Man Fragrance Review: John Varvatos's Artisan Black

John Varvatos launched a limited-edition flanker to their 2009 twist on an 18th century eau de cologne complete with a rattan casing called Artisan, a bestseller of the brand. The new iteration is titled Artisan Black and is meant to be a more intense version of the original scent by accentuating the woody and musky tonalities and being more long lasting according to the press release. (Yet to test and confirmed!!:P ). According to other review, Artisan is light and bright, juicy and breezy whereas Artisan Black has more depth, feels a bit more “masculine” and has better sillage and lasting power.

Artisan Black was created by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux and lists notes of Meyer lemon, tangerine, blood orange, calypsone (a watery melon note), Murraya flower (orange jessamine), neroli/orange blossom, jasmine, Nigerian ginger, purple ginger, cardamom, coriander, Kephalis, Belambre, Boisiris (woody iris note), Serenolide (white musk), vetiver, patchouli, Mexican cueramo (wood), soft leather and Florentine orris absolute.



John Varvatos Artisan Black is a limited edition fragrance; 125 ml Eau de Toilette for $78 from Amazon.

Eco Fashion: HUGO Fragrances Initiative

HUGO Fragrances is delighted to announce the launch of ‘One Fragrance, One Tree’, a new sustainability initiative inspired by the increasingly eco-conscious outlook of HUGO Fragrances consumers. For each special edition pack of HUGO Element and HUGO Man fragrance produced, one tree will be planted in the Amazon rain forest in Peru .

To help raise awareness of this cause in the UK , Hugo Fragrances has commissioned 5 artists to create their own eco-friendly interpretation of an urban jungle. Designs will be painted on 100% recyclable card in the form of large pop up trees. With creative support from the artists, people will be encouraged to make their own mark by painting blank trees that will be on display in 5 cities throughout the country.

The tour launched in London’s Covent Garden on Wednesday 17th March and travels to Bluewater in Kent (19th – 21st March); Bullring in Birmingham (26th – 28th March) Meadow Hall in Sheffield (2nd, 3rd and 5th April) and Centre MK in Milton Keynes (9th – 11th April) before returning back to Covent Garden on 15th April for a grand finale, where the pop up trees will turn the cobbled pavements of Covent Garden into an urban jungle for the day.

Man Fashion: 2010 Top 10 Colognes

A right cologne can be break or make for any of your important occasion, such as date, interview as well as any social gathering. So today, A Man Fashion would like to share with all the readers on what are 2010 top 10 colognes that will going to be populate in men fashion world, these 10 are a mixture of new as well as old taste.

1. Egoiste By Chanel For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.7 Ounces by Chanel

A little of this one goes a long way. By far the crown jewel of colognes. For secure and confident men. Very intense and changes notes constantly.



Alright, this is challenge for my dyslexic eyes to write these down from the mirrored box, so you better read carefully if you really is interested.

Alcohol, Water, Methyl Gluceth-20, Fragrance, Hydrogenated caster oil, limonene, propylene glycol, allantoin, poly quaternium-10, linalool, butylphenyl methylpropional, citric acid, hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, tetrasodium edta, citral, coumarin, citronellol, geraniol, phenoxyethanol, Yellow 5

Guys, remember this bottle is moderately priced so it's not cheap, but it's worth every penny I promise you!





2. M7 by Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz. by Yves Saint Laurent

Opinions are very split on this classic by Yves Saint Laurent. To me it smells of luxury and fine living. Starts like cherry cough syrup and ends like fine pipe tobacco,  so this is strongly addictive once you start to "taste' it.

I have more than 10 different colognes in my collection right now but this one beats all of them both hands down.I hope it will stay forever.

 



Top notch.6 out of 5 stars.



3. LA NUIT DE L'HOMME by YSL Men's EDT Cologne by Yves Saint Laurent

This is the YSL's evening interpretation of the modern classic L'Homme. A little sweeter and longer lasting than L'Homme, and a little more sophisticated.

4. PERRY ELLIS MEN 3.4 oz EDT Cologne NIB by Perry Ellis

While strange to see a Perry Ellis frag on this list, don't underestimate it like many cologne snobs. Garners many compliments and leaves you wanting more all day. Long lasting as well. The beauty is this really smell very close to Acqua, and is light enough to wear at work or to school or wherever.

