Acqua di Parma Colonia Acqua di Parma for women and men

The opening citrus accord is stunning and lush which leads to the lavender and rosemary notes. After a while a beautiful rose blooms from the composition and it gets slightly sweeter and powdery. With the basenotes you get a lovely white musk with hints of the glory of the citrus and rose.

This is like a glorious fanfare or song and dance act though short is executed to perfection. I am really impressed with the quality of the ingredients and how lush they feel upon your skin.

Though the sillage is poor and the longevity is short this is a wonderful cologne done with panache and style. Thumds up.

Presentation:

Nice strong "tube" box in classic Acqua di Parma yellow.
I got an after shave balm sample inside the box as well. Good simplistic bottle and effective sprayer. Two thumbs up!!

Scent:

Opens up with a stunning display of citrus, as expected. Coupled with a slowly approaching lavender and rosemary concoction.

This lasts for a long time and in the latter stages you get a warmer muskier scent, a little flowery even. But you always get that shimmer of that beautiful citrus that opened up the show.

AdP Colonia is a classic, creme de la creme cologne. Perfect for the Spring and Summer time. Absolutely love it!

I really tried to like this one, but not only is it harsh (at first), but the projection ("sillage") drops off quite a bit after an hour or so, and it seems too simple overall. I prefer fragrances like Paco Rabanne Pour Homme instead (the vintage version only). I wish I could tell you if you would like it, but because I just don't understand the appeal of this fragrance, I don't know how to assess it for fans of traditional cologne type scents (I'm not one of those fans). Most of what I look for in a fragrance is not present here: balance, complexity, dynamism, and note contrast. As you might expect, it smells natural and there is good note seperation.

I have absolutely no clue what a barber shop smells like, and I don't care. I've been searching high and low for an herbal fragrance, and I found it most unexpectedly in a lemony cologne.

I love the lemon freshness of Eau d'Hadrien, but it was a bit too linear for me, lemons all the way and no sillage.

I bought Colonia blindly. It's as splendid as I hoped it would be. It opens with a blast of candied lemon zest. After several minutes, it became extremely herbacious, like an herb garden full of rosemary and sweet, natural lavender. The musk is so light that the fragrance *almost* smells like soap, but it retains its identity as a cologne. It's well-blended and perfectly balanced.

I find this perfume to be about as masculine as the oh-so-popular Elixir des Merveilles. I would recommend Colonia to a woman who doesn't want the spice.

Italy is my favorite place to visit in the whole world. There IS something quintessential Italian about Colonia. Perhaps it's the tradition of quality, the elegant beauty, the ability to take something simple and turn it into something romantic. I will treasure wearing this daily.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

The Acqua Di Parma signature fragrance. Fell in love with it when I first smelled the samples of it back in 1997 at Nordstrom in Seattle. Shortly after I bought it, and will keep buying it for life.

Very unique 1 of a kind smell! Hands down!!
Feels like you step back into old world Art Deco charm when you put this on!

I love the Sicilian Citrus in the scent!!
A WINNER FOR LIFE!!!!!!

Classic, refreshing a great travel holiday fragrance

The lavender and rosemary of Acqua di Parma COLONIA are so salient to my nose that this fragrance actually evokes in my mind vague memories of JICKY! Even more, I am reminded of barbershops. Well, I cannot say that I've spent a lot of time in such places, but this cologne definitely reminds me of my stored images of barbershops from films—especially mafia-related.

Audrey Hepburn wore this? Cela m'étonne. Perhaps she only admired it, on her male friends? As for myself, I would never, ever choose to wear this composition. I may not even finish my mini (which I received along with a purchase of IRIS NOBILE). I don't even consider COLONIA a citrus fragrance so much as a facsimile of expensive shaving cream! Do women really wear this???

This is my confidence booster. It has this something that makes you feel that you have what it takes. Also, notable Old World feel.

I always like this beautiful cologne everytime I happen to smell it from tester and samples. It's such an elegant and uplifting smell! It would be perfect on my man if he only wanted to wear perfume. No way.

Never mind, Acqua Di Parma is wonderful on my skin too, even if I perceive it as mainly masculin but in a very gentle way. No rough notes, no macho pungent smells, no bitter dry taken to all the "extreme" version of any male scent.
The quality of ingredients makes it like a 4711 Cologne amplified to higher levels.

Acqua di Parma is a quiet, fresh, conforting and absolutely refined scent for a man who doesn't need to scream to be noticed, yet HE gets noticed nonetheless!
I especially love the rosemary and citrus notes mixed with gentle floral. The dry down is musky but never invadent. Lasting power is long.

