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For my boyfriend...

post #1 of 25
10/26/06 at 7:04pm
Thread Starter 
Hey, I've just recently realized how much I love perfume, so I'm pretty new to the whole thing. I want to get my boyfriend something for Christmas and I wonder if you guys could help me. Currently he only wears Lynx (Axe) deodorant. I don't think he'll ever learn to really *love* fragrances but I'd like to smell something nice on him once in a while.

I don't have much to go on. He's 23 years old, a cartoonist and a comics fan...prefers Superman over Batman. I know that he likes the smell of coconut, but this might not be so good in a cologne. He doesn't really comment on my main perfume, L'eau d'Issey, but he liked it when I was wearing a tester of Nina Ricci's Nina, which is a light apple-y women's fragrance. I prefer not to smell strong musk or animal scents. Anything other than major brands like Dior, Gucci and Givenchy are difficult to find here in Brisbane, Australia. Finally, he suffers from hayfever, so I guess it can't be anything really overpowering.

If you could just give me a few suggestions, I'll try and drag him around to department stores and figure out what works for him. Thanks in advance!
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post #2 of 25
10/26/06 at 7:11pm
Marc Jacobs all the way. Its not heavy, has nice coconut-fig thing going on, nice longevity and sillage. Also not a bad price on it, and and and and....it can be used in any weather.
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post #3 of 25
10/26/06 at 7:14pm
Prefers Superman over Batman?? I'd leave him immediately.

But if you insist on staying, one way to convince him to wear a colonge you like is to tell him how much you love him wearing it (or show him...).

For a starter, I'd probably recommend the standby Acqua di Gio or Envy.

TNMA
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post #4 of 25
10/26/06 at 7:19pm
I second the Marc Jacobs
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post #5 of 25
10/26/06 at 7:35pm
Either Marc Jacobs (yum) or (believe it or not) Nemo by Cacharel. Among all that spice I pick up a very coconutty note that I can't quite put my finger on, but I love it.
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post #6 of 25
10/26/06 at 7:35pm
Hayfever problems? Then forget some of the newer L'Artisans

How about Terre d'Hermès? Cleaner, not musky, and contains 0.0% kryptonite
(well, at least on the description of ingredients on the box).
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post #7 of 25
10/26/06 at 7:59pm
If he likes the apple notes in your fragrance, maybe he would like something fresh like Kenneth Cole Reaction. Acqua de Gio is a great option because it is readily available and even though it forever bashed here on basenotes, it's a brilliant fragrance. What about the men's Issey? L'eau D'Issey? It's very nice as well and very fresh. Good luck.
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post #8 of 25
10/26/06 at 8:15pm
Its not a major brand, but Carnal Flower by Frederic Malle contains an exquisite (and persistent) coconut note.
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post #9 of 25
10/26/06 at 8:38pm
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While this has nothing to do with comics, you cited living in an area with limited range (probably only designer fragrances), so I might suggest trying out Rive Gauche by Yves St Laurent. If at least 3 stores here in middle-of-nowhere-Darwin have them, you're guaranteed to find it in Brisbane.

After all, this is about you wanting him to smell nice to you, from what I gather.
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post #10 of 25
10/26/06 at 9:07pm
I think he'll REALLY like Just Me for Men by Paris Hilton. It's very clean fresh and citrus.

Usually people not into fragracnes that much really like Citrus to begin with. Just Me for Men can be found in those little perfume stores all over the mall, Nordstrom, or online.

I wouldn't pay the full $49 for the 3.4 OZ bottle, you can probally get it for around $25 online, test it in stores then buy it online if you find out you like it.
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post #11 of 25
10/26/06 at 9:26pm
Azzaro Chrome, Kenneth Cole Reaction, and Polo Blue are all really nice smelling and safe. They should be easy to find, too . Good luck!
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post #12 of 25
10/26/06 at 9:49pm
If u have a credit card u can purchase at

>>>>>>> perfumeempire.au <<<<<<<<<<<<<


Great service, fast shipping, i bought my Cavalli Man bottle there.

For your boyfriend i think he likes warm smells. So ... he might like John Varvatos. Just tell him to go to the mall with u and try out some.
For some reason i think Marc Jacobs smells like curry =(
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post #13 of 25
10/26/06 at 11:52pm
As you are going into a nice warm summer down under I'd recommend

Chrome - Azzaro
212 Men - Carolina Herrera
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post #14 of 25
10/27/06 at 5:10am
I say Michael Kors!!! Have a look at the reviews here on Basenotes and I think you'll see it's what you want. You'd have no trouble finding it in Brisbane.

