Reviews of B*Men (2004)
by Thierry Mugler

This is certainly the winner!More weareble than his old brother, a*man, more plaisant and still dark.I am verry courios how will be C* man....

I liked this one a little better than A*Men, but I still didn't care too much for it. My wife felt the same way.
Again, too much going on and wasn't all that pleasant in my opinion.

This is right up my alley: great heavy butch bottle, good spray mechanism, high quality juice, good longevity and sillage, doesn't get cloying and too caramel like A*Men, unique enough, positive feedback, etc. And the price is very attractive at the moment. I don't know why it's not more popular. Oh, a caveat (rare coming from me): be very careful not to OD on this one - it will spoil things a bit. Quite a bit.

This is definitely under-rated. It's woodsy, spicy and rich with just the right touches of what makes A*Men great without becoming overpowering or cloying.

Why oh why has this been discontinued? I love it much more than A*men and wear it often. In my eyes, it is one of the best out there. Everytime I wear it, or smell it on someone else, it just peaks my fancy in so many ways. A dirty rotten shame this is no longer produced. :-(

Brilliant work. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

I was a bit skeptical before I purchased this cologne but I LOVE IT! Awesome opening and I keep wanting to smell this throughout the day. It has pretty good last on me at least 6 hours+ and thats only with 1 spray to the neck, and 1 to a wrist. Great stuff!

Nice frag. Very reminisent of Amen but somewhat lighter and more fruit up top. It still has some of the deep heavy tar/spice that attracted me so much to Amen but like I said much lighter,maybe a better canidate for the warmer months. All in all a very different scent,

You know, this ain't bad. A*Men is overpowering and B*Men is A*Men lite. I detect a huge patchouli type note. Might be the "spicy notes" listed in the pyramid. It lasts a long time. Just be sure to spray sparingly and far away from the skin lest you received a burnt caramel note.

I bought it several years ago but nothing spetial. I prefer Angel.....This one is not common fragance, but only fashion, not quality here. Not for young people, not for old people, not for child, not for moring use, not for evening....I really dont know...Not bad, but not good.

I just picked some of this up for $25 and first impressions are pretty good. If you love to spray enough cologne on yourself to drown a household pet then this cologne is going to be your worst enemy. Strong gourmand cologne with a little something else when combined make on masculine scent. This cologne is pretty cheap right now and surely worth a purchase.

Terribly terrible. Having found a bottle though it is said to be discontinued, I blind bought it counting on the incredible success of A*men. Nothing special about B*men, neither the notes, nor its longevity or sillage. It is good if you wanna have cramps in your stomach when you spray it in the morning, or wanna remember how being seasick is. And I dont think that it has a little single similarity with the gorgeous A*men, this would have been insulting on those lovely chocolate and coffee notes blended together with care. Not for anyone under 40, absolutely deserves to be discontinued.

I like A*MEN, but I like this even better. Sad to hear it has been discontinued.

This starts rather deliciously confusing with a sour fruit/ peanut butter coconut smelling blast. I first wore this in the summer in Colorado, when it was rainy, cloudy, crisp, and cool one day, and hot and dry the next, I couldn't help but feel that B*Men was the perfect scent for those days, because B*Men is a shape shifter of sorts. Hot weather will enhance the dry, dusty, red sand impression given by the amber and spices, while cool weather brings out the sensation I receive later on in its development of pine needles, wet leaves and wet earth, as if walking through a forest at dusk just after a cold rain storm. Infused into every step of B*Men's development is a rich gourmand sweetness. This fragrance is not only fascinating, but delicious, warm, and comfortable.

After reading Chandler Burr's descriptions of this (something about a creamy cement wall, spices on one side and a pastry shop on the other and in a separate article, "a field of spices in a forest of saplings growing under a fresh, clean, blue Indian sky") NATURALLY I had to experience this. It has quickly skyrocketed to the top of my favorites list and it will always be one of those fragrances that remind me that it is not always necessary to look towards the niche houses to find fascinating, beautiful, and extremely satisfying works of fragrance art.

