AFTERSHAVE: Michael Bublé Pour Homme

When it comes to celebrity fragrances I tend to steer well clear, they often smell cheap and nasty and I'm convinced (with zero evidence to back up this feeling) that more often than not it's just cheap stuff whacked in a bottle and flogged to the gullible. I've had to kind of reassess this after being asked by the wife to review Michael Bublé Pour Homme.

 At £39 for a 70ml bottle or £55 for 100ml, this I think sits in the mid-range for aftershaves - anything over £60 and I take a serious whiff of it before forking out my own cash. The attractiveness of the bottle, with its sharp angles and lines, are said to have been inspired by the microphone with the shade of blue being a reference to Buble himself and his usual choice of suit (or so I'm told).

MB Pour Homme is described as a rich signature scent for the sophisticated modern gentleman. The notes to Pour Homme are:

• Head: Grapefruit, bergamot and pink pepper
• Heart: Geranium, neroli and blond wood
• Dry-down: Patchouli, sandalwood and musk

Almost as soon as this left the bottle I was in love with the fragrance - it's unique, fresh and has a depth of fragrance that sits right in the middle of the woody and spicy fragrance family. The freshness of the citrusy notes really make this fragrance for me and blended with the Patchouli, you have an aroma that seamlessly takes you from day to night and one which is suitable for absolutely any man in your life.

My only question is if you've sold 55 million albums worldwide, why would you branch out into aftershave? You can't be short of a few quid. The many questions that run through my head aside, this is a lovely fragrance that isn't too heavy or warm on the nose. If you are looking for something a little unique this summer then you can do a lot worse than this. 

In terms of celebrity aftershaves and fragrances, this stands head and shoulders above any other I've had the chance to sniff at. 

Perfect for any occasion, this is one where throughout the day you'll close your eyes and think "mmm, yes, this is actually a good fragrance" and you'll be feeling good.

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Aftershave: The Scent Intense for Him by Hugo Boss

The Scent Intense by Hugo Boss is a very new aftershave into the ever growing collection and I only first got my sniffing tackle around it for the first time on Sunday evening after returning from an eventful week away. That said, it had an instant impact and while other aftershaves can sit on the shelf for months, just like my previous post I feel almost compelled to write almost immediately about this offer from the Hugo Boss stable.  

Marketed as an irresistible and unforgettable fragrance for him, you can pick up a 50ml bottle of the aftershave from Debenhams for £54. That price places this in the mid-range in my opinion and when you read further on about how long lasting and noticeable to others this is it actually represents good value for money.

• Head: Ginger and maninka fruit 
• Heart: Green cardamom and lavender
• Dry-down: Black leather and vanilla

A couple of sprays and "wow, that's not what I expected" - instead of a heavy, warm spicy offering that I'd expected just three sprays and the room (and my skin) was awash with a beautiful blend of spice from the ginger offset by the lighter fruity smell from the maninka fruit - yes, it's warm from the start but it calms down quickly, becoming more floral as it works through the heart notes. The lavender is actually a note that flits in and out as you move around - it isn't a static fragrance it's constantly evolving and from time to time you'll pull out one of the notes yet minutes later it'll be gone.

Fear not however, once it settles down some twenty minutes later you are left with one hell of an intense fragrance that'll blow your mind (in a good way). Combining a mild spice with light floral notes and then slapping leather into the mix should make this super masculine and very heavy on the nose but it doesn't, and that's because the vanilla provides a little bite of sweetness as it gradually rests into a heady blend of warmth with longevity to rival much more expensive brands. 

This lasts on the skin for well over twelve hours making it perfect for daywear around the office and then onto a night out. As a plus point, the sillage (the fragrance trail you leave behind) is I'm reliably informed so nice I found a few people leaning in to ask what that cool new fragrance was. Result.

It's the boss - lovely! 

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For information:

• This product was provided to me as a PR sample.
• I have not been paid to write this post. 

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AFTERSHAVE: Nuit de Megeve by Eight & Bob

When the missus handed me a 20ml bottle of Nuit de Megeve Eau de Parfum by Eight & Bob my initial reaction was "who the f**k are Eight & Bob" - I'd never of the fragrance or the brand and given that it's taken about six months for me to write down my thoughts I gave this one not a second thought until I pulled out all of the aftershaves I hadn't yet written about (there are over fifteen - when do I start classifying this as an addiction?!?). 

