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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Hugo Boss Dark Blue

It’s rare that I end up with a lemon in my aftershave collection as the notes to fragrances tend to give me an idea of what to expect.

Hugo Boss Dark Blue came into my collection as a gift a number of years ago and it’s still there with just a few inches of the liquid gone. Personally I was impressed by the actual look of the bottle, very sleek, very stylish and shaped like an urn. The bottom two thirds of the bottle being dark blue in colour whilst the top third has a metallic finish. The metal top screws off to reveal an atomiser that dispenses the fragrance.

The dark blue colouring combined with the actual shape are unique and give off a Hugo Boss feel of style and quality.

The notes to Dark Blue build it up as a light citrus fragrance with subtle hints of nutmeg, which should make it warm, refreshing and ideal the man about town. Aimed at a younger more sophisticated individual I took my purchase in hand and went to test it out.

Source

The first thing that struck me was that the screw lid was an absolute bugger to unscrew. The design of the bottle doesn’t allow for any grip at all and even slightly damp hands will struggle to actual get at the fragrance inside!

Five sprays later and I was greeted with a sweet, invigorating citrus aroma that was both light on the nose and refreshing at the same time. Although light and sweet, the fragrance immediately after application came out with warm mossy undertones which can only be attributable to the nutmeg extract giving this a manly smell.

Unfortunately and this is the only problem with this fragrance the smell did not stay the same as it was on application. Within an hour the citrus smell had all but disappeared, the light aroma had started to become heavy and the fragrance resembled a cross between cat urine and rotten cabbage. Not pleasant at all, in fact every time I got a waft of the fragrance I gagged it was that bad and washed it off as soon as possible. This was some six hours later so unfortunately it does have staying power!

Whilst wearing there were no compliments and a number of people did comment on that strange smell much to my displeasure. This starts off with an amazing amount of promise and descends very quickly into an instantly forgettable fragrance.

This was a gift and has only been used a few times – for kicks I let mates use it when they ask if I have any aftershave they can borrow before we head out on the town. This bottle has and will continue to gather dust in my bathroom cabinet forever more.

There are better, cheaper fragrances on the market and I’d strongly suggest you try anything rather than Dark Blue.

Hugo Boss Dark Blue is not a cheap fragrance, it may smell cheap and nasty but at £29 for 75ml it certainly isn‘t at the bottom end of the price spectrum . A 125ml bottle will set you back a staggering £36.

Hugo Boss also produce a range of shower gels, soaps and shaving gels based around this fragrance and based upon my experience of the EDT I won’t be trying them.

One word: VILE

NOT RECOMMENDED

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Davidoff Cool Water Game!

When it comes to aftershaves I have a large and rather varied collection, some come and go without ever being replaced whilst a few firm favourites are bought well in advance of them actually running out.

Never being one to stay with just one brand I am obsessed with trying new fragrances and it was whilst out shopping I tried the tester to Davidoff Game. The tester had me instantly hooked due to the slap in the face refreshing citrus aroma and relatively bargain price.

Being a fan of the Davidoff Cool Water and Cool Water Deep range I had no hesitation in purchasing the full gift pack for £45, which included a 100ml bottle of the aftershave, moisturising lotion and shower gel. £45 may seem excessive but readers should bear in mind that 100ml of this aftershave (taking the other items in the pack out of the equation) will last for well over 9 months when being used on a daily basis and if purchased individually the price comes down to only £35 on the high street. Alternatively it can be purchased from several reputable online aftershave retailers with prices as low as £25.

The bottle to Davidoff Game is blue in colour, as are most of the aftershaves in the Davidoff range and totally unique in style. Made from thick glass the bottle is fairly heavy at first.

The sunken sections of the glass makes it very easy to hold onto even with wet hands removing the risk of injury should you accidentally let it slip from your grasp in the bathroom.

The actual amount of thought that has gone into bottle design isn't surprising, it is something of a Davidoff trait with all of their aftershaves having very novel bottle designs, the funkiest that springs to mind is Davidoff Echo, a great bottle but absolutely vile aftershave.

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.

The published notes to Davidoff Game are:

• Head: Grapefruit, watermelon and bail verbena leaves.
• Heart: Green Blackcurrant, gingko and lavender.
• Base: Cedar wood, patchouli and musk.

