Issey Miyaki L’eau d’issey (Summer EDT 2012)

One of the best things about Issey Miyaki perfumes is the new editions it launches every season, and it keeps me and my nose ever inquisitive. Though I must admit every time I go to an outlet to pick up a bottle, I get a little paranoid as to what if the next edition is still better than this one? Almost all the L’eau d’Issey editions have my approval, be it the Florale, Noir, Summer or the Amber. There is generally very subtle difference in the scents from the original L’eau d’Issey, the theme almost always being the same – Fresh, Floral and aquatic.

This time around, I gathered courage (and funds) and finally decided to pick a limited edition bottle and as I had always liked the green and blue summery bottle, I decided to invest in the Issey Miyaki L’eau d’issey (Summer EDT 2012).

The well known variant blatantly announces Summer. I love the way the bottle plays with transparency against the green opaque leafs. A light blue transparent bottle is wrapped with opaque fresh green leafs giving the bottle a very natural, tranquil and rain forest feel. The original shape of the Leau d’Issey bottle is retained.

It is very difficult to describe the perfume without comparing it with its sister L’eau d’issey. The Fragrance can be described as fresh, aquatic and floral with hints of summer, grass and something else green.  The fragrance is very light, fresh and exhilarating. It is a very feminine scent and oozes elegance. The fragrance envelops you and lingers for hours making you feel fresh and confident. It feels like a splash of fresh fragrant water on a warm summer day.

The inspiration of this edition is desert, palms and tranquility. One can definitely smell the roses, melon, pear, peony and fresh cut grass in the top notes, more flowers along with fresh aquatic notes in the middle and citrusy, spicy and woody notes in the dry down.  Aquatic notes abound in freshness and energy, are in harmony with flowers, aromatic herbs, citruses, spices, wood and amber.

The staying power of the perfume is very good. It lasts for 3-4 hours on my skin and even longer on my clothes. I especially like to use this one during the day for its freshness and crispness. It just seems perfect for warm summery days.

I like this special edition even more than the signature L’eau d’Issey as it is more fresh and green and little less expensive than the signature scent.

Cool Water For Men

Cool Water For Men

Cool Water is like taking a plunge into the deep blue sea and emerging rejuvenated from it. As the name suggests the Fragrance is outright aquatic.

Cool water is a combination of Orange Blossoms, Coriander, Peppermint, rosemary and lavender in the top notes, Jasmine, Geranium and sandalwood in the middle and Amber, musk and cedar in the base notes.

Though it is essentially an aquatic fragrance there are very noticeable hints of greens in it. It is a clean and fresh fragrance with a slightly spicy tone and a hint of musk. Though there is a sharpness in the fragrance, it is essentially a mild and well balanced scent with no particular note too over powering.

The Tones starts off as a clean citrusy fragrance and develops a spicy tone. I am a not a big fan of the dry down of the scent which gets a little powdery and synthetic. The dry down reminds me of ‘Ponds Dream Flower Magic’ . Though musk is an essential ingredient in this fragrance, the scent of musk is very mild. So if you are a musk fan, this one is not for you. The staying power of this scent is not too strong. It lasts 2-3 hours on the skin.

Cool water is an any time fragrance and you can depend on it for any season and occasion. It is most ideally suited for casual and daytime occasions. It works well for men of all ages. It is most widely used fragrance available in the market. Due to its subtle and mild fragrance, it is considered a safe bet and hence is ideal for gifts.

It is not a perfume you would love, not a scent you wouldn’t like.

Pleasures - Estee Lauder

Pleasures – Estee Lauder

First whiff of Pleasures transports you to fresh green meadows of France. One can clearly imagine rows and rows of wild white flowers dancing against the greens. It exudes freshness like wild flowers and grass after rains. From the very first whiff it is pure pleasure.

Pleasures is one of the most memorable and least complicated fragrances I have come across. It is simply floral - A pure fresh floral fragrance without being too sweet or overwhelming. It captures the scent of soap and water on skin.

The top notes of Pleasures are White Lillis, Green Accents and Violets. Other notes are Lilac, White Peonies, and Jasmine. There is also a hint of Sandalwood and Rose*.The perfume is a perfect concoction with no floral note overpowering the other.

The fragrance gets soapy after an hour but I love the soft, fresh smell. It lasts 5-6 hours on my skin and even longer on my clothes.

It is perfect for warm, casual and lazy afternoons, but if floral scents are your thing, this fresh and delicate scent is ideal for any occasion and season.

The Bottle design is very simple yet elegant. The long, curved, clear transparent bottle with the matt silver cap compliments the fragrance.

Fresh, Sheer, Spirited and Luxurious, Pleasures is my favorite pick for any time of the year and I consider it my best buy. I would recommend it to everyone who likes to keep it simple and not experiment too much with their fragrance.

Hugo Boss – Intense

Hugo Boss – Intense

A strong, sophisticated and complex fragrance, the perfume has rightly been named – INTENSE.

From the first spray, the scent is strong, but not overwhelming.

The Fragrance has warm overtone and a tinge of Darkness to it without any touch of innocence in it – Just like it’s bottle. It is the scent for the  bold and brave hearted.

Intense has a strong woody and slightly spicy scent. There are obvious tones of musk and rose, and though you can smell the presence of vanilla, it does not make the scent too sugary.

The Slight sweetness of vanilla balances out the strong woods and spices.

The scent has a slight masculine feel to it and makes you feel like in control. There is no room for subtlety  in its fragrance.

The fragrance can be described as sophisticated, bold and sexy.  

Though this scent can be worn any time of the day, I would recommend it for evening and formal occasions. I would particularly recommend it for the special romantic evening . Since the Fragrance already has warm overtones it can be avoided on warm summery afternoons.

I especially like to wear it when I intended to ‘Dress to kill’  

The perfume is quite strong when first applied but takes a soft and very sensuous notes after few minutes. It smells the best after an hour or so... and leaves a pleasant trail of rose and musk by the end of the day. 

The scent lasts very long on the skin and lingers on fabric even for days.