Marc Jacobs for Men (2002)
by Marc Jacobs

I ordered this before I went on a vacation to Hawaii. It was the perfect scent for the trip. The opening delivers some hints of coconut. I think it is the perfect cologne to wear with a crisp white shirt and a pair of khakis or nice jeans and having a nice dinner at an oceanfront restaurant (outdoor seating of course)

Although the projection is not strong, this scent is about understated confidence. However, that being said, I do wish the projection was a little stronger.

The real problem with this one though was that it didn't carry any of the notes past the first couple of hours. I felt good when I first put it on but by the time I got to my destination point, I hardly think anyone knew I was even wearing it.

The scent is nice, especially if you live in a warm climate, but for me I would not rebuy this fragrance strictly from the standpoint that it's weak in the longevity department.

11th October, 2011. (Last Edited: 14th October, 2011.)

Top notes: bergamot, cypress, cumin, cardamom, ginger
Mid notes: fig leaves, rose, cyclamen, water notes
Base notes: cedarwood, tonka bean, patchouli, moss

perfect summer fragrance to me (and my wife..)

Would be even better with some more cedarwood..

24th April, 2011.

A charming, intimate, low key fragrance that gently raises the spirits with a warm and gentle accord. I think this cologne is misunderstood because fragrances that rely on the fig are suddenly of interest. Reviewers try to decide if the fig essence is of a dark fig, or of a green fig, or of fig leaves, or does it include fig branches. Luc a Turin turned up his nose at this recipe because he decided it was too weak a fig, and not up to other fig fragrances.

When I first smelled this I was reminded of a very soft and beckoning cedar oil offered at one of the fleeting boutiques that come and go at Bloomingdales in New York City. This was in the summer of 1973. You could buy individual oils and essences and some fixative and blend your own fragrances at the booth. I loved the straight cedar oil they had then. It was very light but evocative and lingered in the mind like a sweet memory.

Marc Jacobs for Men does not smell very much like figs to me. Nor does it smell of cedar. It does smell quite a bit like this essential oil of cedar once sold as a fragrance ingredient so long ago. It is quiet. It is in a good mood. It beckens. I like to smell it.

The cologne stays gently on my skin, and dries down to a warm and comfortable smooth wood basenote. There is not complex development, but this is not a simple minded splash, either. Quiet, optimistic, charming, and sophisticated in a less is more confidence.

14th February, 2011.

It takes an effort just to figure out what this is like, it smells hollow. It's pleasant enough overall, but at first spray I was like, "uhm...is it supposed to smell like this?". When it settled it was "this is it?" -- expected more for this frag, too bad.

6th December, 2010.

Not the best fig I've smelled, but this was my first fragrance with fig in it as a teenager - I got a bottle of it around the time it came out. A buttery, grassy fig. Fresh greens. Creamy coconut, as noted by other reviewers. Eventually dries down to a buttery, albeit thin and watered down woods and musk on my skin. Stays close to the skin for the better part of it's lifetime, and smells a bit watered down. Certainly not horrible, but there are much better fig scents out there.....

7th October, 2010.

Well, it certainly won't offend anyone, but the only problem is, you'll "not be offending people" for just a short period of time. This is a mediocre yet pleasant scent with very little sillage and even less longevity. It opens with a nice coconut note and dries to a muted fig. If you listen closely to your skin, you might just hear it yawn. Even if you are looking for something inoffensive and understated, you can certainly do it better than this. And if you've come far enough in your search to read reviews, and you're also looking for a fig scent, I'm sure many of the posts and reviews here at basenotes can steer you in a more appropriate direction.

12nd August, 2010.