Cologne and Fragrance folks..

Drakkar Noir

Fragrances are used by the lower class. The more educated the less likely one is to wear one according to studies. This is why the industry makes most of their money from stores like Walmart.

People do not want to smell you as said smell might not be to someone else’s liking. Many people have asthma too. To the less educated this doesn’t occur.

Old Spice Original stick deodorant

Amouage was originally a house spearheaded by the great french parfumier Guy Robert, and their original fragrances were wonderful, but when they sold the house, the fragrances began to suffer in quality.

I think very highly of Lyric Man, Beach Hut Man, and Jubilation 25. But it's been a long time since they released a new fragrance I've liked--and their prices tend to be extremely high.

I like LeLabo and wish it would make more scented lotions. Those work better for me than cologne.

I feel particularly fuckable when I use the smallest of amount of Blue de Chanel Elixir.

Out of the shower I spritz Hermes Eau D’orange Verte. Still beats Ford Neroli Portofino.

Hermès, Terre. Only Eau de Toilette.

r2 "according to studies"

Such as... ?

[quote]Fragrances are used by the lower class. The more educated the less likely one is to wear one according to studies.

Bullshit. What “studies”?

QE11 was known for her L'Heure Bleue. King Charles, Dior Eau Sauvage… Prince Harry even mentioned it in his book.

Dior Homme

I love how my Youth Dew makes me smell like an old whore from the 50s. The kind you have to pay for.

[quote]Fragrances are used by the lower class. The more educated the less likely one is to wear one according to studies.

[quote]Bullshit. What “studies”?

People are saying it!

It's what everyone is saying!

I wear Yuzu Zest, a unisex Jo Malone fragrance but the longevity is awful. I'm curious about Le Labo but I'm put off by the expense, $240 for a 1.7 oz bottle.

I dislike everything I've tried from Amouage

My experience has been that Le Labo fragrances are highly overrated and overpriced. There are a few I genuinely like, such as Bergamot 22 and Ylang 49, although the latter is not much better than Aromatics Elixir which you can get for a helluva lot less money. But some of the Le Labo fragrances are awful. Santal 33, their famous bestseller (and something that seemed to be ubiquitous among both sexes among Manhattan's creative class ten years ago) smells like dill pickle to many people, including to me.

I'm not a fan of Amouage fragrances, as I think they're over-the-top. But at least you only bought a decant, not a whole bottle. I developed my fragrance collection by swapping decants with other members on fragrance forums, and soon had a huge collection of fragrances that really worked with my chemistry.. I've found that I especially enjoy fragrances from Guerlain, Caron, Molinard and Chanel. I discovered I like tobacco, incense, and leather notes in scents.

I like Guerlain and Caron a lot, too

Anything from Hermes and Chanel reign supreme.

I have never been able to wear anything from Creed and it smells so good on other men. Same goes for Hermes (exception: Hermes de Terre works) and Kurkdjian.

My body chemistry doesn’t work with some really great scents.

[quote]Hermes Eau D’orange Verte

A friend wore that. Kind of citrus-y, and I liked the transparent deep teal bottle. My friend has been dead since 1992. I wonder if the cologne formulation has been changed since then. I know Eau Sauvage was reformulated, and it wasn't an improvement.

Back before COVID, you could still pick up great deals at TJMaxx or Marshall's. Different fragrance houses would discontinue a particular formulation, and dump their inventory. on the secondary market. I just spritzed on some wonderful Aramis that I bought at Marshall's.

Because it's a luxury item, Amouage has become a big point of pride for many collectors. Creed is, too. I only have a few Creed scents, but Bois du Portugal is one of my favorite scents ever. I can remember when Creed Silver Mountain Water was all the rage, but it never worked with my chemistry, een though my stock broker wore it very well.

Amouage Guidance is said to include notes of rose, frankincense, ambergris, pear and hazelnut. Apparently it’s going for the “Christmas in a brothel” effect. I can definitely see how this could go wrong.

