Curve Cologne Guide: Scentsual Pitches for Every Man

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Caroline Lambert

Are you looking for someone that’s going to be open and honest with you about the scents that are and aren’t going to work for you? Caroline isn’t here to play games when it comes to the world of perfumes. She loves breaking down every note of perfume and explaining how a perfume will work with your personal preferences. Plus, she loves learning about new scents, so she’s always on the hunt to find the best and latest perfumes on the market.

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This Curve Cologne Guide will show how choosing your favorite fragrance is as simple as determining how much spin you place on your pitch. Your game will depend on the notes, longevity, and other factors that make each cologne suit a specific man.

I realized men don’t always love reading about or choosing scents unless they can relate to something more exciting. Don’t get me wrong; Curve colognes are designer, and you’ll meet the incredible mind behind them, but you’ll also have a fun way to choose one accurately.

I helped my partner choose his favorite cologne by using my creative mind and fragrance expertise to translate “beauty information” into something more understandable (and manlier). That’s how he chose his favorite, Curve Black.

Let’s translate your favorite cologne into something you love. Well, most men enjoy it.

Liz Claiborne: A New Vision for Men

Liz Claiborne was a woman with a passion, an eccentric one. Being creative all her life, her father even allowed her to drop out of school to pursue her designer edge in Europe under informal training. Her life in New Orleans certainly set an eclectic trend in her mind.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about New Orleans is the mardi gras and endless fashion statements only the bold would wear. It’s a never-ending party, one I was fortunate to witness in person, and I always think of the colorful festival when I hear Claiborne.

Her perfumes and colognes were an ode to the eccentricity of not only New Orleans but every wild and contemporary influence she had in her life. She had no limits from learning from European painters to becoming the first woman to sit as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Claiborne set to take the fashion industry by storm, turn it upside down, and create something new and unique. With the help of famous perfumer Jean Claude Delville, who also created perfumes for Givenchy and Kenzo, Curve for Men launched in 1996.

Her new colognes set out to provide signature scents for adventurous, alluring, wild, modern, and artsy men. Claiborne’s vision of contemporary men was something other perfumers never considered. Colognes are an art, and Claiborne’s artistic mind emphasized it.

Don’t worry about reading too much into artsy stuff and fashion conglomerates. I’m about to make cologne exciting, even the way you choose it. Do you like baseball?

What Makes Claiborne’s Manly Vision Special?

Even if you’re a man who loves baseball and everything rugged, you’re still reading about colognes to find something that makes you smell the way you want to. Choosing a brand established in designer luxury and artsy roots is one way to narrow your options down.

Another way to see the value of a cologne brand is by looking at what consumers say about it. Amazon is one of the largest marketplaces globally, and the feedback is more valuable than a home run. Let’s see what verified consumers say about Curve cologne.

The original Curve for Men has more feedback than most colognes on the market, but Wade Wilson’s review grabbed my attention. I could take some writing tips from this guy. Anyway, he claims that the cologne has a magical effect on his girlfriend, and he’s not complaining.

Masen only has compliments for Curve Black, and he’s so enamored by the brand (like my partner) that he even recommends Curve Connect as the daytime alternative. He claims the cologne can be a statement-engraver and emphasizes how unique it smells.

Curve Wave allowed Nunya’s husband to leave an impression she couldn’t forget, making her hunt the cologne down on Amazon, even claiming to stock up on more because she loves the smell on her husband.

Curve colognes have endless reviews, but the three I shared should give you an idea of how people feel about them. The Curve range is just one of Claiborne’s much-loved, creative gifts to the fragrance world. Now, I can show you what happens when you blend cologne with baseball.

Curve Cologne Guide: 10 Curveballs

A few factors make colognes special. I’ll share the details with you, using two essential elements to create the Masculine Scale and Forward Spin of each fragrance, which will help you choose one based on expertise without needing to attend a chemistry class.

The Masculine Scale will depend on the notes of each cologne. Some notes are traditionally manly, whereas others are contemporary or extreme (animalistic). Each cologne will be one of three classes of masculine, which I’ll translate with my perfuming experience.

