You've already got the first three I was going to suggest. If you're not on a tight budget and want to try another one, get Silver Mountain Water.

One thing to try with the MI, is to compare it to Unforgivable by Sean John. MI is about an 80& blatant ripoff of MI. If you smell MI and Himalaya, you'll notice the Bergamot and Mandarin notes are present in both, and Unforgivable has identical bergamot/mandarin notes to the Creeds, they must have the same supplier for ingredients.

Hi Mr.Cologne Snob,

Whatz ur say on the following colognes:

1)Vera Wang
2)Kenneth Cole Black
3jean paul gaultier
4)Clinique Happy

Thanks.

Ok, I want an opinion as well from Mr. Cologne Snob guy. ;)

What would you reccomend for a guy like me?

As for now the fragrances I have at home are Armani Code and Dolce & Gabbana Masculine.

I'm a guy of refined tastes, and a bit of a metrossexual. You can look a bit at Beckham to kind of know what kind of clothes I wear and all... something like this, except my haird is not dyed and I'm not Beckham.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=.../i/beckham.jpg

Of course I'm not giving 200 euros for a fragrance, but for starters, nevermind the budget.

Dear Mr. Self Destruct,

I wanted to get your take on some fragrances as I'm ready to move up into the big leagues, if you will. I have recently become fascinated my male fragrances. I am a 33 year old supervisor in the information technology field and I wish to enhance an already diverse collection. I am single with a large build and frequent the clubs here in Omaha as I'm quite the social butterfly. My collection started out with the cheap smells from Coty and Jovan, then I moved up into the likes of Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Tiffany, Hugo Boss, Perry Ellis then I've actually bought a few off the wall foreign fragrances as well to make my scents "unique". As I'm looking at all these fragrances from Creed, Guerlain, YSL, etc., I wanted to get your opinion on something that would suit a guy like me since you have a much better understanding of scents.

Furthermore, I am surprised that the compliments I most receive are for Gambler by Jovan and Stetson by Coty. I am hoping that it's a case where the quality of these designer fragrances aren't much higher than the cheaper ones and that reputable houses will offer much more and not one in which synthetic essential oils do better on my skin. Here are the six fragrances which give me the most compliments in alphabetical order:

1. Euphoria by Calvin Klein
2. Gambler by Jovan
3. Joop by Joop
4. Lucky You by Liz Claiborne
5. Naturally Irish Lavender by Fragrances of Ireland
6. Stetson by Coty

I also have Aspen by Coty and Coolwater by Davidoff, but don't get as many compliments, which is a pity, since I am intrigued by Green Irish Tweed and was wondering if that scent would work for me. I have been doing quite a bit of research on various websites and found twenty that interest me but want to get your take on them. Feel free to add some other ideas if you think they are applicable based on the six which seem to work for me the most and my background. Here they are alphabetically:

1. A Men by Thierry Mugler
2. Antaeus by Chanel
3. Armani Code by Armani
4. Bois du Portugal by Creed
5. Egoiste by Chanel
6. Envy by Gucci
7. Geir by Geir Ness
8. Green Irish Tweed by Creed
9. Gucci Pour Homme by Gucci
10. Habit Rouge by Guerlain
11. Heritage by Guerlain
12. M7 by YSL
13. Miracle by Lancome
14. No. 89 by Floris
15. Rive Gauche by YSL
16. Royal English Leather by Creed
17. Royal Scottish Lavender by Creed
18. Santal by Floris
19. Silver Mountain Water by Creed
20. Vetiver by Guerlain

I am not wanting to spend a ton of money so if you could help me narrow down the list (probably done too much research) or give me some ideas that I did not think about, it would be much appreciated! I love the concept of a thread like this! Thank you for doing so!

Hey Fleetwood, if you read the previous couple of pages in the thread, you'll see that he's actually written about several that are on your list.

I ended up getting the hubby Himalaya by Creed because of this thread, and I'm very happy with it. Of course, the scent I favor for myself seems to be rather difficult to find at much less than retail. :(

Great thread!

I often get called by guy friends to go perfume shopping witht them. My favourite consistently seems to be Ralph Lauren Romance (I even bought a bottle for myself, and also use the female version which is slightly different). The perfumes I use myself include some Issey Miyake and DKNY Be Delicious.

Recently I went shopping with one friend and a salesman tried a certain Marc Jacobs fragrance on him which was just killer. I can't even remember which one it was, I think it was supposedly some limited edition.

MrSelfDestruct - a couple questions for you. When you go perfume shopping, how do you try on more than one scent? I often try two and even then I find the two get mixed up in my nose and I can't remember which one I liked more.

Secondly, would you recommend say three perfumes (at high / lower price point) every man should try when they go perfume shopping? And if you have any for women, I'd appreciate that just for me. :)

By the way - I will be after Tabac Blonde when I next go shopping - thanks for the tip.

1 Good. Smells good on me but not as good as other fragrances
2 Not bad, but I like Reaction better
3 I assume you specifically mean Le Male, which kicks ass
4 Haven't smelled it, I'll keep an eye out and get back to you.
1 Good. Smells good on me but not as good as other fragrances
2 Not bad, but I like Reaction better
3 I assume you specifically mean Le Male, which kicks ass
4 Haven't smelled it, I'll keep an eye out and get back to you.
Since you're a bit metrosexual I'm going to reccommend a fairly sweet unisex scent, Silver Mountain Water by Creed. Tea and blackberry notes form a clean, high-class scent worn by celebrities such as David Bowie and Ricky Martin.
1. A Men by Thierry Mugler
-Too sweet for my taste, OK for clubbing but since I smelled it again a few weeks ago I can't help thinking it's a bit juvenile. If you're 33 you want something more sophisticated.
2. Antaeus by Chanel
-Powerful and masculine but not overdone. There's a reason it's been around for so long.
3. Armani Code by Armani
-Not a big fan. Armanis smell too synthetic to me, although this isn't exactly a popular opinion.
4. Bois du Portugal by Creed
-I tried a sample of it and it's just amazing. Very strong, but in an office with air conditioning it shouldn't be a problem. Not for the summer unless you've mastered the art of light application. Spicy, woody, and screams high class.
5. Egoiste by Chanel
-Another warm and spicy one. Fairly popular and not guaranteed to stand out in a crowd, but smells great either way.
6. Envy by Gucci
-Sex in a bottle. Very strong: the ideal way to apply it to have a friend spray it at you while backing away at the opposite end of a well-ventilated hallway. I once wore this in Miami during the summer and got it to the proper strength by doubling up on the sprays then taking a shower.
7. Geir by Geir Ness
-Haven't smelled it but have heard mixed reviews leaning toward the negative
8. Green Irish Tweed by Creed
-Classic, called "the greatest men's fragrance ever made" by many. Worth a try, Cary Grant can't be wrong.
9. Gucci Pour Homme by Gucci
-Old-fashioned and traditional, may not be what you're going for.
10. Habit Rouge by Guerlain
-Too old-fashioned, an old man fragrance.
11. Heritage by Guerlain
-Powerful and masculine, this is the kind of thing you're looking for.
12. M7 by YSL
-I'm too sexy for my shirt ... so sexy it hurts. Get the idea?
13. Miracle by Lancome
-Haven't seen it in stores, mixed reviews leaning toward positive.
14. No. 89 by Floris
-Strong but subtle, casual for daily or office wear. For a gentleman, not jut any man.
15. Rive Gauche by YSL
-Kind of like Gucci Pour Homme if it weren't so old-fashioned. Woody without the spice. Pass on the Intense version, it's just more Patchoulli and you don't need to smell like a hippie.
16. Royal English Leather by Creed
-A fragrance fit for a king, a 22-year-old king. It's good but I can't think of anyone I would reccommend it to because it smells like a high-class, late 18th century fragrance. Try it for yourself, it's the only way to find out if you like it.
17. Royal Scottish Lavender by Creed
-When you spray this on yourself, it will interact with your body's natural oils to form a scent of either smooth, natural lavender or undiluted carpet shampoo. You'll either love it or hate it (unless you enjoy smelling like an exploded Lysol factory, in which case you'll love it either way.) Try it before you buy it.
18. Santal by Floris
-If Gucci Envy is liquid sexuality, this is liquid seduction. It's more high-class, more sophisticated, and richer. Try both if you're going to try either.
19. Silver Mountain Water by Creed
-I mentioned this above, it's fresh, sweet, and not unlike the fragrance companion of a fine blackberry wine.
20. Vetiver by Guerlain
-Like every Vetiver scent out there (with the Exception of Creed's subdued Original Vetiver,) this can be said to deliver the scent of vetiver to the nose in the same way that a sledgehammer delivers a construction worker's effort to a wall marked for demolition.

