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Any sleepers out there?

post #1 of 29
9/3/07 at 1:05pm
Thread Starter 
Having switched from a double-income-one-kid to a single-income-two-kid lifestyle has greatly increased my interest in low price - high quality perfumes .
Now it's nice to have things like Pino Silvestre, that are cheap, classic and IMHO great, but even more intriguing to me are obscure perfumes in the low price range that offer amazing quality or creativity, though hardly anybody knows them. These frequently seem to be frags from second or third-tier designers, established on national markets only or even little known there. Réné Lezard comes to mind, a German fashion firm that's turned out horrid fragrances with the exception of the ingenious Identité. A recent discovery (on ebay) was Tristano by Tristano Onofri, another German fashion outfit from Düsseldorf, a very well-done late 80s concoction. My SOTD is Charro, from Italy, which has an amazingly good black pepper note and loads more. So, are you willing to share some obscure one-hit-wonders, hidden gems that deserve more attention?
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post #2 of 29
9/3/07 at 1:15pm
Great question.

One that came to my mind instantly is: Acqua Della Macchia Mediterranea by Borsari Di Parma.

This gets lots of love on the Womens discussion board. If you enjoy VERY dry and VERY herbal scents, you'll love ADMM. I think the mid notes remind me of a classic fougere (Calvin by CK, or Rive Gauche Pur Homme by YSL) and the longevity is top notch.

I am not sure where to buy it in Germany, but here in the US the site 1st perfumes sells it for $14.99 for a 3.4 ox EdT.

This has sleeper written all over it.
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post #3 of 29
9/3/07 at 1:18pm
Don't yet have it in my personal wardrobe, but Carven Homme seems to be in the "sleeper" catagory per several basenoters.
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post #4 of 29
9/3/07 at 1:23pm
FWIW, I know several Basenoters have had BAD experiences shopping at 1stperfumes. (But places like perfumedistributor.com, which I trust from personal experience, have the Borsari Di Parma that Mike mentions listed for the same price or lower...)

--------

Anyway, I'll add Lacoste Booster to the suggestions so far. Picked up a bottle recently and am really enjoying it.
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post #5 of 29
9/3/07 at 2:09pm
The Comme des Garcons Cologne Range is very inexpensive and you get very large amounts of it - its a great buy and still in a sort-of-nice category. I know that they have decreased the size of the bottles from 17 ounces to 8 or 4 - Im not really sure, but if you did some searching, you could probably find the older, larger bottles.
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post #6 of 29
9/3/07 at 2:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkDavid View Post

The Comme des Garcons Cologne Range is very inexpensive and you get very large amounts of it - its a great buy and still in a sort-of-nice category. I know that they have decreased the size of the bottles from 17 ounces to 8 or 4 - Im not really sure, but if you did some searching, you could probably find the older, larger bottles.

I loves my big bottle of Vettiveru . Anbar & Citrico are probably not my thing from the way I read the reviews. However, I would not consider anything by CdG a sleeper .
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post #7 of 29
9/3/07 at 2:54pm
Vermeil - Jean Louis Vermeil 3.4 oz. 25$
Provence Sante - Vetyver 3.4 oz. 30$
Open - Roger and Gallet 1.7 oz. 12.99$
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post #8 of 29
9/3/07 at 4:11pm
From my experience, those 2 sites are the same company and you can check the domain registration information:

Registrant:
Manum
1548 2nd ave
New York, New York 10028
United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: PERFUMEDISTRIBUTOR.COM
Created on: 27-Aug-99
Expires on: 01-Feb-10
Last Updated on: 27-Oct-06

Administrative Contact:
Sethi, Manoj perfumedistributor@yahoo.com
Manum
1548 2nd ave
New York, New York 10028
United States
7184231555 Fax -- 2126288084
----------------------------------------------------------------

Registrant:
Manum
1548 2nd ave
New York, New York 10028
United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: 1STPERFUME.COM
Created on: 03-Jul-00
Expires on: 01-Feb-11
Last Updated on: 27-Oct-06

Administrative Contact:
Sethi, Manoj perfumedistributor@yahoo.com
Manum
1548 2nd ave
New York, New York 10028
United States
7184231555 Fax -- 2126288084


Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulSC View Post

FWIW, I know several Basenoters have had BAD experiences shopping at 1stperfumes. (But places like perfumedistributor.com, which I trust from personal experience, have the Borsari Di Parma that Mike mentions listed for the same price or lower...)
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post #9 of 29
9/3/07 at 5:15pm
My favorite sleeper is, Eau Dynamisante by Clarins. Citrus, herbs and some wood. I think it's around 25 Euro for a 50ml bottle. The shower gel is also quite nice - very thick, so a little goes a long way.
I'll also second Carven pour Homme.
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post #10 of 29
9/3/07 at 5:19pm
Hey, Jock_With_Scent, can you give us a brief review of those? Please?
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post #11 of 29
9/3/07 at 5:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lsp_NY View Post

From my experience, those 2 sites are the same company...