The marketing blurb to the aftershave (which I have to say is incredibly accurate) sells Davidoff Game as an aftershave that has notes that will spark you to life with fruity bursts of citrus that will contrast with underlying notes to produce a refreshing yet warm sensual masculine fragrance.

My own personal experience has actually been summed up in a rather brief manner by the Davidoff marketing department, but it doesn't give the full picture of how this aftershave changes over time, something it almost definitely does over the day.

As I have said, I was drawn to the aftershave when out shopping - it was an impulse buy so I bought it based upon the top notes and before actually trying it on myself over a full day.

The last time I did this I ended up with the lemon that is Davidoff Echo so I was eager to try it. Only 3 gentle squirts of the atomiser release enough of the aftershave to cover the face and neck and my first impressions were that I had fallen into a fruit salad. The grapefruit and watermelon are instantly noticeable and provide a very strong and refreshing assault on the senses.

The grapefruit provides the zesty citrus aroma that seems to linger yet as it blends on the skin the most evident fragrance is that of watermelon and this remains for around 30 minutes as it is absorbed into the skin.

The heart and base notes begin to become the dominant ingredients changing it from a light airy fairy aftershave into something deeper, warmer and far more masculine than I expected when I first tested it. This is not to say it is a bad thing, in fact I was actually surprised by how much I liked the fragrance after it had dried down.

It is rare that I personally like aftershaves that become heavier and warmer over time; Davidoff Game is one of the exceptions to the rule. As the watermelon fades so does the citrus vibe to the entire aftershave, the heart note of lavender then becomes most pronounced and as this blends with the cedar wood and patchouli it is as though the nostrils are taking in warm air.

The fragrance becomes almost floral with hints of a spicy wooden undertone and this is how it remains for hour after hour. Most aftershaves last around 10 hours, Davidoff Game can still be smelt 20 hours later its staying power is that good. While it does fade eventually I personally can't argue with an aftershave that I really like that is affordable, long lasting and has the ability to remain lovely late into the evening after applying first thing in the morning.

After wearing Davidoff Game on and off for years I have to say it is one of those inoffensive fragrances that will have something for everyone.

Those who enjoy their light, refreshing citrus fragrances will love the initial blast of watermelon while those who prefer their rugged masculine fragrances will be impressed with the dry down aroma.

I wear Davidoff Game around the office and when hanging around the house at the weekends.

RECOMMENDED

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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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Hackett London Body Wash

Ever since I watched Rhod Gilbert and his rant about Imperial Leather ’invigorate’ and ’relax’ and their clever marketing I’ve spent longer than is actually healthy reading the marketing of body washes and shower gels.

I have a vast array, but for some reason I decided to delve into a boxset and try Hackett London’s Body Wash - it’s Essential British Kit by all accounts.

Here is the marketing blurb - try to contain yourselves readers….

"The home of authentic British style, Hackett London aims to kit out today’s gentleman from head to toe, whatever the occasion. Hackett grooming is an essential part of that kit. Fast foaming formula with a clean and invigorating blend of citrus and woody notes for a clean, refreshed feeling".

Seriously, when I read that I nearly died laughing! I could hear Rhod’s words in my ears and I nearly reached for a pen to write a letter.*

My tube came as part of a boxset and I did as always. Squirt far too much into my hands and then slap myself with it in the shower until it started to lather and foam up. White in colour, as soon as the Nivea like wash leaves the tube the smell fills the bathroom.

The smell is strong yet clean - a very masculine overly woody fragrance. It lathers up brilliantly and washing is a breeze. Every inch is covered and the pits always get extra attention.

After rinsing off, my skin always looks really clean (you’d hope so after a shower), but what I mean is that it has a glow and to the touch it’s smooth and soft. It’s as though baby oil has been rubbed in it’s that smooth. That is a result in my book.

I had no irritation and after drying my skin was still soft to the touch.

Personally I found the fragrance bland and when mixed with my deodorant I wasn’t impressed. This isn’t the fault of the body wash, it’s more a culmination. However, being comfortable is key, and if you doubt how you smell to those around you how can you be confident. Before it had dried and a few hours in I’d rate this probably 7/10 but it drops significantly because of how it mixes with standard deodorants.

You can find this for around £5 for a 200ml tube if you want to bid for it on an auction site!
At that price I’d say no. It’s OK as a gift, but I wouldn’t buy this if I had the choice. Imperial Leather soap and I’m talking old school bars of soap deliver the same feel and results.

