Basenotes - Reviews by Ensoleille

United States

Showing 1 to 27 of 27.

New West for Him by Aramis

I love this scent on my husband. Not overly dramatic. The moss & patchouli compliment the calone without becoming overbearing. I am so glad that Aramis decided to bring it back.

14th August, 2011.

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I got a sample card of this from Sephora, and HAD to have it!
The bottle looks like a little psychedelic mushroom. Kinda groovy!
It smells like summer at the beach. It starts out green and herbal, but the patchouli in the dry down lingers on, and there is something like salt water or (forgive the crass comparison) Sea & Ski that's in the bottom note as well.
Not sure that I will wear it much now that the weather is turning cooler; but it will be the first bottle out of the cabinet when I am getting out my summer clothes next year.

12nd October, 2008.

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Tova by Tova Borgnine Beverly Hills

I first smelled the original when working my way through college.
I took orders for a generic 800 number (operators are standing by) company, and we kept catalogues of the things that people were ordering, in case they forgot the item name, etc.
There were sample "rub on" cards of Tova in her catalogues, and I confess to "appropriating" every one that I could find.
It is feminine, sophisticated, mysterious and delicious!!
I read somewhere that it has been re-formulated. Please say it isn't so!

12nd October, 2008.

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Francesco Smalto pour Homme by Francesco Smalto

Smalto, you still make me weak!
(sigh!)
Discontinued - but fortunately it is still obtainable on eBay.

12nd October, 2008.

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En Avion by Caron

I got a decant of this as a gift, and I must say it is a departure from the other Caron scents that I have. The powder note is almost soapy, but in a clean very sophisticated way; it must be the oakmoss. I read that Daltroff created this to honor the new and daring aviatrixes of that time (i.e. Amelia Earhart), and it seems to fit a female risk-taker of the 1930's; one of those women who (gasp!) wore trousers, bobbed their hair, and flew all over the country when they felt like it.

3rd October, 2006.

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Poivre by Caron

This is such a wonderful fragrance! Although I adore the warm mellow vanilla/amber/leather finish; I wish that the peppery top notes lasted longer. This is one I definately have to keep sniffing on my own wrist all day long.

14th September, 2006.

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Narcisse Blanc by Caron

I tried Narcisse Blanc for the first time today. It starts off kind of soapy-sweet, but the dry down is very light and refined. I think the "lady-like" descriptions are very accurate. A nice alternative to the modern fragrances for women that are available today.

13rd September, 2006.

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Tabac Blond by Caron

I just purchased a decant, and after using sparingly and waiting patiently for the drydown, all I can say is WOW!!! I agree with scentmad01, it is sublime, utterly sublime!!
Not your everyday sort of fragrance though, so I must make plans and find someplace special to wear it.

12nd September, 2006.

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White Lilac by Mary Chess

This was my favorite aunt's signature fragrance, and when I was a child I thought it was the most beautiful smell on earth. She used to dab some on a handkerchief and send it home in my suitcase after a visit, and I loved to open my case when I got home just to smell those lilacs. It would be so nice to experience again, but I can't find it anywhere, even on eBay... (heavy sigh)

20th August, 2006.

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Ma Griffe by Carven

My mother got this as a gift years ago, and I used to "borrow" it when home from college. I love the aldehyde and ylang ylang, it's got sillage to spare, and I always thought the box was so sophisticated. Another scent from the past I want to buy again.

19th August, 2006.

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Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc by Bulgari

My most recent fragrance purchase, and I must say, my favorite! So light and refreshing, and the dry down is absolutely yummy!

18th August, 2006.

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Pleasures by Estée Lauder

I got this as a decant sample, and perhaps it is my chemistry, but it smelled terrible! There is something in it that made me nauseous; I've never had such a bad reaction to any scent before. Of course, Murphy's law of bad scent experiences prevailed and I was unable to wash it completely off. My first bad experience with anything Estee...

18th August, 2006.

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Pure Turquoise by Ralph Lauren

I just got some of this, and I like it very much. The top notes remind me of a fragrance from the 40's or 50's, but I can't remember the name. That reminder aside, it then dries down to a floral that's ladylike without being cute or too delicate. It's the first of the newer fragrances that I will keep in my fragrance wardrobe.

16th August, 2006.

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Fendi Uomo by Fendi

This is a nice fragrance, refreshing. It's something you might smell on a gentleman's riding jacket (before the ride, of course). Masculine without being overwhelming.

10th August, 2006.

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L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci

I love this cologne. I don't wear it often enough. Very feminine, but not cloying or overly floral. I wish the notes were available. I would love to know what they are!

10th August, 2006.

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Joop! Homme by Joop!

