Reviews by Bavard

The Afternoon of a Faun by Etat Libre d'Orange

This a competent, independent (indie)-smelling perfume, somewhat reminding me of the 4160 Tuesdays style, which I like.

It smells great up close, like a garden, but also warm.

Attaquer Le Soleil Marquis de Sade by Etat Libre d'Orange

Average-smelling, off-the-shelf, modern, generic aroma chemicals. Slightly reminiscent of cinnamon chewing gum.

Borderline thumbs down. This is almost giving me a headache. Guerlain's Aqua Allegorias are in a similar vein to this, but not this bad.

Sécrétions Magnifiques by Etat Libre d'Orange

This is gross. The smell up close nearly makes me nauseated. It doesn't smell like any bodily fluids I can't think of. I saw the reference in the previous review to a wet dog, and that's a better description than anything I'd come up with.

From a distance, it's not so bad, but up close it smells sickening. The nasty aroma chemical in this seems to wear close the skin. The smell from a distance and deep in the dry down is soapy.

Tom of Finland by Etat Libre d'Orange

A smokey leather. This is a lot of fun. From the notes list, suede (leather), tonka, lemon, and vetiver sound right, and there are others I can't identify. It's a broad, complex scent. This is the first Etat Libre d'Orange fragrance I'm trying, and I'm a fan.

In the base, I don't see it listed, but the smell reminds me of immortelle (everlasting flower).

Safran Troublant by L'Artisan Parfumeur

I like this. The saffron note is soft and round, and the whole thing has a nice, delicious balance, with rose and vanilla. The perfumer, Olivia Giacobetti, did a nice job.

This is kind of thing I would feel confident wearing anywhere or recommending to anyone, a safe, likable, lovely fragrance that smells competently made (not edgy, quirky, or clumsy).

L'Heure Bleue by Guerlain

I've been wearing samples of L'Heure Bleue edp from various years, and really enjoying it. I get a strong association with nag champa incense sticks, which is the note giving the fragrance so much heft, power, and longevity. It's a note that starts out almost too strong in a way that makes it wonderfully transporting and memorable, and as it develops, it becomes softer, friendlier, and more irresistible.

Flora Psychedelica by 4160 Tuesdays

A fantastic sharp floral, with a strong smell of fresh pollen-rich flowers. It mostly smells like lilies to me.

L'Homme Idéal by Guerlain

This smells like it's built around the same aroma chemical used in D&G La Force 11 (and maybe, from more distant memory, D&G The One for Men).

It's slightly less harsh here than D&G La Force 11, making it more wearable. It's not too bad to sample, but it's the kind of thing I think I would get tired of fairly quickly, too harshly chemical smelling.

Mixed in the the chemical-smelling woody amber base is a tobacco-type smell, which is bringing to mind D&G The One for Men, and which is a nice addition, but probably doing no more than making this one wearing bearable. This is one where I probably won't even finish the 1-ml sample.

Guerlain Homme L'Eau Boisée by Guerlain

I'm struggling with this one. I'd be more likely to give it a thumbs down than a thumbs up. The card with the sample is selling it as a vetiver, it's not one of the better ones I've smelled, harsher than seems necessary, more manufactured than natural. It's not a disaster, but it's not for me.

Vermeil for Men by Vermeil

I think I agree about the comparison to Davidoff, and I agree it can smell like pipe tobacco after it develops for a while.

The opening isn't its strong suit, and I agree with the reference below to Irish Spring soap.

During the mid, it can give me an image of soft, worn, dark brown leather, such as a nice leather sofa.

Into the base, it's increasingly floral.

A marginal thumbs up. I'm conflicted. It can produce good moments, but I don't feel comfortable enough to wear it as a date scent.

Coromandel Eau de Parfum by Chanel

Of course this is a thumbs up, the question is how good is it compared to the legendary edt?

It's probably not quite as good as the edt.

I didn't think the edt was perfect, and I never went beyond a large decant, but it did have magical moments: a base that went on forever, seemingly getting even better 12 hours later.

The edp is a slightly tamed version. It's probably 90% of the fragrance the edt was. I can't see too much lamenting about the change in formulation. This is the best Coromandel edt knockoff ever.

I think the edp is slightly less complex, more simply sweet.

Black Gold by Ormonde Jayne

This is an interesting fragrance, a better fit for a woman, to my nose. I'm happy to smell this kind of smell around, but it's not really for me as something to wear.

I do smell the connection to Jubilation XXV, although this is a more feminine fragrance, a fruity floral, but backed with dark woods and/or resins somewhat similar to Jubilation XXV.

Deep into the wearing, I got some great moments in the projection from the base.

Lui by Guerlain

Lui is fragrance running counter to the market trend (unlike Mon Guerlain, which has taken up the baton of the market trend). Lui is subtle.

I applied a heavy dose, and felt somewhat anosmic to it at first, but it eventually warmed its way into my affections, eventually smelling like a sweet, smoky vetiver, although I see now that vetiver isn't listed, so make that woods.

I got great longevity from it, and was excited that Guerlain had produced something this nice.

Tribute Attar by Amouage

Wearing Tribute Attar (from the black box, at least) makes me smell like a cigarette smoker, but an especially good-smelling one. I like it.

