Recently, I pulled the trigger on this new Lover U cologne. I have never owned a fragrance from the Liu Jo design brand. I remember once I tested
Liu•Jo Milano and added it to my wish list. But this one, a recent release that appeared on these days on the shelves, attracted me and convinced me to buy with no doubt. A blue fragrance with all the blueish embroideries. Perhaps it is not disruptive, I know, and such a blue spirit we have smelt many times before. Still, the package and the bottle are so gorgeous, and the cost is so accessible that it deserves a try & buy with no regrets. It smells pleasant and inoffensive. I smelled this one in the store and immediately had to get it.
Lovers U opens with an outburst of fresh, aquatic citrus notes with a distinctive aromatic touch. The presence of the citron is relatively straightforward, pleasant, and sweeter than the sour lemon. A slightly tangy and sour freshly cut ginger envelops the tame bergamot and adds more spiciness. At the same time, something balsamic and minty, or better, bubblegum sugary-minty, rises from the zesty blend. I bet it's a bit borderline, the tarragon that shows up early, in an intermediate state between head and heart, and makes the opening a balsamic and green hint. So, the initial state is bright, tangy, with a metallic slant.
Then, it slowly morphs into that more intense smell. I perceive immediately the powdery accord that characterizes the heart of the fragrance. That is the dusty edge I first felt on the paper strip. The violet leaves produce a lovely moist, aquatic, powdery trail that blends perfectly with the aromatic and somewhat touches of a herbal vibe, which I'd assume is the crisp and clean lavender. The type of lavender used here gives a different sort of cleanliness with the right herbal touch. I'm not getting much from smokier and stickier notes of Frankincense, neither on blotter nor on the skin. But a bright, fruity scent instead. Probably the resinoid is well mixed with the other heart notes, not in your face or offensive, and does not dominate the significant phase, but neither does the other phases. The middle stage releases a sophisticated blueish scent very reminiscent of the
Versace pour Homme Dylan Blue Eau de Toilette or
Polo Blue Gold Blend spirit.
The aromatic trail continues until the perfume dries, slowly morphing into the oriental bracket. There is an amber warmth, a cozy accord dominating all the other notes, bringing out a sweeter, saltier, and less woody aspect. Yes, I get a heavy hit of ambroxan. The alternation of light and dark woods is not such as to define the background as woody. Virginia cedar lacks the flaps of pencil shavings, and similarly, dark woods of ebony and guaiac are subdued. However, on the whole, the trail that is felt at the end is very sugary, sensual, masculine, intriguing, and not aggressive in the woods.
Overall, I am very impressed by the perfume, the bottle, and the feeling I get from it for a designer fragrance. It is a perfume that I think many people, especially the younger ones, will love. It's mass appealing, it's masculine, it's powerful, and it's something Liu Jo deserves credit for. As an aromatic cologne, it suits better the middle seasons, like fall and spring, if I have to pinpoint. It has moderate performance, so you have to reapply to get a full day for daily usage.
I base the review on a 100ml bottle I have owned since March 2022.
-Elysium
Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
Elysium