As usual, for a powerful masculine scent that exuddes authority and class, try Caron's The Third Man.

I make no effort to conceal how much I love Himalaya, and between it, Silver Mountain Water, Bois du Portugal, and Millesime Imperial, 80% of guys will probably find a high-end fragrance they'll like. I'm biased toward Creed just because I like their stuff so much, but I do firmly believe that they're the world's best fragrance house. As for middle and low end stuff, there's so much variety that the best I can do is offer guidance and things to stay away from.
Good luck on that one, search without the "e" on blonde and you'll probably find it online, but be warned, at list price it costs more than its weight in gold unless you want to pay $999 for 6.7 ounces.

Hi Mr Cologne Snob,
I'm a 19 year old college student and wanted to know if you could recommend something for me.

I recently bought a bottle of JPG's Le Male and loved it.. but due to a rather unfortunate incident.. I dropped it. I would buy another one but it was pretty expensive, and I figured if i was gonna drop a lot of money again I would try something new out. I got Polo Blue as a gift recently, but I am not really a big fan of it. I liked Polo Sport, but it wasn't as striking as I would have wanted it to be. I've wanted to get samples of GIT, Himalaya, and MI but i've been reluctant to shell out more money in shipping than the actual cost of the product lol. I'd go for anything up to 100$
Thanks

It's time to do a little clothes shopping for the summer and I thought of this thread because I plan on getting a few new scents... just thought I'd give it a bump.

If the cologne snob is still taking requests, I'd *love* some advice.

I'm a bit of a geek (programmer), and work in an office. I'm looking for something subtle - the subtler the better, imho. I really like the smells of tea, bergamot, lavender, vanilla, and mint. I'd like something that smells...confident and subtle.

If it helps, I've been using this stuff: http://pacificshaving.com/ to shave with, and I really like the smell, but it's a little too citrusey to be something I'd like to smell like all the time - the shaving oil doesn't seem to leave much of a scent behind, afaict.

Doing some googling on those scents, it looks like maybe Tabac original might be what I'm looking for?

Thanks!

As always, I suggest that in addition to what I suggest, you head over to the local department store's fragrance counter, commandeer a jar of coffee beans, and try anything that catches your eye or nose. If you manage to get there at a time that's free of pushy salespeople, you're in business. That probably won't be possible at higher-end places like Nordstrom's or Saks Fifth Ave, but it's worth enduring the salespeople to try the higher-end fragrances. As much as I hate to say it, don't buy anything in the store without checking online first, especially for high-end fragrances.
Aqua de Bulgri is the first thing that comes to mind, but if Polo Black wasn't striking enough, it probably won't be, either. YSL's M7 and Givenchy's Pi (both scents) are worth trying. They should be well under 100, especially online.

Still taking requests, but also taking exams (and have been getting ready for them,) that's why I took so long to respond to both of you.

You're right that in an office you should have something subtle, but the confidence is half you and half the fragrance. If you're willing to try something dark and mysterious with a powerful air, Ungaro III has a sexy, deep, artistic, masculine floral scent. John Varvatos is a clean scent that incorporates tea leaves and vanilla. My brother has stolen my bottle at the moment but I still wear it on some days. As usual, I'll recommend Caron's The Third Man for a powerful, strong, in-charge air from an amazing scent.

Thanks for the suggestions, and good luck with your exams!

I actually just got back from the mall, and had the kids get me Pi for my birthday, which you recommended to someone else earlier in the thread - I think I like it. I'll definitely take a look at the two you recommended when I get a chance!

By the way, is there a chain/department store that is likely to carry the 'creed' line of fragrances? I looked at a couple of stores in the mall, and none of them had it. Since you recommend them so highly, I'd like to try them out.

Well, it's been a few months, and thanks to your advice, Mr. Self Destruct, I have obtained a handful of delightful fragrances. Green Irish Tweed, Envy, Taylor of Old Bond St. No. 74 Victorian Lime, Onyx, Realm, and Alan Flusser are winners and give me a nice stream of compliments. I will be picking up Floris 89 and Santal very soon! You were dead on in regard to most of the fragrances above and found your advice more useful than other web reviews and threads. I am going to run a few more by you since there are no vendors in the area that carry Trumper, Penhaligon's, or Annick Goutal. What do you think of Eau De Quinine, Endymion, Duel, and Mandragore? Do you know of any good places to obtain decants?

Hey Robot Parade, you can find Creed in department stores like Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Von Maur. You can try creedperfumes.us for more information if none of those stores are near you. Remember, there is an endless supply of on-line stores so that you can purchase fine fragrances at a much lower cost. Good luck!

Awesome thread, Mr. Self Destruct.

I've finally decided to seek your wisdom. I am a 22 year old male student. I'm looking for a summer scent that's masculine, mysterious, that stands out and that's not too overpowering.