Welcome too!!

Eluard
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post #15 of 25
10/27/06 at 5:22am
Just a few more to consider:

DKNY Be Delicious Men - spicy, appley, coffe-ey (is that a word?) Cool flacon, too.

I'll second L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme and Carolina Herrara 212 Men.
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post #16 of 25
10/27/06 at 5:32am
Welcome to BN Clare.

May I offer Baldessarini , light, sweet, and sexy.


Dan
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post #17 of 25
10/27/06 at 10:11am
Before I read any other responses, Marc Jacobs came to mind. It should work.
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post #18 of 25
10/27/06 at 10:27am
I say start him off in style, with a Burberry fragrance. Weekend, Brit, the old and the new London are all great in different ways, easy to wear but not too mainstream, very stylish and with tasteful packaging.
Or, since he's a cartoon fan, try "Homer Simpson"
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post #19 of 25
10/27/06 at 11:01am
Chanel Platinum Egoiste (a very green scent, very potent; if you try it be sure to wait for the strong top notes to disappear before you decide if you like it or not)
Azzaro Chrome (this is a true girls attention grabber, believe me, don't ask me why; although I don't know if you really want your boyfriend to receive such attention from other girls)
YSL Kouros (many here say that this brings urine in mind when they smell it, but I don't get that association; is just a semi-fresh, semi-spicy scent that can be worn just as good in the winter, as in the summer)
CK Eternity (although is despised by many bnoters, I think this is a pretty good scent compared to most of the crap that was released in the last few years; it's a semi-sweet green scent that IMO would be a big step ahead from Axe)
Davidoff Good Life (has a strong fig note, I also detect some coconut notes in it)
Lancome Miracle L'Aquatonic (very fresh & grassy)
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post #20 of 25
10/27/06 at 11:43am
Well, it's always warm to hot up your way. I think the designer scents are the best ones for lasting in such weather.

Go to the shops and check out Paris Hilton for Men (seems to be going cheap everywhere at 40 to A$45 for a 100ml bottle), L'Eau D'Issey, Azzaro Chrome, Tommy T, Halston Unbound (but it may be difficult to find), Versace Green Jeans (piney citrus, going cheap), Rochas Aquaman, Boucheron Homme.

Chrome will probably be the longest lasting of the lot.

If you want to go a bit more cheaply, but still good and long lasting, check out the My Chemist stores. They often sell 30ml bottles of Zipped Sport for $10, 50ml bottles and aftershave gift sets of Christian Lacroix Bazaar for $15, 100ml bottles of Gabriela Sabatini's Wild Wind For Men for $15, and sometimes 100ml bottles of Benetton Sport Men for $30. And they all smell pretty good to me, and I think they're bargains. (Don't consider buying the other cheap scents there, with names you've never heard of - they are rubbish).

(While you are at it, if you see the women's Christian Lacroix Bazaar going for $20, do yourself a favour and grab it - it's an extremely good fruity scent).

The advantage of going the cheaper route is that he'll have a number of good scents to rotate, and if it turns out that it's not his thing, you haven't wasted much.
Renato
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post #21 of 25
10/27/06 at 12:00pm
On the coconut note, in addition to Marc Jacobs, you might also consider

Obsession Night for Men by Calvin Klein,
Paul Smith London for Men, and
Jungle pour Homme by Kenzo.

I think you're better off choosing something based on what he likes, not what's popular. It's more thoughtful, more meaningful, and I think less likely to be resented (if that's a concern). Besides, a lot of those popular fragrances are just boring.

Good luck!
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post #22 of 25
10/27/06 at 3:30pm
find something you like, you're the one who's going to be in the clinches with him and if you're generally compatible... maybe that would work just fine
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post #23 of 25
10/27/06 at 9:18pm
Thierry Mugler's A*Men. It's the superheroes in Marvel comics that gave him the inspiration to create this fragrance. The stainless steel flacon clearly demonstrate that. I think the BF will like it !
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post #24 of 25
10/28/06 at 4:35pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! I'm going to avoid the more "mainstream" fragrances like Paris Hilton and Acqua di Gio cause he'll be prejudiced against them from the start, but I have a huge list of stuff to try now! I can't wait to go test stuff out.
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post #25 of 25
11/1/06 at 10:52pm
I dont think Paris Hilton fragrance is a mainstream 1. Not many people have it... i guess ^^"
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