Your Favorite Cologne For Men

Woodhue for Men... oldie but goodie.

L'homme by Yves Saint Laurent

Eight & Bob

Armani Code for Men.

Chanel Allure Homme.

Quorum

Somers from Lili Bermuda

Aramis 900

JHL

Only old people wear cologne these days. And you always wear too much.

If you must, always wear a real scent, like r2 suggests. Most American scents are artificial and end up smelling like bug spray a half hour later.

Calvin Klein Escape or Eternity.

Duck Butter. Oh the smell of it!

Paco Rabanne One Million

You can't just say Creed OP. Creed is a Paris based parfumerie that was established before the United States had a constitution. They have about 70 fragrances. Having said that, Creed's Aventus is probably the best cologne out there for men. At around $450 - bottle, it better be. I wear it and it is truly the only thing I have worn that has stopped people in their tracks and they are compelled to comment on it. I must say it is moslty women who respond to it. I was sitting on a flight cross country and this woman,at the end, told me she insisted on sitting next to me and. It trade places with her husband who was seated in front of her because I smelled so good. She made. E right down the name of the cologne so I could by it for her. It's more a light summer scent and a little bit goes a long way.

Winter time I like Tom Ford Oud Wood or Aqua di Parma Oud.

They sell Creed at Walmart.com. I was surprised. Walmart.com sells a lot of high end stuff they don't sell in their stores

Maybe R13 should use WalMART where you can but a 4 oz bottle of CREED' Aventus for $ 299. and save yourself $ 150. 00

Aramis

Creed is only $285 at Amazon.

The other colognes R13 mentions are also about $250/bottle.

Either R13 is full of crappola, or the poor dear has nothing better to do with $250.

There's a lot of fake Creed sold, including third party sellers at Walmart and Amazon.

Yes anyone who thinks they are getting the real thing for $250 a bottle is dillusional.

Terre by Hermes with is about $150 is really good as well.

I like the new Polo Blue.

Eau de Nutsack

It's very easy to buy Creeds at a discount, I've got a dozen or so, most of the discontinued (best) ones, a few from the Creed boutique, but there's no sense paying twice as much, Fragrancenet and other gray market online retailers have it at a steep discount, and no, it's not fake, Ebay can be a crapshoot, as that is where fakes show up. Great scents, but their history is entirely made up, they were tailors in the 18th century, there is zero evidence of any perfume created by them before 1970.

Egoiste Platinum by Chanel. Very woody with hints of tobacco and vanilla.

Also Joop! and CK Obsession for men

Obsession

Creed Green Irish Tweed, Terre d'Hermes, Tom Ford Grey Vetiver. These are my favourites lately, they are great because you can get away with them anywhere. Just a light spritz and you smell great without it being overpowering. I also have a couple of Prada's that I like.

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver for every day at work, JPG Le Male if I'm going out. Creed Bois du Portugal if I've got a meeting at work. In summer I'll wear something like Tom Ford For Men or Dune pour Homme (it's a bit of a strange one - very nineties in the combination of scents, but, yeah, a definite favourite). Never believed the whole "wear this and only this" school of thought behind "signature scents".

Saint Laurent's Kouros is a classic. The original version in the white bottle.

YSL used to make M7 which I love. I've got an nearly full bottle and an unopened box still in the cellophane. I'm tempted to sell the unopened one as it's like $400 on Amazon now.

What's this obnoxiously expensive Creed stuff? I've never heard of it before!

MUGLER Angel

Only the best when the gentleman calls.

Several:

Egoiste (Chanel)

Tabac Blond (Caron)

Bois de Portugal (Creed)

Chamade pour Homme (Guerlain)

Jicky (Guerlain)

Patou pour Homme (Patou)

Royal Bain de Champagne (Caron)

Habanita (Molinard)

this winter:

jicky

amouage epic

lalique encre noire

grey flannel - huge new bottle, dirt cheap, douse myself with it, resit puking for 1/2 hour, then smells fab 2-4 hours later

serge lumens ambre sultan

versace homme

quorum - guilty pleasure that smells like shit and I don't wear out of the house

a bottle of caswell-massey persian leather I bought in the 80's and refound recently. i'm slathering it on liberally and will finish it this winter and say good bye forever

nicolas de barry Louis XV

*lutens

Wow! R31! Very nice range. I used to love Grey Flannel, until I had a disastrous, drunken hookup with a guy bathed in the stuff a long time ago. Smell is the most 'memoristic' of senses, right?

R28 - Creed is a French perfume house that was originally founded in London (as a tailor) in 1760, but they became "publicly known" when they released Irish Green Tweed in 1985. The thing is with their fragrances is that they're still made using traditional methods, use mostly-real ingredients and only use the high-end synthetics when they have to - you can tell the difference between a Creed fragrance using ambergris and a cheaper brand using synthetic ambergris. Ambergris is used in a fair few of their fragrances and real ambergris is fucking expensive. I did a quick search on Google to find out the cost - someone in the UK recently sold a 2.4 lb (1.1 kg) for £11,000.

Here's the fun fact about ambergris - its whale vomit. No word of a lie - it's formed in the bile duct of sperm whales. When first formed (ew), it's not that attractive, but as it ages, it starts to develop a really lovely aroma.

Anyway - Creed use ambergris and other ingredients that, whilst somewhat easier to come by as a synthetic, when combined create complex and often beautiful fragrances. Take, for example, Bois du Portugal. It's a typical Creed fragrance: the top note is bergamot, with lavender, and then a middle note of cedarwood, and finally sandalwood, Vetiver and ambergris basenotes. Most, if not all, of those ingredients are natural or an extremely fine synthetic. Then go for something cheaper - let's say David Beckham Beyond (Beyond what? Beard-dom?) It has more ingredients - top notes are grapefruit, mojito accord, cardamom, mid-notes are black pepper, cedarwood and geranium. Base notes are patchouli, vanilla and leather. And guaranteed the cedarwood used in the Beyond is nothing as good as the one in the BdP - but the Beyond is, what, US$31? The Creed is US$325.

My favorite 2 were discontinued.

Kenneth Cole Signature: would never fail to elicit an appreciative comment or two, usually from females.

Lancome: Miracle. Light, airy and distinctive. Another fragrance that I received plenty of compliments on.

I like the smell of my dog's feet.

I love

Grapefruit by Jo Malone

Wood Sage and Sea Salt by Jo Malone

Aventus by Creed

Prada Its the 2nd one that came out in 2007 or so- It has Benzon in it. It smells like the most wonderful soap you would use in the shower. It seems to have no wood type fragrance in it yet it smells like a man. I cannot explain it.

I think Pi is sickly sweet, like cotton candy. Not great for a man.

I like Aventus, Coolwater (yes very 90s), and Marc Jacobs Bang!

I love the reviewers on these Fragrance sites. Aventus is so interesting because every "batch" smells different. They literally hunt down certain batches. MY batch is known for smelling like roasted pineapple- and I agree. It is the longest lasting cologne I have ever worn. Ever. And it smells better as it drys down. It is almost edible.

I prefer the subtlety of Jo Malone fragrances.

I also wear a women's cologne. Bottega Veneta,their first fragrance. It still shocks me that it is a woman's cologne. It is warm and sexy. A little bit of leather in it in a nod to their leather making heritage. Highly recommend this. I have never smelled anything like it.

I know it's obnoxiously strong but I like blue de Chanel

Bleu

Gentlemen by Givenchy

R39, Actually, there are many supposedly 'female' scents that really work as unisex because they containt 'leather' or 'tobacco' notes. Women didn't smoke in public, in polite society, until after WWI, and the fragrances crafted for women had to adapt to that change. Chanel's Cuir de Russie goes back to 1924, Piguet's Bandit to 1944, but I think there were other cuir (leather) scents for women even before then (see also R31's Persian Leather, which I believe is now discontinued).

Terre by Hermes. The most versatile and non-seasonal fragrance I've experienced. I used to like the clean and fresh scent of Gendarme but I've outgrown it as an eldergay.

The smell of my jism oozing out of his twitching dickhole.

But enough about your son, R45 - whats your favourite aftershave?

I'm enjoying reading these comments. More! 👍

I found Terre to be violently jarring to me. I bought a small sample and wore it to work and had to leave during lunch hour to go home and shower it off. Yet I smelled it on someone in passing the other day and it was wonderful, so i guess it depends on the person's chemistry.

I haven't found anything I like as much as Bang! from Marc Jacobs, I love how it smells so peppery. People told me Terre had that same pepper note, but I wasn't getting it. Instead I got bittter citrus.

Royall Rugby

Royall Bay Rum

Issy Miyake pour homme

I love Truth from Calvin Klein. Reminds me of a former coworker I used to fool around with in his office.

Don't laugh....

CK1

Wear it everyday to work.

When I'm going out...

Favorite women's...

Dior's Poison

Le Male by Gaultier

Don't laugh....

CK1

Wear it everyday to work.

When I'm going out...

Le Male by Gaultier

Favorite women's...

Dior's Poison

There is a guy at my work that wears cologne and stinks up the entire area.

Carrington.

Everyone on this thread is "that guy" to someone else, R54.

Brook's Brother Sandalwood.

Paco Rabanne

Tom Ford - Neroli Portofino

I've always loved Calvin Klein fragrances because he was the first big name designer to go not only unisex, but just...light and beachy. A much subtler approach to scent.

Having said that, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Grey Flannel because it was my long-gone gay brother's cologne, and because their ads featured a model who was so fucking gorgeous he'll be emblazoned in my memory forever. Try as I might, I can't find a pic of that ad anywhere.

About those guys who wear too much cologne: I wasn't allowed to wear anything growing up, and never tried any cologne until I became a little disco bunny in the late 70s, early 80s, and the clubs were saturated with all kinds of overpowering colognes. So I've always been very conscious of how much I apply: an Elder gay at the time told me that a fragrance should only be perceptible to the person you're actually having a conversation with. He taught me a little trick: to spay just one spritz on a pocket handerchief (or a folded Kleenex, and wear that in your shirt pocket). One of my favorite scenes is Mouchoir de Monsieur be Guerlain, which translates to 'gentleman's handerchief'. I very rarely wore any cologne when I worked in an office: I wear more now that I work from home, since I only need to think about pleasing myself.

R52, R59, I think CK One is really a wonderful scent: very different so many of the other scents I usually favor. The great 'nose' Luca Turin wrote a wonderful appreciation for it a number of years ago.

^scents not scenes. Sorry.

Thank you for that link, R60. Holy fuck that woman knows perfume.

A former colleague of mine wore Antaeus by Chanel. Gorgeous smelling, bloody hard to find.

OH SNAP R15!!!

I just ordered Vetiver by Guerlain, does anyone have this?

Yes R18 & R19 I'm sure Walmart is selling counterfeit perfume (said sarcastically!)

Just stop your snobby bitchery. Something isn't better because you're stupid enough to pay more for it. In fact the opposite is true.

You remind me of an ex friend who, given the choice between buying it at half off at Walmart,would choose to pay twice as much at Bergdorf Goodman.

I hate pretentious snobs.

If you think Walmart is selling Creed without a licensing agreement then you are also stupid.

R65, Yes, but I want to point out that it has been reformulated at least once, if not more often.

R67, again. Sorry, I was going to add that I love it, but it may take a few tries before it 'comes alive'. My first spray (the 2000 reformulation) left me very unimpressed. It took several other tries before all the notes exposed themselves. A friend of mine tried it, claimed it was 'green swamp gunk', and left it at that. Vetiver itself is a tall-growing tropical grass, usually grown in India, and used for reed blinds, since it adds a grassy scent to the surroundings. The 'House of Guerlain' is famous for its 'Guerlinade', which is also its 'House Note', which includes a note of Tonka Bean. Probably artificial now, like almost everything. But the basic component of Tonka Bean is coumarin (yes the Rx blood-thinner) which is usually described as 'new-mown hay". It wasn't until about the fourth try that my nose recognized that note, and it brought back childhood trips to the amusement park, returning home after dark, with all the white and yellow clover (which release that 'new-mown hay' scent) on either side of the highway. I also managed to find a bottle of the earlier formulation on eBay, which I like, but it doesn't have the citrus notes that first alert the nose on the newer version. Either way, I think you bought a great scent, but many scents take a couple of tries before you should really decide if they're worth your attention, or not.

My favorite cologne for men?

SOAP.

Christian Dior - Eau Sauvage

I may as well out myself now.

R71.

I like your floors and the mirror in the hallway.

Just realized that Luca Turin is a man. Not that it matters. I stand by my original post.

R62, I knew that, and I was too embarrassed to try to correct, since I, myself, get embarrassed when I'm corrected. But I appreciate your candor. I may even crush on you for being a good guy. Perfumes and colognes are man-made scents, which makes them a sort of art. So they deserve to be judged by people who can capture their qualities and really describe them, like any other kind of art history. Luca Turin's reviews of different scents have educated me and help me see (and smell) more than I once did, and all people should aspire to learn more.

R71, the floors are original (1926) and I had them sanded and refinished a couple of years back. Oak, with a walnut border in a French Knot pattern in the living room and dining room. The mirror in the hallway came from my grandmother, through my great-aunt. The bookcase is walnut, bought at an antique mall about a year ago, with this weird modular shelving system that I've never seen before. The fragrances themselves are arranged my 'House' and then by 'country' or 'origin'. Chanel, Guerlain and Caron get their own shelves, but Yves St Laurent has to share a shelf with other French perfumes.

Not that it's a man's fragrance, but does anybody else worship Fracas?

Thanks R67, great collection and cabinet R71.

Why do they feel the need to reformulate classic scents at all?

Doesn't it go back to that age old saying: if it ain't broke, don't fix it?

No love for Valentino Uomo?

And, though it may be cheap, there will always be a place in my heart for good old Canoe -- which was worn by my first love in college. I would go to drugstores and put some on my hand to smell all day. And combined with sweat, even better. I don't wear it anymore but it still makes me smile when I smell it from the bottle.

R75, Yes, Fracas is an exceptional scent. Overbearing tuberose, and no shame in being ostentatious and bold. Germaine Cellier was the 'nose' who created Fracas, but she also created 'Bandit' (she was a Lesbian who supposedly was inspired by the used panties of her cigarette-smoking model friends), as well ' Jolie Madam' (a combination of leather and violets, just beautiful).

R76, Thank you. I'm both R67 and R71. I've posted on other threads about fragrances, and know there are several other posters who enjoy sharing their scent memories with others.

r79, You made my heart flicker a bit. I don't know Valentino Uomo. But 'Canoe'. Yes, my dreams of an 'old-money' Adirondak youth which, of course, didn't happen in my life. But 'Canoe' had me aspire to that idea. Some of those old scents (yes, even 'Old Spice;) were constructed in a way that they would still be okay on a sweaty guy after several hours of wear.

My husband wears Anteaus by Chanel not too much and smells amazing. He buys it in Europe

R77 Most times they are restricted from using an ingredient or they create a synthetic version of it. Some countries ban certain ingredients in the product so they reformulate it. They also reformulate to use the famous name but appeal to a modern consumer preferences.

Febreze bacon grease.

[quote] Why do they feel the need to reformulate classic scents at all?

Doesn't it go back to that age old saying: if it ain't broke, don't fix it? [quote]

I totally agree, but, at the same time, some of the ingredients used in classic perfumes are no longer available or even legal. Musk deer are now an endangered animal. On the other hand, 'oakmoss' is supposedly banned, but it's a not uncommon form of lichen found in many parts of Europe. It can apparently produce an allergic reaction or a phytophototherapeautic reaction in some rare individuals.

Polo... I know. Christopher bathed in it. He was my first love,.To this day I get an erection when I smell it.

[quote]I may as well out myself now.

Don't be sheepish about your collection R71....when I had my house built I included in the design a 12 X 11 auxiliary room adjacent to the kitchen to display my collection of embossed Franciscan Ware and numerous other vintage and new dishware patterns. I also had a small closet built to specifically house vases and urns with which I kind of have an obsession.

In the US I like English Leather. In the UK I like American Leather.

[quote]in the US I like English Leather. In the UK I like American Leather.

Contrarian!

This thread is why I still adore DL. Where oh where else can you find insights like this:

She was a Lesbian who supposedly was inspired by the used panties of her cigarette-smoking model friends...

I'm simply hugging it to my breast with glee.

I'm a rice queen.

