Bvlgari Man in Black Eau de Parfum + GIVEAWAY

If I could only ever wear one aftershave ever again it would have to be Bvlgari Pour Homme, this aftershave and I have some serious history going back now nearly twenty, yes twenty years. 

Casting my impending old age to one side I’ve spent those heady years seeking out other fragrances from Bvlgari, some excellent while some have left me wondering what the hell they were thinking! Bvlgari Man is a fragrance that a former colleague called the “Stephen smell” as I wore it every day for a year but it may be under some serious competition now that I've had my sniffing tackle around Bvlgari Man in Black Eau de Parfum. I first smelt this my friend Alan at his recent birthday and was hooked yet didn’t go out and buy a bottle until recently. One question I’m asking myself constantly now is, why the hell did it take me so long to pick up a bottle for myself as it is lovely.

Before you think that’s it, if you read on not only will I give my thoughts on the fragrance, but being the oh so generous person I am, I bought two bottles so that I can share the fantastic nasal overload experience with one of my readers.

Bvlgari are a luxury fashion house, and their fragrances don’t normally come cheap - I remember paying well over £80 for my bottles of aftershave from the brand in the past but guess what, the price has come down quite a lot over the years. I paid £55 each for my 60ml bottles but you can pick them up online from places like Amazon for anywhere from £30-£45 so it really does pay to shop around. I opted to buy mine from The Perfume Shop as I received a Michael Kors bag for spending over £100, which will become my gym kit bag.

Having smelt this on my friend at his party and on a friend at work after recommending it to him I had a good idea of how the fragrance would evolve over time and what it would be like after finally drying down, but when peeking at the notes I was still surprised, particularly by the Tonka Bean as to me this fragrance doesn’t seem to have the sweetness that usually comes from such a note.

The notes to Bvlgari Man in Black are:

• Head: Rum & Luminous Spices
• Heart: Tuberose, Orris Root Absolute & Leather Accord
• Dry-down: Benzoin, Tonka Bean & Guauacwood

As soon as it left the atomiser I knew I was onto a winner - a strong blend of rum and spice that immediately started to fade down to a subtle hint of spice. I confess that within seconds I couldn’t detect any obvious hints of rum but the spice was warm and not too overpowering. Bliss. It started to evolve within minutes as it was absorbed by my skin and again, I couldn’t pick out the  all of the notes but the tuberose (it’s a flower used as a note in aftershaves and perfumes) combined with the spice and leather note was almost heavenly. This post in fact has taken much longer than normal to write as I’ve spent at least twenty minutes sitting back and continuously smelling the fragrance on my wrists. 

After around five minutes you have the final fragrance and this is how it smells for a good ten to fifteen hours after applying. It remains really subtle but as you walk or move around you will pick up hints of the floral spice that comes from the top notes. I cannot stress how much I really like this fragrance.

This is not too dissimilar to Black Orchid by Tom Ford (and much cheaper), it has hardwearing notes that make me want to continuously sniff away at myself. While with Bvlgari Pour Homme it dries down and I can’t smell it (yet everyone else can) I still get hints of this on my skin some ten hours later. It’s just quite possibly one of my favourites. It has a beautiful blend of notes that produces a masculine and spicy fragrance that will have people asking you what you are wearing and where they can get some from. It’s immense and well worth the purchase price. Only a little goes a very long way given it’s strength and I for one will not now be without a bottle of it in my collection, in fact, this may well indeed become the new “Stephen smell”. It’s not going to knock Pour Homme of it’s perch as my favourite but it is pulling at it’s ankles from second place.

Perfect for daywear, nights out or special occasions you really should put down what you are doing now and pick up a bottle for yourself or the man in your life. There are a few mandatory entries which must be completed, otherwise your entry will be null and void. Ensure that you are over 18 or have your parents permission because I will need your home address and finally owing to the prize on offer, this is a UK only giveaway.

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What I got for Christmas 2014

Well 2014 was a pretty crappy year so I had been looking forward to Christmas and opening some presents that would bring some festive cheer to this miserable old goat. Let's just say I over indulged with the Christmas spirit on Christmas Eve (no, surely not everyone who knows me cries out) so presents weren't opened until after lunch (every mouthful was torture - not the fault of the chef).

