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: 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.

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AFTERSHAVE: Joop! WOW! Eau de Toilette

Those folk over at Secret Scent Box have a lot to answer for, I'd like to blame my aftershave addiction on them (like a true addict) but alas, my obsession has been going on for many decades, yes decades. That said, I'd had no desire whatsoever to try or buy Joop! Wow Eau de Toilette until a sample dropped through the door as part of the Secret Scent Box in April of this year.  

The original Joop! was  staple in my aftershave collection when younger, from the ages of fifteen to twenty four I would always have a bottle of the purple goodness on the shelf and it never failed to deliver compliments as the warm yet sweet tones wafted off a young Stephen. The missus put pay to me wearing it with any regularity - she claimed women liked to too much. A bottle has sneaked into my collection again thanks to my brother and his penchant for buying me aftershave for Christmas (thanks Joel).

Anyhow, I digress, I received a 9ml sample of this in the Secret Scent Box, sprayed it three times, let it dry and then went in search of a bottle of Wow to call my own I am that impulsive, much to the dismay of the other half.

The notes to Joop! Wow are:

Head: Bergamot, Cardamom and Violet

Heart: Geranium, Fir Balsam and Vetiver

Dry-down: Cashmeran, Tonka Bean and Vanilla

Now this section is copied from my previous thoughts as after all, first impressions count. So here goes some cracking copying and pasting!

First impressions literally are "wow" - this has a strength that defies how light it actually is on the nose. It's instant spice at first that fades gently into a slightly heavier floral earthy note. It's almost as if the vetiver is battling the heart notes to keep this smelling masculine. As it starts to progress through the heart it gets lighter and lighter on the nose as the sweetness from the tonka bean and vanilla give hints of sweetness that linger on the nose and remain evident to those around you for hour after hour.

I expected something of a teenage fragrance when looking through the notes but actually it's so incredibly refined. This would make an excellent aftershave for daywear or nights out on the town. It's unique, I really can't say "it reminds me of......" because it doesn't, and that's rare nowadays. After five hours of being on it finally settled and stayed evident to me and those around me for another eight hours. It's got legs people, it has legs.

Lush.

Those were my first thoughts and I have to say they haven't changed much. A bit of the shine has worn off over time but I still find this such a unique and hardwearing fragrance that it is just perfect for daywear, around the office or for events where you want to stand out from the crowd. A floral spice with sweetness that just rests on the nose - perfect.

At just under £40 for a 60ml bottle this would make a perfect gift for anyone aged sixteen to forty five in my opinion and represents great value for money.

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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: Secret Scent Box - April 2017

The Secret Scent Box isn't a new one on me, I received their box back in September 2016 and given my obsession with aftershaves I just couldn't pass up the chance to try their offering for April. So, a subscription aftershave box that always has me intrigued with what will arrive and what I'll make of the three sample scents dropping through my letterbox.  

‘Secret Scent Box is a monthly UK fragrance box subscription that lets you discover new designer & branded perfumes or colognes. Get a 30 day supply of three fragrances delivered through your letterbox every month for just £15.’

For just £15 you receive a box through the post that contains three different fragrances - aftershave and cologne if you choose the male box and perfumes if you choose the female box. 

With the samples comes handy note cards for each fragrance. As always, I use these cards to sit back and imagine how the notes will combine, how long it will take to dry down and what the underlying notes will smell like for the rest of the day. 

In my first box I received three aftershaves that I hadn’t smelt before, in this second one it contain one that I own a bottle of and two that I had been dying to try. Given my extensive aftershave collection (it isn't normal to have over 50 bottles at any one time I know) it would be foolish of me not to expect some crossover between what I already have and the service.

So what is in the April Secret Scent Box?

The Dreamer - Versace 

Head: Juniper, Mugwort and Tarragon

Heart: Ambered Lily, Flax Flowers and Iris

Dry-down: Amber and Tobacco Flower

I've reviewed The Dreamer before on the blog - you can read my full review here. I managed to pick up a bottle for just £20 and it stands as one of my best beauty buys since I started writing this blog. Its a lovely fragrance, and as I've said before, it has depth and warmth but the fragrance almost evolves through a series of stages. The ambered lily and iris blend with the juniper after around an hour to make this less fruity on the nose and actually it’s like a mild floral explosion for around thirty minutes until it moves into the dry down. The amber and tobacco flower provide an excellent base that compliments the tarragon and lily to make this well worth a look.