R86, I wish I could kiss you on the cheek. i'd love it if you'd be the docent to your Franciscan ware and other dishware patterns to me. You'd have a student, for sure. My own Mom collected Wedgwood, and so do I, to lesser degree.

r91, not familiar with IMGUR, but you need to click on the link to see the other stuff (butterflies and moths).

r91 again. Since I'm apparently a doofus, if you click past the image being presented, there should be another image of butterflies and moths. (Feeling like the white trash I guess I must be).

R71 / R91

I think someone needs to start an entirely new thread or maybe resurrect an old one that relates entirely to dishware because I could post for hours!

Chanel Sycamore Creed Original Vetiver Creed Spice and Wood Lalique Encre Noir Hermes Gentian Blanche

As to reformulations, most reformulations now are due to IFRA regulations in Europe, different natural components sometimes can cause allergic reactions in some rare cases, so they've gone completely overboard, and banned a bunch of essential ingredients in some of the greatest perfumes. Oakmoss, which is the basis of all great chyphres (Eau Sauvage, Chanel pour Monsieur) has been restricted to practically nothing, which has forced some fragrances to be reformulated nearly out of existence, many are now just shadows of their former selves. Citrus oils are apparently next, which will cripple even more of the greats. It's ridiculous EU over-regulation. There is a booming business in vintage fragrances due to all the changes.

R71 Do you have Woodhue by any chance?

I go though phases. Right now it is Hesperides by Fresh and Bergomot something by Atelier

Every time I see the name Acqua di Parma, I think it's going to smell of cheese.

Real men don't wear perfume.

Has anyone tried Serge Lutens's Muscs Koublai Khan? I'm intrigued, but a lot of reviews say it smells like balls, BO, and/or ass.

I don't wear fragrance anymore. When I did though, I must of smelled horrible. I used something called Jade East for about 20 years (until the 90s). I used to get it at Thrifty's, Walgreen's...places like that. I also smoked cigarettes at the time. I thought the Jade East covered the smoke. It didn't.

R102, did she give it to you?

Colognes from the 70s and 80s used to be much more assertive, because everyone smoked then and the cologne had to go up over that base haze of smoke. Now they seem overpowering. I like something lighter like D&G Light Blue for summer especially.

An old one that has come back reintroduced at about 1/3 the price it was priced at in it's late 80s heyday is RED by Giorgio of Beverly Hills. It is pleasant and for a now cheap cologne, does not smell cheap.

I still love wearing Obsession, R24. No one knows what it is, anymore. I love Obsession Dark, too, and Euphoria Intense. There aren't many CK colognes I don't like, or have.

r97, No, and that's a real regret. I never had the chance to 'meet' Woodhue, and probably never will. There's been a thread kicking around about 'All About Eve' being shown on TCM, which shows that younger generations can be introduced to that classic piece of cinema. But what chance is there for younger generations, or even an Elder Gay like me, to be introduced to Woodhue? You can track it down on eBay and spend a fortune on it, only to discover the bottle you've bought has 'turned'. Yet Faberge should still own the original formulation, and should be able to reintroduce it if they felt there was a market for it. The idea that a work of art (something planned and designed by another person with an exact idea of the final product) should disappear forever is one of those things that's a real sadness to a sensitive person. The idea that a great painting could be burned, and only photos would remain, is a horrible thing to contemplate, but a comment about a forever-lost fragrance will generally bring a sneer or derisive comments to those of us who care.

Thierry Mugler cologne. It is pale geeen and smells like star fruit.

Also JPG cologne in the torso bottle.

r106 It is sad that we won't be able to smell those wonderful fragrances again. I'm glad I got to smell Woodhue and wear it once. At the time, I was told the cologne was hard to find, and I had no idea how old it was. I just figured it was from Europe.

"Impériale" by Guerlain "Extra Vieille" by Jean Marie Farina "4711" "Vétiver" by Carven (although a recent purchase was not only different, but unpleasant) "Vétiver" by Guerlain (I used to prefer Carven's but they seem to have changed their formula)

Something called "White Musk" or "White Amber" sold by street vendors in muslim garb. Doesn't work on me but I smelled it on a few black and Latin guys and had to ask them what it was. On them it was wonderful.

A good friend smells incredible in "Bulgari Pour Homme" ... unfortunately on me it gives me a headache.

Drakkar noir, Stetson, aqua velva

Jade East.

Euphoria CK is nice.

R86, I don't mean to detail here, but would you post a picture of your Franciscan ware? Let be your style, so beautiful....

Has anyone tried Yohji Homme by Yohji Yamamoto? I got a bottle when it first came out but it was discontinued so I use it sparingly. Apparently it was reintroduced but smells different I think that they had to remove some banned ingredients. It's made by Jean Patou. It's a beautiful fragrance I will miss it when mine runs out.

Kiehl's Original Musk smells great on men and women

GOD, this fucking typos!!!! "Love" not "let be"

Laugh if you must, but I've always found the scent of Brylcreem a total turn on. I put a good dab on one palm, rub palms together and slather onto my neck area and work it into my beard (which is kept trim). Smells so good I almost turn myself on. Lots of compliments too.

[quote]But enough about your son, [R45] - whats your favourite aftershave?

Wait, how did you know I was referring to my son? I didn't mention that's who I meant. Are you a psychic?

I find fragrance to be so invasive.

Example. On my morning commuter train there's an overweight Hispanic woman who apparently douses herself with several gallons of cheap perfume every morning, and that whole side of the train smells like there was a terrible accident in a candy store. Seriously, she sits at the south end of the car and all the seats around her are empty. Everyone is crowded into the north end. The poor saps who get on the train later have no choice but to sit in her miasma.

Why inflict that on others?

Creed is so expensive, does it have staying power? Or does it fade away after 30min like so many these days?

Last year, I received Doir's Savage as a xmas present and that cologne lasts all day. I like it.

For the summer, I like CK summer. It's light, like citrus.

I asked a guy at Saks perfume counter why Creed merited being so expensive (when other high end ones like Chanel and Prada aren't anywhere near that much) and he said it had something to do with the oil they use. Does that ring a bell with anyone else?

R121 Creed uses good quality ingredients, with plenty of synthetics, albeit good ones. Don't fall for their PR. They'll also produce a list of all the kings, queens and celebrities that wear their scents, there is little evidence for any of this, other than that they sent them a free bottle. They are good at marketing, and produce nice scents, but the quality is no better than Guerlain, Chanel or Dior. There are innumerable threads on Basenotes discussing Creed's phony history and ludicrous claims of only natural ingredients. I love a lot of their scents, but they have discontinued most of their better ones. R120 Many Creeds don't last well, a few do, but they are often below average in longevity, some shockingly short-lived.

Aventus is long lasting. Like all good fragrances it evolves as dries down, by the end of the day it's very special in a way I've never experienced with any other men's cologne. For that reason I bit the bullet and paid full retail for a bottle. I get compliments whenever I wear it. The salespeople at Saks are super aggressive though. They wouldn't give me a sample of another Creed fragrance until I signed up for their mailing list and gave them a phone number. They texted me once and I blocked them, haha.

This thread wouldn't be a true DL thread without a man presenting. (French Martial Arts Champ Samuel de Cubber for Yves St Laurent 'M7'.

Odin 01

Diptyque Tam Dao

Serge Lutens L'Incendiaire

What can you do? Too many years as an altar boy with all that bitter incense, I guess...

30 years ago or so there was a cologne called Jacomo. The scent was masculine, deep, and long lasting. I would only wear it in the winter months. I would consider it my signature cologne. There is nothing that comes close to it. I sure miss it.

One other from the past I liked was Oscar Dela Renta's. That was for a night out at the opera or symphony.

Of today's, I like Versace's Fraiche and Eros, and the new Polo Blue.

I also like something called "White Moss" from Acca Cappa. It's supposed to be unisex but I think it leans way feminine so I don't wear it that often.

[quote] When I did though, I must of smelled horrible.

Must HAVE, darling. You must have smelled horrible.

There is no such thing as "must of."

I've only worn one scent for years.

Because I want to smell like a B-movie star.

"30 years ago or so there was a cologne called Jacomo. I would consider it my signature cologne. There is nothing that comes close to it. I sure miss it."

It was actually called "Jacomo de Jacomo", and it is still available.

r130, First time I've laughed out loud since the election. Thanks!

I love that full frontal ad of Samuel de Cubber but it really derailed the M7 launch in the US. Conde Nast publications pulled it at the last minute. The hastily prepared replacement wasn't striking.

I love the scent and still wear it but it's odd. Every time I wear it, I have women approach me, saying how sexy it is. No men, sadly :(

What about a good musk scent? I love anything with sandalwood. Don't laugh, but I buy those little tiny bottles of musk oil at WF, the one I love us Amber Musk. It is SUCH a warm and soft smell, it smells like sex, it is positively dreamy..... but of course as it's so cheap I get maybe an hour before it's gone! What's the best musk scent? I also gravitate toward unisex scents....

Passion for Men.

I also like plain old patchouli, however I can't convince the people around me to like it. I've had people actually get mad at me for wearing it, saying they were getting a headache or it was burning their eyes. So I stopped wearing it. It's a shame people hate it, I love it after the initial harsh notes fade away.

R136, me too! It's a shame all the GenX's and above were so exposed to patchouli via Deadheads. It is a scent with a reputation if you will. It's kind of like Nag Champa.

R31- I love that you wear Jicky. I love it's story and have been meaning to try it out for a couple of years.

Meanwhile, I'm more basic: Chanel Allure Sport Chanel Allure Sport Extreme Polo Blue

Ugh, I didn't do the listing right, it's chanel allure sport extreme, and polo blue. not extreme polo blue, which doesn't exist.

r120, r121, Creed is known for taking an effort to source its ingredients carefully, and for an attention to quality. If you visit a good fragrance counter at a high-end retailer, be sure to ASK for a sample; most people aren't aware that they have a whole drawer full of tiny sample bottles, and will literally spray and fill a little sample bottle for you to test at home before purchasing (the reason wealthy people know how to stay wealthy: no impulse purchases). It was a very savvy, much older lady who alerted me to that practice, and the first time I was at my local Macy's and asked for sample, was actually shocked to see that the sales associate knew exactly what I was asking for, and I saw that whole drawer full of tiny glass bottles opened wide. If you can wear 'the juice' for a day or two, you'll know if it's worth your money.

One thing I love about many of the greatest scents (often from the early 20th century) is how they were inspired in different ways, by stories or poems. One of my favorite scents (yes, I know it's considered a lady's scent) is Guerlain's Vol de Nuit'. I'll add links to it's back-story, but also to its original bottle, with the airplane propellor motif that was the newest, best thing back in the 20s.

Guerlain’s Vol de Nuit (Night Flight) was (supposedly) inspired by the 1931 novel of the same name by aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I read Vol de Nuit and assume Guerlain loved its title and figured out a way to incorporate the story into Vol de Nuit’s advertising. Vol de Nuit, le parfum, in no way conjures up the sense of danger and high altitude excitement the novel depicts.

Vol de Nuit’s plot is simple, its resolution speedy. On an evening in Buenos Aires, the manager of southern South American airmail routes, Rivière, anxiously waits for the arrival of the airmail plane from Patagonia, but the airplane encounters a fierce storm, is thrown off course, runs out of fuel, and its pilot, Fabien, and a wireless operator onboard, die. Fabien’s wife, Simone, makes brief appearances in the novel — her fate is always to wait for her husband and hope he is safe.

Vol de Nuit

R130 That's incredible.

What's a good but not to expensive brand of cologne for men?

R145-

You cannot go wrong with CK One

And this scent linked I LOVE. It's unisex, not woman's as they would lead you to think..

R146 I like CK One but prefer CK Be. I like that it's a little subtler and puts more emphasis on lavender.

Jo Malone(grapefruit, blackberry and bay), YSL, Prada linea rossa and the original, Marc Jacobs (the original, rectangular btl), eau de Cartier.

Metropolis by Estee Lauder

Canoe by Dana

Bump

[quote]I also like plain old patchouli,

[quote] It is a scent with a reputation if you will.

It has a reputation alright......because it smells like FUNK.

R138, I was introduced to it by an old woman I met when I was at University of Geneva. She was a countess but looked like old Juliette Greco and she sat every late morning on the porch behind the rows of red geraniums at the Richemond hotel. A few months after I had met her, I realised there were too ancient tarts in Geneva who wore Jicky, the other an ox-like elderly streetwalker straight out of Genet, who would appear only very late at night on the shaded sidewalk outside a building filled with Israeli spies, right behind the University.

Pour Un Homme (Caron) ; Eau Noire (Dior) ; Polo (Ralph Lauren)

Does Pour Un Homme still hold up? So many don't.

(154) Sure ! in most of the beauty/perfume...shops in France.

I meant hold up as in does it still smell divoone?

R131, thank you so much for that link to perfume.com. They have Jacomo, and I did a search, they also have Oscar de la Renta pour lui. A question. Are these the real thing? Knock offs? At $16 a bottle it makes me wonder.

R156 I've got a current bottle of Pour un Homme (Caron) and a small bottle of vintage, they smell very close, it hasn't been ruined by reformulation, and it's still very reasonably priced.

Thanks. I haven't had it since I was a teen in the 80s. I saw it in a luxury department store in Bern Switzerland the other day and it wasn't cheap.

It's around $27 bucks for 4.2oz, all of Caron's masculines are fine fragrances, and good buys as well. Check fragrancenet.com a very reliable online retailer.

Insense by Givenchy, calamus by Comme des Garcons and Yerbamate

R151, what can I say? I never ever smell it where I live, so if I do, I enjoy as long as it's not strong. To each their own.

Aventus by Creed and Virgin Island Water, also by Creed. You hardcore collectors will laugh but I also love Curve! I know it contains totally synthetic notes but the dry down on me smells awesome. I also like some of the Joe Malone fragrances, especially the Oud.

[quote] Having said that, Creed's Aventus is probably the best cologne out there for men. At around $450 - bottle, it better be. I wear it

Well, SMELL YOU, Princess Grace!

Carrington for Men, of course. Krystle had it created especially for Blake. She thought it was as sexy as he was.

Can't believe no one has mentioned L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme by Issey Miyake! One of my earliest boyfriends, when I was in law school, was an extremely wealthy man in his early 40s and he introduced me to this amazing scent! I still wear it to this day nearly 20 years later...Every time I wear it, I think of him - too bad he turned out to be a pretentious snob but you live and you learn...

Any recommendations for something very light, with pear or citrus notes?

I can't wear anything musky, those colognes are horrible on me and give me headache.

[quote] I also like plain old patchouli, It is a scent with a reputation if you will.

It smells like Michfest!

I love Gaultier's Le Male, like many others, and Le Beau Male even more. Today I found a knockoff in a discount store that made me laugh, had the same glass torso only with washboard abs. Even a similar piece that keeps it from spraying unless it is removed like the original (which makes me wonder how knockoffs are profitable enough of a business to bother imitating not only the scent but the packaging). It is deep blue and kind of a gorgeous tribute of sorts -- for $3.99 , no less. And smells very much alike.

fyi, it's called Just Blue.

in case you don't believe me...

Prada Sport for men

We believe you, r170. We really, really believe you.

R167 I love citrus scents as well, you can search by fragrance note on fragrantica.com, should give you plenty of results for both citrus and pear. One of my favorites is Eau d'Hadrien by Annick Goutal, a beautiful herbal lemon scent.

I love L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme by Issey Miyake as well, so distinctive! not overpowering and very fresh.

No mention of Acqua di Gio?

I thought it was the most popular men's cologne.

Will I be ridiculed for saying I like Michael Kors for men?

If I will be ridiculed for saying I like Michael Kors for men, I will not say I like Michael Kors for men.

Hey, Michael Kors was fantastic as a judge on Project Runway - the life of the show.

They need to bring him back pronto!

"She looks like a bubblegum hooker disco waitress. I don't know whether I want to like your girl or run from her!"

- Typical Kors critique of a dress on Project Runway

"disco soccer ball"

Instead of trying to give lots of separate recommendations, I would recommend that, if you want to find a fragrance that you really like, and that likes your skin chemistry, to sample, sample, sample. If you have a nice department store with a good perfume counter, make small talk with the salesperson, and it they're good, tell them what you think you'd like, and see if they'll make samples for you: ask them what days they work, and if they fill little sample bottles, or add samples by spraying on little strips of paper, be sure you go back and buy at least one bottle at full retail from that same sales person. But, if you found two that you really like, order the second bottle on eBay or Amazon. You need to be sure your connections stay connected, while staying frugal. If you live somewhere where you lack that kind of access, some perfume purveyors offer sample programs. I'm adding a link to LuckyScent's sample ordering program: you get to try a bunch of great scents for less than the price of a full bottle at retail price. Also, don't forget that you can buy mini-bottles of some of the more popular scents at almost any Walgreens or CVS pharmacy. I really like CK One, but I've never made it through the little mini-bottle I bought at CVS.

