The success of men’s cologne is heavily reliant upon the appeal of the scent designer or namesake. Where Usher is concerned, wide appeal is not an issue. He has long been considered by both men and women as an icon of sex appeal, confidence, and refined masculinity. Usher’s belief is that VIP also exudes these facets of his personality, thus making the man who wears his scent feel as important as Usher’s own success has made him feel.

In a bottle inspired by the bottles of quality cognac, VIP offers notes of tangerine, bergamot, kumquat, nutmeg, violet leaf, lotus flower, saffron, vetiver, oak moss and suede. The bottle also features Usher’s own highly personal symbol of quality, a replication of his trademark spinning diamond ring around the cap. Each of Usher’s past colognes for men have featured the libation-themed bottle shape and spinning ring, making his line of fragrances a cohesive collection for supplementation of the wearer’s personal style.

VIP follows on the heels of Usher’s other successful male fragrances, Usher for Men and Usher UR. Usher for Men was also called “He” when it debuted in the fall of 2007. Featuring notes of verbena, pineapple, melon, lavender, pepper, violet, vetiver, amber, suede, sandalwood, musk, and guaiac wood, Usher for Men is an all-occasion, woody scent that established the fragrance personality of the singer through its balanced appeal. Usher has since proven his affinity for the notes of suede, pepper, vetiver, violet, and citrus, as well as the flask-shaped bottle and spinning ring, having used those in his other colognes for men.

Usher UR launched in the fall of 2008. The bottle was the same as Usher for Men, yet updated to a platinum look in keeping with the lucrative appeal of platinum as both a jewelry base and pinnacle of success in the music industry. For his second cologne, Usher remained true to a seductive, woody aroma with notes of nutmeg, basil, bay oil, artemisia, guaiac wood, cashmere wood and sandalwood but added fresher wearability of enhanced citrus and Sea Breeze accord. UR is a cologne designed for evening wear and sensual nights.

As his fragrances succeed in evoking sensuality and masculinity and continue to sell well on a market deluged by both designer and celebrity brands for men, it is apparent that Usher’s staying power is not just within the music industry, but also as an icon of stylish sex appeal. This appeal has provided Usher with endless opportunities for exploration of his talents, from the microphone to the silver screen. In the past decade, everything Usher has attempted has seemed to bring increasing success and fame as attributed to his hard-working professionalism, rich talent for performing, and inherently sexy demeanor.

Usher Mens Cologne

Raymond Usher IV was born in Dallas, Texas in 1978 to Jonetta Patton and Raymond Usher III. Jonetta relocated with her young son to Chattanooga, Tennessee when Usher was only about a year old, following his father’s departure from the young family. Jonetta soon wed Usher’s stepfather and when at age six years old Usher was joined by a baby brother, James.

Usher was first recognized as having vocal talent when his grandmother heard him singing in the church youth choir directed by his mother. Usher was then nine years old. His grandmother did not consider that Usher might have marketable professional singing ability until she heard his work with a small singing group. Upon realizing that he could have a future in music, the family moved to Atlanta, Georgia to explore this potential.

When he was 11 years old, Usher joined a quintet called NuBeginnings. The group recorded ten songs for release in 1991 as part of an album on which Usher was listed as the featured performer. He was already a clear stand-out amongst his peers.

A performance on talent competition television show Star Search in 1992 led to Usher’s discovery by LaFace Records. After an audition with the iconic founder L.A. Reid of LaFace, Usher was signed to a recording contract and his professional career officially began. That was a big step for any 13 year-old, but Usher’s abilities and polish led him forward to release of “Call Me a Mack,” his first movie soundtrack contribution that same year, for the film Poetic Justice.

Usher’s freshman album was released in 1994 with several songs produced by Sean P. Diddy Combs. It was a solid effort which achieved decent success through 500,000 copies being sold to date and with three singles leading the album to the R&B chart’s Top 25.

Continued mentoring from leaders in the music industry contributed to Usher’s growth and development within his craft through his first Grammy Award nomination in 1997, after release of his second album. As his acclaim grew both in the United States and England, Usher’s access to working alongside top recording artists heightened his industry training and visibility to the masses. It also opened doors for him within the field of acting.

Usher’s intriguing good looks and professional polish provided opportunities such as a television role on sitcom series Moesha and in the 1998 feature film The Faculty. He then progressed to a soap opera role, two additional feature films and a Disney television movie in quick succession.

At age 26 in 2004, Usher had released four albums and developed into a multi-platinum selling superstar. His work was breaking sales records and achieving Diamond certification through the Recording Industry of America. He was becoming a superstar not unlike those who had mentored him through the early 1990’s, as proven through multiple American Music Awards, MTV Music and Video Music Awards, other accolades and even a Broadway musical role in Chicago in 2006.

Although Usher saw major achievement through awards and record breaking sales with his 2004 to 2006 period of professional growth, he did not rest on those accomplishments. He continued to work in the studio and released an even more successful album in 2008, Here I Stand. Ever appealing to female fans, Usher embarked upon a unique 15-date tour following that release, one developed for female-only live audiences, perhaps solidifying his masculine sex appeal and status as an icon for men worldwide.