Wow - Joop

Head: Bergamot, Cardamom and Violet

Heart: Geranium, Fir Balsam and Vetiver

Dry-down: Cashmeran, Tonka Bean and Vanilla

First impressions literally are "wow" - this has a strength that defies how light it actually is on the nose. It's instant spice at first that fades gently into a slightly heavier floral earthy note. It's almost as if the vetiver is battling the heart notes to keep this smelling masculine. As it starts to progress through the heart it gets lighter and lighter on the nose as the sweetness from the tonka bean and vanilla give hints of sweetness that linger on the nose and remain evident to those around you for hour after hour.

I expected something of a teenage fragrance when looking through the notes but actually it's so incredibly refined. This would make an excellent aftershave for daywear or nights out on the town. It's unique, I really can't say "it reminds me of......" because it doesn't, and that's rare nowadays. After five hours of being on it finally settled and stayed evident to me and those around me for another eight hours. It's got legs people, it has legs.

Lush

Only the Brave Tattoo - Diesel

Head: Red Apple and Mandarin Orange

Heart: Sage and Bourbon Pepper

Dry-down: Ambery Wood, Tobacco and Patchouli

I have something of a hate hate relationship with Diesel. I tried Zero Plus a number of years back and it left me gagging and feeling nasueaous. With that in mind I had low expectations that were blown away by OTBT (I'm lazy, sue me). The sweetness that comes from the red apple is so amazing and fills the room with just two to three sprays. It's apple all the way for the first five minutes, in fact the orange doesn't even become noticeable at all until the heart notes start to take the edge of the sweet apple. 

The apple blends with the orange and pepper to give a spiced blend that still stays light on the nose. At this point it became almost addictive, I just couldn't stopped sniffing this on my wrist. 

The dry down notes thankfully don't take anything away from this fragrance. I feared that the tobacco and woods would make it too warm and heavy but alas those fears were unfounded. It remains so subtle on the skin for well over ten hours making this again perfect for daywear or nights out on the town. 

Even after fully drying down the head notes of apple remain and that sweetness makes this another top notch fragrance. It's balanced out my expeirences with Diesel and I never thought that was going to happen.

Miracle worker.

The April Secret Scent Box has opened my eyes on two fronts. I now must try Wow by Joop and my hatred of Diesel has been put in a box, with OTBT firmly on my 'next to buy' list. 

My box popped through the letterbox just a few days ago and once again I feel compelled to write about the contents and share my experience of this cracking service. For £15 a month you receive 27ml of fragrance, three 9ml testers with atomisers that should, with frugal use keep you going for a whole month. 

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Secret Scent Box

I have a slight obsession with fragrances, I search out bottles when I get even a hint that I might like them or simply buy bottles without smelling them entirely on impulse. Sometimes I pick up lemons (as in really bad aftershaves) and sometimes I pick up some little gems (Eros by Versace springs to mind). It’s like a Stephen style touch of aftershave roulette, except unlike real roulette I win more often than I lose. When I was asked if I would like to sample a subscription aftershave box I naturally was intrigued and after taking a peek at their website I couldn’t help but say yes to the Secret Scent Box. 

‘Secret Scent Box is a monthly UK fragrance box subscription that lets you discover new designer & branded perfumes or colognes. Get a 30 day supply of three fragrances delivered through your letterbox every month for just £15.’

So, for £15 you get a box that contains three different fragrances - aftershave and cologne if you choose the male box and perfumes if you choose the female box. You don’t just get three little testers to try, you get the notes to the fragrance as well which for me lets me sit back and imagine how I think they will smell not just on first application, but also as it evolves through the heart and dry down notes. I can see myself becoming very addicted to this service! 