NOT RECOMMENDED - sorry Hackett London

* If this section is all alien or meaningless to you then I strongly, no I positively insist that watch Rhod Gilbert’s DVD titled - The Man with the Flaming Battenberg Tattoo. If you don’t like it you can post insulting comments that question my sanity, masculinity or both. 

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Wella Shockwaves Ultra Strong Power Hold Hair Gel

I have probably spent the last week praising Soho Fish products but behold, for man has several hundred hair products and brands to choose from.

I have to say, after having my ‘Happy Mondays’ cut shaved off and spiked at aged 24 (after people said my hair made me look 40) it was recommended by the butcher of my locks that Wella’s styling mousse was best for the hair type and length.

For a while it did the trick but as the length of the spikes increased they started to droop. Another product was required. I tried everything (and it cost me a fortune) and in the end I settled on Wella’s Shockwave range and the Ultra Strong Power Hold gel.

In terms of hold, only the Shockwaves Tuff Stuff beats this gel.

There you go; you don’t have to read any more unless you want the full analysis.

Ultra Hold became a mainstay in my bathroom - it was cheap and widely available, and remains so to this day. A small 200ml tube costs between £2-£3 and you can often find them on multi-buy offers.

Back when I first started using this in 2003 the packaging used to provide the same promises as every other Wella styling product. The gel has a special micro-defuse system that separates individual strands leading to a firmer, longer lasting hold with the added advantage of easier styling. In addition to this, the gel should (in theory) brush out when required. Now, they have the ‘re-style with H2O’ marketing blurb that says you can reactivate the gel with wet hands to reset.  No offence, but of course you can re-style it if you wet it! It’s a gel!

So, with this being ‘Ultra Strong’ I expected amazing results.

Application and results:

When applying gel, it’s always recommended that you apply to fresh washed hair that is slightly damp. Not only does this mean your hair is clean before application, it also makes the gel go further as it is mixed in with the moisture already present in your hair.

I applied the gel to my hair after it had been dried slightly with my hair dryer. The gel’s fragrance when it leaves the tube is quite strong, with a fresh clean aroma with hints of apple. Although the smell was pleasant, the fragrance died down as soon as it was applied.

Taking into account the length of my hair (3-4 inches usually) and the messy look I go, a lot of the gel was needed to cover every strand. In fact, approximately 25ml was required. It was absorbed fairly quickly and was extremely easy to apply to the actual strands of hair.

The gel seemed thicker than the Wet Look version and this did become apparent when styling. It was far, far easier than using a wax, putty or clay. The spikes in my hair stood up immediately and once gentle heat was applied, dried very quickly meaning that further hair inspections weren’t needed prior to leaving the house.

Once dried, the gel set my hair like cement. I’m not joking here; nothing would possibly move it. I could jump up and down, shake my head and not a hair would move. As this is the major function of a hair gel, and the main criteria for any future purchases, it scored 10/10.

But, I don’t just take final results into consideration when making the decision which gel to use and the overall performance of the gel has to be taken into account.

Yes, it has fabulous hold, it made my hair look shinier, but, to the touch my hair felt far too crisp and a greasy residue was left on my hands after touching it.

The gel didn’t leave me with any white flakes on my clothing while out and about, but in the morning the usual problems that occur with gel were evident. My hair was full of white flakes, so much so, simply applying more gel was not an option. My hair had to be washed to remove the flakes. Brushing it out was not an option. I have since had my hair cut and don’t use as much of this gel as I had previously, but I still wake in the mornings to find a head full of white flakes. So, it wasn’t a problem with the amount of gel used, it is a problem with the gel.

Apart from the crispy feel and the white flakes in the morning, this gel was great; it kept my long(ish) hair in place for well over 8 hours which is an achievement.

So the good points:

• It’s easy to apply
• Cheap, especially when bought on offer
• Holds hair in place for in excess of 8 hours
• Made styling easier
• Dried quickly when left to dry naturally
• Makes hair look shiny
• Easy to wash out
• Only a little is required to style short lengths of hair
• Smells clean and fresh

The bad points:

• A lot of gel is required to style longer lengths
• Makes hair crispy tot he touch
• Leaves hair looking fluffy in the morning
• White residue in hair once the gel was worn out

Would I recommend this product? Yes I would. It has downsides, but most styling products have these and the ones applicable to the Ultra Strong are nowhere near as bad as other products I’ve used in the past. The amazing hold it provides is worth the little drawbacks detailed above.