The Forward Spin of each cologne will depend on how long it lasts. The spin will be rated from one to three, depending on whether the cologne lasts these hours:

• < 4 hours will score 1 point
• 4 to 6 hours will score 2 points
• > 6 hours will score 3 points

You’ll have an idea about how the cologne smells on different types of men and how long it lasts with the rating system and scale. Additionally, I’ll add similar smelling colognes to help you experience each curveball better.

Curve Wave

Curve Wave is a refreshing burst of unusual scents blended into a strong anise foundation. It smells like a breath of fresh air combined with minty and citrusy pleasures before it dries down to a greener base and a mild, somewhat licorice ending. It smells young and vibrant.

Key Features:

• Evolving Accord: Aromatic, citrus, fresh spicy, green, anis, fresh, soft spicy, and woody,
• First Notes: Bamboo, liquid oxygen, mint, and citruses
• Heart Notes: Juniper and lavender
• Base Notes: Blue anise
• Masculine Scale: Contemporary masculine
• Forward Spin: About 6 hours (score 2)
• Similar Colognes: Echo by Davidoff and Eternity Air for Men by Calvin Klein
• Pitch Attitude: Vibrant, youthful, confident, sporty, and revitalizing

Strikes:

• It has a heavy vibrancy better suited to younger men and not mature guys
• It has no traditional foundation and would only suit modern men

Curve Black

Curve Black is a potent, impressionable, and bold cologne. It smells like you’ve entered into a sweaty locker room with muscles gleaming in every corner. The floral and fresh notes mildly interweave the bold leathery, woody, and aromatic notes in this mature fragrance.

Key Features:

• Evolving Accords: Leather, aromatic, fresh spicy, ozonic, woody, lavender, vanilla, aquatic, animalistic, and amber
• First Notes: Nutmeg, violet leaf, and bergamot
• Heart Notes: Clary sage, moss, and lavender
• Base Notes: Tonka bean, leather, teak wood, and sandalwood
• Masculine Scale: Animalistic masculine
• Forward Spin: About 6 hours (score 2)
• Similar Colognes: Black by Stetson and Fahrenheit by Christian Dior
• Pitch Attitude: Beast-like, bold, wild, impressionable, and unapologetic

Strikes:

• It smells insanely good on confident and mature men but not soft-spoken or young guys
• It has an attitude unmatched by other animalistic colognes on the market (it might be too powerful for modern or traditional men)

Curve for Men

Curve for Men is a beautiful blend of contemporary and traditional notes for men who walk the line between the two types of manliness, but it leans more into modern. It smells like bubbling spiciness warmed with woody undertones until the sweetness rises, feeling young and spunky.

Key Features:

• Evolving Accords: Aromatic, citrus, woody, fresh spicy, fruity, sweet, warm spicy, powdery, lavender, and fresh
• First Notes: Pineapple, juniper berries, neroli, lemon, and lavender
• Heart Notes: Cactus, violet, ginger, bergamot, sage, cardamom, and coriander
• Base Notes: Vetiver, pepper, cedar, amber, sandalwood, mahogany, and musk
• Masculine Scale: Contemporary masculine
• Forward Spin: About 6 hours (score 2)
• Similar Colognes: Legend by Mont Blanc and Aqua Rush by Nautica
• Pitch Attitude: Spunky, youthful, fun, adventurous, and unexpected

Strikes:

• It smells like a traditional blend at first but dries into a modern twist
• It suits young guys who want that contemporary flair of sweetness but not mature men

Curve Crush

Curve Crush is a gorgeously traditional cologne with modern teasers to keep mature men in trending aroma. It starts as a bold woody statement that dries into intense citrus but gentle fruity notes before ending in a clean, powdery effect on your skin.

