Ask the cologne snob
 

There are five things I'm really picky and stubborn about: politics, women, coffee, beer, and fragrances. While all are things of personal taste, my most recent obsession is colognes and fragrances (my knowledge is mostly about men's scents, seeing as I am male.) Some people see me as a snob and an asshole, others are indifferent, and a few agree with me.

It is my belief that a fragrance is part of a complete wardrobe, and that it sould match your style, your tastes, your personality, and your environment. I also see a lot of people who use great colognes at the wrong time, or apply them in a way that doesnt' realize their full potential.

So, if you want to know what I think of your fragrance of choice, others I'd reccommend based on what you like, or know nothing about the subject and want to ask a few questoins, go ahead. I'll try not to come across as being too snobby, and my opinions are subjective, but I am a cologne snob, after all.

INTRO:

The first basic pet peeve I have is application methods. Spraying into the air and walking through it is a waste of perfectly good fragrance. If applied to the skin strategically, any decent scent will go through a dry-down process and work with your body chemistry to fully develop the fragrance. The best method for men I have come across is as follows:

Pre-application: unscented moisturizing soap will not interfere with your fragrance, and dry skin severely decreases the longevity of your fragrance. Moisturize if you have hard water (even if you're not wearig cologne, you should be nice to your skin.)

1: Two sprays on your chest from about 6-8 inches away. If it beads, spray from farther away; if it gets on your nipples move the bottle a bit closer. This forms the base of your scent.

2: A light (1/3) spray on each wrist over the pulse point. Press your arms together (don't rub, it breaks down the oils) and hold for a few seconds. This allows the scent to project slightly, allowing those aroudn you to get a tiny whiff of what you're wearing without being overpowering. Alternately, spray on one wrist and press. If you wash your hands with hot water later in the day and your wrists get a bit wet, the top notes of the fragrance are revitalized.

3: A light (1/2) and close (2" away) spray on the back of the neck below the hairline. This creates sillage. If you walk through a room, you'll leave a pleasant, lingering scent trail for a few seconds. With the right combination of cologne and situation, this can actually deliver the mob of women following you that the Axe commercials promise.

Last tip before I leave for school:

Citrus and other light scents are generally best in the summer
Musk, Patchoulli, and other heavy scents are generally best in the winter

Awsome.

My two favorites are Polo Sport and Lacoste Essential. They are not very musky and have a smooth scent.

However, I've been wearing funkier clothing as of late and would like something a bit more frisky to match my new look. So perhaps something similar with a bit more accent. If you would recomend.

BTW how did you come about your knowledge in fragrances?

I picked up an interest in fragrances from someone on another forum who grew up around his parents' store, which sold colognes. He reccommended a few, I bought decants, developed a basic understanding of what notes smell like what, and started looking around for new stuff. I pick up stuff as I go.

You're going to have to define what you mean by "funkier clothing" and "more frisky" before I can give you a really good answer (if you mean what I think you mean I have the perfect thing for you,) but based on your current two, I reccommend Kenzo pour Homme, Aqua de Bulgari, and L'Eau d'Isssey. I reccommend those first to to anyone who likes Polo Sport or Polo Blue, as I'm extremely sensetive to synthetic smells and tend to avoid them.

You might also want to try Bond no. 9's Riverside Drive, and I've never met anyone who didn't like Creed's Himalaya, which is gaining popularity at analarming rate, which makes me worry that it'll become the next Gio or Obsession.

You'll either love or hate Pi by Givenchy, and I get the feeling that telling you to try Green Irish Tweed by Creed is a hit-or-miss option.

I don't wear cologne all that often. When I do it can only be smelled by someone who is in my personal space.

My current favourite is Chanel's Egoiste

I'm going to have to take your advice on the application methods.

I've been using the same scent for two years or so (Curve) and still on the small bottle I got for christmas, wondering what you opion on said scent is. I'm not even sure i'm wearing it anymore because I'm unable to smell it now. FOr shits and giggles I'll wear Adidas that I have lying around.

I agree with what charlatan said about personal space, as this is the primary reason I wear cologne. I have been told by many a female aquaintance that I smell really good, so I'm assuming that Curve blends well with my natural chemistry. I'm rather bored with it even though it has become my signature scent. I dislike not being able to smell it anymore, or atleast when I do it's pungent like alchohol. I think that my problem is that it's broken down over time.

I also have one of those smal trial bottles of Drakkar, but have yet to try it for some reason, might give it a shot now...

I have never worn cologne or any fragrance before. How would you recommend I find one that mixes well with my body? By the way, this is an extremely useful thread.

Nice thread.

Which oils? I know this is a cologne thread, but maybe you could enlighten me... most of my fragrances are "body sprays" that are more on the order of colognes than perfumes anyway. I usually spray one wrist twice, rub my wrists together, and then rub them in that little warm spot just under/behind my ear. Whatever that does, my usual scent seems to end up okay. Will it significantly change the scent or the way it carries if I press instead of rub?

Reading this thread, I feel like I've walked into a men's boutique and MrSelfDestruct is my all-knowing sales assistant. :p Good stuff.

I'll definitely be trying the application methods mentioned above. I prefer cool, clean scents and fragrances. Anything too spicy makes my hayfever flare up and I spend the rest of the day sneezing.

Right now I'm wearing Davidoff's Cool Waters. I'm not one to wear cologne everyday though. I feel that the smell of my anti-perspirant is clean and fresh-smelling enough, so wearing cologne to work on a daily basis would be a waste. I'm looking for a nice winter fragrance though. Something warm and heavy, with good body. Strong and manly...if any of that makes sense.

Any suggestions?

Fo the love of God, please don't try the Drakkar unless you're going for the Guido sterotype. The pungent alcohol smell is a sign of a cheap, synthetic scent rather than one made with natural essential oils. Asa blanket statement, if Curve or Cool water smell good on you, Creed's Green Irish Tweed, the inspirations for both of those *cough*blatantripoff*cough* will offer a comparable but more natural, refined scent.
If you have no experience whatsoever, I can give you some hints based on age, occupation, fashion, etc. but the best way would be to go to the mall, get some sample cards sprayed, walk around for half an hour, see what smells you like, and let them spray you with a tester of what you like. Sephora, Saks Fifth ave, or any perfume store would be good for this. Giver me a few detalis about yourself and I'll reccommend some to try.
Any fragrance is made by combining essential oils in an alcohol carrier. Rubbing breaks down the oild snd decreases the longevity of the scent.
Once again, Cool Water is the poor man's (or college student's) Green Irish Tweed.

Cool and clean isn't going to cut it for winter, it just won't be noticable enough. Seeing as you have an office job and are in your mid-20s, for a warm and heavy scent I'm going to suggest you first try Caron's The Third Man (may be listed as le 3me Homme,) which is a powerful, authoritative scent, and then Donna Karan's Be Delicious for Men, which is a sweeter, friendlier smell. If you want somethign a little less warm, but pleasantly heavy and masculine, John Varvatos is what I'd imagine a young Hugh Heffner would smell like. Once summer comes around, Creed's Himalaya is the scent of stepping out of the shower, putting on a bathrobe, and stepping onto the balcony of your mountain lodge in the Swiss Alps and feeling the cool spring breeze as the snowcaps melt and the wildflowers bloom in the morning sun.


A caution to all: 99.9% of the time, if you pay MSRP for cologne, you are a sucker.

