What about that AXE stuff. Goodness, they make wearing that look like a hazard what witht eh women running you down!
I like Jil Sander For Men, and also Gucci’s Envy at the moment. Always compliments.
I can’t stand cologne, it gives me a headache. I like the scent of my DH’s verbena soap from L’Occitane, though.
I’m a Cool Water guy, and have gotten many random compliments from women. My ex-GF made me wear it and then I started liking it. It wasn’t until a few really hot girls said it smelled like “sex in a bottle” that I was hooked.
I went to get some carry-out wings the other day and as I was waiting at the hostess stand one of the 20 something waitresses said “Who is that? Who’s wearing Cool Water?” I sheepishly said that I was, and she proceeded to kiss me right on the mouth. Just kidding, she did however get reeealy close and take a whiff. I have little reason to switch, but I’ll check out the BOD stuff.
I can’t believe so many women like Drakkar! I wore it during my freshman year of highschool and haven’t looked back. The very few guys I know who have admitted to still wearing it, do so with an embarassed look on their face. To each his own.
Skin chemistry. Oilier skin holds on to fragrance longer than dry skin. If longevity tends to be a problem for you just put on some good quality unscented moisturizer before the cologne. Personally, longevity has never been a major concern of mine as I really enjoy how a fragrance changes throughout the day. Along the same lines, a same fragrance can smell differently on different people. Initially they may smell the same but in the dry down (the time after the top notes have evaporated away and you are left the the heart and base notes) a fragrance can be radically different. Generally speaking, higher quality fragrances are designed to be pleasant throughout the dry down. Cheaper fragrances tend to “fix” a scent so they do not change as the day progresses (this isn’t a hard and fast rule though - Bvlgari Black, uses this trick to great effect).
Sales are down and have been so for a few years. I chalk it up to the fact that the majority of designers spend too much time copying the last big hit or making a slightly different version of something they already have. Wander away from the mass market fragrances though and there are some amazing scents out there.
It’s very, very bad smelling stuff. My brother and his friends bought some to test it out and it just smells cheap. Like Malibu Musk for Men.
But I don’t care much for cologne. One of my bro’s friends wears AXE sometimes, so I guess he likes it okay. And when I smell it on him I make it a point to spead myself on him like margarine, so I guess it does work, albeit ironically.
ZJ
Girlfriends of mine have consistently remarked that they prefer my natural body odor.
:eek:
I know absolutely nothing about men’s fragrances (other than that Dad wore Old Spice). I rely on soap and water and nothing else right now, ever since certain scented deodorants started giving me rashes, even though I’d been using them for years.
So… how to begin? What’s a good ‘starter kit’? Do I have to test different ones?
jfortun, you sound like the resident expert on fragrance 
so would you mind another question?
In the past, I have purchased department store testers of high-quality fragrances. The company swears these are the same product as their full-price versions. However, I think the fragrance doesn’t last as long (ie. less essential oils).
Can you shed any light on this mystery?
Who sells it though?
Some deororants give me rashes though I’ve never taken the time to figure out what in them is causing the trouble. I have yet to run into a fragrance that causes the same reaction so with a bit of luck you might not have any trouble either.
As for shopping. Here are some tips:
- Where to shop: I would start at a Sephora or Perfumania or such place rather than a department store. Stores like Marshall Fields/Nordstrom/Macys/Nieman Marcus/Sax either have quota’s to push a certain house (fragrance manufacturer) or have their fragrances being sold by a house rep. The tendancy then is to sell you what they want to sell you versus sell you what YOU want to buy. You may get lucky and find a sales associate who actually wants to help. If you do find such a person, the department store counter is a great place to shop as these people know their product and can translate what you’re looking for into fragrance-speak, but a good associate is rare these days.
Places like Sephora are are usually staffed by people who may not know their fragrances but they will at least let you alone. If you don’t mind going it alone start at Sephora.
- How to shop: be honest but tactful with the sales associate (SA from here on out). Be specific- you may not know what the lingo is, but if something smells too smokey or too fruity (etc. etc.) be specific as possible in your reaction. This will help the SA narrow down your choices.
Don’t let them rush you- you are spending a lot of money on a highly personal item and you should take your own sweet time.
Sniff first from a blotter (a little piece of paper SA’s keep handy) and get an inital impression. Wait a few minutes and sniff again. Fragrances change as the oils evaporate so something you might hate at first sniff might really turn a corner a few minutes later (and vice versa). Also keep in mind that many fragrances are designed to grab your attention at first sniff so be sure to give them time and further sniffs to be sure you like them.