Key Features:

• Evolving Accords: Woody, citrus, fruity, fresh spicy, aromatic, amber, fresh, rose, green, and powdery
• First Notes: Pear, Mandarin orange, and green apple
• Heart Notes: Geranium and ginger
• Base Notes: Oakmoss, cedar, and amber
• Masculine Scale: Traditional masculine
• Forward Spin: About 6 hours (score 2)
• Similar Colognes: Reaction by Kenneth Cole and Legend Spirit by Mont Blanc
• Pitch Attitude: Mysterious, humble, legendary, influential, and admirable

Strikes:

• It smells fantastic on mature men with traditional roots but not young guys
• The colognes name is inappropriate because it’s not a dream-crusher as much as it’s a humble smell

Curve Sport

Curve Sport is a versatile cologne from the range. It smells like a classical walk through solid woody and aromatic blends before you end in a gentle, hardly-noticeable sweetness from the top fruity notes. It deceivingly seems feminine at the end, but it’s all masculine and youthful.

Key Features:

• Evolving Accords: Aromatic, woody, warm spicy, fresh spicy, lavender, earthy, mossy, sweet, and fruity
• First Notes: Bergamot, rosemary, and red apple
• Heart Notes: Lavender, clary sage, and cardamom
• Base Notes: Moss, tobacco, sandalwood, and vetiver
• Masculine Scale: Traditional masculine
• Forward Spin: About 4 hours (score 1)
• Similar Colognes: Skulls & Roses for Him by Ed Hardy and Maritime Original by Tommy Bahama
• Pitch Attitude: Versatile, youthful, seductive, unusual, and unafraid

Strikes:

• It’s strange to find a traditionally masculine fragrance for young guys, but here it is
• I wish it lasted longer, but Eau de Cologne doesn’t last long enough

Curve Spark

Curve Spark is interestingly a casual but live-wire cologne. Claiborne was eccentric, after all. It smells like a clean break warmed with sweet notes and gentle floral hues before the sea salt teases your nose and takes you into a woody, musky ending. It’s a young and eclectic cologne.

Key Features:

• Evolving Accords: Fruity, citrus, fresh, soft floral, aquatic, fresh spicy, musk, and woody
• First Notes: Frozen apple, juniper berries, and bergamot
• Heart Notes: Lavender, sea salt, ginger, and violet leaves
• Base Notes: Cashmere wood, patchouli, and musk
• Masculine Scale: Contemporary masculine
• Forward Spin: About 4 hours (score 1)
• Similar Colognes: Pheromones for Men: Paradise by Bare Chemist and Just Me for Men by Paris Hilton
• Pitch Attitude: Vibrant, eccentric, dynamic, alluring, and bold

Strikes:

• It smells a little unusual for men who love traditional or beastly colognes
• It doesn’t last too long unless you extend the wake (which is possible with my tips below)

Curve Connect

Curve Connect is an animalistic blend for young and mature men. It has traditional notes like sandalwood warming the sweetness of Tonka bean and vanilla just enough to make this a beastly cologne. The spiciness elevates the classic notes blending with sweetness to make it bold.

Key Features:

• Evolving Accords: Woody, vanilla, warm spicy, sweet, amber, woody, aromatic, balsamic, and tobacco
• First Notes: Black pepper and bergamot
• Heart Notes: Black tea, vanilla, and maté tea
• Base Notes: Sandalwood, Tonka bean, and coumarin
• Masculine Scale: Animalistic masculine
• Forward Spin: 6 to 8 hours (score 3)
• Similar Colognes: Polo Red by Ralph Lauren and Intimately Beckham by David Beckham
• Pitch Attitude: Unapologetic, seductive, relentless, ambitious, and modern

Strikes:

• It’s a powerful fragrance that won’t smell good on soft-spoken men
• It can be overwhelmingly bold in the first hour, but it dries wonderfully to a gentler undertone

Curve Chill

Curve Chill turns down the heat from the animalistic vibes of the last cologne with contemporary blends that work amazingly for all ages. It begins with lasting freshness and substantial aromatic evolution before drying down to softer, warmer notes with woody undertones.