A few details to help you out. I'm not a big guy, tallish but lightly built. 23, airline pilot, and outside of the uniform I usually wear laid back, comfortable though properly fit clothing. Usually simple t-shirts, polos, jeans and khakis. Shorts now that it's warm. Despite living in a city, I'm more outdoorsy if that has any bearing on the type of scent.

You had me sold on Himalaya and Green Irish Tweed until I saw price tags between $93.89 and $175.00 for a 4OZ bottle.

I refuse to spend more than $30 on a bottle of cologne. Any suggestions for me?

JinnKai - do a google search. You can usually find that stuff cheaper than at a Bloomie's type store.

What do you think of Sexual by Michael Germain? I bought that for Quadro... I love it on him. Definitely a natural oils cologne, and I found it at Bloomingdale's.

Next time I'm somewhere that I can sniff some scent I'll see if I can hunt down Green Irish Tweed, never heard of it before.

Hah, concerning the drakkar, I knew there was a reason why I wouldn't try it. heh.

Explain the MSRP statement, and how you would get it cheaper. I am a poor college student, but I would have no problem spending alittle extra on something that's worth it.

Oh, one more question, do scents ever spoil?

My ex once bought me a bottle of Realm cologne. Its says that it contains human pheromones. Does it really, and if so does it work?

it's a very nice scent - if I remember by trivia correctly -it was created for Cary Grant a lifetime ago... it's one of those classics that never goes out of style...

I'd suggest not checking MSRP on Bois du Portugal
These links are the best prices you're going to get on those particular two, and they're worth it.
http://www.classifiedbuyers.com/Item...&BuySell=2&id=
http://www.scentmonkey.com/product?code=M-T-1204

As for youre price range, I can do under 30, but with shipping it will be a bit more. My crystal ball tells me that you will like ... The Third Man by Caron. See if your local Sephora carries it, test it, and if you like it, buy it here:
http://mysimplecity.com/comersus/sto...dProduct=57099

I have not smelled it, but judging by the ingredients, I'd imagine it's good for a romantic setting, or in the case of a single man, something that would be well suited to clubbing when he does not want to put forth much effort yet wants numerous women to insist on invading his peronal space.

For a similar scent with more woodsy notes and a hint of cloves, try Envy by Gucci. If you have money to blow on top-shelf items (or just want to sample an amazing cologne at Saks,) try Bond No. 9 NY's New Haarlem. If anyone finds genuine New Haarlem and not some imitation for less than $100 per bottle (3.4oz,) I will barter for that knowledge with sexual favors or human sacrifice.

100% of the time, you can find something cheaper online than in stores. Cologne should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place like a dresser drawer, not a windowsill or bathroom. The oils will typically start to break down noticably within two to three years.
It contains synthesized human pheromones, although I question the use of SD alcohol as a carrier for a delicate chemical that breaks down in alcohol. I have used their men's deodorant (questionable quality,) bar soap (decent, moisturizes but doesn't exfoliate or cleanse pores thoroughly,) facial moisturizer (makes sking look great,) and shampoo (amazing stuff, you'll never know how good your hair can feel and look until you use an entirely alcohol-free shampoo.) The human vomeronasal organ has only one function, to react to human pheromones of the opposite sex (interestingly enough, studies that have been conducted involving male homosexuals who claim they knew they were gay since childhood found that these participants VNOs had an abronmal tendency to react almost exclusively to male pheromones.)

Societal customs over the past few hundred thousand years have allowed modern humans have evolved to the point that the VNO is all but vestigal, and large quantities of pheromones are typically required to elicit a reaction from modern humans. Despite the questionable nature and quality of the pheromone supplements you see advertised in the back of many men's magazines (not all are human pheromones,) Androstenone unquestionably activates the female (and homosexual male) VNO, and female pheromones not only excite the male VNO, but also cause the menstrual cycles of women living in close quarters (like all-girl dorms) to synchronize. I suspect that the latter was an advantage in primitive tribal life, allowing the men of the tribe to know exactly when they should schedule their monthly week-long hunting expeditions.
Damn, you're good. Hit the nail on the head.

What about those secents in an oil form?

I procured a bottle of great (IMHO) egyptian fragrance last year, but its in an oil form, anything different i should know?

What a great thread! I haven't worn a fragrance for a number of years and what I previously wore didn't seem quite right. I would love to try something new but I find the fragrance counters overpowering.

I had a hand lotion that I loved that had a ginger scent. Is there something you could suggest that might be similar? I'm petite and dress casually most of the time. Also, is there something else you might recommend for a more formal evening event?

Thank you for any suggestions you might have!

Had a chance to go out and try some perfumes

Kenzo pour Homme and Aqua de Bulgari were very...um differnt. I thought they were a little too potent, too distinct. I preffer subtle scents, slightly on the sweet side. Irish Tweed is too old fashioned in my opinion.

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme is pretty intresting. I also liked Canali.

Thanks for all the help Mr.D. I'll keep looking.

Because oils have no carrier to help project the scent by evaporating, they last much longer and are much more subtle. Roller applicators are easy to use, but if it's a dipper type applicator you'll want to be careful not to use too much. Focus on wrist and neck pulse points to project the scent, but don't waste it oon the chest and the back of the neck since it won't project enough under clothing and the neck won't warm oil enough to create noticable sillage.
For a ginger scent, try Hugo Boss Deep Red. I must issue a blanket warning, though. All Hugo Boss scents smell powdery. This is more noticable on some people than on others; some love it, some hate it. You should also sample Jean Paul Galtier's Classique Summer Eau de Toilette, which is a spicy oriental scent with indian ginger mid notes. The Classique (non summer) is a lighter version. Flower by Kenzo is a cooler, more modern scent that has a powderiness similar to Boss fragrances.
For something more formal, Vera Wang's The Fragrance and Bulgari Rose Essentielle both have an elegant, feminine radiance. For a elegant scent that's coooler and less floral try Burberry London.

This is a side note rather than a serious reccomendation, but the ultimate female scent, which you're unlikely to find in stores and even less likely to be willing to pay for, is Caron's Tabac Blonde. I encourage any man or woman to smell it if given the chance. It's a crowning achievement of Caron's brilliant perfumiers throughout the years and has not been topped by anything I have come across. An exceedingly rare fragrance that is suited best to the type of budget typically associate wtih Americn Express Centurion (black) cardholders. If you haven't been scared off yet, expect to pay upward of $260US for a 1.7oz bottle.
Subtle? Sweet? Less old-fashioned that GIT? You've Just asked for [url=http://www.scentmonkey.com/product?code=M-T-1208]Silver Mountain Water.[/i] If you liked Canali, which I think is decent but relatively lackluster, you'll probably like Vera Wang for Men better.

I typically stay away from colognes because Im scared of being the guy the girls walk by and think "lay off the cologne there buddy"
So I normally will just use a quick dab or 2 of aftershave (aqui di gio by giorgio armoni (spelling))
Im 21 college student, I guess I would say preppy-type clothing.

I've worn Aqua di Gio for years now. Recently I tried Hummer (the original), and I like it too.

I've never thought of a fragrance to match your lifestyle, I just went with what smelled good :|

If it matters, I'm fit, bike a lot, usually dress up semi-formal. Suits, nice shoes, blazer-and-jeans on weekends ;)

This is such a Fantastic thread, thanks Mr. SD!!!

