Hugo Dark Blue Fragrance By Hugo Boss – Here’s What It Smells Like

What do you get me if you need to get me a present? A bottle of fragrance of course. That’s how I got my hands on a bottle of Hugo Dark Blue by Hugo Boss.

This was a present which was bought for me at an airport, hence the Travel exclusive sticker on the box. It is an older scent, and appears to be available elsewhere, so I am not sure what that is about.

Here’s everything you need to know, including that crucial smell test.

So the fragrance itself isn’t new, Hugo Dark Blue was originally released in 1999. I have never tried this or even knew much about it before getting it, so It was a blind test and I didn’t know what to expect.

What Does Hugo Dark Blue Smell Like?

As soon as I spray Hugo dark blue I get some really dry and powdery notes with some citrus shining through. There’s hints of lemon, grapefruit and lime, but I really get stronger notes of ginger, cardamom, sage and geranium which give off the dry and powdery style of this scent.

It has some mildly purple types of notes, it has that synthetic type of kick that you’d expect to get from fragrances which were released back in the late 99’s and 00s.

Dark Blue is a pleasant enough smell, but I feel like it’s a scent which shows it’s age. I get a similar vibe as one of my old favourites, Lacoste Cool Play, but not as good.

Hugo Dark Blue Fragrance Notes

Top Notes – Grapefruit, Ginger, Lemon, Lime, Orange

Middle Notes – Cypress, Cardamom, Geranium, Sage

Base Notes – Vanilla, Cedarwood, Benzoin, Vetiver, Patchouli

Fragrance Accords

How Long Does Hugo Dark Blue Last?

Hugo Dark Blue is an eau de toilette, and isn’t a scent which lasts particularly long. I was able to get 3 or 4 hours with this one before it started to fade.

How Strong Is Hugo Dark Blue?

The profile of Dark Blue means it’s not a particularly strong fragrance. It’s not a powerhouse of a fruity or citrus style, and it’s not super dark either. It’s a kind of middle of the road, so isn’t too strong.

You’ll smell it on yourself, others close to you may do too.

How Many Sprays Do You Need?

Despite Dark Blue not being strong, I still wouldn’t overspray this. I’d spray it in the usual places: chest, neck, wrists, behind ears and nape, 6 – 8 sprays should be more than enough.

Hugo Dark Blue Pros And Cons

Hugo Dark Blue Bottle

The Hugo Dark Blue bottle is an interesting shape. It’s supposed to resemble the shape of a cocktail shaker, and it does quite a good job at that.

The cocktail shaker theme is the dark blue glass bottle, with the metal silver top which comes off. The branding is to the front, with Dark Blue wording in white and HUGO in it’s traditional red.

I have a 75ml bottle of Dark Blue, which I feel is more than enough for this scent.

What Clothes To Wear With Hugo Dark Blue

Although this is versatile to be worn with anything, I would pair Dark Blue with casual clothing. I would say that wearing this with any t-shirt and jeans or shorts is going to work well.

With a scent this laid back there’s no need to stress about the prefect clothing pairing, it’s a very laid back choice.

When To Wear Hugo Dark Blue

When it comes to the where when when, Dark Blue is a versatile fragrance that can be worn anytime as already mentioned. If I had to drill down on a specific time, it would be spring or summer in the daytime.

This is because I think the notes work best for those settings, and there are definitely better choices when it comes to the evening or the colder months of autumn and winter.

Who Is Hugo Dark Blue For?

Hugo Dark Blue is a youthful fragrance, with it’s inoffensive charm. It can be worn by more or less anyone, but it’s suited to the 16 – 25 year olds in my opinion. This can be a tough sell, since the scent is now 25 years old, with younger guys perhaps wanting something more modern.

Is Hugo Dark Blue Worth It?

When it comes to if it’s worth it, I think that Hugo Dark Blue has it’s place. First of all it’s inexpensive, you can pick up a bottle for around £30 for a 75ml bottle which is a good price.

I think of Hugo Blue as an everyday scent. When you need to smell good and want to spray something on, this is an easy reach. It’s a scent you can use as a gym fragrance, something to wear when you only need to smell good for a few hours.

Where To Buy Hugo Dark Blue

Being an older scent, Hugo Dark Blue isn’t an easy to find scent. But you can find this in airports (That’s how I got mine) and it’s being sold at perfume discounters and the usual spots that sell cheap aftershave.

As mentioned you should be able to pick up a 75ml bottle for around £30.

Hugo Dark Blue Details

Longevity – Hugo Dark Blue is an EDT, and it has fair longevity. I get 3 – 4 hours with this.

Projection – The projection is reasonably average. Those around will be able to just about to smell it. It’s certainly not a powerhouse.

Best season to wear – Spring/Summer

Scent type – Powdery/Earthy/Dry/Citrus

Age Recommendation – 16+

Best Worn – Day, Casual

Top Notes – Grapefruit, Ginger, Lemon, Lime, Orange

Middle Notes – Cypress, Cardamom, Geranium, Sage

Base Notes – Vanilla, Cedarwood, Benzoin, Vetiver, Patchouli

If you have Hugo Dark Blue or have tried it, let me know what you think. As always, if you’re looking to read more check out my fragrance reviews where you can read all my personal reviews of men’s fragrances and scents and get the low down on what’s good to wear.