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Trying A*Men again

post #1 of 23
2/23/06 at 10:18am
Thread Starter 
Need some support as I really want to like this - A*Men. Just having a hard time getting over the chocolate notes... but, I'm keeping an open mind to change. What is it you all like about this sweet thang?
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post #2 of 23
2/23/06 at 10:21am
Glad you asked...I love the richness, the chocolate notes, and the sillage.

It's just such a well-crafted scent...a lot better than that other big 1996 launch. (You know what I mean...you smell it everywhere...)
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post #3 of 23
2/23/06 at 10:29am
I guess you could say I'm enthralled with it ! I bought a small(rubber-clad) bottle blind. Wore it and after I got thru the 'nasty'(to me) top note(s), I immediately odered the large, metal bottle, the deoderant, the body wash/shampoo, and...................................a blind purchase of Angel for Women for my DW.

It is 'warm', and comforting and in this gawdawful winter-time weather(the "slit your wrists" type of weather), those reactions are very important to me. Also, I love most gourmands .


Dan
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post #4 of 23
2/23/06 at 10:35am
ever since i've applied "proper" dosage for A*Men, i love it.

great evening scent IMO.
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post #5 of 23
2/23/06 at 10:45am
A*Men smells best after the dry down, the top notes are harsh but the dry down is very nice.
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post #6 of 23
2/23/06 at 10:46am
the sensory overload i get out of this is horrifying.. :S it reminds me of a song I loathe, 'starfish and coffee'
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post #7 of 23
2/23/06 at 10:47am
Personally, i don't think you should have to make yourself like a fragrance...I mean sure, give it a good few test runs, but if it isn't working then move on. Just because lots of people like A*men doesn't mean you are weird if you don't...Off of the top of my head, A*men is the only fragrance i've heard anyone say they were trying to like so hard, and so many different people have said it. I think people think if they don't like it they are missing something magical that once they "get" will make it the best fragrance ever.

It's just so weird, everyone condemns AdG for being so popular, but people are forcing themselves to like the... what, number 2 seller?
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post #8 of 23
2/23/06 at 12:36pm
Thread Starter 
Like I said, Rock, I'm being open minded and screw ADG - this has nothing to do with it.

Update:I'm diggin' the dry down. I may have put on too much the first time I sampled it. Thanks for the feedback so far. Â*
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post #9 of 23
2/23/06 at 1:27pm
I have a hard time getting over the top notes too, but the dry down is excellent and worth the bother.
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post #10 of 23
2/23/06 at 1:43pm
I've tried to like this, but just can't seem to.

In the same vein I like Hanae Mori HM and Rochas Man better.
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post #11 of 23
2/23/06 at 4:01pm
OH MY GOD
enough is enough
It has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with both hanae mori and rochas....
They dont have the same notes, they smell nothing like one another, and generally they have nothing in common. Stop comparing them for the love of God...
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post #12 of 23
2/23/06 at 4:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ^myself^

OH MY GOD
enough is enough
It has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with both hanae mori and rochas....
They dont have the same notes, they smell nothing like one another, and generally they have nothing in common. Stop comparing them for the love of God...

First of all, all three are sweet gourmands.

And no, I never meant to imply that they smell the same, but they are definately similar.

And finally here are the note pyramids for all three, I seem to see an awfull lot of the same notes!

A*men
Top Notes
Bergamot, Helonial, Lavender, Peppermint
MIddle Notes
Coffee Bean, Tar, Patchouli
Base Notes
Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Caramel, Chocolate, Musk

H.M.
Top Notes
Lemon, Lavender, Blackcurrant, Green notes
MIddle Notes
Iris, Jasmine, Muguet, Bulgarian Rose
Base Notes
Moss, Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Cedarwood, Chocolate, Amber

Rochas Man
Top Notes
Lavender, Green Leaves, Bergamot
MIddle Notes
Sensual and Lush
Base Notes
Amber, Mocha, Vanilla


All 3 have lavender, all 3 have vanilla, all 3 have chocolate! A*Men lists peppermint, H.M. list green notes and Rochas lists green leaves. Rochas and A*men have bergamot. H.M. and A*men have tonka.

According to Ozmos, they all have cedar.