My question(s):
I like White Shoulders--the OLD White Shoulders. The new incarnation (with the cheaper synth. ingredients) is nothing like the old, and by now I would imagine that even an old bottle wouldn't be useful, due to breaking down. Are there any scents comparable to old White Shoulders?
Overall I like the scent of water...when I smell carnations, and my fav. flower gardenias, it's the flower-tinged water scent that I adore. Any other recs along that interest?

I tend to wear oils, esp. lilac--both American lilac and Egyptian lilac (related, but very different). Like stevie667, I invested in Egyptian perfume oils while on my trip there last year. I wear it on my wrists and neck/cleavage, and often on my hair. It's nice when I have my hair up all day, and when I let it down there's a breath of fresh scent. :)

And Elphaba, Origins makes a nice ginger scent called (predictably) Ginger. I like it for spring and summer.

this is a great thread - thanks MSD!

re: Michael Germain's Sexual, the Bloomingdale's salesman went straight for my girlfriend, who immediately got me to try it. Lo-and-behold, though, it's a great scent that I'm glad to have come across. Of the few colognes I currently cycle through, it definitely gets attention from the ladies (and some men, who ask what it is)

Dear Mr.Cologne snob Sir,

Have you heard of Demeter Fragrance Library? If so, what do you think of them? I currently own two of them (gingerale and wet garden) and I intend on getting more. I don't do anything fancy, go clubbing or anything like that. I just like smelling nice for when I'm at school or hanging around with friends. Do you think that this perfume is suitable? Are they really low brow? I'd really love to know, as I'm getting quite an addiction.

Any reccomendations for other scents that aren't expensive and are light and for fun?

Thanks,
cello. ;)

Big fan of L'eau D'Issey - I think it's the combination of woodyness and freshness that I like - I tried their summer fragrance, but wasn't so keen - I used to like Armani He White too - again woody, only with a little musk in there too - it's been a while since I've seen that one anywhere.

Any ideas on what else might be worth a try?

*Cutting into the dance for a moment*
Ohhh, wet garden sounds promising! Who cares if they're low, middle, or high-brow? My only beef with them is they don't last long at all. And I don't much cotton to toting a bottle around with me.

Carry on.

"For a ginger scent, try Hugo Boss Deep Red. I must issue a blanket warning, though. All Hugo Boss scents smell powdery. This is more noticable on some people than on others; some love it, some hate it."

Could you explain what you mean by powdery scent? I wear this and it's a really lovely scent. Not too heavy, not too light, slightly musky but also delicate.

I am considering buying Bulgari's Eau Parfumée Thé Rouge which is heavier and sweeter but has similar notes - what do you think of this scent?

For some background: I am 26 and an artist, quite feminine and delicate and like to wear understated but attractive clothing (when I can :p), am an introvert though I speak my mind and can be very direct when I believe it necessary. Am always indecisive whether my favourite colour is red or sky blue - depends on my mood.

I estimate that close to 50% of college guys wear Gio. It smells great and women love it. Personally, something about it bothers me, but I can't put my finger on it, and it may just be a conditioned reactoin to smelling something so common. Scent has a stronger link to memory than any other sense. Smelling unique rather than like everyone else is a fairly high priority for me. If it isn't for you, and you really want to stick with what you're using, go for it. For something heavier and no more or less formal, try M7 by Yves Saint Laurent. You might like Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme.
I've always found the Hummer Cologne to be quite ridiculous. I do not like it at all. From what I remember, the essence of the scent is an attempt to smell rich and authoritative. The cologne I use when I want to project that is [John Varvatos[/i]. It starts off pretty strong, but dries down to a smooth, leathery base with complicated notes that smell awesome together. Considering your description of yourself, Bond No. 9 New York's New Haarlem would be a good alternative to Acqua di Gio (Now you're thinking, "Thanks for reccommending I ditch the cologne I like and buy something that costs three times as much, asshole.")
Now you're making me do research. I wouldn't call myself an expert on womens' fragrances, but I have a basic idea of who makes good stuff and who doesn't, and hopefully can give you a few to try and get at least one you'll love. I'll get back to you when I finish said research.
Good to hear. I'll check it out next time I'm able to. Like I said, the ingredients sound a lot like Envy by Gucci, and if you have a rotation of different scents, try it if you want something that's sexy as hell, but not too expensive.
Try Issey's L'Eau Bleue d'Issey for a bit of a change. It may be a bit of a stretch, but Egoiste or Platinum Egoiste by Chanel are woody, but darker and heavier. For woody and fresh, M7 by Yves Saint Laurent[/i] is a must-try.
Powder is a very fresh smell, I can't realy equate it to anything else. For you, it contributes to the delicateness of it, but on some people it's overwhelming and overpowers the rest of the scents.
You should always try before you buy, but I feel comfortable reccommending it wholeheartedly. After a few minutes of thinking, I'd also like to reccommend you try Alien by Thierry Mugler.


Also: I encourage feedback from everyone in this thread. Just because I'm the snob doesn't mean I think everyone else's opinions are useless.

There are two possibilities I've uncovered. First, a maybe, and second, a probably (95% sure)

Maybe: L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci. Floral, old-fashioned, light.
Probably: Love in White by Creed. To get the obvious big plus out of the way, it's by Creed. It looks like this is exactly what you're looking for.

Thank you SO MUCH! I'm going to run right out and try them out. :D
*hug*

If you decide on Creed, get a tester from ebay. I'm going to make another blanket statement and say that testers are always the best value. You don't need a fancy cap, you don't need a box. All you need is the contents, and a full tester is just a bottle with no box or cap.
This is the best price I can find for Love in White at an online store:
http://www.scentiments.com/scentimen..._id=2&sku=7483

L'Air du Temps is fairly inexpensive, and you should be able to get a decent price just about anywhere.

Great thread!

Dear Cologne Snob,

Here's my profile:

38 y/o single male, I usually wear European-style tailored suits (younger and slimmer cut, flat front trousers, tailored shirts, Mezlan shoes, etc) for work, and understated hipster urban casual wear for getting into trouble.

I am more comfortable with lighter scents, and I generally don't wear any cologne at all. I'm interested in how I smell up close and personal, but not at all interested in leaving a trail of my scent behind me as I walk through a room, no matter how brief or pleasing it may be to the more refined snout.

In general, I want something elegant, understated, and sexy (but not pornstar-sexy).

Can you give me the hookup?

Thanks!

You'll want one of the following:
Ungaro III by Ungaro (dark and refined,)
Rive Gauche pour Homme by Yves Saint Laurent (mature and cool,)
The Third Man by Caron (powerful and authoritative,)
Bois du Portugal by Creed (refined, mature and rich, the price tag will kick you in the nuts, but when you recover you'll be glad you took the hit. Keep this on its own shelf or it will kick your other colognes' asses.)

I've just been reminded of this little gem http://stores.ebay.com/Perfume-Decants-and-Pheromones
Double check his descriptions of stuff (Himalaya isn't unisex, some ingredients are left out.) A good resource for fragrance info is www.basenotes.net

no one mentioned sexy for men .... i used to wear curve alot and i smell quite good when it mixes with my natural scent.. now i use sexy which is kinda strong .... is there an curve like cologne worth chekin out???

I assume your'e referring to Victoria's Secret Very Sexy for Men. In my experience, it's a very soft, subtle scent without a lot of staying power, but good while it lasts.

