Fragrance Reviews by dynamicddanny

Banana Republic Classic has always been in my wardorbe of fragrances. It is soapy, citrusy, and sweetly green, but never over-powering or over-done. Somehow, it reminds me of when my famliy summered in Maine-- like a park that was nearby our house. It reminds me of walking up the trail, of the rocky shore covered in dark green trees, of cold dark water crashing below. Hmph? WARINING: Idividual results may vary :)

I usually detest fragrances like Latitude Longitude because they are too much like each other and overly marketed and available. However, there is some note in this one that pulled me, like a deja vu or something. It may also have been the model in the ad's resemblance to my own boyfriend. I think I like the nutmeg and corriander. Anyways, I really don't ever wear it, but have small bottle for the occasional sniff.

Minotaure got me through many a high school dates, and I should perhaps pick up another bottler to try again! It always smelled like amber and oranges to me, and quite sexy. I remember it being very well-rounded, warm, and popular with the ladies. It smelled somewhat like Nicole Miller Man or maybe even the Nautica Competion/Xeryus Rouge duo-- it is a bit sweet and fruity.

Oh how I cried that Paul Smith Men disappointed me! It was just too boring and ubiquitous for my taste. I probably wear more Paul Smith than any other brand of clothing (by the way-- Mr. Smith should be given credit for the colored, striped-shirt trend that has over run this country in the past few years-- he has been doing it far longer, shame to see it go sour through the masses). Anyway, Paul Smith is classic Saville Row tailoring and cuts with rock n' roll colors, fabrics, and patterns thrown in. I was bummed to find his fragrance did not live up to this.

Well I am in the minority on this one. I got a sample of Davidoff recently from somewhere, and I tried it on a whim. I found it to be subtle and classic. I did not find it musty, though I do think it lacks the overly sweet/ozone or pungent woods found in so many modern scents. I bet the orris and carnation turns a lot of guys off. I would describe Davidoff as smooth and classic with a refined tobacco/leather smell. Should you ever find yourself wearing a le smoking and sipping sherry at an English manor, Davidoff would be a perfect partner. Love it!

This is a newer addition to my fragrance wardrobe, and it continues to grow on me. Mouchoir de Monsieur is my gentlemanly fragrance for those rare occasions I wish to come off as regal, sophisticated, and smoothly mannered. More often than not, I wear Mouchoir when I interview applicants for work-- I think it has a very expensive and somewhat intimidating smell to it that suits my wicked interview style. I liken the smell to a men's Chanel No. 5, but more subtle. It is masculine, but smells feminine in that "older" way.

I have been wearing Motu for years, and love it. I do not like the reformulation of Aqua Motu as much as the original, but still enjoy the scent. Motu is a marine scent that differs from all the others in that it is more "salty and windy" than it is sweet and citrusy. It also has a spicey warmth to it which I liken to sun-warmed skin and sand. I find the pepper ( I get more cinnamon in the new version) can overpower on somedays. Overall, Most people tell me they love it or hate it which suits me fine. I love it, it's like a groggy afternoon on the beaches of the Cote d'Azur.

Hee, hee- those with weak stomachs may want to stop reading here, as there are two gross (kinda) parts to this review. I bought the S-Perfume when it first came out. It received TONS of p.r. in the magazines and I was intrigued. I really sorta liked it, it was clean and very musky on me-- sometimes a bit too floral for my taste, though. There is definitely a seamen/bleach note to the opening which my kinky sensibilities really liked. (gross part #1) I was receiving lots of compliments on the fragrance, mainly from women, when one day I ran into my mom at a restaurant for lunch(true story). Turns out she just LOVED my new cologne.(gross part #2) My mind wandered at this point and I have not worn S-Perfume since.

Cuiron by Helmut Lang is so wonderful. I adore it-- especially this time of year as fall is rolling around. I can't for the life of me, recall what a plum smells like, so is certainly is possible that it's in there. However, I do get an initial freshness to the fragrance. It's at first a bit sweet and sythetic flowery to me. I really love suede in my closet, in my car, in my boat (bad idea, by the way),-- in general, and in Cuiron. Love it! It smells sexy, manly, modern, and is always refined and subtle. I think fans of the original DKMen or Micheal Kors for men should try Helmut Lang Cuiron.