Knowing nothing about the brand, the fragrance, the notes, nothing I went to take a peek and do a little research into who Eight & Bob are and where you can pick up a bottle. It turns out that 1, this stuff isn't cheap - £130 for a 100ml bottle of it from John Lewis here and 2, it's actually a unisex fragrance for both men and women.

Normally I find reading about the history of a brand quite tedious, but the story behind Eight & Bob is really quite interesting - I won't ruin it here, but it involves a Parisian aristocrat and a young John F Kennedy in 1937. You can check out the history here. 

The notes to Nuit de Megeve are:

• Head: Grapefruit, petit grains and clove buds
• Heart: Tonka beans, orris and black coffee
• Dry-down: Vetiver, tobacco and musks

After a spray or two the first thing that struck me was that it was far, far too feminine for me - it was an instant "nope" from me and as the fragrance triggered my memory this reminded me of my Auntie Sue (in a good way - she has great fragrance tastes) but I didn't want to be smelling like a 60+ female. Initially thoughts were not positive, but it was obvious from the fragrance that the sweetness of the grapefruit on the nose was a little too sharp for my liking. It is a rather heavy fragrance despite the citrus head notes but thankfully these don't last and the fragrance evolves quickly and alters so much that I had to fundamentally change my assessment after fifteen minutes.

The sharpness of the citrus dries away quickly and it becomes a much smoother level of sweetness as the vanilla like note from the tonka bean blend with the coffee to make this much warmer, and in turn, much more masculine. 

Within thirty minutes you are left with the final fragrance and this is where my love for Nuit de Megeve really explodes. The vetiver and tobacco provide excellent balance to the sweetness and tones it down to more of an earthy warmth. Lovely!

Even though it gets more masculine it sits perfectly as a unisex fragrance - not too light and not overly heavy on the musks and earthy notes. 

Once dried down this is in a word - lush.

What really amazed me about this fragrance was it's longevity on my skin - it's quite possible the most hardwearing and long lasting of any aftershave I've ever tried before. A couple of sprays in the morning and you can still detect it on pulse points some 24 hours later - that's astounding. 

When testing this out I sprayed my wrists and then a couple of hours later had a shower - even after a good scrub in the shower I could still pick up hints of the tonka bean and vetiver. Wow! 

Expensive, yes, but worth every penny. Sadly, this introduction to Eight & Bob is going to seriously destroy my bank account over the coming years. Since I started writing this post I've had the chance to wrap my sniffing tackle around a few other offerings from the brand and like this they just ooze luxurious quality. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

For information:

• This product was not provided to me as a PR sample.
• I have not been remunerated or incentivised to write this post. 

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AFTERSHAVE: Pure XS by Paco Rabanne

Paco Rabanne, one of the first ever aftershaves in my collection and the original XS version of this aftershave was a staple for a good five years in my early 20s. Invictus was another triumph so when Pure XS fell into my collection after the good lady wife paid a visit to Disneyland in November I was mightily pleased. The massive velvet box of Pure XS by Paco Rabanne also looks the part with something of luxurious start to the testing process. 

Is it worth £47 for a 50ml bottle of the stuff? 

The notes to Pure XS are:

• Head: Green sap and white thyme
• Heart: Ginger and cinnamon
• Dry-down: Vanilla and myrrh

With notes like that I'd have expected a very heavy fragrance, earthy in nature with a sweet base, but I was astounded by how it played out after spraying it liberally across myself. 

First up, it's quite potent, anything more than four sprays and people around you will be gagging for a good hour after you've applied it. The green sap does give something of a earthy fragrance at first and weirdly, I found that it came across a little spicy for the first five minutes, with a warmth on the nose that brought a wry smile to my face - it doesn't give the impression that this is a complex blend but as it starts to evolve and dry down I swear you'll wonder how you did without this in your collection. 

The ginger is barely noticeable but you can pick up hints of cinnamon but only for again a few minutes before the warmth intensifies and it becomes very heavy, but again, for no more than thirty minutes. I started to think this was a little too heavy for my tastes, I'm more of a light, fresh citrus kind of aftershave wearer but just as I expected to be panning this for being a bit too blokey, it lightened and actually becomes sweet, on a par with Eros by Versace. Wheres Eros uses tonka beans for the sweetness, the use of vanilla means that this lasts and lasts on the skin. 