I'm going to give you the standard response to Curve. It's a blatant ripoff of Creed's Green Irish Tweed. A decent number of people seem to like it, but it does nothing for me. If you want to try something more refined with similar notes, GIT, [Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme[/i], and L'Eau d'Issey are worth trying.

Thank you very much for your expertise. Again, this is an exceptional thread!

OK, I just "invested" in samples of Creed's Himalaya, Green Irish Tweed, and Bois du Portugal for the hub, and a decant of Love in White for myself. Got them off ebay for $50 total including shipping. I live quite a distance from any place that will carry all these scents, and even when I do get to a store that does carry "the good stuff", it's easy for me to get overwhelmed, what with folks spritzing around me and all.
Plus I like to take my own sweet time, letting scent dry down, etc.

I'm very hopeful for the Love in White. :)

Please help me out cologne snob....

From what I've read here and other sites, I think I want something subtle, woody, and most importanly long-lasting (but not necessarily strong at the beginning). One of the most intriguing scents I once came across smelled a bit like Hennessy (the liquor... hmm, maybe I should just splash myself with that a couple times before I leave the house).. but it was very earthy with a sharp bite to it. Whatever that scent was would have been perfect..[/B] and I've been trying to find it ever since.

What I don't want is something fresh and citrusy that the guys with white striped dress shirts wear to clubs. I don't need my cologne to be smelled from more than one foot away... I like my cologne sit there, like the smell of a leather jacket, with a dusk/evening kind of feel.

I'm 25, 6'3", rubgy player kind of build... without being overweight.... wear lots of blacks, browns, grays, etc, occasionally throwing in something wild.. and doing a bit of a yuppie sophisticated punk look when I go out, while at the same time being ready to chat it up with the execs in the corporate world.

So far I think I've narrowed it down to Varvatos, Yves M7, michael kors.

Wow, I didn't expect to come across stuff like this... a note of "photocopy toner"?

Odeur 71 - Notes: Moss, Bamboo, Bay Leaf, Willow, Elm and Birch, with Photocopy Toner, Dust on a Lightbulb, Electric Toaster and Ink.

http://www.sephora.com/browse/produc...dPaginate=true

Cool thread. Got anything to recommend for someone who doesn't like wearing cologne? Like a deoderant and soap (and maybe even shaving cream) combo.

Thanks.

I'll pass the description of the Hennesy one to someone who knows even more about this stuff than I do and see if he can identify it. I think I've smelled something like it, but I can't put a name to it.
edit: I was browsing around and came across Dominica Bay Rum aftershave cologne. Might this be it?
http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...960/373980.htm


Looks like you have a good idea of what you're looking for. I do, however, have another reccomendation for you. For sophisticated punk, you may want to try my personal daily scent, L'Anarchiste by Caron. It sprays on strong, and assaults your sense of smell with notes of orange, clove, holiday potpurri, and warm gunmetal, and leaves you wondering if you're also smelling a hint of blood in the mix (and manages to do so in a non-offensive way.) I don't remember who said it, but It's been described as "like a massacre in Santa's workshop." It dries down to a subtle, subdued, warm mix of cloves, light musk, and a hint of grapefruit. Its copper bottle adds a mild topnote of its own to the mix as it slowly leeches an essence of copper into the cologne over time, leaving you with a scent not quite like any other individual bottle. If you sweat, the middle notes are revived, radiating a sweet smell that evokes the mental image of a clove-stuffed orange seating in the midday sun.

This fragrance projects an attitude that lets others know that as cultured and sophisticated as you are, you also have a wild side and aren't afraid to raise hell in your free time. This is what a punk rocker would wear if he had to shave off the mohawk and trade in his tattered shirt, ripped jeans, and chains for a suit and tie.
If you don't want a scent to be too noticable, omit the spray on the back of the neck and put one light spray on one wrist and press together instead of one on each.
I've never seen that before and I now have to make a special trip to somewhere that carries it so I can smell it.
A lot of fragrances have matching soap, shampoo, deodorant, and moisturizer. Plaecs like Sephora will stock the whole lines, and they'd probably be a bigger help than I would for helping with those, as I just use unscented everything. The one I can think of off the top of my head is Bulgari pour Homme, and the set comes with body soap, shampoo, and cologne. You should be able to get them separately, or just give yourself a really light spray of cologne on your torso from two feet away if you don't want to have much of a noticable scent. Givenchy Very Irresistible also has a companion set of deodorant and soap.

Can you over-do the scent when you double up on the soap/ shampoo/ deodorant/ aftershave that all smell the same? I was told not to go down that road.

I found Lacoste pour Homme, and was given a little tester of it. I love it, but I still find myself looking for something with a real fresh, citrus endnote.

Can I blend fragrances, or do they start a little war with heavy casualties?

I like your advice on the back of the neck trick, and the wrists. I used to be the "3 or 4 sprays to the centre of mass" like I was going for a marksmanship award. I have started to use the wrists and back of the neck, and I like it better.

Oh. One more thing...

If I wanted to impress a cologne snob, what advice could you give me? Would they notice a REALLY expensive cologne, the proper amount, or a cologne that matched my own skin fragrance first?

Like ordering a bottle of Chateau Mouton 86 when out with a wine snob, I want information that will blow a cologne snob's mind.

I've never really worn cologne
just use deoderant... I really like the old spice orignal scent...

I like to spend time outdoors... but also spend lots of time at the computer...
dress usually in pants and a Tshirt, with sandals or hiking boots... occasionally go formal... but hate the tie and coat...

got any recomendations?

ooo yes, definatly want the answer to this one :cool:

thanks for your suggestions MrSelfDestruct.

this thread is awesome... the fine art of this is so much more interesting the fancy wine talk... no offense to whoever might be this board's wine snob.

I went ahead and just ordered L'Anarchiste by Caron. The descriptions and reviews I'm finding are just a perfect match for me....

wow, heh, this is the most metrosexual i've ever been..

Ditto, except I went for the Green Irish Tweed.

Listen to this:

Prince Charles, Richard Gere, Cary Grant, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Naomi Campbell, Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford.

Woah. Butch Cassidy and Dirty Harry wear this? It is like getting your Man-Card stamped.

JK. Meterosexual is not a word I would use to describe myself, but I do like to smell good.

It can be strong, but it shouldn't be overpowering as long as you use them in moderation
Fresh and citrus is Himalaya by Creed. It once prompted a female friend to grab me as I walked by, smell me, and exclaim, "Oh, it's you who smells so good." Get a tester from www.scentedmonkey.com for the best price. Decants and samples area available on ebay, and Creed scents are carried in Saks Fifth Ave, Nieman Marcus, and a few other high-end stores if you want to try them first.
Mixing scents inevitably ends with the impression that you are trying to declare some sort of cologne jihad.
Recognizing a great scent (if you haven't noticed, I think that Creed makes some of the world's best colognes,) wearing respectable fragrances (not stuff you'll find at Wal*Mart, not Gio, not the typical stuff,) and knowing what you're talking about. www.basenotes.net has info on just about every fragrance ever made, and if you read up on what people say, what notes are present invarious fragrances, and generally have a decent understanding of the subject, you'll make a good impression. Knowing what's appropriate for when is also key; I'm not going to be impressed if you show up wearing Bois du Portugal for beer and pizza, and if you're wearing Acqua di Gio I'll roll my eyes like I do at the other ~50% of the male population who wears it because they heard it's good and think women will be drawn to them because of it. It's like calling tech support and lettin gthem know that you already checked that everything was plugged in and tried a couple of cables before calling to bother them; they know that you're not an idiot and will have some respect for the fact that you're actually educated and making effort.
Try something like DKNY Be Delicious for Men, which is sweet and a bit woody. Eau Parfumée au Thé Verte by Bulgari is a green, earthy scent. Overall, as an outdoorsy type, you'll probably look for a woody scent, probably with some patchoulli, rather than citrus or aquatic. I'll give you a couple more to try one I'm out of my exam tonight.
I absolutely love L'Anarchiste, I usually wear it for two weeks followed by a week of John Varvatos just to chang ethings up, but until a few months ago it was my only daily scent.
Everyone is worried about looking good, I don't know why more people aren't obsessed with smelling good.