I'm fit yet not excessively muscular. Sitting at 155 lbs on 5ft11. I feel i have a very strong personnality, I love to lead, I'm very social and usually very good with people. At the same time, i would say i am also laid back and somewhat nonchalant. Style-wise, i have a little skateboarder thing going on usually preferring t-shirts and jeans or bermudas with the occasionnal polo or dress shirt.

I've done a little research and so far, i must say that i am intrigued by L'Anarchiste.

Any suggestions?

Cheers ! Shoe.

Dear Mr wise and knowledgable cologne snob,
I have a couple of questions for ya. First what exactly is it that you don't like about Drakkar? Secondly what is your opinion of Latitude and Longitude by Nautica. Thirdly what would you recommend for me, I am 5'10 outgoing and charismatic, with a hint of what has been called a dry sense of humor. I usually wear work boots,blue jeans and t-shirts, but can also clean up well. Thanks for the advice! I look forward to hearing from ya.

I have a library of different scents and use them depending on the season (as you said, heavier scents for winter, lighter scents for summer), my mood, the occasion, etc. My favourites right now are Dior Addict and Givenchy Hot Couture. I actually just bought CK In2U as it will be great for day and summer wear, it's light and fresh. I also bought a perfume oil from Principessa that I like to wear for something subtle. I think it's good to note too that some scents work for some people, and not for others depending on how it mixes with your natural chemistry. I know my friend always smells great while wearing her perfume (I'm blanking on the name), but when I tried it, it just didn't feel right. What a great thread!

Took my fiance to the Creed counter and she loved Green Irish Tweed, so picked up a bottle...great recomendation! Thanks, C.Snob!

I think Im coming in late on this thread lol, but I LOVE Realm (the men's version, the women's version stinks) Its all Dave wears and I can tell you it def works on me.

I was in Alabama many moons ago working with a guy doing some genealogy stuff and he was wearing it (actually I think he'd bathed in it) I reacted SO strongly to it it wasnt funny (no I didnt jump him...but after a 3 hour drive home I was still horny as hell)

I can be sitting on the opposite end of the house and Dave can put some on and I can tell immediately. Its a plus that it smells good too.

I dont react that way to that other stuff thats supposed to have pheremones...whats it called? Axe or something like that?

I normally wear scottish heather oil but when Im in the mood for a change my favorite is Design by Paul Sebastion.

I have had guys at work come in my office just to smell me (with both scents), i get many compliments from guys at the grocery store (I usually end up having to ask some guy to get me something from a top shelf cause Im too short) and envariably someone asks me what Im wearing that smells so good

On Friday I went to Von Maur and bought a bottle of Lacoste 'Style In Play' (the red bottle), which is a summery scent with jasmine and musk notes... I liked it more than any of the other 30 or so typical department store fragrances I tried, by far. It should be a nice compliment to my favorite cologne of all time, Burberry Brit.

Then today, I finally got a chance to stop by Saks and visit the Creed counter. I tried out all the big-name scents and was just blown away by how distinctive each one was. On Friday all the scents seemed to blend together and smelled fairly cheap, but all the Creed scents were very unique. I loved Himalaya the most, but was also very intrigued by the new 'Virgin Island Water' scent... which is at Nieman Marcus now and will be released elsewhere in June. That should give me just enough time to save up for it... they are definitely expensive, but I'm sold on the Creed name now. :)

By the way, the Creed attendant was impressed at how much I knew about the Creed scents for someone my age... so thank you for all your insight and advice, MSD... apparently you know what you're talking about. ;)

This morning my boyfriend and I were talking about Colognes. His signature scent is Curve for men, but he is thinking of wearing a different scent for the evenings. Do you still recommend Creed's Green Irish Tweed to compliment the Curve? If not, do you have any suggestions?

Sorry to take so long again, now that exams are over, it's full-time work.
Saks Fifth Ave and Nieman Marcus.
There are none around here, either. I've never seen any of those.
Since you want mysterious, I'm going to recommend what I like to call "Weird shit." This means that most people never heard of the fragrance houses. This means that many of them are unisex, because there are only so many things you can do while keeping it exclusively masculine. This means that I have to copy and past a lot of the names to avoid misspelling them. This means you have to try it twice before you make a judgment and smell it often throughout the drydown process to know what it's really like. Most importantly, this means you should really order samples before you buy a full bottle.

a few by L'Artisan Parfumeur

Voleur de Roses: A plum sliced open on a plate next to a fresh, deep-blood-red rose placed delicately in a glass of fine Cabernet Sauvignon wine on top of an oak table after a light spring rain in the French countryside. The condensation of classic noir romance into a fragrance.

Tea for Two: The scent of a stroll through a Middle Eastern street market in a movie (real life has too many flies and too much camel dung;) cinnamon and clove from the spice racks, a pot of honey in the distance, wisps of fresh oriental tea from inside a mystic's tent, racks of fresh tobacco leaves drying in the afternoon sun and smoke in the distance. Screams "mysterious."

Fou d'Absinthe: Not as strong of an an artemesia note as you'd imagine, but otherwise pretty much what you'd expect from something based on spiced absinth. This is what Vincent can Gogh would wear if he were alive today.


now to Strange Invisible Perfumes:

Atlantic: The only distinctly masculine fragrance offered by SIP, imagine the warm sea breeze coming in over the beach and through the woods on every island or coast in the world where you'd want to go on vacation, and more, all at once. You close your eyes and drift from Australia to Jamaica to England to Ireland to Florida to India, then open them to find that you hadn't moved, just sprayed on your cologne. Lavender, sandalwood, rum, peppermint, lime, and benzoin (think Vanilla, but not.)

L'Invisible: the essence of the word "exotic." Floral, but balanced with lemon. They say that it is the embodiment of the French word "sentir," which means both to smell and feel.

Black Rosette: back to the movies, this time you're in a Far East tea house with a fireplace burning, roses along the walls, and a hint of leather whose source you can't quite pinpoint.
I don't like Drakkar because it smells cheap to me and evokes the mental image of a guy with slicked back hair and gold chains cruising around central New Jersey in his IROC-Z.

Latitue and Longitude isn't bad, but isn't anything that special. I prefer things that are out of the ordinary, try new things, and stretch the imagination, not just something that was made because its ingredients happen to smell good together. A decent fragrance makes you smell good, a great one makes you feel good.

You'd probably be a good candidate for M7 by Yves Saint Laurent, but first I want you to try YSL's live Jazz. It's casual enough for every day, smells cool and fresh, and if it doesn't draw compliments, then I'm a monkey's uncle.
Glad you liked it, but I cringe to think how much you paid retail, the proper thing to do in department stores is to say you have to think about it and pay half price online.
I love Realm's skin and hair care products, but when I tried their men's fragrance I literally had to touch my nose to my wrist to smell it, only to discover that it smelled exactly like Skin So Soft lotion.
Hooray, I'm useful (/Zoidberg)
I maintain my position that both Curve and Davidoff Cool Water are lower-quality ripoffs of GIT, made with synthetics and without the masterful blending. GIT smells more high-class.