Key Features:

• Evolving Accords: Citrus, aromatic, powdery, fresh spicy, violet, woody, fresh, warm spicy, aldehydic, and green
• First Notes: Aldehydes, lime, and bergamot
• Heart Notes: White pepper, green tea, violet, and coriander
• Base Notes: Cardamom, sandalwood, vetiver, and musk
• Masculine Scale: Contemporary masculine
• Forward Spin: About 4 hours (score 1)
• Similar Colognes: CK One by Calvin Klein and Chrome by Azzaro
• Pitch Attitude: Bold, versatile, unexpected, ambitious, and vibrant

Strikes:

• It’s a pity it doesn’t last too long without layering your products
• The freshness at first is unmatched by other colognes

Curve Soul

Curve Soul is about bringing your spirit to the field. It has a gorgeous drydown of traditional woody and aromatic notes before reaching a mild fruity undertone followed by layers of spiciness and ending in a barely-noticeable floral foundation. It’s great for all ages.

Key Features:

• Evolving Accords: Woody, fresh, aromatic, powdery, fruity, citrus, earthy, fresh spicy, warm spicy, and violet
• First Notes: Green apple, bamboo leaf, Mandarin orange, and bergamot
• Heart Notes: Sage, lavender, litchi, and violet
• Base Notes: Sandalwood, oakmoss, vetiver, spices, amber, and cedarwood
• Masculine Scale: Traditional masculine
• Forward Spin: 6 to 8 hours (score 3)
• Similar Colognes: He Wood by D Squared 2 and Invictus Original by Paco Rabanne
• Pitch Attitude: Traditional, self-assured, gallant, daring, and active

Strikes:

• It’s intensely classical and wouldn’t suit men who like modern twists
• The active undertones are mild, making this a not-too-bold sporty option for hitting the gym once in a while

Curve Forest Woods (An Acquired Taste)

Curve Forest Woods is a rare find, and maybe that’s a blessing in disguise. It’s a woody, aromatic blend that makes you feel like you’re in a forest. It has wild evolutions of green and spicy notes until you reach the warmer woody undertones. It’s certainly an insanely mature fragrance.

Key Features:

• Evolving Accords: Fresh, green, warm spicy, aromatic, soft spicy, and woody
• First Notes: Italian citrus, green leaves, and cardamom
• Heart Notes: Neroli, geranium, and nutmeg
• Base Notes: Fir balsam, cedarwood, and patchouli
• Masculine Scale: Animalistic masculine
• Forward Spin: About 4 hours (score 1)
• Similar Colognes: Forest by Herban Cowboy and Lucky You by Liz Claiborne (I’m not sure about the lucky part here)
• Pitch Attitude: Mature, natural, self-assured, feral, and rugged

Strikes:

• It wouldn’t smell good on a young man in a modern world
• It smells powerfully green, aromatic, and woody, almost overwhelming your senses at first
• This cologne earns three strikes (you must be brave to wear such an explosive fragrance that doesn’t smell as fresh as the scent should)
• Are four strikes in baseball possible? Well, this cologne doesn’t last long, either

How Much Forward Spin Do You Want to Pitch?

Choosing a cologne isn’t as linear as picking a shirt and baseball cap for a ball game. You don’t want to smell like a wild cat if you’re humble, and you don’t want to smell like wildness if you’re not into acquired tastes. You should consider which cologne suits you with these easy steps:

1. What kind of masculine do you want to be? Do you prefer the traditional smells of woody undertones and musky accents, or do you want to smell like a contemporary blend of fruity and aquatic notes? Choose your masculine scale first.
2. Age ranges always matter when it comes to cologne because you can’t smell like a teenager sneaking a peak in the girl’s shower room if you’re an executive attending a board meeting. Choose a cologne based on what smells good for mature or young guys.
3. Now, you’ll want to consider the notes of each cologne. Maybe you love the refreshing smell of citrus accents. Determine what type of scents you love, and look at your notes and accords on each cologne to choose your favorite of the narrowed options.
4. Finally, you’ll choose the forwarding spin velocity of your sensual pitch. How long would you like to smell the way you do? Don’t be too deterred by spins with only a single score because I’ll show you how to increase it soon. It’s simply a fun way to choose one.

