Jovan Ginseng NRG (1998)
by Jovan

Probably the best 90's scent for the money (with the exception of Gilette Cool Wave after shave which also has some share in the early 80's) that at least me for me remains more masculine than Jovan's White Musk (which is also a fine value).

And this stuff lasts, yet doesn't try to "ground itself" in something like coriander...

I think this stuff's pretty decent in quality, to be honest, but it lacks the complexity you might expect looking at the little note pyramid up there. To me, it smells of honey and ginseng and little else, but there is an overwhelming, chemically, black pepper-like scent hanging over all the rest like a storm cloud. It's so strong, in fact, that while not unpleasant per se, it ends up annoying and leaves me a little self concious, since that's he only note you can detect without putting one's nose within inches of my skin (which, I'm dissapointed to say, no one ever seems to do; woe as me). However, reading the other reviews, I'm starting to believe that this might just be something I and very few others can detect (like that aweful sour note in aqua de gio), so maybe most can't notice.

Overall, I do think this one's okay, but it's not my cup'o'tea.

Not my cup of tea (I'm no fan of fig notes in general), but remarkably good stuff for the moolah. It's definitely a product of the late Nineties, what with its "clean and fresh" herbal thaaaang going on, but all in all not bad at all for something from Jōvan.

I encountered this scent in a mini's gift set. My first impression was "Oh, another citrusy light scent, like a thousand others so popular today."
I then wore it again one day just for a change. What a difference the second impression made! I loved it. It evolved nicely after the first application, and did not make me sneeze as so many others do!
I've had many compliments, especially at the office, and no complaints, not even from the Œscent witch¹ who (seriously, I'm not joking) says that fragrances should be banned and that we cover up our natural odors and shouldn't! It may not cost much, but I don't think it's "cheap" in the degrading form, just inexpensive.