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15 things you didn't know about men's fragrances

post #1 of 25
9/8/08 at 5:02am
Thread Starter 
quite funny:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/moslive/a...ragrances.html
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post #2 of 25
9/8/08 at 5:10am
Thanks for the link! Turin will be pleased to see the vibrational theory being mentioned.
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post #3 of 25
9/8/08 at 5:30am
I like it how it's very truthful, on the lush forums people still believe that their perfume is ' natural' and really contains something of the plant it refers, too instead a synthetic replacement made in a lab. They refuse to believe it.

Marketing is so soo powerful
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post #4 of 25
9/8/08 at 5:43am
I love it when (and I think Chandler Burr once said it) older women rave on about how they only buy Chanel / Christian Dior / other slightly-more-expensive designer because they 'only use natural oils.' If only they knew.

Good article though, although I've always found the "EDP = 5 hours, EDT = 4 hours, etc etc" very dependent on the fragrance itself (eg le Male being an edt but lasting 12 hours plus)
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post #5 of 25
9/8/08 at 5:54am
Wow, the Kouros part at the end will bring out the "see, it does smell like feces."
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post #6 of 25
9/8/08 at 5:55am
Interesting but problematic article. Specifically,

33 percent Of Men's Perfumes are worn by Women

An estimated one-third of men’s fragrances sold are bought by women to wear themselves

So, as one walks around the streets, or around the office, or around shopping centres, or night clubs, or one sits in a train or movie theatre and one smells perfume on women - roughly one third should be masculine ones right?

I've only seen small parts of the world (Australia, Italy, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Prague) - and I haven't smelled a single woman wearing a man's scent. What are the odds of that?

Unless of course, the women involved in wearing their masculine scents only engage in the somewhat nugatory activity of only wearing them in the privacy of their own home.

2 Hours: how long a cologne lasts

.......while eau de toilette, at around eight per cent, is effective for up to four hours

The statement is just plain wrong. A small minority of EDTs can be categorised that way. The vast majority easily last 7 or 8 hours or more, while some can last with good effect for day.

Don't believe me? Look at you watch, note the time, spray six or seven scents on your hands and wrists. Look at your watch when seven hours have elapsed, then sniff your hands and wrists to see which scents are still there (N.B. This test is only relevant for designer scents).

Renato
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post #7 of 25
9/8/08 at 6:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Renato View Post

Interesting but problematic article. Specifically,

33 percent Of Men's Perfumes are worn by Women

An estimated one-third of mens fragrances sold are bought by women to wear themselves

So, as one walks around the streets, or around the office, or around shopping centres, or night clubs, or one sits in a train or movie theatre and one smells perfume on women - roughly one third should be masculine ones right?

I've only seen small parts of the world (Australia, Italy, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Prague - and I haven't smelled a single woman wearing a man's scent. What are the odds of that?

Unless of course, the women involved in wearing their masculine scents only engage in the somewhat nugatory activity of only wearing them in the privacy of their own home.

2 Hours: how long a cologne lasts

while eau de toilette, at around eight per cent, is effective for up to four hours

The statement is just plain wrong. A small minority of EDTs can be categorised that way. The vast majority easily last 7 or 8 hours or more, while some can last with good effect for day.

Don't believe me? Look at you watch, note the time, spray six or seven scents on your hands and wrists. Look at your watch when seven hours have elapsed, then sniff your hands and wrists to see which scents are still there (N.B. This test is only relevant for designer scents).

Renato

I've smelt a few girls wearing le Male but thats about it... Maybe they only wear them in the privacy of their own home?
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post #8 of 25
9/8/08 at 7:39am
Hmm. The bicep? Well, I guess now I have to try that.
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post #9 of 25
9/8/08 at 8:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony87 View Post

I love it when (and I think Chandler Burr once said it) older women rave on about how they only buy Chanel / Christian Dior / other slightly-more-expensive designer because they 'only use natural oils.' If only they knew.

Good article though, although I've always found the "EDP = 5 hours, EDT = 4 hours, etc etc" very dependent on the fragrance itself (eg le Male being an edt but lasting 12 hours plus)

Especially since Chanel Number 5 was such a ground breaking scent in that it eschewed all conventions of trying to smell natural and was meant to smell of aldehydes.
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post #10 of 25
9/8/08 at 9:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Renato View Post


33 percent Of Men's Perfumes are worn by Women

An estimated one-third of mens fragrances sold are bought by women to wear themselves

So, as one walks around the streets, or around the office, or around shopping centres, or night clubs, or one sits in a train or movie theatre and one smells perfume on women - roughly one third should be masculine ones right?

I've only seen small parts of the world (Australia, Italy, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Prague) - and I haven't smelled a single woman wearing a man's scent. What are the odds of that?

