First time wearing cologne...

Greetings and welcome!!

The three you mentioned are OK in my book, but I've grown away from them and they're a little too common around me. For something in a similar vein, but still a little different, I'd suggest Lanvin L'Homme. This is always a pleasant one to wear and I usually get nice compliments when wearing it! Check it out!!

And again....Welcome to Basenotes!!! [smiley=smiley.gif]

Burberry Brit and L'instant De Guerlain Pour Homme.

Welcome!

All three of those smell fine, but they're likely to be worn by every other guy you meet. I prefer AdG from that group. If you want to try something "fresh" but a bit more unique, try something like Higher by Dior, L'Eau d'Issey, or even Unbound by Halston. You may also want to sample Cologne by Thierry Mugler, which has a very clean scent and has a lot of fans around here.

Curve is affordable and smells great.

Welcome to Basenotes!

Welcome!

I agree that there are a lot of people wearing Acqua di Gio. I think it is a great scent nevertheless. Unbound for Men is very close to Acqua di Gio, and has somewhat more duration; not much more though.

You might consider something with more duration. If you can find it, consider Body Kouros. My feeling is that you would be comfortable wearing it day-to-day, the girls will like it and it has excellent duration.

I'd suggest heading to a mall with a Sephora's and try out a few fragrances to see what they are like. You might get an idea that you like spicy fragrances, more floral fragances, aquatic fragrances, etc.

You could also try department stores, but you might find the sales associates will try to foist something on you in order to make a sale. Additionally, I (and most people on the board) have found that sales associates don't know anything about fragrances. There are exceptions of course, but as they say, "forewarned is forearmed."

Let us know more about what fragrances you like after you've tried them or what sorts of notes you like. We'll be able to help you out better once we know more!
K

As someone who works in a department store, I can't agree more in saying "sale associates have no idea what's going on." To be fair though, most customers have less idea what's going on.


Although those three are good fragrances, are they for you? There's no way to know until you go into a store and try them out on your skin and find what you like the most. I don't deny that Acqua di Gio is a good scent, but I would never be caught dead wearing it because I just plain don't like it on me. You picked out some really good scents that are all rather light and are good first scents. It's a good starting place.

[blue]Welcome to the board noscopers.

I agree with the excellent, carefully considered advice of Vicomte de K.

By all means check out a bunch of fragrances at Sephora if you can. However, if you're asking us to recommend one of the three you've listed, then I would definitely go with *Acqua di Giò Pour Homme*, which is a vastly superior fragrance to the rest. It has a number of distinct advantages over the other two and over many other scents. It's a very well-crafted scent that doesn't smell synthetic to most noses. It seems to be almost universally liked, by women especially. It can function as a casual or dressed up scent, or it can be used summer or winter or any season in between. It's modern and fresh, and actually it's a really pleasant smelling scent to my nose and obviously to many other noses. Sure it's popular, but it might just be popular because it might deserve to be popular. Finally, I would urge you, as in all matters of style and taste, to trust your own instinct and wear what please you. If you really like it, then wear it, and don't worry about how popular it is. Fragrance is part of you overall style. How people react to your fragrance depends largely, in most part, on how you carry it off.

As Vicomte de K said, test a few fragrances, and then let us know what you like, and we'll certainly be able to help you from there.

Best regards,

scentemental[/blue]

Body Kouros- 'nuff said!

Welcome to BN noscopers.

Advice so far has been spot on and similar to what most of these threads have to offer.

As for your three choices, I too would pick AdG. Its my favorite of those three.

Some nice alternatives to explore that are similar have already been mentioned. Unbound by Halston. Very inexpensive and has more of a jolly rancher watermelon sweetness in the top notes to me than AdG. You can often find it in gift set form at discount stores like TJ Maxx and Marshall's. Angel Schlesser pour Homme is another one to look for, though I'm not sure where you can sample it these days. It has more spice and a rice note that makes it an excellent alternative. Finally, look for 1881 Amber, which has the ozonic quality mixed with some violet and hints of amber for a tad warmer, yet still sort of sporty scent.

Good luck in your search.

Maybe you should start with "safe" fragrances... Acqua di Gio is a great choice, but if you want something different (but similar, LOL!),
Try Versace Metal Jeans or, if you want something fresh, citric: Tommy T

L'Eau d'Issey is a nice frag, you should try it...

Welcome to the board! I was about your age when I first started wearing fragrance, and I'll never forget my first one, Azzaro PH!

Now, you need something that's contemporary yet unique. My suggestions would be to try Azzaro Visit and YSL Live Jazz. I also concur with the recommendation of Body Kouros, although it can be a bit too much if not applied carefully.