Anyone who follows the blog may have seen that I'm in the process of a full sleeve tattoo - given the significant outlay so far I wasn't expecting anything ground breaking in present form. The last two sections of my tattoo formed part of my Christmas presents. Some pictures of where the full sleeve is up to at the moment are below. The two faces on my forearm are this years present.

But what else did Santa bring me this year?

Aftershave, yes, I know, a shocker. This time however, there were aftershaves I hadn't tried, enter stage left Bleu de Chanel, Ralph Lauren Polo Red and one that I had tried, enter stage right Aqva by Bvlgari.

Like Acqua Di Parma, a cologne I reviewed recently I had wanted to try Polo Red since someone asked for my opinion of it on Reddit. It was an aftershave that had passed me by. Being a massive fan of Polo Green, Black and Blue I'm not sure how it has taken so long for me to even smell it!

Pinterst is to blame for some of my other presents. I had seen three t-shirts with rather tasty designs and really wanted them. I had asked my mum to buy two but she opted to go safe and buy the Bvlgari aftershave (shakes head and mutters 'lazy.....lazy.....').

Some of the t-shirts that I unwrapped are below - I really do like them and there are more on the, the one I'm really waiting for says "Whiskey made me do it".

Other gifts included a joke snoring prevention device which is basically a padded boxing glove on a stick, a man stuff kit, and two books including the Breaking Bad Cookbook. 

My in laws came up with something I really wanted - fishing tackle. It has been years since I had let fishing de-stress me and after days spent fishing on holiday in the river at the side of our hotel I was if you will pardon the pun hooked again. They put together lots of tackle including rods, a reel, rod bag and nets.

The final gift was a leather band. Doesn't sound that interesting does it but it has a twist, well more of a hook - instead of having a clasp or being slightly elastic it uses a fish hook. Fashion statement or deadly weapon? Either way it appeals to my warped nature!

So there you go, that's what I got this Christmas.

Did you get anything interesting for Christmas last year (god that sounds weird)?

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Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir

Any regular reader of the blog will know that I have a kind of love thang going on for fragrances from Bvlgari. They release an aftershave and I’m probably queuing up to buy it on the day of release.

In this case, when Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir was released I had to have a bottle and quickly. Oh how I wish I’d had impulse control!

With Bvlgari I could always rely on a few things, the first that they produce quality products, the second that I’d never smelt a fragrance produced by them that left me feeling cheated. 

The bottle is the classic Bvlgari Pour Homme design similar in looks to the female versions of the Bvlgari range. Instead of being rather flat the bottle is quite tall standing and the glass has a "pinched" effect at the top where the atomiser and lid meet the bottle. 

Bvlgari aftershaves normally don’t need fancy packaging - usually once you've tried or smelt it, you know that it is the quality that will keep you coming back. The only thing that sets the Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir apart in terms of looks from the regular Pour Homme is the word Soir in tiny lettering on the bottle.

The notes to Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir are outlined below and it is marketed as:

"A rich, elegant, woody scent aimed at charismatic men looking for a refined and sensuous evening fragrance. Profoundly vibrant and enveloping, Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir enriches the elegant and comfortable woody musk signature of Bvlgari Pour Homme with precious and rare raw materials, amber and the novel charm of papyrus wood, which add sophistication and sensuality to the note."

• Head: Darjeeling tea, bergamot and rosewood;
• Heart: Lavender, pepper and musk oils;
• Base: Cedar wood, patchouli and papyrus amber.

Being concentrated means that only 3 squirts from the atomiser are needed to cover the face and neck with what is at first a really strong fragrance. 

As soon as it leaves the bottle it starts to fill the room. While being strong, it isn't overpowering and initial impressions are that it is almost light and airy with the ability to project the head notes without making me gag. 

The Darjeeling tea is not the note that really hits the nostrils, it is that of the bergamot orange and this gives the immediate lemon and orange citrus zing and thus the impression of being quite a light fragrance. At this stage so far, so good but that changed pretty dramatically. 

Initially I could tell no real difference between Pour Homme Soir and Pour Homme Extreme. They share identical head notes and I spent a good 20 minutes wondering how Bvlgari had gotten away with simply putting the same product in a different bottle and marketing it as new.

After around 10 minutes the light and citrus fragrance totally disappeared. Not good, not good at all.  I couldn’t help but spray some onto the back of my hand so I could sniff away like a bloodhound to identify the fragrance. The citrus is indeed replaced by a warmer feeling of lavender blended with pepper. No offence intended Bvlgari but I found this to be, how can I put this, vile.