Release of 2009’s men’s cologne VIP will surely not be Usher’s last venture into the worlds of personal style and fragrance, just as his singing and acting will continue to grace the world of entertainment. He has proven himself to have a level of talent to be admired for the long-term and both the looks and sensuality to inspire the emulation of other men who would love to walk a night in his shoes. Through that engaging appeal and seductivity of the woody, masculine and citrus-laced freshness of VIP and its predecessors Usher for Men and UR, Usher has captured the essence of being a true VIP. Men worldwide can benefit through wear of the fragrance and women can enjoy the scent through attraction to all that is Usher.

For cologne aficionados, it comes as no surprise that the clothing brand Diesel has several of its own colognes. However, many average men are totally unaware that Diesel makes more than stylish jeans. You could say that Diesel is like an Italian equal to Levi’s jeans. The Diesel brand was made by Italian designer Renzo Rosso and really became popular in America in the mid nineties. Overall, the Diesel brand is known for having high quality clothing that is also fun and really youthful. So it comes as no surprise that many of their fragrances reflect this attitude as well.

In this article, we will talk about some of what has been said about the several different Diesel men’s colognes that are out there. Whether you are new to colognes completely or already have a broad collection of scents, hopefully you will learn a little from this article. However, before buying anything, be sure to go to a department store and try on the fragrance you think you like before buying. Different colognes smell slightly different on different individuals. And how do you know you like a cologne without smelling it yourself? You will get a better price online for almost any cologne, but do go and try it out yourself before ordering.

Most recently, Diesel produced a men’s and women’s set of fragrances called Fuel for Life. The men’s scent is creatively packaged in a glass bottle that is encased in a larger rugged canvas shell. There are whipstitched details up the sides of the bottle; the little bottle will definitely stand out on your dresser.

Famous perfumer Annick Menardo helped create the scents, and the men’s fragrance has a woody, aromatic fragrance. The scent has star anise, grapefruit, raspberry, lavender, vetiver, heliotrope, and dry woods in it. Some describe the scent as energetic, while others find the scent to be too strong and aggressive. The scent is indubitably masculine, with a slight nutty scent.

The fragrance is recommended for an everyday or an office environment, and most people who like scents such as Burberry for men or Acqua di Gio are likely to enjoy this scent. A few disadvantages about the fragrance include that it costs around $60 a bottle and that some people feel that it wears off faster than they would like. The aftershave lotion of this scent won the 2008 runner-up award in Esquire magazine’s yearly grooming awards.

Diesel Cologne

Next, we will talk about another popular Diesel scent called Only the Brave. The bottle is shaped like a fist, and was inspired by a tattoo that Renzo Russo has on his knuckles. The rapper Common was the face of the fragrance in the brand’s international ad campaign, and part of the portion of the sales are donated by Diesel to the charity foundation of the same name; Only the Brave.

The cologne itself has a strong leathery scent, accompanied by oriental woody notes. It also has hints of vanilla, citrus, and amber. For a men’s cologne, it has a rather sweet smell, but it is still very masculine. It is a very sophisticated type smell, and yet suggests a slight softness and sensitivity. Esquire magazine suggested that the personality type that should don this cologne would also like how babies smell and enjoy drinking gin and vanilla in private. Several buyers commented that the smell lasted a long time and did not need to be reapplied often. Only the Brave generally costs around $50 a bottle.

Next, we will describe Diesel’s fragrance Plus Plus. The scent was launched in 1997 and has now been discontinued and is hard to find. However, we still wanted to make mention of it because it has such popular reviews and dedicated buyers. Plus Plus has been described over and over again by those who wear it as clean and fresh, youthful and rich. It is a light enough smell to wear daily to the office, and can also be worn on evenings out. The scent is simple, yet still very unique.

The fragrance is predominantly fougere and sandalwood, and is slightly sweet and woody smelling. Some even compare it to the pleasant smell of pipe tobacco. The scent has oriental notes with a little vanilla and musk as well. We found that several online buyers felt that Plus Plus is the best of all of the Diesel fragrances.

Another Diesel cologne is Diesel Green. This fragrance is a little bit different than each of the other scents available through Diesel. The cologne comes in a bright grass green bottle and is very earthy, energetic and fresh feeling. The dominating scents are ginger and lime, making this a great scent for spring and summer, but not so much for fall or winter. The scent also has notes of orris, floral orange blossom, rose, cinnamon, carnation and jasmine over base notes of cedarwood, musk, amber, sandalwood and vanilla.

Diesel Green maintains a masculine, strong scent, but is simultaneously playful, clean and fresh. Many wearers of the scent have described the smell as subtle, refreshing and very natural smelling. However, many buyers have noted that the fragrance does not stay on as long as it should and needs to be reapplied often.

If you are looking for something to wear to the clubs or on a special night out instead of a daily fragrance, you should check out Diesel’s scent Zero Plus. Zero Plus has a very strong smell that some people love and others hate, and definitely should not be worn everyday. It is definitely not a subtle choice of fragrances, so you will want to try it yourself before buying it.