I was in a perfume department the other day and went a bit perfume crazy (well, actually that's normal for me when in a perfume department because then I'm like a kid in a candy store and want to try everything - except the stinky ones, of course!) spritzing myself around the place and testing 10 or more perfumes. I was drawn to the Acqua Di Parma section, where I had tested the magnolia fragrance recently (which is lovely!) so I tested a few fragrances and this was one of them. Other than their magnolia perfume this was the only one that I really, really liked!

Acqua di Parma Colonia to me is very classy smelling, clean, fresh and just delightful to smell! I didn't test it on my skin but on a tester strip and it still smells wonderful 2 days later. I can't stop sniffing it! It smells sooo good, aromatherapeutic, uplifting and sexy to me. In fact, it actually makes me feel kinda frisky!! If I smelled this on an attractive male I'd probably find it hard to control myself and to refrain from clambering onto him, ripping his clothes off and having my wanton way with him, so it seems to arouse some primal instincts in me and maybe has some aphrodisiac properties secreted in it!! Having said that, it definitely would smell just as nice on a woman as a guy, presumably thanks to the rose, jasmine and citrus, and is miles better as a unisex scent than something like CK One because it smells so refined, smooth and luxurious. I'd definitely love to get my hands on a bottle of this wonderful stuff. Not only does it smell great but the bottles of these scents are so nice and elegant. This is a big, BIG winner for me and well worth spending a few extra bucks on! :-))

Very classical and pure. Fit for business or casual use alike. Refinement in the superlative. Does not scream for attention, is subtle.

Probably the most perfect Eau de Cologne ever made.

Lemony-citrus with some neroli, florals, and an overall clean/soapy feel. It lasts long enough to leave you satisfied, but you'll want more. Layer it with the bath products and enjoy your stay in heaven.

Perhaps the quintessential mens fragrance. Its truely one of the oldest and most successful. Every thing for men to follow has obviously been influenced by this timeless classic. Eau Savauge anybody?

A friend introduced me to it an had to do a double take. I thought "Aqua" was some kind of aquatic. I was wrong on all accounts! This is the pinnacle of mens status fragrance.

This cologne has many superlatives. They can all be summarised in one word: UNCOMPROMISING!

A classic (in the true sense of the word) that never ceases to amaze me.

Extremely classic Eau De Cologne. Perfect, masterfully executed, incredibly natural and familiar....maybe too much. I honestly can't disencourage anybody to try this one but be aware that this is a "no-surprise" citrusy-soapy Eau De Cologne, that's it.

If Eau De Cologne is what you're looking for, go ahead as you won't be disappointed.

Rating: 7/10

Ahhhh... luxury spa, not the type of metropolitan beauty spa in the middle of an urban jungle, but rather one smack dab in a wooded pine forest high up on a mountain with crisp, clarifying air.

Colonia opens like it has a fresh juniper accord which I guess comes from the rosemary and lavender, earthy and herbal with an evergreen undertone and some mouthwatering bergamot to compliment.

Colonia becomes slightly sweeter as it warms, enveloping the skin with its freshness and letting off a little sauna-like, woody sweetness with gentle musk and radiant amber. The florals aren't overt but lend a little beauty to this refreshing perfume.

Wonderfully uplifting yet calming all at once with it's grounded finish. Big recommend for a refined aromatherapeutic escape.

Hmm.... I always wanted to try this perfume and finally got my sample..This perfume opens with so much of spiciness.. after 15-20 min,it turns to a soapy smell.. I'm sad coz I had very High hopes on this one. kinda like it... but not in love with it....

I've been using it for 10 years now, ... but it just drew my attention that it contains benzenes, so you can have your car run on it ...
For that price you expect an all natural product instead of a very well marketed, and low quality (i.e. synthetic) ingredients cologne.

In my recent quest to "upgrade" my summer fragrance wardrobe, I finally committed to go back to basics and revert to the good old classics of which Acqua di Parma is probably THE quintessential classic summer fragrance.

It is Jil Sander's "Sun" for men, just more sophisticated with the gorgeous Sicilian Citrus opening, followed by an almost Mimosa style opulent yasmine thrust, paired with Bulgarian Rose that elevates you to a place higher than then sun in the zenith of Sicilia.

If the sun smelled it would be this scent (or Jil Sander's "Sun" but that would be too obvious).

