 | Phileas by Nina RicciI still have the miniature they gave me as a sample in Paris the day it was launched. Althought I did not like this fragrance at first, it grew on me rather fast. In a way, Philéas reminds me of Yatagan by Caron. They share the pine needles, vetiver, patchouli and leather notes and both of them have that phantom celery note that is not mentioned in either olfactive pyramid. Although I love Philéas, I can understand why it did not catch on. This is certainly not an easy fragrance to wear. However, those who can wear it well will most definitely make heads turn. 18th January, 2012. |
| | Eau Cendrée by JacomoI started to wear Eau cendrée when I could not find Monsieur Rochas anymore. Both fragrances had the same type of warm spiciness but Eau cendrée was a little less sweet than Monsieur Rochas and somewhat woodier. I miss both fragrances. If I live to be a hundred years old, I shall never understand why perfume companies stopped producing such great fragrances while they keep flooding the market with unimaginative, nondescript, cheap, vulgar and loud fragrances that end up smelling all the same. 18th January, 2012. |
| | Monsieur Rochas by RochasI have never seen nor smelled the new edition but I have fond memories of the vintage Monsieur Rochas I have discovered in college in the early 70's. I loved the sweet spiciness of the middle notes and the deep warm sensuous base notes. To me, Monsieur Rochas was the ideal fragrance to wear after ski in front of the fireplace while drinking hot spiced wine in good company. Not a summer fragrance! 18th January, 2012. |
 | Muguet du Bonheur by CaronI bought a small bottle or Muguet du bonheur because I thought lilly of the valley would be a nice light springtime scent for everyday use. Total disappointment. I am a huge fan of Caron fragrances but Muguet du bonheur left me cold. On me, Mdb was too soapy and its longevity was ridiculously short. I gave the bottle to my mother. Although it smelled much much better on her, the longevity was still unacceptable for an EDT. Mdb has Eau de cologne strenght with aftershave longevity. Too bad... It is really not a bad fragrance. 13rd January, 2012. |
| | Futur by Robert PiguetI don't know why I like Futur but I do. I have never smelled the original but the new version is oddly old-fashioned. As a matter of fact, Futur has a pre-WWII flavour to it although it was first issued in 1974. To me, this is most certainly not a bad thing since I simply adore classic fragrances. Strangely enough, I can smell aldehydes in the composition even though there is none mentioned in the olfactive pyramid. 8th January, 2012. |
| | Wild Country by AvonLongevity = 10 24th December, 2011. |
| | Nuit de Noël by CaronNot all Caron fragrances are masterpieces but they all share one very important characteristic: They are totally unpretentious. Nuit de Noël may not be the most spectacular EDT available but it is quite pleasant. And since it is not very popular nowadays, those who can wear it well can really make a statement. NdN cannot be compared to anything else on the market now except maybe some early 20's fragrances such as Chanel No5 (although very remotely). I just don't get the name though. My mother wore NdN a few times on Christmas Eve (as a conversation piece, essentially) but I cannot say that I find it particularly christmassy. To me, a fragrance with a Christmas theme should include notes such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, orange peels, spruce, hot buttered rum or gingerbread. NdN has no such notes in it's olfactive pyramid: 24th December, 2011. |
| | Ivoire by Pierre BalmainThe Ivoire I know has this composition: 21st December, 2011. |
| | Terre d'Hermès by HermèsTerre d'Hermès is definitely not for me but I believe it is a masterpiece nonetheless. Along with Jaïpur by Boucheron and Encre noire by Lalique, TdH is one of the few original and distinctive men fragrances of the past 20 years IMHO. One must understand that TdH is a rather dry perfume. I read somewhere that this fragrance is supposed to evoke the dryness of red earth under a scorching sun. Two of my coworkers make heads turn with TdH and I wanted to try it. Unfortunately, my skin reacted to Terre d'Hermès the same way it reacted to Encre noire, i.e. very badly! I ended up smelling like a hot sauna bath full of sweaty guys. I had better results with the perfume version (I think it actually is a mere EDP) but it still was not a fully satisfying experience for me. As much as I love this fragrance on other men, I can understand why some people are not as enthusiastic as I am. Terre d'Hermès may be an acquired taste... 8th December, 2011. |