Please explain to me why you feel these aren't at least similar?
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post #13 of 23
2/23/06 at 5:02pm
The tar note reminds me of a Georgia DOT road crew ad that was modeled after the famous Obsession ads from years ago. But instead of Obsession the title was TAR. Heres roughly how it went. Remember, think about the Obsession vocals:

GDOT road worker, low voice: You speed by me and through your life, never noticing me in the
Vocal chorus, soft whisper: tar!, TAR!
GDOT road worker, low voice: From head to toe, my existence, by very being pronounces
Vocal chorus, soft whisper: tar!, TAR!
GDOT road worker, low voice: Dearest, do not mock me because I am covered with
Vocal chorus, soft whisper: tar!, TAR!
GDOT road worker, low voice: for I wear the tar.for you!!

;D
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post #14 of 23
2/24/06 at 2:16am
Well I dont feel they are similar beacuse most perfumes have similar notes anyway. Notes like vanilla, and sandalwood, and amber, and musk are very very usual. However in one single perfume, some of these notes are dominant and some are there just to make it more complex. Therefore if you see the list of notes you might get the impression that they smell similar. But they dont. Because if you wear all of them, you will get (at the drydown at least) a lavender-caramel-vanilla smell form A*men, a amber-coffe smell from rochas and a citrus-berry-chocolate note from Hanae Mori, which have nothing similar.
Or at least nothing more similar than any other perfume with these notes.
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post #15 of 23
2/24/06 at 4:10am
  • Gus
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I first tried this one because of the buzz here in BN, and found it absolutely disgusting. But then, I found myself wanting to try it again, and again, and ended up liking it and eventually bought it. I seldom wore it, though, because I couldn't overcome the fear of being "too noticeable". I mean, every time I walked down the street and crossed with another pedestrian wearing A*men, the sillage he left behind was so powerful that I thought: "Do I make the same impression when I wear it?". Because I didn't want to. So I started to apply it very carefully, and in the end I gave it up. It's a personal option, but I'm not very fond of sillage, I like to keep my scents to myself and for people who get really close, and that is something I find very difficult with A*men.
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post #16 of 23
2/24/06 at 4:36am
What Gus said.

Too powerful. Too intrusive. Too sickly.
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post #17 of 23
2/24/06 at 12:15pm
Said this 100 times, but I'll say it again: A*Men has the perfume-history's worst top-notes, but maybe the best base-notes ever....

And it's not similar at all to Rochas Man, which IMO, smells like sweet Nescafe with a hint of rounded almonds
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post #18 of 23
2/24/06 at 1:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by keeg

And it's not similar at all to Rochas Man, which IMO, smells like sweet Nescafe with a hint of rounded almonds

YEs, but they're still sweet gourmands with coffee and chocolate notes.

So, if someone asked you, "I'm thinking about getting a scent with coffee and chocolate notes. But I'm not sure I like some note in A*Men. What else should I try?"

What would tell them?
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post #19 of 23
2/24/06 at 2:59pm
Angel Men is addicting
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post #20 of 23
2/24/06 at 3:06pm
can you imagine a eau de parfum or even parfum version? one drop would last the entire year lol
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post #21 of 23
2/24/06 at 4:48pm
What can I say?? A*Men is A*Men...Unbelievable masterpiece. I repeat; unbelievable masterpiece. Again; unbeliev...
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post #22 of 23
2/25/06 at 1:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pigeon Murderer

What can I say?? A*Men is A*Men...Unbelievable masterpiece. I repeat; unbelievable masterpiece. Again; unbeliev...

LoL ;D
I agree with you.
Humourous way to express the inspiration that the perfumer who made it must have been really inspired or really well guided!
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post #23 of 23
2/25/06 at 1:40am
markymark, A*Men is something to experience and enjoy for all its bold, daring, self-indulgent, and sexy qualities, but on the other hand...

I had the recent luck and joy to swap for a bottle of B*Men and my eyes have fully opened to enjoy this composition even better--it opens with that familiar vanillic tar/patchouli essences (not as annoying though), segueways to a nutty chocolate/coffee note complimented by sweet but not cloying fruit essences over a remarkable woodsy and clean base that's almost like pure sandalwood.

B*Men has a notable longevity IMO, but perhaps a third less than that of A*Men, sillage as well, but the former is definitely more wearable, more enjoyable, and more refined of the two. Consider B*Men first before A*Men for acquisition!

I don't think it's the chocolate notes that annoy you in A*Men, but it's definitely the tar/patchouli combination that gags you at the throat, like what happens to me.
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