The scent is basically a strong shot of cinnamon and powder. The warm, woodsy scent lasts a long time, but some people find it to be overwhelming. It is a very unique smell, and very different from most other men’s colognes. Some women love the smell, while others don’t like it much at all. The cologne has a very fall and wintery feel to it as well, and is very strong and smooth. The scent also has notes of copper and tin and underlying scents of vanilla. Many describe it as an intimate scent, and one that you would wear to make a statement. It maintains a very clean smell, but you still would not want to wear it every day.

If you are a novice when it comes to men’s colognes, hopefully this taught you that there is much more behind choosing a fragrance than you probably would have thought there would be. There are so many choices in the world of men’s fragrances that you can literally decide the type of image and style you want to portray, and then find a scent that matches that image perfectly. And men, don’t forget; trying out the different smells for yourself around your girlfriend may be the most invaluable way of finding just the right smell for you!

Trends in Men’s Colognes

Men’s fashion has developed into a rainbow of colors and styles, and so have their fragrances. Scents that were the preserve of ladies and gentlemen of the theatre are acceptable and fashionable.

One example of this trend can be seen in recent colognes featuring patchouli, once an over-used scent of a hippy lifestyle. The sweet and mysterious oriental fragrance has been rehabilitated in recent offerings in tamed and well blended formulas.

Mens colognes now often feature floral scents like jasmine, rose, and vanilla. The arrival of these typically female elements in the world of men’s colognes indicates the world is ready for men to smell as good as women.

Types of Colognes

Six major categories of scents make up men’s colognes.

1. Citrus colognes are sporty, fresh outdoor types scents, made from a large variety of lemon, orange, grapefruit and mandarin scents.
2. Woody colognes feature sandalwood, cedar wood, redwood and more exotic notes such as aloes wood, the most expensive perfume in the world.
3. Mossy or fougere type colognes smell like mossy woods, with the main elements such as of vetiver strongly featured.
4. Leather colognes are strongly masculine in nature, reminiscent of a men’s club.
5. Spicy colognes include notes like cardamom, cloves, black pepper and cinnamon.
6. Romantic colognes blend flower scents such as jasmine and yang ylang in a new way to produce colognes which retain a masculine flavor with the addition of floral notes.

How to Store Colognes

Colognes that are properly stored will last for several years.

• Never expose colognes to strong light. Keep them in their original packaging, if possible, since they are designed to protect the bottles from damage by sunlight.
• Heat is another element which causes a shorter life for your colognes. Inside a cool room, such as bathroom, is a better choice than a heated bedroom.
• Consider buying the spray version of any cologne you do not plan to use up in a few months, since bottles that permit splashes of cologne don’t last as well as sealed ones.
• Sprays experience less alteration of their fragrance by air, dust and other contaminants which can enter open bottles.

The Top 10 Men’s Colognes

1. Aqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani remains steadfastly at the top of most lists of men’s colognes. Women love its exotic blend of bergamot, tangerine, neroli, jasmine, rosemary, persimmon and patchouli. Reading the list of different notes which make up this popular cologne, it seems only a master perfumer could have combine them in a harmonious whole, since some of them are almost contradictory in nature. Perhaps that is the secret of this scent; which is often emulated, but has never been successfully copied. Neroli comes from the flower of the bitter orange tree, citrus aurantium, a very rare and costly perfume and one that has distinctly a female nature, while jasmine is considered the king of flowers, in the same way rose is the queen. They are both traditional aphrodisiacs, long known to produce euphoric states when used in their original essences. In the final analysis, this is a great example of a man’s cologne that suits many different ages and styles, which must account for its success.
2. Cool Water for Men by Davidoff is another fragrance that appears on everyone’s favorite men’s cologne list. It is the opposite of the first fragrance, which shows just how diverse men’s scents have become. This cologne has a very sporty and outdoors vibe from its combination of coriander, sage, oak moss, rosemary and amber. The overall effect is sporty, but with later notes of spicy coriander and amber developing over time. The two of the ingredients, sage and rosemary give it a very clean scent, reminiscent of an old herbalist’s store, and are known to revive tired minds and help maintain concentration.
3. Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche has been a successful men’s cologne for over a decade, due to its wide appeal and very masculine vibe. A classic fragrance, Drakkar Noir combines all he traditional citrus notes with woods, buts adds a touch of patchouli, a note much in vogue at present. This may account for its long run of popularity and recent resurgence, with a whole new generation of men discovering its appeal.
4. Unforgivable by Sean John is a sublime blend of fruity and herbal tones, giving a fresh and bubbly sent the younger generation adore as its nothing like the colognes their fathers wore. The move to add fruits to fragrances, making them smell almost edible began with vanilla, a very popular note. The notes to this lively formula are rumored to include champagne, rum, lemon and basil, a heady “party” combination. Fans of the cologne cite its extraordinary staying power, with the deeper notes appearing throughout the day.
5. Hugo by Hugo Boss provokes very strong reactions in all who test it, since the strongest note in this blend is a wood note that smells like fresh pine needles. It resembles the first fragrance, Acqua Di Gio in the way its green notes predominate, but the other ingredients of green apple, spearmint, jasmine, lavender, cedar, love and sage refine it into a blend for day or evening wear, suiting younger men.
6. Obsession by Calvin Klein is another offering from the world of fashion design. An everyday man’s cologne with a twist on the traditional citrus and spice blend. The rather classic masculine scent features bergamot, lavender, mandarin, myrrh, nutmeg, amber and clove in a blend that allows the myrrh to breath through the other notes in a controlled manner to compliment the bergamot and create a memorable modern classic cologne.
7. Eternity by Calvin Klein blends woods with floral notes to produce a classy and very masculine floral sent. The combination of lavender with jasmine, and rosewood with sandalwood is grounded by a hint of vetiver which acts as a base note and harmonizes between the flower and wood elements.
8. Angel Men by Thierry Mugler is a romantic and exotic men’s cologne featuring both vanilla and patchouli, two very fashionable scents for this year. The female tendencies of these notes is tempered and controlled by the judicious use of coffee, peppermint and tonka bean to produce a very individual cologne that suits evening wear as much as day time activities.
9. Polo for Men by Ralph Lauren is the supreme sporty man’s cologne, spending many years on the best sellers list due to its versatility at work and at play. A green scent featuring notes of juniper, cumin and basil, this cologne has become a modern classic, well known and recognized as a sign of good taste.
10. Curve by Liz Claiborne is one of her finest offerings in a popular line of men’s colognes stretching back almost 20 years. Citrus fruits such as lime and bergamot combine nicely with the deeper notes of vetiver and musk to complement lavender, clove and sandal wood traces.

