Axe Lab
Axe / Lynx (2006)

Axe Lab (2006) was the first proper Eau de Toilette from the house known for its irredeemably cheap body sprays that more or less subverted the male drugstore fragrance market in nations like the US throughout the 2000's, as an even cheaper alternative to bargain scents like Avon, Revlon, Coty, Dana, and Jovan. Granted, growing economic disparity is much to blame for this, as more and more young people strapped for cash and without good educational or employment prospects saw fragrance as an unnecessary or even offensive extra step in their grooming habits, so something just a cut above a deodorant aerosol that smelled reasonably good seemed a better alternative, thus Axe (or Lynx for a time in some markets) made it's killing. Axe Lab therefore was a curious upmarket turn, as if the house thought that they could suddenly "hang with the big dogs", and by "big dogs" I really mean entry-level designers like Liz Claiborne, Jacques Bogart, or celebrity scents you're also likely to find at places like Walmart alongside Axe, and so it was. Axe Lab absolutely swamped end cap displays in the summer of 2006 when it first appeared, and it had virtually no advertising or hype of any kind when it arrived, leaving hardcore Axe fans puzzled as to what it was, and people familiar with but not sold on the Axe brand scratching their heads too, since it came in a proper glass bottle and was easily triple the price of any other Axe variety. In a similar move to Avon beginning a working relationship with the house of Louis Féraud to produce scents in the 80's, people who could afford "real cologne" instantly dismissed the new Axe entry into the "big leagues", while people in the target demographic Axe was pitching to thought it was too expensive. I also distinctly remember there being no testers to try at first, so half of the boxes on the endcap display were ripped open so yokels could help themselves, some to the whole freakin' bottle.

The biggest problem with Axe Lab was that it smelled like it didn't really know what it wanted to be. I didn't fully realize this back then when I first sniffed it, as all I thought was "wow this smells like a cheaper version of Kenneth Cole Black (2003) in a different bottle". I didn't care if it was an Axe fragrance, because the bottle looked neat (very futuristic), it had good performance, and smelled similar to something I wasn't willing to pay full retail for at the time, since Kenneth Cole perfumes were actually pricey in the 2000's. The opening of Axe Lab has a similar but slightly darker take on the ginger, mint, ozone, orange, and basil of Kenneth Cole by adding blackcurrant, which is what initially won me over to it. Instantly you can tell this goes in a less-challenging direction with rosemary, aquatic dihydromyrcenol and hedione seemingly borrowed from Acqua di Giò pour Homme (1996) minus any salty ocean vibe. Finally, we turn towards a weird hybrid of Chanel Allure Homme (1999) and another Kenneth Cole, but this time the debut Kenneth Cole New York Men (2002), where a weird cheapo proxy of Chanel's smooth "Polge Sandalwood" compound meets musk, amber, and vetiver. The whole composition is a mix tape of the aquatic and ozonic genre proliferation of the late 90's and early 2000's, the latter of which was already fast falling out of fashion by 2006, with a semi-oriental ending to it all. Wear time is about eight hours and this one was never a screamer like most the scents it copied, because it is still Axe after all. I enjoyed both bottles I owned until it was gone, and would still give it some work or casual use in medium temperate weather for good old times sake should I cross paths with it again, which is unlikely.

The reason I say that is the stuff didn't make it out of the 2000's, as nobody bought it, and prices were slashed until it cost the same as a bottle of Axe aerosol until it was all sold out. Axe have since learned their lesson about trying to go upmarket, and still release glass bottle EdT fragrances, but make them upgrades of preexisting aerosol lines or limited edition premium flavors in some markets, rather than trying to tow the line with designers by making original pillar-like fragrances. Existing bottles of this now sell for utterly ridiculous prices in the aftermarket, which makes for some delicious irony since I can now afford many large 100ml bottles of Kenneth Cole Black (the far superior fragrance) for the price of just one 50ml bottle of Axe Lab, since the former is now a third of what it used to be, and the latter literally times times what it once retailed for in Walmart. So with that knowledge in hand, why would anyone buy the "budget" thing meant to copy a designer for exponentially more money than the designer scent it copies? It's almost the reverse scenario for the usual clone fragrances where the clone has more hype than the thing it's cloning since the original is still manufactured but the clone has become a "unicorn" in its own right. Sometimes fragrance collectors make me laugh, and I imagine the eBay guys gouging the nonsense out of this are laughing all the way to the bank too, which is despicable because it's still just an Axe product. In any case, this was a neat little blip and Axe Lab proved to be a failed experiment (that irony again), but it was to be expected from a budget brand that took an unprecedented leap into a higher market without doing any homework or advertising. I give it a neutral because despite my nostalgia, it was always a second-best choice for me and not worth its venerated price tag in the aftermarket.

This fragrance smells kind of like a cross between Armani Code and Aqua Di Gio, with a bit of Axe body spray splashed in. I agree with Andrewthecologneguy, it works well in humid weather. If you live in Florida as I do, it's a good cologne to have. Very casual, and it doesn't last for more than a few hours so it would be a great starter scent for someone who isn't used to using cologne.

A very good casual scent, especially for the eight (!) dollars I spent for my 1.7. It dies out pretty fast, but works well for refreshing after a workout or going out with the guys.

I was amazed at how many compliments I get when I wear this at the gym. People seem to really like it! Nonetheless, even with all the comps in the world, it is nothing special. Still, it is very nice to wear when you don't feel like wasting the good stuff. For that and the comps it gets a thumbs up.Worth having on the cheap. :-)

Smells to me like the cologne version of Axe Touch, itself very similar to Davidoff Echo and a lil bit like Givnchy ph Blue Label. Deep aquatic with a woody undertone. Can be sensous aat times. Works well in humid weather.

Nice cologne, much better than the body sprays that are on par with Glade. Axe Lab to me smells like a darker version of Aqua Di Gio, I don't know how else to put. I wore out an entire bottle in 2 months and I did get a lot of compliments with it. The only caveat is it does not last much past 3-4 hours.