Reviews of Comme des Garçons 2 (1999)
by Comme des Garçons

To me, this fragrance is not as complex as other basenoter's reviews suggest... Once upon a time, a biro exploded in my schoolbag. CdG2 very accurately depicts the smell of my maths book when I extracted it from my bag. Plain and simple. This smells of ink. Very strongly of ink. I would have listed the pyramid as ink, over ink, with inky basenotes. This linearity is not a bad thing, I am fully with the idea of single (or dominant) note frags, especially when the chosen note is so off the wall. I have a strange relationship with this stuff, i cannot make my mind up whether i like it not. I have to give it a thumbs up for 2 reasons.
1. Whether you like the smell or not, you have to respect the fact that CdG release stuff as bold as this
2. The fact that despite not being completely sure I'm a fan of smelling like a biro, I own 25mls of the stuff. It's very rare that ambivalence leads me to purchase something!

This fragrance aspires to a high level of art. The mercurial bottle with alchemical references to Gemini juxtaposes the thin hand-drawn number 2 with thick machine lettering hints at what is in fact the beginning of a complicated and intellectual analysis of duality through the medium of smell. Marc Buxton's genius is to create something accessible and beautiful that draws simultaneous opposite associations deep out of the subconcious. For example, male / female (of course!), hot / cold, avant-garde / traditional, wet / dry, clean / dirty, synthetic/ natural. The list of notes create a sort of Kabbalistic programme worthy of Marcel Duchamp. This is actually my ultimate fragrance. I cannot get tired of inhaling it.

At the first try, it was too strange for me. But now, I get addicted to 2. To me, 2 is too stronge for women, but so stronge for men.

Ink really does have a smell. Just color a big circle with a simple Bic pen and smell the paper -- it’s there as plain as day, oddly sweet. That’s not Sumi ink, but it does prove that the idea of creating a fragrance based on a scent such as ink is not completely absurd nor impossible. I asked my Japanese friend who is very familiar with Sumi ink to take a whiff of 2 and she said that the idea of it was presented very clearly to her.

What fascinates me about CdG 2 is that it hints at ink in the way that something more obvious such as Donna Karan’s Be Delicious hints at apple. It’s not at downright imitation of the scent but through a creative use of ingredients, the picture is painted. It’s actually gourmandly delicious smelling in its sweet spicey citrus floral amberyness, with patchouli to add a touch of earth. The woods add moments of resinous texture, and it even passes through a point on my skin of smelling lusciously "perfumey." It’s so unique and so fascinating because it seems to fit whichever abstract fragrance box you want to place it in. But to get “unique” you really have to keep telling yourself that it is, and really get in there from the beginning and start sniffing before the air carries away the weirdness, because it’s not as odd as I thought it would be. It’s completely wearable (much moreso than 3 or the odeurs in my opinion). The reason I was taken aback by 2 is because I was under the impression it was unisex and this smells decidedly feminine to me if you'd allow me to characterize a fragrance as such. At any rate, that wouldn’t stop me from wearing it and feeling extra cool knowing I’ve got the fragrance modern artwork Comme des Garcons 2 on, and forcing everyone to smell my sumi ink uniqueness.

I also find this a bit more powdery than I would like, my being male and all. I like unisex scents and I like this enough that I don't want to give it to (or even share with) my wife, but I may just wear it on week-ends and not around the guys at work. I disagree that there's nothing metallic about it. I think the faintly metallic quality is a saving grace in this fragrance. There's a sharp top note that totally took me by surprise the first time I wore it but it fled quickly into a somewhat linear but inviting (and hardly boring) scent that I don't tire of. But then, I quite like the "unnatural" and very avant-garde quality of Commes des Garcons. I even liked Soda from the Synthetic series that other people said smelled like Lemon Pledge.

As already mentioned, this may be a bit on the feminine side but in a different way than anything else. It's still dark and mysterious, comforting, and warm...irresistible and it has all the right notes for it. Except I wish the magnolia were a little toned down. There are other "shared" scents like this (more on the feminine side) which I would not wear but this one is fine by me. It's rich and luxorious, not synthetic like other CdG's.

My second-skin fragrance. No metal, not harsh, no mosquito repellent. I have a weird body chemistry, and CdG 2 masters it. Never loud or harsh, it is something different every 30 minutes. I don't know what sumi ink smells like, so I'll guess that's the spicy top note. It then spirals up into something almost rose, but not floral, sort of like walking through a fabulous florist shop which has one fresh rose in the cold case. As it dries down, it is comforting but not cloying, sexy but not vulgar, elegant but not sharp. And since I like a body cream with it, I layer it with Costes. Divine!

How much do I love this!?! Admitedly, I am a lover of the unique, of the sharper scents, of the more unisex, and I LOVE my vetiver and patchouli.

This is a hands down winner. I adore the ink note, and love the bright sharpness of the experience. The sillage is amazing, as is the lasting power.

Funny thing is - I get a strong rose note. I can't imagine what that rose note is, since it seems to have no rose!

I agree with the group. Can't imagine this one on a man...

I love this pefume, I love the deep sensual smell of a very sexy coriander with a hint of bergamot. I'm not sure whether I would be happy with a man wearing this. It's just lovely!

Little silver flask spends its entire time laying down on my shelves - it's one of the only bottles I've ever seen that doesn't sit upright! Still, it goes on all inky and blackcurranty, but with a touch of something synthetic in there. It dries down a bit powdery, but I can usually detect it many hours on. Seems to react differently to weather/heat, so it's always an interesting prospect.

Totally unique. This is quite strong on me and changes very little on the drydown. I easily get eight hours of wear out of it. People seem to love it or hate it. One friend said it smelled like the ocean, while another found it quite sweet. I don't wear it often, but when the mood is right it is a unique accompaniment to the day.

Loved the ink note but it disintegrates too quickly and becomes powerdery. Still a quiet favourite though, but more feminine than expected.

Very unusual and warm fragrance. The sumi ink is incredible. Lasts all day.

excellent, excellent scent. goes through all kinds of wonderful changes... i'm not sure i'd call it a unisex scent, but if you're brave enough, perhaps...

First i smelled this scent i was thinking: hmmmm , i dont like it.
after e few minutes i was thinking: it´s not sooo bad
and after one hour i was thinking: wow this really great!
since this day i felt in love with CDG2
It smells like somthing spicey and friuty things.
it´s really great and awsome...
if you give it a chance you will love it!
if u see it: buy it!

I've tried EdT earlier and it left me totally cold. It was too detached, cold and metallic, in a word "robot-like". But the EdP is another story: a fresh energetic burst of mandarin on top, then the cool metallic inky notes but this time with spicy warmth! I don't like 2 as much as I like the original CdG EdP or White, but it's still something I'd like to get a small bottle of...

I really, REALLY like this. I don't know what half of the notes are but this anti-fragrance has a very seductive effect on me. It's like the smell of unadorned skin, but better. I'm am not sure how to decribe this in any more detail. You just need to go and try this.

I think of the holidays whenever I wear CDG 2. It's an absolutely fabulous scent that challenges the wearer...I smell something different everytime I wear it - sweet, spicy, berries, potpourri...they're all there!!!