This is a strange frag., some days I love it, other days I don't. The top notes are a little harsh: spicy, sour, and sweet all at the same time. I like how it's distinctive, but not everybody finds it pleasant. Good thing the top notes only last for 1-2 hrs max (depending on the weather) on me. When it does dry down, B*Men is wonderful. Amber and vetiver, the right amount of sweet with the right amount of sour. Probobly not a good idea to wear this when you plan to sweat though....

A typical story: some band launches debut album and shows us all its potential, creativity, strength and unruliness (A*Men). Then some big chief from the music industry notices that band and they sign a contract. After that the band launches second album. They still play great but their music is somehow different now… maybe moderated (B*Men)… and the guys from the band say “our music is more mature now” but YOU KNOW that it is not the music you fell in love with.
Are A*Men and B*Men similar? Yes, definitely… they are so similar that I like A*Men very much and I dislike B*Men very much. Both, A*Men and B*Men, are gourmand, but A*Men is “chocolate-ish” gourmand and B*Men is “soup-ish” gourmand.
People from my environment love B*Men quite a lot, especially the young female part of my environment. Their comments are “it smells like a kitchen but it’s sexy, at the same time”, “it wakes up the animal in me”, “I wish every man wore this fragrance”… However I wear it very rarely.
Please imagine this: You should go out. You are dressed well and you splashed some expensive scent. Then you go into the kitchen where your wife or your mother, never mind, is cooking the dinner. You are staying in the kitchen for a while (10-15 minutes) and you “collect” there the smell of the food. After that you’re ready for a good amusements somewhere in the town. You smell of your scent, but you smell of the food as well. Guess what? Your lucky day has finally arrived. You don’t have to bother anymore; you don’t have to waste your time in the kitchen no more. Just buy B*Men… I did…

After many glowing reviews of B*Men, claiming it to be a better, less extreme, less sweet version of A*Men, I had high hopes for this fragrance.

Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed when I actually sampled B*Men. There's a lot of spice and herbs going on here, plus a note that makes me a bit nauseous, which is of course a no-no for a fragrance. Apart from some sweetness and being categorizable in the 'gourmand' corner, I also don't know how B*Men would be related to A*Men.

I like A*Men, I'll pass on B*Men.

I was expecting a lot from B*men because it is by Thierry Mugler; I found it didn’t deliver as much as I would have liked, but it is still a very good fragrance. The Rhubarb note that opens B*men is nice — rhubarb is such an excellent note that should be used more IMO. The slight note of chocolate that hovers in the background centers the scent and provides suggestions of its relationship to A*men. With the chocolate and the rhubarb, the famous A*men top notes are both expanded and diminished. I find it interesting how the rhubarb replaces the lavender of A*men — hard to believe, but rhubarb actually makes a safer, less pushy fragrance. The top notes hold on for a very long time — well into the middle notes. The conifer notes with the spices are nice, but the combination does not meet the criteria established by the opening — or else the purpose is to almost completely reduce the gourmand-ness of B*man. Then again, the rhubarb and chocolate and vanilla of the top notes have already lasted through most of the mid level. The aspect that I loved most about A*men was its drydown. I can’t make the same statement for B*men. It wimps out — I don’t think the amber / vetiver combination is intense or deep enough to complete the progression of the scent. But then, I don’t suppose it would it would have been acceptable to put A*men’s drydown on B*men — it would make them too similar. I have come to like this scent — I doubt that I will ever love it, but it’s a very good scent.

Strong and sugary fruit notes intoxicate a bushel of rhubarb, as giant sequoia grows with spiced moss out of a patch of vetiver. For what A*Men overdoes in sweetness, B*Men overdoes in bitterness; the initial spray is about as good as it gets. The rhubarb is too bitter and sour, relative to the "fruit notes" (sugared and caramel-covering, knowing the line of *Men!) which results in a nasty contrast of unpleasantness. Then, as it begins it's ascent into the heart, sequoia notes are present, but they seem rotten. Perhaps the rhubarb and fruits are still present as the sequoia grows, but whatever it is, it leaves the impression that, rather than being fresh and full of life, it's relatively dead. It smells exactly the same as what your dog brings back inside your house after a windy, Fall day of playing outside.... that includes some poop-infused dirt. Thanks to a grey and bland moss, the fruit notes are blushed out and the rhubarb becomes even more sour and bitter, and the base begins to crumble... even the vetiver here is out of place.