In my first box I received three aftershaves that I hadn’t smelt before:

Davidoff Champion

Head: Bergamot, Lemon

Heart: Galbanum, Clary Sage

Dry-down: Cedarwood, Oakmoss

Boss Selection by Hugo Boss

Head: Grapefruit, Lemon, Mandarin, Pepper

Heart: Geranium, Star anise, Cedar leaves

Dry-down: Cedarwood, Patchouli, Vetiver, Musk

Jimmy Choo Man Intense

Head: Lavender, Honeydew Melon, Orange

Heart: Davana, Geranium, Pepper

Dry-down: Patchouli, Cistus Labdanum, Tonka Bean

After reading the notes, making a prediction of what they would smell like on me and actually trying them I have been impressed. If I asked my friends to pick out three aftershaves for me to try I would expect to dislike at least one, but not here, I love them all. Davidoff Champion stands out from the box as one where I will have to go out and buy a bigger bottle.

I received my male fragrance box a few days ago through the post (the box fits through the letterbox so no red cards from the Post Office and a trip to the local sorting office to collect) as you would expect and I have to say it wasn’t what I had expected. I’d had the thought myself of a creating a fragrance box when I first started this blog and considered just sending out one 30ml bottle of aftershave a month. Secret Scent Box have taken that idea and added in variety. For £15 you receive 27ml of fragrance, three 9ml testers with atomisers that should, with frugal use keep you going for a whole month. 

For me personally I really like this concept - I’ll get to sample a number of new fragrances every month, get given the low-down on the notes to each and I know this is sad, but just opening the box to see a card say “hello handsome” first thing in the morning brings a wry smile to my face. 

Cracking concept, I love the contents and the price won’t leave your bank account less than fragrant. For just £15 you can sample some really cool new fragrances before you go and shell out for a larger bottle. Bravo people, bravo.

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Myths Man by Amouage

I had seen the rather stylish bottles for various aftershave and perfume offerings from Amouage on Pinterest for some time. When I was asked if I would like to try the new fragrance, Myths Man by Amouage I actually expected a really small tester as this isn't by any stretch of the imagination a budget brand, it's expensive. When a 100ml bottle arrived oozing style I was not only grinning from ear to ear I was intrigued as to how the notes, which seem predominantly floral to me would play out on my skin.

Here is the sting, a 100ml bottle of Myths Man will set you back £195 (ouch) and is available from Selfridges here. This is what they say about the fragrance:

'Myths Man by Amouage is a Oriental fragrance for men. Myths Man was launched in 2016. Myths Man is a surreal mirage of oriental elements intoxicated with enigmatic tones of smoke and wood, creating a fusion of dream and ambivalence. 

Myths Man, represented by the celestial Chinese dragon, a symbol of enlightenment and honour, opens with the classical beauty of Chrysanthemum and Orris. The fragrance paves the way to an intoxicating heart defined by an interpretation of a thorny rose accord. The culmination is a base projecting both peace and calamity with Labdanum, Ashes, and Leather.'

Now my nervousness came after seeing the notes, as it seems jam packed with floral notes and I honestly couldn't see how this could blend to provide an oriental vibe on dry down. The published notes to Myths Man are:

• Top Notes - Chrysanthemum, Iris
• Heart Notes - Rum, Rose, Vetiver, Elemi
• Base notes - Labdanum, Ashes, Leather

The first blast from the atomiser is overly floral as you would expect yet has a warmth and almost immediately becomes heavier and spicier. This isn't for you if you like your fragrances light and airy, oh no, it gets heavier and warmer. It took about fifteen minutes of intense sniffing but eventually I could detect the vetiver but overwhelmingly the leather base note becomes the most prominent and remains the most prominent note until it eventually fades away.

If I hadn't read the marketing blurb I would have placed this as more of a fragrance from the Middle East, it reminded me of a visit to a perfume store in Egypt some years ago. It certainly does evoke a strong reaction from me, and it can be quite polarising. My wife doesn't like it, she says it's too heavy yet everyone else who has smelt this on me says that it's actually incredibly lovely.   
If it was a little cheaper I'd probably be screaming that this is one you should always have (over the screams of my wife saying never to buy a bottle) in your aftershave collection. This last for well over fifteen hours so you have a very hardwearing, almost exotic fragrance that knocks the spots off a lot of other high end fragrances. Personally I'm a Creed man even if I have to re-mortgage the house to buy a bottle but this is a very close second and actually last much longer than any of the Creed fragrances in my collection.

If you see this stop and try it, and please do let me know what you think to it - I'm 90 per cent certain that people with a nose for all things manly scented will become addicted to it.

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