Just four sprays of this and you'll be smelling lovely all day long - it's strength plays out on the skin for a good ten hours plus making it a very hardwearing fragrance. Yes it does come across as a bit too heavy at first but the sweetness of the vanilla takes the edge off making it a perfect blend between masculinity and sweetness.

Nearly £50 for a bottle is a bit steep but this is a perfect fragrance for day wear around the office and with the excellent sillage properties mean you'll be badgered in a good way about what you're wearing today - those around you will be able to smell it, and if like my experience, at least 95 per cent of people will have a positive reaction. It's hard wearing, a bottle will last for months even if using daily which in my view makes it a decent mid-range aftershave.  

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GIVEAWAY: Bois De Vetiver by Karl Lagerfeld

It's all the fault of the Mail on Sunday, yes, the Mail on Sunday. Casually browsing the paper in a cafe while having breakfast a couple of week ago I saw an advert for Bois De Vetiver by Karl Lagerfeld. The offer suggested that a 50ml bottle was available for around £30 and bing, that was me sold. After wandering around the shops I came across a 50ml bottle at The Perfume Shop for £15 (it's £16.99 now)! Being prepared to spend £30 I ended up buying two bottles and in a pique of Christmas spirit I have a bottle available to give away to one lucky reader.

But do you really want to win it? After all, it could smell a bit rank, and considering it's well.....cheap, suggests that it isn't that popular. I got my sniffing tackle around my bottle and this is what I think to the aftershave.

Bois De Vetiver is a new fragrance for 2017 and is sold as a powerful yet cool fragrance. Personally, after reading the notes to this I had no idea what to expect. The notes are:

Head: Blood orange, pink grapefruit and mint leaves

Heart: Ambrox, geranium and rose

Dry-down: Patchouli, musk and Vetiver

Taking those notes into account, I'd expect a really light fragrance, citrusy and fresh that dries down to something of a floral and woody base. What I encountered was quite possibly the best fragrance find, ever. 

The first two sprays really did fill me with a sense of joy, yes, it's light and you can only really detect the grapefruit. It's sharp on the nose for a good five to ten minutes before the crushed mint leaves take the edge off. After ten minutes the the head notes fade and become really subtle and the rose takes on the driving seat. Rather than becoming overly floral like Man Rose by Etro, the heart notes blend beautifully to give a smooth mix of citrus and rose - weirdly, this is where the fragrance starts to become more and more like Grey Vetiver by Tom Ford and when I say like, I mean it's nearly identical! 

After about thirty minutes the fragrance becomes so very subtle I can hardly notice it on my skin, but after thrusting my wrist at the other half she assured me it was still strong and when wearing this around the office it's obvious from the compliments that it has excellent sillage properties (it's like a lovely scented trail that follows you around). 

An hour in and this is basically the same as Grey Vetiver - I honestly can't tell the difference, if anything, it sparks more comments (positive of course) from those who surround me. Result! 

The patchouli and vetiver provide a really masculine base with a warm woody twang with just a hint of the floral notes that sits on the skin without being powerful or overbearing on the nose. It's lush - no, it's actually better than that. I love it. When you consider that this lasts on the skin for well over ten hours it makes it perfect for daywear, nights out or those special romantic occasions. It's perfect for any situation.

So, for under £20 you can pick up an aftershave that is on a par with more expensive variants from Tom Ford (Grey Vetiver can cost up to £85 for 50ml), and if you're lucky, you can pick up a bottle for free if you enter and are drawn as the winner of my giveaway. If you're not lucky, you really should pick up a bottle or two of this while it's on offer, and I promise you will not be disappointed.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
   

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The giveaway is open to people with a UK postal address

Random fact: I met Karl Lagerfeld in a lift at the Munich Hilton when I was twelve years old.

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AFTERSHAVE: Secret Scent Box - August 2017

If may be September but the August Secret Scent Box deserves an airing so today I'll be looking at the three aftershaves that dropped through my letterbox just under two weeks ago. 

The concept of the Secret Scent Box is quite simple, you sign up for a modest fee and every month without fail a small box containing three 9ml testers of aftershave are delivered direct to your door. You can see what I received previously in April of this year here, or September 2016 here.