This is "A*Men's" more wearable brother. Unlike its elder brother I like this one a lot. The rhubarb opening, the spicy/warm drydown. It is a sweet scent, but not to the point where it chokes you. Nice evening frag, works for the office too.

Just Purchased this fragrance, Wow Wow Wow!!!! I am very impressed with this fragrance. The first time I applied this I like it from start to finish... This scent is so warm and inviting. On cold days this is the perfect choice. A must have for any collection.

B*Men is a weird one. I personally like it. As do I A*Men as well.
It's similar to A*men, but oh so different. More masculine. I definitely get a lot of the vetiver from beginning to end. Its less 'out there' but still pretty unique compared to most of today's 'safe' offerings.

I acquired this before ever smelling A*Men, based on the strength of the reviews for that scent. It’s an immediately distinguishable scent, evoking an auto garage with overtones of scorched sugar or burned caramel. An initial recoil from the scent draws one quickly back for another exposure, then a third and so on. While a bit offputting at first, it’s a unique, strong and intrigueing scent. It has slowly and steadily worked its way to the top shelf of my olfactory repertoire.

After testing A*Men, the signature similarity is obvious, but where B*Men is couched in masculine scents of burning sugar, rubber, auto grease and cold steel, A*Men is given a powdery sugar-coating that is much less attuned to what makes this scent interesting.

Maybe a bit inaccessible for casual appreciation, but well worth the effort. 4/5.

B*Men. Oh B*Men.
From the moment i smelled this one i knew it would be a failure.
Its sickenly spicy, not TOO spicy, just the mix of scents starts to smell a bit unusual, and unnatural.
BUT, ..but but but!
This fragrance is PERFECT for the fall season, and ONLY when youre outside all day! (I wore it when i went apple picking.. it fit the mood perfectly.)

It will remind you of Angel Men, with a twist. The sweetness is toned down and the scent has more sophistication. Sillage is pretty good, with just 2 or 3 spays you get 5 or 6 hours (stays close to the skin about 9 or 10). For me, nothing outstanding since it still reminds me too much of A*Men.

I like this very much a great sophisticated fragrance

Tried it together with several other fragrances, and was not particulary impressed at first ("overpowering and vulgar"). But several hours later, when I came back home I sniffed it again and the drydown is plain amazing and way better than all other fragrances still present on may skin! I was trully shocked with the transformation - after drydown it turned into true warm, woody, masculine fragrance with personality. And of course, I purchased it tomorrow.

Now I use it on special occasions and on colder days (when too warm, it may be "too masculine", especially when combined with body sweat etc.)

One more note: be careful when applying - it should be sprayed very moderately or from distance (walk through the cloud of fragrance) since it has extraordinary staying power, unusual for today's offerings.

A completely grown up and sophisticated scent...

It reminds me of walking into a spice shop, the perfume of exotic spices and perhaps some coffee or something meld together to create something that is distinct to that place. This scent seems to do the same thing, it smells exotic, foreign, absolutely out of this world...

It's warm, wearable, and deffinately smart...

Outstanding and a bit of a sleeper I suppose. Give it a shot, even if you did not like Amen you may like this - it's not as aggressive as Amen, is more masculine, and has a nice progressive drydown. The best part is that is still has the signature of Amen - it just comes at you from a different angle - less candy, a little more masculine - a winner for the winter.

The is a manly version of A men. I really like this scent, it starts out with a sweet woody smell and then it ends up being a smokey sweey erthy smell. B men isnt as sweet smelling as the angel but it smells just as good if not better. I woould remmend that you try it if you like angel.