5. Chanel Pour Monsieur By Chanel For Men, Eau De Toilette Spray by Chanel

For the classic man who likes fine clothes and fine jewelry. Screams opulence.





6. L'homme Yves Saint Laurent By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray

An intoxicating daytime cologne that you never tire of and has volume control so you can't overspray it. Moreover, YSL l'homme is not as fruity and light as Aqua di Gio, and is a bit stonger but just as nice. No musk, some citrus and more like a pleasant talcum powder smell. Very fresh but longer lasting than the Aqua di Gio.



7. Perry Ellis 360 By Perry Ellis For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray by Perry Ellis

Another unsung favorite of mine, the original Perry Ellis 360. Just like the new Perry Ellis 2008, I get complimented almost everytime I wear it. Starts off like bad medicine, and ends ends up very soft & woodsy, thus 360 degrees.





8. Egoiste Platinum By Chanel For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.7 by Chanel



Unlike it's brother Egoiste, Platinum is much more conservative. Still refined however and can easily be worn anytime, anywhere. Please note, it's nothing like Egoiste in the least.





9. Obsession By Calvin Klein For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray by Calvin Klein

I'm not one wearing colognes and such every day. There is one however that I reach for more often than any other. Its Calvin Klein's Obsession, for men.



A true classic though that many women still love. The best of the CK line. I still remembered one of the feedback given by my friend, he had used this cologne for a number of years and then for some reason he switched and used a number of other scents. The compliments were not as frequent with the other scents. Since coming back to Obsession, he once again was told how pleasing the fragrance is by a few people.





10. Antaeus By Chanel For Men, Eau De Toilette Spray, by Chanel

This is one that I have tested but do not own yet. I really liked what I smelled and if you do your homework you'll find there are very few negative comments out there. Will probably be my next purchase sometime in the future.

Man Fragrance of the Month: Kenzo Power

Kenzo Power brings an abstract floral fragrance to the world of men’s cologne. Like most summer time fragrances, it has an engaging, almost paradoxical, ethereal strength lacking in other summertime colognes: The vanilla-cedar notes provide a cool, breezy bouquet that’s floral yet spicy.


During warmer months, that’s a powerful attribute of well-adjusted and truly updated style. It works well on those occasions, say a mid-summer’s night, when you’re hoping your fragrance will assist your game, not overpower it.

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Technorati Tags: Men Fragance, Men Cologne, Kenzo Collection

Men Fashion: Top 5 Colognes for Men in this Summer

Whether the Night out is formal black tie or casual cocktail, your cologne should be just as elegant and match your style. Find out the five of the season's top special-occasion fragrances.


TOM FORD EXTREME
$125, Saks Fifth Avenue
This cologne, with Thai basil and Italian black fig, will last until you loosen your bow tie.

DSQUARED HE WOOD
$59, Sephora
Vetiver and musk make this powerful fragrance best for parties that don't start until well after cocktail hour.

BECKHAM SIGNATURE FOR HIM
$50, Macy's
The spicy juniper-berry-and-patchouli blend is meant to stand out—a good thing when everyone's wearing the same suit.

GUCCI BY GUCCI POUR HOMME
$70, Bloomingdale's
A mix of violet and cedarwood, this scent is as classic as barrel cuff links.

ARMANI/PRIVÉ
Oranger Alhambra ($115), Giorgio Armani Beauty
If you're a skip-the-vest guy, try this lighter scent with bitter orange and rosemary.

THE CLASSIC: CREED, GREEN IRISH TWEED
$250, Neiman Marcus
The iris-and-sandalwood scent doesn't guarantee you pretty young things, but it might give you some of Grant's legendary ease in eveningwear. Just ask Russell Crowe and Tom Hanks, who've tried it out.

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Technorati Tags: Man Fashion, Men Cologne, Men Scent, Tom Ford, Gucci, Men Fragrances

Man Fashion: Nose Candy

It is a scientific fact that the sense of smell lingers for a long time in the mind of a person. Whether you believe or not, your friends and colleagues do associate you with the smell of your perfume or cologne, so it is essential to choose a fragrance that is totally you. Just like in selecting clothes from a boutique, you should make sure that your perfume reflects your own personal style and uniqueness.