Joop! smells like sticky sweaty children who've been eating snowcones or cotton candy. It creates the desire to get a baby wipe and clean it off the person wearing it. Sorry... I am sure there are lots of people who like it, but it makes me sick.

9th August, 2006.

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Bulgari pour Homme Extreme by Bulgari

Yummy in a rather dry way, sort of like champagne for the olfactory! On my top 10 list of men's colognes, just 1 step behind my all-time favorite Red by Giorgio. More staying power than the original Bvlgari PH, and a tad more masculine as well. I bought this for my husband and it is the one he wears most to the office. He says it is impressive, but subtle. I concur.

9th August, 2006.

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Aramis by Aramis

Aramis is another one of those manly-man fragrances that just isn't for everyone. Not a drop of sweetness or floweryness in it. Sort of refreshing these days! It IS one of those fragrances that should be (forgive the cliche`) layered, but with a light hand. Showering first with shower gel or scented soap, then scented deodorant, a little splash of after shave, and perhaps finishing it off with one light spritz of cologne. Ahhh... parfait! One has to have a modicum of class, a lot of (a-hem) experience, and an equal amount of confidence to wear a fragrance like this. I like it. I like it best on someone that knows how to wear it in moderation.

9th August, 2006.

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Youth Dew by Estée Lauder

Aldehyde, Amber, Ylang Ylang, Benzoin & Patchouli - what's not to like? It's just the dreamiest, creamiest of fragrances! I agree with Alaya that it is more of a winter fragrance, and it's certainly not like anything modern. I think that's part of it's appeal for me. I love Sherrie 11's idea of a drop or two of the bath oil as a replacement for regular scent. This is a Grande Dame of a fragrance without being a granny. It makes me think of a female CEO, like Estee Lauder. Feminine and powerful.

9th August, 2006.

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Tabu by Dana

I got some Tabu as a gift during my senior year in high school. I think everyone else was wearing Love's Baby Soft that year. Anyway, I wore it for the first time to the prom, and one of the chaperones exclaimed "My goodness, what is that cheap awful stuff you're wearing?" What an old prude she was. I wore it every day to school after that, in the few weeks before graduation. It made me feel sexy & rebellious. I think I need another bottle...

9th August, 2006.

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Tsar by Van Cleef & Arpels

Sexy stuff! I can't imagine it on my dad, so I am not sure about the "Old man" comments. I think 'The-odor' describes this fragrance to a "T"

8th August, 2006.

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Salvador Dali pour Homme by Salvador Dali

This scent gave me a headache when my husband tried it at the cologne counter. It is confusing, and forgive me, stinky. Dali is a GREAT artist; unfortunately melting watches and burning giraffes sort of sum up this scent.

8th August, 2006.

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Red for Men by Giorgio Beverly Hills

I absolutely love, love, LOVE Red! Dang Giorgio for discontinuing it! What were they thinking?!
I think it may be one of those colognes that is unique to every wearer, because when my husband wears it, it smells delicious; but I have smelled it on other men, it was sort of odd... stuffy... musty...
I found one seller on eBay that sells it for less than $100.00, and use him for my purchases. However, I am going to go out and get a bottle of Preferred Stock, and see if it comes close. A friend of mine told me that Safari for Men was close, but it seems to be missing one of the base notes. Just not quite all there.

8th August, 2006.

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Polo by Ralph Lauren

So many men wore TOO much of this in the eighties, and Polo sort of became a cliche` synonymous with "lounge lizard" back then. It was so unfair to this manly-man cologne! If worn in moderation, Polo smells very nice, and evokes the polo club memories that it was supposed to, instead of those horrible 80's & 90's memories of guys with too-open shirts, too-hairy chests, and gold chains with figas on them. So go easy on it, ok?

8th August, 2006.

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Cellini by Fabergé

I actually found three sellers of Cellini on eBay! One is in the UK, and the other two are in the U.S.
There is something about the basenotes combination that makes Cellini unforgettable. Just so warm, masculine and comforting.
Like most rare colognes, it is pricey, but if you're willing to drive all over Europe searching for it, I think it might be worth the money.

8th August, 2006.

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Y by Yves Saint Laurent

Sunny in the South, I concur. It IS worth hunting for. I am able to find it out of the U.S, but sadly only on eBay in the U.S. The body lotion is a little more feminine, less of the woodsy cyphre that may seem masculine to some. It's very nice for office wear if not over done. I am very curious to know the composition of this fragrance.

8th August, 2006.

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Occur! by Avon

Way back in the 70's, I had a friend whose mom sold Avon. She wore Occur! exclusively, and I remember it as being very feminine and sexy. I like leather note colognes on men, but this is the only leather note fragrance I have ever liked for women. Probably the only Avon fragrance I like, period.

8th August, 2006.

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Showing 1 to 27 of 27.