I am reviewing the Concentre and prefer it slightly to the oringinal. Cologne Bigarade was the last of the Malle's that I purchased, and it did take me awhile to like it. Now I adore it. It was not as fresh and bracing as I had expected-- this I liked. The top notes remind me of the pith of an orange, like eating just the rind. I have never had a true bitter orange so that is the closest comparison I can make. I was also surprised by the spicey aspect to the scent. I smelled mainly cumin (caution: test this scent out-- cumin can be a bit,uh, off smelling to many people) and corriander seed-- two of my favorites for cooking. This is what gave Cologne its "skin" scent to me. The rose added a rounding and powdery quality to the overall smell. I would say Cologne Bigarade is a close relative of Acqua di Parma Assoluta. AdPA is more tart, powdery, and musky while FMCB is more bitter, close, warm, and spicey.

L'Eau d'Hiver is my favorite Frederic Malle, and maybe favorite fragrance ever! I was SO shocked that the first Malle scent the sales girl suggested after hearing my poetic waxing, whining, and demanding was L'Eau d'Hiver. It did not seem to fit what I told her I wanted or liked-- nor was it the one I had planned to purchase. Well, I was wrong. D'Hiver is like no other fragrance I have ever smelled. It is a flawless blending of opposites: cool and fresh but warm and comforting, soft and subtle but green and long-lasting, natural and classic but slightly modern and scientific, elegant but non-chalant. I especially catch and love the iris, and I am very happy the jasmine is not overbearing, and the heliotrope is not like amaretto. D'Hiver may be a touch feminine for some men, as there is little in the way of woods-- but I bet a few wears would change any lumberjack's mind. Wear L'Eau D'Hiver with a sweater in fall to pick up the kids and meet the SO for lunch.

Musc Ravaguer is a staple in my collection-- I must admit it took some time to grow on me, though. At first spray, the smell is strange and very pungent to me-- a funny metallic, medicinal, synthetic, bleach note permeates the scent. I do not get the citrus, lavender, or spices others do. Wow, it hurts my nose-- but within 30 minutes Musc totally changes. It becomes so rich and dark, a bit sweet-- like A*MEN smells on the skin the NEXT day but not so gourmand, more sexy. The initial pungent note lay in the background hinting at perhaps sweaty skin, dirty sheets, and hmmmm? I wear Musc Ravageur out for evenings when boyfriend and I need to re-ignite.

I was not really expecting to like this one, but turns out Millesime Imperial is quite great. I don't know if it is super original, but it is the best example of a particular genre of scents out there right now. Imperial is that fresh, clean, manly scent that all the other colognes try to be. It all these things, but never too much so. It is balanced. I get some citrus, definitely some ocean (but more salty than watery), some melon (I think this gives the aquatic feel), and a bit of green. The dry down is like most Creeds, subtle with a sweet, blended woody-ambergris feel. So skip the Eternity, Cool Water, Polo Blue, Hugo, et cetera-- and class it up (nasty, noveau-riche bottle, though) with Creed Millesime Imperial.

For starters, I am a man and wear this one all the time. I have the extreme version and prefer it to the original if only for the cooler bottle. The extreme has a more dominant beeswax note to me-- I am neutral on that and go with the wild green bottle over the sea foam green. Smell wise it is fresh, but has an underlying skin warmth to it. I get citrus right away, quite a bit of rose, soapy coriander, and quiet tea notes. It may be too feminine smelling for some guys I think. In autumn and winter I layer Eau Parfumee Vert over a musk oil and it's awesome. People go nuts over it! I put the musk on right before I shower (it's mideastern and WAY WAY stong)and the lingering scent blends so well with the Bvlgari. Try it.

Two words-- HOT & HEADY. That is it. Your hear fragrances decribed as "heady" all the time, but YSL Opium Homme is IT (as far as men's go). I have the EDP, it's beautiful. I have not tested the EDT, but why bother. EDP is rich, rich, rich and lasts. The scent itself is all dark bourbon, vanilla, and musk on me. I can smell the pepper, too. Lovely. I find Opium almost too potent to be sexy. It feels more dangerous than anything. Interesting note: the editor of French Vogue (female) wears this, and if you see her you'll understand the scent. She is raven-haired, all laser-cut black Dior Homme tailoring and YSL ruffles and sex. French, classy, and mysterious-- like her fragrance.

Not a fan of this one. I bought Gucci Rush men when I was somehow brainwashed by Tom Ford. I LIVED for Gucci!! I did not like the women's version, but still I immediately bought Rush men unsniffed. The scent has lots of pine, cedar, and patchouli to me. That's it. Maybe it was my skin, but I smelled like a hippie's expensive cedar closet. Looking back, this probably was perfectly suited to my uber-sexed up Gucci, Gucci, Gucci wardrobe and look. Now I find Rush men to be just too much for me-- like some guy in the 70's forgot he hid his stash in the hamster cage.