If you need a strong product to style your hair, this is for you.

RECOMMENDED for short hair, messy styles and people who don’t touch their hair a lot.

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Gucci Rush!

Gucci Rush was an impulse buy – don’t ask me why I thought it would be good. I hadn’t seen any marketing and had no clue of what to expect. I should have known better than to trust the recommendation from the sales assistant and the fact that I thought it looked a little bit cool on the shelf.

The picture below shows the container in all its glory. It is made out of plastic so not exactly the quality finishing or styling you’d probably expect from a fashion house!

The front and back are covered in white plastic whilst the sides are clear making it easy to see how much of the clear fragrance remains in the bottle. Pumping a button located at the top of the container dispenses the fragrance. Due to the size and shape of the container it is very difficult to actually hold as you try to spray this on. The plastic is smooth so any sort of moisture on your hands and you’ll be picking this off the floor every couple of seconds. To apply you have to use two hands!

Source

Marketed as a fragrance to invigorate the body and mind, Gucci Rush combines a blend of woody and musky notes to provide what should be a fresh smell sensation.

After finally managing to apply some of the aftershave, it immediately became evident that I had made a huge mistake in buying this. The first few sprays left me gagging in the bathroom. It was extremely strong and very overpowering. The first smell to hit me was that of fairy liquid, a rather sterile smell, but with woody hints.

This changed over time, but not for the better! It became more and more floral and spicy and eventually just floral. I could pick out lavender and faint hints of vanilla but it smelt more like a perfume for the ladies than an aftershave that would invigorate my body and mind!

At this point I will add that as the aftershave dried on my face it began to itch a little. I had just shaved so I expected some burn but my neck went red and blotchy! This subsided however after 10-15 minutes and I wasn’t bothered again.

The actual fragrance remained for 8-9 hours (too long) and it was well over 4 hours before the strong woody smell started to fade. I was not impressed at all.

Personally I won’t be wearing this again. I actually ended up palming this off to my brother as a sick little joke. He hated it as well.

I can’t actually envisage any occasion where I would ever want to smell like this again and after wearing it for a night out the only mention it got was a “Ewwww, you smell like my gran”.

As I said earlier, you think Gucci, you think quality. Not any longer…….

NOT RECOMMENDED, NOT EVER, NOT EVEN IF THEY ARE GIVING IT AWAY

So, in summary:

· It isn’t cheap.
· The bottle looks tacky.
· The smell is vile.
· It’s very strong stuff.
· It irritates skin.

If you are sick enough to want to smell like a bouquet of flowers on a wet day, you might also be interested to know that Gucci also do a range of soaps, moisturiser and shaving foam scented with this *cough* delightful fragrance.

Thankfully Gucci Rush (White) has been phased out to be replaced Gucci Rush (Red). This version is slightly lighter, but still has the smell and feel when worn of an old wet sock. Here comes the killer – even though this has been phased out you can still pick up bottles on auction sites and independent retailers for around £30. For that price you could do so much better.

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Hugo Boss - Just Different

Hugo Boss comes under the spotlight today *cue minor evil cackle*. When it comes to aftershave I am a man of taste, or so I like the think. I’ve had really bad experiences in the last with some high end offerings leaving me smelling of old people and cabbage. Not the fresh vibe I’m trying to give off – I’m staring firmly in your direction Gucci and Diesel.

Hugo Boss was on my list of ones to avoid after a random spraying while walking around a department store left me gagging for half an hour! This bottle fell into my collection as a gift from my dad, and after commenting that it sort of OK, I now get a bottle every Christmas.

Shaped as an army water bottle it’s pretty easy to recognise. With a screw top lid and atomiser it’s quite a unique design. My bottle was black and was coated in an ace layer that made it stick to my hand. No danger of smashed toes here (unless I do have that stroke and lose the control of my arm lol)! As with all things the truth is in the testing, not the clever marketing.

With the marketing line of ‘Just Different’ a 75ml bottle will set you back in the region of £40.

The notes are:

Top: Ice Cold Mint

Heart: Basil and Freesia

Base: Cashmeran

With these notes I’d have expected something light at first fading down to an more masculine warm heart note with hints of the earth, a woody spice so to speak.