When you’re shopping for men’s cologne, the most important thing is what smells good to the people he’s going to be around. The whole reason men buy cologne is to impress women. The way a man smells should complement the way he looks. If he looks sharp, then the woman he’s with won’t be able to take her eyes off of him. If he smells good, she won’t be able to pull herself away from being near him, and that’s the kind of impression he wants to leave.

If you’re a woman buying cologne for a man, then the selection process is easy. You buy him cologne because you like the way it smells, and you want him to wear it when he’s around you. That’s what makes cologne one of the best gift ideas for a significant other; they know you’re buying the selection that impresses you the most. What they think about it might matter a little bit less, and that’s fine.

If you’re lost when it comes to buying cologne, you need not fear. Follow a few simple rules.

Rule #1 Never buy cheap cologne. Cologne is a luxury item, and it deserves the price tag that it commands. Cheap cologne is like cheap liquor. It’ll get the job done. But only if the job is covering up body odor.

You want a scent that is smooth and sensual. Expect to pay a little extra for it. If the average man only wears cologne on special occasions, then a little bottle can last for months. It’s worth the investment.

If you wouldn’t buy him cheap bourbon, then don’t buy him cheap cologne, either.

Buying cologne for a friend is a little more challenging. Noses are delicate, and predicting how a friend will react to manly smells is a trick.Get your buddy something that is going to make him mentally high-five you every time he’s with his girl, knowing how good he smells to her. That type of friendship runs deep. Selecting the perfect cologne to honor that friendship is worth the effort.

The cologne industry is much like the automotive industry–sometimes you get to test drive the product before you have to purchase it. Mall kiosks and fragrance specialty shops often offer men’s cologne samples. This gives customers a better feel for what they like.

These samples give you a unique opportunity as a cologne buyer. It’s an opportunity to get acquainted with the hottest fragrances of the season. If you’re shopping for a seasonal fragrance, possibly a limited edition, you owe it to yourself to take advantage of this chance. Buying a cologne that’s about to go out of stock is the best way to ensure that by next summer’s party season, no one else will smell quite like you do.

If you’re buying cologne for yourself, the smell of it should complement your personality, and help to point out parts of yourself that you like to project onto the rest of the world.

Some men don’t wear cologne. They’re missing out.

But for men who wear cologne, choosing a scent is a  personal matter. A few classic cologne products tend to work no matter what. For example, anything that reminds a person of athleticism is a perfect cologne purchase. You don’t want to smell sweaty, but many aromas can remind a woman of how active the she’s with is. That can be a serious aphrodisiac.

You should take advantage of the opportunity to sample colognes. Try as many mens colognes samples as possible.

Scent ties into what we think of people. How a person smells upon first meeting can make a bigger difference than anything else about what people think of their personality. It can even make a bigger difference than how they look, the first things they say, or even how they treat you.

Never underestimate the power of smell.

Choosing a man’s cologne is made easy by the range of superb choices available. Various fragrances suit all kinds of men, no matter what kind of scent they prefer:  citrus, musky, wood or flowery.

This guide to the most popular mens colognes gives some general hints about choosing cologne, and then reviews the top men’s colognes.

Choosing a Men’s Cologne

Ever wonder why a perfume smells different from person to person? Ever bought a popular cologne only to be disappointed by how it smells on you?

All perfume is based on chemistry. The combination of your skin’s natural scent and that of any cologne results in a perfume totally unique to you.

Cologne Choices for Basic Skin Types

Men with oily skin type prefer a lighter, fresher fragrance, like citrus, sporty, clean outdoors-type colognes and light floral types. These “notes” (the original ingredients used to create the cologne) are more in harmony with their skin chemistry. Oily skin can get away with more frequent applications of cologne, since lighter colognes evaporate fast.