Dr. Mr. Snob,
I have a ton of fragrances, yet I only wear a few. I'd like to get your input on them. The one I wear most often is Dolce and Gabanna <i>Masculine</i>. I enjoy this scent quite a lot. The one I wore in high school was Hugo Boss. Yes I know you'll probably hate this scent but I was in high school and I wasn't a scent snob. If I am not wearing the D&G. I am usually wearing Versace V/S. Ok so now you know what I wear.. what do you think about these scents and based upon these what other recommendations would you give?

[some random foreign closing here]
Guccilvr

With all due respect...
(and I applaud you because Ithink the world would be a better place if more fellas wore Green Irish Tweed and threw away Aqua di Gio... )

but unless the scent is applied sparingly.. (and by that I mean, I should be in your personal space to catch a whiff) then soap and water are just dandy... Freshly showered and shampooed man is about as sexy as you can get...

If the scent is like a pigpen cloud around a person (for either gender) then i don't care how good the fragrance is -- it's bad...

Hey CologneSnob,

This morning I got all dressed up for a presentation I had to give in my communications class today. I went to spray myself with an old bottle of Tommy (I have like 2 or 3 bottles of this stuff, people think its cute to give me Hilfiger stuff since my name is Tommy) and it didn't quite smell right. The cologne is a few years old now, and generally has been sitting on my window sill that whole time. Is it still good? And on top of that, what's the proper way to store cologne?

Thanks!

Hugo Boss is a pretty good one, although like I said before, the powdery aspect can be overpowering on some people. V/S a very pleasant scent, and unfortunately discontinued. Based on the D&G and Versace fragrances, I'd reccommend M7 by Yves Saint Laurent and Vetiver by Guerlain. They all have common ingredients, but each has its own personality. D&G pour Homme is a more mature version of Masculine, try it, too.
Fragrances are wonderful things when used right, but I'd respond to overapplication the same way I did to BigBen's question of mixing. Misuse by overapplication inevitably leaves others with the impression that you are attempting to declare some sort of cologne jihad. If you come across a person who has already done so, my advice comes in a quote from the guy who got me interested in colognes in the first place; "... kindly inform him that dousing ones self in cologne to the point of flammability is unwise in more ways than one."
The window sill is the problem. You're heating and cooling it daily when you should be storing it in a cool, dry place like a drawer or a shelf that doesn't get any direct sunlight and isn't near a heater or air conditioner. Stocking up isn't a good idea because essential oils start to break down in as little as 3 years and alter the scent noticeably. Considering that Tommy has 15 different oils in it, that's a lot that can go wrong. I personally don't like TH fragrances, they smell too synthetic and alcohol-laden. If you want to try a few others to get a variety, especially if yours is going bad, try Hugo by Hugo Boss, Mugler Cologne by Thierry Mugler, and for a high-end niche, Millésime Impérial by Creed. MI really deserves the title of "Imperial" with this one.

OK, just got my Creed perfume/cologne samples! I put GIT on one side of the Hub, and Himayala on the other, and the winner is Himalaya, *all the way*! Dayam. Still have to test-drive the Bois du Portugal, we'll wait till tomorrow.

And I LOVE my Creed Love in White. I'm certain I will be quite the original standout with this.

Edited to add: I described it to a friend on IM thusly: "It smells like flowers having sex." :crazy:

Thanks Cologne Snob! :D

Thanks for the advice! That bottle of Tommy is gonna be thrown out, time to pull out the bottle that has been sitting in a box on my shelf for the past year or two. As long as my name is Tommy I'll never run out of cologne, I swear...

I've never liked cologne, or perfume for that matter. When I was younger I could never understand why anyone would want to wear the stuff. I realized once I was older that I use my sense of smell a lot more than most people. I know people based on their appearance and scent almost equally. (Insert frogza the dog jokes here) For me wearing cologne was like wearing sunglasses indoors, everything gets muddied and obscured. It's harder to tell when people are happy, scared, sad etc. because there is a permanant scent that obscures all the others.

This thread rocks.

GIT, [Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme[/i], and L'Eau d'Issey are worth trying.

Do you happen to know the prices of these scents?

I dont wear cologne too often (too many products have fragrances that clash) but when I do, my favourite is by:

Dunhill


simple, citrus like. it's a classic that isn't overpowering.

Just got the Green Irish Tweed from the mail off EBay.

It smells fucking amazing. I am not a cologne expert, and hence I have no other words to describe it.

Perhaps...it smells like tweeds having sex. :lol:

C'mere! Lemme see how that smells on you!

Here's a potentially annoying/cringe-inducing question (or maybe not, you be the judge):

Can aftershave be used as a substitute for cologne? What, exactly, is the difference?

The aftershaves in question, by the way, are Stetson and Stetson Black. What do you think of them?

OK, first off, I just got a new cologne yesterday. I was at the mall (Stamford, CT, if anyone is nearby,) and wandered into Perfumania, where the manager turned out to be the most helpful, friendliest fragrance salesperson I've met. She asked me what I like, and told me that, "If you leave with anything that isn't 100% perfect for you, I'm not doing my job." I specified tha tI was looking for something for summer nights, as I already have a bottle of Himalaya coming in today. She spent close to an hour helping me. I smelled quite a few fragrances that I either haven't smelled in a while, or not at all. Onyx by Azzaro and Perry for Him by Perry Ellis pleasantly surprised me, and I came close to buying Onyx.. I also tried Realm for Men, which smelled great on the sample card, and dried down to a very soft, clean scent on my skin. It smells like something that would almost seem like a unisex fragrance, and maybe it's the male pheromones, or maybe it's a subtle base note I didn't really isolate as I smelled it, but it managed to smell very masculine. Unfortunately, even with moisturizer, I have very dry skin and I had to literally touch my nose to my skin to smell the Realm. I'd definitely reccommend all three.