30 minutes in and the The Darjeeling tea starts to provide subtle undertones of spice that reminded me of an old wet tea bag. Not the aroma I‘m looking for personally! As all of the notes blended it became overly heavy and warm and this is completely at odds with my favourite aftershaves and fragrances.

The warm fragrance remained for well over 5 hours unfortunately and as it started to change again this was when it fell from grace. The fragrance seems to evolve over time and whilst initially it is far from a masculine fragrance with its light airy head and heart notes as the base filters through it becomes heavy in an understated way. The woods and papyrus amber retain the warm feeling yet it becomes refined yet rugged on the nose and the noses of those around the wearer. Not being a big fan of heavy woody fragrances this is where I came to the conclusion that whilst I liked the aftershave, ultimately it didn't retain enough of the citrus zing or light airy feeling.

A 50ml bottle will cost in the region of £40 on the high street making is a little bit too expensive. 

I still consider Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir to be a product that gives exceptional value for money as it is more of a concentrated fragrance. This means that a little really does go a long way as is the case with most Bvlgari aftershaves so it is likely to last well in excess of 6-9 months, possibly longer.

I usually wear Bvlgari for day and night wear, but with Soir it was consigned to purely for daywear while I emptied the bottle. 

Pour Homme Soir is a long lasting fragrance but it doesn’t do enough on the aroma front, is too warm and heavy for my personal tastes. If you like Fahrenheit by Dior or other aftershaves that have spicy or woody notes then you will love this. 

Personally I can’t recommend this but I would seriously suggest you try before you buy.

An extremely rare miss from Bvlgari.

NOT RECOMMENDED

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Cerruti 1881 Pour Homme

With a sensitive nose and obsession never to give off an Old Spice aroma my favourite aftershaves tend to be light, fruity numbers that have long lasting staying power and the head turning factor that boosts the confidence.

As regular readers will know, my current favourites include anything from the range by Bvlgari, Joop and Davidoff Game all of which are rock solid performers in the aftershave stakes.

With a collection of aftershaves that now requires draw space in addition to shelves in my wardrobe one of the aftershaves that I tend to be use infrequently is Cerruti 1881 Pour Homme.

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A 50ml bottle of the 1881 Pour Homme version of the aftershave will cost anything from £30 to £40 making it quite expensive in comparison to other leading aftershaves on the market, however, shopping online can lead to some serious savings.

Given my final summary of the fragrance at the bottom of the review, I would strongly suggest testing the fragrance on the high street and then if you like it, placing an order online where the prices make it a reasonable purchase.

The bottle to 1881 Pour Homme is actually quite unique in shape and look, with frosted glass and pale looking contents it gives the impression that water has frozen to the sides. This is pretty funky in my view and was the original reason I bought it. Impulse control is not one of my strong points!

This odd shape actually makes the bottle really easy to grip in comparison to aftershaves that simply have smoother shaped bottles. In a nutshell, it looks rather classy from the moment it is removed from the box.

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The notes to 1881 Pour Homme are vague and opt to give pretentious marketing blurb instead of just giving a breakdown between the head, heart and base ingredients to enable an informed opinion to be given on how the fragrance should smell over the time it’s worn.

From what I can gather from a little bit of research into the fragrance and the exchange of one or two emails with the makers is that 1881 Pour Homme is unique in the fact that it has few head and heart ingredients.

Before going any further I will explain the differences between head, heart and base. The head note ingredients are usually the first ingredients you will smell in an aftershave or perfume. In light a fruity fragrances these tend to be citrus fruits or plant extracts. The heart notes provide the deeper body to the fragrance and usually consist of tobacco, berry extracts and milder spices while the base notes provide the long lasting fragrance when combined with the head and heart notes.

Cerruti advise me that the ingredient notes are:

• Head - Rose blossom, lemon and lavender.
• Heart - Blackberry extract, gingko and clove.
• Dry down - Sandalwood, musk and saffron.

Taking these notes into account, the aftershave should initially be light and fruity with a fragrance that remains light for a few hours before becoming warmer as the day/night progresses, with the gingko and lavender giving enough body to make it a long lasting and very masculine aroma.

As I write this I can from memory smell this aftershave on my dad and this is how it does smell on him, and I'm sure how it smells on my dad is how Cerruti intended it to be.