You should have no problem finding Azzaro Visit in the stores to sample, so I'd give that a try the next time you're in the mall.

Always sample first, because it's your nose that has to live with it

Good luck!

#

I'm 25, so I'm not too much older than you.

First of all, not to discard anyone else's opinions, but as a young person you may find anything in the Kouros line a bit..pungent. I would recommend staying away from Yves St Laurent until you're at least 30, as some of their fragrances are extremely mature, often in a not-so-good way. I personally think Rive Gauche and Kouros are two of the absolute most disgusting fragrances ever. Body Kouros is certainly easier to wear but it still has a bit of stinkiness in it, so don't buy until you try. You may like it, who knows. I personally wouldn't be caught dead wearing it. My mom used to work at the fragrance counter at a department store and a new employee came in wearing Kouros and she mistook it for body odor and told him to go home and take a shower...

I find AdG a bit repulsive, as most people spray WAY too much on and it's too potently smooth, if that makes any sense. It gives me a headache. There are a lot of things that smell quite a bit like it, like Zegna for example, and that whole smooth musk that just makes me sick to my stomach. Hugo Boss' In Motion is essentially the same thing but with some synthocitrus thrown in.

Cool Water would be a better choice IMHO. Much calmer and fresher, definately not spicy but not as sickeningly smooth either.

I'd avoid Boss. Bland, bland, bland.

I'll confide a secret in you - as far as teenager scents go, I have a secret attraction to (gasp) Abercrombie & Fitch's perfumes. You know that stuff they spray in their stores and you can smell it from across the mall? Well, you can buy that. It smells much better on a person than it does in a store. It's INSTANTLY recognizable, which is both good and bad, and it's why it sells so well with the teenage market, because kids know it and think "hey this kid's cool he shops at a and f" blah blah blah...it's really not so bad. I wouldn't wear it because everyone knows it and that's not what i'm looking for, but you might enjoy it. Whenever I smell it on someone it's refreshing, very comforting.

Some other suggestions would be CK Escape (again I'm gonna get flamed for this, but it's one of the few CK's I can handle), L'Eay D'Issey, RL Safari (although a bit more formal), Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme, Dolce & Gabbana By Man, Alfred Sung Paradise.

NoScopers,

welcome to the board.

Here's the most important piece of advice I can offer to you, IT WILL save you alot of headaches and embarrassing situations. Don't wear too much cologne in a casual setting. Its something we are all guilty of from time to time (so don't sweat it when it happens), but here are some things i've learned over time that help to ensure I always wear "the right amount" (Its a fine line).

First off, I prefer to keep a sample vial of my Scent of the Day (SOTD) in my jeans pocket. This way I don't overcompensate in the morning by spraying myself with too many sprays hoping the scent will last longer. Its much easier to spray once, and then as the day wears on if you find yourself in a situation where you want to "get noticed", you can discreetly recharge from the vial, and know one will even be aware. Its easy; just get some empty sample vials, fill one and keep it in the tiny pocket on the front of your jeans. This way you don't annoy those who are not interested in smelling you. Its much easier to dab a bit more on, than it is to wipe too much off! In fact i rarely use the sprays on my full bottles. Most of the time I decant them into dab vials, so I can control the application better. Try it!

Secondly, be careful to avoid the whole "layering" thing. Don't use the EDT, Shower Gel, Aftershave, Deo Stick of one particular scent all together. Use one, two at most. Its overkill, and it can really choke out a room. Take my word on it. Some people swear by "layering", but I find it really gives wearing cologne a bad name.

Finally, have fun. You may end up spending alot of money but if it makes you happy, then so what. I figure that I spend the same amount of money on a fragrance that I could spend on a night out. And hey, the fragrance is something tangible I'll have the next day, rather than a hangover. But I'll just say this; there are alot more "fringe" scents out there than what you'll find at the mall. Look on the internet and at different kinds of stores you can spend the same amount of money that you would on some commonplace, over-advertised designer stuff, but instead you can find some really unique, one of a kind frags if you read the threads on here and read the reviews of others. You will learn to be curious when people say Etro's Messe de Minuit smells like basements and old castles. You may be intrigued that Comme des Garcons Odeur 71 smells like a dust-covered lightbulb. Spend your money wisely, don't just burn too much of it at the mall. I wish someone had told me this when I was starting out.

If you like Aqua di Gio, try Essenza di Zegna instead. I know I should be telling you to do whatever makes you happy, but seriously when I smell Aqua di Gio, I always think Aqua di Gio=No Imagination.

Smell ya later!