And, when it comes to prices, I own several Creed fragrances, but have never paid full retail, ever. I've always managed to buy mine through word-of-mouth, visiting different fragrance discussion sites, when some retailer has announced that they're liquidating some of their inventory. I paid half price for my small-ish bottle of Bois du Portugal, but when it finally runs out, I'll just suck it up and accept that I'll end up paying full retail (the horror) because I'd never want to do without it.

One last thing, and I know it's been hinted at several times upthread: the reason you need to sample is because the same fragrance that smells wonderful on a friend or an acquaintance may not like your skin chemistry at all, and turn into something cheap and disgusting. That was why I first made an attempt to understand why everything I tried at the local department store smelled rank on me. Your skin chemistry can make a good scent really glow, but it can also cause an ugly chemical reaction, and you'll never know until you try a few drops on a pulse point (usually your wrist).

From the link I added, I love Knize Ten (Leather from Vienna) and Parfums de Nicolai - New York.

SAMOURAI BY ALAIN DELON is a dimestore fragrance that smells terrific and expensive on my skin. Also Zino.

Love Delon, is an icon to me so would love to find the cologne -- but not easy to find in States, right? Where did you get yours (or are you overseas)?

I buy Samourai in a Swiss german crap store. On my 3rd bottle in 3 years. I'm told it sells well in Japan for top yen.

4711 Echt Kolnisch Wasser

Basenotes has a fragrance splits board where you can purchase 10-20+ ml splits decanted from a 100 ml bottle. Expensive Creed scents are particularly popular purchases.

Nautica Voyage is a light scent that's long lasting yet fresh and masculine.

Thanks, R183, found one on ebay at a good price. Might be fake but sure I'll go for it anyway. He has several perfumes under his name as well.

[quote]Real men don't wear perfume.

Nonsense. Affected gay men who want to project a hyper masculine persona to heal the scars from a wounded sexual identity.

I adore Nacreous Layers of Perma-Cum.

I started a cologne thread here a few years ago and everyone was all like " nobody wears cologne anymore." They also said something like no one in Hells kitchen would be caught dead wearing it.

R190, One of the things I've been taught is that any luxury from a prior generation will become a commonplace for the middle-class, only to be discarded or monetized so that we no longer notice its novelty, or distinction. The really great fragances were luxury items. They became increasingly cheaper and more common until the relative shit-storm of over-the-top fragrances from the 70s and 80s. Now, there are 'luxe' brands hoping to regenerate interest in fragrances, and some of the very old fragrance houses still hold on.

Unforgivable by Sean Jean was the first cologne I ever wore to my first club date. Saved up my allowance to buy my first bottle. Oh the memories.

I am obsessed with fragrance these days, studying the notes, etc. But women's perfume as much as men's cologne, which mostly always smells of lime (obvious exceptions like Le Male aside). Gaultier's female Classique smells great on men too.

R193, I think I could talk to you forever. Some of the greatest women's perfumes are real works of art, that need to be explored, not just 'sampled'.

Start a thread and I will happily chime in. I find them works of art from the bottle to the notes. What's your favorite? I lean towards Cartier Baiser Vole Essence with the amazing Bourbon Vanilla in it. And a lot of JPG and Chanel too.

(I confess to gong into Ultas and spraying testers like mad. I try not to think about what I smell like with so many mixed together, though I always think I smell amazing. They fade fast anyway).

R190- that's because much of hell's kitchen is still caught up in the pnp scene, where they prefer natural body scents and even funk sometimes. That scene's preferences started to permeate the regular online hook up scene, and suddenly NOBODY wanted to be caught dead wearing an "offensive" fragrance, especially not if hooking up. That has started to change, especially with the decline of the number of pnp people in the city.

R193- what are some of your faves for women? I've never tried Jicky, but I'm obsessed with reading about it. Can't say that I think I'll actually like it due to many people describing a "fecal note", but it doesn't happen with everyone's chemistry. Anyway Jicky is supposed to be unisex, even though it's marketed currently towards women. I do love other women's Guerlain fragrances, especially Shalimar, which my mother wore. Can you believe that there are actually many in the fragrance world who say that a man CAN wear Shalimar. I'm completely intrigued by the fragrance- snob world currently. They seem to be their own breed.

I'm not R193, but I'll answer about Jicky. There's civet in it, as in most of the great French perfumes, it's a little skanky, but it's subtle. Someone described it as "lavender creme-brulee" which is about right. I just bought a bottle of Mouchoir de Monsieur, which is Jicky's twin, with a little more lemon up front, and a little more civet in the base. The perfumed court, and surrender to chance are both websites which sell samples in varying sizes of most fragrances, it's worth getting a sample pack to try some of the classic Guerlians. Once you smell them you'll get a better handle on civet, and what it does in fragrances. Check out basenotes and fragrantica for discussion boards covering lots of things.

My favorite Shalimar and, yeah, I do wear it and, yeah, I'm a guy -- but I don't put much on, granted. It smells amazing though. The only time I could tell I had really overdosed on a perfume was when I sprayed some Jimmy Choo Flash on me right before going into a mixer and I could so tell it was too much -- or, at least, too soon, no time for it to dry down. But I am one who is making all perfumes unisex whether they are or not. Nobody seems to complain,m at least not out loud. And Prince always wore women's perfume, fyi (though HIS perfume, 3121, is just awful, sorry, Prince).

And R198 is right, fragrantica is a great site for this stuff, especially if you are in store and debating. Lots of good reviews, not much shilling if any.

Actually, this one, the L'eau, is the one I love.

R197, I'm a man who wears Shalimar. If I'm going out for the day, maybe, the very tiniest spritz from the current version. But I'd never wear the vintage version (the oldest I have is from the 60s) or the parfum d'extrait in public: too, too much. Shalimar is Jicky with a huge dose of vanilla. Vol de Nuit is Shalimar with the vanilla toned down, and the more bass notes emphasized. I've found that you really need to be honest with yourself and differentiate scents that are pleasing to the public, and what you'd really like to wear in private.

Holy fuck you guys. Get it together.

I've heard of men wearing Chanel No 5. I don't know how they get away with it though, it's a magnificent fragrance but it smells very floral to me. I bought their Pour Monseuir cologne and the top notes do smell a lot like No 5, but it dries into something less startling for a man's cologne. In fact, it's a heavy fragrance that actually makes me feel a bit ill after wearing it- like as if I'm getting a nauseous headache. It's on my shelf with the others, I just have such a hard time wearing these things.

R204, Never force yourself to wear something that doesn't feel natural or right to you, no matter how well reviewed it is. Over the years, I've learned to at least 'try' different scents, and wash them off (as much as possible) if I didn'l like them: the next day's shower would complete the task. For some of us, it means sticking to the very lightest, most ephemeral scents, and there's nothing wrong with that. I only wear the bigger, bolder scents (like Caron's Alpona parfum) when I'm at home on my own.

Bump

Egoiste by Chanel. Rich, deep scent: a little bit of vanilla and licorice. And the best cologne commercial ever.

Egoiste looks like yet another reformulation situation, based on reviews.

Not a cologne but Pinaud Clubman aftershave. It's a shame it fades so quickly.

R208, I honestly don't know if there's a difference: I have both the Eau de Cologne and the Eau de Toilette versions, but they're both older bottles, and I actually prefer the cologne to the EDT version.

R209, yes, I also like some of those old barbershop scents. I used to always keep Clubman and Lilac Vegetal on hand.

Caron Pour Une Homme is a must have if you love lavender. It's one of my all time favorite scents. PUH is fresh, sunny lavender paired with the vanilla/hay smell of tonka. A perfect balance of cool/clean with cozy. It has a friendly feeling and doesn't smell like a typical cologne. Totally unisex and very easy to love.

Jicky! I didn't expect to see so much love for it here...

Jicky is an interesting fragrance as it pairs an aromatic lavender bouquet with Guerlain's signature vanilla custard base and then adds a dangerous dose of civet to the mix. Unlike Caron's Pour Une Homme, which is a straight forward lavender/vanilla pairing, Jicky is much more complex and challenging .

First off, many modern noses find civet disgusting and ass like. For me, I get a burst of a weird fecal adjacent smell that burns off after a minute or so. What remains is hard to explain but smells wonderful. Another thing that puts some people off is the way the herbal (thyme, sage, rosemary) section contrasts with the creamy vanilla. Since we are used to experiencing these herbs in a savory context, putting them with something vanillic-sweet can be discordant to some people (and enlightening to others). Adding to the intricacy of the fragrance are touches leather, citrus, wood, and amber which for Jicky lovers create a rich texture and symphonic feeling... but if you don't like Jicky it comes across as confused and cacophonous.

I adore Jicky and consider a must smell for anyone who is interested in perfume but it's not for most beginners.

BTW, supposedly there is a reformulation coming that has a totally reworked civet accord that is not fecal at all.

I wore the original Égoïste for a while and loved it but hated the variations, like Platinum or whatever. My bf then was really young and not too sophisticated and told me I smelled like Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts when I wore it. He meant it as a compliment.

Polo

When I wore Égoïste it smelled like vanilla ice-cream with maraschino cherries eaten in a raw pine chalet in the winter. I have smelled it on a few people over the decades and it was always a thin handsome young man and it always smelled exactly like it did on me.

The thing about some of the older scents is that they remind me of certain people that are no longer around & I don't necessarily want to be constantly reminded. A friend who committed suicide used to use Obsession so anytime I smell it I can't help but to be reminded of him. Similarly a few years ago a group of us at work were being taken out to dinner by the company owner; we were all well dressed for the occasion. I was seated next to a young female co-worker and suddenly I started thinking of my grandmother. Took me a minute or two to figure out why; the girl was wearing the same perfume my grandmother did. My grandmother died 40 years ago. Never could stand that stuff. Youth Dew by ESTEE LAUDER. Dreadful. A real gagger & why a young woman would be using the shit is beyond me. Smells like a perfume for women born before 1927.

I WANT newer, supposedly "vulgar" fragrances (e.g., those produced by IFF for Unilever et al's licensors) that are wholly synthetic. "Truth" (Calvin Klein) is great, and it's all of $25 for a huge bottle from Amazon.com (sold by Amazon.com itself, so it's real, though it's hardly a target of fakes).

I'm creeped-out by those with animal ingredients (e.g., high-end, "authentic" fragrances from obscure "houses" that "those in the know" really "understand"). Animal ingredients just remind of animal testing and torture. Gross.

Do any of you dudes experiment with lady fragrances?

R218, Yes, I own plenty of them. But I'm very careful about what I wear in public. I love Guerlain's Vol de Nuit, but have never worn it outside the house. On the other hand, I've work Caron's Tabac Blond, and it always gets compliments, even though it has always been marketed to women.

Tom Ford - Oud Wood & Cafe Rose

For women -

Floris Malmaison

Serge Lutens Vitriol d'œillet

Davidoff Cool Water Sea Rose

Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds

Penhaligon Eau Sans Pareil

Cabotine original and special editions from Grès (dimestore prices)

_________

I wouldn't wear these out of the house with the exception of the carnations and Sans Pareil which should be sold as unisex anyway.

Do you all wear these colognes regularly?

I ask because I really don't know anyone other than some Latino guys who wears cologne. It was considered pretty ghetto/Jersey Shore when I was in high school/college and you'd mock guys who sprayed themselves with Axe.

Scented deodorant was about as close as we got.

Listen sweetie, some men do, some men don't. It was guido when I was going up, too, but then in the 80's and in suits, it was appropriate so I stuck to it since. I used to do it for others to smell, now just for me. Something sensual to day. I don't have the fabulous body and energy I had in my youth, I'm not a looker anymore. Just an invisible 50 yo who takes the little pleasures available since work is work.

As for over perfumed young men, with stinky cheap stuff or the lux stuff, if they look testosteroned and optimistic about life, I think its great. I love to pass them on the street especially if there is some male sweet funk mixed into their cologne.

So are you a man or a woman R223?

I've only had women call me "sweetie" and it's hard to tell from the rest of your post.

le sigh. man

And you, are you an aspie or a normal? It's hard to tell from the rest of your post.

K. Why do you call other dudes "sweetie"-- are you like role playing at being someone's grandma?

He wasn't using "sweetie" in an endearing way, grandma way, sweetie. He was talking down to you, which you deserve.

SO, on my quest to try Jicky the other day (I posted up thread about my curiosity about this classic), I went by Macy's and they didn't carry Jicky any longer (not a big enough seller I'm sure). They did point me to Bloomingdales, and assured me they'd have it, but I didn't feel like traveling East. I decided to be daring and give Shalimar a try, but as much as I love it on my mom, it's just not for me. Today I was right by a Sephora and decided to try another Tom Ford, I went with Noir, and holy crap: Noir IS a masculine, heavier Shalimar! Wow, that threw me, and excited me, so I skin tested it, but by the end of the day I decided NOT for me. Then after further research I decided to buy a 5ml decant of Habit Rouge (another legendary Guerlain). I'm determined to find just the right "Guerlainade" for me. I'll go sample Jicky soon and give my feedback on that. The more I read about it, the more frightened I get.

I'm a guy and I have always loved the smell of Shalimar. I bought a bottle a few years ago but it was eau de parfum and very strong. Occasionally I will walk through a spritz just to enjoy the scent, occasionally I will wear it to my b/f's place with just a touch of it behind my ball sack. I would never spray it directly on myself, I think I would smell like an old woman. Just a subtle touch gives the unique scent that I have not encountered in any other scent. I'm in my early 50's now and I mostly use scent for my own pleasure.

I also wear it mainly for myself, but of course I love getting compliments on a fragrance. I've only recently gotten back into wearing anything, it just hasn't been the thing to do in the gay world of NYC since around the late 90's. I would never wear a fragrance if I was going to hook up, I wear it mainly to work or around the house. That's a huge difference from the straight world: Women love men wearing a good fragrance, and the men completely factor that in, of course. I think it's an "every- age" thing for horny, straight men looking to get laid and especially being in the club scene.

"Scoundrel" by Joan Collins.

A dude talking down to another dude by calling him "sweetie"??

Makes no sense, R228

I'll never understand bottoms.

The only time you would need to "understand a BOTTOM" is when you're on top of him and figuring out how much dick to give him, and how hard and fast he can take it. Since you think that a certain level of femininity is what makes one a bottom, and that their manner of speaking is what gives them away as being bottoms, you have CLEARLY not been around the block much, and I HIGHLY doubt that you have any sort of prowess as a top. If you did, then you'd "understand".

I'm still loving the decant of Habit Rouge edt that I bought. Love it as a classic Guerlain fragrance, still not sure of it being very wearable in today's world with the big rose note though. Anyway, I love wearing it and smelling it, and will now try the edp. which is a reformulation with the addition of oud apparently. So it's going to be different, but rented are good. I'll try a decant first. Habit Rouge edt is very soft and not at all long lasting. I'm waiting for a vintage decant of Jicky to come, but it'll be another week, still dying to try it! Oh and my decant of Aventus just came today so I'm curious to see if it's worth all the hype.

Today a young Turkish man sat next to me on the train. He smelled like sumac, laundry soap, testosterone, youth and carnation.

I think you'll find Aventus worth the hype R235. I love it after the drydown, it's very unique. Sort of fruity, sort of like notes of patchouli. I like it less when first applied, I find it a little cloying.

R102 here. I did wear Jade East for a long time. In the late 80s - maybe early 90s, my cousin bought me a bottle of Caesars Man, from the casino gift shop at Caesars Palace in Vegas while we were checking out. I loved it and used it on & off for a long time. I looked it up online tonight...and it says it's 'out of stock'...but, offered up as the best match & 'in stock' is Jade East. I guess I had a type.

Also, In my medicine cabinet, I found an almost full bottle of Eau Sauvage by Dior. Not sure when or where I got it...surely it was a gift. I guess it's different than the current Sauvage?

R238 Sauvage is a new, typically generic, fragrance introduced by Dior in 2015. They still make Eau Sauvage c. 1966, which is a wonderful classic, but it has been reformulated due to IFRA restrictions, so it's not as good as it used to be. Hold on to your vintage bottle, as you can always sell it, as people are always looking for pre-reforumation bottles of classics, as long as they haven't gone off.

You can often find that Caesars Man at Ross stores dirt cheap. I have a bottle I have barely touched but your review made me want to go try it out again.

