Armani Code Ice by Giorgio Armani

I’m not a huge fan of mint and ginger blends, but this is the exception. Unfortunately, it’s no longer available. It smells about 50% like the Tommy Hilfiger Summer Cologne 2012, which is also out of catalogue; they share that minty note. I managed to find it where only two units remained. I’ll try to buy another because finding it without paying ridiculous prices will be difficult. The name ‘Ice’ suits it perfectly; it overflows with a metallic coldness, if you can say that. I read it was called synthetic… nothing could be further from the truth; perhaps it’s just the sharp combination of notes. The longevity is average and the trail moderate but perceptible. If you see it, buy it; it’s an ideal all-rounder for hot days. If I manage to get it again, I’ll use it sparingly since it’s discontinued. Greetings and blessings from Panama.

Trying to create something fresh from a fragrance like Armani Code is complicated, but this case succeeds. Upon spraying, we’re hit with a delicious creamy mint, and after an hour, the typical Armani Code scent emerges with citrus notes of orange and fresh woods. Highly recommended for this summer.

Much has been said about Code Ice, mainly negative comments because it’s perceived as synthetic; however, I think it’s subjective and a matter of taste. Code Ice starts like its progenitor, Code Sport: mint is the protagonist and the citrus stands out with ginger. It’s a usable aroma in any season, although clearly designed for summer due to its fresh focus. It’s very chameleon-like, adapting to any age; young and older audiences will be delighted if they have a taste for fresh scents. The charm is that with few ingredients it achieves an elegant perfume with good longevity and a sense of elegance. Perhaps second acts are never as good, and Code Sport is better, but this is not a bad perfume. Before forming a bad impression, I recommend trying it in a store before opining.

Personally, I did not like it.

Very similar to several others. Almond-toned, moderately fresh, moderately warm, woody/spiced/creamy, etc. Well, I’ll limit myself to mentioning that it shares notes with two perfumes I’ve had the pleasure of owning: although they aren’t identical, the resemblance is very evident. The one with the strongest similarity is Fahrenheit Aqua, and the other is Kenzo Homme Boisée. I’m not sure if this is good or bad (these similarities), but it feels somewhat uncomfortable from the perspective of each fragrance’s own identity, turning it into just another ‘smells like X or Y’. Regards.

The same thing happened to me as to user Julio Aquino: a spectacular price for the 125ml in the same store (they also have Dior Eau for Men 150ml at a very low price). I couldn’t pass it up as Code Original is one of my staple fragrances that I’ve used regularly since 2005. I love it; it’s a fresh scent with body, very fresh at the start, almost like toothpaste, then creamy. If I look for similarities, knowing all its Code siblings well (Sport, Athlete, Ultimate, Summer, Turquoise, Special Blend, Profumo, and even the Code Colonia I tried yesterday), I’d say it’s a perfect and almost equal blend between Sport (opening), Code (mid), and Absolute (base). It’s probably about to be discontinued, if it isn’t already, but solely for its scent, I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Super fresh opening; I clearly detect the mint, lemon (not sharp), and above all, the ginger; it all creates a refreshing sensation, like lemonade. A few minutes in, the floral geranium emerges, though the lavender isn’t too strong. At four hours, the ginger remains with a woody note smelling of cedar. By nine hours, those woods feel like cedar followed by a touch of sandalwood. At thirteen hours, the dry-down is heavier on that soft sandalwood. Clearly a summer or spring scent, ideal for daytime use due to its sparkling notes. I see it as a Code for summer, informal and daytime. The trail was moderate for about an hour but faded quickly. It lasted over 12 hours, although towards the end it sits closer to the skin.

Code Ice! In my opinion, it can be summed up in one word: STRIDENT! (Ginger, lemon, and mint) as standout notes. Whoever wears this will be the centre of attention. On my skin, it lasts seven hours and clings to clothing.

I am editing my review as I lacked much experience and this was my first one… What an exquisite perfume, what beautiful memories it brings back; I bought it in 2015 and had grown bored until I got rid of it. I have it again after years and can say it is a marvel; it is discontinued and I regret not valuing it sooner. To my nose, it is the most exquisite, original, clean, and has the best performance; the main thing is that it suits my skin perfectly. I love it. It is very well made and feels super elegant; that blend of mint, ginger, geranium, lavender, lemon and woods makes it so exquisitely masculine that it takes my breath away. It is dense, creamy, citrusy and mentholated, but never falls into the sport or fresh category. What a pity it is discontinued; I would buy it again and again.

Rather than that soapy bite everyone talks about, I see it more like a non-acidic lime, with hints of caramel and resin, boosted by mint and ginger without being as sharp as the Sport. It feels noticeably fresher. As it dries down, the geranium adds a sensual, elegant floral touch alongside the lavender over a soft woody base. It lasts hours for me and projects a brutal trail, making it ideal for polluted environments where it cuts through cigarette smoke and other odours. I find it elegant and sophisticated. Fantastic.

I have been waiting to write a review of this perfume for a long time; the bottle is nice but nothing extraordinary. Something funny is that when I sprayed it on my wrist, I immediately felt cold, literally, haha, as if someone had put an ice cube there. The notes are citrusy, minty and fresh, so it stays that way for a long time, only for the finish the mint stands out. A point in its favour is the longevity and projection; I wore the Light Blue by D&G at home and there were moments when I felt this perfume stronger than the LB. The downside is that it is an extremely synthetic smell, which is why it does not convince me 100%; there was a moment when it made me feel dizzy. I wanted this perfume, but after trying it I will say no :(, it has a high cost for what it offers and does not convince me.

This perfume has great longevity, about eight hours, with the last few hours sitting close to the skin. I did not like how it felt on my skin; it seemed like an AXE-style deodorant. I detect its lemon and mint notes in the opening, then the lavender in the middle and the wood at the end. It smells rich on blotter paper, a pity it did not work on my skin.

Code Ice has only one point in its favour: the longevity. I tried it on a very hot day and it survived my gym workout, lasting about eight hours until I showered. That said, it did so rather close to the skin. The problem is the scent itself. One cannot tell if it is due to the combination of notes, certain chemicals, or both, but the result is an odd antibacterial soap smell, neither pleasant nor refreshing in my judgement. On hot days, some perfumes become too distorted on my skin. With Code Ice, I could not compare it in another climate, but in others, such as La Nuit de YSL, the difference between cold and heat is noticeable; they seem like two totally different perfumes. It should also be added that there are substances that remain firm regardless of the climate; today I think that this unalterable persistence is a sign of higher quality. Examples: Fahrenheit EDT, Givenchy Gentlemen, London Burberry.

The opening is super fresh, with the mint, lemon (without being sharp), and above all, the ginger really standing out. It gives a refreshing impression, like those lemonades with those ingredients. A few minutes later, the floral touch of geranium appears, although the lavender isn’t very noticeable. By four hours, the ginger is still there with a woody touch that smells like cedar. By nine, the woods feel like cedar and then a bit of sandalwood. By thirteen, the dry down is heavier on that soft sandalwood. Clearly, it’s for summer or spring, more suited for daytime use due to its sparkly nature. I see it as a summery, informal, everyday Code. The trail was moderate for an hour, then faded, but it lasted over 12 hours, although towards the end it was more noticeable up close.