L'Eau D'Orange Verte is fantasticand seem s very French. It is definitely better suited to warm weather and casual wear. It does not last well at all. L'Eau OV is wonderfully citrusy-- sweet but not too sweet orange. Really though, I like the subtle, green oakmoss and patchouli creeping in the back the best. In my mind, poor longevity surely justified the purchase of an orange, leather Hermes atomizer, scented shower gel, and FABULOUS SOAPS (boyfriend and his AMEX disagree). There, problem solved! I stylishly refresh my Orange Verte aura on sunny days in June, and wake up to a divine, energizing shower. Love it!

I really enjoy Le Male on myself but not on others. For this reason, I only wear it around the house-- as I assume others would like it only on themselves, not on me. I especially love the mint vs. the lavender and vanilla. SENSUAL is the word for Le Male, sensitive perhaps. I find the sweetness to much at times, though. Le Male is addicting, I did not like it at first, and then I just began craving it. I wore it straight for like a month, I had a chair that smelled more of Le Male than I. I think it is an ideal choice for a hip, 17-21 year-old man,

Uh uh, this one just plain sucks. I don't know how else to decribe it. Armani pour homme is very lemony, and very boring. Lemon, flowers, a bit of powder- all pleasant but not memorable. I love the classic eau de cologne style, but Armani falls short of soooo many better ones. I would choose Mugler Cologne, Acqua di Parma, 4711, or Eau Sauvage over Armani any day. Armani is the flacid penis of the department store fragrance counter.

Oh, first reviewer! I shall have to describe the smell then, in addition to ranting, raving. and sharing anecdotes. Fraiche Badiane reminds me of Guerlain's vetiver, or most vetivers for that matter. It begins with TART citrus, green grass, and anise. I love the anise, and it remains throughout. The finish is earthy, green, and a bit musty. It smells like my grandfather's armoire-- in a good way-- like the smell of European sachets on a bespoke, monagrammed jacket. I attempted to make Fraiche Badiane my signature scent but fate saw otherwise. My bottle was brutally slammed in a drawer in my SO's fit of petty rage, losing the spray part. I replaced the mechanism with a Jo Malone top-- however Fraiche Badiane's spritz was left more a akin to a sorry squirt, like a urinating cupid fountain. Later the bottle was broken by a drunken party-goer looking for bath oil. Red glass all over! Shame I am to fickle to re-purchase. I have moved on.

Joop! is crazy, so crazy it ends with an excalmation point! I might like it again for that alone! Joop! was my second fragrance at at age 15! That's a scary picture right there-- some hormone-laden teen boy with a heavy finger and a Joop! bottle! I would not wear it now, but maybe in, like, 20-30 years when all those I see/smell wearing Joop! have moved on to Acqua di Gio, and I am semi-senile! I always seem to smell Joop! on cheesy male-stripper types and older divorced guys with bad hair! Count me out! I like the way my skin wears the scent, though-- it's oriental and ODD!

Sexy beast of a scent! Envy is for a night in-- a wild night in. I get lots of amber, cedar, some spice. Envy dries very musky on me. It is refined with a carnal edge. Envy would be great for a night at the clubs, too. I don't like the 80's/Bauhaus/whatever bottle though, foul black glittered cap and green(yeah, envy, I understand)juice. Boo Tom! A matte black monolith-style suits Envy better.

Hmmm, I don't know, Green Irish Tweed just doesn't sit well with me. It is nicest enough. Perhaps, it's similarity to the much over-sprayed Cool Water (I bathed in Cool Water before my first homecoming dance) can account for my dislike. Green Irish Tweed is green (duh), fresh, and middle of the road.I love the ambergris. Like all Creed's, it is VERY well blended and to me feels round, balanced. A good choice for those without Cool Water flashbacks.

Good ol' Gendarme, my stand-by fragrance when I need something, but don't know what. Gendarme starts very SOAPY and a bit citrusy, dries subtle and close to skin. I find it to be the "cleanest" scent out there. I can hardly smell it on myself (they say this is normal). Gendarme is great in a gym bag, for work, perhaps a funeral, but is not dynamic enough for a date or a night out. I really love it, though.

