Schachman

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! )

__________________
'Tis all a Checker-board of Nights and days where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays: Hither and thither moves, and mates and slays, and one by one back in the Closet lays.

MSD

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.

PlanG

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?

MSD

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.

PlanG

Thanks for the help.

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

Cheers!

MSD

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.

PlanG

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

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.

allaboutmusic

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.

Schachman

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!

__________________
'Tis all a Checker-board of Nights and days where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays: Hither and thither moves, and mates and slays, and one by one back in the Closet lays.

MSD

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.

PlanG

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

Grasshopper Green

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?

__________________
"They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings; steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king"

Formerly Medusa

MSD

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.

Grasshopper Green

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

__________________
"They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings; steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king"

Formerly Medusa

MSD

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?

FeeJss

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

MSD

His prices are pretty good, too.

PlanG

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

MSD

Yes, it is.

PlanG

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

Thanks!

PlanG

Well I bought the Elegance, thanks for your help!

Schachman

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!!

__________________
'Tis all a Checker-board of Nights and days where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays: Hither and thither moves, and mates and slays, and one by one back in the Closet lays.

MSD

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.

Soto

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.

lfw

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?

MSD

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.

Prince

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?

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MSD

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.

MSD

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.

jewels

Why, thank you I shall look into that.

__________________
We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

mixedmedia

Wow, it's really expensive

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

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TheNasty

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 =)

jewels

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.

__________________
We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

allaboutmusic

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

TheNasty

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

allaboutmusic

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.

MSD

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.

ItWasMe

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?

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allaboutmusic

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

MSD

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.