Fragrance Reviews by markolomeu

The burst of fresh patchouli in the top, backed by a slightly tart bite of mandarin and bergamot is meant to tantalize, not incite raw heat. The middle of dark roses is warm and soft, and then the dry down of tonka and amber, still possessing a swirl of patchouli, is dark and mysterious, yet seems dry, light and arousing, rounding off a very feminine scent that gets a man thinking.

I'm no fragrance expert, but after fumbling around the perfume departments in several stores, and keeping in mind that blue is one of my girlfriend's favorite colors, I gave Midnight Poison a sniff... I now have a bottle wrapped under the tree for her this Christmas.

For those looking for the heavier stuff (and I smelled literally hundreds of scents before choosing MP) the original Poison is more potent, as many have said. Plus, there are several STRONG and bland rose based fragrances avaiable, like Stella McCartney, as well. For those looking for the drippy, faux-glamorous, candy coated floral scents of Miss Spears and Miss Hilton or Mrs. Beckham and the like, steer clear, as this is drier and a little more mature and unique then the "candy squirts" on the celeb scent counter. This is meant for young WOMEN, and it does a remarkable smooth job of catering to the market with its style and smell.

I, as a young 20-something, have recently taken a very keen interest in my appearance and cultivating a personal sense of style and dress. Why? Maybe becasue I am so sick of adolescent or juvinile behavior and the trends that my age group champions. Who needs two closets full of Abercrombie and Fitch attire in the city?

Anyway, without meaning to ramble, part of defining my personal style and adventuring in a more adult look as I move on with work and life, has been finding the right pieces (suits, jackets, shoes etc) that go with the occasion or situation. Part of completing that individual look or feel is in the cologne or fragrance I wear.

So on a random dare, and yes, led by the BIG name, I tried Gucci Pour Homme. I now own two bottles; one sits on my dresser and the other sits in my lower dresser drawer, in case I suddenly realize I am out of the first bottle and need a back up!

This fragrence is bold, masculine and solid; qualities that seem to be abset from most male fragrences these days. The top notes of white pepper and ginger literally explode from the bottle when first sprayed, almost with a ferocious bite that is invigerating and powerful - not many fragrences can make you feel awake and focused with one sniff. After the initial blast, the pepper/ginger slows drastically to reveal a woody, slightly sharp middle, which nicely enforces the initial spice in the mixture. After a few minutes, what is left of the mighty opening and clean and crisp middle is a warm scent of leather, nicely buffeted by touches of amber and subtle flashes of vetiver.

This is a favorite of mine. As a teen I received some pretty awful "presents" in the form of cologne, most of which I wouldn't use to freshen a smeely bathroom. This, however, is overtly masculine, raw and strong at first and then subtle and calm. It's well mixed and the designer had a clear definition of what they believed a man should smell like, and cleaverly bottled it.

It's wonderful in the cooler evenings, around dinner events, and late night dates; this smell has been known to insite some cozying from my female companion! Hopefully I can find other fragrences that speak out and stand out as much as this does on me...