I bought B Men and hated it at first. I expected something close to Amen. It isn't. TM came up with a new one, and it's good. It starts off fruity for me, then, after my own oils mix in, it turns to an "incense" type smell. I will say that it doesn't last as long as Amen, but it does last for along time.

I stumbled across this today, there was a gift set on sale, so thought i'd investgate alas to say I was pleasently surprised. I'm a big fan of most of Muglers perfumes (Alien, Angel and Cologne mainly) but not so much A*Men. Partly because i don't suit mens fragrances and partly because i find it too sickly sweet. So I tried this for the first time today, it's such a sexy, masculine smell like A*Men but without the sweetness spoiling it. This will be perfect for every day wear at work, or even for romantic wear, it has that sexy animalistc quality, that I think would be very sexy on the right man.

A good alternate to Angel Men, though I do love both. This works better as an everyday scent while Angel Men is reserved for special occasions. Lovely scent.

ok, this one reminds me of drakkar noir's dry down very-very-very much! for me, it's a little bit brutal, kinda demonic...

If, like me, you were shocked by A*Mens' garish albeit genre-defining formulation, fear not...Mr. Mugler has created B*Men for all the people with no love for A*Men.

With a fruity spicy opening, B*Men indicates that its a very different offering than A*Men. The rhubarb and perhaps bergamot conjure simple yet effective top notes. The rhubarb is the main star of the show here. It creates a dry woody accord (with the help of other corroborative notes) that persists till the very end. Spice notes in the heart notes provide more depth, while the base of amber and vetiver gives the main dry-woody accord a soft yet non-intrusive base to fall against. While B*Men isnt a sillage powerhouse like A*Men, I find that it lasts almost as long, albeit in a more discreet manner.

B*Men sets things right for people who found A*Mens gourmand college party a little too overbearing. B*Men is a more controlled, mature and serious offering; its a dry-woody-spicy scent which smells nothing like A*Men. Interestingly, some might say that it is an interesting counterpart to its gaudy older brother, and thus it might be woth having both of them in your collection.

Ah! that´s the one!, if buy a winter frag, I´ll choose this one after M7!, after the dissapointment of A*Men that I found extremilly sticky and too strong (but I do agree It´s smell really cool in others,bt still strong for my taste)I find B*Men much wearable.
It´s deep but defined:
Sequoia, sour rhubarb and vanilla; still the choco stuff floating but sooo light (I think is caramel or praline), then some spicy notes as pepper,nutmeg, maybe the sour aswell of the vetyver. Highly recommended!.

I picked this one up cheap after being taken aback by the original a*men in a sample test. This is definitely a lot lighter than the a*men, and is still distinct enough to carry some of the impact of its predecessor, but i certainly prefer the stronger statment that a*men makes, and will probably head more for that one. Still, if you want to avoid the chocolates 'n lollies overtones that a*men carries, this is probably your best bet. I just worry about what the next sequel fragrance will be called, knowing that C* usually comes before D*, at least in my alphabet. Think about it... ;)

MUCH, MUCH better than that rank, toxic rat spit that Thierry Mugler dubbed "A-men". (A DESPERATELY need improvement, I might add -- I could probably use my bottle of A-men to get rid of termites and other unwanted insects.)

Very nice drydown, although the opening notes can knock you on your tuchus if you make the mistake of over-applying.

I bought a 1 oz. bottle of B-men on eBay, and can already tell that it'll last a long, long time.

Definitely a winter fragrance, btw.

This is everything i love about A*men minus the stuff i do not like. Its less gourmand (i think angel is too gourmand.) THIS IS SOME GOOD S&^%

The rhubarb (and I swear, lime) make this a very interesting, and I will venture to say, unisex fragrance. The green notes combined with spice and vetiver make are rather beguiling.