Semen and sweat and that wonderfully musty smell when you bury your head in someone's chest hair. That's all the scent any man needs. Colognes and "parfums" are strictly for girlieboys who can't get laid.

R22- Its ghastly. I tried it on a card- it was awful. So a week later I sprayed it on one wrist. IT WAS WORSE. And even after a Silkwood Shower, it would NOT COME off. I looked like Thelma "after she was cooked" and that shit took 72 hours to dissipate. The pear/hazelnut combined with the rose and frankincense- is ghastly. And oddly enough, you can smell each of these notes distinctly- I do not get the Ambergris or sea note AT ALL- I do believe the overwhelming pear is what does it in-

I don't give a fuck about creesmass in a brothel!

[quote] I know Eau Sauvage was reformulated, and it wasn't an improvement.

You can still by what is more or less the original formulation of Eau Sauvage.

There is a new(-ish) perfume from the same company called just Sauvage, but it is very different.

[quote] Semen and sweat and that wonderfully musty smell when you bury your head in someone's chest hair. That's all the scent any man needs. Colognes and "parfums" are strictly for girlieboys who can't get laid.

You're just impossibly butch, Bryanboy. How can we ever meet your manly standards?

R26, There's Eau Sauvage and Sauvage. The latter has Johnny Depp as the spokesmodel. Heres Eau Sauvage"

[quote]These subliminal funk notes evoke the olfactory impression of a freshly showered man who nevertheless retains a whiff of body odor he can't wash off completely. Clean mixed in with a stubborn, human scent. It's a sexy combination, particularly striking in a scent so clean and fresh.

I have a very small bottle of the original, plus a new bottle that I prchased from the online Dior store. The differences aren't profound.

R26, I apologize for parroting you.

Gucci Guilty

Creed fragrances supposedly contain ambergris. I have no idea if they include the real stuff, but it's a house note. You have to try decants before you waste money on full bottles. Or start working with an experienced perfume counter specialist, who will provide you with samples and advice. It's a very enjoyable hobby. :)

for every day old school: Floris no, 89. In winter: Serge Luten, Fille en aiguilles

Fragrances must be used VERY sparingly - just a distant hint of scent. Otherwise, you appear foolish and trashy. These people who spray 3 big sprays on themselves are very, very desperate for attention.

I really like Juniper Sling from Penhaligon's but I have no idea if it works for me since I've never gotten compliments or any comments wearing that :(

I like Juniper Sling, too

I wore mint lotion from a local soap company all throughout early summer and people went crazy for it. $10 for a tube. So you never know.

The former Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, from her memoir D.V.:

[quote]“There’s a whole school now that says that the scent must be faint. This is ridiculous. I’m speaking from the experience of a [italic]lifetime.[/italic]

[quote]I always carry purse scent – that way I’m never without it. Do you notice any scent on me now? Don’t come any closer – if you have to [italic]sniff[/italic] like a [italic]hound,[/italic] it’s not enough!

[quote]Perfume is an extravagance. But it’s odd that Americans, who God knows are an extravagant people, have never used scents properly. They buy bottles, but they don’t splash it on. Chanel always used to say, keep a bottle in your bag, and refresh yourself with it continually.”

Girl! I just stuff a Gain dryer sheet in my boxers and I drive all the men wild!!!

R38 Better dump half a bag of Foca in there too.

r37 No

I'm old but I like Pinaud. Just a whisper of a dab. It smells like an old-time barber shop.

[quote]I love how my Youth Dew makes me smell like an old whore from the 50s. The kind you have to pay for.

How much R11?

[quote]This place s the freshie of the Eau Sauvage line. It’s the best freshie that Dior has. It starts with that great creamy Dior citrus up top with jasmine and Vetiver just behind. It smells very classy/fresh (“summer office” ) at this point but the vetiver fades quickly, stepping WAY back within 45 minutes. That creamy Citrus stays strong and long, well past the vetiver, and at this point it becomes a total freshie. Now it smells like a stronger much longer lasting version of Dior Homme Cologne.