If I had to rate it based upon how it smells when my dad wears it I would without hesitation give it 5 stars and a hearty recommendation but my personal experience of the aftershave is completely different. That is not to say I dislike it, I actually find it neither amazing nor repulsive.

A few liberal squirts of the atomiser release enough of the aftershave to keep the fragrance in your nostrils and the nostrils of those you are close to for well over 8 hours at a time making it incredibly long lasting and good value for money in aftershave terms as a bottle is likely to last for a good few months even when used on a daily basis.

First impressions when I spray this are indeed of a very light, almost unnoticeable fragrance, the only ingredients picked up are of the lemon that give it a refreshing citrus zing that lasts for around 30 minutes before it begins to blend with the other notes and alter on my skin.

Over time, the rose and lavender notes become more pronounced with the lemon becoming less obvious. None of the heart notes are actually detectable at any time but after around an hour the fragrance stops being light and settles down to be reasonably heavy as the sandalwood and musk base notes give it much more of a masculine aroma.

My main bugbear is that when others wear 1881 Pour Homme it remains light and airy with the lemon and citrus fragrance being the overwhelming note however when I use it the musk and sandalwood dominate the fragrance making it much heavier than my personal taste deems acceptable.

Cerruti 1881 Pour Homme is an aftershave I can take or leave, it is one of those aftershaves that has a distinctive fragrance that changes dramatically depending upon the wearer.

When my dad wears this it is instantly recognisable and smells wonderful, on a par with some of my favourite aftershaves, but when I wear it I have to admit it smells very mediocre, and doesn't give that air of individuality that comes with more refined fragrances such as Bvlgari Extreme or Bvlgari BLV Pour Homme.

This is the first time I have been unable to give a firm recommendation when reviewing an aftershave and this is because the fragrance can alter so much depending upon the wearer. My experience is that 1881 is inoffensive, pretty decent for daywear around the office but lacking that something that makes it just that little bit special. This is an aftershave you really should try before you buy.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

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The Monday Montage

Welcome to the Monday montage here at BeautyKingUK - after a week of posting away I thought I would give a little round up.

In the last week I’ve covered a number of topics, mainly writing about products that I’ve been using. This post is a little summary of my activity with links so that readers can track back to earlier ramblings for ease of reference.

When I started this blog if you had told me I’d be writing up reviews nearly every day I’d probably try and have you sectioned under the Mental Health Act. 

I genuinely had no idea that I would take to it so quickly, have not a care in the world if people I work with see it and most of all enjoy the relaxation I get from spewing forth my opinions and the things that make me laugh in my head.

The week started with a post on Mandara Spa - Tropical Blooms Softening Bath Milk, a lovely product that I really do love a lot. It actually didn’t get the attention it deserves when you consider the results I experienced using it.

Always guaranteed to get me sleepy if I have a bath using this - it’s chill out pampering at its best.

I then went with the top five aftershaves I couldn’t be without. Yes, any regular reader will know that I likes my aftershave and having to limit the choices to just five was a struggle. It really could have been a lengthy list. If you decide to try one from the list you should seriously consider Bvlgari Pour Homme as it has a little of everything for everyone.

On Wednesday I spent the evening trying to write up my thoughts on Fish Sportfish Revitalising Hair, Face and Body Wash. I’m not sure why but I found it be a real struggle to write - whereas normally I can pour an opinion/article onto the page within about 30 minutes this one took hours. 

Thursday was a good writing day, I managed to finish my thoughts on Ted’s Grooming Room Step 02 Shave Gel and publish some random facts about myself as part of the Very Inspiring Blogger Award Nomination.

A busy weekend was rounded off with me asking if £20 was a lot of money to spend on a cleansing gel. I thought it was, my Twitter followers and those using the #bbloggers hashtag disagreed. Yes, I felt tighter than a fishes bum!

That didn’t deter me though and my final post of the week about Thalgo Gel Nettoyant Detoxifiant Visage went up yesterday.

Taking up blogging has given me something to do, I really do like sharing my opinions. Every time I get new followers there is a sense of achievement. 

This may seem a little weird but knowing that people are reading my ramblings is actually touching.

I put out on Twitter earlier today the question, what should I write about next - Lush wins and I’ll be sharing my thoughts on a few of their products throughout the week.