Are the colognes sold on line at the fragrance sites authentic? I ask because I recently saw a news report where authorities confiscated cases of fake scents that came from China. They looked like the real thing, and the boxes even had Paris printed. I'm more concerned about those colognes that are not sold in stores anymore, that were popular years ago.

R241 There are fakes out there of popular mass market mall scents, but no one is faking Habit Rouge, Eau Sauvage, or other classics. There are plenty of reliable online retailers. I've never had any problems with fragrancenet.com, or fragrancex.com, there are plenty of others too. Unless you're looking to buy the latest popular scent, you should not have to worry about fakes. There's no sense in paying full retail.

I remember seeing the egoist ad from Chanel on tv, I went out and bought it donkey years ago for my partner but he didn't like it.

I used to give cool water to my mates as bd gifts while in college

I find Aventus to contain a very heavy synthetic chemical (?aldehyde) scent, it stings my nose. I'm partial to more light unisex citrus (neroli, bergamot) and/or floral scents. Creed Royal Mayfair and Jardin d'Amalfi come to mind. Tom Ford Neroli Portofino and variants of the Portofino line, including the new Sole di Positano are great summer scents.

r243, I still have two old bottles of Egoiste, and I'm sorry your partner didn't like it. It's one of my favorite scents, ever, and the Jean Paul Goude commercial is one of the greatest commercials ever filmed. I just spritzed a bit of Egoiste EDC on to prepare for bed. Wonderful: a bit of vanilla and licorice.

Don Eduardo very hard to find

Los Angeles by Giorgio Monti also hard to find

I love my Florida water!

R242, thank you for your advice. I feel better about ordering some old favorites now.

I wear Creed Aventus and always get compliments, even from people who admit to not usually liking the smell of cologne. It's light and fresh, but it cost a bit more than I feel comfortable spending. I'm dreading the day it runs out because it almost costs $200 an ounce (and smelling good for co-workers and strangers is getting lame)

What's a good basic cologne that doesn't cost a fortune?

Gaultier "Le Male". Valentino "Uomo", Van Cleef and Arpels "Midnight in Paris" for starters, R250

r250, if you mean something that is generally liked by everyone, I'd go with Chanel Allure Homme Sport original or the eau Extreme version. Both are amazing and both are pretty safe bets. The non extreme version is probably the safest.

Estee Lauder....Pleasures for Men

[quote]Habit Rouge (another legendary Guerlain)

Worst smelling stuff I ever wore. I liked it so much the day I first tried it, but as it worked its way into my clothing, it became this thing I wanted to avoid.

This is the bottle I bought Habit Rouge in. Did they change the cologne as well as the bottle?

Oh, and I did finally get to try Jicky, but they only had the edt at Saks. I loved it, but it had no staying power on me whatsoever. It also started out as something amazing and then turned into something that wasn't worth bothering with. Still nice, but no projection, and the most interesting notes had disappeared. So then I moved on to getting decant of vintage and they're expensive as fuck. Finally, I tried the current pure parfum and LOVED IT, but it's $300 for an ounce. Now that's not going to last long at all. Bummed about it, but still have some left in my decant at least.

R255 that must have been some time ago because they discontinued the edc a long time ago. Yeah, habit rouge is DEFINITELY not for everyone or everywhere. It's pretty fussy, not sexy, and more for the "fragrance lover" who likes something different and is ok with a little feminine touch. Also, it's very old school smelling, but imo it's a masterpiece of men's fragrances of yesteryear.

It was 1979, R257. Someone at work complained about my Polo (green bottle original), so I bought a new cologne. It turned out everything gave her migraines, so I stopped wearing cologne altogether. I got a new job the following year, and went back to my old faithful, Eau Sauvage.

R255 I've never seen that Habit Rouge bottle, I believe it's probably a vintage bottle. You have the eau de cologne, a weaker concentration, which many people prefer, as it's got more citrus than the eau de toilette version. The eau de parfum version is heavier on the leather aspects. I've only smelled the EDT, which I own and love.

I remember wanting Eau Sauvage as a ten year old after reading My Preppy Handbook and wanting so bad to be a prep. I never smelled it until many years later and didn't care for it.

[quote]I remember wanting Eau Sauvage as a ten year old after reading My Preppy Handbook

I thought that said "My Puppy Handbook" on first look.

Geranium pour Monsieur , Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

R250, Caswell Massey has some nice colognes that aren't too pricey

If you are looking at drugstore stuff, I like Jovan Musk

Burberry "London" (the men's version) is a good safe bet too. One of the few that doesn't reek of lime and orange and pure alcohol.

(Get the Burberry at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross etc. $39.99 for 3.4 oz big bottle. But make sure it is the men's version in the brown box).

I agree, Chanel allure for men is nice. The Chanel bleu for men is nice too. My sister uses it, it's pretty unisex.

I have cologne from over 10 years ago, do they ever go off?

[quote]I found Terre to be violently jarring to me.

Mary!

You delicate little orchid!

I make my own cologne based on geranium. Tricky scent. My current fav I call Bavaria.

You answered your own question R119. She plays that carriage like a cheap fiddle.

[quote] I love anything with sandalwood. Don't laugh, but I buy those little tiny bottles of musk oil at WF, the one I love us Amber Musk. It is SUCH a warm and soft smell, it smells like sex, it is positively dreamy..... What's the best musk scent? I also gravitate toward unisex scents...

R134 I'm on the hunt for the same (I'm a lesbian, though). I want a basic, plain but high quality sandal/musk I can use as a base layer (to amp up some of my weaker niche scents) or on it's own, preferably a unisex scent with a sensual undertone that can go from day to night.

This may interest you; I sampled Floris' SANTAL recently and feel it's one of the best pure quality sandalwoods out there. It's pricey and on the snooty side (Floris are a 1900's English perfumery) but it really does smell like the louche and lazy side of those from Old Money and good breeding. I was sniffing at it all day, thinking of old stone houses and the blue-bloods that might inhabit them, what they get up to...

Other reviewers have called it bland and too 'tame' though, so it's not for everyone.

always liked Lauder for Men..and Gucci Envy.

R270 you could try getting an essential oil formulated into a spray to add punch to your colognes.

I wear afew, none of them consistently:

Terre d'Hermes

Bulgari for Men

Penhaligon English Fern

Penhaligon Endymion

I like the Terre d'Hermes best (which is very versatile), but the one I get the most compliments on is Bulgari for Men. I always wear the Bulgari when I want to get fucked.

Christian Dior: Eau Sauvage

I like Fahrenheit by Christian Dior. Nobody else?

Royal Oud by CREED

Silver Mountain Water by CREED

Aventus by CREED

Green Irish Tweed by CREED

Virgin Island Water by CREED

Original Vetiver by CREED

Millesime Imperial by CREED

Himalaya by CREED

Royal Water by CREED

Really........if you think about it..........pretty much anything produced in the last two hundred years......... by CREED

Creed used to be great before the waves of reformulations. Now its vastly overpriced, for whats in the bottle, which is no different than designer or mass market ingredients. Almost all luxury colognes (the step above designer colognes) are no longer worth the money. If they are gifts or if the wearer is rich, its a different story.

What about Bond? It's a nyc brand. They are also very expensive but I've never bought any.

I get compliments on Tom Ford's Black Violet, YSL's M7 and Dior's Fahrenheit Absolute.

But for some reason every time I put on the inexpensive Mambo for Men by Liz Claiborne, I feel like a Puerto Rican rent boy.

God is rich......

[quote]But for some reason every time I put on the inexpensive Mambo for Men by Liz Claiborne, I feel like a Puerto Rican rent boy.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

PRPR stood for "Paco Rabanne Puerto Riqueno" in the 1970s. Worst smelling cologne that wasn't Brut.

FF r119 The I guess only fat Latina fraus where too much perfume.

FF r292. Stupid. Dumb. Moron. Asshole.

Says the stupid, dumb, moronic A-hole. ^^^

People that wear fragrances are low class.

R295, not true. There are tons of high end fragrances that "low class" people can't even afford

In this clip, Sense8's Miguel Angel Silvestre says he likes doing love scenes with Alfonso Herrera because he smells great. Alfonso says he wears "M9". Anyone know what that is?

Sounds like a rib, R297.

r298, Miguel first asks if it is M7, and Alfonso says, no M9. I see Yves Saint Laurent has an M7, and I see references for Le Nuit de l'Homme as also being known as M9. But I'm not sure. I bought Nuit de l'Homme because of that clip and it's not so great.

R295 is correct.

R296, if you think all colognes smell better as you climb the price ladder, you're the one who lacks class or, at least, sophistication. I know a guy who defends smelling like a Yankee Candle by asking "Do you KNOW what this COST?" My answer is "Do you KNOW what you SMELL like?" Admittedly, those who wear Axe smell like ass, but it doesn't always smell better at the top.

I have taken to not wearing cologne, like R295. It annoys people and gives some headaches. Not much of an advantage, stinking up a room.

[quote]Having said that, Creed's Aventus is probably the best cologne out there for men. At around $450 - bottle, it better be. I wear it

The progression of ideas here is pretty hilarious.

[quote] I adore Nacreous Layers of Perma-Cum.

Steven Carrington had it specially created for Ted Dinard.

He thought it was as sexy as he was.

It seems like every thread about scents turns into an an awkward argument about Creed offerings. I have several, and there are many I wouldn't be without. But the idea that they're fundamentally superior because they're expensive is the whole issue with them. I love Bois de Portugal and Baie de Genievre from Creed. But most of their other scents don't make it to my Top Ten. Free your mind!

(Legally) I got my hands on a bunch of Testim testosterone gel. It has a strong fragrance, a cross between cedar and the old Tide scent. I mix 3 tubes with 4 oz of vodka in a spray bottle. Probably it's mostly the pheromone effect of the testosterone, but people are always complimenting my smell.

I'd like to smell r304.

My mother keeps giving my poor father every ugly ck there is (especially 'one', 'sport' & 'street') and they are all foul-smelling. The man's in his 60s and from a financier's background, so why she thinks this appropriate is beyond me. I have tactfully suggested she give him a Polo or a Trumper or even a Creed as it will be more fitting but she is insistent on these revolting chainstore frags for Frat-boys. I don't get it.

He's not at all interested in fashion or grooming and wears what she asks him to as a way to keep the peace, so I doubt he cares, but it bothers me intensely. I know, I know, 'Mary'.......

Czech & Speake 88.

YSL Le Nuit de l'Homme is consistently a highly ranked scent for WOMEN to drop their panties.

YouTube it.

Shocking.

Love M7...

R300, you are the one who lacks class. I didn't say more expensive perfumes were necessarily better, I just said that "low class" people can't afford them. Bringing up Yankee Candle is stupid, those cost maybe $25 bucks, the most expensive perfumes cost hundreds of dollars a ounce. Cologne or perfume won't fill up a room unless you are wearing way too much of it

I just recently bought some oil-based knockoffs of the Creed men's colognes on amazon to see if I even like the knock-offs of them before I try buying the real thing. (I always find this a good idea with expensive cologne if you can;t easily get a tester to spritz yourself with)

I'm not too fond of the Bois du Portugal--just not my personality at all. I tried the Aventus and all the women in my office went crazy over it. I also got Green Irish Tweed and Silver Mountain Water.

A fragrance reminiscent of a steam room.....John Travolta will love this

R310 I was once advised by a fragrance buff I know & trust not to 'blind-buy' any full bottle without sampling first, and not to buy a full flanker at all until I had sampled around 200 scents.

I'm currently at around the 50-scent mark and it's so hard to resist buying a flanker of a couple of favorites. But on his advice, I'm holding off.

[quote]I was once advised by a fragrance buff I know & trust not to 'blind-buy' any full bottle without sampling first,

That makes complete sense.

[quote]and not to buy a full flanker at all until I had sampled around 200 scents.

That seems like insane advice. Who has the time to sample 200 scents other than an obsessed frgarance buff? I say if you've tried 50 and you've found one or two you like you are more than ready to buy.

r309 Go sit in your corner and piss and moan about "the poors." And then choke on your "classy" cologne. Please. Die from it.

Versace Dreamer

r314, go back to whining about how only "low class" people wear fragrance

R313 is right. A blind buy these days is easy especially when you can grab name colognes at T.J. Maxx for very little money -- Prada, Burberry, Valentino, etc. Just have to train your eye.

[quote]I've always been very conscious of how much I apply: an Elder gay at the time told me that a fragrance should only be perceptible to the person you're actually having a conversation with. He taught me a little trick: to spay just one spritz on a pocket handerchief (or a folded Kleenex, and wear that in your shirt pocket).

That's actually very bad advice.

The fragrance won't mix with your body chemistry. It will only smell like its top notes rather than its heart notes or base notes (because those are only produced when combined with a body's natural chemistry), so the fragrance will smell pretty boring and have no complexity, and it also will not last very long. Moreover, if you go home to fuck someone, you won't smell like the fragrance, which is much of the point of using fragrance in the first place--to turn someone on in bed with your scent.

For this same reason, you should never use testers at a cologne counter on the strips of paper they provide. You should always try it on your wrists or the inside of your elbow so you can see how it blends with your body's chemistry over time. As so many people keep saying, scents smell very different on different people, and you'll never find out what it smells like on you unless you try it on your body. Certain scents smell great on other people but smell horrible on me, and vice-versa.

I do the walk thru thing when I wear colognes, I saw it in a movie I think it was Broadcast News. You just make a spritz or 2 in front of you and walk through it. This is best done after a shower when you are naked so it gets all over your body and isn't concentrated in one spot. Depending on the cologne, usually one spritz is enough. I remember about 10 years ago Creeds seemed to double in price overnight does anyone remember this?

I talked to an "expert" (really, he seemed to know his shit) at Saks perfume counter about Creed and those prices and he said it had to do with a certain exotic oil they use. Anyone care to weigh in and explain?

Actually you should not spritz into the air and walk through it--that just wastes the fragrance, because most of it ends up on the floor. You should put it on your pulse points (neck, wrists, inside of your elbow).

You should also not wear fragrance when you're wet just out of the shower. It will not adhere to the skin. Wait until you've dried off completely.

I found a new one in Brazil I like. It is Araúcaria by L'Occitane aux Brésil. Only available there in L'Occitane stores. It is the essence of the Paraná Pine. Woodsy, spicy and a hint of pine. L'Occitane has a new line of products using fragrances of native Brazilian flowers and plants. Otherwise I use my old standbys of Royall Lyme from Bermuda or Caswell-Massey No.6 which was originally made for George Washington.

I agree you should not spritz it on a handkerchief either. Fragrance is meant to mix with your body chemistry.

Today I wore Kouros!

It doesn't have the insane projection and depth I remember from my youth, but it is still a masterpiece of men's fragrances.

R320 Creed sales associates are the biggest pack of liars, don't believe anything they, or Creed says. Creed uses good quality naturals, and plenty of good synthetics, nothing more. Creed would have you believe they scour the world for the most precious ingredients, it's all marketing, and they are very good at that. The company has existed since the 18th century as tailors, they only really got into fragrances in the 1970's, although they pretend they have 200 year old fragrances. The proof is that there are NO vintage Creed bottles floating around from the 20's or 30's. Wear them if you like them, but don't be fooled by any of their PR bullshit.

R324 Kouros is great, of of the best fragrances ever, but definitely challenging, especially in vintage form. It has been really neutered lately in the most recent reformulations. The best bottles are the ones with metal bases and shoulders, the all white bottle, with metal just on the top, is new. I've got a vintage bottle from the 90's, and it's got a lot more civet, and is much dirtier.

R326: Thanks - I know of a small, hole-in-the-wall fragrance shop in a tragic mall that looks like a goldmine for vintage formulations; I'll tried to look for an original Kouros (but it's hard to tell when they are in sealed boxes, and L'Oreal has not changed the manufacturer's stamp in any way I can discern).

I nearly bought a vintage Sung Homme - the manufacturer on the box listed Riviera, not Arden, as well as a clearly vintage Lapidus and Krizia Homme, but I was unemployed at the time. Another shop had a vintage Molyneux Captain, but his $100 price made it an easier no-go.

Still looking for Revlon Chaz!

Back in my younger days I used to put the tiniest dab of patchouli on my fingertip and dot on each side of my neck, and once under my balls. After a night of dancing the harshness of the patchouli would cool down and combine with my own natural scent. I used to get lots of compliments probably because it was such a minuscule amount people weren't sure what they were smelling. I certainly didn't smell like a dirty hippie or a head shop.