Previously I shared with you my top 5 perfumes. In this post, I would like to share some essential on this nose candy.

Where should one apply fragrance?
The most important, in descending order, are rops of your forearms(in moving them, you create your scent space), neck, and one serious shot down your back inside your shirt.


Day versus Night: How much scent?
Your use for the office should always be lighter; evening, you can get louder. Humidity represses scent, but don't overcompensate, because humidity makes people less tolerant of odors too.


Should age affect scent choices?
There are scents appropriate for different ages. Teens can wear ckIN2U with great success, Juicy Couture Dirty English works better for 20s.


How does one know how a scent will smell on him?
Only when you wear it the first day will you really know what it smells like on you (by others' reaction) but only on day 2 will you know whether your initial reading was right or wrong. One must frequently take a fragrance out for a few spins.

How long and where should you keep fragrances?
Scents definitely have a shelf life (My bottles are still not expire! :P) and it'll be obvious what's still good and what has turned. So if you buy something you really love, there's only one place to store it: the fridge. So next time, remember to return back immediately after apply.

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Technorati Tags: Men Fashion, Mens Fragrances, Mens Scents, Nose Candy

Men Fragrance: CK One for Valentine

CK One. New release from Calvin Klein, is the citrus fragrance you shared with your girlfriend back in high school, in a collector's bottle. While the scent may be a throwback, but the packaging is strictly modern.

A fresh original & light interpretation fragrance Explores essences of orange lemon and jasmine Blended with notes of rose sandalwood and patchouli Creates a luminous healthy & sportive image Suitable for casual use.

The phrase WE ARE ONE is etched on the glass in multiple languages, and there's a removable MP3-player speaker in the base. Source: DETAILS magazine

Man Fashion: It's All About Smell

I have received some inquiry from readers on Men Perfume and Cologne lately. Let me recall back that, it has been a while I have not look at this! It does not mean I don't need this, but that I still left with few bottles of my favorite cologne in my wardrobe, which I bought from discount fragrance stores previously.

So today, let me bring you to the world of men perfume and cologne, which I listed down my top 5 selection of colognes and perfumes.

1. Boss Selection Hugo Boss For Men

Hugo is my first choice selection of perfume if you are afford with the price. The bottle design of this Hugo Boss is rather simple but classy (suit major men’s taste). What makes it special is the existence of a small ‘belt’ connecting the lid to the bottle. Thus, I never have to worry to lose the lid in any circumstances.

The scent is strong but not over-powering that you will actually feel that it smells ‘man’. It makes you feel more ‘man’, in turn becomes sexy and attractive.

2. MONT BLANC STARWALKER Cologne

Why I choose Mont Blanc StarWalker Cologne? I like the "taste" of the perfume, it's the light and clean scent attracts my soul. It's simple design also make it easy to put in a luggage if you are prepare for outstation trip.

Mont Blanc is consider a new comer when come to men perfume or cologne products, so you can expect slightly cheaper price than other branded perfume.

If I would put a word to this all these, "Comfort" is the word that I find most suitable to express the whole theme and feeling with this cologne.

3. R.S.V.P by Kenneth Cole for men
Another light and clear scent selection. With fresh bursts of lavender and grapefruit, this scent lingers with a trial of calming sandalwood and soft cashmere, which create a fresh fragrance experience for those who use this.

4. Prada Infusion d'Homme

Introduced in 2008, this is male companion of the last year's edition for women Prada Infusion d'Iris, which was also inspired by this version, was created in cooperation with perfumer of the house of Givaudan - Daniela Andrier.


The perfume Infusion d'Homme includes notes of neroli from Tunisia, iris palida, vetiver, cedar, incense and benzoin.

This men perfume is perfect for a day when you want only a hint of fragrance on your skin or when you don’t want others to be aware of your perfume (Infusion d’Homme lasts over 10 hours on skin but stays close to the body).

Infusion d’Homme would be great to wear on a long-haul flight: you’ll smell clean and “freshly showered” but your perfume will not be intrusive.

5. Ferrari Light Essence

Another fresh and clean selection here. Being introduced in 2007. This fragrance features orange blossom, green apple, freesia, teak wood and lemon.

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Technorati Tags: Men Cologne, Men Perfume, Men Fashion Fragrance, Designer Cologne