This is A*men Lite. Or, to put it differently: A*men could be - in another universe - B*men Extrême. This spicy woody scent has less lasting power and sillage then A*men. Not bad though, but the man who already has a bottle of A*men in his wardrode, could do without this one. I personally like the vetiver note, so it's no "thumbs down" for me. B*men has a niche of its own, especially if you don't like gourmand scents. When you want to smell like a candy shop, buy A*men.

I didn't like B*Men at all. Its dark sweetness is somewhat interesting but I couldn't pass that burnt coffee powdery smell! It gets too strong and cloying for me. I think It's almost impossible to wear this fragrance on summer!

Better than the failure called A men, B men starts from the same sweet point, but with a more complex and versatile drydown. Androginously and almost synthetic at first, extremely spicy towards the finnish. Oriental, resinous, addictively intoxticatig drydown, extremely pungent, heavy, persistent notes of amber and vetyver, evolving towards touches of tobacco, opiate and bitter sweet spices( maybe cinnamon, vanilla, pepper, ginger, juniper berries, liquorice ?). Smells quite wintery, persistent and exotic and is therefore better as en evening scent. It reminds me of other spicy, ambery, balsamic and provocatively sensual cutting-edge creations like Rochas Man, Opium opur homme and especially JPG Le Male.

if A*Men is the unpredictable, exciting party animal of a sibling.. then B*Man is his more mature, conservative and reliable older brother. This isn't to say that B*Man doesn't have its own merits. It is pleasant enough to make an appearance on a fall evening, or among other cold weathered nights, but it just lacks the "pizzazz" that made A*Men a classic. And even upon holding B*Men in its own light, apart from A*Men..it still doesn't thrill me. It almost smells like wet woods mixed with grenadine..not a huge amount of depth or development. I don't dislike it as strongly as a lot of basenoters, but I do agree that of the two frags, A*Men blows this one out of the water.

A winner in my book, but not the first time I wore it. It took a couple of wearings to fully appreciate. Not as in-your-face as A*Men, but the spices and woods warm up nicely and hang around for hours.

A disappointment of epic proportions. It's not bad, but it's essential an Au Fraiche version of Amen. It's nice, but I expect more from this house. Take out the tar and heavy chocolate note from Amen and you'd have this. Big let down and not worth it to my nose. Too bad.

I bought this for myself over a year ago. I just rediscovered it. It smells a little like maple syrup oatmeal, to my nose. Also it seems to have a "reversed" scent pyramid, because the sweet, heavy notes seem to be the top notes, and after they burn off, what remains are the tangy citrus notes- This is the opposite of what usually happens.

I think by calling it B*Men, they set this up as a kind of "also-ran", The name conjures up associations with "B-Lists." This is unfortunate because I think it is superb. Granted, there are similarities with A*Men, but B*Men has its own shiny dance moves as well... And with the way the pyramid seems to go in reverse- B*men busts out with "the moonwalk."

Lighter way of Amen. Not as special as Amen, Bmen means cooler, lighter and younger.

I enjoy it, but don't find myself reaching for it very often. Love the rhubarb in the opening but especially enjoy the cedar and sequoia as the scent settles. Warm, rich and ambery, great for those tired of citrus and marine scents.

oh dear...sorry...but am I the only one in thinking this stuff is horrid? its just too..too. spicy and choloty. it does last a far period but i don't like it. overrated.

A pretty good one. IMO this is a type of fragrance that can't be classified formal, casual etc.

Angel Men is definitely the tastier fragrance of Thierry Mugler's collection.

How unfortunate that people think this is similar to A Men! This is another homerun masterpiece for Mugler. The spicy notes and the fruit notes combine with that outdoorsy vetiver to create a fragrance perfect for the fall and winter! Its warm and inviting and, although it smells harsh on a card at the department store, you wear it on your skin, not paper! Give it a try, I know you'll love it as much as I love it!

Just like Paul McCartney's solo work always will be compared to The Beatles, every new Mugler release automatically gets measured alongside of the masterpieces Angel and A*men. That has to be the flipside to such a massive success, how can you possibly match it? Well, simply put, you can't. B*men is a great woody scent, with rhubarb and all kinds of cool notes - still the final impression is a "Diet-A*Men". Now that in itself probaly justifies a purchase for many, and I believe the 2 can co-exist. Just think of B*Men as a new edition more suitable for office and professional enviroment. 4/5 stars.