The one I ended up buying was Salvatore Ferragamo pour Homme. I literally could not stop smelling the sample card, and after testing a bit on the back of my hand (I was wearing L'Anarchiste on my wrists[/i] so I couldn't spray it there,) I couldn't stop smelling it. Although it's fairly inexpensive, I feel comfortable equating the complexity of the drydown and artful blending of ingredients to those of Creed's fragrances, which I consider to be the best in the world. The notes I notice most on myself are the top not of fig leaves, a subtle middle note of clove, and a smooth, subdued base of vetiver. You can read more about it here: http://www.basenotes.net/ID26121419.html I still can't believe how good it smells, and when I tried it today I got about 10-11 hours out of it.
You cant' go wrong wtih Creed, there's a reason they've been around for 240 years. Like I said, Himalaya is my daily for summer. I'm really happy to hear that the Love in White worked out for you, seeing as I reccommended it based on research rather than actually smelling it. Saks Fifth Ave was closed yesterday, killing my plans to check if the local one has a Creed counter, otherwise I would have smelled it.
Just hope you never get tired of it. If you have extras sitting around (sounds like you have a lot?) consider decanting them and selling them on ebay. You can get 1/3oz glass atomizers for a buck or two each, and you can make a 150-200% profit, depending on what you're selling.
I understand why you wouldn't like it, but on the other hand, this is a perfect example of why I make my argument about scent linking to memory. If someone has a signature scent, you would probably think of them if you smell it. You probably hate people who douse themselves in perfume more than I do.
My first stop for low price (I also order testers rather than New in Box) is www.scentedmonkey.com. You can also try:
www.parfum1.com
www.perfumebay.com
www.scentiments.com
www.beautycafe.com
www.beautyhabit.com
For authentic fragrances
If your products are clashing, unscented soap (I use dove unscented moisturizing soap and rinse my hair very well while showering, then Ban original roll-on deodorant) is the best way to go. The classic Dunhill is clean and slightly woody, and smell pretty good overall.
If you want to consider me an expert, I'd say it smells fucking amazing. Everything by Creed that I've smelled is great. Once again, there's a reason they've been around for 240 years and are still going strong.
The levels of fragrance oil concentration, from lowest to highest are: Aftershave, Cologne, EDT(Eau de Toilette,) EDP (Eau de Parfuum.) You can use aftershave, but it's not going to project as far as a cologne or EDT and it's nto going to last as long. I use the term Cologne as a catch-all because it simplifies things, but most that I reccommend are EDT. EDP is usually for women's fragrances, and occasionally for men's niche scents.

edit: Creed's Millèsimes are EDP, for both men and women.
http://www.creedfragrances.co.uk/sit...ime_fragrances
http://www.creedfragrances.co.uk/sit...ime_fragrances

What is your opinion on farenheight (sp) by dior?

It's a nice green scent, and I really love sandalwood; I like the smell of it, but it's not the type I imagine smelling great on me, so I haven't tried it on my skin, just tester cards.





Last night I took a snapshot of what I have at the moment. Clicke for full size.
http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/898/colognes6ck.th.jpg
From left to right:
Himalaya (summer daily)
L'Anarchiste (winter daily)
Envy by gucci (winter night)
Salvatore Ferragamo pour homme (summer night)
John Varvatos (when I'm wearing a suit, meeting with important people, etc.)

Do you have any opinion of Kenneth Cole Reactions? I actually bought a bottle of it today after spending about half an hour shopping and out of everything I found it had more smell and less of that over powering sweetness that a lot of the other colognes I tried had.

Oh yeah - What do you consider to be the right way to apply aftershave? I've never had any idea.

It's one of the best mass marketed fragrances for young audiences. I like the drydown from sweet topnotes to a musky, woody base that features, but doesn't punch you in the nose with, patchoulli. Its target is the 16-20 crowd, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't wear it if it smells good on you.
Never used the stuff, I have no idea. I have particularly sensetive skin, so after shaving, my primary concern is to get something soothing and healing on what I shaved so I don't end up looking like someone loaded a shotgun with sulfiric acid and shot me in the face. My guess would be that if you're using it as a fragrance, you should put it in your jawline and neck, making sure you get it on pulse points so it projects.

:lol: I'm about to be 19, so I guess that was good luck on my part. I've never been cologne shopping before yesterday, so I checked basically e verything there was at Dillards just to get a basic idea and it had the strongest but least sweet smell of all the colognes I tried. So that ended up the winner for me.

If you want something fresh but not sweet, you should also check out Chrome by Azzaro (Onxy for a darker, night scent,) and Very Irrésistible for Men by Givenchy for a greener scent.

I'm starting to make myself feel like Amazon.com; "Customers who liked this also liked ..."

How often do you wear your colognes? On a day to day basis or only when getting dressed up for a date?

Dear Mr. Cologne Snob:

I am a 23-year-old female who works in a professional office setting where scents are discouraged. However, I do like to wear them occasionally when going out. In the past, I've worn a scent from Bath and Body Works that was discontinued. The main notes in this scent were ylang-ylang and myrrh. Could you recommend any scents with those two notes? They seem to work well with my body chemistry, as I always got compliments when wearing that scent. Thank you in advance if you have any good suggestions!

--snowy

Unless I'm going swimming, working out, or testing fragrances, I'm going to be scented.
Like I think I've mentioned already, I'm not nearly as good with women's fragrances as with men's, but I do have a couple for you to try. Shalimar by Guerlain doesn't have either of the notes you mentioned, but should give you the same spicy oriental feel, and is a long-standing classic. Parfum Sacré by Caron is a contemporary interpretation of that classic version that is softer and more sensual, but still oriental with top notes of myrrh and spices, and a base of rose that ties the others together. If you want something more classic than contemporary, Nuit de Noël by Caron is an old myrrh-incense fragrance that doesn't have the synthetic smell of many newer scents. All three are sensual and powerful (not overpowering.)

As usual, I suggest that any woman who can afford to blow a couple hundred dollars on perfume try Caron's Tabac Blonde. Although Creed's Green Irish Tweed has the reputation of being the greatest men's fragrance of all time, and I agree that it is an amazing scent, I can't call it the ultimate fragrance for men in the same way that I can call Tabac Blonce the ultimate perfume for women.

I've always been interested in cologne, but I know so little I just tend to stay the heck away from them...

Except for one time when I sniffed a perfume ad in Men's Health (which, by the way, I no longer subscribe to), and actually liked the smell so much I bought it.

What was it? Hugo's Boss In Motion

Haven't worn it often, as I'm not sure if it "blends" with my chemistry.

If you've smelled this before, what "type" is it? Like winter wear or summer wear? Light scent or heavy?

If you'd be interested in recommending one, I would like that. Let me know what info you need to know to recommend one.

Thanks!

Jason

If it smells better on you than on paper (just use a notecard at home since you probably won't have sample cards lying around,) then it works with your body.
It's a sweet citrus, and citrus fragrances tend to work better in summer, as heat brings out the notes mroe fully than in winter. I wouldn't go too heavy one it because of the musk base, but it's pretty versatile. Nothing by Boss works well on me, so I wouldn't wear it, but I'd reccommend it as a summer evening wear.
I have three to reccommend. The first, which is a similar but a bit more mature, is DKNY Be Delicious; Sweet citrus, coffee and chocolate. I don't normally do sweet scents, but if I did I'd wear this daily. Second is Versace The Dreamer; Sweet tobacco and a hint of tea, this is the sweetest scent I'd wear. Do not immediately dismiss it based on the spray-on, you absolutely must let this dry down before you judge it. Third is M7 by Yves Saint Laurent. It's mature and sensual, and a lot of women are drawn to it; your profile says you're into weight lifting? you're exactly the type of person who would wear this.

As usual, if you go out and test these, let me know what you think. I appreciate feedback from everyone as it keeps me on the side of the snob line as the rest of the world rather than the fragrance equivalent of the guy who won't drink coffee unless it's eaten and shat out by a tropical cat.