Last of all, thank you to all who read my blog - I really do appreciate it when you take the time to pour over my stuff and comment.

What would my readers like to see on this blog in the future? 

Should I stick with aftershaves and beauty products or expand more into the weird and often dark life that is BeautyKingUK? Let me know.

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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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Bvlgari BLV Pour Homme

There is currently only one fragrance in the Bvlgari stable that I haven’t got my grubby hands on yet and I plan to rectify this as soon as my bank send me a new debit card.

While I sit at home watching the cool video for their new fragrance ‘Amara’ on the Bvlgari website drooling at the notes and how I can almost smell how it will be as it leaves the bottle I’ve been looking back over the bottles cluttered away and sadly BLV Pour Homme seems to have been massively overlooked.

This is a gem of an aftershave, an absolute dream for nights out on the town and it never fails to draw compliments.

Readers of the blog will know of my love for all things Bvlgari, it’s not a new thing, since my early twenties I’ve preferred fruity and light Extreme, moving through Black and Pour Homme until eventually Bvlgari BLV.

BLV was originally a fragrance for women that proved so popular that it was adapted and released onto the market for men. A 50ml bottle is virtually the same price as every other Bvlgari aftershave at £30.

The bottle is near identical to the Pour Femme version, although slightly taller with a bigger pinched effect at the top near the atomiser that dispenses the actual fragrance. As it is glass, rather chunky and not the best shape it isn't the easiest thing to hold onto if you have small hands. This is built for men *insert manly grunt*

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Prior to purchase I had an idea of what the fragrance would be like as I was and continue to be a big fan of BLV Pour Femme. I expected something very light on the nose, with hints of citrus bearing down over time to something warm yet long-lasting.

I was to be proved somewhat correct in the first instance with initial sprays being very light on the nose, with the actual fragrance barely noticeable.

What was evident after a few more sprays was a very fruity set of top notes that changed dramatically over a very short period of time as the fragrance notes from the Heart and Base began to blend and stand out.

My analysis of the dry down fragrance was completely wrong. Whilst warm, it had a much more masculine aroma than I expected and once I had identified the notes from the accompanying booklet is all became clear.

The actual notes to BLV are:

• Top Notes: Ginger, galangal and cardamom
• Heart Notes: Tobacco blossom, juniper and gingko
• Base Notes: Teak Sandalwood, cedar wood and musk

Having an idea of what something will smell like after first applying a fragrance is all well and good, but knowing how it will rest, blend and eventually smell on your skin over the course of time is essential.

I quickly wanted to test this and after showering liberally sprayed the fragrance over my face and neck.

Five small squirts from the atomiser are all that is needed to fill the room with a lovely light fragrance.

Initial attempts to identify the notes were pointless, and I was positive I could detect orange and lemon oil similar to that of the Lush I Should Coco soap. Further research on the top notes has cleared up what I thought was my dodgy sense of smell. Galangal has a very soapy and earthy aroma and when mixed with the spicy aroma of ginger can produce a citrus effect.

Before the heart and base notes started to become stronger the top notes changed very quickly and the citrus faded to a light spicy aroma.

After approximately 30 minutes the top notes could no longer be identified as they mixed with the heart and base notes.

As the other notes became stronger it was clear that this was going to be a long-lasting fragrance as it became heavier and heavier, in the same way that most men's aftershaves do. Immediately Christian Dior Fahrenheit springs to mind (now that is a heavy, manly fragrance), however the blend of tobacco blossom and juniper managed to give the fragrance warmth and when inhaled still was in no way overpowering, as each note blended together was subtle.

The base notes provide the real long lasting fragrance and the earthy woody smells when balanced with the top notes allow the BLV to retain the subtle, warm masculine fragrance that is still very much noticeable some 10-12 hours after first applying.

This would be an ideal fragrance for daywear at the office, for nights out on the town or for those special romantic occasions.

Personally I love fragrances that are very light, have a certain air of fruitiness whilst at the same time asserting a kind of 'I am man' fragrance.

With this in mind I should not really like the BLV as much as I actually do due to the heavy yet warm, spicy and earthy notes. I highly recommend this. It lasts for hours when only a tiny amount is applied, the fragrance is lovely and will get you noticed when up close and personal.

It is different to any other fragrance I have ever owned. It truly is a unique blend of notes and I have to say Bvlgari have done it again and produced another fine fragrance.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Thank you for taking the time to read this far, go on, let me know what your favourite aftershave is in the comments below.