It's not perfect, but it's quite interesting. It is something I would be interested in wearing from time to time. I would feel confident of making a positive impression wearing this. It's strong and memorable. It's an exciting sampling experience. It is crazy smoky, in a good way, borderline overboard, but just the right side of tasteful. An enthusiastic thumbs up for this nuclear-strength, smoky, tobacco bomb.

Essence No. 6 : Vetiver by Elie Saab

This is a great citrus vetiver, on par with the best vetivers I've tried.

The papyrus note is part of the beauty of this. I get images of nice, thick vetiver-scented paper, or even a scented book made with really nice paper.

Peau d'Espagne / Spanish Leather by Santa Maria Novella

This leather is a little too much on the raunchy side for my tastes, although I appreciate its boldness.

Be the Legend by Oriflame

I'm a naysayer for a lot of modern perfumes, including this one. I'm fairly confident this uses the same aroma-chemical featured in Dolce and Gabbana The One for Men, which I prefer over this. In both cases, the aroma-chemical induces a weariness, despite smelling ok in moments. My sense of smell is initially drawn to it, and somewhat interested, but then concern sets in - that it might be harmful, perhaps headache inducing, and the association with potential harm is a deal breaker. Ultimately, it smells too harsh for me.

JHL by Aramis

I'm sampling what I think is vintage Aramis JHL, and enjoying it tremendously, which is typical for me sampling Aramis fragrances. I don't know if it's something I would wear often if I had a bottle - maybe - but it's a delicious, mouthwatering sampling experience. Old-school goodness, warm and spicy, masculine floral. I don't see moss listed, but it smells mossy to me, with its luscious texture.

Not to detract from how fantastic this is, but to remind myself what it smells like, somewhat: the best-smelling mens' deodorants from the 1980s smelled like rip offs of this, or tributes to it - the Speed Stick by Mennen with the brown cap, the spicy one, comes to mind.

What seemingly makes this perfume so great is some animalic component, I think musk. As much as I like this, I would want to get a great deal on the original version to buy a bottle - I don't think it's something I would wear often. I get more joy from the opening and early stages than the base.

Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum by Guerlain

Mon Guerlain doesn't smell too bad up close. It's not great, but within the context of modern trends in perfumery, it smells typical. It even reminded me slightly of Guerlain Iris Ganache or perhaps even Dior Homme Intense, in its best moments. The smell it was projecting, however, did not work for me, and it was striking me as a scrubber.

Armani by Giorgio Armani

Thumbs way up for this delicious animalic floral. The early 1980s is a favorite period of mine for perfume, and this is a quintessential example of what was possible back then.

The floral-animalic combination is somewhat like the original Boss (Boss No. 1), if it reminds me of anything from my collection, but this is a bigger floral, also bringing to mind Chanel Coco, although I think I like this Armani even more.

Patrick by Fragrances of Ireland

Classic smelling in a nice way, the smell of know-how, citrusy - not too dissimilar to an Eau de Cologne - with the warmth of other notes adding depth and complexity. Easy to wear. Nice from the first spray.

Gianfranco Ferré for Man by Gianfranco Ferré

I have a decent size spray sample of this, and it reminds me quite a bit of Patou Pour Homme, a lighter citrus version, with a smoother leather texture, a beautiful, complex fragrance.

Update: Having acquired a bottle, I'm not getting much connection to Patou Pour Homme anymore. It's a nice fragrance, just slightly sweet, agreeable, and wearable, but arguably on the tame side.

Francesco Smalto pour Homme by Francesco Smalto

A bit ‘Lectric Shave, a bit Gucci Nobile. A nice scent, bold and billowy.

Moustache by Rochas

It smells like a modern salon, with the typical dash of coconut. Borderline thumbs down - the hairdresser vibe is overplayed. Remainder of the sample to be binned.

Joyeuse Tubéreuse by Guerlain

Tuberose isn't as dominant, to my nose, as the name would suggest. I smell a nicely sweet floral. The listed notes of honeysuckle, orange blossom, and vanilla sound right to me. It smells impressively refined with an exciting opening.

Eau d'Hadrien by Annick Goutal

Starts with a big, concentrated lemon, and fades into a nice creamy heart.

Oud Essentiel by Guerlain

This reminds me of Songe d'un Bois d'Ete. Cedar and leather are the common notes I see listed. Both of these Guerlains remind me of cumin. This isn't my sort of thing, and wearing it feels like a lost day of enjoying perfume.

Frankincense becomes more prominent in the base, and it's nicer than the first several hours.

Reflection Man by Amouage

It smells bitter in the opening, which could be the bitter orange leaves. The woody base doesn't smell very well done. It gets more powdery over time. I threw away the second half of the sample.

Memoir Woman by Amouage

This is a decent woody fragrance, but not too exciting.

Fate Woman by Amouage

This is a complex perfume, sweet, perhaps from the benzoin, with notes such as the listed frankincense, cinnamon, and chili pepper adding character. The frankincense is light - just barely peeking through. It has a powdery aspect, which could be a natural floral smell, and it has a warm, delicious leathery aspect.

I'm getting a sweet cola smell. I like this. It's nicely agreeable, and complex enough to be something I'm excited to wear.