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: 29% [?]

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: 14% [?]

A lady who wears Mariah Carey immediately takes on the role of a sophisticated well to do person. This is a perfume that has perfected the art of marketing by placing itself in a very elite market. This market is not only for the very rich but even ordinary people can aspire to it and eventually join the club. The people who use Mariah Carey talk of a certain je ne sais quoi which gives it an air of sophistication that they cannot find among other fragrances.

It used to have an image problem where people thought it was mainly worn by wealthy women of a certain age. However with the revamping of the packages and the increase in the varieties available it became clear that anyone can wear Mariah Carey as long as they chose the right product and brand. Mariah Carey is now a multi channel provider of ladies scents and includes other products such as cosmetics and soap.

Without a doubt the cost of Mariah Carey adds to the aura of sophistication that they manage in imbue with all their products. However given the variety of products they make, it is entirely possible to get a relatively cheap product but with the trademark scents still included.

This is a top tip for me in terms of ladies accessories. People often try to buy different products from different sellers but they forget that when you mix the different scents they may clash and cause either bad fumes or unpleasant smells. Therefore it is recommended that you buy a set of similar products from a range so that you have a signature look and feel rather than going for everything in a sort of mix and match way.

All in all I think that the Mariah Carey products are excellent. This is not about getting a good bargain. It is about creating an impression of sophistication and sustaining it. I hope those of you who can try out the newest Mariah Carey perfume and let me know what you think. See you later.

Popularity: 21% [?]