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To brighten the start of the day...

post #1 of 17
2/25/06 at 7:01pm
Thread Starter 
Yes, I know I like to make odd requests.

I want a fragrance to use when finishing my morning toilet, just as a way to freshen and brighten that moment. Kind of to cleanse the mental palate after dragging myself out of bed and doing the routine of shaving, washing, brushing, etc.

I have sometimes used fragrances like Arabie or Romeo Gigli as end-of-the-day relaxants. Put some on when you get home, and the fragrance just soothes away the stresses. I want this to be kind of the opposite, a wake up and cheer up scent to start the day.

It doesn't have to last forever. Even just an hour would be fine, though it would also be fine if it lasted for the greater part of the working day. A natural cleansing freshness is just much more important than longevity. I realize this probably leads more into the traditional men's cologne category -- Â*frags omitting those heavy and enduring basenotes, though please don't limit your suggestions to these if you think of something else that might be suitable.

*I can't stand artificial/synthetic "Fresh" scents or Aquas - they make me nauseous. This last week of frag testing has been a queasy one. Â*:P
*Nothing soapy. Amusingly, the lingering smell of soap makes me want to keep washing until it goes away.
*Citrus: I don't like orangey (I don't care for Happy), preferring lemon/lime.
*I haven't been able to make friends with vetiver
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post #2 of 17
2/25/06 at 7:11pm
I recommend Guerlain Eau du Coq. Â*Created by Jacques Guerlain in 1894. Â*The Guerlain website describes it as "the perfect expression of the soft yet tangy freshness of a spring morning". Â*Notes of lavender, lemon, rosemary, bergamot, and orange. Â*It is wonderful, but it also does not last long.
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post #3 of 17
2/25/06 at 7:22pm
Geo F Trumper makes a couple of incredibily fresh, bracing, invigorating colognes that you may wish to consider trying, in particular their West Indian Limes and Eau de Portugal. Both are citrus based. Neither has any true lasting power (the Limes is especially short-lived); they are really more like traditional eau de colognes in strength, rather than EDTs. But for an invigorating, pick-me-up, head-clearing effect in the morning, you can't beat them. And they both smell wonderful - nothing synthetic-smelling about them at all.

Even though they're very evanescent, I have bottles of both of these at home. And I do wear them, especially on very hot, humid days, when virtually any other cologne is just too much.
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post #4 of 17
2/25/06 at 7:25pm
Czech & Speake ~ Neroli
Parfums de Nicolai ~ Cologne Sologne
Hermes ~ Un Jardin Sur Le Nil
Mat; Male
Hierbas de Ibiza
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post #5 of 17
2/25/06 at 9:00pm
Lacoste Booster was designed for what you intend to do, I believe. Not a real heavy scent, pretty minty, actually, but surprisingly it lasts a long time for a minty frag.

4711
Agua Lavanda - its not a soapy type of lavender, unlike some of the others, but that is just IMHO. Others might think it smells like detergent... lavender is tricky that way.

Both 4711 and Puig-Agua Lavanda don't last that long, and neither will cost you much either. I keep both in my bathroom for the purpose you mentioned.

You might do well with Brut. Possibly the cheap aftershave... I've used that for what you intend to do. I'm probably the only nut on the board who uses Agua Brava as a perk me up frag though it is pretty heavy. Not much duration though.
K
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post #6 of 17
2/25/06 at 9:25pm
Thread Starter 
Where does one get 4711 offline? It seems like the sort of thing that should be widely available at the price, but I don't think I've ever seen it anywhere. Likewise, not likely to be at Neiman's becuase of the low price.
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post #7 of 17
2/25/06 at 10:12pm
Verbena verbena verbena.

L'Occitane's maybe, Caswell-Massey's maybe, but especially Molinard's, called Verveine. Really great stuff for the beginning of the day. All are cheap, and all last a half-hour to an hour.