R327 This blog has a good dissection of the different Kouros versions with pictures of bottles and boxes, it may help. Sometimes vintages show up on Ebay for a decent price.

The world of scent aficionados is a bit of a rabbit hole. They become so obsessed with variations of famous fragrances and get a bit crazy distinguishing among different batches.

For me its Eau Savage by Dior...hands down! Hope they don't discontinue ...I think its been around since the 30s...most stores don't carry it...Neiman Marcus does...try it!

thanks to all posting in this thread. i learned a lot. damn, i thought old colognes expire. i threw so many away. i received a lot as gifts and sometimes barely used them.

[quote] I certainly didn't smell like a dirty hippie or a head shop.

Certainly not. Hippie piss always smells wonderful.

R329 - thanks! Very informative link! I'll report back on my findings.

Some snooty counter-clerk at a drugstore gave me a hard time yesterday for browsing some of the colognes and asking for samples.

I selected a plain woody number to try - a little upmarket & mature for my age/bracket, I guess, but not pretentious and certainly unisex in chemistry. He eyeballed me and said: "you DO know that's for men, right?". Huh. Not the expected criticism, but not a new one, either. I eyeballed him right back, and replied: "Yes, thank you, it says so on the box. That doesn't bother me at all". He sneered & made a huge deal out of unlocking the cabinet to fetch a sample, but allowed me to try it on my skin and 'uhm-ah' about it for longer than probably necessary. I didn't buy in the end, as the price was jacked and I was fed up with attitude. I made sure to say as I left: "I like it. I'll find it cheaper online".

This has happened before and I wonder if it was homophobia, but then again I'm wary of crying that every time someone acts like a snob. I'm just a les that hates the stereotypical 'pour femme' floral/gourmand/sweet scents, why should I have to explain myself or lie ('it's, uh, for my boyfriend/brother/dad') every time I want cologne? I don't even appear masc or 'dykey' in the slightest (long hair/nails, makeup, etc.).

This guy was also fairly young (mid/late-30s, I'd guess) and seemed pretty fey himself, so I have no idea what on Earth his problem was.

I hate that stuff too and I'm a guy but I think a lot of it just comes with the retail bottom territory. Or move away and find another clerk since there usually is one friendly one (I have a great one at Saks that I ask for and only work with in this department).

Or you can always use Edina's classic line as you walk away: "You only work in a shop, you know. You can drop the attitude."

R335, I'm very sorry. I don't know why some of us feel the need to be so pretentious and difficult in a job like that. Never feel the need to apologize or explain: it's YOUR money to spend, and the clerk is already getting paid.

r335, you should have asked for Cunt Water EDP.

L'air du Miche Fest

Most colognes of today smell cheap & nasty to me whether expensive/obscure or from the mall.

The only one I ever thought smelled well-crafted and aromatic is the green Ralph Lauren Polo from the 90s, the original one with the gold-topped heavy flanker. To me it had the scent of ambition and wealth.

"Green Ralph Lauren Polo from the 90s" isn't "the original one," as the original one is from the '70s. It smells like sex with someone you don't know.

Paco Rabanne, now and forever.

Are you Puerto Rican, R341? ("PR" stood for both in the 1970s.)

Can I ask you stink wizards for a cologne recommendation? Because every time I try to smell a bunch of different samples they become a nasal blur.

I adore the smell of cardamom and would like to find a scent with a detectable cardamom note. There are lots with spice notes in the background, but the spices always seem to blend together. I searched for cardamom on Surrender to Chance and ordered a bunch of samples. Found a few scents I like, but nothing that actually smells of cardamom. Does such a thing exist, or should I just pick a cologne I like and add a few drops of cardamom essential oil?

Aventus by Creed Brit by Burberry Encre Noire by Lalique La Nuit De L'Homme by YSL Green Irish Tweed by Creed Fierce by A & F

R343 I did a search for a cardamon note on Fragrantica, this is what came up, really not familiar with anything on the list, but it may help (scroll to bottom).

Thanks, R345. I'm about halfway through the list and I think I found some possibilities.

May you never smell of Axe!

A tall sturdy gorgeous North African got on the elevator with me today, reeking of cheap manly cologne, such as Axe, and testosterone, and youth. I found him divooooone!

Speaking of cardamom, Jo Malone's Mimosa and Cardamom is nice

[quote] If you must, always wear a real scent, like [R2] suggests. Most American scents are artificial and end up smelling like bug spray a half hour later.

I say this in every sense of the phrase, hon:

Well, SMELL you, Princess Grace!

So many do smell like pesticide. More women's eau de killabug than men's.

Now that warmer weather is upon us (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) are you switching to light scents? I love the richer scents when it's cold, but can't abide them once it warms up. What do the ladies and gentlemen (yes, we have some) do? Lately, I've been wearing Dior Eau Fraiche (soft and powdery), Sisley Eau de Campagne (a dry green scent with notes of tomato leaves), Monsieur by Balmain (a lemon scent that really lasts, which is rare) and Green Water, by Jacques Fath. Also, Acqua Lavanda Puig (a dry lavender scent that was one of Sinatra's favorites), Creed Neroli Sauvage, Eau d'Hadrien and Myrrhe Ardente by Annick Goutal, Philosykos (a wonderful scent of dry fig leaves) by Diptyque and Passage d'Enfer by L'Artisan. What say you?

I recently became infatuated with L'Artisan's 'Dzing!' and I'm waiting for the spell to wear off. I didn't wanna believe the hype, but it does grab you. It's alluring mostly because it's so strange, like nothing else you'll ever smell. It's not pleasant, or practical, or classy, but it's...something. The dung/hay accords put most people off as I understand it, but once you get used to that it's a trip wearing it. It makes me excitable, like a kid, idk.

I guess it's just that I'm a stinky country Lesbian who doesn't want to smell like a hair-salon or a Macy's or a bridal-shop, so it's perfect for me.

Florals for spring. Malmaison Floris, Grey Flannel, Cabotine vert, Equinox Bloom, Peoneve, Bluebell and Lily of the Valley from Penhaligon,

R352, You've really intrigued me now! I've tried to avoid new scents: I have too many already. I read some of the reviews on Basenotes, and they're very interesting and intriguing. Apparently it still contains castoreum (from beavers) which would account for the animal scent. Passage d'Enfer was one of those scents that I bought purely on recommendations from trusted friends, and didn't 'get' at first, but suddenly it kicked something in my head, and it became something powerful to me. The combination of lilies and incense took me back to Easter Mass, when I was always an altar boy. But I didn't even make that association at first; just a childhood smell that I had somehow remembered, and it took me a few months to make the connection. I've always wanted to try Fieno (Hay) from Santa Maria Novella.

So let me get this straight.

Jicky smells like human feces, and Dzing! smells like dung, and people are recommending them both here.

No thank you. I have no interest in literally smelling like shit, especially by paying lots of money to do so.

R253, I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you a guy or a girl? Feel free to tell me to fuck off (someone else surely will), I'm a guy, but I like Bluebell, Cabotine Vert (but I can't wear it), and used to enjoy Grey Flannel until I had a bad one-night stand with a guy wearing too much of it.

Im a guy

R357, Thanks. You're very cool to wear the things you really enjoy. I wear lots of 'female' scents and the few people who are aware of it always seem to have a conniption about it. You have great taste.

[quote] Lately, I've been wearing Dior Eau Fraiche (soft and powdery), Sisley Eau de Campagne (a dry green scent with notes of tomato leaves), Monsieur by Balmain (a lemon scent that really lasts, which is rare) and Green Water, by Jacques Fath. Also, Acqua Lavanda Puig (a dry lavender scent that was one of Sinatra's favorites), Creed Neroli Sauvage, Eau d'Hadrien and Myrrhe Ardente by Annick Goutal, Philosykos (a wonderful scent of dry fig leaves) by Diptyque and Passage d'Enfer by L'Artisan. What say you?

MARY! is what say I.

R359, Oh honey, I own it. Thanks for the chuckle.

RF355, Castoeium = beaver glands, Musk = musk deer glands, civet = civet glands, ambergris = ocean-washed whale vomit. All are animalic scents, and all are from mammals. They're all used as fixatives, which make other smells last longer. And the first three have notes that come close to smelling like human body odor. Ambergris is something I can't even describe, but it's very important in some scents. It's been mentioned upthread that the best scents have a way of blending with your own, natural scent. An example of this, that I've tried, is Serge Lutens' Muscs Koublaï Khän, which is reported to smell like dung. I tried a tiny sample, and had lunch with a friend, who actually lunged forward and sank her head to my chest to smell my wonderful cologne. I wear Jicky regularly, and don't smell feces. But it's what I would call an 'intimate' scent. One to be worn with someone close to you, not to the office.

^^Castoeium = Castoreum. Sorry.

R361, your lady friend likes the doo-doo.

R363, No, I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at the dirt..

Keep the posts coming, people!

I've been on Datalounge for a long time, and this is the best men's fragrance thread there's ever been.

I am kind of fasinated by how colognes and eau de toilettes for men go in and out of fashion. Something that was all the rage in anothe decade will smell like old men in more recent years; I remember a younger guy telling me Obsession for Men (which i never liked, but which was all the rage when I wa sin my 20s) now reminds him of nothing so much as a funeral home.

In the 70s, men wanted to smell like leather. In the 80s, men wanted to smell like spices. Now very few popular colognes smell like either.

I'm wondering if something like Aventus--which makes me go weak in the knees now (it smells like heaven)--will smell so similarly dated in 20-30 years.

Go for it, R354, and we'll just sidestep buzzkills like R355. People can wear whatever they want, there shouldn't be so many restrictions and all this limited thinking. I happen to enjoy Castoreum and hay in the scents I wear for comfort or around the house (as I grew up on a farm).

You may or may not already know this but in case it's news - L'Artisan are running a scheme on their site right now where you can order two complimentary samples (1.5ml each) for only the cost of shipping (a few dollars). The samples come together within a week and in convenient and good-quality packaging, labelled glass vials with spritz caps mounted on namecards. The selection range is a dozen of the newer or more popular scents so if you like the house already, it's a no-brainer. 'Dzing!' is still available, I highly recommend it for anyone curious.

I love woody musks and I like incense more and more these days so I will be checking out Passage d'Enfer after reading your description. I'm not keen on lilies though so it could easily be a hit or a miss - are they a top or middle note? (Fragrantica has no pyramid for it yet).

[quote]People can wear whatever they want, there shouldn't be so many restrictions and all this limited thinking. I happen to enjoy Castoreum and hay in the scents I wear for comfort or around the house (as I grew up on a farm).

"I'm a sociopath, and I'll wear what the fuck I want. Fuck you if it makes you sick." Not surprised you grew up on a farm, shitbreath.

I used to work in an office hwere the boss banned all fragrances and colognes--I suppose because people like r367 demanded his right to smell like feces.

[quote]I used to work in an office where the boss banned all fragrances and colognes.

I'd love to work there. What kind of company?

R361: With the exception of some small, Middle-Eastern niche houses, all of those animalistic notes are synthetic now. Musk has not been commercially extracted from deer since WWII; castoreum and civet changed over starting in the 1980s. Whether anyone uses real ambergris today and not the synthetic version is debatable, as no company is required to divulge that information on an ingredient list. Dior claims they use the real stuff (Dioressence), but that current scent is noticeably different from the original. Other scents that used ambergris (in their original formulas): Oscar de la Renta, Joy, Guerlain Jicky, Hermes Eau de Merveilles.

It does indeed have a fecal quality that is dry, earthy and salty. I'd also describe it as the smell of wood in a very old Catholic church that has aged and absorbed some of the incense. The 'poo' odour can scare a lot of people away, but that is also true of tripe - it isn't meant for everyone.

musk. This was one of those scents that I had to try more than once for my nose to sort it out: the first few tries, it sort of smelled like my grade-school on Monday morning after the janitor had mopped all the floors: not what I wanted. But I gave it a few more tries before my nose took it in and made sense of it. I had the same problem with Caron's Pour un Homme and Le 3me Homme, and with Creed's Angélique Encens, but grew to love all of them.

You mention your burgeoning interest in incense: I'd recommending looking for samples from Annick Goutal: Encens Flamboyant and Myrrhe Ardente. I have the whole Incense Series from Commes des Garcons, but I think they'd be almost impossible to purchase now, but the theme was wonderful. Imagine: Avignon, Jaisalmer, Kyoto, Ouarzazate and Zagorsk. One supposed incense scent that i just couldn't handle was Messe de Minuit by Etro. I tried several times, but it still ended up smelling (to my nose) like mildew. I had a Finnish friend who loved it, since she and her husband loved the smell of old books.

R371, Thanks for that! I've been wondering if anyone was still using real animal-derived ingredients. I know they've been on the way out for a long time. And, honestly, when they were still being used, I was really ignorant as to what methods were used to obtain them. And, yes, I did try to find out. At least ambergris is upchucked by the whale, and not harvested directly from it.

Sorry for the incomprehensible post. I'll try again.

R367, Thank you. I had no idea I could purchase samples direction from L'Artisan. Years ago, I was able to purchase a selection of samples from Frederic Malle, which led to several purchases, but I don't see that option on his website any longer.

With Passage d'Enfer, Basenotes lists the notes as Aloe (which I really don't think has a noticeable smell), white lily, myrrh, frankincense and white musk. But there's no pyramid. The lily note isn't that overwhelming 'Stargazer Lily' note that I've come across in some other 'white flower' fragrances. From my experience, I would say the lily notes are top notes, and the fragrance settles down into incense and musk. This was one of those scents that I had to try more than once for my nose to sort it out: the first few tries, it sort of smelled like my grade-school on Monday morning after the janitor had mopped all the floors: not what I wanted. But I gave it a few more tries before my nose took it in and made sense of it. I had the same problem with Caron's Pour un Homme and Le 3me Homme, and with Creed's Angélique Encens, but grew to love all of them.

You mention your burgeoning interest in incense: I'd recommending looking for samples from Annick Goutal: Encens Flamboyant and Myrrhe Ardente. I have the whole Incense Series from Commes des Garcons, but I think they'd be almost impossible to purchase now, but the theme was wonderful. Imagine: Avignon, Jaisalmer, Kyoto, Ouarzazate and Zagorsk. One supposed incense scent that i just couldn't handle was Messe de Minuit by Etro. I tried several times, but it still ended up smelling (to my nose) like mildew. I had a Finnish friend who loved it, since she and her husband loved the smell of old books.

R371, Thanks for that! I've been wondering if anyone was still using real animal-derived ingredients. I know they've been on the way out for a long time. And, honestly, when they were still being used, I was really ignorant as to what methods were used to obtain them. And, yes, I did try to find out. At least ambergris is upchucked by the whale, and not harvested directly from it.

R372/R373: thank you for that! As soon as you started mentioning incense, I immediately thought of - you said it - Messe de Minuit! I definitely sense the mildew/old books quality you mentioned, and although the current version is a shadow of its former self (the original had a gold, not silver cap and a round label in a paisley box), but it still instantly takes me back to Italian Catholic Church, with its wonderful, eerily soothing, dark quality. It is daunting, sombre, and envelops you in a mystical serenity of a power greater than your own.

R374, you make me wish I could go back and re-try Messe de Minuit again. After all , the name 'Passage d'Enfer' earned it a couple of extra tries before I finally liked it. I also had trouble with Caron's 'Nuit de Noel' the first few times I encountered it. Once I had the backstory, it all made sense, but there's no way in hell I'd ever wear it in public. It's one of those scents for a nostalgic winter night.

Canoe

For summer, I got a few new ones:

Costa Azzurra by Tom Ford, which I love (Beachy and woody) Amouage Opus V (a floral oriental with a major iris note and light oud. This won't be for very hot days, it's super strong, but I like that it's a somewhat masculine floral.

Terre de Hermes as a citrusy fresh Vetiver. I only have a small decant of the amouage opus v because I'm not sure how long I'll end up liking that one, it's much sweeter than what I'm used to wearing, but the sweetness is from the rum and iris, so at least it's not a gourmand, which I hate.

Bump

Because I'm sure you're all just dying to know...I'm putting my cardamom quest on hold because I fell in love with Bvlgari Homme Black.

I just read a description of the scent online, and I'm forced to admit my nose is very unsophisticated. I can't pick out any of the "intense composition of amber, leather, spices and woods. It opens with accords of natural rum and luminous spices. Tuberose, iris absolut and leather form the core of the perfume, placed on the base of benzoin, tonka bean and guaiac wood." Okay, sure, but all I'm getting is woodsy with a mysterious undercurrent. And that's enough for me. It's not overpowering, which I like. I have a bottle of Dirty English that I seldom use because it's just too strong for me.