Ack! My mistake: I've ordered successfully from perfumeoutlet.net, not from perfumedistributor.com -- and it does seem like perfumedistributor is the same as 1stperfumes, and therefore suspect (in my book at least). The perfumeoutlet.net site, unfortunately, doesn't carry Acqua Della Macchia Mediterranea...

Sorry for wasting space on your thread, good_life!
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post #12 of 29
9/3/07 at 6:00pm
That Man by Revlon (discontinued, yes, but still reasonable)
Carven Homme by Carven
Paul Sebastian Design by Paul Sebastian
Vermeil by Jean Louis Vermeil
Monsieur Morabito by Pascal Morabito (and really ALL the Morabito scents)
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post #13 of 29
9/3/07 at 7:24pm
Ava Luxe - Green Tea
and
Ava Luxe - Wild Blackberry Musk

Both are definatly sleepers and both are $45 for a 60 ml EdP
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post #14 of 29
9/3/07 at 9:59pm
Pierre Cardin Pou Homme is a great value--someone recently called it "a poor man's Bois du Pertugal" On one hand, this is a good call--but this desserves a place on these boards on it's own right!
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post #15 of 29
9/3/07 at 10:11pm
Carlo Corinto stuff should be cheap, but I've seen it in brick and morter stores for too much money. I think the first one, simply Carlo Corinto, is fantastic. Also the Vetyver by CC gets great reviews here but I haven't tried it yet.

I also think Molinard's Patchouli, Rafale, and Madrigal are sleeper über-scents.
--Chris
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post #16 of 29
9/3/07 at 10:49pm
One of my staple scents is definetly a sleeper-Bogart Pour Homme. Sweet pipe tobacco and patchouli.
I've seen 3.4 bottles online for about $20.00.
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post #17 of 29
9/3/07 at 11:08pm
I forgot that I go for RL Chaps too. It smells like a poor man's vintage Tabarome to me.
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post #18 of 29
9/3/07 at 11:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DustB View Post

I also think Molinard's Patchouli, Rafale, and Madrigal are sleeper über-scents.
--Chris

Thumbs up to Molinard's Madrigal. Do they sell Molinard in the U.S.? I got mine from Canada.
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post #19 of 29
9/3/07 at 11:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DustB View Post

I forgot that I go for RL Chaps too. It smells like a poor man's vintage Tabarome to me.

Exactly what came to mind when i smelled it a while ago. Might spring for a bottle of this soon.
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post #20 of 29
9/4/07 at 12:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by knightowl View Post

Exactly what came to mind when i smelled it a while ago. Might spring for a bottle of this soon.

Yesssss! Right arm, KO brother!

Someone out there understands.
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post #21 of 29
9/4/07 at 5:56am
Lancome: Sagamore
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post #22 of 29
9/4/07 at 6:05am
Lancetti Être Pour Homme
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post #23 of 29
9/4/07 at 8:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruggles View Post

Thumbs up to Molinard's Madrigal. Do they sell Molinard in the U.S.? I got mine from Canada.

Hey, Ruggles, thanks for asking. Sorry I didn't see your question earlier.

Yes, I've seen Madrigal for sale in the US, but only in smaller shops. One of them closed, since I bought a bottle there too. I've seen Madrigal and several others listed on online retailer perfume stores too. Much cheaper there, and where I'll get any next purchases of Molinard.
--Chris
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post #24 of 29
9/4/07 at 10:08am
My top 2 sleeper recs...

Spazio Krizia Uomo
Romeo Gigli per Uomo
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post #25 of 29
9/4/07 at 11:07am
Provence Sante Vetyver is a spicy vetyver that reminds me of cool, damp earth. Lasting power is about 4 hours, but at 27$ for 3.3 oz, I can't complain.

Vermeil - This is a smokey deep dark greenish brown smell. It makes me thing of 'Guido the killer pimp' making a deal in the back of a smokey Manhattan bar. Kind of old school in feel but fairly interesting too.

Open - Roger and Gallet- I bought this after sniffing on vacation. It a spicy, woody scent with citrus at the top, and drying down with a slightly soapy feel. I get a little of Chevalier d'Orsay from it and that is probably why I adore it.

These are my 10 cent novice reviews on these as requested. Geez...I suck at describing stuff.
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post #26 of 29
9/4/07 at 12:34pm
Society Yachting - excellent marine
Capucci PH - spice is nice
Romeo Gigli - another warm spicey one
Carlo Corinto - sillage city - excellent longevity
Aspen - to me a poor man's Creed GIT (kinda)
Preferred Stock - amazing drydown
Canoe's pretty cheap these days but still classy imo
If you can find it, Bowling Green's a good value

Best regards,
Mike
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post #27 of 29
9/5/07 at 4:56am
Parrera Espana: Varon Dandy
pipe tobacco in a soft leather bag,
carried along in one of your trouser pockets.
The wearer has to love the smell of tobacco/leather
as the fragrance offers not much else.
The splash bottle isn't very expensive.
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post #28 of 29
9/5/07 at 6:45am
all of the Salvador Dali fragrances carry low prices and some of them get great reviews. At ebay these should be had for a song. Something about surrealism? So the clocks melted!
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post #29 of 29
9/5/07 at 9:49am
Antonio for Men by Antonio Banderas...
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