Artisan by John Varvatos

I opened my November Birchbox to find a men's cologne sample. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little perturbed. The theme for the month was "Give" and the idea was to give this little sample to a special man in your life. (I hope you're reading that in a bratty voice.) I figured I could pass it off to my dad or one of my brothers, but boys just don't get it, you know?

To a girl, a perfume sample is a little slice of heaven. It's excitement, adventure, the opportunity to try something new without the commitment of a whole bottle. To a boy though, it's just a shrunken vile of scented water. Guys just don't appreciate stuff like that and removing the miniature cap is often more trouble than it's worth (I tend to agree to some extent, those caps are a royal bee.) 

I decided to smell it before giving it away though, and I instantly fell in love with the refreshingly clean, citrusy scent. I dabbed on just a little (feeling 1 part rebellious and 1 part transgendered) but my mom and sister both confirmed that it smelled really wonderful. I will admit it is masculine, but in a sexy, irreverant kind of way. Nothing like my high school days when pubescent boys doused themselves in Axe to mask the stench of their post-PE sweat.

I've never been a fan of overly sweet perfumes, and I certainly believe less is more when it comes to the fragrance department. That's why I really love Artisan by John Varvatos.   

So dish. What do you think of women wearing men's fragrances? What do you wear? My everyday is Twirl by Kate Spade, but I'm really tempted to mix it up with Artisan.