Bora Bora for Men

My signature for over a decade... I've always gotten tons of compliments on this scent everywhere I go. Over a decade, and still, I always come back to it. Nothing I have ever smelled smells quite like this does. It's leathery, sweet, savory and woody. It's realistically sweet, like smelling dry cane sugar, not overly sweet like many modern scents, and the leather smells quite realistic as well. The hibiscus is more prominent than the votes here give it credit for, and it ties everything together like the iris in Dior Homme. Unfortunately, it's been through 2 memorable reformulations: *The original version (gold cap and neck, gold sprayer, gold "Claiborne's" around the logo) was very figgy, dark, and EXTREMELY strong. Unforgiving, and potent, like an Eau de Parfum. Surprisingly, as of 06-2020 (18 years later) it can still be found on eBay, although who knows how it's faired. *The first reformulation (I think around 2006-2007? Black cap and neck, black "Claiborne's" around the logo, gold overshell sprayer) tamed the figgy overtones, and it became an easier to wear, more crowd pleasing scent, which is where this remained for the next 8 years. I think there was also a slight reformulation midway through this 8 year stretch, when the sprayer nozzle went from being black to being white (but still a gold metal overshell sprayer) and that was mostly unnoticeable, besides losing an hour off the then current 10hrs of longevity - so, not really a problem. *The 2nd major reformulation (Somewhere in late 2014 or early 2015? Bottles with white plastic sprayers, black caps and necks with no "Claiborne" markings around the Bora Bora logo) is the absolute worst. The smell has remained the same, but it just doesn't last like it used to. Newer reviews cite no problems with longevity though, so YMMV with newer bottles than the 2016 bottle I sampled. After being let down by the 2016 bottle, I went searching on eBay and purchased 3 bottles of the first reformulation of Bora Bora from a 2013 batch (3CA1 batch codes), so I'll at least have my favorite scent for a few more years. Bora Bora Exotic faired far better through this last round of reformulations, and lasts much longer than my 2016 bottle of Bora Bora, but it's a completely different scent. Bora Bora Exotic can be described as a more modern Dior Fahrenheit clone, similar to Fahrenheit Aqua. Give it a try as well, if you haven't already! (It's my favorite Dior Fahrenheit alternative). If you're a fan of this scent and sad about the reformulation, try Jay Z Gold, which smells like a blueberry YSL L'Homme flanker. When I run out of this, Jay Z Gold will likely take its place. A higher quality/longer lasting replacement suggestion would be Dior Homme Eau for Men. If you like this, you'll probably love that too!

Being a huge fan of Claiborne scents, I've always wanted 'Bora Bora' for many years now. If you are a fan of 'Curve' and 'Mambo', you will immediately recognize the drydown of this to be extremely similar. Initial blast is kiwi, ginger, fruit and what seems to be a tea note. Right as I sprayed this my girlfriend immediately complimented me and said 'wow that smells wonderful'. So it definitely did its job there. It projects really well and a bit of a spicy musk undertone begins to develop as it dries down. I would like to call it the 'Claiborne' musk note, and those familiar with the brand will know what I am talking about. This comes out about an hour after spraying, and smells fantastic. It is clean without being 'sport' or 'fresh' scented, and masculine without being dirty or dusty. Most of the kiwi and fruity hibiscus notes fade away about an hour in and this is where this fragrance shines. It is a ginger and spice blend layered in musk and amber that is simply amazing and grabs compliments easily. With a liberal application of a ten sprays (neck, shoulders, wrists and chest), I am getting 7-10+ hours of longevity, with about 24-36+ hours on clothes and fabrics. Projection is really good for the first four hours, and sillage is solid without being offensive or cloying. After five or six hours, it stays closer to the skin but lingers for another couple hours or so and smells very natural. This stuff lasts longer than most new fragrances that cost three times as much. For an Eau de Cologne concentration, Claiborne always makes fragrances that perform better than most EDT's, and 'Bora Bora' is no exception. It performs and projects quite well, even in warm weather and humid climates. And for the price, you really can't go wrong here. It's great for spring and summer days, nights out on the town, date nights and safe for office environments and professional events. I really love this scent, and if you're a fan of 'Curve', 'Mambo', 'Claiborne Sport' and others like it, you will undoubtedly enjoy 'Bora Bora'. For the price it commands, you could easily blind buy this and enjoy it. Highly recommended.

When I first got this for Christmas, this had been my everyday cologne for work up until recently when I got a new perfume that fits better for the rainy spring weather. But after not using this for a couple of weeks, I’ve been using it sparingly and the smell of this really comes through. Originally, i didn’t get the fruity notes, but now I 100% can actually smell that fruity, citrusy smell that is the top note and it’s decent, it’s okay. But, shockingly, I sprayed this on my wrists for the first time ever, and that musk smell is all I smell there specifically, and it’s interesting. Feels like I’m smelling a wild animal’s fur, as to what that animal is, it doesn’t matter. But those two notes together is what makes this cologne. It gives it such a unique, strong smell that I love a little more now that I can appreciate it. Also, this sticks to clothes like a mother. I can wear a sweater where I sprayed this on myself a month or two ago and I can STILL smell it on that clothing. Not a huge deal, some would say, but nothing else in my slowly growing collection can even come close. I have colognes three times the price that can’t even last more than half a day on my own skin, let alone on any clothes. The only bad thing about it? It’s hard to gauge when too much is too much. This one can very much be oversprayed and choke someone out, and I’ve had one spray be the difference between being smelling nice to being so overpowering that people don’t want to be near you.

I have never been to Bora Bora but I lived with someone who had EVERY BB ancillary product imaginable, and when I saw this I thought: Isn't that a WOMAN'S fragrance? Well the first time I smelled it after he came out of the shower I imagined a tanned native wearing a sarong and lei barefoot at the shore of a lagoon as the sun set to firey clouds and crashing waves... The fresh citruses are not pungent or biting because the kiwi gives it just enough of a tropical feel without smelling like a cocnut drink with an umbrella in it. The dry lavender is masculine as it blends with the warm full scent of hibiscus and sandalwood. The musky cedar basenotes are wrapped in a light leather/skin musk yet it is still fresh and clean without being an "aquatic" clone. Sillage: average to above Longevity: 3-4 hrs (juice alone) Overall:4.5/5 This is a special scent in that it is named for a tropical island and is not a sweet syrupy, over the top fruity floral, masculine and fresh with just enough floral. Well balanced...it is not what some with more experience would call anything special but for me it is something relaxing and lovely-like Bora Bora itself.

Bora Bora for Men is a very original cologne. I have many different perfumes in my private collection, but this one is different from everything else. It is refreshing - perhaps because of the kiwi notes, which are so original in this composition - and at the same time, its base is dry, making it masculine and sexy. The fragrance of Bora Bora for Men is composed of top notes of kiwi, lemon and bergamot, passing through a floral heart of lavender and hibiscus, which reduces the fruity tone, incorporating a delicious shade of lavender and, to finish, cedar, musk, and rasping dry leather notes, which permeate throughout evolution and bring to the fore one of the most profitable results in terms of feminine compliments. It is the type of fragrance that lasts and projects very well and is not common, which makes it even more special for those who shy away from popular perfumes.