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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Bvlgari Black

It wouldn't be Christmas in my house if I didn’t open a series of presents that resulted in a healthy pile of aftershaves. It’s not that I’m difficult to buy for, honest….

While not wanting to sound like a big of a stalker of the Bvlgari range, it they release anything I’m likely to buy first, think about going to smell it later, much later in fact. I simply adore their fragrances, both male and female. While firmly in touch with my feminine side, I only wear the Pour Homme range, but have been known to stop dead in my tracks when I smell the Pour Femme on a female.

  

Bvlgari Black is instantly recognisable on the perfume counter due to the stylish packaging and unique shape to the actual bottle. There are some pictures of my last bottle to give you an idea. With my first bottle I made the mistake of thinking the top was concealing the atomiser and ripped it off rendering it completely useless. The atomiser is actually concealed within the lid – press the whole thing and hey presto, you have an effective delivery system. I know, I know, I can’t believe I just called an atomiser an ‘effective delivery system’ but please don’t hold it against me.

Bvlgari, like all fragrance manufacturers market this as something different to everything else on the market. “Black is a supreme exponent of the metropolitan concept, about shapes designed to be lived, shapes designed to be admired, shapes designed to be dressed.” Seriously, people are paid good money to come up with this…pick me, pick me….I’ll write you something cries the aftershave addict.

The notes to Bvlgari Black give a clear indication of how this is meant to smell. The fragrance contains blends of black tea, rosewood, bergamot, cedar, oak moss, amber and sandalwood. In addition to these, the fragrance also contains hints of vanilla. Black, unlike all other Bvlgari fragrances does not contain any traces of tobacco.

Taking the above ingredients into consideration, one would expect a light fragrance at first with it turning into a heavy, spicy fragrance with woody undertones.

Three squirts later and bathroom smelt wonderful, as did I. It was like an explosion of smells had gone off. The vanilla was the first noticeable smell, as was the amber and sandalwood. This was an invigorating experience and a lot lighter than I had expected. It was more of a citrus fragrance for the first 20 minutes or so until the fragrance began to change on my skin.

After approximately 30 minutes the fragrance became heavier and the vanilla less noticeable. Although it was heavy, it was more of a subtle fragrance and wasn’t overpowering at all. Evidence of the black tea and rosewood within the ingredients was apparent not only to me, but also to those who were around me.

The test to a truly great fragrance is whether or not you can smell it yourself after an hour or so. I’m happy to report that after a while, the only time you’ll smell this is when you catch a whiff of yourself when moving about and at times I’ve forgotten I’m wearing it until some pays me a compliment. I’m reliably informed that this is one of the best fragrances in my possession and due to its amazing staying power, after the initial change in smell it’s still noticeable after 7 hours.

I find Bvlgari Black to be a refined fragrance, heavy, but not too heavy with that little bit of difference that makes it stand out when out and about. Personally I only wear this for special occasions, but depending upon your tastes and bank balance it would be suitable for casual wear, a day at the office or a night on the town.

Bvlgari Black will make you stand out for all the good reasons and that’s a Beautykinguk guarantee. Although a touch expensive, a 40ml bottle will last in excess of 12 months if used sparingly making this great value for what is a superb product.

Bvlgari Black was launched in 1998 and shows no signs of being discontinued – thankfully. A 40ml bottle of the EDT retails for around £25-£30 and is widely available.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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Acqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani

While taking a break from praising Bvlgari fragrances I stumbled across an old favourite at the back of my wardrobe - Acqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani.

I have always been rather hesitant in buying aftershaves just because they come from a high end fashion house. Bizarrely, I just had to buy this after a stint looking after my little (she isn’t so little now) sister back in 2002. My dad wandered into the room and a beautiful fragrance followed him - that fragrance was Acqua Di Gio and I was instantly hooked.

Back in the day Acqua Di Gio was a fairly new fragrance for men. I bought my bottle from the Armani shop in Manchester for £32.00. For just upwards of 30 quid I got a 50ml bottle.

The actual bottle is very basic, with a rounded feel and frosted glass. The actual colour of the aftershave is a very pale green making it look extremely refreshing and modern. This being the 50ml bottle, it isn't huge in size but it is easily identifiable by the ACQUA Di GIO and GIORGIO ARMANI written on the front in large black letters.

The notes to ADG build this up like there is no tomorrow, stating that the fragrance is distinctly masculine in nature, with a transparent, fresh woody smell. Normally I'm not too keen on an aftershave that has a distinct woody smell, as personally I prefer the waft of light citrus. It's far easier my nose and the noses of the people who have to be around me.

I've filtered this image as I think it gives off a fresh vibe which sums up ADG

Upon opening the bottle unlike other aftershaves you are not immediately struck by the smell. Had I not already smelt the product I would have been worried by this. I‘d have probably just thought that I'd been duped into buying an expensive bottle of water.

As the bottle is moved closer to the nose a fresh, remarkably light citrus smell can be detected, but strangely, nothing that resembled a woody smell! Winner, winner, chicken dinner as they say.

Once applied there seems to be something of a smell explosion! This light fragrance on contact with skin changes dramatically. The light fresh smell is still evident, and a woody undertone starts to work its way through the top citrus notes. The major thing for me was that the actual strength of the smell had magnified several times.

After ADG had been applied for a few hours the smell was still noticeable, but it did become much lighter and the woody fragrance did go (thankfully). Even if I do say so myself, I was left smelling gorgeous.

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 for that man in your life and I believe it would appeal to everyone. Although at £32 for a 50ml bottle this isn't for everyday use, it is however perfect for that special night out and will have heads turning, both male and female. This is a pulling fragrance if ever I smelt one and it lasts for well over 7 hours!

Giorgio Armani is associated with top quality products and I'm happy to say this stuff has never let me down. Top stuff!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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