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Smoke and Mirrors - nice bottle, nice opening notes, but then........

post #1 of 12
6/12/07 at 8:15am
Thread Starter 
Inspired by an observation by fellow Basenoter GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR, I'm curious as to what fragrances you've had the experience of a good first hour or so, and then it tranforming into an insipid mess?
For me, Capucci Pour Homme and Givenchy Gentleman, after opening brilliantly, devolve into something unrecognizable and unremarkable.
Any other candidates out there?
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post #2 of 12
6/12/07 at 9:10am
DKNY Be Delicious - possibly the best grapefruit/apple opening in the history of perfume (akin to Calyx by Prescriptives) that dries down to whisper light fruit/musk bore-fest

Luctor Et Emergo by People of the Labyrinths - quite dazzling top notes (really nice cherry...and incense) that dries down to DEATH BY PLAYDOH, a quite realistic playdoh note that will not go away.
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post #3 of 12
6/12/07 at 9:22am
Here's three of those sort of scents:

L'Homme by YSL: Nice violet in the top and middle notes (I'm a sucker for violets), but crummy generic synthetic musky drydown.

Givenchy Pi: Great opening, then pure powder that chokes you to death.

L'Eau Bleue d'Issey Pour Homme: Starts off nice and herbal, but then turns into this horrible smell that I can't decode. Thank goodness BPI pulled it off the shelves here.
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post #4 of 12
6/12/07 at 9:26am
Wow, my Gentleman must be either different to or wear differently on my skin than yours, Ruggles! Because it's beautiful from the opening on down to its "basest" notes

The one that goes most flat on me is Xeryus Rouge - love the opening - sweet and peppery and sexy - and then it just "BLAH CEDAR!" all of a sudden.
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post #5 of 12
6/12/07 at 9:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruggles View Post

For me, Capucci Pour Homme and Givenchy Gentleman, after opening brilliantly, devolve into something unrecognizable and unremarkable.
Any other candidates out there?

I've had a similar experience with my Capucci. I've ended up compensating by applying a few layers. I think that combined with my oily skin "prolongs" the really outstanding opening as it re-fires up over time. Great scent nevertheless.

Best regards,

Mike
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post #6 of 12
6/12/07 at 10:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruggles View Post

I'm curious as to what fragrances you've had the experience of a good first hour or so, and then it tranforming into an insipid mess?
For me, Capucci Pour Homme and Givenchy Gentleman, after opening brilliantly, devolve into something unrecognizable and unremarkable.
Any other candidates out there?

The original Gentleman's one of the finest, most long lasting creations out there. Has beautiful evolution all the way through. Far from an insipid mess. You must have gotten the new stuff which has been attenuated and lacks the animalic base.

As Luca Turin said, "There are now many fragrances in which the company has spent all the money on the top notes. Almost every modern fragrance. They have 85 dollars for the formula and they spend 83-and-a-half on the first five minutes. So the beginning is like a rollercoaster and then it just dies".

Ironically, the Japanese dislike top notes. Every fragrance tester is paired with a single, well-used test strip labeled with its name and impregnated with the scent. No clean strips are provided. So by sampling perfumes this way you eliminate the top notes.
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post #7 of 12
6/12/07 at 11:26am
Thread Starter 
To Rent Boy and Pluran, the vintage Givenchy Gentleman most have been fantastic, as the first hour is still glorious. I have to admit that the Civet Cat's existence is more important than my vanity!
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post #8 of 12
6/12/07 at 1:37pm
I'm sure I'll be dragged in front of the firing line for this, but...

Bois du Portugal dries down into a dreadfully stodgy "old man" smell on me after a brilliant opening. Montale's Aoud Ambre is another one that starts out well for me, then turns into a syrupy train wreck.

Now pardon me while I dodge the bullets!:bounce:
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post #9 of 12
6/16/07 at 7:28pm
Nostalgia by SMN starts off with rubber tires and car smell and then goes to rasberries.
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post #10 of 12
6/16/07 at 8:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rentboy View Post

Wow, my Gentleman must be either different to or wear differently on my skin than yours, Ruggles! Because it's beautiful from the opening on down to its "basest" notes

Agreed, even though mine is the formulation.
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post #11 of 12
6/16/07 at 11:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vibert View Post

I'm sure I'll be dragged in front of the firing line for this, but...

Bois du Portugal dries down into a dreadfully stodgy "old man" smell on me after a brilliant opening. Montale's Aoud Ambre is another one that starts out well for me, then turns into a syrupy train wreck.

Now pardon me while I dodge the bullets!:bounce:


Yep, get the rifles, everyone.

BdP does have a strong drydown, and while I don't think of it as Old Man, I wouldn't
mind smellin' like that as an old man.

hehe
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post #12 of 12
6/17/07 at 12:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vibert View Post

I'm sure I'll be dragged in front of the firing line for this, but...

Bois du Portugal dries down into a dreadfully stodgy "old man" smell on me after a brilliant opening. Montale's Aoud Ambre is another one that starts out well for me, then turns into a syrupy train wreck.

Now pardon me while I dodge the bullets!:bounce:

Haha, better watch you back, too, when there's a whiff of stodgy old man in the air
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Smoke and Mirrors - nice bottle, nice opening notes, but then........