Dryer skin types prefer deeper musky, wood, resin and moss fragrances. These notes complement a dry skin body chemistry. Since colognes are less heavy than the full strength perfumes, you need not fear that the scent will be too strong for everyday wear. Men with dry skin need fewer repeat applications, because these scents linger longer on dry skin than on other skin types.

How Colognes Are Designed

Perfumes and colognes are made up of a number of “notes”, much like a cooking recipe, except these ingredients are the essences made from flowers, scented woods, mosses, citrus fruits, and resins. A master perfumer selects his top, medium and bottom notes to create a harmonious bend that is more than the sum of its parts. Each element acts on the other elements in a process that seems more like alchemy than science.

The top notes in any blend are those that reach the nose first. Good examples would be light floral and citrus scents.

Medium notes are the largest part of any recipe for cologne, supporting and harmonizing with its top and bottom notes. Examples of these are cedar wood and moss.

The bottom or base notes give depth and a lasting quality to the mix in the same way bass instruments enhance a musical score, currently popular ones include resins with vanilla scents.

The Most Popular Men’s Colognes for Sporty and Outdoors Types

• Versace Pour Homme is a an earthy, musk-based cologne with lighter notes of bergamot, offering an exotic whiff of the Orient and great staying power from the musk who’s sweetness is complimented by the fresh citrus of Bergamot. Young, hip and active men should try this cologne. It’s suitable for all occasions and lasts all day.
• Cool Water by Davidoff International is a complex and sophisticated cologne, suiting the man who is equally at home in the boardroom or golf course. Its versatility means it’s appropriate at dinner as well as in the heat of the negotiations that precede it. Cool Water gets its gorgeous greener scent from a blend of oak moss, sandal wood, and amber, musk balanced with sage, rosemary and coriande0r. Cool Water is a spicy and subtle blend suiting men of all ages.
• Good Life by Davidoff International is a straightforward cologne for daytime wear. The strongly masculine vibe comes from the citrus notes, particularly lemon, always a favorite with sportsmen, which is backed up by a base of lavender, amber and the classic sandal wood. A nice variation on a classic blend of notes, this young and vibrant cologne suits clean cut traditionalists and those seeking a first men’s cologne.
• Euphoria by Calvin Klein features a strong patchouli base, a trending scent at present. This is the correct way to wear that particular scent, since Euphoria contains the wildness of patchouli by tempering it with basil, cedar, redwood and amber, for a more down to earth blend that only hints of its leading note. This will suit original and creative men who are a little more daring in their cologne choices.
• Happy For Men by Clinique is a sports cologne with a new twist in the addition of grapefruit. A strong citrus tone dominates the blend, but it doesn’t overpower the wearer, since the well designed fragrance emits subtle lemon, orange and grapefruit themes from a combination of base notes which give it the power to last all day long.
• Chrome by Azzaro is a great daytime cologne for men of all ages, because the rosewood (a classic men’s scent) notes really stand out. Other influences include strong citrus notes, sandal wood and oak wood spiced up with a splash of ginger.
• D’Orange Verte by Hermes is a green, citrus based cologne that suits day or night wear, a good choice for long haul days where little time can be spent on personal grooming. The combination has appealed to men of all ages due to the tempering of citrus tones with a bitter orange flavor. D’Orange Verte is a subtle sports cologne.

The Top Men’s Colognes for Boardroom Masters

• The One by Dolce & Gabbana offers a base of cedar wood and tobacco, the most traditional of blends for young professionals, adding coriander and basil to strike exactly the right note at work, in meeting,s and on the move. The combination says you are confident and willing to take chances while taking into account the guidance of your experienced mentors.
• Extreme Cologne by Paul Smith suits the rugged individualist, since its spicy undertones hint that you may be capable of more than you are currently asked to do. A daring and masculine fragrance, Extreme gets its push from notes like nutmeg, bergamot, rosemary and cardamom. If excitement is your spice of life, this cologne will fit you well, since it carries an aura of the unknown, which is attractive on a man of any age.
• Angel by Thierry Mugler is a daytime scent with the possibility of crossing over for evening wear. Its woody notes are backed with the deeper tones of nutmeg. Angel is an  individual and unusual fragrance, possessing an uncanny quality to change with the hours of the day. Wearers notice a sharper tone of citrus in the earlier hours, followed by a spicier combination of caramel and coffee later in the day.

The Top Men’s Colognes for Romantic and Sensual Types

• L’Homme by Yves Saint Laurent is a classic French cologne for confident men.  This distinctive floral, spice and wood combination is one of the most recognizable of men’s colognes. A complicated combination of its three elements, L’Homme offers a sweeter scent than many traditional types of men’s cologne, while still staying safely within the bounds of what is considered acceptable masculine evening wear.
• Gucci by Gucci is one of the most complex and intriguing of men’s colognes. It gets the romantic vibe from patchouli (long considered an aphrodisiac) combined with floral notes. Gucci gets its mystique from a blend of spices including black pepper. And Gucci gets its masculinity from its woodsy notes. Suitable for men of all ages, Gucci is a heady cologne, best kept for romantic evenings.