Unless of course, the women involved in wearing their masculine scents only engage in the somewhat nugatory activity of only wearing them in the privacy of their own home.

I, too, think the 33% figure may be a bit high...& this is coming from a woman who primarily wears men's & unisex fragrances. That being said, though, I have several female friends who wear men's frags in public. It does happen more than you think.
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post #11 of 25
9/8/08 at 9:33pm
Well, it's true that we didn't know some of these things, but that's because they are not true! LOL.
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post #12 of 25
9/8/08 at 11:23pm
Article says : "...There is nothing inherently masculine or feminine about a fragrance – it’s all marketing... one-third of men’s fragrances sold are bought by women to wear themselves..."

I say B.S. . Sorry, but no way is there that much women wearing male fragrances. I would not even say 5% are wearing mens scents, unless they are including unisex like some Hermes or Bvlgari. As well, there are certainly aspects that make a scent masculine and feminine.

It is a "nice" article to read, but in a sense a tad misleading. Thank goodness for Basenotes.
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post #13 of 25
9/9/08 at 12:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Surfacing View Post

As well, there are certainly aspects that make a scent masculine and feminine.

I believe you're very much mistaken on this point. Fragrances are nothing more than molecules which in themselves aren't masculine or feminine. The reason we regard some some smells as masculine or feminine is because we've been told they are, either by direct marketing or by observing what others are wearing which is basically indirect marketing / social conditioning. Take skirts for example: they're pretty much regarded as feminine in the whole world except for Scotland, where men wear kilts.

But to my knowledge there is no molecule in existence with gender traits (well, apart from maybe an aldehyde tail or a benzene ring ).
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post #14 of 25
9/9/08 at 12:04am
Quote:
I believe you're very much mistaken on this point. Fragrances are nothing more than molecules which in themselves aren't masculine or feminine. The reason we regard some some smells as masculine or feminine is because we've been told they are, either by direct marketing or by observing what others are wearing which is basically indirect marketing / social conditioning. Take skirts for example: they're pretty much regarded as feminine in the whole world except for Scotland, where men wear kilts.

Merlino, no offense, but I think you are reading into his quote a little too deeply. I think you are missing the point. He did not mean it in the context of a chemistry/molecular biology/sociology lab so it is misplaced to apply it as such, but, on the other hand, you are, in fact, correct if we look at it as the last link in the chain and break it down to its most basic form. Yes, we do define masculaine and feminine by certain guidelines, but they are helpful, they help us distinguish. It is nothing more than a tool for categorization to help us organize scents, clothes, etc... He meant it as a tool for characterizing a scent, which is, in fact, very appropriate. Again, we need categorizations to help us distinguish. Even if you break it down to a molecular level, which is misplaced, it is still, nonetheless, helpful and quite applicable. If we look at the world using your perspective then the analysis for everything would be as such: well, we are all made of molecules so we are all the same, people, objects, animals, etc...

Your analysis reminds me, obviously, of the Shakespeare quote regarding how the smell of a rose would still smell the same even if it were called something else.
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post #15 of 25
9/9/08 at 12:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheAttorney View Post

Merlino, no offense, but I think you are reading into his quote a little too deeply.

To be honest, I don't think I am. He states that what Roja Dove says is untrue and I happen to agree with Roja. But if he can offer me a compelling reason for aldehydes or any molecule for that matter being either M or F I'm all ears. I'm rather positive there aren't any, though.
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post #16 of 25
9/9/08 at 12:43am
Merlino, yea I see what your saying, makes sense if you break it down to the molecular level. I was just looking at it from a different perspective. In any event, I found it odd that the article suggested that the frags. be sprayed on the wrists as many a Basenoters are against this.
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post #17 of 25
9/9/08 at 1:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheAttorney View Post

Merlino, no offense, but I think you are reading into his quote a little too deeply. I think you are missing the point. He did not mean it in the context of a chemistry/molecular biology/sociology lab so it is misplaced to apply it as such, but, on the other hand, you are, in fact, correct if we look at it as the last link in the chain and break it down to its most basic form. Yes, we do define masculaine and feminine by certain guidelines, but they are helpful, they help us distinguish. It is nothing more than a tool for categorization to help us organize scents, clothes, etc... He meant it as a tool for characterizing a scent, which is, in fact, very appropriate. Again, we need categorizations to help us distinguish. Even if you break it down to a molecular level, which is misplaced, it is still, nonetheless, helpful and quite applicable. If we look at the world using your perspective then the analysis for everything would be as such: well, we are all made of molecules so we are all the same, people, objects, animals, etc...

Your analysis reminds me, obviously, of the Shakespeare quote regarding how the smell of a rose would still smell the same even if it were called something else.


