is light, has a citrus aroma that completely disappears on dry down to an almost sensual spicy fragrance. If you haven’t tried it, you really should.

Just thinking about these fragrances evokes some very fond memories and bottles are replaced before they are even two thirds empty.

I hope you enjoyed my choices and thanks for reading - what are your favourites?

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Ralph Lauren Polo Blue

Polo Sport by Ralph Lauren was always a favourite of mine in my younger days, and so was Polo (the Green version) but as I got older they slipped into the take or leave it category.

Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren however along with the lovely Polo Black are firm favourites. At the time of first stumbling across it I didn’t even know they had released the product - it’s entire existence was news to me so when it came highly recommended my interest was pricked.

The recommendation at the time was that Polo Blue was a fragrance that would turn the wearer into ‘a pulling magnet’, is a 'fit man smell' and in effect Viagra for women.

After reading the online notes and taking into consideration the recommendation, I parted with £30 for a 40ml bottle of the Eau de Toilette (EDT).

The bottle comes packaged in a rather understated stylish royal blue coloured box. As this is an aftershave in the Polo range the Ralph Lauren Polo Player is emblazoned on the front in silver above the word POLO.

Source

The royal blue looks cool on the shelf next to the other bottles in the Polo range.

Polo Blue mixes a blend of Melon de Cavaillan, Basil Verbena and washed suede. 

It’s marketed as a fragrance that will set you free with images of blue skies and a feel of fresh flowing water.

Three sprays of Polo Blue left my bathroom awash with a very strange strong aroma. 

It was a very strong fresh smell that was light on the nose. 

Hints of melon and cucumber became evident immediately. Within moments it seemed that the fragrance had totally disappeared and I couldn’t smell anything on me. 

From nearly overpowering it had vanished……..panic!

As I left the bathroom it was pointed out to me that a smelt different - it hadn’t worn off in minutes. Result.

In the interests of research I sprayed the back of my hand and then went about my daily routine. 

Again the smell on my hand seemed to disappear, but on closer sniffing my nostrils were filled with a light citrus smell, lemon and lavender. All of which blend beautifully.

Over an hour and the smell became a little heavier making it more noticeable to me, but the actual citrus aroma remained unchanged.

I wore this from 10 in the morning until 10 at night and the smell remained the same after that first hour. 

Polo Blue has amazing staying power and yes, I have fallen in love with it. 

So, I liked it, but did anyone else? Yes, I wear it regularly to work and have received several compliments from male and female staff alike. 

When I mentioned that it was Polo Blue I was hit with a standard response of “Ralph Lauren don’t do a Blue one do they?”

Three sprays of the atomiser made me smell lovely all day, and from a 40ml bottle I can see this lasting for well over 6 months at a time. Excellent value for money.

Polo Blue is an aftershave for all occasions be it work, a night in or a night out on the tiles. This is a fragrance to suit all, it’s wonderful and I’m extremely glad I was introduced to it. 

This fragrance is in the fresh vibrant category of aftershaves along with Joop and Acqua Di Gio.

Launched in 2003 Ralph Lauren Polo Blue wasn’t hyped nearly as much as it deserved. This is an amazing aftershave. It smells gorgeous, will last all day and all night and it will get you noticed by the opposite sex for all the right reasons. 

Single men, you will pull wearing this aftershave, you cannot fail……

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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