FBSince2023

Valentino Uomo Born in Roma Intense is indeed an intense fragrance. The sweetness is particularly noticeable, with the vetiver giving it a somewhat synthetic character. It is clear from the intensity of the scent that it is only limitedly suitable for everyday wear. If your daily life takes place outdoors, this does not apply. But for all those whose daily life occurs indoors, be careful not to exceed three to four sprays. Otherwise, the fragrance could take your breath away a bit, but not in a positive sense. As for the occasion, I see Born in Roma Intense more as a scent for evenings out and, when moderately dosed, also as a scent for a date. If you want to play it safe on a date, you would naturally choose a fresh fragrance. However, I can also very well imagine that Born in Roma Intense layered with a fresh scent works really well. Regarding the season, I would avoid this fragrance in summer. It should fit well in the other seasons.
Now, let's get to my evaluation of the fragrance itself. You have probably noticed from my previous reviews of, for example, Joop Homme, 1 Million Parfum, or Azzaro Wanted, that I am not the biggest fan of fragrances with a very overpowering sweetness. However, this one behaves somewhat differently. The sweetness is very present and indeed a bit intrusive. However, I do not find it unpleasant. This surprised me at first. When comparing it with the aforementioned fragrances, I noticed that they either have notes that are already intrusive or alternatively contain so many notes that the fragrance is simply overloaded. Therefore, I would like to bring up my favorite example, Scandal le parfum by Jean-Paul Gaultier, once again. This fragrance behaves similarly. Scandal le parfum is also a fragrance with a synthetic sweetness, which also has an above-average sillage. It is therefore reasonable to assume that this fragrance tends to be a bit more intrusive. But even with Scandal le parfum, my evaluation was quite positive.
And I will try to explain this briefly. The reason I like both fragrances and not the ones mentioned above is that the two are more pleasantly blended for me. Both Born in Roma Intense and Scandal le parfum tend to have somewhat fewer notes and maintain a pleasant balance between them. In both fragrances, the synthetic sweetness dominates, but not to an extent that could be perceived as unpleasant. Quite the opposite, as for people who like sweet fragrances, both are really good options. Only for those of you who have a strong aversion to synthetic fragrances, these two are probably not an option.
But back to Born in Roma Intense. The fragrance has a pleasant sweetness for me, and despite its dominance, I find the scent well-balanced. However, I think the fragrance would be even better if the fresh character were enhanced a bit. I would not significantly reduce the intensity of the sweetness but rather add a fresh note to the fragrance, thus intensifying its freshness.
Otherwise, I find the fragrance really successful. Longevity and sillage are clearly above average. And for the occasions for which I would use the fragrance, it would be one of my top options, as I have somehow fallen in love with the scent.

Versace Dylan Blue, a blue fragrance with a certain depth. I was surprised when I first smelled it. I had expected something like Dior Sauvage without the licorice. But once again, it shows that it’s not always wise to listen to what others say. In my opinion, Dylan Blue goes beyond the classic blue fragrance, as the initial fresh sea breeze with a metallic hint quickly adds a touch of smoky grasses. This character is maintained for the longest time. So, there’s a balance between the top notes and the heart notes, as well as the incense. I find the fragrance very well balanced. It doesn’t smell extremely high-quality, and it’s probably more suitable for somewhat younger individuals. Nevertheless, I would say that you get a lot for the price with this fragrance, and it is quite flexible. As mentioned, maybe not necessarily in terms of age, but regarding occasions and the season, the fragrance is, in my opinion, quite versatile. Let’s start with the season. The fragrance is best suited for somewhat warmer days, so for spring or summer. However, it also works well in autumn and can be used in winter. For occasions, I’ll keep it simple and say that the fragrance can be worn for any occasion.
Regarding longevity and sillage, it can be said that the fragrance has good longevity and the sillage is at least acceptable. However, I would definitely say that you should spray the fragrance a bit more often, which isn’t a big problem given the price.
Overall, I can definitely say that I like the fragrance. Dylan Blue is certainly not a masterpiece, but it is a pleasantly smelling and versatile fragrance that I can definitely see myself wearing in everyday life or during leisure time. It definitely represents a serious option for me for several occasions.

