Unbound for Men

I discovered this in a mixed coffret set at a local department store one Xmas, upon getting it home and smelling it I thought "AdG clone" and put it on my mirror on the bathroom counter with my other minis...this was during my quite monogamous relationship with AdG that lasted nearly two years. That mini sat there quietly smirking knowing then what I did not...it was actually better than AdG and I daresay, more manly... The notes from the Halston website differ only slightly from those listed here:mandarin lime and sapphire gin in the topnotes(no mention of palms or currants) and tomato leaves;the heart contains "Lavandin" and melon along with the sage(purple), violets (white), peppercorns (red) and according to Halston the birch is in the base, alongside creamy figs (not listed here), sensual amber(not musk)and sequoia wood and does not list tonka or nutmeg or corriander...but whatever. Regardless of what is in there it smells AWESOME! The sparkling gin and mandarin lime accent the currants and tomato leaves (which I just LOVE) to create a sweet,green, effervescent explosion of freshness. Here and into the beginning of the heart is the only place I sense a similarity to AdG these days. The sage and violets along with the pepper and hint of melon create an herbal slightly spicy-sweet clean masculine scent that is "to die for". The base with its luscious figs and warm silvery birch create an interesting pungency that is only accented by the richness of amber and and the distinctive smell of redwood. Despite what the website says I smell sandalwood in the mix. The moss here is light and fresh like what you'd smell on an old tree and the vetiver is clean and grassy not soapy or earthy. From its fruity fresh green top through its sweet herbal floral heart to its rich well-blended finish this scent is a Winner! Sillage: above average Longevity: very good Overall: 4.75/5 It is almost like Halston smelled AdG and said, "We can do this, only better..." It has an aquatic freshness at the start but where AdG relies on flowers and stays light and sweet, Halston adds more herbs and a hint of fruit. The base is creamy and rich with only a touch of woods,vetiver and moss,giving it a more rounded finish and overall more manly essence.It is more layered and complex for sure, yet not quite as loud. Take it from someone who loves AdG...this one is spectacular!

I think it's a very well-made fragrance and different enough from Aqua di Gio..Much better than that. Where ADG is too strong and obtrusive, there Unbound is soft and fine. Unbound lacks that terrible,cloying citrus blast what ADG gives from beginning to end. The fine fig, the light tomato leaf and white birch notes mixing with cardamom and black currant make Unbound like a fresh, spring wind. That's true it's not a heavy fragrance, you can use more from it to last longer... Perfect for spring or summer to keep you fresh and many people will ask you what fragrance you wear:)

Not really getting AdG comparisons. Feels more like Terre D'Hermes and Dsquared He Wood to me. On the initial spray I got the black current, The dry down was very earthy, green and a little waxy. After 4 hours it was more aquatic and woody. I sprayed a lot, but I picked it up at a very reasonable price. Seems like it should cost much for the quality and the complexity of the scent. Very nice, highly recommend.

Im gatekeeping this. I will say one thing though; This is the greatest fragrance I have ever had the blessing of smelling.

If you've ever grown tomato plants you know how stinky the plants are. I wondered how they could possibly get this stinky leaf to smell good enough for use in a cologne. They did it. Amazingly the leaf is joined by the sweet notes of melon and currants, a wonderful floral note, and some peppery spices. It works wonderfully. There is no shortage of notes to discover in this juice. A mossy & sandalwood base holds everything together, but does not dominate it even during the dry down. Very well mixed accords. It smells like a luxuriously prepared salad-bar that is garnished with plenty of flowers and spices, it's a little bit gourmand in that way. Unbound by Halston is very unique. To me, it bears some similarity to an aquatic, along the same lines as Acqua di Gio pour Homme (but it smells different from AdG). Although I like AdG I find it rather plain and unexciting, whereas I find Unbound has more character and holds it's own against the best of them (or the most popular of them). If you want a spicy-green and floral scent, and want to be different from what everyone else is wearing, give Unbound a try. Sillage is average, but surprisingly good for this type of scent. It surpasses the Armani one in both strength and longevity. But if I want to smell, and be smelled, I have to apply lots; up as high as 8 to 10 sprays, or more. Luckily it is inexpensive, so use as much as you want or need. Not cloying, even with a generous application. Thumbs up for this Halston creation. Edit: I have used this a lot and find it is only an aquatic-like scent in hot weather. On cool Fall/Spring days there is more accent on the floral note, and also the pepper and spices come through better. The cooler it is, the nicer it smells.