Don't really need another review here, but I always like to give my biased, subjective, and opinionated two cents. I like M7, but not as much as other fragrances I have. I only wear it occassionally when the mood is right. M7 is very woody and dark. The agarwood is biting and a bit medicinal, but it dries slightly sweet. Overall, M7 smells exotic, manly, rich, but too agressive to be sexy. I get more compliments on it from men than women. Oddly, I only wear M7 on hot summer nights- just a spritz on my neck, and never for a formal evening. It just feels right that way-- raw, natural, and powerful.

I have tried 100's of different fragrances in my life, and Obession for Men still has the BEST dry down on my skin of any. It was one of my first scents, and I still use it. Obsession is certainly an oriental scent, and it is very sexy. I do not like the way it smells at first, the first 15 minutes smell like an unhappy accident-- odd. But after that, whoa watch out!! Very heady, musky, and animalic, but it always stays close to my skin. I also like that the vanilla and spices play a supporting role, and do not overpower like in many orientals.

I quite like Truth by Calvin Klein. I wear it to casual work days, and my co-workers respond postitively. Truth smells very wet, green and a bit sexy to me. At first I get fresh clean notes that are green and a bit tropical. The scent finishs with a musky woody note, but still clean. Lush is a good word for the fragrance. I like it better than most of its similar brother at the counter, but it is not a strong stand out.

Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme is simply magical. I wore DGPH many years ago, and I am thinking right now I should pick up another bottle. It would be great for a date-- it is sexy but not cheesy. It smells of lavender, fruits, and woods in a light oriental way. I always thought DGPH smelled of sweet, flowery Italian wine and a dry, earthy cigar. One word: SENSUAL.

I enjoy Guerlain's Vetiver, but have not had the luck to try the original version. Well, they say ignornace is bliss, and I do like the current rendition. Vetiver is my go-to work, meeting, business fragrance. Vetiver is not casual but not formal, it makes an impression without being obtuse. Like many scents it begins citrusy, and quickly becomes green, earthy and dry. I like Vetiver the most in hot weather-- it seems to become even dirtier and woodier.

I may be in the minority here, I prefer the Concentree version to the original. The original does not seem as deep or warm to me as the concentree, nor does it last a long. The smell itself strikes me as being very "French" in that it is sophistciated, not trendy, and a bit quirky. Petitgrain (which I love) is a main feature, and the scent dries down to a masculine, leatherey green accord. I love that there is a slight powderiness to it, suggesting the Classic No. 5 and all things refined and French. Pour Monsieur is for the man who is sure of himself.

I could complain about this one all day. Should I ever meet Mr. Armani, I would chase him down the runway and slap his greedy a**. When Acqua di Gio first came out I loved it. I purchased and wore constantly. Nobody knew of it, and I relished in the compliments. They were all still wearing Cool Water.
Now when I smell I Acqua di Gio it is ALWAYS on some 20-something, wannabe hot-shot player (Or worse, on a middle-aged, newly- divorced, wannabe hot-shot player!!) He is wearing some combination of blue shirt/khaki, trucker hat/ironic t-shirt, or Express Men sale merchandise/over-sized steel watch. Sometimes gold chain. Acqua di Gio screams I am trying too hard, I follow the pack, and "you know you want it." I wish Armani had priced and distributed Acqua di Gio with the same level of class as his ready-to-wear-- instead of his Armani Exchange.

Green Valley is my favorite Creed scent, and quite luckily for me-- not their most popular. Green is the word here, it starts crisp, citrusy, green and grassy. What I really like is the middle and drydown. It sweentens a bit (I get some vanilla)and a mossy musk blends with the top. Green Valley is never too sharp or sour, and turns sexy and long lasting-- but never too heavy. Always get compliments on this one.

I really like Gentleman. I also like patchouli with some restraint. Patchouli reminds me of that old He-Man figure "Moss Man." I think Gentleman is mainly appreciated by a particular generation or two right now. To my generation Y nose, it smells like what I imagined (pardon the repetition) a gentlemen smelled like when I was younger. When I do the math, that makes sense. I grew up in the 80's and all the distiguished men I met were probably still wearing this from their 70's party days.
Anyways, Gentleman smells pungent, herby, deep, and leatherey to me. I love it, though the first 10 minutes can be a bit too "Eau de Deep Woods Off." Givenchy Gentleman demands a wearer with experience, confidence, carriage, and a fine cashmere scarf to rub off on.

