Police — To Be
Essence
To Be is the 2011 fragrance that established Police’s skull-bottle identity. It is a low-cost masculine EDT built from grapefruit, pepper, violet leaf and sweet amber: easygoing, youthful and more notable for its blue glass skull than for unusual composition.
Scent Profile
The opening combines grapefruit with a sweet berry-like freshness and a sharp synthetic pepper. The first minutes can feel harsh before violet leaf adds a greener, lightly floral aspect. That violet leaf is the small detail that gives the scent more personality than a generic citrus splash. Amber, Virginia cedar and patchouli provide the base. The fragrance stays largely linear after the opening, reading sweet-fresh and mildly spicy rather than truly woody, aquatic or dark. It can suggest clean soapiness and modern blue-style amber on skin.
Performance
For its price, longevity is often a positive surprise. The scent commonly projects moderately at first and stays present for much of the day, although results vary by skin. It can feel cloying in humid heat, so a moderate application is wiser than overspraying.
Wearing Context
To Be works as a casual everyday fragrance for younger wearers, after-gym use, daytime errands and easy nights out. It is masculine-leaning but uncomplicated enough for anyone who enjoys sweet grapefruit and pepper. Its uncomplicated style is less suited to formal occasions.
Comparisons & DNA
Paco Rabanne 1 Million and Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male are the most useful references for the sweet, fresh-spicy designer direction. To Be is lighter, more grapefruit-forward and less powerful than either. Nautica Blue and Joop! Jump offer similarly accessible fresh parallels, while YSL La Nuit de l’Homme points to the smoother designer-date-night side that this fragrance only lightly touches.
Reception
The consensus is simple: good value, little risk and limited originality. Supporters find it pleasant, versatile and compliment-friendly; detractors hear synthetic sweetness and generic blue-cologne styling. The skull bottle attracts collectors and puts off people who prefer understated packaging.
Versions & Reformulation
The original 2011 masculine EDT has been sold in 40 ml, 75 ml and 125 ml formats. Its extensive To Be family consists of separate flankers rather than versions of this exact formula.
Acquisition Notes
This is a low-cost EDT widely found through normal fragrance retail. The large bottle is practical for casual use. Remove the small protective clip around the sprayer before the first spray.
Notable Facts & Lore
- The skull bottle became Police’s defining fragrance design.
- The name is a modern riff on Hamlet’s famous line.
- The 2011 original began a long series of crowned and decorated skull flankers.