Comme des Garçons 2 (1999)
by Comme des Garçons

There's a bitter citrus peel smell that seems to be fairly dominant in the accord, and it reminds me of Terre d'Hermes, but in TdH the accord smells more like pickle scratch-n-sniff. I also smell a potent waxiness which I suppose is the aldehydes, but I'm not really sure.

Other than that, this is damn near impossible to describe, which I suppose is why people are throwing around the word "ink." Perhaps this is due to CdG2 being more synthetic, or perhaps the intent was for the smell to be a little more "like nothing before," or perhaps a bit of both.

Although unique, my overall impression is just one of "meh."

9th September, 2011.

This is very easy for me as CDG2 has been my signature fragrance for more than 5 years back in 1999. It was a groundbreaking release and a landmark in the Comme Des Garcons collection. I won't describe this perfume in the usual way as I think, wether you'll like it or not, it deserves a try if you want to completely understand CDG's path. In this fragrance Mark Buxton reached the perfection he was looking for in both CDG Original and White adding an extra touch to the maison's already distinctive hallmarks (translucency and minimalistic-incense). Everything is perfect and the classic "rough-caress" feeling of almost every CDG perfume is pushed to the limit. Absolutely distinctive, unique, unusual but at the same time very versatile and not aggressive. It's just up to you where and when, and it will surely follow. A complex-minimalistic masterpiece and another all time favourite.


One more thing: If you approach CDG2 today for the first time it may not result so unconventional and groundbreaking, but try to put it in its context as in 1999 things were much different.

23rd March, 2011. (Last Edited: 4th April, 2011.)

First of all, I think there may be some confusion here and some Basenoters have been reviewing the much woodier and more masculine Comme Des Garcons 2 Man, rather than this one - which is a light floral/slightly fruity aldehyde scent with hardly any woody character. Easier to confuse the names (they're very similar) but not the fragrance - which is quite different.

Anyway, I smell a highly synthetic mix of Diet NutraSweet® lemonade with muted tangerine and grapefruit aldehyde florals and a vague, suggestive whiff of hot plastic that subsides after an hour or so.

It's almost identical to CDG 8 88 in the same series. I can't smell any 'ink' or anything heavy - in fact it' a very lightweight scent.

I don't like it... and certainly don't find it as complex as some of the reviews here suggest.

19th March, 2011.

CDG 2 has been called abstract. It’s been called a transparent rose (one of the first), but the read I get, as others have mentioned, is the ink. Combining what seems like aldehydes, and mandarin or orange with something floral that I can’t get my nose around creates a shadowy smell that resembles ink. I associate the smell of ink with a very cool, blunt sweetness. That same feel is the first smell of CDG 2.

The transitions are tough for me to identify, because the feel of ink stays from top to bottom. The start is expansive, likely an aldehydic effect, but the heart hangs quite a bit closer to the skin and feels actually a bit richer. This is the spicy ink phase. I’ve read others talk about the nutmeg and cinnamon, but I get more of a juniper and bay vibe. These two, especially the juniper, make the scent get even cooler, a facet of CDG 2 that I simply love. Most perfumes, by nature of becoming a part of your skin, get warmer or at least start to become skin scents (a phrase I overuse and am working at defining more clearly.) Maybe this will help me, because CDG 2 just refuses to become a skin scent. It’s not that it wears you. I feel like it’s an exotic fragrance on my wrists that I’m carrying with me out into the world.

That gorgeous feel of coolness is perhaps strongest in the drydown. The incense, woods and some dry amber remind me in feel, but not in scent, of Andy Tauer’s l’Air du Désert Marocain. Amber, without all the expected elements like vanilla and balsams, matches a dry, slightly tarry incense and feels like smoke through cool air and iced black tea.

So three stages: 1) cool ink with flower and fruit, 2) cool ink with spice, and, 3) cool ink with smoke. See the common thread? I suppose that ink, as a note, could be marketed as masculine or feminine. I find it funny that CDG 2 Woman and CDG 2 Man, by conventional fragrance standards each read as fully unisex. Do you suppose they flipped a coin to decide which to call Woman and which Man?

23rd January, 2011. (Last Edited: 14th February, 2011.)

This is my favorite from the CdG line. Unique and beautiful fragrance that can be worn year-round.

6th January, 2011.

I gave it 1 star because of the unique ink scent.

I usually give stars to top rated perfumes.

So only about 5 will get 5 stars, maybe up to 10 will get 4 stars. Ill give 20 perfumes 3 stars and so on. I was not crazy about 2 and was not even going to rate it any stars but the ink and the dry down of the ink is amazing. It earns one star IMO

26th October, 2010.