I just read this review of Eau Sauvage eau de cologne on fragrancenet.com. What is a "freshie"?

Chanel No. 5

And yes, men CAN wear it.

It just smells supremely clean.

It's one of the most popular scents in the Middle East for men to wear.

All synthetic scents smell like RAID after 20 minutes

I [italic] want [/italic] to like Terre de Hermes. It goes on wonderfully. Friends swear by it. But (at least on me), the dry down becomes acrid . . . and it persists.

Its House fellow, Eau de Hermes, is amazing. While initially not quite as intriguing as Terre; after an hour, it turns into one subtle, sexy animal.

These days, R42, I’d be happy if you just did my dishes.

Fahrenheit by Dior! I’ve had men stop me on the street or in elevators to ask me what cologne I was wearing. They loved it and wanted to know where to get it. Macy’s or Amazon. It’s expensive but worth it.

[quote] I just read this review of Eau Sauvage eau de cologne on fragrancenet.com. What is a "freshie"?

A freshie is a fragrance that smells fresh and is especially good in hot weather. A freshie can have dominant citrus notes (as is the case with Eau Sauvage), oceanic notes (that smell like the sea), or green notes (that smell like green plants).

I like Amouge Opus V

Tom Ford’s ‘Barely Washed Balls’ is looking for a Christmas blowout

Isn't that Barley Washed Balls? Tommy going for a more cereal scent?

I've tried a bunch of fragrances recently, but I always come back to three:

- Black Afgano by Nasomatto - Monocle Scent One: Hinoki by Comme des Garçons - Incense Kyoto by Comme des Garçons

What can I say, I like fragrances that smell like Japanese Buddhist incense.

[quote] Fragrances must be used VERY sparingly - just a distant hint of scent. Otherwise, you appear foolish and trashy. These people who spray 3 big sprays on themselves are very, very desperate for attention.

I don't think it's necessarily seeking for attention. Everybody applying a fragrance want others to notice, more or less subconsciously. Otherwise, what would be the point of using a fragrance? My theory about those who use too much: They get used to the fragrance and need to apply more and more with time to still smell it themselves. Just like people who never shower don't smell their own bad smell, those with a perfume don't smell their good fragrance at some point either anymore. There must be a deliberate self-restrain because you cannot trust your own nose. Just my theory.

I would wear Chanel No. 5 every day if it weren’t so well known as a woman’s fragrance.

I find Tom Ford fragrances always have something weird about them. Some off-putting scent that ruins what would otherwise smell nice. Like the chocolate added to Black Orchid.

A lot of Ford's scents have a chemical, metallic base note that is neither oriental nor chypre.

His florals seem to lack this.

And before Adventus, I would grab my bottle of Guerlain Habit Rouge Eau de Parfum.

Whatever substance that was eliminated in the Lagerfeld relaunch is sorely missed.

The re-release is close but has no strength in the middle and rapidly fades out to a Fabulouso-esque base.

This was my Drakkar Noir of the 80s and it was only carried at the big Walgreens.

Eeeeewwwww STINK SPRAY!

If it makes you feel sexy it's doing its job.

It can get you in the mood for date night, even if it’s just with yourself

👋🏻 🍆

[quote] And before Adventus,

Oh, dear.

I've never tried Aventus. What is so great about it? How would you describe it?

Aventus is a chypre that smells of pineapple and smoke and oakmoss.

Today I wore Aqua Palmaris by Le Couvent, a house created by Jean-Claude Ellena. Pamaris is a good yet offbeat neroli. Tonight I am testing a rare vintage pure parfum Wind Song, of all things. This bottle has Mysore sandalwood. Also surviving to 2025 are the carnation, clove and orris, distinctly and the rose as background. Top notes are mostly long gone.

[quote]Aventus is a chypre that smells of pineapple and smoke and oakmoss.