Post note:

On finding this and my previous thoughts on it I've also found Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir. My thoughts on this, and why I think it's the weakest fragrance from the Bvlgari house in due course! 

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Mont Blanc Presence

If you think of Mont Blanc the first thing that would probably spring to mind is overly priced writing instruments. At a push jewellery and other assorted items from a luxury range that has diversified faster than speeding bullet may be conjured within your cranium.

For me, considering buying an aftershave from a company better known for pens than perfume would put me off. Presence was one of the first fragrances released onto the market by Mont Blanc back in 2001 and while I prefer to stick with favourites from the Bvlgari range due to my love of fresh, fruity fragrances Presence has skilfully worked its way into my affections.

The flowery marketing blurb from Mont Blanc tells you that Presence is about the presence of a man in a woman’s life. It embodies the wearer’s personality, charisma, aura and scent. It goes on to claim that the presence of the wearer evokes the emotions of the woman. Clearly while writing this sort of guff is like paying good money for old rope the key to a good fragrance in my books can be judged on a number of factors, most important is obviously whether it smells good to the wearer and those you come into contact with, longevity of the fragrance, price and overall the value for money it provides in comparison to other brands.

My first bottle (and actually like most of my aftershave) was a gift. If you had to part with your hard earned cash you’ll struggle unless you buy direct from Mont Blanc or live close to one of their stores. When I last tried to find a bottle I received a number of blank (I was so tempted to say Blanc looks there) in Boots and the Perfume store. A 75ml bottle will set you back just shy of £40. That to me seems expensive and I could roll out a very long list of cheaper aftershaves.

The notes to Presence are:

• Head: Bergamot, ginger and cardamom.
• Heart: Cinnamon, sage, apple and heliotrope.
• Base: Tonka beans, sandalwood and musk.

The notes suggest a heavy, very spicy fragrance with fruity undertones while the base notes suggest a warm and very masculine aroma. With a personal preference towards light and fruity fragrances I wasn’t sure I would like Presence but the proof of the pudding was to be in the tasting, no not literally but I couldn’t wait to give it a try.

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The difference between the two bottles - old above, new below.

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Two light sprays from the atomiser releases enough of the aftershave to give full coverage, and as a word of advice, close your eyes, it really does spray widely.

After shaving as you would expect there is a very nasty burning sensation which dissipates very quickly leaving just the warm spicy tones from the head notes. The bergamot citrus aroma is most evident and blended with the ginger gives an initial strange warm fragrance that is both fruity and spicy.

The general assault on the senses is pleasant, not too heavy and not so light it could be confused as a perfume. As with all male fragrances, the initial fragrance doesn’t tend to linger for long and with Presence the heart and base notes contain so many heavy duty ingredients that within 5 minutes that initial pleasant fragrance falls away as it becomes heavier and even warmer.

As the bergamot becomes less prominent you would expect the heart notes to come to the fore but alas they do not, the cinnamon and apple are never identifiable within the fragrance and only a hint of sage comes through taking the edge off the fruity aroma which makes the ensuing fragrance even spicier. After 30 minutes of blending and being absorbed by the skin what is left is completely different to the fragrance that left the bottle.

The woody, earthy base notes become the overlaying fragrance and the musk and sandalwood dominate the senses. With the fragrance still being evident on the skin over 10 hours after spraying on the aroma has the same strength from that that formed 30 minutes after application and that is a fragrance that not only is fresh, warm and masculine but also very subtle.

Presence does not sit in with the style of aftershave I like yet I’m strangely drawn to it. The fragrance is completely unique, so subtle so people can pick up on it without overpowering and very hardwearing meaning that it is perfect for romantic nights out, office and casual wear.

With a little of the aftershave going a long way and a reasonable price tag the product has every ingredient of a good aftershave.

The bottle may have been a nightmare to use (it used to be a half-moon shape which was a nightmare but has been re-designed) but thankfully my future purchases haven’t been blighted by this little hiccup. If your own personal preference when it comes to aftershave is like mine I would urge you to branch out and give this a try, you will be surprised by the way in which the ingredients blend together. This is very much a luxury version of Christian Dior Fahrenheit, just not so heavy.

Given that a little really does go a long way a 75ml bottle will last an absolute age making it good value for money.

You could do a lot worse than Presence.

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