Basenotes - Reviews by jlros

United States

Showing 1 to 12 of 12.

Muscs Koublaï Khän by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

Well well well... this scent goes through three very distinct phases and while I dislike the first two I love the third enough to outweigh the first two. I would go further and say while they drydown takes a long time the fragrance, in its final form, is VERY long lasting.

I would describe the first stage as smelling like both the origins of perfumes and the reasons for them in the first place. It smells like the body odour and the floral you would imagine used in the days of Napolean used to cover it up. Either that or like a bad perfume being used to cover up the smell of a NY taxidriver from a certain region of the world in the summer.

The second stage becomes sweeter, perhaps so much so that as a man who likes earthy, citrus and some orintals it is too sweet. During this phase the B.O. note recedes but is still there and strong when taking a deep whiff.

The third stage, ah the third stage. I am partial to fragrances, on me, that smell human. That is to say not too obvious, out front or sweet. I think a frag should be a natural outgrowth of the wearer and not a cover or shield of the wearer. I guess that is why I am a great fan of more earthy and organic smells like MPG RDV and even the subtle cologne mure de musc. Here is where the brilliance of the Lutens shines in this particular scent. Yes, it starts off animalic, becomes animalic and floral but it ends up smelling like human intimacy. I do not mean sex, do not think fecal, think sweat may be closer but not that either. To me it smells closer to the smell of slept on pillows, of human closeness, of really close contact with another. It is warm, evocative and very slightly sweet and thankfully, in this stage, it is very long lasting.

If this third stage sounds good, I would apply an hour before going out in public and would avoid spraying it on clothes as it wll not drydown to the third stage in the 'right' way. It is a brilliantly designed fragrance, the design was clearly about this third stage, do not discount the smell until you live this stage.

1st June, 2007.

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Daim Blond by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

I was looking for a warm weather scent that was subtle but notable, warm but sophisticated.

Daim Blond is my first brush with Lunten's and it was notably more wearable than the other Luten's I tested that day.

I often wear suede shirts in the evening and have always loved that scent. Daim Blond is buttery soft suede and apricots. The other notes are less notable other than the musk which lingers .

While I bought it thinking it was a scent I could wear anywhere I have become less convinced. It is not a summer day but rather a warm day of rain.

Now, having recently purchased M7 Fresh.... anytime, anywhere... warm, casual, wearable, sophisticated.

1st May, 2007.

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M7 Fresh by Yves Saint Laurent

Okay, it DOES smell like Fruit Loops at first spray. On drydown it smells NOTHING like citrus. I do agree with the cola and agarwood calls and even on drydown it is deeply layered. It is among the only scents I have ever worn that has a smokey warmth but is light and wearable anytime or anywhere.

Seriously, I have found my new main scent and, if I had sufficient priveleges on this site, I would be selling the unopened bottles I have of Havana, Versailles, Gres and Balenciaga Pour Homme (that one I don't like anyway).

FIND IT, BUY IT, LOVE IT!

30th April, 2007.

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Or Black by Pascal Morabito

I have never ben a fan of leather chypre's... I think of them as 70's macho and not particularly wearable. That has changed. This is perhaps the most wearable scents in my collection. It is eminently sophisticated and stays close to the skin. The leather note is dark and cut well by the pepper. The herbs are warm and deep but it is not too hot or dark to wear in warmer weather.

13rd April, 2007.

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Rive Gauche pour Homme by Yves Saint Laurent

Tried it on as a tester, my initial impression was good... so I impulsively bought it. As I walked around I increasingly became bothered by it. Two women I was with really disliked it.

Perhaps at 40 I am not old enough to wear it or it is too much clove.

It does smell like shaving cream and while that may initially be nice there is a reason the razor takes the cream away.

Anyone want to buy an unopened bottle...

8th April, 2007.

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A*Men / Angel Men by Thierry Mugler

The initial impression is WHOA! too sweet and not wearable. Thankfully, as it dries down it becomes more tied to the basenotes and mellows to a nice blend of chocolate, coffee, caramel. The lavendar remains. It is not an everyday scent but has a place in the rotation.

8th April, 2007.

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Agua Lavanda by Antonio Puig

Among the freshest, cleanest most balanced "light" scents. It has a little bit of a barber shop feel but not enough to be a turn off. I find the lavender and bergamont balanced and the moss and tonka quite grounding.

As others have said it is a prefect splash and certainly as smooth and assured as Old Blue Eyes was... it was apparently his signature scent.

7th April, 2007.

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Versailles pour Homme by Jean Desprez

I cant begin to describe the scent, warm, sensual, elegant. It smells like the difference between nouveau riche and the real deal. I just reviewed Patou Homme as the greatest scent and then went to my closet and pulled this out for a whiff. Two different scents for two different moods and, after a resniff, this one works with most moods and compliments them all.

Any guesses why they don't still make this stuff?

When I was a freshman in college the "older", gorgeous woman down the hall commented repeatedly that Versailles Homme was the sexiest and most intoxicating male fragrance in the world.

When, that same year, I went to the Virgin Islands with my family I found a bottle of the hard to find juice. Over many years I used it sparingly and held onto the bottle for years knowing that I would probably never find another bottle of the stuff and the scent still permeated the bottle.

I recently found two boxed bottles and everytime I wear it I get a sense of well being... and lots of comments.

5th April, 2007.

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Route du Vétiver by Maître Parfumeur et Gantier

I bought this when it first came out. It was the first vetiver that did anything for me. It is not the sweet and over-refined froo-froo vetiver that is oh so French. It is the most well balanced and complex EARTHY scent I own or have ever owned. It is not a suit or a tux it is a leather jacket and jeans.

For all of the bad reviews by the men who reviewed it here I must say that it is, singularly, the scent that I find women comment on as raw, teeth gritting, down and dirty sexual. It can be worn out at night year-round (when you are feeling like a bad boy) or day or night in the fall and winter.

The only other vetiver I have ever liked or bought is Frederic Malle's, it is a completely different vein it is beautiful and substantive not genteel either but a fall/winter scent.

5th April, 2007.

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Homme de Grès by Grès

A beautiful and manly scent. One of the few "reserved scents" that is warm yet serious. Similar to one of the the old Givenchy fragrances I used to own but somewhat more wearable in warmer months and by younger people. GET IT WHILE YOU CAN.

5th April, 2007.

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Patou pour Homme by Jean Patou

Whoa!!!! I have many great bottles of many great scents.

I just tried this on (EDT) having found a tester bottle. It is elegant but not unwearable, understated but not whimpy, masculine but not macho, refined but not "too smooth". It is a very complex scent and a masterpiece of blending the notes mix but are all apparent. Anyone know why a company would discontinue such an original and wearable scent!?

Move over Versailles here comes my new special scent!

4th April, 2007.

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Gai Mattiolo Uomo by Gai Mattiolo

What is it about this one? I so expected to like it a lot. I have a stable of clean/light daytime colognes that I love Gendarme, ED Artisan, Dypt Figeur, Bulgari The Vert ).

Unfortunately, there is something clawing and sharp in this, almost rudely synthetic. Even so, there is also something beautiful about it I just need it cleansed of that one note.

2nd April, 2007.

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Showing 1 to 12 of 12.