It makes me instantly cheerful and happy, like that first official summer morning when the swifts and swallows have arrived with their softly celebrating chirpy noises.

It is a very NATURAL scent. Gentle, yet powerfully potent like that phat and juicy yellow of its packaging that could not be more suitable for this scent.

A MASTERPIECE whichever way you look at it.

Classy, sophisticated, elegant, stylish, refined... The superlatives are so many! Colonia is a classical Italian gentlemans citrus-cologne with cult status around the world. It`s the best in it`s segment, and together with its brother Intensa, it`s the best from this company even though longevity could be better(it`s an edc). Highly recommended!

If you take it on its own terms it's not bad.

It's true that anything this straightforwardly citrus-y, with lavender to follow, will have unavoidable associations with the barbershop, but on the plus side it is very natural-smelling and uncomplicated, and its very lack of depth may be a refreshing thing in itself.

A fresh smell without being sweet, the undercurrent of verbena and vetiver make it just that bit non-linear as it dries.

For my money, though, if I wanted something in this direction I would wear Guerlain Vetiver.

initially i found this to be sooo citrusy and sharp and then after about 10 mins, it became like an old fashioned and generic 'aftershave' scent. i couldn't resist sniffing it all the time though...something that surprised me. it made me feel quite alert :) but, after about 30 mins it really mellowed. the sharpness and acidity went, replaced by a gorgeous soap-like (not soapy) and clean quality. it smelled truly fresh and wasn't the usual 'freshness' attempted by others. i think it is the only really unisex fragrance i have ever tried. it is relaxing, sophisticated, focused (NOT boring) and it reeks of class. i loved it.

I feel almost guilty about this, but I really loathe this fragrance. I find it offensively citrussy and very sharp. On me, it refused to settle down to anything more mellow and remained determinedly lemony and quite bitter. One of those fragrances I really wanted to be able to wash off! It's a pity really because I feel on the right person's skin it could to be a lovely, refined and quite Summery scent.

Wrong way in heaven gardens!
There's a common pattern and also common concept in Acqua di Parma perfumes; all have a fresh pattern of smell and all insist stubbornly to present natural as genuine as it's possible, conceptually.
I smelt it today, cool, it's good. But there's a problem; it's so natural and it disturbs. Sometimes perfumes must be a bit weird and exaggerated, this one is extremely clean and frank, I felt I've got two white wings and a gold ring above my head, reject all sins!
It's lovely, long lasting and strong in sillage.
Everyone can wear it, but one who wears it, must be in a specific mood or taste. It's not good for today and big cities, it's for tranquil rural life!
It opens immensely citric and blossomy and later musky scent appears.
Plain but not common or ordinary!
8/10 for longevity
9/10 for sillage
4/10 for the scent just because it's soapy and I don't like soapy perfumes.

*Many thanks to Lana Lool for the generous gift of a spray sample of this little piece of Heaven!*

Everything about this fragrance says elegant simplicity. The bottle, the formula, the scent. COLONIA take things found so commonly in many perfumes and create something luxurious yet clean, rich and special...

Zesty citruses open this scent with a crisp and juicy feeling, as the green rosemary and warm soft lavender embace to make a clean almost "soapy" scent. The flowers (rose and jasmine) take a while to appear, but when they do...it's sheer and stunning beauty; being neither too masculine, nor feminine. Though the clean feeling of the citruses, herbs and flowers are still there; the rose is soft and somewhat dry as jasmine whispers of "sexiness" and flirts subtly. This is not "sexy", as in musky or carnal; it is sexy in the way a man just out of the shower, dripping with water and beautiful in his most natural form, is sexy. Most "citrus" scent have the problem of fading too quickly; not so with AdP Colonia...the freshness lasts and lasts (on me) only to settle to an ever so slight, warm woody muskiness surrounded by memories of flowers and bright sparkling citrus. Heavenly!

Sillage: good
Longevity: very good
Overall: 5/5 Absolutely Divine!

I can see where parallels to other similar scents could be drawn (4711, Eau d'Hadrien, etc...) but there is nothing quite like AdP Colonia. I get more of a Guerlain Eau de Cologne Imperiale vibe from this, myself. Although, THIS lasts much longer than Imperiale does, and smells much better. Colonia IS expensive (I only have this in a spray sample from another member, due to its hefty price) but SO worth it; if you like citrusy and elegantly clean fragrances that are well-made and last! There is something very "pure" about this scent, as well as something, though it is simple and clean, that says (NOT screams) class and style. One of (if not) the best citrus scents ever...