First sprays are always the tester for me – with Hugo Boss it was actually pleasant, no burn, a beautiful light floral, almost citrus smell hit the back of my nose and wahaaaaay, no sneezing.

After just a few short minutes the light notes had completely faded. The hint of basil becomes more pronounced and it takes a very weird turn for the better. The wood comes out and there are hints of basil but it isn’t warm, it’s almost ice cold (imagine fresh stream cool).

After ten minutes the coolness had faded (a little like my own at secondary school) and it returns to normal had the aftershave not been applied. It is neither warm on the nose and the cool fresh aroma is gone forever.

After an hour I didn’t realise I was wearing aftershave – it was neither overpowering nor to subtle to not be noticed. It wears well, after 14 hours people still comment on the lovely smell. Personally, I only wear this to the office – it’s OK and will appeal to a vast majority of the population but I think there are better aftershaves on the market for the price.

If you are going to buy, it’s not one that will have the ladies falling at your feet or people commenting regularly on how nice it is. It’s the Scott Parker (boring and reliable) of the aftershave world. It’s one to wear around the house, popping to the shops or going to work in.

I won’t buy this, but I also don’t turn my nose up at it when I receive it as a gift. As I can see how it would appeal I’m throwing my hat into the ring and saying yes, take a punt – I RECOMMEND.

RECOMMENDED

Post note – Scott Parker is a holding midfielder who plays now for Fulham in the Premiership. No disrespect to Mr Parker, you are an amazing footballer in what you do but you’re no Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Bvlgari Aqva

I always associate Bvlgari with quality beyond comparison. Not only are their watches second to none (I have one and it’s the best thing ever). 

My first encounter with Aqva (what is their obsession with substituting ‘u’ with a ‘v’?!?) was in Detroit airport. I made several very unsubtle hints about the need for a new aftershave. For the record, do not believe any comments below that suggest I stamped my feet - I didn’t.

$54 for a 100ml bottle at duty free seemed reasonable, however when it came to replacing the empty I was shocked to find that even online it cost between £45-£50 for a 100ml bottle. 

From the box, to the bottle, to the actual fragrance this oozes quality and style. 

The box is fairly flat and the glass bottle itself is shaped like a smooth flat pebble (similar to a paperweight) which is black in appearance but shimmers green in the light. A chrome atomiser sits at the top and is built into the round shape making it very easy to hold in the hand and spray, even with moist or wet hands. It fits neatly into the palm of the hand.

Bvlgari Aqva is marketed as an aromatic fragrance with top notes that include mandarin and orange tree leaves with additional notes of santolina and the accord posidonia (a type of aquatic plant). 

The fragrance after application should dry down to give a warm mineral amber scent that oozes masculinity. 

I have to say that after a quick spray in the shop my first impressions were of none of the above however it was exceptionally pleasant and I couldn't wait to wear this for a prolonged period to smell how it would change, how long it would last or  whether it would be the runt of the Bvlgari litter.

Application is a breeze, and only three or four sprays are required to fill a room with the fragrance. First impressions are of a clinical strong citrus aroma produced from the top notes and once it has soaked into the skin and settled for around 5 minutes the fragrance alters dramatically. The strong aroma is replaced by a subtle citrus aroma with undertones of lavender which is very easy on the nose. 

After around an hour the citrus aroma seems to disappear completely and the fragrance gives a feel and smell of warm yet subtle lavender and reminds me of open fields and running streams. All in all very dramatic and wonderful all the same.

Not only is the fragrance heavenly, the staying power is awesome. 

After Aqva first thing in the morning the fragrance still goes strong 12-14 hours later and the subtle warm lavender is still evident.

In addition to the wonderful fragrance, great staying power and cool design of the bottle I have received numerous compliments when wearing Aqva. Personally I used to use this on a daily basis but have found my eye wandering to other fragrances, namely the new Bvlgari Man but still it’s one I go back to when I fancy a change. 

I would highly recommend this for office wear, casual nights out and those special romantic evenings in.

Aqva is not my favourite Bvlgari fragrance, that crown is still held by Bvlgari Extreme but it is certainly better than any fragrance produced by any of the other fashion houses and designers on the market that I have had the pleasure to own.

In summary:

Great fragrance
Long lasting
Cool bottle with easy application
Expensive

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