I was so excited to get a new fragrance release from Mugler. I couldn’t imagine what they were going to make B*Men like. I was very disappointed when I tried it. B*Men is basically A*Men with all the gourmand notes removed. It’s awful. This is just A*Men with everything innovative and interesting about the fragrance removed.

Bmen smells very nice,but:
1-it's not long lasting(3-4 hours)
2-Bmen smell like a coconut candy made in my country.

An inferior product to both A*Men and Cologne. The opening sweet notes are a bit too much, but wear off quickly enough. Once you get past that part, the woods and spices are nice, but not nearly as interesting as the predecessor. If this were release by another label, perhaps I wouldn't be as harsh. But if you launch a ground breaker like A*Men, your followups better be good. Especially if you continue with the naming convention. This one feels more like F*Men, where F is the failing grade. Sorry Thierry, better luck next time.

As a fan of other Thierry Mugler products, particularly AngelMEN and Mugler Cologne, I gave this a try shortly after it came out. Wouldn't you know it-Mugler impresses again. It is unusual to say the least, as it's a mix of woody, fruity, and spicy notes. I especially like wearing this on rainy days.

B*Men reminds me of a lighter version of A*men without the chocolate. Unfortunately, B*men's lasting power is sub average on me - it's only good for around four or five hours.
Renato

Fruity, spicy and vetiver notes come together to create a scent that's quite virile and masculine.
Resembles A*Men slightly in that there almost seems to be a coffee note. That said, I think this scent surpasses A*Men.

this is the perfect perfume it has a lot and lot and lot..........
very elegantttttt

It's good business sense in fashion to back your bottom line by profitable categories such as fragrance. The reworkings of both Angel/women and A*Men/men will be successful. Both original fragrances have a long standing loyal customer base. No wonder considering that the original fragrance offerings by Mugler were and still are completely unique in the marketplace. B*Men is no exception. Where I found A*men to be too sugary, B*men is given weight by spices and spiked with fresh green notes. I can now enjoy the former qualities of A*men I liked, but with the spicy edges weighty basenotes I prefer for myself. Holding the rubber flacon is an experience in and of itself. As with all things Mugler, B*Men may be not be for everyone- but for those who will love it, they won't leave it. A winner!

Amazing fragrance. It has some of the same qualities as A-Men but is spicier and definitely masculine. It's like they took all the things out of A-Men that I didn't like and just made it better. Definitely more subtle and subdued, not loud and in-your-face. A very warm, sensual scent that's perfect for colder weather

All I've had was a sample & it seems to be a hit
w/ people. At my Physical, a nurse thought I smelled good B*Men was what I was wearing. I do plan to buy it. I also think "Cologne" By Thierry
Muggler is great too. I have a bottle of "Cologne". Hopefully soon I'll buy the B*Men.

This is a very good one. First of all the bottle is great. It is a spicily and mysterious perfume wich is totaly extraordinary. It`s beautifull for cold days sprayed on a pullover. But i think it is special and not everybody would like it.

Very nice fall and winter scent with notes of citrus and spice that can take you into any season. Contrary, to what I have read this scent tends to go light on me and not as heavy as the orginal A*Men which is some of the best stuff around. Also, oddly enough, it even compliments A*Men. Excellent scent but could use a little more lasting power.

i tried it today. very nice. starts intense (like a-men) but unfortunately ends light (in a fruity way i think) . nevertheless worth try

B MEN will probably be 'almost' as successful, as A MEN.I LIKE IT! I don't know the individual notes, but it's very warm, woody, fresh scent...and it has very good staying power.This one is really worth trying. Josh Augustt 9-15-04

B*Men is very potent, very woody, not at all sweet and burns your nostrils. The first scent that comes to mind is SL Un Bois Sepia but B*Men is less refined and more butch!