I got this sample when I bought some cologne the other day, and I smelled it at the store on a notecard and was turned off by it, but then tried again later that night on my skin and was blown away by it. It was pretty amazing stuff. I thought it was too sweet smelling, but after wearing it for a bit it really blended in nicely.

Hi cologne snob!

I was in habit of wearing Ralph Lauren Safari and Romance Silver (not at the same time of course). No strong preference to RL, just seem to get them as gifts. I'm spending my summer up in Vancouver and completely forgot to pack my cologne. So I'm looking to get a new scent while I'm up here for the summer.

I'm a young guy (22) and only really wear cologne when I'm dressed up for a nice dinner or if the mood strikes me right while I'm getting ready to go somewhere. I'm not that in tune with how to describe scents, I've usually had a female companion along when buying colognes to help me. I really do like Safari and Romance Silver though (the Safari more so). I tend to shy away from things with an overly fruit smell but my experience with colognes is minimal and just the occasional samplings if I'm bored at the mall one day.

Any suggestions? (Nothing too pricey and something I could pick up without having to order would be great).

I have looked at the Creed scents online and think I'll wait to try them once I'm back home.

Romance Silver doesn't smell fruity to you? I got spicy watermelon when I tried it.
I don't usually reccommend big name mainstream fragrances, but if you want something for when you're dresssed up that can still manage to not seem out of place day-to-day, Chanel Allure Homme is a great fragrance. John Varvatos is a strong scent (impression-wise, not smell-wise) and is one that I use with a suit. For soemthing completely different but suited to your occasions, Dzing! by L'Artisan Parfumeur is somethign that must be tried at least twice before deciding on it, as it smells a bit different every time you smell it.

I guess I meant compared to the typical Abercrombie or whatever else kids these days are wearing. Like I said though, my fragrance knowledge is zero, so maybe I'm thinking of something different when I say fruity.

Thanks a lot for the recommendations, now any ideas on where to find these fragrances in stores?

Thanks for the advice!

I'll be sure to report back, though it may be a while. I'm low on cash but when I get the funds, I think I'm gonna try the M7.

Would this be "all season" wear?

Thanks again!

Sephora carries Varvatos, Saks Fifth Ave and most high-end stores carry Chanel, and I have no idea where to get Dzing! in stores.
Yep, appropriate for all seasons. I saw bottles of both the EDT and aftershave in Marshalls this past week. Aftershave was 6.4oz for $14, EDT was 1.7oz for $20, I checked three of each and they weren't anywhere near going bad, so it seems like a good deal.

Looking at the Bois du Portugal I think this might be a good mix for me, but since I don't use cologne for the most part I'm unsure what I truly like. I use body spray which I go between Axe Essence and Touch as I like those smell, I also use Old Spice Pure sport for deodorant Do you have any suggestions that are like that? Hopefully I can get time to head down to the store this weekend. I know that in the pass I liked "Lucky You" cologne.

MSD,

I am not a big scent wearer, just never found anything that I felt comfortable wearing, but you have opened my eyes to some new stuff to look into, and the hints/tips/tricks of the trade for application should be on every bottle of anything ever sold.

Uh oh, he said the "a" word. Now I'm going to have to restrain myself. If you're wearing Axe (which is not something that I reccommend anyoone ever do,) something like BdP is a huge jump in both price and quality. I am not in any way trying to discourage you from switching to Creed fragrances, but I'm hesitant to reccommend a sudden jump from a scent in a $3.99 aerosol can to and EDP with a MSRP of around $260 for a 2.5oz bottle.

Based on Lucky You, I would reccommend sampling L'Eaud D'Issey pour Homme, Dolce & Gabbanna pour homme and M7. Of course, if you find a place around you that sells Creed, go and try BdP and GIT, just don't go in smelling like Axe ;)
I really appreciate hearing stuff like this, thank you.

I felt that one coming :) thanks for the recommendations. Off to the store to look for them now.

I've been wearing Allure Homme Sport by Chanel lately and in the past have word Polo Blue, Hugo Boss, and CK Obsession. I don't like to wear the same fragrance too long and I have been wearing the Allure Homme Sport for awhile.
I really like it, but I want another cologne to wear every now and then. Any suggestions based on what I currently wear and what I have in the past?

The things I'm seeing in common here are Mandarin, Vetiver, and Amber. For something that smells similar but more overtly and assertively masculine, try M7, for something similar and fresh, ty L'Eau D'Issey pour homme, and for somethign that works on special occasions (for the sake of humanity, don't wear it when it's too warm,) Envy for Men by Gucci works well. I personally feel that Obsession is a great fragrance that's too overused and too popular to let me stand out in a crowd wearing it, but it's still a great scent, alog with your others (Polo Blue smell s a bit synthetic for my taste, but still decent.) Check out what I reccommended, but you have a pretty good nose, so let it guide you if you find something that works well for you.

thanks for the advice! I think I'll try the M7 and see how I like it.

I picked up some Chanel Allure Homme and wore it last night while out at a nice dinner with my girlfriend. It was pretty similar to what I wanted, nice and subtle. No one coughed or gagged on the smell as I walked by and people seemed to get closer to me than normal when they wanted to talk. I had no outright compliments on my scent (besides my gf) but I wasn't really going for that effect. All in all in worked out great, thanks a lot for the recommendation.

You've rekindled an interest in smelling good as well... why can't I ever find cheap interests/hobbies? :)

I use Armani Aqua Di GIO and Armani Black Code. My gf loves them.

Mr.SD, I am curious... not about what scent I should wear or how best to apply it or anything... but in your opinion, is a scent worn for the wearer to smell, or those around the wearer ?

The reason I say this is that so many people ask "I like the smell of so and so flowers and water and blah blah blah, what scent would you say i should wear ?" yet after about the first 30 mins, you can't smell the scent on yourself anymore anyway, since you get used to it (unless you are the type that noticed that you can no longer smell it after a half hour so you drench yourself in it so you smell it all day and make your co-workers run from you).

I think a scent has a bit to do with what you, personally, like to smell, but is a distand second to what others want you to smell like.

Ok MSD I have gone out in to the world sampled a good amount of fragrances that you have share and some that clerks have suggested. I ordered the GIT and Himalaya from creed and I must say that GIT kills me on all fronts, I love it but I don't want to over use it. The Himalaya is an interesting fragrance, from the bottle it smells great with a bit of a punch. When I put it on that punch is even more and I am not the biggest fan of it. However, the cool down is great and is worth it.

Out of your recommendations I sampled L'Eaud D'Issey pour Homme and found it to sweet for me but interesting and defiantly different from other colognes. As for Dolce & Gabbanna pour home I like the smell but it does not last to long on my skin. I must try this fragrance again. As for the M7 I could not find any where that would let me sample it, then today I went to this little fragrance store and bam my old roommate worked there we caught up on things and she cracked the bottle open for me and gave me a whiff. Earlier this week I got to sample Creeds Tabaróme Millésime and found it to be a great smell with a older edge, fast forward to M7 and I see a resemblance (don’t hate me) and I feel it would be a great alternative.

When I looked at your collection I saw John Varvatos, and I must say it had me sold and I bought a bottle today and I love it. The cool down on my skin was fantastic. Now I want to sample Millésime Impérial as I heard it was close to unforgivable which I liked due to the tangerine but I hated because that is all it was and Millésime Impérial is said to have more to it. I also want to try fragrances buy L'Artisan and the santa work shop killer.