Realities For Men by Liz Claiborne was introduced in 2004 men’s fragrance. Realities Cologne combines citrus notes with wood scent, combined with the essence of grapefruit, nutmeg, mandarin, tea leaf and ginger. The result is a rich, full bore masculine aroma with a touch of spice.

Realities Cologne for Men by Liz Claiborne comes in a distinctive heavy glass bottle with a cap of gun metal silver and olive green bands wrapping the bottle. The Realities Cologne bottle has an outdoorsy look that goes with the outdoors men fragance.

Realities After Shave Smoother

The companion to Realities Cologne, Realities After Shave, is really nice. There is also a Realities Deodorant, Realities Hair & Body Wash and Realities “After Shave Soother” you can purchase.

Realities Cologne Prices

Not to shill for Amazon, but the absolute best price you’ll find Realities Cologne at any online cologne store (and certainly any brick-and-mortal fragrance stores) are at Amazon.

A 3.4 oz bottle of Realities by Liz Claiborne is selling for $20.06 on Amazon at the moment. Realities Cologne is also eligible for the “free super saving shipping” rate, assuming you don’t mind waiting a few more days for the cologne shipment. You’ll have to add something else to your order to get the free shipping rate, since free shipping only applies to $25 purchases.

About Liz Claiborne

Liz Claiborne is an American fashion company that was worth over $5 billion as recently as 2006. Liz Claiborne Inc. was founded in 1976 by Liz Claiborne, Leonard Boxer and Art Ortenberg. By 1978, Liz Claiborne was selling $23 million per year. Only five years after Liz Claiborne’s founding, the company went public. By 1986, Liz Claiborne was listed on the Fortune 500, becoming the first company founded by a woman to make the Fortune 500.

Besides perfumes, Liz Claiborne also sells mens fashions and womens fashions, as well as women’s beauty products. Among Liz Claiborne Incorporated’s subsidiaries are Juicy Couture, Lucky Brand Jeans, Kate Spade, Mexxx, DKNY and Dana Buchman. Due to the economic downturn, Liz Claiborne’s sells in 2008 where down just below $4 billion.

Look up “cologne sampler” and you’ll find an endless number of cologne gift sets and men’s fragrance sampler packs. You’ll generally find cologne samplers in the $35 to $40 range, but you can find scent sample packs in the $75 range and above. The idea of the cologne sample set, of course, is to allow a potential new cologne customer to sample one brand’s cologne products without giving away an arm and a leg, so you’ll find most (sensible) cologne samplers for less than a standard bottle of cologne. (Around $30 online for most online colognes.)

Let me give a few examples of cologne samplers on the market today. You’ll notice that most of the big colonge houses offer at least one cologne sample pack.

Ralph Lauren Miniature Collectible Cologne Set

Ralph Lauren’s cologne set for men includes samples of Ralph Lauren Polo, Polo Black, Polo Blue, Polo Double Black and Polo Explorer. Each of these colognes contain only about 15-20% of the cologne you’ll find in standard cologne products – in this case 0.5 ounces of cologne for each of the cologne sets.

That means you won’t be getting a bargain price for the Ralph Lauren Cologne Set – selling for $41 on Amazon right now – but you do get to sample five different brands of Ralph Lauren Polo Cologne, including a couple you’re not likely to ever try any other time.

There’s also a mini-variety pack of Ralph Lauren Polo Cologne for Men with samples of Polo, Polo Blue and Polo Black, but these are $38 for three 0.5 ounce bottels, so I would recommend the other option.

Calvin Klein Miniature Collection Set for Men

Calvin Klein offers a 6-piece mens cologne set for $39.99, inlude 0.5 oz. colognes samples of Calvin Klein Obsession Cologne, Calvin Klein Eternity Cologne, Calvin Klein Escape, Calvin Klein Contradition, CK One and CK Be. I actually just ordered this one myself, to give some of these classics a try and collect the Escape and Contradiction colognes, so I’ll be able to report on those soon.

Calvin Klein also has another variety pack with 5 bottles, including Obsession, Eternity, Euphoria, CK One and CK IN2U, though I would once again recommend the other option (unless you want to try CK “Into You”), since both sets are the same price.

Sephora Brand Scent Samplers For Him

Sephora Brand Colognes offers a huge sampler pack of 10 sample colognes, though it’s going to cost you 75 whopping dollars. Still, that’s $75 for 10 different cologne options, including several big name colognes you’ll have read about on this colognes blog and you’ll want to try.

The brand colognes offered include Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Cologne for Men , Bvlgari Aqua Pour Homme Marine, Lacoste Essential Cologne, Diesel Fuel For Life Men, Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme, Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male, Prada Infusion Cologne, Carolina Herrera 212 For Sexy Men, Hugo Boss Boss Pure Cologne and Canali Canali Cologne. Those are some big names mixed in with some intriguing lesser known brands (at least in America) you can try.

Sure, that’s a huge price for most men trying samplers, but you also get a Sephora Brand voucher that you can redeem at Sephora Brand stores, selecting the brand you like the most and taking home a larger bottle of that particular cologne.

