Only the Brave is the latest brave attempt from Diesel. Sporting the image of Serena Williams’ alleged boyfriend, it is a fantastic perfume for gentlemen across the spectrum. It is not one of the standard issue fragrances that do not have any particular distinction apart from a celebrity endorsement. This is a rather solid and dependable perfume for men.

The Brand

Diesel has built a reputation as one of the leading providers of perfumes that appeal to teenage boys in particular. They tend to have sweet smelling perfumes with a definite masculine flavor that makes them the teenager’s dream. However this is not to say that grown gentlemen cannot enjoy the great products from Diesel. It is in fact a very good choice for all occasions in terms of building the customer base.

The Fragrance

The fragrance opens with lemon, leather, cedar and amber. I like the simplicity of the ingredients which start with the fresh lemon. This is a flavor that never fails to make a perfume fresh no matter what else is added to mask the distinctive flavor of lemon. In my book it is always a winner no matter what the occasion is. The leather is an interesting theme because it brings in the masculinity that is further emphasized by the presence of cedar and amber. All in all this is a well balanced perfume.

The Packaging

The packing is quite striking with a glass fist that is topped by the elaborate silver cap. I think this is a great packaging because it says that the perfume is definitely masculine. Moreover it is something that would interest someone on the mantle or drawer because it has such striking features. Some people might find the fist a touch aggressive for their tastes.

General Customer Feedback

This is not a perfume that was ever going to fail the customer feedback test because it has been well set up and delivers a good punch. The feedback is universally good and many gentlemen promised to buy it, even if for the purposes of owning the brave fist. I would buy one sample for myself if I was near the shops.

Popularity: 10% [?]

This is an interesting perfume that briefly tittered on the age of trashy celebrity. However it was quickly rescued and is one of those perfumes that intrigue people for a long time. It has had some associations with real royalty because some people decided to review it as a tribute to the late Diana Spencer, previous Princess of Wales. I rather wish they had done one for Camilla Shand and we would have some real drama.

The Brand

Creed’s name belies its rather older history. By just looking at the name of the brand one might think that it is one of the new age stuff that is dominating the hippy market. However the perfume house was established in London around 1760. It them migrated to Paris in 1854. It is still a successful family owned industry. Their foray into perfumes has been successful.

The Fragrance

The notes are varied and interesting. They start off with mandarin, bergamo and peppermint. It then moves on to cumin, basil and juniper berry. The musk just adds a touch of masculinity. The perfume seems to be challenging out views on gender and it constantly shifts the boundaries such that one never really knows where they stand with this perfume. Although this is a great way of adding interest to the perfume, it can end up confusing the customers such that they do not know where they stand.

The Packaging

A simple combination of silver, crystal and pearls comes to mind when one looks at the bottle of the perfume. It looks like a great white wine but at the same time one knows that it is definitely a perfume. The packaging is elegant and appropriate. They have done justice to their perfume.

General Customer Feedback

Although some people seemed to be confused about the gender of the target audience, almost all of them agreed that it was a great perfume that did justice to the princess who inspired some of the reviews. They found it sultry and alluring yet having a certain level of innocence. Perhaps the inspiration for the perfume was quite accurate about the requisite attributes.

Popularity: 19% [?]

The great Versace house has wanted to create a perfume that is meant to meet the needs of a confident and attractive man. Now that is some bold statement to make. Where does it leave the diffident ugly ducks?  Somehow I think that this is just pretentious nonsense that detracts from a great perfume from a great perfume house. Ordinary people should not be put off by the exclusivity. This is a perfume that anyone can dare to wear and there should be no shame or diffidence in that.

The Brand

Versace is all about looking good and giving a great impression. If you decide to wear the brand then you will be saying something about your tastes and general affluence. The brand has been effective in developing its place within the very top of the designer perfumes on the market at the moment and it must be commended for that. Lesser brands would have faded in the face of stiff competition.

The Fragrance

The perfume opens up with the customary bergamot that then moves into bitter orange leaves. The unique qualities are emphasized by the presence of neroli, and diamante. This gives a definite Italina feel to the whole thing. We then move on to citron, geranium and clary sage. A rather strange combination comes up when blue hyacinth meets cedar wood. The perfume is then developed by oud, mineral amber, musk and tonka bean. If you are not careful you might think that this is a dull perfume but you have to be patient because it will soon reveal its rather impressive fragrance pedigree.

The Packaging

I would not expect anything less than an exquisite packaging from Versace and I am not disappointed on this occasion. I particularly love the blue themed liquid within the clean white bottle. It somehow reminds me of the sea and cool things. This is a great job on the packaging.

General Customer Feedback

Customers were very complimentary about the perfume although a few felt that it first gave them the impression of being bland and predictable. I think this is a good thing because a good perfume should always surprise. What started off as ordinary can then become extra ordinary.

Popularity: 27% [?]

Black is a rather dark perfume concept from Bvlgari which relies on shock value as well as a first class scent to lure its  prey in. This is one of those perfumes where the genius of the creator is partly due to their ability to shock our sensibilities. The perfume is therefore quite rightly marketed as a metropolitan fragrance for fashionable men and women. This is one of those rather rare occasions when ultra modern is quite pleasant actually.

 The Brand

The great perfumer Annick Menardo launched Black on behalf of Bvlgari in 1998. The brand belongs to an Italian jewelry line. Founded by an immigrant, the house relies on hard work and constant innovation. That is why they have successfully been able to move from jewels into high end perfume. The brand brings with it an awareness of customer needs and wants.

The Fragrance

The opens up appropriately with black tea. We then move into rosewood and bergamot. A woody quality is brought to by the presence of cedar and oak moss. The perfume then moves to confectionery with vanilla.  The final hues are of amber, sandalwood and musk. What then is absolutely surprising is that such a relatively simple array of ingredients can produce such a challenging perfume.

The Packaging

I am sorry to say this but the packaging on this perfume reminds me of a bullet. Perhaps the shock value was pushed on for  a touch too long with the design. It is composed of ebony and silver with a circular motive just like a bullet or some other sort of modern weapon. The packaging is a curiosity but I am not sure that it speaks to anyone of perfumes. In short the packaging does shock but does not add much to a great perfume

General Customer Feedback

The customers loved the quirky nature of the perfume and pointed out the fact that it was one of those things where shocking was better than bland. Perhaps customers are generally getting fed up with the bland perfumes that are being produced almost on a factory basis. It is a treasure to find such a perfume and I would recommend it for both women and men.

Popularity: 7% [?]