Well....??

How'd the exams go?!?

Hope they went well.

By the by, what do you think (if you have any opinion) of black phoenix alchemy labs? (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/) - a couple of people I know love their stuff, and my sister sent me some testers for my birthday, after I mentioned my interest in cologne.

They seem to operate on a different model than the normal perfume type place....they have a *lot* of fragrances, and apparently people trade/share their testers a lot, rather than just stick with one fragrance. They've got all sorts of goth/fantasy themed scents, which is kind of interesting. The ones my sister sent me are interesting, and I mostly like the scents, but they don't seem to last very long. I don't think I'd use any of them on a daily basis, but it seems like a good way to try something different.

It was $100 for an ounce, or $200 for four ounces. We bought one. It was only a day or two before our wedding, so the cost wasn't an issue. :thumbsup:

lol thats funny, I use skin so soft all the time (for misquitoes because im so allergic to them) and I dont think they smell the same at all....not even similar to my nose

Exams went well, thanks for asking. I ended up stretching an 8-10 page paper on the history of, and political/social/economic change in Iraq into 26 pages, so I lost a whole lot of sleep.
Looks interesting, I'll have to get some samples when I have money.
Still cringing at the price, but it was for a good cause :thumbsup:
That's one of the best parts of fragrances, they can smell completely different on two people. I'm remembering the SSS from the early '90s that we still have around, and I also use it to repel mosquitos.

I just thought I'd mention this since I've recommended it to a few people. I got a bottle of Ungaro III at Marshall's for $20 a month ago, and I've gotten as many compliments on it as I did with Himalaya, which I cannot afford for at least another few months. The first day I wore it, one of my friends hugged me, commented on how good I smelled, and called over another friend to smell me; they refused to let go so I just stood there being hugged for a few minutes. I've been tackle-hugged a few times (although at my size tackling doesn't quite work) since then.

The Axe effect can suck my balls.

Threads like this are the reason I just recently started visiting these forums again.

Anyway, I'm a 22 year old, pretty laid back guy. I generally wear jeans and a t-shirt, or a button down and khakis. I work at a casino as a blackjack/poker dealer. I'm a pretty laid back, easygoing guy and I was hoping to find something that would fit my personality. I don't want anything too metro, but I also want something the ladies will like. Your help is highly appreciated, I have absolutely no experience with cologne whatsoever. Thanks man.

Whoo; made it to college, made some money, and remember this. I'm planning on going cologne shopping rather soon; I'm sure this information will be invaluable. Any new suggestions?

Hmmm. MSD, I know you aren't much into womens fragrance, but I didn't see any of the fragrances I wear listed by any of the ladies that piped up, and just wondered if you had smelled them/liked or disliked/had any comments on them.
I vary what I wear based on time of year and or what I'm doing, but my perfume tray contains the following:

Bijan, by Bijan,
Halston for Women, by Halston
Boucheron, by Boucheron
Ysatis, by Givinchy
Chanel No. 19, by Chanel
360 by Perry Ellis

So.. if you know them and have any suggestions for others I might be interested in, feel free..

Comment on one thing you mentioned to Sultana. L'air Du Temps by Nina Ricci. My grandmother has worn this for as long as its been sold. You may hear "grandmother" and think - "oh god - an old lady perfume!" but no - Sultana - for all my grandmother's appearance of all things polished and refined nowadays - I have heard MANY tales of the wild girl she was - you might want to find this - you seemed to dismiss it from what I could tell in this thread's posts. It's worth a stop by the perfume counter to test I think - it might be right up your alley!

Sorry for the delayed responses, everyone. I have no internet access at home and the only expendable currency I've had in the past few months has gone to buying a tuxedo, so I haven't even been looking at colognes.
If you work in a casino, you definitely don't want anything too strong because of the number of people around you and the close proximity to people for long periods of time. I'm going to say you should try A*Men by Theirry Mugler, and B*Men if that's too sweet. It you try them and they don't smell good on you, tell me what's wrong with them and I'll come up with something else. Those two are definitely for our age range, and will attract the ladies.
So I guess your profile description of "broke college student" no longer applies? :lol:

The only big one I've found is Ungaro III, which I mentioned in my previous post. They use the same sandalwood essence as Creed, which was my favorite part of Himalaya, and even though I went from a light citrus to a heavy, woody aromatic, they smell very similar to me.

And honestly, who wouldn't want to try a scent that gets someone tackle-hugged (not to mention that a few people hug me frequently so they have an excuse to smell me.)
L'air Du Temps is a classy classic, but it is very common and targeted at an older crowd. My mother wears it, and her mother wears Chanel No. 5. As for your list, I remember liking Bijan, the only 360 I've smelled is Red for Men, and I don't think I've smelled any of the others. I really can't think of anything else I haven't recommended already.

Got any recommendations for a 23 year old who's turned into "young professional" after being "broke college student"? I work in a technical profession and when I go out I generally wear something like: blazer/light shirt and slacks, or just a dark shirt and slacks. I make more money than average but I do not work in finance, so I don't want to project that particular image or get into the $150+/bottle kind of stuff :)

I go to clubs, dance sometimes, but generally I'm just in a busy bar with other young professionals though, so something that will alert those in my immediate vicinity of the fact that I am wearing a scent, but do not want something that lingers or creates a large "wake".

I've read your suggestions for Creed GIT & Himalaya, Ferragamo, and Envy for men but I'm not sure which would fit my style.

Physically: 23 yo Asian, short black hair, not heavy but not skinny, 5'11", California weather (doesn't get very hot in summers here), laid back attitude

Thanks for any advice, this thread really piqued my interest in scents!

You'd do well with YSL's M7 or Ungaro III. Envy is really a winter scent, and more night-oriented than day-to-day (it's sexy in a bottle, and strong as hell.) If you don't want to get into the $150+stuff, Creed isn't for you. Ferragamo is a very light scent and would probably also work for you.

Hey MrSelfDestruct, I read this thread with some interest and thought perhaps I could pick your brain to lend me some expertise.

I am a musician and teacher in my late twenties. When I am in school I wear a suit and am generally quite well respected by my students... when I go out, I go out as a cool, artistic, musician type guy who dressed casually but smart. I walk tall and shave my head, and come across as strong and confident; I also flirt shamelessly with the young ladies whom I notice, or who notice me.

I'm not overly fussed about a scent to wear in school to be honest, but I was wondering if you could recommend a couple scents to try. At the moment I have Ralph Lauren Romance and Acqua di Gio (I know, I know, but it was a gift) and I do like the Romance one. I also tried a Marc Jacobs scent that I liked but I can't seem to find it again, it's not the normal one in a white bottle.

Thanks!

