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An Inexpensive Men's Scent that should be more expensive

post #1 of 41
12/29/06 at 4:18pm
Thread Starter 
Happy New Year!
I am wanting to get some ideas from the Professionals in Basenotes on inexpensive scents that smell really good for little money. I have a couple of expensive ones, but since my wife and I have twins.. I have little $$ to spend on scents any longer. Any help and suggestions would be great..
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post #2 of 41
12/29/06 at 4:24pm
Opium pour Homme EdT $9.99 at Sephora.com
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post #3 of 41
12/29/06 at 4:36pm
Tomorrow by Avon - $10 on ebay.

Bvlgari Black - $20 - $25 on ebay

Lolita Lempicka au masculin - $25 - $30 on ebay, sometimes cheaper!
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post #4 of 41
12/29/06 at 5:12pm
Here's one. I bought three; two for gifts and one for me. It's a very sweet scent and I love it.

Be aware that the cologne comes in a tin can and the cologne's flimsy, plastic top will break easily in shipping; happened to two of my bottles and one leaked completely out. He refunded my money but I would insist that he remove the bottle/cap from the can and package it seperately from the can if I ordered it again.


Dan
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post #5 of 41
12/29/06 at 5:17pm
Jacques Fath Yang and Halston Unbound can both be found for under $20 USD on the net. Although, Yang is getting harder and harder to find.
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post #6 of 41
12/29/06 at 9:05pm
  • Joy
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Iceberg Twice pour Homme.

Comes with 125ml EDT, 125ml aftershave and a 5ml sampler, usually for about 5-15 bucks on ebay. The packaging and quality of the cologne suggest it's an expensive designer cologne.
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post #7 of 41
12/29/06 at 9:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Subhalen

Happy New Year!
I am wanting to get some ideas from the Professionals in Basenotes on inexpensive scents that smell really good for little money. I have a couple of expensive ones, but since my wife and I have twins.. I have little $$ to spend on scents any longer. Any help and suggestions would be great..

Zizanie, from Fragonard. For an example of cost, it's $16.49 at the moment for 4 oz. at Scentiments. To me, it's the epitome of elegance; I find it profoundly uplifting to wear it.
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post #8 of 41
12/30/06 at 7:07am
For ones you won't have to go on the net for:
Monsieur Musk - usually can be found for $9-10 at drugstore
English Leather - also doesn't cost much & avail at drugstore

I also like Brut but I don't think it comes across as expensive
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post #9 of 41
12/30/06 at 8:30am
i honestly dont know what the fascination with Dana's English Leather is. I absolutely detest the scent, it smells like motor oil and a nursing home (most of my friends agree). When i was first exploring cologne it was the first thing i checked out since it was cheap and everyone seemed to like it from the reviews i read. However, i've realized that in real life most people think it smells rancid. When i asked a Sales Associate to let me sample some she exclaimed, "don't try it! you don't want to smell like an old geezer!".
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post #10 of 41
12/30/06 at 8:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sofreshsoclean

i honestly dont know what the fascination with Dana's English Leather is. I absolutely detest the scent, it smells like motor oil and a nursing home (most of my friends agree). When i was first exploring cologne it was the first thing i checked out since it was cheap and everyone seemed to like it from the reviews i read. However, i've realized that in real life most people think it smells rancid. When i asked a Sales Associate to let me sample some she exclaimed, "don't try it! you don't want to smell like an old geezer!".

This speaks more of your skin chemistry and peer group then the worth of the cologne. I am not saying that Dana English Leather is on a par with such beauties as Knize Ten, Fendi Uomo, Lagerfeld Classic but there is a good reason for it still being available and selling consistently.

Sales Associates are just ordinary people on the other side of the counter - they could be selling meat or batteries for all that they truly understand or care about perfumes. There are rare SAs who, like us here on Basenotes, adore a wide range of scents and like to educate themselves about their own and other's products. As I have said they are a rarity rather than the norm.

