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Hugo Aftershave
by JohnJoeSmith
My job requires me to be on my feet most of the day and to meet a wide variety of people. People expect a certain level of professionalism and decorum when dealing with their doctor so I do try to keep myself to a high level of presentation and cleanliness, a more difficult task than you'd think on a 12 hour shift! With this in mind I ... try and keep a selection of aftershaves in my bathroom which can hopefully project some confidence (and hide some of that 4am smell!).
Hugo Boss "Hugo" is one of my favorite scents. I originally bought this back in 1999 when I wanted to get some nice aftershave for a date. I always remembered it as being a strong and forceful smell, but not overpowering. The date went well so I can only assume the aftershave worked! 12 years on and I'm still using the stuff, and so are a lot of other people too it seems.
Hugo comes in a green khaki cardboard box which is reminiscent of an episode of M*A*S*H or something. When you see the green you'll know what I mean, it looks like the colour of an old GI's helmet. Inside the military theme continues as the bottle, made of a thick clear glass, is capped by a silver thumbscrew, almost exactly like an army canteen from years gone by. The cap is linked to the glass by a green strap, again continuing the armed services persona. I quite like the design as it's quite unimposing sitting on a shelf and I feel it exudes a form of manly confidence, much like the smell itself actually.
I won't claim to understand a huge amount about fragrances but I'll try my best to describe the smell of Hugo. The base of the smell is a rich musty flavor similar to being in a lumber yard. It's quite masculine and strong and evokes quite a visceral reaction in your gut. On top of this are notes of spice and fruit. These notes however take a backseat unless you get close enough to smell the wearer's neck. They're a nice harmony to the woody tones but people will know you for the strong presence of the base notes. To put it in less fancy language; a patient recently asked me what aftershave I was wearing and after I told her it was Hugo Boss she responded with "Oh I thought so, it smells like a man". Now whether she was just trying to be nice or being honest I'll never know but I thought it was a good summary of the smell. Man.
Hugo is a relatively cheap aftershave when compared with the Armanis and JPGs of this world, weighing in at £36 per 150ml. As the smell is strong you'll find you don't need to apply a huge amount to retain a smell for the entire day.
If you want a nice fruity aroma that barely leaves a trace then look elsewhere, if however you want to smell like a cleaned up John Wayne then pick up some Hugo.
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Lynx Instinct Aftershave
by alex-g
I always get Lynx sets for Christmas. I would have thought after coming out of my teenage years and into my 30's then I would now get something this isn't more aimed at the "younger" man, but no, I still get the sets. I think this is probably due to the price of this as it is more a cheap set, and although I do ahve to say I ... like some of the smells from Lynx, this unfortunately isn't 1 of them.
I got this in a set which had a Shower Gel, Body Spray and 50ml Aftershave. I believe the set cost around £10 ( I think the person in question also got a 3 for the price of 2 deal in Boots as well, so therefore making this even cheaper.) Not a bad price for a set though.
I think from the packaging this looks like it would smell quite earthy and a kind of tribal sort of smell.
I only used about a quarter of this and that was being generous. I still have this at the back of a cupboard but don't see me using this again. I don't mind the Shower Gel in a way, but that is because it is a lot lighter smell in the Gel. The Aftershave has such a strong smell and it smells a bit cheap which it is anyway. It just smells a bit too rich and wood smelling.
Not the kind of smell I would like to smell like. Also I think this is a bit older smelling than what I would expect a teenager to want to smell like. There is a lot nicer smelling scents than this.
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Paul Smith Story Men Aftershave
by danny691
I have owned a number of Paul Smith fragrances in the past and currently use their Paul Smith Extreme eau de toilette. The Paul Smith Story has been around for around four years now from my memory, and it is becoming harder to get hold of online and even more difficult to buy in fragrance stores as it isn't the latest scent from the Paul ... Smith range.
Paul Smith Story comes in a white box with 'Paul Smith Story' written towards to bottom of the box. The bottle is also quite simple, with a clean glass bottle and clear and simple cap. The spray pump isn't of the highest quality, but it will stand up to daily use. I must say that I were never overwhelmed with the product aesthetically. When it comes to fragrances I find that image is everything, branding is a key point and so is the look of the product. Paul Smith Story does bring plenty to the table, however. Although not a very recent release of scent it still leaves a smile on my face when I use it. It isn't an instantly recognisable scent to friends, as it isn't as popular as the latest scents. The 50ml bottle can be bought for under £20 online, or as part of a gift sat for just a few pounds more.
The smell of any fragrance is really the most important element to most people. The selling point is usually the packaging, but if it doesn't appeal to you scent-wise then you simply won't use it! The unique fragrance has a clean and crisp air about it, apparently carrying bergamot and green ivy, followed by floral scents such as green rose and jasmine accents. Amber, musk and cedar wood are also present. I find that fragrance descriptions are useless in allowing you to create an impression of the scent, until you have actually tested it yourself. The fragrance for me isn't the typical brash masculine fragrance. Although the scent is fairly subtle, it has proven to be long-lasting and pleasant throughout its wear.
I wouldn't say that Paul Smith Story will go down as one of the modern iconic fragrances, but I do find it very pleasant to wear. There is also the intrigue that this fragrance carries. Where is the fun in wearing a scent that everyone instantly recognises? The only downsides for me are that the scent isn't quite as bold as it could be - perhaps that could be seen a positive? The other negative is the unflattering packaging, it just doesn't draw you in against a background of loud and colourful competitors' fragrances.
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