I get what you're saying. But my main point is that we do not need this kind of categorisation because a smell is just a smell. Your nose can distinguish what you like, you don't need artificially created categories for that. Wear it if you like it, don't wear it if you don't. But please do not not wear it because some marketing department told you it's for the other gender.
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post #18 of 25
9/9/08 at 1:17am
Like sables said: "quite funny" - for a basenoter.

:-)
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post #19 of 25
9/9/08 at 2:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Merlino View Post

I believe you're very much mistaken on this point. Fragrances are nothing more than molecules which in themselves aren't masculine or feminine. The reason we regard some some smells as masculine or feminine is because we've been told they are, either by direct marketing or by observing what others are wearing which is basically indirect marketing / social conditioning. Take skirts for example: they're pretty much regarded as feminine in the whole world except for Scotland, where men wear kilts.

But to my knowledge there is no molecule in existence with gender traits (well, apart from maybe an aldehyde tail or a benzene ring ).

Bras are just molecules too, as are jock straps, as are lipsticks. My background is Italian where everything is either male or female - and molecules are female whereas atoms are male.

In no way are skirts the equivalent to Scottish Kilts. If you do not believe me, fly over to Scotland, go into a pub and tell the first man you see wearing a kilt that you like his skirt.
Renato
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post #20 of 25
9/9/08 at 2:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CologneJunkie View Post

I, too, think the 33% figure may be a bit high...& this is coming from a woman who primarily wears men's & unisex fragrances. That being said, though, I have several female friends who wear men's frags in public. It does happen more than you think.

I wouldn't argue that some women wear men's scents - I used to have one who raided my collection occasionally - but that was for wearing in my house only. But I sincerely mean it when I say that I've never come across one outside my house wearing a scent that I could detect, which was an overtly masculine one.

Women could easily get away with wearing some of today's subtle, inoffensive, "I'm not here" type male offerings - but really, why would most women bother, when they can wear good stuff?
Renato
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post #21 of 25
9/9/08 at 5:35am
Yes, this link highlights that a good number of scents were originally for women, and IMO, sometimes the heaviest "male" scents work best on women (ex. Orientals). Historically, unisex was not an innovation.

What the article doesn't highlight enough IMO is that much of the market is overpriced.

Note that the most seasoned reviewers on Basenotes include the so-called "less expensive" fragrances routinely.

There's no way that Polo Explorer is worth what my wife paid to give as a Christmas gift to her brother!
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post #22 of 25
9/9/08 at 5:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Surfacing View Post

Article says : "...There is nothing inherently masculine or feminine about a fragrance its all marketing... one-third of mens fragrances sold are bought by women to wear themselves..."

I say B.S. . Sorry, but no way is there that much women wearing male fragrances. I would not even say 5% are wearing mens scents, unless they are including unisex like some Hermes or Bvlgari. As well, there are certainly aspects that make a scent masculine and feminine.

It is a "nice" article to read, but in a sense a tad misleading. Thank goodness for Basenotes.

I wwant to know if maybe they have mistaken women buying men's fragrances for women using men's fragrances. Buying would make sense since I could see those numbers due to wifes/girlfriends/moms buying for men in their lives.
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post #23 of 25
9/9/08 at 10:29am
Sprayed my biceps today after reading this article. I can still smell the L'air du Desert Marocain I applied 10 hours ago! I guess the cologne itself should get the creds for this, but I felt that I got better sillage than I usually do (I usually spray my chest, front and back of my neck, 1 spray in each spot), I wore a t-shirt. Gonna keep doing it and see how it goes
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post #24 of 25
9/9/08 at 3:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Renato View Post

I wouldn't argue that some women wear men's scents - I used to have one who raided my collection occasionally - but that was for wearing in my house only. But I sincerely mean it when I say that I've never come across one outside my house wearing a scent that I could detect, which was an overtly masculine one.

Women could easily get away with wearing some of today's subtle, inoffensive, "I'm not here" type male offerings - but really, why would most women bother, when they can wear good stuff?
Renato

I have to disagree with you here. See, the men's fragrances are the "good stuff" too.

Yes, I'm sure many women are buying "men's" fragrances for their spouses, but they are also buying them for themselves too and wearing them in public, comfortably. Depending upon the available or marketed women's fragrances for the particular era in history, I suspect other women, also, were drawn to the other side of the aisle. That is, when Giorgio, Poison and Coco type scents were all around, it seemed the only reasonable thing to do was to wear Fahrenheit or Eau Sauvage (for women with non-Poison type personalities: and no offense meant to lovers of those fragrances). I think women are probably more comfortable wearing traditionally labeled "male" fragrances than it may seem.

A well-crafted, beautiful fragrance is just that; a good smell. The comfort of the wearer with the scent is the question, in my opinion, in terms of whether a scent molecule is masculine or feminine. I know this can be a contentious subject, and I'm only voicing my two cents here.
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post #25 of 25
9/9/08 at 3:44pm
good find. thanks a lot.
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