I appreciate that you may not like Dana English Leather and that it doesn't work for you. Sorry. But there are many for who it does work - it is best to test and see. Personally, I prefer Dana English Leather Spiced & Dana English Leather Musk to the original but I can still appreciate that it is a pretty good scent especially at it's present price. It is Classic rather than 'old man' but as always - each to his own.
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post #11 of 41
12/30/06 at 10:18am
Well English Leather is horrible! BUT English Leather Musk and from what Ive heard Spiced is Da Bomb! I love the Musk!
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post #12 of 41
12/30/06 at 10:55am
Society Yachting is a nice but cheap marine scent.
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post #13 of 41
12/30/06 at 11:41am
What about Quorum? (that one's for Chris)
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post #14 of 41
12/30/06 at 12:19pm
Guerlain Heritage is my pick. It's under $25 at scentiments.com for a 3.4oz, new in box (a lifetime supply). I'm wearing this today and I cannot believe the quality! It's driving me crazy though - I KNOW I have smelled this before, even owned it, but it is my first Guerlain. Can anyone think of any scents similar to Heritage? It would definitely be a non-niche, mass-market frag. I'm not trying to hijack the thread, and will probably start another, just for this question.

Thanks,

Paul
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post #15 of 41
12/30/06 at 1:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by moondeva

This speaks more of your skin chemistry and peer group then the worth of the cologne. I am not saying that Dana English Leather is on a par with such beauties as Knize Ten, Fendi Uomo, Lagerfeld Classic but there is a good reason for it still being available and selling consistently.

Sales Associates are just ordinary people on the other side of the counter - they could be selling meat or batteries for all that they truly understand or care about perfumes. There are rare SAs who, like us here on Basenotes, adore a wide range of scents and like to educate themselves about their own and other's products. As I have said they are a rarity rather than the norm.

I appreciate that you may not like Dana English Leather and that it doesn't work for you. Sorry. But there are many for who it does work - it is best to test and see. Personally, I prefer Dana English Leather Spiced & Dana English Leather Musk to the original but I can still appreciate that it is a pretty good scent especially at it's present price. It is Classic rather than 'old man' but as always - each to his own.

Thank you Moondeva. Beautiful exposition.

Chypres - for instance - took me a while to even begin to grasp. If one has an open mind and is willing to learn...
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post #16 of 41
12/30/06 at 1:11pm
Actually, I know of a few individuals who English Leather actually works very well on. When folks wear these masculine-smelling scents into the drydown-mixed-with-body-chemistry, you would be surprised with the effect this has on others.

Here, take these:

KL Homme
Lapidus Pour Homme
Krizia Uomo...

I have seen others react pleasantly to these fragrances too many times to even begin to think that these (to some - horrible smelling fragrances) do not work very very well!
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post #17 of 41
4/30/07 at 7:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joy View Post

Iceberg Twice pour Homme.

Comes with 125ml EDT, 125ml aftershave and a 5ml sampler, usually for about 5-15 bucks on ebay. The packaging and quality of the cologne suggest it's an expensive designer cologne.

I would say the same about iceberg homme, which i did buy here in germany from rossmann for 12,- € 50ml bottle.

citrus, flowery ( or aromatic - don´t know, am not experienced enough ). cool fresh light elegant scent for daytime use.

Ebay germany offer: http://cgi.ebay.de/ICEBERG-HOMME-EAU...QQcmdZViewItem
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post #18 of 41
4/30/07 at 9:29am
The EDTs made by Saint Charles Shave are a bargain and are probably underpriced by a half. I recently bought the New Spice and the Bay Rum with a Twist, and anticipate picking up the remainder of the scents (with the except of the vetiver) as soon as the site's internet store is back up.
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post #19 of 41
4/30/07 at 9:55am
Candies for men - surpising sillage, lasting power and compliments from a $15 dollar bottle (100ml)
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post #20 of 41
4/30/07 at 10:02am
YATAGAN - ONE OF THE BEST AT ANY PRICE ABOUT $30.00
AND I WOULD GLADLY PAY $200.00 TO REPLACE IT
ANYTHING FROM CARON - HEAVILY DISCOUNTED
@ www.imaginationperfumery.com and others


AS JOY MENTIONED - ICEBURG TWICE POUR HOMME
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post #21 of 41
4/30/07 at 10:10am
Carven Homme is frequently mentioned as a good buy, smelling more expensive than it actually is. You may want to try it. I've blind ordered a small bottle which should arrive soon.
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post #22 of 41
4/30/07 at 10:10am
Forgot to add:
Adidas Victory League (recently spotted this at TJ Maxx @ $9; was surprisingly impressed)
Tabac Original

Regarding English Leather, all frags are heavily skin dependent (as well as nose dependent).