It got cold again for a few days. I'm wearing Guerlain Vetiver with Malizia Uomo,Vetyver, an Italian drugstore scent, and my own spray of Punjabi harvested organic khus (vetiver).

Vetiver calms a racing mind, by the way.

I like vetiver more in theory than in practice. I love Creed's Original Vetiver, but there's basically no vetiver in it. I sold my bottle of Guerlain Vetiver, because I didn't like the tobacco note in it, now I have a sample of the current forumla, which has less tobacco, but also less citrus, so the jury is still out on that one. I could use some mind calming, so perhaps I'll spray some on. I want to like it...

I know I'll be crucified for this. I wear Elizabeth Taylor's Passion for Men. It's my favorite.

R382 I looked it up the the prefume guide and Luca Turin gives it three stars (out of five), said is a perfectly good woody oriental. That's a better rating than he gives a number of Creeds, or Guerlains. So no shade from me, there are lots of amazing cheapie scents out there. He did say it has the "saddest bottle in the industry" though.

White Diamonds (for women) is good on me, a man. I get the cheesey purse size with the rhinestones.

White Diamonds is also the greatest bathroom spray you can imagine. There is no stench in the world that it can't cover up and in record time. I keep a 3.4 oz bottle on the shelf.

When I was in my late 20's, about 12 years ago, I went on a huge cologne kick. I would basically treat myself to a few new outfits and some new fragrance each weekend before going out. Needless to say, I wound up with far more bottles of cologne than any reasonable guy should have at any given time.I haven't been up to date on the cologne scene since then, but a few favorites I recall:

- Many Calvin Klein colognes. As mainstream as he may be, he consistently puts out solid fragrances. Eternity Aqua has been my most recent favorite. - Versace Man Eau Fraiche is a wonderful, fresh cologne to wear day to day. - Most colognes that I lean towards tend to all have vetiver in them - though I don't care for the grassy/medicinal/chemical smell of straight vetiver alone. But colognes such as Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver, I love. Though that stuff can be deceivingly light at first. Go very easy on it, because it creeps up on you and can be way too strong. - I bought Eau Savage a few years ago based on it's reviews, but honestly, it smells like nothing more than just straight up cinnamon to me.

I don't really wear much cologne, but I like D&G The One for fall/winter and Lacoste Essential for summer.

Did you have a Gaultier Le Male phase, R386? I still love it, must admit.

I just ordered samples of bestseller cologne Endymion and the new release EdP Blasted Heath from the very English house Penhaligon's, haven't received either yet. Endymion is supposed to be bucolic & woodsy in a Enchanted Forest/Island kind of way, while Blasted Heath is marketed as the wild herbal oceanic to end all wild herbal oceanics. I'm hoping Endymion will be a perfect fit for casual summer evenings, we shall see ...

R389, I just bought Endymion too!! I HATE IT. Just hate it. I only purchased the small rollerball though. Just not for me.

That Costa Azurra by Tom Ford sounds good!!

Lagerfeld. I have been wearing it since at least 1980. I wish I had a nickel for every time someone asked me what I was wearing that smelled so good, often strangers on the street. It's fabulous, and a little goes a long way.

R385 is trash.

R391, I wonder whether I would want to fuck you the moment I saw you. The first gay man I fell in love with wore Lagerfeld—just a little, so I didn't even know it was anything but the smell of him—and I could never get over the smell of him. No matter what else happened, no matter how much we fought, there was nothing that couldn't either be solved or put aside for the night for a great fuck. We loved how each other smelled.

Why did yah hate Endymion so much R390?

I gotta say it's really a pisser how Tom Ford point blank don't do samples.

Tom Ford personifies anal retentiveness. Also pretention.

R391 Lagerfeld is/was the favored juice of glam-rocker Vince Neil (of Motley Crue). Groupies report that back in the 80s he used to douse himself before going on-stage...or backstage for his many, many girls. 80s Lagerfeld had a definite andro, sleazy accord just right for Sunset Strip.

Anyone have any experience with PG/Pierre Guillaume fragrances?

I'm eyeing up testers of Querelle, Ciel D'Airain, L'Ombre Fauve, 02:Coze and Indian Wood 11.1. They're pricey, so I'm limiting myself to 2 for now.

Does anyone else use old or non used colognes as air freshener? I had to drive a caretaker who was looking after an old relative of mine who was in a nursing home one or twice a week. She reeked of old age home scent and it was nauseating. I started spritzing the car with an old Calvin Klein Contradiction for men that I liked but hadn't used in many years. This worked (standard car fresheners and sprays didn't do the job). Once she mentioned what was that nice scent, and once she complained of her clothing smelling like fragrance. My relative eventually died of old age and I can't stand the scent of Contradiction to this day. I bought a bottle of Shalimar because it could be unisex, I found it didn't work for me but I didn't want to waste it so I tried it as room freshener in my bedroom, I would spritz a little at the ceiling fan and the room would fill with the scent. I liked it at first but then it started to smell like old French whore's bedroom. I might try it again on myself, I really do love the scent of Shalimar. My current favourite is Tom Ford Grey Vetiver. I'm eldergay so these scents are for my own enjoyment.

Two favorites;

Penhaligan's Hammam

Jacomo de Jacomo

R389 If you end up being undecided about Endymion, you should try Floris, Eau de Santal, which does a similar thing, a little better, in my opinion, and has a little better longevity.

R398, I also use fragrances for air freshener, bed freshener, laundry , etc.

It doesn't smell as "fresh" as you think, R401.

Drakkar Noir is fucking terrible and makes me want to hurl.

Beachy ones like CK2 are good for sheets, etc.

And fuck you to whomever called me trash for using White Diamonds for bathroom spray. LOL, that is exactly what it is good for. Can not imagine anyone wearing that outside. On their SKIN, no less.

[quote]And fuck you to whomever called me trash for using White Diamonds for bathroom spray.

It's "whoever," trash. Not "whomever."

I like Endymion, although it doesn't project very much--the problem with most Penhaligon scents.

[quote] The 'poo' odour can scare a lot of people away,

How surprising!

I remember a hideous cologne called FAHRENHEIT that came out in the mid 90s or so. I was in a hot crowded bar one night and the stench of hot sweaty bodies doused in Fahrenheit nearly caused me to choke and pass out.

Fahrenheit ws really nasty. It had a great name and a great bottle, but it smelled skank.

I wore Christian Lacroix "Bazar" a while back, just because it was Lacroix, sweetie!

Sweat du Armpit

R402, I don't use it instead of washing, I just spray it mainly to give some scent or to use up something.

A female friend of mine uses Lancôme's 'Miracle', and it's abominable. I can only compare it to cellophane melted over rotting meat.

It also smells very like the 'Barbie' fragrance she bought for her little daughter (for $50 less), but I don't have the heart to tell her that. The liquid is even dyed the same rose-pink hue. I will never understand how easily some are duped by the color or name of a fragrance.

The most VILE fragrances I have ever laid my nostrils on are the pretty popular Alien by Mugler and the even more atrocious Angel. Both are absolutely like what hell must smell like. Sticky. Caramelish. Blood. Heat. Sweat. Dirt.

STANK A DANK DANK!!!!!!!!

I totally agree about Fahrenheit, it's one of the nastiest, most repugnant and most nauseating EXCEPT I once knew someone who was an extreme alpha-male, with a rather intense personality who always smelled great when he wore it. On him it seemed like lolly water. Weird

What the FUCK is "lolly water"?

Cologne Bigarade and Bigarade Concentrée from Frédéric Malle both list cardamom among their notes, R343 (they're related, and both created by Jean-Claude Ellena, who seems to like cardamom); the cardamom is more of background note, though, and may not figure prominently enough for you. Note that in the list that R345 posted the Cereus No. 5 has been renumbered as Cereus No. 6 -- probably because the (not) nice folks at Chanel don't like anyone else to use the number 5 in the name of a fragrance.

There are no queenlier queens than the cologne queens.

Cheers R400. I own Floris EdS and love it as it happens, I agree it's a gorgeous sophisticated choice.

I just got Endymion and I'm undecided. It's certainly a warm, sweet...something. I'm not getting any of the spices or leather promised, maybe a little fizzy burst of citrus but that's all. There's a green & dry powder element to it that I can't place, almost like Matcha? It becomes Lavender supreme on drydown which I like but I feel conspicuous and somehow too 'old' wearing (reminds me of my grandmother). Right now on first spray I feel as if it isn't for me, but maybe I could feel differently if that leather came through..

I wore Fahrenheit with my French and Italian suits and English shoes, in the 80's, in finance. Loved it.

And the three "ard" from Grasse the capital of perfume: Molinard, Galimard and Fragonard

Aren't Fragonard doing some tacky collab project with Louis Vuitton right now?

I always liked the Lolita Lempika line.i haven't seen it in ages.

Those Lolita ones with the apple bottles are damn strong. You can actually find them at T.J. Maxx and the like. Not sure if that says something bad about the company or not but they are there.

Just gota decant of MKF Oud Silk Mood and LOVE it! The oud is light and I think this can be a spring fragrance. Nice oriental floral with rose and oud.

r418 was definitely talking about r425.

R422 Fragonard the perfumer was named after the painter of the XVIII century: they are both from Grasse. Louis Vuitton with Jeff Koons recently designed some bags with a painting by Fragonard on them.

R424 a shopper has to be lucky, but yes, true - occasionally a hard-to-find good-quality flanker does turn up in TK Maxx. It's worth quickly checking shelves whenever there (no idea when is the best time of year or season to find them, maybe pre-Christmas?). I've noticed a discontinued Tom Ford on-sale at a Maxx before and a Caron another time. Doubtful you'd ever see a Lutens, Chanel or MFK selling though.

It's not a store that stocks niche. Mostly, a Maxx will stock discontinuing or slower-selling releases from labels like ck, Ralph Lauren, YSL, Guerlain, Lauder, Rabanne, Rochas, Gucci, Armani, Galliano, Versace, Mugler, Davidoff, Issey (with maybe Burberry, Cartier & Agent P. if in the U.K) and sell them at discount.

Here's a tip from someone who already made this mistake: never buy a scent just because the bottle is cut-price & from a recognisable brand, because even a $15 here or there adds up quickly and you may need that money badly later (even if only for an expensive cologne). If you don't know how a scent will wear on you or if it will be fit for purpose, go home and track down a sample to test first! Also, if your desired bottle is one found in a typical TK Maxx, chances are it's available from an online drugstore.

Great advice r428! I've gotten to where I only buy small decants/samples and if I love it, then I'll look for a larger decant because usually after going through approximately 15 mls of a frag I get bored and am ready to move on and try something else. This has even been happening with the ones I "love".

R428: I've made too many 'blind buy' mistakes to list. My only real success was Rive Gauche Pour Homme, which took a while to grow on me, but became an absolute favourite. Too bad it's gone now :-( I'm still undecided on Bleu De Issey Miyake.

My general rule is to avoid anything by Coty.

Sampling is the way to go. Shame more houses don't offer 1/2/5mls at a reasonable price! I'd sample far more if I didn't have to pay $25 for 1ml not including shipping routinely. Very few houses offer schemes any more these days. Swaps online or buying decants from individual sellers can be fun and a smart route, but you have to have time to get to know people and it's a gamble whether your seller is trustworthy.

[quote]My general rule is to avoid anything by Coty.

Avon > Coty

I tried Lapidus Homme.

I did not detect the pineapple others mention, but there is no missing the honey, amber and tonka bean. I'm a bit surprised this was launched in the 1980s, as it has a delicate, feminine quality to it. If there had ever been a 'Grey Flannel For Her', this would be it.

I can't pull it off, so it is a no-go.

Grey Flannel reminds me of the Wu-Tang clan. Both RZA & GZA like to shout-out to the cologne in their later raps.

The Guerlain L'homme Ideal cologne version is a really nice summer great for citrus lovers and has great projection and longevity. All at a very low price. It's very different from the rest of the L'homme Ideal line imo. The sport version comes out this month.

*should read nice summer fragrance^

Apparently you can get a free sample if you scroll through all these ingredients. Only seems to work via computer though.

Commes des garcons Black pepper

His ballsweat terror-funk, projecting as I confront him about the secretary he's been Facetiming 'just for work'

Just caught a re-run of Saved by the Bell: The College Years, and it was the episode where Kelly falls for her professor and buys him cologne (jealous Zach finds out about it and goes around sniffing all the guys at his local coffeeshop to snoop, and he ends up with a boy's number).

It's called 'Yacht Club' and is packaged exactly like Yacht Man Blue by Myrurgia...that didn't come out until several years later. Weird.

R327 here, I did buy that vintage Sung Homme, and I love it. It smells like Irish Spring soap!

[quote] It smells like Irish Spring soap!

ewwwwwwwwwwww

Just got an Armani taster box. I'm sampling...

Shining on Acqua di Gio. It's blah and smells like cleaning fluid. It has no longevity either, and a chemical whisper of a dry-down like a hospital. It's unpleasant on my skin, like a baby wipe. Is there an Aquatic that doesn't smell like a lab?

Armani (the chy pre) on the other hand is alluring and harder to figure out. Once you get past the furniture polish accord there's a skanky spice there in the base that I'm drawn to. Something mossy but smoky, like burning horse apples? Or spicy like burnt broken tree-bark. Very curious. This is one for a complicated but rootsy man to sport.

Can a man pull off Chanel 'Egoiste'? It's the only Chanel I can tolerate (they're an overrated house, I feel).

[quote]Can a man pull off Chanel 'Egoiste'? It's the only Chanel I can tolerate (they're an overrated house, I feel).

Yes, if it' the original Egoiste, and not the debased 'Platinum Egoiste', which belongs to a whole different scent family. Egoiste is a Woody Oriental, while Egoiste Platinum is a Fougere. I have the original Egoiste in both Cologne and Eau du Toilette strength, and they're both wonderful. I bought a bottle of Platinum Egoiste at my local department store counter, and ended up throwing the whole bottle away because I thought it was horrible. Strange enough, but my ex wears it beautifully. I still won't wear it, but I love my older bottles of Egoiste.

Now that it's warmed up, I've been wearing Guerlain Vetiver. What is everyone else wearing?

R444 I had the same experience with Egoiste Platinum, to me it smelled like those cheap drugstore colognes. I gave it to my b/f he likes it. My latest purchase was Guerlain Vetiver I really like it and prior to that I bought Tom Ford Grey Vetiver I love it.

Why would be a stretch for a man to "pull off" Egoiste which was a very successful MAN'S cologne?

I like it on tall skinny young white males. Its exceedingly rare to meet one nowadays wearing it though.

I loved Egoiste twenty years ago. A friend bought some, and it smelled different, and not at all pleasant—like one of the magazine stench strips that all smell the same. On reading R444, I now know it must have been the "debased" platinum version.

I loved it before, though.

You all realise Egoiste is still sold. You are not obliged to buy Egoiste platinum.

That said, the Egoiste is nice but not the delicious thing it once was. Very few scents are what they used to be.

It had a great ad. They should restore it and still use it. It smelled sweet and fruity to me. A bit of maraschino cherry - bitter almond. There is something Campari about it. It should be Italian not French.

R449, Yes, that's probably the greatest perfume advertisement (and one of the greatest ads) ever filmed, by Jean-Paul Goude, using the music from Prokofiev's 'Montagues and Capulets' from the ballet 'Romeo and Juliet'.

What a terrific commercial. Thanks, R449.

I didn't realize regular Egoiste existait encore. I stopped wearing cologne in the '90s when other people's started giving me migraines.

I'm glad to see this thread's still kickin' .

This thread is too long and the conflicting reviews too confusing for a novice like me. Would someone, please aggregate, say, the top five scents recommended for summer and another five winter, so far, with a short summary why? It would really help. Thanks.

I never divided colognes by season. I would wear one cologne until I found one I liked more, then went back to my "signature scent" (silly phrase), which happened to be Eau Sauvage. I don't wear any now.

R453 for summer you want traditional Italian style colognes, think barbershop - such as Acqua di Parma (classic or maybe Blu Mediterraneo), Acqua di Genova , Armani's Acqua di Giò, Versace l'homme, the Italian mid range L'Erbolario colognes, the very cheap classic Mäurer & Wirtz 4711, Pinaud Clubman, or most any Bay Rum you can find. You should be able to find Versace l'homme super cheap. Its a classic.

