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Great colognes that won't break a budget

post #1 of 25
1/9/07 at 10:48pm
Thread Starter 
Happy new year everyone!...just wondering if anyone is guilty of spending way too much on cologne this christmas cuz I sure did. Well anyway, I'm new to basenotes (by the way, awesome website) and actually new to colognes (not necessarily new, but new in the way of appreciating it like the pros do amongst the threads that i read). I've actually learned quite a bit since, but I guess the real question is... Any recommendations on great frags that won't bust my piggy bank jar? I'm talking from classics to current... those sleeper frags that no uses anymore or just don't know about (around the $30 range or less..online or retail stores). I'm pretty familiar with the most popular ones from the basenote community for ex. dior homme, hermes, chanel, creed, a*men, etc... and I'm a firm believer in "you get what you pay for" but i'm sure there's some overlooked frags that truly don't require you to shell out tons of $$$ (besides it's always better when you get something great for cheaper). anyway, thanks for the suggestions guys!

PS. I just picked up m7 1.7oz for $19 (got lucky maybe)
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post #2 of 25
1/10/07 at 3:17am
Carven Pour Homme (14.99 for 3.4 ounces)
Vermeil (around 20 bucks for 3.4 ounces)
Paul Smith London for men (around 27 bucks for 1/7 ounces)
Heritage (around 30 bucks for 3.4 ounces)
L'Occitane Vetyver (3.4 ounces 40$)

these just popped into my head first...
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post #3 of 25
1/10/07 at 5:01am
  • kbe
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[QUOTE=Any recommendations on great frags that won't bust my piggy bank jar?QUOTE]

Welcome to Basenotes!

And while you are at it check out online discount stores that sell testers at prices reduced from already reduced prices if you dont mind not having original boxes and sometimes no cap. You can save another 5-10-% that way.

Also, check places like
www.FatWallet.com and
www.dealcatcher.com
for online discount coupons or free shipping deals at the online seller you pick.

i.e. two I have had good luck with:
www.perfumeshop.com,
www.bigdiscount.com

and some others mentioned in other threads as reliable by Basenoters.

Good hunting!


Ken
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post #4 of 25
1/10/07 at 5:23am
Hey, What's up. Try these:

XS
The Dreamer
Chrome
Rochas Man
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post #5 of 25
1/10/07 at 7:09am
Iceberg Twice

Rochas Man
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post #6 of 25
1/10/07 at 7:20am
Guerlain's Héritage tops this list for me, with Versace's Blue Jeans and Black Jeans WAY up there for both quality and affordability. Have to include Fahrenheit and FCUK Him, as well as Gianfranco Ferre (the original). Can't forget Versace's The Dreamer and Halston 1-12, and definitely shouldn't omit Versace L'Homme. Carven pour Homme is an exceptional buy, as is Basi pour Homme. SO many good fragrances . . . oh, screw it all. Here's a thread I started in October along the same lines -- this should make my list/others' lists of good, affordable much more accessible: http://community.basenotes.net/showt...ight=bang+buck
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post #7 of 25
1/10/07 at 7:36am
I second Guerlains Heritage and Versace Dreamer, if you buy them from discounters or clearance outfits. But you can get from most any drugstore, del Poso Quazar, Caron Pour un homme, 3rd Man, Yatagan, and the old standby, Dana Canoe.
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post #8 of 25
1/10/07 at 8:01am
Bvlgari Black (around $20 for a tester on ebay)
Lolita Lempicka au masculin (around $25 on ebay)

But, most things can be found pretty inexpensively on ebay and online e-tailers. Also, check out www.froogle.com. Type in the frag that you're looking for, and it'll compare the prices from several online e-tailers.
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post #9 of 25
1/10/07 at 9:24am
YSL Opium Pour Homme EDT 1.7 oz. - $10 at Sephora's
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post #10 of 25
1/10/07 at 9:39am
Any of the discount stores - Ross, etc... Just need to keep checking so you do not miss anything as they may only get 1 or 2 bottles of something good. I have found Opium pour Homme (the $10 at Sephora is a great buy), The Dreamer, and different Azzaro scents. The most you would usually pay here is about $20.
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post #11 of 25
1/10/07 at 10:06am
I would recommend a fragrance I can buy at my local grocery store (Publix here in the Miami) called "Colonia Sandalo" by Legitima. It's $3.95 for a 4 oz bottle - I know, I would NEVER have guessed that I would have liked this.

But I read a review of it on Perfume Critic and bought it, and fell in love with it. It's a light inexpensive cologne that is surprisingly strong & long lasting. I think it's Cuban, but I highly recommend it.