During all this your nose will get tired and become less effective. After smelling 3 or 4 fragrances, ask the SA for some coffee beans (a really good SA will offer them). Chances are they will have them. Coffee beans have the strange effect of re-invigorating the nose. After a few deep inhalations of coffee your nose will work again. Even with beans you can over do it. Don’t expect to be able to go through more than 10 or 12 fragrances in a session and frankly, getting through 6 can sometimes be a challenge.
If you find something you like be sure to wear on your skin before buying it. Use your wrist and give it a go. If you want to skin test more than 2 fragrances ask for a sample to take home- if they don’t have any samples ask them to make one up for you.
to be continued…
Now for the most difficult bit.
- What to shop for: Have some idea of what you might like in a fragrance before you go shopping. Are you looking for something bold that announces your presence or something intimate that only those close to you can smell. If the season is hot, you may wish a for a lighter, fresher fragrance, or perhaps you want something heavier. Do you want something citrusy, woody, musky, earthy, watery? Do you want something formal or casual? Give this some thought; going in with just a few words can really help narrow down the choices. Think about odors you enjoy- leather, coffee, hazelnut, lemons, grass, cedar, pine, ocean, gasoline- all of these (and a hell of a lot more) can be found in men’s fragrances.
Think beyond the names you know. This is a personal preference, but I generally avoid fragrances by houses that spend most of their time making clothes. With a few exceptions (Helmut Lang, Carolina Herrera, Chanel, YSL) they farm their fragrance creation out to one of the big 3 fragrance companies and their offerings are not very interesting.
There is a bit of a rift in the fragrance world between designer and what are called “niche” or “artisinal” fragrance. The former category you likely already know something about because they are easily available, have recognizable names and are very safe don’t-rock-the-boat, kind of fragrances. I personally find the niche/artisnal category much more interesting. For one they are not created by a marketing survey but by a single nose. Second they tend to use a higher concentration of natural ingredients and better quality ones at that. Look for names like Annick Goutal, L’Artisan, Lorenzo Villoresi, Maître Parfumeur et Gantier, Commes de Garcon, Diptyque, and (my favorite) Creed. They can be harder to find and are definately more expensive but damn is it worth it. If you have questions of these kind of fragrances I would be happy to post more.
Finally, unless you really really like it- avoid the big name fragrances like Curve, Acqua di Gio, Cool Water, L’eau de Issey, Angel Men and just about anything from Calvin Klein. Just too many people wear them.
- Shopping online: Despite the fact that I live in a major metro area, finding what I want locally can be somewhat difficult so I do a lot of shopping online. Discount fragrances can be found at www.perfumebay.com. or www.strawberrynet.com. These places do not sell samples so go there only if you know what you want. My favorite online store is www.aedes.com. They sell samples and have just about the best selection of artisinal fragrances anywhere outside of Paris. Ebay is an option too, though stick to reutable sellers- I can recommend some if need be.
Feel free to ask any other questions- I love this stuff and am happy to share what I know.
Usually the rumor is the other way around: that the testers are stonger than the full-price versions. Truth is that they are the same. It’s just not cost effective to manufacture a different version of the fragrance for a tester bottle.
I don’t personal buy tester bottles, but I know many collectors who do and have very good experiences.
Wow, thanks, jfortun! 
That’s very interesting about coffee beans reinvigourating the nose. (I wonder whether that has anything to do with the popularity of coffee shops as meeting places (or maybe that’s just Dr Evil’s nefarious plan for Starbucks world domination…))
So many more questions…
These are fragrance specialists? Like I said, I know nothing about this. I suppose I can go downtown and start at the Platinum Kilometre, the stretch of ritzy high-end shops along Bloor Street in Toronto, and then advance into neighbouring Yorkville (more ritzy shops), but I’m not sure what names I’d be looking for. Are these fragrance shops chains as well? Would these high-end areas be the best place to start looking?
You mention ‘artisanal’ fragrances. Is there a different set of retailers that would sell these and be located in, say, funky ‘alternative’ areas?
Preferences… being as I am totally new to this, I have few. I would like something light and not overpowering, especially for a first time. I find myself drawn towards the idea of the artisanal fragrances, simply because they sound more interesting and the idea appeals to my artistic tendencies.
What’s the difference between formal and casual fragrance?
What kind of prices are we talking about?
I’ve never been to Toronto however some of my collecting friends of my have recommended Holt Renfrew (on Bloor), The Bay (on Queen) and especially Mirella Parfums (again on Bloor). If I get any more recommendations I will pass them on. It turns out the Sephora does not have any Canadian locations.
You are more likely to find them in the higher end shops and dedicated perfumeries. I know that Mirella carries Villoresi and Creed, two of the best fragrance houses there are.