Indie Guy

I'd want to avoid the Acqua di Giò, not only because it's so, so, so commonly worn that you'll be "bumping into yourself" all the time, but also because I don't like it at all. A lot of others must, it seems. I happen to be very fond of Lanvin L'Homme, so I'd second that recommendation. It has the virtue of being somewhat hard to find, so at least you won't be smelling like every other young guy out there.

I'd suggest sampling lots until you find something you really like, and save your money until you're fairly sure you won't tire of it. (Not everyone has the budget to be a collector, especially at seventeen.)

I think the Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme might appeal to you; it strikes me as well made and fairly young in spirit; or D&G Masculine, the latter being somewhat "brighter" in tone without being insipid. L'Eau par Kenzo is also fairly subtle without being characterless or too blandly "marine". (I have little patience for what I think of as the "watermelon" quality of so many current scents.) Â*I think someone mentioned Burberry Brit for Men. You might give that a try, as it's a bit off the current tread of citrus/inoffensive/marine. There's some spice and smoothness there.

Finally, even though I mention Dolce & Gabbana as being young in spirit, try not to worry too much about whether a scent is too old (or too young, for that matter) for you. The apparent "age range" for a cologne is both highly subjective and entirely relative. There are four basic things I would keep in mind when trying out a scent:

1. Ultimately, we want to wear what we think smells good. Try to find something that makes you feel comfortable and confident. If that's Clean Men, so be it; if it's Rocabar, go for it.

2. Don't be afraid to wait - let the scent develop on your skin. Live with it for a while. Do you like the way it smells right out of the bottle better than the way it smells after 10 minutes? What about half an hour later? An hour? Ideally, you should like all the phases of a cologne's development, from topnotes through the middle to the base. Colognes are often designed to be appealing right away - thus the popularity of citrus notes in the topnote of colognes. But the middle and especially lower notes of a fragrance are its real character.

3. Look for something that's fairly stable. A scent may develop over time; that's not the same as something that either goes sour on you or changes radically over the course of a day. Stability and consistency of character is, I think, one of the marks of a well-made cologne. (Points 2 and 3 aren't as contradictory as they might seem at first - you'll know if something really goes wrong on you.)

4. Don't feel you have to wear something because everyone else is. (And don't feel you have to avoid something because it's not the most popular.) Trends are interesting, but they're useful only in helping you try new things and define your own sense of what works. Remember, the only one you have to please is yourself. Unless of course your significant other takes a whiff of you and says, eyes watering, "Baby, did something die in your suit?" Then you might want to reconsider your fragrance strategy a bit.

Finally, remember that the olfactory sense is powerfully linked to both memory and physical responses, so people's reactions to scent can be extremely powerful and visceral. At the same time, however, "olfactory fatigue" means that once a smell is part of your own environment, your nose may stop paying attention to it. This is part of the reason why there are frequent debates here about "how much is enough". (Suffice it to say for now that that, too, is a very subjective matter. Start small and see how it goes.)

Welcome to the board; you're in for some fun! Let us know how you decide. There's no shortage of opinions or advice around the place.

I second the motion on Body Kouros and Burberry Brit but I'd throw in something fresh and unexpected like Quasar Adventure by Jesus del Pozo . For what ever reason , women seem to dig the (wet wipe moist towelette) note in this fragrance. Eau Savage by Christian Dior may be a good choice as well for a fresh scent . Heck man, why not wear A men by Mugler once a week! After all , this is your senior year.

Although many of the scents above are great scents, they might not be the best for starting out. I agree with the previous post about the Kuros's, in that they are 'older person' scents. I find that many of the people here prefer the stronger more musky fragrances. I think this might be because their noses have become accustomed to wearing scent and they need something a bit stronger.

That being said, there are a few fragrances that I would recommend for a high schooler. I personally wore Cool Water in h/s, but it might be a little outdated for your tastes. If I were you, I would go to the store and get some samples of the following:
Escada Sentiment (I describe this as tropical fruit),
Hanae Mori (a little stronger and more lasting sweet smell like candy),
Armani Mania (not as lasting, but very personal),
Bulgari Pour Homme (also not as lasting, but crisp and fresh),
Azzaro Chrome (lasting, flowery), or
Miracle Homme (my go to scent -- this one is good for any occassion, any season)


If you are feeling a little more adventerous, try one of the following:
Floris Cefiro (my favorite floral scent),
Jo Malone Lime Basil Mandarin (unisex, but very wearable by a man),
Perry Man (lasting and a bit different than the rest),
Givenchy Pour Homme (lasting, berry on top of cedar), or
Liz Claiborne Candies for Men (think watermelon)

I have all of these in my closet and wear them on a regular basis. I've listed different families of scent, so don't be discouraged if one of the above does not suit you. If you need any more cologne advice, you've found the right website. Welcome to Basenotes.
Andrew

noscopers,

If you live near a mall that has a Sefora or other perfume boutique, visit it once a week or every other day if possible. Don't wear any scent when you go. Find something off the shelf that intrigues you. Spray some on a test strip, wave it around for a few moments and then sniff it. If you like it at this point, spritz some of it on your neck and wrists. Then leave the store and walk around for awhile (give it at least an hour or more). If you love it after an hour or so, it is one to put on your "to buy someday" list.