Immediately after spraying the fragrance, the iris is noticeable and unfolds gradually in the first few minutes. Since the iris dominates the scent from the very beginning and continues to do so throughout its development, I would describe the scent progression as relatively one-dimensional. There are at least a few other notes in the fragrance pyramid besides the iris. However, in my opinion, these are overshadowed by the intense wave of iris. The spice in the fragrance, which is actually intended if we can trust the notes, is hardly noticeable at all. Therefore, I would describe Dior - Homme Intense as an exclusively soft fragrance with a light progression. Nevertheless, it is by no means unpleasant. Those who have a preference for powdery scents may have found their favorite fragrance here. For those of you whose interest I have now piqued but who do not want to order a sample of this scent, I will briefly categorize it. In my estimation, if you mix a slightly floral bath salt with the scent of blush, you will have a rough idea of how Dior - Homme Intense smells. Now, bath salts and blush are not necessarily things that men use. And that is exactly a major criticism I have of the fragrance. It simply does not smell masculine to me. But the scent is clearly intended for men. Something is not right. While the powdery aspect does lean towards a more elegant direction and smells very pleasant, which I generally appreciate, I still believe the fragrance is incomplete. There is something missing that would make it a bit more masculine and move it away from this one-sided scent progression. As it stands, it is also very limited in use for me. In my estimation, the fragrance is only suitable for special occasions, particularly when one wants to make a particularly elegant impression. Ideally, this event should take place outdoors, as the fragrance has a strong sillage and can become too overpowering indoors over time. Outdoors, however, the sillage and longevity of the fragrance, both of which are considerable, can be noted positively.
Overall, the two main criticisms for me are that the fragrance is not balanced, the iris dominates it permanently, and that it simply does not smell masculine. It gives me the impression that an excellent, elegant fragrance was started and then simply released half-finished. This half-finished fragrance is still good, of course. But overall, I perceive Dior Homme Intense as only relatively good and can almost imagine it more as a women's perfume.

The L'Homme EDT by Yves Saint Laurent is primarily a fresh and slightly spicy fragrance. Overall, the scent is somewhat subtle and not at all overpowering. I find it surprisingly so, especially when I read Tonka bean in the fragrance pyramid. It also exudes a certain elegance. From the first sniff, I knew that this was the perfect scent for the office. A classic, well-smelling understated fragrance, indeed. Of course, you can also use this scent for everyday wear. Theoretically, you can wear it anywhere and anytime, although I would reconsider that for going out. The fragrance suits almost every age group, making it extremely versatile in several ways. Overall, L'Homme EDT is definitely a fragrance that is well-received everywhere but not truly exceptional anywhere. This means that if you want a scent that simply smells good, but doesn't leave anyone breathless, this is your fragrance. It should also be noted that this scent was clearly developed as an everyday fragrance. This can easily be concluded from the fresh and lighter character of the scent. I could elaborate further on the individual facets of the fragrance, but I prefer to keep it brief.
The positive aspects of this fragrance are that it is practically usable everywhere, smells pleasant, and is not overpowering. Additionally, it is very flexible regarding age suitability.
The only real negative is the longevity, as the scent quickly becomes a "skin scent." This means it is hardly perceptible after a relatively short time unless you are very close to someone. One problem I have with it is that it simply stays too much in the background. And generally speaking, a fragrance that is not perceptible is practically non-existent. As I said, this is a generalization, but it still leads me to find L'Homme EDT just okay and not great overall.

I recently tested Boss Bottled Pacific and immediately noticed the similarity between the two fragrances. If you set aside the coconut note, for me it’s almost the same scent. The fragrance smells pleasant and definitely gives off summer vibes. Compared to Boss Bottled Pacific, there is no salt here, which makes the scent less heavy. Overall, it is also a bit rounder, which will likely have a more positive impact on feedback. Salty fragrance notes generally cause divided opinions anyway, as they can smell different depending on skin type. Otherwise, the scent is primarily citrus-fresh, which always fits perfectly in summer. You can also catch a hint of spicy notes, but they are more in the background. As mentioned, the fragrance is super rounded and ultimately without any edges or corners. One could criticize this about the scent as well, since it is ultimately the less interesting version of Boss Bottled Pacific. In summary, one can say that the fragrance is good but a bit generic. Just a quick note about the bottle, it looks nice, but the cap does not come off particularly easily. However, since the fragrance is not very expensive, one could still definitely recommend it for summer. Speaking of summer, regarding the season, I would only wear this scent in spring and summer. A citrus-fresh fragrance like this does not fit optimally in autumn or winter. Additionally, the sillage is rather mediocre.