Also, as a funny note since I went all over the place to find this stuff and then came back to this little cart that I originally went first, and I bought the John Varvatos, the owner gave me a discount and since I wrapped with him a bit and told him of my quest and your discussion he promised to always take tax off and cut prices for my business. Today I got a 4.2 ounce bottle of JV and Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps for only 68 (48 + 20) bucks which is cheaper then retail and close to some of the cheapest prices on ebay. Thanks for all the help and if you have any other suggestions or fragrances you think I should sample I will give it a whorl. You really opened my eyes to this stuff.

Sounds like you did it right.
You've rekindled an interest in smelling good as well... why can't I ever find cheap interests/hobbies? :)[/QUOTE]
Meh, cars and guns are a lot more expensive, at least I can afford the occasional fragrance purchase without saving up.
I'm the cologne snob, not the cologne nice guy, don't expect any praise from me on Armani scents :D :thumbsup:
Would you wear a pair of shoes you hated because others like them and you can deal with not looking at your feet all day? A good fragrance should not only impress others, it should make you feel good about yourself. When I wear L'Anarchiste, it doesn't just say ot others, "Sorry to end the meeting early, but I have a riot to incite," I love the smell of it when I move around and get a whiff throughout the day. When I wear Gucci Envy for Men, I might as well grab a karaoke mic an dbelt out "I'm too Sexy," because that's I'm tellling myself and others.
Creed's drydowns are the best part of what they make. They're dynamic fragrances that change throughout the day before settling down. Any fragrane should be allowed to dry before judging it, doubly so with niche scents.
It's unusual for somethig nwith 18 separate notes to come together so well, but this one does. It smells like a spicy floral to me, and unfortunately smells like urinal cake on me.
I can see the resemblance.
It's a great scent, I love the combination of leather and tea leaves.
There is a distinct resemblance; P. Diddy (I feel stupid writing or saying that name) wears MI, so there's a definite influence.
Good stuff, knowing people who can hook you up is always a plus. Today I got a 4.2 ounce bottle of JV and Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps.[/QUOTE]
Who's the LAdT for?

What's wrong with Armani scents? :mad:

By the way, I strongly disagree with you on the fact that you should leave a trail of scent as you walk. That is a huge turn-off for me in a girl (and cringe-worthy in a guy). If you plan on smelling nice, make it subtle so that the people around you get tempted into moving closer to you (whether your object of affection a male or female).

My girl has a perfume that has no label on it so I went looking for it, I bought the LAdT for her thinking it was the one but at last I was wrong :( but she likes the stuff anyways; I also got her some “Love in White” so I will see how she likes that as well. However, today I believe I found her perfume for sure. On the bottle the words "Sanofi Beaute" were written on it. I looked all over google and linked those words to the perfume called "So De La Renta". The bottle is an exact match. Going to get some for her today. Also, looking to try more fragrances I found one called "Sexual" this one drove me crazy. I’m going to have to get some samples and try it out. I think I like fragrances with a vanilla tone in it, or at least that is what I think it is that gets me.

AdG is, by my estimate, worn by 50% of the male 18-25 population. That kills the uniqueness that I aim for in my fragrances. Armani's fragrances strike me as exceedingly synthetic. If you and your girlfriend like them, then wear them, but like I said, I'm not the cologne nice guy, and I don't like noticably synthetic-smelling fragrance notes.
I'm not talking about a wall of scent oil, just a light note that dissipates over the course of 5 seconds at the most. If done right, it's entirely unoffensive and barely noticeable.

I thought I'd bump this thread for the holidays. I had to search for it to find the website recs. to find the best prices for the items I wanted to pick up, I figured others would find the refersher course useful as well.

So after reading 3 pages of this... I guess I have somewhat of an interest in this. In the past, I have always received colognes as gifts from girls I was dating (Tommy, Kirra, and Burrberry). Out of those three I'd prefer Kirra, then Tommy, then Burrberry. I'd rather have a cologne that was "my smell", rather than a scent that a girl wants me to smell like. So I'd like to find one that I can wear normally, and not have to wait for a girl to pick it out for me.

Not being a big cologne guy though, Im not sure which direction to start in. I kind of have a duel personality. For example when I was doing co-oping as an industrial engineer, I was just as comfortable giving presentations to the plant manager and corporate engineers as I was going back to the maintenance shop and welding together parts shelves. Now I am taking engineering classes and working part time as a defense contractor. Since, Im fairly young (22) and active (run every night, martial arts twice a week, racing cars on the weekends), and have a decent ability to establish a presence, I dont need something that says "i am man, hear me roar". Rather I'd like something that just smells fresh, clean, and sporty (what comes to mind is my Old Spice hair and body wash).

From what I've read so far, Himalaya might be the way to go. If not, which way should I start looking? (On a side note, I live and work in Alabama, the heaviest jacket I wear most of the year is just a regular leather jacket... so I'm not sure that there's a need to distinguish between summer and winter scents).

Since I read this thread, I have learned to change scents with the season.

Currently it is winter. I am wearing Tuscany and Aramis. Some samplers my uncle got me a few Christmas' ago. I was wondering if these are ok.

I also have some Lacoste my younger sister gave me as a present about a year ago I plan on wearing once the sun comes out.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

I'm finding this year that my concerns about Himalaya in the winter were more due to olfactory habituation (once you smell something for a while, your nose stops processing it) than anything else. I'm actually carrying it over into winter this year since I gave my L'Anarchiste to my brother because it smells great on him and I'm allergic to it.

If you really like Kirra, some to try are Givenchy's Intensé Ultramarine Beach Boy, but if you like it, get a couple of bottles since it's a limited edition. If you want something wintery by Burberry, you can try Burberry London for Men, it's a spicy, winter scent that could be described as a Christmas season scent. It's leathery, cinammony, and spicy-herbal.
Those are nice scents, Aramis is a classic. Aramis Always Him is new and smells both green and citrusy, with a hint of white musk. If they'e old samplers, the smell may have degraded and there's a good chance you're not getting as much fragrance and as deep a scent as you could. Try a sample card of a new bottle at the store and see if what you're wearing compares to the new bottle, you could be missing out.

As for scents being "OK," the only ones I really hate with a passion are Acqua di Gio (smell like 50% of the male population!) Cool Water and Curve (thanks for ripping off Green Irish Tweed, jerks!) Axe ("aerosol" and "fragrance" don't belong in the same product description unless it's a household cleaner,) and anything I've ever smelled with a celebrity's name on it (although Sean John's Unforgivable is good, it's a rip off of Milliseme Imperial.)



Also, as a side note, Eriwn Creed's birthday wish (Dec. 15) is that a portion of proceeds from US sales of Creed's new fragrance Royal Ceylan be donated to the Natural Resource Defense Council.
http://www.basenotes.net/industry_ne...nbirthday.html

Q for MrSelfDestruct
 

Hey MrSelfDestruct,

I'm a 19 year old male, going to college and dressing rather casually most the time. I guess I could be considered somewhat preppy, but also very laid back and casual (shirts and jeans mainly). After reading this thread I've decided on picking up a pack of Creed samples to see what appeals to me.. Any suggestions?

Heres whats available for purchase:

I've been thinking about getting Green Irish Tweed, Millesime Imperial, and Himalaya... And any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!