The Molinard is the best, I think. Comes in a 250ml splash bottle for somewhere around $20 online and brings a fantastic herbal/lemon without being too citrusy. Rotten that it doesn't last longer. (L'Occitane's and Caswell-Massey's have the same longevity problem.)
--Chris
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post #8 of 17
2/25/06 at 11:49pm
I agree with verve - Trumper: West Indian Extract of Limes

This will give you a fresh burst and will not hang around for very long.
I think it's exactly what you're looking for.
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post #9 of 17
2/26/06 at 12:06am
l"Occitane used to make something called Hysope--very bright and fresh, kind of green, not citrusy. Don't know if you can still get it hough, haven't seen it in a while.
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post #10 of 17
2/26/06 at 4:45am
Borsari's Acqua Classica and Goutal's Eau d'Hadrien are excellent lemon scents for this purpose.

Another one that came to mind is Malle's Angeliques sous la pluie, very natural smell of juniper berry, angelica and pepper, very unique and invigorating. Doesn't last long and is obviously not for everyone, but worth a try!

West Indian Extract of Limes lasts for two minutes on my skin. It's really just a concentrated lemon juice, not a proper fragrance, but if that's what you want, it might be for you.
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post #11 of 17
2/26/06 at 5:28am
You would love AG Hadrien. Buy the absolu...it lasts longer.
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post #12 of 17
2/26/06 at 6:27am
I'd say L'Eau par Kenzo!!!
Also Bulgari Eau Parfumee au The Blanc would be nice! Â*:
Oh and Dior Higher, too!! 8-)
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post #13 of 17
2/26/06 at 7:48am
Agree with ajmc about Hermes - Un jardin sur le Nil: Lime/grapefruit/mango topnotes, a floral/woody body to die for plus a tiny bit of incense.
L´eau de L´Artisan
Guerlain - Herba Fresca (That is if you can handle the mint in it).
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post #14 of 17
2/26/06 at 7:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny_Ludlow

Borsari's Acqua Classica and Goutal's Eau d'Hadrien are excellent lemon scents for this purpose.

Another one that came to mind is Malle's Angeliques sous la pluie, very natural smell of juniper berry, angelica and pepper, very unique and invigorating. Doesn't last long and is obviously not for everyone, but worth a try! Â*

West Indian Extract of Limes lasts for two minutes on my skin. It's really just a concentrated lemon juice, not a proper fragrance, but if that's what you want, it might be for you.

I second Borsari`s Acqua Classica.
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post #15 of 17
2/26/06 at 9:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carlos3

Where does one get 4711 offline? It seems like the sort of thing that should be widely available at the price, but I don't think I've ever seen it anywhere. Likewise, not likely to be at Neiman's becuase of the low price.

I've seen it at Sears; if fact I got it there a couple years ago.

I'll third Borsari Parma - Acqua Classica (but wear a lot of it and you'll get to the oakmoss base)
I'll also concur with any verbena frag - YSL PH or Monsieur de Givenchy would work as well as any straight verbena.
Eau de Rochas Homme might do the trick as well.
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post #16 of 17
2/26/06 at 9:54am
I just love Trumper's GFT and am trying to get my hands on some.
Just a wonderful fresh, clean and masculine lemon fragrance.
It lasts longer than most citrus scents too.
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post #17 of 17
2/26/06 at 10:17am
Eau de Rochas might be right for you. I use that a lot in Springtime/Summer, alternating with YSL Live Jazz.
Then there is the pure lemon of Monsieur Balmain (lasting fairly well) and, a little more pricey: Acqua di Parma (the regular, not the assoluta which has things like rose added to the cologne). AdP does not last more than a few hours in the morning. I also like, but then not every morning: from Guerlins AA line, Pampelune, plain grapefruit, lasting well.

Here's my top advice but that goes beyond the light citrussy cologne: Signoricci. Class triple AAA, simply spring impersonated, till about Linden blossom time. I can hardly wait for that time to come and am actually way beyond springtime myself but just playing the old fool again...
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