Do I really want to smell like a pineapple, smoke and moss?

Not anymore as it's an overdone style with elebenty zillion clones and smell alikes.

OK. So what's the chicest men's cologne at the moment.

R69 that's impossible because there are so many fragrances and cultures have a different idea of what is chic. Do you want something created in the last 5 years? 10 years?

R70 doesn't matter. Something upscale for an older gentleman.

From a French perspective I would suggestion older scents such as Chanel pour Monsieur and Dior Eau Sauvage Eau de Parfum (which has nothing to do with Dior Sauvage). A 25 year old banker might chose Chanel Sycomore (Les Exclusifs). Hermès H24 Eau de Parfum. For English chic perhaps Floris No. 89 or Penhaligon’s English Fern (which is over a century old). So these English are not the new chic scents.

R69-Pacific Chill by Louis Vuitton is big right now and I absolutely love it. Ordered the 6.8 ounce for Christmas Gift for myself.

Hello, big spender! Initialled?

I think there's a popular brand that makes dupes

I like aqua di parma the blue bottles but they don't last!

R72 and R73 thanks.

r72, can you explain the difference between Eau Sauvage Parfum and Cologne, please? Thanks.

Don't ask me.

R78 - parfum is a higher concentration.

r67, It's a fruity, floral, citrus scent. I like it, but it doesn't last on me.

I find it interesting that someone mentioned Lagerfeld. Lagerfeld is a scent so HUGE that one guy in a bar using it, will scent the entire room. Sweet and cloying and, if you do not like it, annoying. Meant to be worn with a cream Qiana knit shirt unbuttoned to the tits.

[quote] For English chic perhaps Floris No. 89 or Penhaligon’s English Fern (which is over a century old).

Unfortunately Penhaligon discontinued English Fern (which was truly lovely) just a few years ago. It's pretty hard to find now.

[quote] Do I really want to smell like a pineapple, smoke and moss?

Only you know the answer to that.

The sense of smell is a very individual thing.

Yes Blu Mediterraneo fragrances are often lovely but performance is fleeting.

Eau Sauvage Cologne is a classy Citrus Aromatic. If you have money to burn and dont mind a fleeting experience it's great. Eau Sauvage Eau de Parfum is smoky, resinous, almost incense-like; a “gentleman’s fragrance” leaning autumn/winter for home, or evenings out and events. It has the fresh citrus + hedione floral lift of the cologne but its much more and dresses up nicely and performs. it doesn't smell dated on mature man its timeless.

Givenchy still makes their original Gentleman, surprisingly. Behind the many many current flankers, some of which are delicious, there is still the OG now called Classic. It's rough and masculine and its value priced from online discounters. Real deal. Chic in a rough way.

Guerlain still makes quality gentleman's scents - all steeply discounted from online retailers. At least in Europe. Habit Rouge is often 60 bucks the bottle, but 120 in department stores.

I teach in university. The pineapple smoke fragrances smell nice on young men. Mature, less so. Young men can kind of wear anything and smell nice, though. Now they mostly wear amber sugary elixir which are designer or Middle Eastern. Middle Eastern amber bombs can be fantastic at low price points becuase the molecule store make a delicious amber fragrance are cheap. there isn't much difference between a Gaultier or Givenchy or YSL sweet amber and a 25 buck clone from the UAE.

[quote] Eau Sauvage Cologne is a classy Citrus Aromatic. If you have money to burn and dont mind a fleeting experience it's great.

It's not all that expensive in perfume terms. You can buy it on ebay for less than $125, which is a bargain considering how superb and well made it is.

Perfumes from Tom Ford and Creed go for more than twice that. And men's perfumes from Clive Christian and Roja Dove go for hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

becuase the molecules to make.... tired. I'll sign off now. 🤡

I wish the blues and ambers would go away and fresher chypres and fougeres would come back for young men. And sport fragrances. I think downmarket sport fragrances and mall fragrances smell great on young men. Lacoste Essential (2005). Montblanc Explorer (Aventus knock off kinda). Versace Pour Homme. Easy peasy. Better than Axe and not too studied.