Even better, they also offer the service to females with a Secret Scent Box for Her, so if the concept of this male box floats your boat then why not take the time to sign up? 

 So, what was in the box this month? Well, these babies.....

Hollister - Wave for Him

• Head: Grapefruit, Yuzu and Bamboo Leaves
• Heart: Lavender, Neroli and Cypress
• Dry-down: Driftwood Accord, Musk and Tonka Bean

From the notes I would expect this to have a citrus head with floral heart and an almost sweet base but the way in which the notes combine is nothing short of magical and somewhat surprising to me. Hollister is not a brand I tend to veer towards, it being aimed at an audience much younger than I. 

The grapefruit isn't as tart as I expected and is tempered by the yuzu which adds a slight sourness to the initial fragrance before this is counteracted by the sweetness of the vanilla essence within the tonka bean. The lavender does provide something of a floral interlude, but this stays as a light, young fragrance for well over eight hours. 

Fresh and ever so light on the nose this is one I could see myself wearing on a night out - the driftwood accord and musk are't overpowering placing this in the same category for lightness and freshness as CK One, Bvlgari Pour Homme and Tom Ford Grey Vetiver.

Jimmy Choo - Man Ice

• Head: Mandarin, Bergamot and Cedrat
• Heart: Vetiver, Patchouli, Cedarwood and Apple
• Dry-down: Musk, Moss, Dry Amber 

As a recent covert to Jimmy Choo fragrances I had high hopes for Man Ice having just tried and tested Man Intense. I was not to be disappointed. While on first sprays you'll have a sensory overload of mandarin, the orange fragrance mixed with the tartness of the cedrat means that this retains it citrus vibe from the moment you spray for for hours afterwards. Perfect in my book, I do love a good citrus fragrance. 

It takes a good hour before the head notes even  start to blend with my skin and alter, but to my surprise and given the heart and dry-down notes this never really loses the lightness on the nose. I'd expect warmth to come through after about an hour or two as the cedarwood, musk and amber came to the fore but nope, nada. 

This for me is again another aftershave that I would wear on a night out. Three sprays and you'll be smelling lovely for a good seven to eight hours and despite being light and citrus you can detect hints of apple and vetiver for a few hours. This one is very unique and is bound to draw attention for all the right reasons.

Ralph Lauren - Safari for Men

• Head: Lavender, Neroli, Bergamot and Lemon
• Heart: Carnation, Cinnamon, Tarragon and Jasmine
• Dry-down: Sandalwood, Amber, Patchouli and Musk

Safari has been around for years, and I hadn't really given it much thought for, oh, about ten years until the box arrived. As soon as I sprayed it I realised why I've been avoiding it - the fragrance triggered such strong memories.

With a floral head with just a touch of citrus you could be forgiven for thinking that like the other two samples this would again be light and airy but nooooooo, the citrus fades away quickly and it dries down to be incredibly warm on the nose - the amber is the overwhelming fragrance but it does something cheeky after about thirty minutes, it develops a kind of floral spiciness that I remembered well. 

This ranks up there as one of the most hardwearing aftershaves on the market in my opinion. Three sprays and you'll still be smelling this on your skin up to twenty hours later - yes, it's potent! 

Personally it's a little too warm for me to wear on a night out but this is perfect for wearing around the office. 

Once again, for £15 you can't sniff (well you can, but in a good way) at the value that Secret Scent Box delivers. It has opened my eyes (and nose) to two fragrances I would probably bypass on the shelf and brought quite a few memories back at the same time. If you like your aftershaves, or know someone who really does need to diversify their collection then this service is the best place to start. 

This is my third box from Secret Scent Box and for the third time I've been very happy, no, delighted with the contents.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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AFTERSHAVE: Jimmy Choo MAN INTENSE

Smelling lovely is an addiction, there, I've said it. I'm an addict. Do brands help to wean me off this addiction? No, of course not, and as such I have a raft of of aftershaves new to the ever growing collection and today, with a laser-beam like focus I'll be giving my thoughts on Jimmy Choo Man Intense.

A completely new fragrance on me and I'll confess, would I probably have ever been drawn to this on a shelf? Probably not, after all, Jimmy Choo is more famous for shoes than fragrances. A 100ml bottle has a recommended retail price of £65, but with some shopping around you can pick up all around the web for sometimes as little as £45. Shop around!