OK, I have a few you might want to try. For something powerful and masculine, Green Irish Tweed can't go wrong. For something spicier, try YSL's Rive Gauche Intense. Want to go for something ligter? Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc by Bulgari is a toned down unisex that won't draw women in like a magnet (hardly anything can,) but will keep them there wanting to smell you one they're nearby. For laid back and relaxed, Creed's new Virgin Island Water comes in what looks like a tropical rum bottle for a good reason. It's a cruise in the islands bottled up and ready to spray on yourself.
And I can't believe I missed this question way back. Any good fragrance counter should have sample cards, and you can write down what each is before you spray it. When you've narrowed it down, put one on each wrist, and one on the inside of one elbow if you must try one more. Coffee (again, a good fragrance counter will have jars of beans out for you) shocks the smell receptors and clears your nose of any olfactory habituation so you can sniff the coffee between sniffs of scent and get the full experience each time.

Hey there.
I'm 18 and a student (last year of college). I currently use Lacoste Original (80s citrus!) for day to day use and going out.

It has just run out so wondering what I should get?

I tried Joop Pour Homme, and found that while it was an alright smell, if very sweet, I got a bit of a headache from it and had to wash it off..

I'm looking for one that I can use for going out, and I'll buy more lacoste(£18 for 150ml or something so cheap) for day to day stuff as I like it a lot.

My current shortlist(£25 is pretty much my limit I think. Fairly sure these all fit within this category):

212Male - Caroline Herrera
Le Male - JPG
Sexual pour Homme - Michael Germain

Are these any good, or are there better recommendations, obviously I will try them out first, but it would be nice to have an idea.

Thanks a lot!

If Joop is too sweet, then my usual recommendation for a going out scent for your age, A*Men, will be too. Since you like citrus, B*Men is one to try in addition to the ones you listed.

Thanks for that, I'll give them a try at the weekend :)

Thank you sir - does this look about right?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=120171331742

I'll start with that one and gradually get the others as finances allow.

Another question for you - which concentration is usually preferable? Cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum, parfum? Is spray preferable to the standard drip applicator?

MSRP is $285 last I checked, so you're looking at a great deal even if it gets bid up. For application, I prefer EDP spray when available, with my comments in the first post of the thread on application still standing.

Hi im 18, and my style is hoodie with skull cap, 5' 7" tall. I am a laid back, quiet person, but I like to go out and have fun. Right now i wear armani mania cologne, but I'm looking for something else for the fall season. Any ideas?

How much fun and what kind?

Fun for me would be simply hanging out with friends stirring up trouble every once in awhile, but im the one who tames the ppl that get too out of hand so no one gets hurt or in trouble. Hobby wise i enoy skatebording, bball, video games. I'm sorry if this isn't the right info u need. Just tell me to elaborate if necessary. :)

If any of the other UK-based guys out there is interested in trying Rive Gauche, The Perfume Shop has them on sale for just £12.99 for a 60ml. I really like it. The perfume counter girl was very impressed by my taste (based on the perfumes I was naming) and I got her phone number, so thank you sir for more than just great fragrance recommendations!

She also had me try a couple others: Opium and Twice Iceberg. I didn't particularly like either... Opium was just too strong, and Twice Iceberg was too summery. I am aware that I may have been judging them relative to Rive Gauche which may be unfair - Rive Gauche just seemed so much punchier and oozed class (they had no coffee beans for health and safety reasons relating to nut allergies. Another customer said that a slice of lemon works too). Twice Iceberg was just £9.99 so I may visit the shop again in a couple days and try it out again.

Interestingly, she said she'd never heard of Creed despite being in the industry for several years.

OK, your three to try are, in order of preference, L'Anarchiste by Caron, M7 by YSL, and L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme by Issey Miyake. For a high-end, try Creed's Original Santal, although the exquisiteness is likely to be lost on the high school and college crowds who are satisfied with Axe and the like. Something good will set you apart, but if the people around you don't have the experience and sophisticated taste to appreciate a masterwork, you'll be spending a lot more just to impress yourself. I don't mean that to sound condescending, it's the same thing with college kids favoring Natural Light and box wine, quality takes a backseat to price.

If you like L'Anarchiste, you won't bother with the others, if you don't, give it another try another day.
Great! I'll have to look for Iceberg, I've never seen it before. And as always, if someone hasn't heard of Creed, it's because they don't advertise and are only sold online and in top-end places like Saks Fifth Ave; my local Saks doesn't even have one, I have to go to one in a wealthier town for a Creed counter. That's the only store in CT that carries them and there are 5 in NY state, two Saks, two Nieman Marcus, and two Bergdorf Goodman.

If you're in the US or Canada, here's where you can find authorized sales outlets: http://www.creedperfumes.us/creed_store_locations.php

In the UK: http://www.creedfragrances.co.uk/site/stockists

I went to look for fragrance-free products today to complement any fragrances I purchase. I found them pretty tricky to find. Some were fragrance-free, but still had a distinctive smell to them. What do you recommend?

Ban Original (not unscented) deodorant; there is no such thing as fragrance-free shampoo; Clinique post shave healer* if you have sensitive skin; and hypoallergenic, alcohol-free, fragrance-free moisturizer, like Kinesys Performance Moisturizer with SPF 15.

* this one: http://www.clinique.com/templates/pr...UCT_ID=PROD510

Fascinating thread - very informative. :)

My trademark scent is Herrera by Carolina Herrera. It's not a very well known fragrance where I live, but the smell is gorgeous (a masculine scent possessing a blend of fresh citrus, tobacco, musk and amber - recommended for daytime wear) and it tends to draw compliments wherever I go...especially from the opposite sex. :thumbsup:

Can you recommend anything similar? :)

For a different twist on tobacco and amber, try The Dreamer by Versace.

Thanks, I actually saw some unfragranced Vaseline moisturiser on sale which seems pretty good - that was the one I was looking for. I'll keep a look out for the others.

I've actually been using coconut shower gel, shampoo and conditioner which smells really great. What's the best way to complement this particular combination?

I'll look for that. Thanks for the recommendation. :)

Thanks for the great thread MrSelfDestruct - it's great to find someone willing to share their thoughts on this interesting topic!

One cologne that I enjoy wearing daily is Jill Sander's "Sander for Men". It's a scent that enlightens and brightens... gives such a good mood when I smell it. Also, not many men wear it, so I hear often - "what are you wearing?".

Have you ever tried it? Any thoughts on it? Do you know of any other colognes that are similar but yet slightly different?

Thanks again!

I was at Selfridges today and visited their Creed counter. Wow, they make some great stuff! I put a spritz of Green Irish Tweed on one wrist, and Virgin Island Water on the other, and walked down the street asking random girls to pick their favourite. Green Irish Tweed won by something like 35-0. I'm buying a bottle. :)

Which other Creed ones would you recommend I try? Thanks again MrSelfDestruct, I feel like I'm discovering a whole new thing I just didn't know about.

