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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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 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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