Thats high for Dior ES Cologne but I guess thats USA. It's a rather shocking 70 CH tonight in Switzerland at a brick and mortar retailer that can be trusted. Quite cheap. About 80 bucks. It's more in quality department store. Last time I bought a bottle was during the deep covid dumps - 40 bucks. Fragrance wasn't selling so there were massive dumps of designers on the grey market. Most of my Amouages were 100-140 bucks. Never see that price again! They are 250-400 now.

But Sauvage Elixir makes me feel handsome.

Like Larry Russel in The Gilded Age.

R78, you’d have to smell them side by side. The parfum version of Eau Sauvage and the cologne version are different scents. The former includes our friend oakmoss (presumably synthetic), myrrh and patchouli. I assume that it has a “darker,” more complicated quality.

I use Enjoli, the 8-Hr Perfume, for when i want to go home to the man who wants loving so I can kiss him and give him the shivering fits!

15 or so years ago I bought large decants of Gold, Jubilation 40, and Jubilation XXV, because they all had notes that are my signatures.

First whiff is always divine, but during the start of drydown there's always an off , almost vomit-like note that makes me quite queasy the way Old Spice (the OG, not reformulations) used to turn on my Dad when I was little. Heavy amber-y fragrances can have that effect on me. Could be the ambergris which is amazing in a fragrance if crafted right.

But I think ambergris is banned by IFRA, isn't it?

Ambergris is not banned. It's simply too expensive.

We no longer have the requisite amount of whales with eating disorders to support natural ambergris. I’ll bet it’s a chemical. Kind of like there’s not enough beaver assholes to support the amount of vanilla we consume.

I missed the connection between castoreum and vanilla. Explain?

R92, the IFRA proscribes substances that are toxic or cause allergic reactions. Therefore, no oak moss. Ambergris isn't dangerous but it is banned in the U.S. and many other countries to discourage whale-hunting. You can still find fragrances that use it, but it's very rare.

[quote] [R92], the IFRA proscribes substances that are toxic or cause allergic reactions. Therefore, no oak moss.

That's not quite true. IFRA does not prohibit oakmoss, although it does restrict the amount of oakmoss perfumers are supposed to use in fragrances. Their restrictions have almost no actual teeth, however, and some perfumery houses (like Rogue Perfumery) choose to ignore them.

Wrong. IFRA has IMMENSE impact on global fragrance company with almost all commercial fragrance manufacturers respecting the guidelines in order to be distributed without problem. A few small niche brands, that the hoi polloi have never heard of, ignore the ban on oakmoss. Oakmoss is severely restricted in IFRA compliant fragrances and for at the limits fell lower and lower, many classic fragrances such as classic chypres, were decimated. It took 15 years for the fragrance molecule companies to come up with anything close to satisfying substitutes. This means a reformulation of from 2000 could be terrible, but it could then be improved again, say, in 2020. An example would be Cabochard.

The ban on oakmoss is utter bullshit, however. And many think IFRA are money and power grabs to funnel profits to the molecule companies because they are making the substitute molecules. A European study testing randomly selected adults (not pre-selected by any symptoms) found 1.0% of the general population showed patch test sensitivity to oakmoss extract. Maybe it would be more respectful to ask those who are are allergic to oakmoss to not wear oakmoss fragrances. and leave the important role of oakmoss for the 99% of fragrance lovers to enjoy.

IFRA has not entirely banned oakmoss but has implemented restrictions on its use due to potential skin sensitization, limiting its concentration to 0.1% in perfumes and requiring specific purification of the extract to remove sensitizing components like atranol and chloroatranol. These standards force perfumers to reformulate fragrances by reducing the presence of these specific molecules or using synthetic alternatives and fractionation to create compliant versions of oakmoss.