 | Jeux de Peau by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal ShiseidoJeux de peau did not live up to my expectations at all. From the minute I applied it until there was no scent left on my wrist, Jeux de peau has been nothing but a gingerbread/pumpkin pie Demeter-like fragrance with a lingering stuffy musky base. I guess this kind of simplistic single-note effect is fine for an inexpensive fragrance but where I live, 50 ml of any Serge Lutens EDT (or is it EDP?) cost twice as much as 100 ml of most other EDTs. Fortunately, Jeux de peau has a rather impressive longevity (well over 8 hours) but at these prices isn't that the least one can expect? 4th December, 2011. |
| | Fou d'Absinthe by L'Artisan ParfumeurI tried Fou d'absinthe when it was launched and it was a total let down for me. For the first 15 or 20 minutes, I could not have enough of that strange yet interesting fragrance. After 30 minutes or so, I wanted to cut off my wrist!!! What was intriguing and exotic at first suddenly became very barbershoppy and synthetic. I retried it this weekend (using a sample) and the results were very different. I did not get the barbershoppy/synthetic effect that time and the dry down was rather good albeit excessively discreet. The longevity was ridiculously short though (about 2 hours). Although Fou d'absinthe is not a bad fragrance, it is certainly not worth the outrageous L'artisan parfumeur's prices. 2nd December, 2011. (Last Edited: 5th December, 2011.) |
| | Angel by Thierry MuglerI am sure that all the devils in hell wear Angel, Samsara, Youth Dew and all the other loud and cheap fragrances. Angel is so disgustingly sweet and strong it gives me a headache and makes me feel sick to my stomach whenever I am too close to a woman who is wearing it. I just can't understand how such an awful stench could become so popular. Why on earth would anyone want to smell like a dessert cart on steroids? 1st December, 2011. |
| | A*Men / Angel Men by Thierry MuglerUsually, I am a sucker for ambery and reasonably candyish fragrances. I love vanilla in every shape or form and tonka is one of my favourite notes. However, I really hate the so-called "gourmand" fragrances. You are supposed to eat your cake not wear it. Angel Men makes me physically ill. No kidding. It is just too sweet, too cloying, too intense and too rich. I also detect a "mediciny" note in the composition. Could it be the tar? Anyway, I find Angel Men really loud and annoying (not as much as Angel for women, but still). I truly believe that subtelty is a very important quality for a masculine fragrance. Angel Men is anything but subtle. 1st December, 2011. |
| | Jaïpur Homme by BoucheronMy first introduction to Jaïpur was with the lighter version (eau de fraîcheur, if I am not mistaken). I bought it right away because it was so fabulous on the blotter. Unfortunaltely, it was much too light for me and the 100 ml bottle lasted only a few weeks because I had to reapply constantly. So, I bought Jaïpur in the EDP concentration and I simply adored it. However, the longevity was ridiculously short for an EDP. The saleslady who sold it to me could not believe it since most of her customers thought the EDT was almost too strong for daytime use. The next week, I put some on and went back to the store just before it closed so she could see for herself. She told me that it was very subtle but she could smell a hint of it if she put her nose in my neck. She said that since it was 6 pm, an 8-hour longevity was more than acceptable. She almost fainted when I told her I applied it about an hour and a half before I came! Anyway, this was about 7 years ago and I am ready to give Jaïpur another chance. 30th November, 2011. |
| | Monsieur Carven by CarvenIn Paris, back in the early 80's, in many perfume stores I was told that the latest Carven fragrances were very synthetic. I really have no actual proof of that. However, Monsieur Carven is one of the most deceptive men fragrances I have ever bought. At first, the vanilla, carnation and cinnamon notes reminded me of the candies we used to eat around Christmas when I was a child. I bought a bottle on the spot! I was expecting a warm, sweet and spicy comfort fragrance I could wear on cold winter days. What a disappointment! I expected a powdery yet spicy dry-down. Unfortunately, Monsieur Carven was hard and dry on my skin. Two of my friends tried it with wonderful results. For that reason, I shall restrain from giving it a thumbs down. 28th November, 2011. |