Helmut Lang really grew on me over time. I am not sure if I have the men's version (I have the eau de cologne) or if there even is a men's version. Helmut Lang smells musky, period. I like musks very much, but this one is different. Initailly, it smelled like this VERY old, rancid cologne in a black ceramic bottle that I found when cleaning my grandfathers house after he passed away. After reading that my future husband Jude Law wore it, I tried again. It does smell old-fashioned, powdery and musky. Perhaps like it's from a different time. It has a hint of sweetness to it. That is why Helmut Lang is modern-- it's retro style scent butts heads with all the modern crap focus groups keep sending our way via Macy's. Love it!! Stubborn, sexy, and subtle!

I purchased Philosykos because the Figiuer Diptyque candle is my favorite, but Philosykos disapperas on my skin. The topnotes are superb-- lush, sappy, green fig and coconut. After that I get nothing. My skin chemistry really sucks (or sucks up) sometimes. Philosykos lasts an hour on me, others agree. I think it would smell great though on somebody else.

Tam Dao is an essential in my scent wardrobe. The best. I do wish it lasted a bit longer, but love to re-apply anyway. Tam Dao is pure, and at times, sharp sandalwood. The intial spray has a slight medecinal quality like the agarwood in M7, but Tam Dao turns all rich, smooth and DIVINE. I get a hint of cedar and amber, too. I love to wear Tam Dao with a linen tunic, dress pants and lots of bohemian neck chains for a sexy night out.

I got a few samples of Messe de Minuit to wear on Halloween, because all the reviews made it sound like the perfect accessory to my costume (I was a "modern, urban, vampire"). I always ditched church as a youngster, and I never smelled incense till I was partying at some hippie's house in prep school-- so I don't get the falshbacks to communion or whatever like others do. I don't really like frankincense, either. But what disappointed me the most, and perhaps spoiled my Halloween costume, was that Messe de Miunit turned all vanilla and sweet on me. Blech!

Oh, how I wish got some of the wild results with Kouros that the other reviewers do! I bought it un-sniffed after seeing all the fuss about it. I love sexy, controversial scents and figured this would be the grand-daddy based on the reveiws. On me, Kouros smells like a freshly printed photo crossed with dryer sheets. I get none of the incense, musk, vanilla, herbs, or animal notes mentioned-- just ink and fabric softener. Oddly enough, I always have women sniffing me down and complimenting it, but can never smell it on my skin after an hour. Hpmh? Well, I still wear it once in awhile just to see what happens.

Listen up all you young guys! Women absolutely love this scent. They follow me around, sniffing my neck, chest, and ?? whenever I wear it out. I really like it, too. I especially like the anise note in the beginning. Overall, it smells like expensive shaving soap or shampoo. It does wink at the seventies with its patchoulli and deep woods (cedar?). Most people say I smell like I've spent the day at an Aveda spa-- natural but spicy. Buy it, all the quality girls will choose Rive Gauche over Acqua di Gio crap anyday-- Rive Gauche is more refined and sexy. (P.S. I am gay, so this is merely my Queer eye advice-- I am not some sleazy player)

Honestly, I don't know what the big deal is about 212 men. It's nice, but not really that different from soooo many others right now. I like that it stays close to skin, and if you must have a clean, modern, youth-oriented scent this is a good choice. I want something more original. However, 212 is well-complimented, and is the crabby boyfriend's favorite on me (He says I always smell too musky and old... whatever, that's how I smelled when we met, he should just get used to it). 212 is a 5 out of 10.

I am on my fourth bottle of this, just picked up yesterday-- and I have a lot to choose from. Kenzo pour homme is certainly not for everyone. It is very oceanic, but in the most natural way. There is no dominant citrus, ginger, etc. added to make it sweeter and more wearable like most marine scents. I like that. It smells like the inside of a plastic beach pail at first-- oceany and strange. Finishes very subtle but long lasting. Your skin smells like you just took a dip in the Dead Sea. Sexy, and layers great with soft, skin musks and many others.

CdG 2 Man is fantastic. It is ultra "manly" smelling-- not at all unisex by most definitions. For me it starts quite spicey-- lots of clove and nutmeg, but you can immediately smell the incense and smoke. It ends up very woody and smokey. I don't usually like incensey fragrances, but this one I do. The vetiver adds a green, earthy quality that makes the smoke more wearable. CdG 2 Man reminds me of the old Halston Catalyst a bit, and of super-expensive, good-smelling bug repellent (weird, but really sexy).

Wow, wow! This is one of my favorites. It starts crisp and lemony, and dries very softly with woods, musk, and a bit of powder. It does smell old-fashioned, but in a classy, moneyed way. I get compliments from well-dressed men and women all the time. However, young girls with cheap blonde hair and short pink skirts usaully tell me I smell "musty" in this. I love it regardless.