Check it out if you can find it in your area (it's all over the South Florida area).
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post #12 of 25
1/10/07 at 10:23am
Davidoff Zino ($10/1oz at Marshalls)
Lanvin Arpege ($20/3.4oz at Marshalls)
Diesel Zero Plus ($15/2.5oz at TJmaxx)
B*Men ($30/3.4oz TJMaxx)
212 Men ($20/1oz at Walmart)
Gucci Envy or PH($25/1.7oz TJMaxx)
PE 360 White or Black ($15/1.7oz TJMaxx)
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post #13 of 25
1/10/07 at 10:31am
And how could I forget:

YSL Rive Gauche ($25/4.2oz Tjmaxx)
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post #14 of 25
1/10/07 at 12:41pm
Thread Starter 
All you guys rock! thank you sooo much....now I have quite bit to try out...Also, I know not too many say much about this line but what do you think about the perry ellis 360s....they're also cheap, any suggestion or should I not even consider it....I know all this is subjective but I just want some personal opinions from all of yous..Thanks again!
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post #15 of 25
1/10/07 at 12:50pm
Thread Starter 
One more thing...as a new member to the community, I noticed now that everytime I go out with my wife i seem to always find ways to go and smell my life away at a frag store...am i becoming an addict. I try to smell a few at a time, but I can't help it, i try to smell everything that i read on basenotes.....help me (i guess)...also, is there a such thing as your nose becoming "mature" cuz some of the popular or suggested frags that are considered prestidgous just doesn't do it for me...Most of the frags i do own are mostly some of the comercial ones out there. I just wonder if my nose will actually have an acquired taste (like wine, cuz i used to just be a beer drinker but my wife drinks wine...which pretty much makes me a wine drinker now...but I've come to appreciate it since i live so close to napa valley)...Thanks for all the help again
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post #16 of 25
1/10/07 at 1:16pm
well, be aware that when smelling strips you're getting top notes mostly, also it smells different on skin than on cardboard/paper/etcetc.

To really get a sense of a fragrance, I think you have to wear it two or three times, days apart and be sure and sniff your point of application three times: once about 5-10 minutes after application, once about two hours later and once about four hours later. That will give you a good sense of how it develops.

I have had a number of fragrances turn out different than I initially thought once I started really wearing it.
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post #17 of 25
1/10/07 at 2:50pm
First of all let me say that "pour_hommey" is definitely, hands-down the funniest Basenotes' name that I have ever seen!!!!!!!!!! Literally cracked up out loud when I read the name!!!!
For some scents for less cents try these:

*Claiborne Sport for Men
*Escada Magnetism
*Jacomo de Jacomo Rouge
*Givenchy Pour Homme
*Guerlain Vetiver...may love....may hate
*Halston Unbound for men
*Tommy T
*Swiss Army
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post #18 of 25
1/10/07 at 3:18pm
Welcome, bro. I assume you have discovered Scentiments.com? Biggest bargain for me was 20 bucks for Guerlain Vetiver. Large bottle. The stuff rocks, so does Scentiments. For my last birthday, my wife got me The Dreamer which I absolutely LOVE -- she paid full price at the department store - Scentiments had it for 25 bucks cheaper. I returned it, my wife was happy to save a few bucks as well.
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post #19 of 25
1/10/07 at 9:12pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks all! This will help me greatly
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post #20 of 25
1/10/07 at 10:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by globetrekker

Any of the discount stores - Ross, etc... Just need to keep checking so you do not miss anything as they may only get 1 or 2 bottles of something good. I have found Opium pour Homme (the $10 at Sephora is a great buy), The Dreamer, and different Azzaro scents. The most you would usually pay here is about $20.


Darn the Sephora Website, Opium is out of stock and the downtown Seattle one doesn't have them anymore either
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post #21 of 25
1/10/07 at 10:38pm
Gucci Envy is pretty inexpensive. I think its about 28 bucks for a 1.7 OZ bottle online.
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post #22 of 25
1/12/07 at 6:51am
If you're going for retail and not internet buys, you might want to try out PerryEllis 360 Black for men. I think it's one of the very few PE that's bottle worthy and a step up on the 360 line.
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post #23 of 25
1/12/07 at 10:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by thisbekevinn

Darn the Sephora Website, Opium is out of stock and the downtown Seattle one doesn't have them anymore either

Check TJMaxx. 3.4 oz is $25. Or $23 from Bigdiscount
http://www.bigdiscount.com/fragrance...b=men&gender=M
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post #24 of 25
1/12/07 at 10:09am
If you guys have a Burlington Coat Factory nearby, they have a number of scents at 50% off.
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post #25 of 25
1/12/07 at 10:29am
True, and they (Burlington Coat Factory) sometimes will get special shipments in very cheap. I've bought Trussardi Uomo there before, as well as many others that you don't see around everday.
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