| | Chrome by AzzaroAs a rule, I stay clear from light blue juices and "aquatic" notes. On me, they always end up smelling like lighter fluid. To me, Chrome is the typical masculine fragrance of the 2000's. No personality, boring, cheap and synthetic. They really don't make EDT's like they used too. IMHO, masculine fragrances of the 21st century (so far) are in a rut. Of course, there are a few distinctive and original EDT's but generally speaking, there is not much there, really. I think it is time some perfumer came up with a daring original composition that could start a brand new trend. 28th November, 2011. |
| | Azzaro pour Homme by AzzaroI cannot be too tough on Azzaro pour homme because I know quite a few guys who could wear this fragrance rather well. Where I live, it used to be extremely popular in the early 80's. For some reason, many girls would offer this fragrance to their boyfriend as a gift. Women seemed to appreciate it more than men, so it seems. I remember vividly when I first tried APH. My wrist reeked of melted plastic for hours. I had not seen APH for many years and last spring, I saw it on sale in a perfume shop close to work. I tried it again with the same disappointing results. I think Azzaro pour homme is not the problem here. I am!!! However, I cannot say this EDT is great. Just average. Nothing to write home about. 27th November, 2011. |
| | Via Condotti pour Homme by LancettiVia Condotti is nothing but Musk by Jovan with a fancy Italian name. Totally revolting fragrance. I bought a bottle for 10$ in a big sale without trying it first (there was no tester around). No wonder it was so cheap. Compared to that vile juice, Old Spice is a refined EDT (at least, it is totally unpretentious). There should be laws forbidding the sale of such bad perfumes. As soon as I bought my bottle, I sprayed some on my wrist. The stench was so strong it gave me a headache. I had to wash it off with soap and water. Of course, like all bad fragrances, it had a never-ending longevity. The sleeve of my shirt reeked of musk even after I washed it. Via condotti is the first and only perfume I got rid of. As a rule, I always keep in my collection any perfume that has some value even if it does not smell good on me but that one was just too bad to keep. If anyone here has something positive to say about Via Condotti, this would be the proof that what I bought was an imitation. I just cannot believe that anyone on earth can like that skunk juice. 25th November, 2011. (Last Edited: 8th December, 2011.) |
| | Azzaro 9 by AzzaroAzzaro 9 was such a beautiful scent. In some ways, it reminded me of L'air du temps by Nina Ricci. It was very delicate, feminine and young. It was sweet, spicy and fruity but not at all candyish. I think this fragrance came just a few decades too late. If it were launched in 1948, like L'air du temps, I am sure it would have become a classic too. I really hate it when great fragrances are discontinued... 25th November, 2011. |
| | Cabochard by GrèsCabochard is one of my all time favourites. Usually, chypre cuir fragrances are very dry and sometimes really hard. Some feminine fragrances in this category can be mistaken for masculine EDTs. Not Cabochard! This great perfume has dark green notes, rich woody notes and smokey leathery notes but they are all softened by the splendid floral elements which contribute to making the entire composition truly feminine. Many years ago, I came across a rather impressive grey-haired business-woman dressed in a very chic marine blue trouser suit. She wore Cabochard with such elegance and confidence she made all the heads turn. From this moment on, I have thought of Cabochard as the perfect fragrance for daring and self-assertive women. 23rd November, 2011. |
| | Turbulences by RévillonI simply adore Turbulences and I remember vividly the day when I discovered it very shortly after it was launched. Too bad this fine fragrance is no longer available where I live... Turbulences is a spicy floral with a rather interesting olfactive pyramid: 21st November, 2011. |