While I was still at home, my new favorite scent was Sean Paul's Unforgivable. It was pretty atypical, regarding notes, of what I normally wore, but it really is quite nice. Sort of a sandalwood base note with a mild citrus top note. There's more to it than that, but I am NOT a fragrance snob, so I don't have an easy time picking them all out.

I also occasionally wore a scented oil from Global Scent Company called LeStadt. Despite it's name, it didn't bring forth visions of goth emo kids in psuedo-drag. It was a very pleasant but distinct light musk.

Bulgari Blu is probably my next most worn scent. The wife loves it and I like it well enough to wear it often for her.

It's a pretty new one, I haven't checked any new fragrances recently because I've been broke, and busy with work and school. I'll look for it next time I'm at a fragrance counter.
Try them all if there's a Creed counter. And between asking random girls to smell you and getting the counter girl's number, this seems to be working out pretty well for you.
Unforgivable is a lot like Creed's Millesime Imperial, and the sandalwood and citrus are the two main notes. It's a pretty good knockoff of MI, although the citrus and a few other notes smell a bit synthetic.

I've never heard of LeStadt and can't find it on their website (which looks like it's straight out of 1997 :p) Where did you get it?

If you're young and casual, those plus Silver Mountain Water are the ones to try. The older stuff of theirs might seem out of place on someone your age. If you want something relaxed but distinct that might work for you that nobody else in the thread has tried yet, get a sample of Acier Aluminium (even though using the European spelling of that word makes me feel dirty.)

I got my bottle of Green Irish Tweed today - fantastic fantastic stuff! eBay seems to be the place to buy. I'm going to try Silver Mountain Water as well next time I go to Selfridges.

Quick question for you MrSelfDestruct - in your first post you talk about 1/3 sprays and so on... how exactly do you do a 1/3 spray? My sprays seem to do nothing if you gently press them down until you reach a certain point and then it just sprays everything.

I'm trying to start a fragrance business. Any tips?

I'm a fan of BN9's Wall Street and Gramercy Park. I had no idea people even knew about this store - I thought it was a small New York boutique. (I live a couple of blocks from it).

Is Safari by RL still en vogue? I've been using it for years (still working on first bottle, which is something like 4-5 years old), but I like it.

Works for me. If it doesn't for you, just hold it back a bit and spray lightly. Because of the varying potency of different scents, I've started doing a spray on each side of the upper chest that covers the neck, too, a spray on one wrist and pressed against the other, and one on the back of the neck or on my hair (long hair projects and creates silage.) Go with what seems right, and for the first day or two, ask friends if it's too strong or too light. That method from the first post was when I was using EDP strength and potent EDTs like L'Anarchiste and Envy.
Get a wide range of what's popular, but also get some niche stuff that you can mark up and sell to people who want something out of the ordinary. Your startup costs are going to be obscenely high. Keep clear bottles away from UV light and keep the place cool. Have a coffee bar for customers. Make it look classy but still inviting to the average person.
They're trying to be the American Creed, and they're on their way there. They have some great scents and some that aren't so great, but it's definitely a place worth checking out.
Chaps, Sport, and Blue are the big sellers, with Black, Double Black, and Safari trailing behind, but they're all pretty good.

Some new scents I tried (after raiding the local TJ Maxx and Ross! :) )

1. Paris Hilton - Just for Men
Some similarities to Aqua Di gio... sweeter... but a bit better staying power. Since it's sweeter, it doesn't seem as elegant either. Probably if I was 20 years younger, I would like this one a lot!

2. Bvlgari Aqva: A little harsh out of the bottle... bright - salty. But after 1/2 hour it mellows, and I like it a lot. This might prove to be my daily scent for a while. Not sure why this was discounted at Ross...

3. Lanvin Vetyver: For a Vetiver I find this sweet. Yet, after the top notes fade, I like the middle and basenotes. I think it's a bit different from the normal stuff my colleagues wear at work, so when I wear it, I notice people noticing me! :) Still, I wouldn't wear this every day. I tried Guerlain's Vetiver (when I went to the mall)... but I was surprised at the smokiness. Is that normal? Perhaps the card I smelled it on influenced it?

4. Ungaro III: Complex, but smooth. I'm not sure about a daily cologne for work, but I think it would suite me best after work - for a night out. I have to say though, Mr. SelfDestruct was right, I got a lot of complements when I wore it for the first time the other day. I'm not sure I caught the connection with Himalaya (which I have) - but both are very good!

I think one can find some interesting colognes at TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshall's - there were a lot of choices while I was there, and the price was great!

Oh, by the way, I ordered a small sample of Higher Energy and Gendarme 20 today - have you tried them before?

(And after reading this thread, I became a lot more interested in scents in general - I went to the library today and found some good books on the topic! Ooooff!! There is a lot to learn! :rolleyes: )

For this one, I'd need to dig up the huge animated emoticon vomiting out frowning emoticons. If you're out of high school, you really don't need to try this; if you're in high school, you don't need something that expensive.

Great one, probably discounted because someone at a big chain misplaced a decimal point on an order and they needed to liquidate.

The smokiness is normal, but to be honest, Creed's Original Vetiver is the only vetiver-centric scent I've tried that is subtle enough allow the vetiver note to stand in the middle while the middle and top notes dance around it rather than the fragrant equivalent of taping vetiver grass to a sledgehammer and breaking your nose with it. Guerlain is pretty good, but it's still overwhelming.

If you put Himalaya on one wrist and Ungaro III on the other, look for the sandalwood note. I'm pretty sure they use the exact same sandalwood oil. The fact that I can pick up a new in box 4oz for $20 instead of paying $90 for a tester of Himalaya is what made it my daily. My mom says it smells better on me than Himalaya, and while I always got compliments on Himalaya, it never got me tackle-hugged.

You can find all sorts of good designer stuff at the liquidation outlets. I love TJ Maxx, where else can I walk out of the store with a $70 Polo shirt, a $300 pair of jeans, and a $60 cologne for $60 altogether?

I haven't found Gendarme locally, but next time I'm in NYC I'm probably going to be stopping in some high end boutiques to check out what I can't find around here.

And have fun with reading about it, if anyone wants a quick way to learn the basics, just look up fragrances on www.basenotes.net, if they have the notes listed, you can click on each for a description of it. It's also worth checking Wikipedia for details because those compulsive nerds will write an essay on anything if it's distributed open source.

Well I still can't decide which I should get to compliment my Lacoste Original for going out/ladies..

I've narrowed it down to the following after trying:
A*Men
Lacoste Pour homme
Joop! Homme.

I'd also like to try:
Envy, Casran and B*men(nowhere sells this!).

Do these next three follow similar themes as the first?

Also, is Joop as offensive to others as reviews make it out to be (I've only tried it on myself.)

I tried a tester of A*, and girls seemed to like it later on that night, as well as I kept catching it and it was pretty nice, so it's top. Lacoste P.H I like as it's quite a smooth scent, and joop is pretty in your face.