Here is what they say about the aftershave:

'JIMMY CHOO MAN INTENSE captures the spirit of the Jimmy Choo man, with model Marlon Teixeira who embodies the essence of INTENSE – an overtly masculine style, refined but with a fearless attitude.

An accent of Black Pepper and a trio of new notes to bolster its Amber base. Honeydew Melon adds a watery freshness whilst Davana oil gives a sensual quality and Tonka Bean brings an almond-meets-tobacco edge that’s warm and intensely masculine.'

The notes to Jimmy Choo Man Intense are:

• Head: Lavender, Honeydew Melon, Mandarin
• Heart: Artemisia, Black Pepper, Geranium
• Dry-down: Tonka Bean, Patchouli

First thoughts were "wow, his is aptly named"! Intense is an understatement actually as this fragrance has the kick of a mule with a pleasant assault on the senses. The lavender and mandarin filtered through onto the nose as a warm, heavy floral scent and it stays intense for hour after hour. That said, within fifteen minutes of applying you are in floral heaven with the pepper and geranium adding more depth while diversifying the range of notes so that it retains that masculine feel, on a par in my opinion with the more expensive Man Rose by Etro.

Based on the head and heart notes I'd reserve this for daywear around the office but it alters dramatically after thirty minutes and does become a touch lighter on the nose. The tonic bean provides a slight sweetness that takes the edge off the mandarin and lavender.

A good ten hours after applying this and I still get asked what that lovely fragrance is - people are even more shocked when I tell them that it's Jimmy Choo. This has staying power that exceeded my expectations.

A little really goes a long way, and if you can shop around to pick up a bottle below the retail price you are getting a brilliant fragrance that contains something for nearly everyone - unless you are wedded to wearing light and citrus I can say with some confidence that you'll find yourself wanting to buy this yourself. Perfect for daywear but not out of place for nights out where you want to get noticed.

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AFTERSHAVE: Jo Malone: Oud & Bergamot Cologne

One gift I received rather unexpectedly for Valentine's Day was a bottle of Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot Cologne, cheers wife. It's the first bottle of Jo Malone fragrance that has entered into my collection and I had high hopes as many friends have for years sworn blind that fragrances from this brand are to die for. Throw into the mix the fact  that the 100ml bottle costs an eye-watering £112 and you kind of hope, no, expect it to reach and breach some high, very high expectations.

This is what they say about the cologne over at the Jo Malone site here:

'Precious oud, reframed. The mysterious, smoky character of this revered wood, central to Middle Eastern fragrance traditions, radiates with the clarity of crisp bergamot and an orange granite accord. Hypnotic. Alluring.'

Head: Bergamot, orange accord and lemon

Heart: Cedarwood

Dry-down: Oud wood

First impressions are that this is a very dry fragrance on the nose - it's instantly spicy, which is something I found weird, yet it's so unique and addictive you can't help but fall immediately in love with it. The bergamot and orange are exquisite and stay evident for as long as the cologne lasts on the skin. That dry sensation gives way a touch after around thirty minutes and then it becomes much more earthy - you cold get the feeling that you are in the middle of a wood in chopping season - wow!

The cedarwood takes some of the shine off the citrus and warmth of the top notes giving this much much more of a manly scent. It then takes around another fifteen minutes before it evolves fully to the final fragrance. Hints of bergamot and the sharpness of orange accord blended perfectly with woodsy notes that provide depth to what could have been a very light fragrance.

Sounds great doesn't it? Well, yes it is, and in terms of expectations for the fragrance I was blown away, but it isn't all good. Five to six sprays give coverage that remains noticeable to you and those around you (people will say they love it) for about five to six hours at most. I would have expected more, especially when forking out so much for the bottle in the first place. As a comparison, Man Rose by Etro costs around the same, has the same type of note construction yet lasts for double the time. Both are amazing fragrances but you have to give it to the fragrance that delivers on value for money.

I'd recommend this to blokes who are looking for something maybe for a night out rather than something hard-wearing to last all day and then maybe into the evening.

It's recommended as it is so unique and such a gorgeous scent, but I just wish it was longer lasting and then for me it would be the highest possible recommendation. At £112 you kinda want something that goes on and on and on. Sort that (and maybe the price) Jo Malone peeps and I'll be first in line to buy another bottle.

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