| | Detchéma by RévillonA lady I knew who wore Detchéma extremely well once told me this perfume was meant to be worn with furs. As a matter of fact, up until well into the 80's, French adverts showed very glamourous women in furs holding a bottle of Detchéma. The reason is very obvious: Révillon was first and foremost a fur company! With or without furs, I really love Detchéma. The aldehydes give it a slight plastic-like overtone at first but once the dry-down process begins, the rich floral and woody notes take over. Detchéma is classy, feminine and very dressy. It is a warm and somewhat heady fragrance. I certainly would not recommend it for hot summer days or mere casual occasions. The olfactive pyramid I found in the Internet is very complete: 21st November, 2011. |
| | Polo by Ralph LaurenWhere I live, in the 80's, Polo replaced Dior's Eau sauvage in gay clubs until Guy Laroche's Drakkar noir came along. Wearing Polo almost automatically meant you were gay. As a matter of fact, many heterosexual men refused to wear Polo for fear of being mistaken for gay. On some rare lucky guys, Polo had a rather interesting ambery spicy cinnamony smell but on most people, it was the cheap headachy patchouli stench that came out. I tried Polo hoping the sweet spicy notes would come out strong. Not a chance. I reeked of patchouli like almost everybody else. I haven't smelled Polo for years. It is no longer a popular fragrance and quite frankly, I am very glad it is gone. Now if the same thing could happen to Guerlain's Samsara, the world would be a much better place. 21st November, 2011. |
| | Zen (original / black) by ShiseidoWhy do they change the composition of great perfumes? WHY? WHY? WHY? This really infuriates me. If they want to create a new perfume, fine. There is always room for a new fragrance. Just don't use the name of a classic fragrance on a new one. Do these marketing people think we are so dumb we will not see the difference? 20th November, 2011. |
| | Ma Griffe by CarvenSome say there is a new version of Ma griffe? If so, pity. I doubt any reformulation could beat the classic Ma griffe. I love it's very diversified olactive pyramid: 18th November, 2011. |
| | Kouros by Yves Saint LaurentI just cannot be as harsh as some fellow reviewers here but I do believe Kouros could have been a much more interesting fragrance considering its rather complex olfactive pyramid: 14th November, 2011. |
| | Caron Pour Un Homme by CaronPour un homme de Caron is my old faithful. I always keep some nearby. To me, this is a perfect masculine fragrance. Simple and unpretentious enough for everyday use yet elegant and refined enough for a black tie event. PUH has some top notes that can be a little blunt and rubbery at first but as soon as the dry-down starts, the rich vanilla base takes over keeping just a hint of dry lavender. It is kind of powdery, of course, but it is not "candy sweet" like some other ambery fragrances. Of course, although I love Pour un homme passionately, I can understand that some people may find it outdated and suitable for very old men. It's ok. I am not getting any younger! 31st October, 2011. |
| | Eau Sauvage by Christian DiorEau sauvage was the very first quality EDT I bought for myself (before that, I had low-price fragrances as gifts). It was in Italy in 1976. So many souvenirs are attached to this great eau fraîche. When it is freshly applied, Eau sauvage is very citrusy, almost too citrusy but the dry-down is really worth waiting for. The only way to describe how it develops on me would be: Orange peels in a bowl of sweet spices, hold the sugar! I don't know whether the olfactive pyramid below is exact or not (or if the fragrance has been "modernized", which would be a shame) but the Eau sauvage I used to wear had this olfactive pyramid: 30th October, 2011. |
| | Tsar by Van Cleef & ArpelsI don't know what is wrong with this fragrance. Two coworkers used to wear Tsar a few years ago with very different results. The first one, a man in his 60's, smelled like musty mouldy wood covered with cheap barbershoppy cologne. Utterly revolting. The other one, a very elegant man in the mid-40's, smelled much nicer but there was still a lingering fusty note I could not identify. I was sure he was wearing a drug-store EDT. I just could not believe this fragrance was a Van Cleef & Arpels product. I suppose some men have better results with Tsar but I haven't met one yet, unfortunately. 26th October, 2011. |
| | Empreinte by CourrègesEmpreinte is one of my favourite chypre fragrances of all time. Here is the olfactive pyramid for this fragrance according to most commercial sites. 25th October, 2011. |
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