Thanks!

edit: I also tried Guerlain Vetiver, hoping it would be similar but better than my Lacoste Original but, alas, it smelled like soap after 20mins?

I got a good deal on Realm for Men yesterday, 2 half-ounce bottles for $6 and 20% off that. I'm giving it a test run, figuring that it cost less than a 1/3oz tester online. I think that I might be able to layer it with the Ungaro III if I go really light.

On that subject, look for my next installment of the thread in the next few days, a quick and easy guide to layering fragrances and not smelling like a French whore.
Yes, they're somewhat similar. Envy is really strong and sexy (not really for hot weather,) and B*Men is more subtle and less sweet than A*Men.
That's a matter of personal opinion, but the majority opinion is "What the fuck is that smell?" I can't stand it.
A*Men is a good scent because it's sweet and girls love it, that's why I always recommend it to younger guys as a club scent.

Like I said above, Creed makes the only Vetiver-based scent I like because it's the only one that makes the Vetiver subtle enough. I can definitely understand it smelling soapy if it doesn't match your body chemistry.

Thanks for the help. :)

Think I'll go for A*men, unless I go somewhere and see B* to try.

Cheers!

B*Men is apparently being discontinued. Ice*Men is an aquatic with a similar base to A* and has iced coffee and nutmeg notes. Selfridges won't have it until February, and I don't know what stores over there would carry it, maybe perfume specialty stores.

If you want something similar to A*Men to compare, try DKNY Be Delicious for Him, it comes in a bottle shaped like an apple and has chocolate, coffee, and apple bases and mids.

Yeah I've tried A*, and my local department store has Ice men.

I've seen 100ml refil of A* for £25, so I reckon that with a cheap glass spray bottle is the way forward, instead of £22 for 30ml :D

What, which is still in production, would you suggest as being similar to B*, any price, so I can see if I like things in that style?

Thanks.

I like A* a lot, but have a feeling B* may suit me more, although the only place I can find it is online since it is being discontinued as you mentioned.

PlanG, if you are really on a budget, definitely don't go anywhere near the Creed counter... it has really spoiled me for cheap perfumes now. I blame MrSelfDestruct.

B*Men - I found bunches of bottles at TJMaxx and Marshalls. If this is going to be discontinued, I will buy another bottle! I like the stuff!

I doubt you're going to find anything too similar, especially in person. If you want similar ones that branch off on different notes, try Jean Paul Gaultier's Le Male, Rochas Man by Rochas, and maybe The Dreamer by Versace. A review on basenotes.net calls B* a less refined version of Un Bois de Sépia by Serge Lutens, but I've never heard of it, so I can't give you my opinion.
I ran out of Himalaya in April and still haven't had enough cash on hand for another bottle. It's allowed me to discover the wonders of cheaper, more obscure scents, though. There's nothing quite like finding a small independent fragrance store with a very patient, very knowledgeable sales clerk to introduce you to new stuff. It looks like my advice has been pretty good so far, but discovering it for yourself is even better.
This reminds me of something. Fragrances keep best in cold places, and I even find that spraying on a good one while it's cold and letting it warm up on contact with my body brings out some of the more subtle notes better than keeping it at room temperature. For long term storage, in the fridge away from the vents (don't want to risk freezing) is good, or if you're the classy type with your own wine cellar, it will keep for an extra few years down there.

As disappointing as it can be to find out that your favorite scent has been discontinued, it also forces you to break the daily routine and find something else that's just as awesome. If I weren't broke, I would have just gotten another bottle of Himalaya and not found how great Ungaro III is for me, even though I knew it was good.

I assume TK maxx is the same shop here in the UK, so I'll give that a try tomorrow. :) Thanks for the help.

I swore I had posted in this thread.....

Anyway, I know you aren't as knowledgable about women's fragrances, but I am incredibly picky and only like 2-3 fragrances at a time and I can use any help I can get, because I can go to a department store and leave disappointed more often than not. I usually like a fragrance for a couple of years (or the life of the bottle) and then never consider buying it again.

I wear jeans and other casual type pants (I work in an office with no dress code). I rarely have an opportunity to dress up, so my entire wardrobe is fairly casual, and I'm fine with that. With work, school, and son, I don't get out much, but I still enjoy clubbing once in a while.

I don't leave the house without scent. I may be too lazy to put my makeup on, but the scent is a must. Previous loves include Safari by Ralph Lauren, Dune by Christian Dior, & Jessica McClintock (by Jessica McClintock). My current collection is Vera Wang (the first one she did, I don't know if it had an actual name or not), Lucky You (which was a gift and I would never choose myself), and Very Irresistable by Givenchy. I have a very hard time finding a winter scent because I just don't care much for heavier, muskier scents anymore (I still have my half full bottles of Safari and Dune, but I NEVER wear them). I gravitate towards florals, but I hate powdery smelling florals.

I get a magazine that always has the strips in it and most of perfumes I smell either stink or smell completely forgettable. There are no Sephoras or decent departments stores in the state that I live in, so my only options for smelling things up close and personal are smaller department stores or buying samples online, which I am fine with doing. Any suggestions?

This one?
http://www.tjmaxx.com/
If you're going for florals, Sultana really liked Creed's Love in White ("smells like flowers having sex.") Envy (whose male counterpart I've suggested many times in this thread) has a musk base, but the lily and florals are the dominant notes. Angel by Thierry Mugler is a very sweet scent, I'd say it's a good club scent for women just like Angel*Men is for men. You'll probably like one of those three. You might also like Royal Ceylan by Creed, which is only available at Nieman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman in the US, so you're probably out of luck if you don't have the big department stores around.

I understand how you feel about powdery scents, anything with a hint of powder in it (like Hugo Boss Red) combines with my skin to smell like I just dove into a grain silo full of powder rather than being subtle. It's hard to find a women's floral without the powder base, so if you want a wider selection, the best way to go for a wider selection is to find aromatics with prominent floral middle notes.

So, based on your recommendations and previous posts, I poked around on basenotes and found out I'm drawn to scents with rose. I went to the website I use for perfume samples and got an Envy one, but they were out of Love in White. However, there was a Creed sample that I bought that is a rose scent, so I'm excited for that one. I also got an Irish Green Tweed for hubby because he loves Curve (I used to love it but now find it very...unnatural smelling). I'll post the results when I get my samples :)

I didn't suggest some of Creed's florals because they have musk or powder bases, which you wanted to stay away from. Which one did you get?

Does anyone know much about buying cologne decants? I was looking over at the styleforum and some guy there sells smaller samples of cologne. I guess it is like a tester type deal. Is this fairly common? It seems like a good way to test a bunch of different scents without spending too much money. I just thought some of you might be interested because I think I might pick up a tester of some creed colognes, envy and maybe A*Men.

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=49872

His prices are pretty good, too.