A few words about artisanal fragrances: they will challenge you. It may take a bit of time to wrap your head around a fragrance and get what is going on. Creed fragrances don’t really expose their full glory until you have worn them a couple times. Villoresi fragrances start out like a big jumbled mess but soon the relationships between the notes reveal themselves and they go from big mess to the best balanced perfumes you can buy. L’Artisan pushes the envelope and takes unusual scents and turns them into great perfumes (their fragance Dzing! smells an awful lot like hay and circus animals or cardboard, depending on the weather. Either way it is an intoxicating fragrance!).
One thing to watch for is that many are marketed as unisex and gender boundaries will get crossed. Villoresi’s Musk (the second best musk fragrance made), has a very strong rose note. Floral but masculine. One of my favorite fragrances, Aftlier Cacao (also my most expensive) has an intense chocolate and lilac accord that works well on a man or a woman. Don’t worry too much about which counter you find the fragrance on.
Personally I wear whatever I want to whenever without much thought to formal vs. casual, but differences do exist. A couple examples: Creed’s New Tabarome has a strong ginger and tobacco backbone that brings to mind an exclusive club. It conjures an image of leather chairs, horseback riding and tweed fabric. On the other end of the scale is L’Artisan Menchant Loup, a wild mix of hazelnut, coffee and wood. It has an air of adventure and its sweetness makes it seductive and difficult to wear with a three piece suit.
My advice is to find something you like first- worry about whether it is formal or casual later.
For designer fragrances prices start at about $45 (US) and top out at about $75 for the Eau de Toilette versions. And Eau de Parfum may run to about $100. In most cases you will spend about $50-$60.
Artisinal fragrances are another matter. The quality of ingredients, rarity, exclusivity (yes this costs money!) and their hand-made nature drives the prices up. A small bottle of a Villoresi or L’Artisan goes for $100. Creed’s smallest bottles sell for $98 and they go way up from there ( a 4oz bottle can be $200). Spending that much means you should really take your time and take samples. Wear them at home before buying. Also, the price per oz (or mL, if you perfer) goes down the more you buy so if you like it and can afford it you are better off buying the larger bottle. My most expensive fragrance sells for $480/oz but you don’t need to spend that much to get an excellent fragrance.
(just to go off on a tangent here and talk about Creed. Creed is unique in that they not only create and hand blend their own perfumes- they also manufacture the perfume oils themselves. This means that they control the process from flower to fragrance. They extract the oils themselves. This accounts for their high price. For example, Creed is known for their use of real ambergris. Ambergris starts as secretion from the stomach of whales. When the secretion hardens it is-ahem- expelled into the ocean, where sunlight and seawater turn it into a highly aromatic, heady and seductive ingredient. Chunks of it are washed ashore and collected by hand. It is very rare and very expensive but also the most amazing scent there is. Creed uses the real thing and extracts the perfume oils themselves. )
Thanks, jfortun. Your knowledge of this subject sounds amazing. Is this a hobby or are you in the biz, or a little of both?
Interestingly enough, the first time I wore cologne (Ralph Lauren) was actually to cover up the smell of then-recently-smoked marijuana. Anyway, since then I bought a Target gift pack of three colognes (that Stetson one, Gravity, and Adidas Moves for Men). I don’t wear the Stetson one–bit too much of a ‘wilderness’ smell to it, and I don’t like the cowboy image anyway. I like Gravity and Moves, and have gotten a handful of compliments on Moves. I don’t remember how much the whole deal cost me, but it was pretty cheap, and I’m satisfied with it.
Just a hobby. I have have about 60 fragrances in my collection right now- I keep it to 60 so when I get a new one an old one must go away. The result is that I have had a lot of time with many many fragrances. I started with designer fragrances but now almost exlusively wear artisanal ones. With a couple exceptions I wear everything in my collection meaning that everyday I am wear something different. The draw for me isn’t necessarily smelling great or to attract women- I am just fascinated by the ingredients and a great fragrance’s power to evoke a certain mood or trigger a specific memory.
How do I susbscribe to a thread without posting again? Is it under Quick Links? 'Cause I sure don’t see it there.
This is interesting - I always understood that Napoleon used 4711 Cologne…must have a sniff of the Guerlain one.
Another good one on both men and women is Roger & Gallet’s Jean-Marie Farina - smells fresh, uplifting and expensive (though it isn’t) . Anything with lemon verbena in it smells good on a man, eg l’Occitane’s lemon verbena.
General principle from this woman’s point of view - stick to fresh, sharp scents, and avoid anything musky, heavy and sweet like Obsession (sorry).