The Sephora Cologne Sampler is a great gift idea for that reason, or someone who loves one of these colognes can buy the sample pack, try nine colognes you might love and then get a big bottle of your favorite cologne (or maybe be blown away by one and redeem it with the voucher).

We’ve discussed discount colognes on this cologne blog and on our static site, too, but I’ve never discussed online discount colognes specifically. I talk about online perfume stores and quote prices from online cologne retailers all the time, so I should probably talk about what these Internet cologne sites.

What is An Online Cologne Site?

An online cologne website is an online merchant, such as Amazon.com, which sells perfumes and cologne through the mail. Online customers go to the website, browse through their hundreds and even thousands of selections of fragrances, select one or more you want to buy, then point-and-click to move that brand into your cart and finally check out.

Online Colognes Sites and Credit Cards

To buy colognes on the Internet, you’ll have to have a credit card or debit card, which is a big stumbling block for some people – especially of the older, more technophobic generation. I’m not saying you don’t have a credit card: I’m saying you don’t want to give your credit card number out to just anyone, and I don’t blame you.

Personally, I wish every online merchant just used PayPal, because I trust that PayPal is going to keep my information secure. Since few online cologne sellers, even Amazon, don’t take Paypal, you’re going to have to go out on a limb, or take other measures.

Other measures?

Here’s one suggestion: go to Wal-Mart and buy a “gift card” debit card. These are usually found in the candy aisle near the checkout stands. Wal-Mart gift cards usually come in $25, $50 and $100 types. Buy one of these large enough to cover the expense of your Internet cologne purchase and use that in the transaction. Wal-Mart gift cards work just about anywhere a debit card works, since that’s essentially what you’re using. The great advantage is, if the online merchant wants to use your credit information, all they can take you for is the amount of the gift card. They don’t have your credit information or your banking information.

Sure, it’s still annoying if they steal the money you used to buy the gift card, but that’s more annoyance than disaster. By the way, you can do this with any type of online purchase, not just with online perfume stores. I’ve done this a few times with online sites I wanted to purchase an item from, but didn’t know enough to trust. (I’ve never done it for online cologne, but it would work.) But I digress. Let’s get back to what an online perfume store is.

Why Buy Online Cologne?

The reason you buy online cologne is because it’s a whole lot cheaper. Internet perfume purchases are cheaper because you’re cutting out several middle men, having it shipped directly from the warehouse to you via postal service or package shipping company.

Think about it. The person that trucks all those perfume bottles gets paid to ship them from the warehouse to the fragrance store. The fragrance store has to pay its employees to unload and stock these perfume bottles, then check you out when you purchase them. The same fragrance store has to pay some kind of crazy lease to a shopping mall or strip mall, while also paying a utilities bills and lord knows what other costs.

Those are all middle men. By purchasing cologne online, you cut out all of the prices inherant in buying through a brick-and-mortar fragrance shop. It’s just you, the distributor and the online cologne store – which has small overhead, and therefore can charge a small fee to transact your purchase.

Can I Trust Online Cologne Sites?

You can’t trust them all. Heck, read through Amazon reviews of perfumes and colognes and you’ll find 1-in-30 reviews involve Amazon using a warehouse that doesn’t ship the right cologne or ships a fake cologne. I would say, even with Amazon, you still face around a 3% chance that you’re going to be dealing with shysters.

But you can cut down on the dangers of online cologne scams by doing a little research. Google the online cologne merchant you’re dealing with and see if other customers have been scammed by them. I’ll give you an example of what I’m talking about.

Example of Online Cologne Scam Search

Imagine you find an online cologne store called “Colognes Unlimited” (to my knowledge, a completely made-up, fictional online colognes store). So you find this “Colognes Unlimited” and decide to research them. Put into a Google search “colognes unlimited scam” or “colognes unlimited credit card scam” or the Colognes Unlimted dotcom url and “credit card scam”.

Check to see if anything comes up. If people have been scammed by them in the past, they will be lodging their complain on some online message board or otherwise letting the public know what’s up. If so, move onto the next online colognes discount store and do the same.

If no scam warnings come up, buy your cheap colognes and wear them in style.

Online Discount Cologne

The thing is, there’s no reason to buy department store cologne, because it’s outrageously priced. It’s commonly 40% to 50% more than the same product online, if you do a little bit of research. When I say a little bit, I’m talking less than five minutes to find a good price. Heck, sometimes Amazon, one of the biggest companies on the Internet, has the cheapest cologne prices.

Sure, you can’t test the cologne yourself. But you can always do that in the mall or the fragrance store, then make your purchase online. If that makes you feel guilty, using your local perfume store to test scents you’ll never buy, then split the difference and buy half your colognes or perfumes in the local stores – keeping them in business means you can continue to test their fragrances. I’ve done the same myself, out of guilt.

However you buy your colognes, I would suggest you give online discount cologne a try. In these bad financial times, you have to cut the corners, and discount Internet cologne is a good way to do it.

Armani Code Cologne Fragrance Notes

Armani Code contains a blend of lemon and bergamot essences, with smaller touches of orange blossom, Tonka bean oil and Guaiic wood. The result is a fresh, clean mens fragrance with a relatively long-lasting scent. Some men have complained that Armani Black Code Cologne doesn’t last long enough, but the Mediterranean fragrances remain seductive and sexy for hours.

