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.

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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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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.

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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You want me to put WHAT on my face?

As I get increasingly older I’m always on the lookout for new products in an attempt (failing) to turn back the clock to the days when blackheads, dry patches and broken skin were just a pipe dream.

With a vigorous facial cleansing routine to ensure that my face radiates and projects a clean image I was more than impressed to find a 50ml tube of Thalgo Men Descomen Deep-Cleansing Scrub sitting in the bathroom cabinet.

As a firm advocate of the Men Expert range by L'Oreal particularly the Skin Renovator, I am increasingly being won over by the range of facial products produced by Thalgo.

Thalgo Men Descomen Deep-Cleansing Scrub claims within the marketing blurb to rid the skin of impurities and smooth away imperfections leaving the skin fresh, clean and invigorated.

 

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Most skin exfoliators I have used in the past state clearly that twice weekly use is more than adequate, however Descomen Deep-Cleansing Scrub should only be used once a week according to the instructions for use.

The main ingredient is Algue Bleue Vitale which isn't not something I have heard of before, but the helpful notes included put my inquisitive mind to rest. Thalgo state that the product is specifically designed for men, but why? Thalgo claim that Men's skin is much thicker and richer in sebum and is easily stressed by the daily process of shaving.

The Algue Bleue Vitale has the ability to be both anti-aging and anti-fatigue at the same time, calming down the skin to repair and smooth any stressed cells.

The product is alcohol free and uses silica and polyethylene beads to act as the exfoliant. Finished with hints of menthol the product should be the daddy of all exfoliants.  The exfoliator itself is a light blue colour and within the cream are darker blue beaded shapes which are the actual pieces of Algue which act as the exfoliating scrub.

To the touch you can feel the abrasiveness if you press it hard enough on your hands but because this product has been designed for use on the face and neck where the skin is less tough, it is actually not that noticeable when being used.

After splashing my face with warm water to open my pores, I squeezed several dots of the exfoliator onto the palm of my hand and then onto my face where I began to massage the scrub into the skin in a circular motion as directed. As soon as I started to massage it into my skin I was amazed by three things:

• Firstly it spread really well from a tiny dot placed in the middle of my forehead, one on either cheek and a dot on my chin was needed to completely exfoliate my face meaning that very little was needed each time I used it.
• The second revelation came from the fragrance as soon as it started to be absorbed into my skin. It became so much stronger and the smell reminds me of the sea, clean and fresh with the hint of menthol giving a slight waft of mint.
• Finally, the aroma becoming more pronounced whilst finally and most importantly the actual texture became slightly abrasive but not as much as similar products as other exfoliators used in the past. Knowing what to expect the slight harshness on the skin when massaging was needed to help remove all of the dead skin and impurities.

As the product is massaged into the face you are basically left with what feels like finely ground sand on your fingertips and I for one could only keep rubbing it into my face for around a minute before I rinsed my face. I was horrified by the colour of the water. I had expected some sort of residue but it was really brown and dirty looking. *cue much retching and muttering of being a filthy boy*

The product had obviously removed a hell of a lot of dead skin from my face and in doing so had fulfilled the first part of the product promise.

To get top marks from me though depends upon how it leaves my face looking and feeling after rinsing and drying. This is the acid test. I have to say that like the Dead Sea Facial Peel I usually use the end results were perfect and highly satisfactory.

My face looked a lot cleaner and comments were passed about the healthy glow to my skin. My pores seemed totally unblocked so there were no blackheads and since using the incidence of spot outbreaks have been kicked to the kerb. No sight of a zit. Result!

To top it all off, days after using my skin remained baby soft.  In the past I have been very sceptical about deviating from L'Oreal Men Expert or from what I consider the best exfoliator ever produced, Dead Sea Facial Peel but Thalgo really have won me over.

Dead Sea Facial Peel will probably remain my favourite because I can see the dirt and grime being removed but as a more regular treatment for my face Thalgo really knocks the spots (pardon the pun) off the Men Expert Range.

With all of the wonderful things I have had to say about the product surely there is a drawback, and that it the price. Thalgo aren't the cheapest products around but you do really get what you pay for, although many will see the purchase price of £16 for a 50ml tube from places like FeelUnique and baulk, in terms of value for money and longevity it actually works out at around the same price as the L'Oreal Men Expert Skin Renovator.

Thalgo Men Descomen Deep-Cleansing Scrub is exceptionally masculine, smells beautiful, is slightly abrasive and does everything it claims to do. Given that only a tiny amount of the exfoliator is needed the tube has lasted for months and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

HIGHLY 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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Ralph Lauren Polo Black

Launched in 2005, Ralph Lauren Polo Black was originally one of the aftershaves that fell into my possession thanks to a relative who has no idea what sort of aftershave I’m really in to.

I have always been a fan of Ralph Lauren fragrances and class Ralph Lauren Blue as one of the aftershaves that is guaranteed to women stopping dead in their tracks with just one whiff.

Available in both 50ml and 125ml bottles of the EDT or aftershave, prices range from £20 for the 50ml and £35 for the 125ml bottle. Personally I prefer to buy my aftershaves online due to the discounts available however this fragrance can be found in most duty free shops, perfume counters and most high street fragrance stores. I’ve seen bottles of this retailing in Selfridges for £40 for the 125ml bottle. Shop around!

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I can honestly say that I haven’t seen one jot of marketing for Polo Black. I’m guessing that as Ralph Lauren is a global brand they chose to use word of mouth and their very well presented website as enough to sell the product to us, the mere masses.

What is clear from the Ralph Lauren literature is that Polo Black has been designed for the urban professional, being sexy, mysterious and slightly dangerous. Ultimately described by the marketing blurb as modern, daring and sophisticated. Anyone else wonder who the hell comes up with this guff?

It's easy to spot thanks to the jet black bottle and Ralph Lauren logo and very easy to hold and apply. Unfortunately Polo Black does not come with any printed notes making it very hard to judge what this should smell like on application and dry down, however from further research it is clear that Polo Black contains iced mango, silver armoise and patchouli noir.

The first application of this fragrance was a pleasant surprise, a few sprays from the atomiser produced a very good coverage of the aftershave and there was little to no burn at all even after just shaving. The first thing to strike the senses is the very light nature of the fragrance, this smells clean and crisp and something of a sensory pleasure. The mango provides a fruity base to the fragrance which does make this very light initially.

As the fragrance begins to dry it is clear that there is tea and pepper contained within the formula as the fragrance becomes warmer and slightly heavier on the nose.

After finally drying down completely after around half an hour all of the ingredients blend wonderfully, the dry mango is still the overriding fragrance, however the patchouli blends to give a more balanced well defined edge that makes this more masculine. Without this I would have said it was aimed more at the female of the species, as it simply was too light and fruity.

As stated earlier, only 3 squirts of the atomiser are required to give a very good cover of the aftershave meaning that a 50 ml bottle will last for well over 6 months.

In terms of longevity Polo Black is exceptionally hardwearing, as you would expect from a quality brand name. Polo Black is noticeable well over 10 hours after application. Colleagues at work have commented on the lovely new fragrance I wear and for them to do that it must be good.

Polo Black is indeed a modern fragrance that has a masculine edge and fruity aroma. It won’t overload the senses making it a perfect all purpose aftershave great for daywear, special occasions and romantic nights out.

Polo Black is perfect. With both Polo Blue and Black Ralph Lauren have moved away from the traditional heavier rugged fragrances and in my opinion this is by far the best fragrance in their range, closely followed by Blue and Polo Sport.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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