Repeat this regime regularly trying a new (to you) fragrance each time. You will become a scent maven in no time AND it won't cost you so much AND you won't end up with bottles of stuff you liked on the test strip but no so much on the skin.

Griff

Out of the 3 u mentioned...i would prefer ADG..simply because i find that high school chics really like it...i'm also gonna be in grade 12 this coming year...so as far as longevity goes..i find that ADG does tend to wear off after Gym..which by then either you gotta bring the bottle to school to reapply...or bring something else to compensate for losing the scent. but you should def look into some other frags out there...one in particular you might like is Chanel Allure Sport..which i think has been rated highly by the members around here...and another one that i think females will respond to.

hope this helps

Many,many good advice from basenoters, there's nothing much that i can add except do keep it light and simple for school use. Don't swamp the class with your scent. With that line of thought, i'd recommend a good, lasting citrus, which as citruses go, can be near impossible to find a lasting citrus but i'd tell you to search out Mat;Male. It's a wonderful grapefruit citrus that really stands on the edge of refined formality and casual confidence. Otherwise, Givenchy Pour Homme would be a nice alternative. I also support the recommendations for Lanvin L'Homme, that's one you can never overspray. Then finally, it's never too early to be introduced to the classics, so try and find the wonderful L'Uomo Trussardi or Uomo Moschino. BUT... if you really wanna smell and feel special, the juice for you is ... and keep this to yourself.....


GEIR!!!

Acqua di Gio - girls love it, and they complain that every guy wears it. I just ran into it radiating from some teenager at the Supermarket.

My advice would simply be to check and compare several frangrances and let your nose decide. Let yourself have a week or even two to make the decision. Don't let a sales associate rush you.

As a teenager honestly, I would probably stick close to a recognizable desiger brand. I still remember high school culture.

Definitely check out the current topsellers:

Acqua di Gio
L'eau d'Issey
Dolce & Gabbana Pour Home

These are all very nice, and easy to wear at any age. Â*And girls like all of them.


To stretch a bit check:

Armani Black Code
Gucci Envy
various Calvin Kleins (Obsession, Escape, One, etc)
various Bulgari's (Aqua, Pour Homme)

A few more options, any of which should still keep you "in" the HS culture. And girls like many of these too.

The great piece of advice is to apply lightly. Two sprays for most is adequate. This is something I'm still learning.

Whatever you do, choose something that you like, and that will let you feel relaxed and comfortable.

WELL, noscopers arent all these people sooooo helpful?!

I am also 17 and really just started wearing cologne in the last 5 months. I most also agree with Carlos3, that is unless the girls at your school are immune to designer brand influence (in which case i need you to tell me where you are from! lol). Any who, point being, the designer really seems to effect girls. For instance, sitting in a chem class last semester a girl literally stopped working on her paper to look around and see who the smell was coming from so she could ask what it was. I was wearing the Dreamer by Versace which really projects itself so that may not be in your groove, and now to get back to the point, when I told her it was a Versace fragrance her reply was an excited "really?". I find the designer and the fragrance work as a sort of one-two punch both should be considered at this point.

Anyway to my advice for a bit more discreet cologne that has a designer they will love:
Nobile by Gucci, they dont make it anymore but I found mine at a TJ Max for 15 bucks. Sticks close to the skin and is on the sophisticated side.

Aqua Di Gio - yes it is overused but if you are in a small town or country school I highly doubt anyone else will be wearing it even if it can be purchased at Wal Mart.

Black Code by Armani, reminds me a bit of a toned down Dreamer. Worth looking into.



My personal collection - http://www.basenotes.net/cgi-bin/vie...drobe=rapture2

so wat did u choose in the end?

lol "about 17"? :P hehe i should try using that one - im 16

Man I dont know about you but Ralph Lauren Romance always gets women asking my what Im wearing...its common but unique and doesnt really get "old" or burned out...

Don't worry about the Body Kouros, it's a very safe scent. Smells like cotton candy, and everybody likes cotton candy.

Give Issey Miyake a try.

lol the last post was from august 2005 til i asked which one he chose like a few days ago... been ages now
but yeah i agree with lasta - body kouros smells heaps good