Why Call It “Armani Black Code” and “Armani Code”?

I read one report that Armani changed the name of “Black Code” to simply “Code” because “black code” referred to some outbreak of the plague, though that seems like a fairly obscure reason to avoid a name. Also, I haven’t been able to find a reference to this plague, which likely would have been the black plague.

Google “black code” and you’ll find the probable reason that Armani changed the name of its cologne.

Black Code Laws

After the U.S. Civil War, rural communities in Southern U.S. states passed racially discriminating laws that have come to be called the “Black Codes”. These laws were passed to keep freed slaves from integrating into white society. The black codes controlled the movement, work terms and other activities of American blacks living in the American South.

These laws, started in South Carolina and Mississippi, attempted to segregate races, but did not survive the Reconstruction Era (1865-1876).

Unfortunately, post-Reconstruction segregation laws based on the flawed and dishonest “separate but equal” status in the South were instituted, which lasted all the way until the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965. These later laws were referred to as “Jim Crow Laws”. The Jim Crow Laws were similar to, but different from, the Black Code laws.

From Black Code to Just Code

I imagine that Georgio Armani marketed Armani Black Code Cologne for a time, then got a number of complains from people who couldn’t believe they chose such a racially-insensitive name for their cologne product. Pretty soon, Armani Code Cologne stopped having the word “black” on the bottle, though the black bottle and the initial marketing meant customers still refer to the product as Armani Black Code Cologne.

About Giorgio Armani

Giorgia Armani was born in 1934 in Italy, and he began working in the fashion industry at age 27. From 1961 to 1970, Giorgio Armani was an assistant designer for the Nino Cerruti fashion house. Armani became a freelance designer from 1970 to 1974, but established his own menswear line in 1974. This proved successful and Giorgia Armani introduced a womens line the next year.

In 1980, Giorgio Armani first got international fame, when he tailored for the Richard Gere character in American Gigolo. This began a rapid rise for the fashion designer, who was estimated to be worth $1.7 billion in 2001.

Over the years, Giorgio Armani has been a leader in the industry. Armani banned the use of models with a BMI under 18, after Brazilian model, Ana Carolina Reston died of anorexia. He obviously was sensitive to negative feedback when his product lines have offensive names, of course.

These days, Giorgio Armani continues to design for high-profile celebrities. Armani designed Bruce Wayne’s suits in The Dark Knight. He has also designed sports uniforms for teams like the English National Football Team, the Chelsea football club of London, and Italian athletes for the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics. Armani is a huge fan of AC Milan, Italy’s most famous football club.

But how does the Paris Hilton Cologne wear in the field?

Affordable Colognes From Paris Hilton

First off, Paris Hilton made certain her fragrances for men were affordable, since you can buy a 3.4 ounce bottle for just over $26 on Amazon. You might pay $10 to $20 higher if you buy them in a fragrance shop.

Paris Hilton For Men Fragrance Notes

Paris Hilton Men’s Colognes contains some interesting and not always-used essential oils, including juniper bud, Moroccan Cedarwood, fig leaf and hydroponic basil. Also included are more often used fragrances like amber, sage, mango and cucumber, along with a few woodsy notes. This combines for a nice clean scent that doesn’t overpower, isn’t too sweet and smells masculine. Paris Hilton cologne stays with you a while and remains fresh, and is generally okay for those with perfume allergies.

Paris Hilton Just Me Cologne

Paris Hilton also markets a “Just Me Cologne For Men”, which is subtle and fresh and is actually a great deal more tasteful than I would have expected from Paris. While Just Me Cologne doesn’t match Acqua Di Geo in the clean and sexy department, Just Me isn’t a bad cologne at all and I would suggest it as a nice rotation cologne if you want something safe and good-smelling, but not the same old cologne.

One big advantage is you can find Just Me Cologne by Paris Hilton for around $20 online, which makes it especially good for adding to a cologne collection.

About Paris Hilton

What can we say that hasn’t already been said?

Paris Hilton became famous as an heiress and a party girl, then got even more famous when her reality show, The Simple Life, became a tv hit and cultural phenomenon. She has since gone on to star in movies like House of Wax (where you get to see her die), write a much-criticized autobiography that seemed a bit of an inside joke, put out a music album, found a fashion and fragrance line, and continue with a modeling and commercial endorsement career.

Let Them Eat Carl’s Jr.

Through it all, Paris Hilton’s social life in the rich and glamorous celebrity world has been followed by millions. When her vacuous life as a celebrity veered off into extralegal troubles, a firestorm of controversy was started. It seems the American people, in the midst of a presidential administration that seemed to favor the rich and well-connected, was infuriated when Paris Hilton seemed to get preferential treatment from the American justice system. Paris Hilton became a symbol of undeserved privilege in a nation that has a love/hate relationship with its celebrity “royalty”.

Whatever one thinks of Paris Hilton – and I generally roll my eyes when I hear her talked of one of the great beauties of our time – Paris Hilton (or her people) made solid and even classy choices when designing her cologne line, so I’ll give her a good review in this one instance.