Bonus: You can also consider the pitch attitude, which is the personality each cologne expresses.

Best Ways to Use Curve Cologne for a Stronger Pitch

Curve colognes aren’t known to last too long if you’re not extending their life. Some of these colognes smell amazing, but the longevity can be disappointing. Again, Eau de Cologne doesn’t last long on the skin because it has a lower oil concentration percentage.

Fear not; you can still make the Curve colognes last much longer by using the layering technique. Layering cologne with other products can help it stick to your skin for longer, and some products can enhance the intensity of your fragrance.

Layering is about using a product on your skin before spraying cologne over it. Allow the first layer to dry for two minutes before adding your cologne. Moist skin is more likely to maintain a scent than dry skin. Either use unscented moisturizers or try these:

• Caswell-Massey Sandalwood lotion works with any cologne that has sandalwood in the base notes
• C.O. Bigalow Bergamot hand lotion works well on your pulse points before spraying cologne with the same note
• Vanilla Bean moisturizing lotion is an excellent way to layer colognes to enhance the subtle sweetness of Tonka bean or vanilla
• Avalon Organics lotion layers perfectly with aromatic, lavender, and violet notes
• Lather Bamboo moisturizer is fantastic for layering the exotic bamboo note

Matching your layering products is also simple if you use Liz Claiborne’s dedicated options. Each Curve cologne has deodorant sticks or deodorants you can apply.

• The Curve Crush deodorant or deodorant stick can bring back the smell when it fades
• The Curve Chill deodorant stick can keep sweat at bay while enhancing the smell
• The Curve Sports deodorant works well with the cologne of the same name
• The Curve Black deodorant can make you smell even more beastly
• The Curve Soul deodorant stick is another option

It’s all about matching similar smells, so you don’t confuse your nose. Don’t match mainly fruity moisturizers and deodorants with predominantly citrus foundations. Stick to one type of masculine scent and its complementary products.

Bonus Tip 1: Make your cologne stay longer by spraying it onto your hair. Your skin and pulse points are better than your clothes, but your hair secretly maintains the smell even longer.

Bonus Tip 2: Keep your cologne as fresh as the day you bought it by storing it in an organizer or away from sunlight and harmful environmental influencers.

Recommended Alternative Pitching

I’ve conveniently snuck two recommended alternatives under each cologne. They help you experience the smell, but they also offer a different fragrance if you’re not happy with Curve cologne. Every brand is as unique as fingerprints, but some brands have similarities:

• Diesel cologne has a range of fragrances for highly ambitious men who also want to express their masculinity (you get to choose your intensity or throttle)
• Michael Jordan cologne is about recreating how modern men smell, especially the active ones (and as a bonus, it’s also about sport, being inspired by the basketball legend)
• Jean-Paul Gaultier cologne offers a wide range of fragrances that target specific types of men and their personalities, ranging from contemporary to traditional.

FAQs

Curve Cologne Guide: Final Pitch

Imagine yourself pitching the delivery of the century while thousands watch you, cheer you on, and wait with bated breath. Now, imagine doing the same thing with a designer cologne from a famous brand. The crowd will roar as you’ve never heard before.

You don’t need to be a sportsman to enjoy Curve colognes because they target fun and exciting men from all types of masculine backgrounds. You can be traditionally male, or you can join the contemporary movement. Heck, Curve Black is my favorite because it’s so beastly.

Curve cologne falls short in longevity, making the pitch feel harder, but you can always use the tricks I taught you to enhance your scent and make it last longer. All that truly matters is that you choose one to try before someone else steals your limelight.

The Curve range is intended to help men from all backgrounds pursue and achieve who and what they want, so why would you wait any longer? Get yours today and reach those milestones you set at work, in your social life, and on the move.

Read more about incredible colognes:

• Coach Cologne Guide: Which Is The Perfect Scent For You?
• Most Expensive Cologne Guide: All The Worthy Picks 
• Mercedes Benz Cologne Guide: Which Model is Yours?
• Best Curve Perfume Guide: How Much Curve Do You Have?