All bets off for winter. Its more dependent on your personal taste, your budget, and how your skin reacts.

Thanks r455. I thought someone here mentioned they use Acqua di Parma in winter? Does it matter?

You are pretty ignorant of all this. No of course it doesn't matter. The point of my recommendation about colognes is that they start with a citrus blast. That is what you want in the summer. Thats probably why the Italians developed this - to deal with the Italian climate. If you have the cash and want to go high end, go to a department store or speciality shop with a good collection and tell the salesperson you want to try classic colognes. I personally do not like water notes which are the basis of so many many colognes since the late 90s. Thats why I recommended classic colognes to you. But you might like water notes. Davidoff Cool Water for example. There must be about a dozen versions of Davidoff for the summer.

Don't wear Davidoff in public, PLEASE.

Chanel is most certainly not an overrated house for fragrances. That would be Creed by a landslide. Chanel has several great men's frags, especially within the Allure line. Great sillage, awesome longevity. Can the same be said for the overpriced and underwhelming Creed frags? Nope.

I had to look up "sillage":

sill·age sēˈäZH/ noun noun: sillage; plural noun: sillages

the degree to which a perfume's fragrance lingers in the air when worn. "neither scent has a very strong sillage"

R459 A "frag" is a grenade. Perhaps you means fragrance(s)?

Did someone slag on Chanel in this thread, R459?

R453, I'm don't necessarily change out my scents by season, although I was more likely to when I commuted back and forth to work. Just the smallest bit of perspiration can bring out the worst of many scents. (Crossing my fingers that I don't screw my formatting up). I'm adding a link to the Basenotes Fragrance Directory, which lets you search by notes, fragrance houses, perfumer, etc. I've found that if I really a particular scent, I tend to like other scents from the same perfumer. At least, when I'm thinking about ordering samples, it's a good starting point.

Anyway, here's what I've been wearing now that it's warmed up:

Annick Goutal Eau d'Hadrien: a classic citrus/herbal cologne with pretty good lasting power.

Dior Eau Sauvage: another classic citrus/herbal scent, but I believe this also was innovative in adding aldehydes to better 'lift'.

Monsieur Balmain: a surprisingly long-lasting lemon scent. Citrus-based scents usually don't have much staying power.

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca: a light herbal scent of grass and mint.

Agua Lavanda Puig: a 'dry' lavender scent that's pretty inexpensive, and was supposedly one of Sinatra's favorites.

Guerlain Vetiver: the current version was reformulated a long time back: the original version has less citrus and more tobacco (I own both versions).

Diptyche Philosykos: a dry, sort of powdery scent of fig leaves.

Sisley Eau de Campagne: one of my favorite 'green' scents, with tomato leaf notes.

Sorry, I just realize that I repeated a lot of what I posted back at r351. Fading memory, and all.

Yes r462, it was at r443. I mean, sure, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but not when people are going gaga over the most over hyped, ridiculously "whatever" and overpriced fragrance house of fucking CREED!!! LMAO!!! Pack of fools, who have bought into the lies of a pseudo frag house. There is no Creed fragrance before 1975, and yet they claim to be 200 years old!! HAHAHA!! Show the proof, there is none. Their fragrances all suck and smell like rotten ass fruit.

I love Creed fragrances. Aventus smells like pineapple, and Royal Water smells like blackcurrants.

I bought very good copies of them on amazon, and I get compliments on them all the time.

[quote] Just the smallest bit of perspiration can bring out the worst of many scents.

Thank you, I have never had that explained to me and always been confused about the idea of scents being appropriate for different seasons. Obvious in retrospect.

Dang, every time I read this thread I want to order samples.

Now hang on to your pearls...what do folks think of those inexpensive perfume oils from Al-Rehab? I have a few of them, ordered on a whim because they are so cheap. They're nice enough, but they all have a soft, feminine, powdery quality that I don't love. Wish I could find one that's more masculine, for lack of a better word. I do wear their Sultan and White Musk occasionally.

On the other hand, no scent goes better with sweat than good old-fashioned Canoe. They mix great.

I love the Kerosene line, founded by former YT fragrance vlogger John Pegg, a.k.a. Kerosenetrewthe. I have Fields of Rubus plus some samples. John is a cutie to boot.

For beginners.

Basenotes best fragrances reviewed by forum members.

Has anyone tried anything from Rance?

I'm looking for a rose-scented cologne for men that is affordable.

Acteur Azzaro but good luck finding it.

R472, I don't like to disappoint, but I'm going to include a link to a discussion on Basenotes about Rance. I was a little perplexed, as I had never heard of them, and now I know why. It seems like they get nice reviews for their soaps, but indifferent reviews for their scents.

R473, I went looking through the Basenotes perfume directory for men's scents with rose notes, trying to trigger my memory, and many scents claims to have rose notes but, for the ones I know (like Egoiste) I generally don't notice the rose note. The one that finally rang the bell was Penhaligon's Hamman Bouquet, from 1872. That one has a definite rose note. I don't know how affordable that is considered, though. Where I live, I think it's considered high end. Many of the perfumes coming from the Middle East have strong rose notes, but they're usually outrageously expensive. On the very are occasions when I really crave a rose scent, I still have some samples left of Frederic Malle's 'Lipstick Rose' and 'Une Rose', and they're all I need. My advice: if you're really craving a rose scent: order a few Malle samples, and decide if the hit the spot. A scent you love is really worth a lot of coin. It takes forever to go through a bottle, and you get so much pleasure in the wearing. I think I mentioned upthread that Creed's Bois du Portugal is one of my favorite scents. I got a pretty small (but commercial) bottle at a deep discount when a perfume retailer was closing their brick and mortar shop. When I finally used the bottle up, I'll be left to pay full retail for another bottle, and it will be money well spent.

R475, My apologies for spelling and grammar errors. No cologne for me tonight!

Brethren! I want to get my Dad a cologne for his birthday next weekend, and I don't know what to choose. I was going to spring for a Kouros flanker, which I'm crazy about and smell like heaven to my nose, but my mother hates it so I can't.

He's in his early 60s (but looks like a weathered 52); he's a rugged outdoor laborer type, loves dogs and hikes and growing trees and building; he's been an on-off heavy smoker for years and his diet is meat-centric with wine aplenty (he's also into herbs & spices for food). He's not even slightly interested in fashion or even clothes at all and barely remembers to shave or SPF most of the time. He enjoys Eastwood/Seagal movies and historical fiction novels.

get him something classic and simple like Guerlain vetiver or Puig Quorum (matches his description) or Azzaro Homme or Versace L'Homme (not pour Homme).

Burberry London really is nice and its own animal too. The only one that doesn't just smell of generic citrus.

Thank you so much, darling R478 & R479.

I have not tested any of these, but will definitely order samples (fast!) having looked them up online. Quorum in particular sounds divine, all that outdoorsy oakmoss and leather/tobacco! My dad used to hunt game and work as a groundskeeper, so you're spot on that Quorum is totally in keeping with his roots.

I also personally love Azzaro and some Burberry (I have a secret soft spot for Rhythm) so they are going on the list to try also. He works in France a lot so the Guerlain needs an honorary test too, ofc.

Essence de Ass Crack - very pungent aroma

Eu de Toe Jam - earthy essence

Keto Acidosis - fruity fragrance. Drives fruits wild.

Can't stand the smell of patchouli- it smells like mold and mildew to me.

I usually wear Kiehl's musk oil, as it is pretty inoffensive. But I just purchased Comme des Garçons Incense Avignon and it truly smells like the churches in France. I'm drawn to smoke scents now.

R473 Thanks. I am on a budget, so I can't afford the high end stuff.

R483, May I suggest that you purchase a sample? You can get a sample of:' Artisan's Voleur de Roses for a few bucks (plus shipping). It's a really wonderful, rich rose scent. Here's the deal: you get to wear it multiple times and decide if it's worth purchasing. In some cases, my samples have lasted me for years, and I've never needed to buy a full bottle. On the other hand, if you finally decide you can't live without the scent, you may end up paying full retail (which is quite pricey). Just tonight, I purchased a quarter ounce of Denueve parfum, after mentioning her on another thread, I had mention that her perfume was unobtainable but found a bottle of unopened parfum on eBay after checking my references, and couldn't resist the purchase,

R484 Thanks very much!

My absolute favorite cologne was called Paloma Picasso Minotaur. Some dumb jock from my dorm wore it. I tried it and was love at first scent. Still like it but hard to find. I'm sure I smell like an old man!

D&G The One Prada Moon Sparkle Cool Water Lauren Romance - on the right guy- can be very nice. This is a tough fragrance though.

For cheapies, I love quorum but it lasts about 10 minutes. Royal Copenhagen Musk reminds me of my high school days.

My ex wore way too much Burberry Touch, but is somehow worked for him, though you could smell him for an hour after he left. I have a soft spot for it now.

R484 That Rose Privee looks interesting, too.

Is there a more narcissistic scent than Armani Code Ultimate? To me it screams, "don't touch the face".

The rework of BOSS Bottled Tonic should be fucking outlawed, it's abysmal. The description looks so sublime on paper (cinnamon and sweet citrus top? woodsy geranium heart? vetiver base?) but it's pure hand sanitiser on my guy. On a febrile smoker like myself it smells even worse, like a leaking engine (and not in a sexy, Outsiders kind of way either). It's either horrid chemistry x bad luck, or this juice is nasty.

Was the 1998 original better than this sour, clinical run-off?

Bump

Anyone ever try natural perfumes? I'm looking at some Teone Reinthal scents, umming and ahhing..

Apparently her Pagan smells like sex.

I have many scents that I wear for certain reasons and one of those reasons are scents for work. I work with a lot of men and I like a resinous piney scent that is distant to the scent of PineSol but an actual men's scent.

Cacharel Pour Homme does the trick.

It puts me in the mood to fuck or be fucked by a lumberjack. Love it.

r491, if pagan smells like sex, then Cumming - Alan Cumming for men smells like gay sex in a video arcade.

Tobacco, burnt rubber, dirt, sweat.

Another one of those event scents...

Isn't there some kind of cologne which helps men attract other men?

Isn't there some kind of cologne which helps men attract other men?

Yes. Its called "9 Inches".

Apparently science now has it that straight men turn into drooling mutts when they smell amber or vanilla on a woman's skin R494 (that's why a Victoria's Secret smells of such), but that's not at all helpful to you (and that's all I got).

Maybe animalics would work? Civet, castoreum, musk, ambergris...could awaken the primal brain, or something.

OK, I've been away from this thread for awhile, but wanted to share a couple of links from some more obscure companies from which I've ordered. Someone upthread was asking for a rose scent that wasn't too expensive. Attar Bazaar has a wonderful, true rose scent. You can wear it by itself, or just add a tiny dab to combine with another, more traditional scent, just to add a rose note. In the West, rose is generally not used by men, but in the Middle East, it's very much appreciated by men. If you want to go high end for a rose scent, Fredeic Malle has Une Rose, which is a deep, earthy rose scent, and Lipstick Rose, which has a hint of violet, and smells a bit like your fancy aunt's old purse, as well as Noir Epices, which actually uses rose geranium and spices. Adding the URL for Attar Bazaar's best rose scent below.

And an historic American perfumery in New Orleans, Hové, which has some class, old-fashioned scents. You can order samplers, if you don't want to commit to a full bottle. Their Vetivert is very nice, if you like that note.

Has anyone tried this new line called PHLUR?

r498, thanks for the link. Some of their scents sound interesting.

Another New Orleans based perfumer.

Some of you will hit a paywall (sorry about that), but this is a fascinating article about the history of the perfume industry.

I have recently discovered how well certain cooler garden fruits and herbs (I.e. pears, rhubarb, plum, straw/raspberries/cherries, lavender, mint) amp on my skin, any recommendations? I'd like to smell idyllic & expensive, like a Midsummer Night's Dream rather than an old-fashioned snooty dowager.

If it helps, ginger, cocoa and citrus are a no-go as they amp horribly on my skin, as do spices like saffron and strong cooking herbs like thyme/coriander. I adore woodspice though, as well as vanilla and blue/red flowers (carnation, bluebell etc). Indoles and incense are hit and miss. Patchouli is always a bonus. I use coconut shampoo and opium soap so whatever the scent is must pair with them. Thanks, darlings!

I like Calvin Klein's new Obsessed for men. It's like vanilla!

Bump

I automatically want to kiss any man scented with luscious cologne; it's the 'finishing touch.' (Especially whilst 'trapped' in an elevator with him.)

R504 I'm certain it's just divine, but this is the Datalounge and I prefer ambergris.

Several classic Estée Lauder women's fragrances have a nearly identical men's counterpart:

Azurée = Aramis

Clinique Aromatics Elixir = Aramis 900

Aliage = Devin

Youth Dew, Cinnabar = JHL

I just bought some vintage Bandit and Jean-Louis Scherrer on eBay. I'm also curious about Futur (another Piguet unisex scent), Vent Vert by Balmain, and Ma Griffe by Carven.

R509 honey, surely those have longed turned into pissy ethanol and smell nothing like they used to. Fragrance doesn't keep for decades even in bottles in the dark....

The Bandit I got is bath oil, not perfume or eau de toilette. It just arrived and it smells incredible. Same for the Scherrer.

The Perfumed Court is selling decants of the Bandit bath oil (which is apparently very rare, even more than the vintage EDT or perfume) starting at [bold]$955[/bold] for a .25-ml vial. I got a whole bottle for $99.

R509, I love those chypres (the ones I know), too: I have Jean-Louis Scherrer, and a tiny bottle of Vent Vert parfum. I managed to snag a new-in-box bottle of Deneuve a couple of months ago: that was discontinued a long time ago, but it still smells great.

Ellen Corby, a.k.a. Grandma Walton, was not only a lesbian but also a fragrance maven (who knew?). This eBay seller managed to snag a bunch of her favorites, some unopened.

Jo Malone Earl Grey & Cucumber

R513, Wow! That Miss Balmain parfum is awfully tempting. It's a dry scent of leather and violets.

Burberry Touch

R515, Miss Balmain is supposedly a lot like Bandit, which I'm wearing right now. I'm getting leather, green notes, powder, musk, and smoke. Sexy as hell but not overpowering.

R517, I know I've owned Bandit, but I haven't been able to find the bottle: it might still be in storage. That scent has a fascinating history. BTW, Fracas (another Germaine Cellier creation) is supposedly Madonna's favorite perfume. Cellier was a Lesbian, and she supposedly created Bandit for butch Lesbians, and Fracas for lipstick Lesbians.

[quote]In collaboration with Germaine Cellier, Robert Piguet launched his first perfume Bandit (created 1942) in the USA in 1944,with a dramatic presentation featuring models with guns and knives, one of whom is said to have smashed a bottle of the fragrance on the floor. His most successful fragrance was Fraças (1948), also co-developed with Cellier - an updated version of which was inducted into the FiFi Awards's Hall of Fame in 2006. Other fragrances developed under Piguet's supervision were Visa (1945) and Baghari (1950). Following Piguet's death, fragrances such as Cravache (1963) and Futur (1960s) continued to be developed under his name, although 'Robert Piguet' gradually fell from public awareness until being bought by the American company Fashion Fragrances & Cosmetics Ltd in 1993.

Cologne is gross. I do not date men who wear it, and if they do, I ask them to not wear it.

It's called a shower and soap 2 x daily.

Who showers twice daily? Are you a problem perspiration sufferer?

R519. Tastes are different. Some people can't bear the smallest amount of spice, while others adore it. I like spicy foods, and good scents. I bought Platinum Egoiste on a recommendation, and hated it. On the other hand, m ex-BF wears it, and it's wonderful on him. Not everyone who wears scents is obnoxious about it. The nicest compliments I've received have been from coworkers who've simply commented, "I love your cologne", even when they somehow never noticed it any other day. I had one lady pull me to her (ample) bosom to tell me that I had made her day by wearing my cologne (Cacharel Pour Homme). I'm very considerate about the amounts I use, really. If I started dating a man who hated cologne, I'd first try to figure out what that tic was about. If it were only about cologne, I guess it might be okay. But if the same person (probably) couldn't face "ethnic foods" or anything else that brought some color into a WASP existence, it would be a huge warning, to me, at least.

Question for R513 and others: do vintage perfumes like those, especially the unopened ones still sealed in the box, lose their zing? Or even grow to smell bad with that much time? I love the idea of those vintage Miss Diors but wonder if a perfume can keep its smell over decades?