I would also take anything an SA says with a big grain of salt. Let's face it, if an SA is getting a commission, s/he would do much better off financially selling you pretty much anything but English Leather! If an SA recommended English Leather I would be totally surprised.
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post #23 of 41
4/30/07 at 10:29am
3rd man by CARON
The stuff is AWE---SOME!
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post #24 of 41
4/30/07 at 12:17pm
In my mind, inexpensive = mass-market.
Kerr has done a very good job at listing that kind of stuff.

Stetson original is not bad either.
Simon Chang's Maestro is a very nice old-school chypre.
So is Oscar pour lui.
Yves Rocher stuff is nice, good-quality in general.
Pierre Cardin pour monsieur (original) is a very nice old-school scent too.
Sung Homme is another classic leathery chypre, very long lasting and masculine, which can be found for cheap. (at least here, in drugstores)
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post #25 of 41
4/30/07 at 12:33pm
I wish all the aquatics were more expensive, that way, Americans would be less likely to buy it, and we'd have a little diversity among us.
- Rich
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post #26 of 41
4/30/07 at 12:49pm
Dunhill Edition
Paco Rabanne XS

Both can be purchased regularly on eBay and occasionally from BN members.

jim
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post #27 of 41
4/30/07 at 3:13pm
To not forget: Jacomo de Jacomo and Grey Flannel (real "classics")
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post #28 of 41
4/30/07 at 3:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rjrober22 View Post

3rd man by CARON
The stuff is AWE---SOME!

Could not agree more. It is much more wearable than most creeds I've tried...how does Caron do it? (said semi-rhetorically)
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post #29 of 41
4/30/07 at 5:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CM Wolff View Post

The EDTs made by Saint Charles Shave are a bargain and are probably underpriced by a half. I recently bought the New Spice and the Bay Rum with a Twist, and anticipate picking up the remainder of the scents (with the except of the vetiver) as soon as the site's internet store is back up.

Agreed. I think I mentioned her Vetiver in a thread a week or so ago.
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post #30 of 41
4/30/07 at 6:49pm
Paris Hilton for Men
Vey fruity, and refreshing. Very nice sillage and longevity.

$11.95 on eBay for a new 3.4oz
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post #31 of 41
4/30/07 at 8:53pm
Two Italian colognes which are good for the summer.

- Sergio Tacchini **** It has few, but qualified reviews in the directory. There are 'special offers' occasionally, and it always has a particularly favorable price/value relationship.
- Nino Cerruti **** Discontinued. Sometimes popping up in auctions at a nice price, almost a legend. Nice reviews! Grab if you can!
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post #32 of 41
5/1/07 at 4:52am
  • Ged
  • offline
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I would much prefer to spend $20-30 on a great bargain than $10 on a drugstore cheapo. With this in mind, ones that I've picked up for that price include:

Caron PUH
YSL Body Kouros, Opium, Rive Gauche
Dunhill Edition
Guerlain Heritage and Vetiver, possibly also Habit rouge EDC
Azzaro PH
Bvlgari PH
CK Eternity (a neglected great for casual wear)
Fendi Uomo
XS
Givenchy Gentleman

So many good fragrances for under $30 it's crazy!
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post #33 of 41
5/2/07 at 11:41am
All Guerlains
Caron PuH
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post #34 of 41
5/2/07 at 11:43am
I'd put it the another way around:

An expensive men's scent that should be less expensive.

There are many fragrances out there that have ridiculous high prices that smell awful.
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post #35 of 41
5/4/07 at 9:53pm
Opium pour homme and Bvlgari pour homme seem ridiculously low-priced on Fragranceshop.com.
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post #36 of 41
5/4/07 at 11:38pm
Creed and Clive Christian, they are way too cheap. J/K
Now Subhalen give me more cowbell!
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post #37 of 41
5/5/07 at 10:38am
Habanita (marketed to women, but great for men)
Yatagan
Devin

All for about $30 or less online.
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post #38 of 41
6/11/07 at 5:42am
Not the cheapest by any means, but at $60.00 (USD), I think that the orig. Acqua di Parma should be more expensive; if for nothing else but the history.
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post #39 of 41
6/11/07 at 9:27pm
Ava Luxe's entire collection

oh, and the Creed smell-a-likes like Heritage, XS, MI, etc I guess.
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post #40 of 41
6/11/07 at 10:28pm
Dior Homme
Guerlain Heritage
Guerlain Vetiver
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post #41 of 41
6/12/07 at 12:01am
YSL Rive Gauche
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