Heard about Lacoste Elegance to add to my A*Men/Lacoste Original collection. Is it worth trying?

Yes, it is.

Excellent. Will go down with a girl friend and see whether she thinks it suits :)
No-where seems to sell Live Jazz - only the original, which is a shame as it sounds nice too.

I'm starting to get into this stuff now :p

Thanks! :)

Well I bought the Elegance, thanks for your help!

Hey Mr. Selfdestruct!
Just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and say thanks for your original post that sparked a great interest in this most interesting of "art forms"!
Cheers!!

And a belated Merry Christmas to all of you.

You know what never gets old? Girls who say "you smell good," give you a hug, and don't let go.

By far the best cologne thread ive come across on the net. Ive been to basenotes as well as badger and blade (fragrance section) but this thread blows them out of the water. Thanks for sharing all your info with us.

First time on this group and still stumbling around how to navigate and post to the site and have found the discussion interesting since I just got thru' all the posts from incept.

Not having done any research on fragrances until very recently I have found I knew very little in this area. For the last 15 years I just wore Davidoff Cool Water since my wife liked it but a few months ago found that it was beginning to make my nose curl.

Since I now understand the differences between American and European fragrance, how very few American "houses" have a nose on staff, how they use chemicals instead of natural oils, I now believe that Davidoff re-did their fragrance line and what never irritated my before, now greatly does as they may have changed the alcohol or the chemicals or added in some cheap liquid to make it go longer.

So after a lot of research, I found Penhaligon's, Floris, Caron, Creed and some others like Bond 9 and Aqua d' Parma from Italy and am, for the first time, putting together a line of personal perfum (men's) to wear for different occasions.

So here's my question in looking for some suggestions from you.

My wife liked Cool Water so trying Creed Green Irish Tweed is on my list to try and likely purchase since you stated that Cool Water is a cheap knock-off of the Creed original which is supposed to be much nicer.

I find that she and I both liked Endymion by Penhaligon's but it unfortunately is only in toilette so I have to bathe in it to get it to last past lunch time which is irritating.

I just got in a bottle of Floris Santal Extreme which she and I like a lot and I am now wearing that to the office everyday since the weather is still cold.

So I am now looking for some summer/hot weather ideas since I live in Texas and our summers down here tend to simmer.

So given what I've outlined above as current preferences, any ideas on hot weather scents?

I'm probably looking for:

one for daily office/business wear in hot weather

one for night time knocking around/evening wear on summer nights

one for romantic summer events (although I know this one's REALLY subjective)

So, ideas?

If anything, reapply lightly at lunch instead of bathing in it in the morning. Trust me, people will notice if you overdid it.

OK, for hot weather, try Himalaya by Creed, Mugler Summer Flash, and Lacoste Original for Men. For summer nights and evenings, Polo Black, Passage d'Enfer by L'Artisan Parfumeur, and Salvatore Ferragamo pour Homme. I usually wear Envy as a romantic/sexy one, but it's probably too heavy for Texas summers. Most of what I'd recommend will be too heavy since they tend to have incense, light musk, and things like that. I'll think about that and get back to you.

Mr. Cologne, sir, I just wondered if you had any opinion on something called Perry Ellis 360 Black. I don't know anything about it.

My wife bought it for me when she was out shopping with her friend. I've never worn cologne, but she wanted to get it for me because according to her it's "an instant orgasm in a bottle." It seems to get her all hot and bothered, so I am not complaining.

I appreciate your instructions on how to apply it properly. Not knowing how to use it I've just been spraying my wrist lightly and rubbing my wrists together and then rubbing my neck with them. I felt that the smell was evaporating rather fast so I guess that is due to the rubbing thing breaking the oils down, or what you said.

Anyway... Perry Ellis? Never heard of it before. Is it actually decent stuff, or Wal-Mart material?

That's the important part. I seem to remember it smelling kind of like Bulgari Black (which is really good.) Some of the more fashion-conscious people I know scoff at PE because the stuff isn't high-end enough, but they can go fuck themselves. You've got a good one and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Someone needs a new perfume:
Based on "vanilla wrapped in orchid," my first thought was Love in White by Creed, which got the following review earlier in the thread:
When I tell people to try Creed scents, it usually ends there, but I'll throw down another two for fun. China Rose by Floris is floral and rose-heavy, but has that creamy amber/vanilla base that will make me, a vanilla lover, lose my train of thought and focus on how good she smells. Because of my eclectic, eccentric tendencies, I'm also going to go out on a limb and tell you to try Paco Rabanne's Black XS for Her.

Why, thank you :shy: I shall look into that.

Wow, it's really expensive :eek:

I just can't rationalize spending that kind of money on a fragrance...

New to this forum, registered today in fact. Awesome thread, thanks for your time and effort in it MSD.

Do people in this thread have any experience buying fragrances on E-Bay? Some of the prices on there seem rediculously cheap and I don't want to waste any amount of money, no matter how small, on a ripoff.

Examples:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Creed-Himalaya-b...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Creed-Himalaya-b...QQcmdZViewItem

Also, I'm picking up a bottle of Ungaro III, please continue to discuss cheap fragrances that can successfully pass for original scents from Creed and others. Poor college students like myself appreciate it =)

Welcome! :)

Your links are to auction items, which still have some hours to go. You'll see those prices jump after the first bidding.

Also, be wary of shipping charges.

Be wary of cheap perfumes on eBay, many are fakes.

Thanks, that's what I was expecting to hear.

Yeah, don't ask me how I know. Fake perfume is the stupidest thing ever. At least a good fake watch LOOKS like the real thing you wear it. Fake perfume smells nothing like the real thing. Complete waste of money. I will only ever buy from retailers or reputable e-sellers from now on.

I just bought this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=110239120418
I haven't seen prices that good on Himalaya in years and I haven't had a bottle in over a year. I'll let you know how it works out. I'm a poor college student myself (at least until May 11, then I'll be a poor University employee and PR intern,) and I know how much it can suck to get ripped off. I'm not sure about the $30 range ones, but I know the wholesale price on Himalaya directly from Creed is pretty low.

I've been wearing DK's Cashmire Mist for a couple of years. I'm looking for something a little different or stronger for an evening out, or when I tire of the same old bottle. But not too different. I've tried several different types, but they just don't smell like me.

Romance smells nice on me once in a while, but usually not until I've worn it for a couple of hours. And it's more towards the sweet/floral end that I try to avoid. Oscar smells okay in the package, but is horrible on me, as is Channel. Vanilla doesn't work at all. The "clean" types don't have that 'come hither' suggestion. Any ideas?

MSD, let me know if it's authentic when you get it, I might order a bottle.

Autumn Splash Ivy by Marc Jacobs.
The guy has 100% positive feedback including ones praising the fact that fragrances are cheap and authentic. There were two left last time I checked, you might want to buy soon.