There is something magical about this scent. Which transcends gender, time of day and season.

It's top note is sparkling alcoholic, like a fizzy citrusy vodka, as it dries, and you get it's mid note, it's powdery, clean, soft and gently floral, surprisingly warm.

It's great for mixing with water for ironing your favourite pillow cases, it's great for spritzing at the end of the day to feel revitalised, this scent rocks... official.

This is my idea of heaven. Smells like Thomas Mann's 'warm and sunny south'. It is very mood-enhancing, lingers long (also on clothing), is refreshing on application but dries down to something very sophisticated. As some previous correspondents have also noted, it always makes me feel happy.

If it was good enough for Carey Grant, its good enough for me. Classic, clean and rich. It doesn't get much better. The bottles and boxes are still made in Parma Italy. The scent carries for 5 hrs plus and is unmistakably clean. One of my all time favs.

Here I was, expecting a typical citrus-based, predominantly lemon scent - something along the lines of Eau d'Hadrien or 4711 eau de cologne. Colonia may open with all the pizzazz of bright lemon and all its crispness, but within the development of this scent, Colonia becomes very complex and indeed very pleasing to the nose.

Despite a classic approach, Colonia can be perceived as modern. Unisex this fragrance is indeed; it is neither too feminine nor too masculine. For that reason, this perfume is great for a couple to share during the warmer months.

When first applied, Colonia with its obvious lemon note, sparkles for the first few minutes. What I love so much about this fragrance is that the citrus is not sharp or masculine. I would describe the citrusy top notes as being rather smooth.

The moment the heart began to develop, I was quite astounded as to how powdery and floral the scent became. The rose note is glorious, with the lavender providing a relaxing yet silky feel.

It's more towards the drydown where this fragrance begins to smell faintly like old-fashioned, expensive soap. It's a mixture of rose-scented talcum powder and lavender soap with a touch of bright citrus.

The contrast between sparkly citrus and powdery florals is to die for, (at least in my humble opinion). The lasting power is quite incredible and the sillage, although not all that strong, certainly has a distinctive presence.

I find it very hard not to like this fragrance. I would go so far as to hold this fragrance in such high-esteem alongside Iris Nobile, also by Acqua di Parma, which is another love of mine.

In the dry down it smells VERY, I said VERY SIMILAR to YSL's Kouros.

Classy and classic. Top-shelf, the real deal.

A great citrus always wins me over and this does it in spades. Spring/ Summer time is its domain. It evokes a glourious past as well as a promising present.

The initail whiff might throw you but give it a few moments and the citrus settle down in tandem with the musk to work its magic.

To appreciate it one must give in to it. Mature without an old attitude. This fragrance says, I want to take you higher!

I had high hopes for this one. Many celebrities were supposedly wearing it, loving it, and blabbing about it and I guess I bought into the whole hype aspect. However, to me- it smells a lot like the much more affordable 4711...although it lasts a lot longer. I finally figured out I would like it a lot more on my boyfriend and it smelled like pure, warm, heaven on him. So, I have to say this is a great one for men.

Luca Turin described AdP as having "an Edwardian feel" to it, implying that it's a cologne for dandies. I couldn't disagree more. Yes, there is a floral note in it, but to me, it reminds me of being on the beach in the heat of summer on the Cote d'Azur, where the air smells like lavender and ocean spray - the best smell on earth. I see a person from the Mediterranean wearing this, not some uptight fop. Putting aside AdP's pretentious and ridiculous advertising campaigns a la Creed (an $80 AdP room candle, with an AdP bathrobe to go with it?! Give me a break), it is truly a wonderful and refined fragrance that a man or a woman can wear. It's beautiful, uplifting and never fails to put me in a great mood when I wear it.

I decided to look for some citrus/fresh scents and I couldn't pass this by of course. Initial bitter burst is quite unpleasant I should say, but it develops citrus and fresh notes very quickly. I'm not too decided about it, good scent in general, but I dislike feeling of my nose burning inside&out and bitter notes. I'm looking from my citrus scent to be strong and more fresh..bitterness not wanted ..no no. But it is just for me

MMM.. i want this for my self. I thought I didn't like fresh scents, but this one is more mature and authentic

My partner recently bought this, after deliberating between the various Acqua di Parma colognes. I was thrilled -- this is an extremely refined scent. Robustly citrus on application, it settles down to mellow, musky tones. A grown-up scent, with a whiff of exclusivity.