R855, I have to admit, it's sort of random. If the perfume was stored in the dark, in its original box, the scent can last a long time Parfums tend to last longer than EDPs, which last longer than EDCs. Also, some perfume ingredients (like oakmoss) seem to be a bit more unstable. I only have a little bit of Miss Dior, and I can still smell what made it magnificent at one time, but there's no question that it's "turned". I think my 'Deneuve' is pretty old, but it's quite clear. My Patou Pour Homme is what it was supposed to be be. Buying them on eBay is sort of a crapshoot, but just like a crapshot, sometimes you win. I have plenty of bottles that are well over 10 years old, The only bottle I've ever thrown away was a bottle of Coriandre that I bought back in the 80s, that I kept on my bathroom window shelf (huge mistake) and that I threw away when (I think) the oaksmoss had reached its experiation date.

I was wondering even about something like Cher's "Uninhibited" which is not as old as those vintage Diors. Thanks for the info!

Even stored under optimum conditions as R523 describes, a fragrance may lose its "top notes," as they're called, the lighter, more fleeting, fresh elements like citrus overtones, fresh herbal scents, or aldehydes. These can turn sour or fade away. The longer lasting "base" elements (the perfume concentration or extrait style tends to focus on these low notes) tend ton be more stables, but it's not a hard-and-fast rule.

I like piss.

I like gasoline.

grow the fuck up. what are you, 12?

no, r528. i'm 45 and full of life.

I remember Uninhibited, though I've never smelled it. At the time it came out, I figured it must not be that good since Cher got some ribbing for it (ex: Pat Stevens' "Uninhabited" on SNL), but supposedly it's wonderful and kind of a cult scent among frag hags. She intended it as a duplicate of her favorite fragrance cocktail: Charles of the Ritz layered with Vanilla by L'Artisan.

Apparently, Uninhibited has tons of oak moss in its notes, the one experts here keep warning goes bad fast. Many bottles for sale on ebay, even samples, but not cheap of course. It's from 1987 so what are the odds it is still "intact"?

I've suddenly fallen in love with my Encre Noire. I always liked it but didnt wear it much.

'Uninhibited' is actually considered one of the great 'lost scents'. The Irma Shorell company (which used to have its own website and chat board, Long Lost Perfumes/Pefumeoflife.com) used to produce a fascimile of it, as well as a version of 'Deneuve'. Not any more. I just went to sample the 'Deneuve' I bought a few weeks ago on eBay, and I didn't even need to dab it on to get the scent memory: just taking the bottle out of the box did that. It's a scent from the 80s that's survived (in the case of my bottle) in splendid shape.

BTW, Oakmoss has been banned by the International Fragrance Association because it can cause skin sensitivity issues. Yet, it's been found in association with Cro-Magnon fossils. It has a very long history of human use. When I was a fragrance newbie, I thought it was just a made-up term, but didn't realize that it's an actual species of lichen (Evernia prunastri). It is (or was) an ingredient of many of my favorite scents.

Cologne is kind of a deal killer for most people my age, I think.

It's regarded as super guido.

^ Tons of younger guys use cologne, or they drown themselves in Axe body spray

Fritsch Fragrances in Kitchener, Ontario, is a former drugstore run by a elderly pharmacist with a lifelong love of scent. In 1988 he turned his pharmacy into a vintage-fragrance shop. It's filled floor-to-ceiling with all kinds of wonderful stuff. He has a web store, but the selection is fairly small for now (his grandson helps with the online stuff).

I just sprayed a vintage Egoiste from the late 80s or early 90s on my hair.

It smells divine, haughty and glacial in an expensive way. It has resinous accord and combined with shampoo smells chic.

R535 AXE shower gel smells hot on a fit woman, though. Even as a base for perfume applied after.

[quote]Insensé by Givenchy

I LOVED Insensé in the early '90s. Unfortunately, it was a flop because it was a unisex floral and most guys thought it smelled too girly. Now it goes for upwards of $100 on eBay.

All time favorite...Geoffry Beanne Grey Flanne,l and Chanel Allure Sport.

Cannabis Santal by Fresh

Jolie Madame by Balmain is very similar to Grey Flannel. It's the most masculine women's fragrance I've ever smelled.

Introducing another brand to this thread, this fragrance brand is British based, and their scents are truly unique (and really wonderful). I bought a batch of samples from them, ages ago (they ship overseas) and I'm still wearing the samples (and getting compliments for them). Again, order samples, and you can decide before you commit (and yes, the samples are worth the price).

R542, I also own Jolie Madame. A wonderful scent: leather and violets.

There is only one scent that I will wear: Dusk by Herban Cowboy. Sexiest and most masculine scent out there. I almost turn myself on when wearing it. Soap, shower gel, shampoo, deodorant and after shave.

r544, because of you I bought a bottle. Very nice. Not the hardon you get, but nice.

Lauder for Men

Another perfumer who deserves discovery is Patricia de Nicolai. She is the great-grand-daughter of Pierre Guerlain, and became president of the French Osmotheque. Her 'New York' and 'Number One' are really amazing scents, worthy every penny. I'm wearing 'New York' right now.

If you tried the Musc could you give us a little review R547? That's the only one that grabs me about the sampler.

Yesterday I scored:

A bottle for Chanel for Men (I haven't worn it yet, and there is scant information about this on the web - any help? And No, this is not Chanel Pour Homme)

Basile Uomo After-shave balm (wonderful, but not much silage or longevity - which I guess is to be expected in an A/S balm)

Old Spice Whitewater (interesting aquatic with a medicinal quality; a bastardized D&G Light Blue. Worth a test)

Paco Rabanne - the original, in the loden box (I haven't worn it yet, but can't wait)!

I didnt read the whole thread but no mention of Byredo? Their scents are amazing. Some of my favorites are: Green (discontinued) Bal D'afrique Super Cedar Rose of No Mans Land Bibliotheca

L'Eau by Issey Miyake is fantastic. It's very light and fades to a wonderful citrus. I always get compliments.

I don't care for his Blue cologne, I have to say.

R549, Here's what I know about Chanel for Men: not much. I have (or had) a bottle and found it rather non-descript. Is was reformulated as 'Pour Monsieur', which is very much an Oriental (vanilla based) scent while, Chanel for Men is supposed to be a Green Chypre. I'm a huge green Chypre fan, but Chanel for Men left me a bit non-plussed.

OK, I'm am admitting that I'm not traditional, but I just sprayed some Après L'ondée on, and it's really heavenly.

R553 so many men shy away from the sweet floral accords, like the violet heart. Bravo to you for flouting that convention.

I don't use cologne but occasionally use Clubman after shave. It has the old time barbershop smell.

Or Lilac Vegetal

R555, R556, I used to own both of those, but not anymore. I do still have a bottle of Old Spice, though. It holds some nice memories for me from my childhood. It was originally named 'Early American Old Spice'. I was actually able to acquire a vintage bottle on eBay, a number of years ago. I read that the basic scent notes in Old Spice are the same flavor notes found in Coca-Cola. I only wear it when I'm going to an Antique Mall or Estate Sale, which I might work up a sweat if I end up buying some heavy, since, unlike many 'finer' fragrances, it doesn't react badly to perspiration.

R554, Thanks, I love some of those old Guerlain fragrances that have anise, iris or violet notes. L'Heure Bleue is another very old scent with anise notes: absolutely dreamy and divine.

I also bought a bottle of L.T. Piver's ancient scent "Pompeia' just so I could own a scent from that ancient house. I had to order it from a Santeria store in Miami: apparently it's used in Santeria and Voudou rituals. I can't recall what is smells like. I just like having a scent that will help me complete a Voudou ritual.

R549 Chanel Pour Monsieur, if that is what you have, is the original classic Chanel from 1955, one of the greatest scents ever, a classic chyphre, it has been reformulated due to IFRA regulations on oakmoss and citrus, so it is not as good as it once was. It is only sold outside of the US, for some reason. The version that people can buy here is Chanel Pour Monsieur Concentree, from 1989, which even though it looks very similar is a sweet oriental fragrance, and not anything like the original. I have no idea why Chanel doesn't sell the original in the US, or why the Concentree looks the same, it's quite confusing for consumers.

R559: The bottle I bought is labelled [italic]Chanel For Men[/italic], cologne. It's a splash-on bottle (no box), and the back identifies CHANEL inc., New York, NY, and the bottom of the bottle has "CHANEL" debossed into the glass. It's amber-coloured, not green.

I am definitely not as knowledgeable about fragrances as you (and several others in this thread), but I don't detect citrus or oakmoss; instead I get an initial blast of Bay Rum, which settles into a spicy, powdery, woody scent. It kind of reminds of me of Clinique's [italic]Aromatics Elixir[/italic] as well as the original [italic]Halston[/italic]- at least what they were circa 1980, when my sister owned and wore them (and as a young gayling, I used to play with when she wasn't home). Perhaps I should devote some time to becoming more informed about identifying notes.

R555: I am desperate to find a longer-lasting version of [italic]Clubman[/italic]; please chime in if you know of one!

R558: I would love to know what [italic]Pompeia[/italic] is like; please update, thanks.

What about Habit Rouge by Guerlain?

R560 Chanel for Men is what Chanel Pour Monsieur 1955 was called initially in the US in the 70's-80's. You have a vintage bottle that has probably turned quite a bit, and may smell decent still, but probably nothing like it originally did, the top-notes are the first to go. I have a bottle of it, and mine is turned too, and is also amber colored. Old fragrances get a toasted caramel like quality, that obscures the original notes.

R561, to be honest, the first time I sampled 'Habit Rouge', I was a fragrance newbie, and found it too 'loud'. Later on, I grew to see its amazing character, its 'bones' and fell in love with it. I only wear it now when I'm not afraid to make my presence known. You have to have some balls to get out there and wear 'Habit Rouge'. And DL Ladies, I would really encourage you all to get out there and strut your swag. You got it, bitches, even if you forgot it for a bit.

r561, I have bought HR /G in the EDT but my last purchase was a bottle of the EDP.

It is deeper and longer lasting. Now addicted to HR/G EDP.

It makes me feel like a Borgia cardinal.

R558, it is ridiculously inexpensive so I just ordered a bottle of Pompeia. Third time I ordered a scent on the recommends here.

It's not a cologne, but Marseilles' Opium-scented soap is delicious on male skin. I would describe it as a musky but clean aromatic spice, with hints of sweet liquorice & lavender emerging from the skinscent.

Bal à Versailles is wonderful if you like "big" scents—smells like an Arabian attar. Tons of incense, smoke, and patchouli.

Did anyone here ever try the sequel to 'Bal', called 'Revolution à Versailles'? It's seen as a cult mystery to perfume lovers...

People who've tried RAV say it's fruitier than BAV—some have compared it with vintage Poison. It's available fairly cheaply on eBay.

I just got the bottle of Pompeia and I am surprised how it seems to be a very light version of Lagerfeld.

Lagerfeld is enormous and lasts a long time with me.

Commie cologne. Who knew?

R571, There used to be a NYC website that carried several Russian import scents. I bought 'Siberian Barber No 1', and it's a really intriguing gourmand scent, with a bit of vanilla and strawberry notes alternating with an earthy base. I had several other Russian scents, but the rest were pretty uninteresting, but 'Siberian Barber No 1' was something very different from any of my other scents.

Oh, by the way, if you're not afraid, seek out a sample of Molinard's Habanita: it's a 'female' scent with a nice tobacco note. A female fragrance friend introduced me to a sample, and I bought a full bottle at first whiff.

Well, I'm celebrating Friday Night with a light spritz of Yves St Laurent's 'Nu' in EdP, and it's heavenly. Forgot that I had this one.

my favourite is dk fuel for men. i have an unopened bottle of the original 1994 launch.

R574, Don't leave it unopened! Enjoy it, now! DK's Black Cashmere wasn't marked to men, but it's definitely suitable for us.

I’m looking for the male twin to ‘Si’, that delectably warm boudoir-amber that Cate Blanchett was shilling a few years ago.

‘Si’ smells paradisial on a woman but not so on a man. A scent giving the ‘Si’ effect on a man would be impossible to resist.

What cologne do you think Kevin Spacey wears?

r577 Fucking Fabulous by Tom Ford.

To me, men who wear 'expensive' cologne immediately become sexy and confident. I love passing a man on the street, in the corridor, entering an elevator, only to be met by an alluring, attractive scent.

Most men can't afford the high end colognes. I hope this thread mostly covers the affordable scents.

Maybe figure out who the ‘male’ counterpart to Cate Blanchett is and then find out what he wears, R576.

"Si:" is pure vanilla. One of the Gaultier scents may be your closest bet. Most mens cologne is total citrus, mainly lime. Boring.

what about this brand, Penhaligon's ? it's english. any good scents from this brand?

Penhaligon's has some great colognes

I know we love to drag her here, but Sarah Jessica Parker has a unisex fragrance called Stash that sounds nice.

R584, anything to recommend? i prefer long lasting scents. it's holiday season, i'm shopping for gifts.

Lagerfeld is the biggest longest lasting scent I have ever encountered. I can smell it on the one guy in a gay bar at 50 feet. I bought a bottle, because I am that gay, and I can smell it the next day.

Recently, I bought savage by dior and I like it. it lasts all day.

I bought some vintage Red Moscow on a whim (see R571), and it's a lovely unisex. Tons of carnation and vanilla.

R583, Yes I own a bottle of Blenheim Bouquet, which includes pine notes, if you like that (I do). I've also sampled Hammam Bouquet, English Fern, and Bluebell. If I didn't already own too many scents, I'd probably purchase the others, but they're a bit pricey. Bluebell, in particular, is considered a feminine scent, but it's gorgeous. English Bluebells apparently have a distinctive scent, but the scent reminds me of Grape Hyacinths, which I really love.

I like Armani Cedar and get lots of compliments. I'm sure you could find it for less than in the link.

I was looking through my bottles and was shocked to see the prices for partial bottles of Patou Pour Homme Prive by Jean Patou for sale on the internet. I love this stuff.

R592, I have bottles of both Patou Pour Homme, and Patou Pour Homme Prive (very different scents). I managed to buy them from a store that was going out of business, when a friend on a fragrance board alerted me to the sale. They're now worth a fortune, but you can't really ship cologne through the US mail (I don't really understand how retailers do it), since it's both flammable and liquid). I think you might ship it by ground service, though. Patou Pour Homme is one of my favorites.

R583 let me add two bits to R590s great comment...

R583 Penhaligons’ scents make a wonderful gift. I have enjoyed an introduction to several Pens colognes & perfumes over the course of this year, and will very probably be buying my dear mother a bottle of Halfeti EdP without vacillation; seeing as she devoured my sample before I got to a drop!

However, before buying a bottle please be advised that they are expensive (at ‘cost per drop’) & have low projection for most (although elders or those with cool skin manage well enough). There is also the matter of Puig, the unfortunately crass new parent company to both Penhaligons & L’artisan who seems to be altering fragrances for the worse (but that’s discussion for later....)

What’s more, if you’re unsure about the scent your gift receiver will want & like then choosing which scent to buy for them is a more difficult task. We shall endeavour to help you as best we can in this thread but you may have to procure samples for yourself in aid of your search....

To start you off; it is worth knowing that Penhaligons are ‘hit & miss’ with men’s fragrances, only truly excelling at aromatic tonic colognes having ‘grassy’ or woodspice accords (I for one find their citrus & florals for men uninspired). To recommend a cologne of theirs with universal appeal for the Winter months is tricky, but I may tentatively suggest that you sample the classic English Fern and see what you make of it. Secondarily, Elixir may suit varied purposes as may Endymion. It is a tall order to recommend scent for someone we know nothing about, though!

Best of luck in your search.

Is Acqua de Parma Bergamotto Blu Mediterraneao decant worthy? I want to explore frags with bergamot as the main player, so any recs in that area are very welcome.

Turd Blossom from the House of Rove.

R595 I recall someone on Basenotes once called AdP Blu the ‘bitch on vacation’ scent, so there’s that.

‘L’Occitane Verbena’ is a zesty, outdoorsy, confident scent for the outgoing cub in your life.

I just bought a vintage bottle of Tabac Blond Eau de Cologne, and it is wonderful. The most unisex of unisex fragrances.

R599, Yes, it really is a terrific unisex scent. I think I mentioned upthread that, it wasn't until after WWI that women smoked in public, in polite society. Tobacco smoke clashed badly with the floral scents that women had typically worn before then, so new scents had to be devised that wouldn't clash with tobacco, hence a host of 'leather' and 'tobacco' scents that originated at that time. I have Tabac Blond, as well as Habanita, which is a fantastic scent.