Interesting blurb from askmen.com. Anything worth picking up here for the Spring?
http://www.askmen.com/fashion/grooming/men-s-colognes-2013.html
Available in spring 2013
Few brands encapsulate the ideas of power and sex quite as naturally as Versace. Eros, the brand's first men’s fragrance in five years, doesn't veer too far off the standard script. The first clue is in the title: Eros was the Greek god of Love. Most of us are more familiar with him by his Roman name, Cupid, but perhaps the image of a cherub shooting a bow and arrow wasn't going to shift as much product as a campaign featuring a bronzed, half-naked Adonis draped in a Versace-print silk dressing gown. So Eros it is. The juice contained in this flamboyant Greek-Roman-styled flask is an unusually seductive mix of mint oil, lemon, apple, tonka, ambroxan and geranium. Fresh, bright and woody and not as rich as you might expect.
Available in spring 2013
Where designer brands often employ obvious celebrities (Ryan Reynolds for Boss, Robert Pattinson and Jude Law for Dior, David Beckham for, er, David Beckham), Givenchy’s choice of Simon Baker (of The Mentalist fame) seems deliberately random by comparison.
Gentlemen Only is not, as its unfortunate name might suggest, a reference to a seedy strip joint. In fact, it’s a refined fragrance intended to evoke the chivalry of yesteryear. Fragrance-philes will have caught the nod to Givenchy’s classic Gentleman (1974) in both name and bottle design. Consider Only a 21st century reinterpretation of the masculine classic with a fresh and spicy opening that gives way to a deep and intense wood and smoke character. Nowhere near the genius of the original, but close enough.
Available in February 2013
At first glance, it would be easy to confuse the new Gaultier release with its infamous predecessor -- the iconic torso bottle and tin packaging remains, as does the magic touch of the original perfumer, Francis Kurkdjian. And there’s a pretty high-camp advertising campaign to boot.
But the similarities between the two Males end there. Olfactory speaking, Le Beau Male is so far removed from its predecessor that it could have benefited from a completely original concept and name. The reinterpretation is a frosty and sharp blend, featuring a cool blast of mint right at the front. Le Beau Male settles down into a more familiar lavender accord after a while but there are only fleeting traces of the oriental facets contained in the original bestseller.
Available soon
With the original Hugo Boss now 20 years old -- and still going very strong -- there really isn’t much call for an update. But, hey, when did that ever stop the guys at P&G from pushing another product? The scent is centered on contrasts: hot and cold, solid and liquid. And while the idea of juxtaposing contrasting accords is (somewhat ironically) rather polarizing among fragrance-philes, Red manages to fuse a cold and metallic accord (comprised of grapefruit and rhubarb) with a hot amber drydown featuring cedarwood. And, yes, Jared Leto is still the face.
http://www.askmen.com/fashion/grooming/men-s-colognes-2013.html
Eros by Versace
Price: $80Available in spring 2013
Few brands encapsulate the ideas of power and sex quite as naturally as Versace. Eros, the brand's first men’s fragrance in five years, doesn't veer too far off the standard script. The first clue is in the title: Eros was the Greek god of Love. Most of us are more familiar with him by his Roman name, Cupid, but perhaps the image of a cherub shooting a bow and arrow wasn't going to shift as much product as a campaign featuring a bronzed, half-naked Adonis draped in a Versace-print silk dressing gown. So Eros it is. The juice contained in this flamboyant Greek-Roman-styled flask is an unusually seductive mix of mint oil, lemon, apple, tonka, ambroxan and geranium. Fresh, bright and woody and not as rich as you might expect.
Gentlemen Only by Givenchy
Price: $80Available in spring 2013
Where designer brands often employ obvious celebrities (Ryan Reynolds for Boss, Robert Pattinson and Jude Law for Dior, David Beckham for, er, David Beckham), Givenchy’s choice of Simon Baker (of The Mentalist fame) seems deliberately random by comparison.
Gentlemen Only is not, as its unfortunate name might suggest, a reference to a seedy strip joint. In fact, it’s a refined fragrance intended to evoke the chivalry of yesteryear. Fragrance-philes will have caught the nod to Givenchy’s classic Gentleman (1974) in both name and bottle design. Consider Only a 21st century reinterpretation of the masculine classic with a fresh and spicy opening that gives way to a deep and intense wood and smoke character. Nowhere near the genius of the original, but close enough.
Le Beau Male by Jean Paul Gualtier
Price: $84Available in February 2013
At first glance, it would be easy to confuse the new Gaultier release with its infamous predecessor -- the iconic torso bottle and tin packaging remains, as does the magic touch of the original perfumer, Francis Kurkdjian. And there’s a pretty high-camp advertising campaign to boot.
But the similarities between the two Males end there. Olfactory speaking, Le Beau Male is so far removed from its predecessor that it could have benefited from a completely original concept and name. The reinterpretation is a frosty and sharp blend, featuring a cool blast of mint right at the front. Le Beau Male settles down into a more familiar lavender accord after a while but there are only fleeting traces of the oriental facets contained in the original bestseller.
The Game by Davidoff
Gimmicky bottles appear to be Davidoff’s strong point these days, and while the stack of poker chips-shaped flask for The Game isn’t quite as cheesy as the barbell design used for Champion, it’s hardly a subtle hint that this fragrance is intended for “players” and “playas.” The composition is a woody-aromatic blend of Juniper Berries (think of a large Gin & Tonic) that fades to reveal an iris heart propped up by a base of dark woods. Not anywhere near as risky as the gambling-themed concept suggests, but an accessible men’s fragrance nonetheless.
Hugo Red by Hugo Boss
Price: $82Available soon
With the original Hugo Boss now 20 years old -- and still going very strong -- there really isn’t much call for an update. But, hey, when did that ever stop the guys at P&G from pushing another product? The scent is centered on contrasts: hot and cold, solid and liquid. And while the idea of juxtaposing contrasting accords is (somewhat ironically) rather polarizing among fragrance-philes, Red manages to fuse a cold and metallic accord (comprised of grapefruit and rhubarb) with a hot amber drydown featuring cedarwood. And, yes, Jared Leto is still the face.
