Mainstream Monday – Page 2

* Gold starts off with a loud blast of sweet fruits (a mix of berries and citrus) and spice.

* Initial projection is quite loud and stays strong for about 30 minutes.

* Then the scent fades really quickly into a weak nondescript mix of woods, amber and vanilla.

* Within two hours, you can barely smell it.

SUMMARY: When I first smelled Jay-Z Gold, I thought, “Wow, this is a knock off of One Million.” Wearing the two side-by-side, I realize that I was only partially right. Jay-Z is incredibly similar to One Million for 30 minutes.. and while One Million keeps projecting its strong synthetic and narcotic sweet fruity essences, Gold devolves into an emasculated, cheap, generic, woody amber musk skin scent. Two hours later, Gold is barely noticeable – as if the fake veneer (gold plating) has rusted away and you are left with little to show for what you paid. In case you are looking for an example of everything that is wrong with top-loaded celebrity fragrances, look no further than Jay Z.

Disclaimer: Sample came from a Nordstrom’s department store. Image courtesy of Nordstrom website.

* The name is accurate as CK One Shock is unlike anything else in their fragrance line.

* An initial blast of cucumber, red bull, and clementine will wake you up.

* Imagine a more mature version of Joop with the same amount of spunk and you get the idea of Shock..

* Peppery spices and cardamom are in the heart and last for several hours – though the fruit stays present throughout.

* Stick with the male version as the female version is a complete bore.

* A very clean patchouli is in the base but it’s the amber and musk that really stand out.

* As an aromatic oriental, this is easily wearable for anyone from teenage to middle age. So if you have a young friend who is wearing Axe, this would be a great gift.

Summary: When I first heard about the red bull note, I was instantly excited for this frag. On first sniff I was enamored and wearing it made me fall in love. It reminds me of both my college workhorse (Joop) and one of my favorite Creeds (Original Santal.) CK One Shock for men is a very good fragrance that will work for anyone.

** Question: What was your favorite fragrance in college (or high school)? Do you still wear it today?