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help me pick a gift for a newly obsessed 18 y.o.

post #1 of 21
Thread Starter 
I tutor this guy for his required English course (he's a physics student) and noticed he wore scent. Apparently it's JPG Le Male. Of course I showed up at our next appointment with a small armoury of samples and long story short he's now a newborn perfume freak. He seems to prefer the sweetish/gourmand-y frags and went particularly crazy for PG's Un Crime Exotique. No matter what I say he is resistant to the idea that men can wear florals and rejected my Voleur de Roses and the Kilian frag I tried on him (can't remember the name specifically - it's the mainly tuberose one).

Can you recommend some other frags I could tell him about? Frags that vaguely fit the sweetish criteria but that also might broaden his horizons a bit (I know, look who's talking, the girl who loves gourmands too much herself)? Maybe something comforting with a warm leather note? Something with a floral note so subtle he'll accept it? I'm sort of out of my knowledge area here because I know very little in general about 'mens' frags and he makes a sceptical face when I try to tell him most frags can be worn by both sexes.

Stuff about him: he's 18, tall, science-nerdy, very dry sense of humour, introverted and his clothing style is sporty/jock-y although he's also interested in refining that a bit, too.
post #2 of 21
Givenchy Pi
Gaultier 2
Clinique Happy
Rochas Man
Issey Miyake
Black XS
Creed Virgin Island Water
Guess Suede

p.s.- i LOVE montreal!!
post #3 of 21
Further suggestions might include:

Gucci Envy
Jaipur Boucheron
Endymion by Penhaligons
Solo Loewe and Solo Loewe Intense
Azzaro and Azzaro Bright Visit
Burberry London
post #4 of 21
Grey Flannel
Roger & Gallet
Quorum
.
.
.
.
.
.
Body Kouros
post #5 of 21
If you feel you must force florals upon him at this point in his education, then you could do worse than Dior Homme.
post #6 of 21
Seconds on Rochas and Body Kouros (these two came to my mind immediately).

Try the more daring Dreamer on him and let him give you his oppinion on the 'supposedly male' Shalimar
post #7 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emlynevermore View Post

If you feel you must force florals upon him at this point in his education, then you could do worse than Dior Homme.

Dior Homme is the CLEAR choice here!
post #8 of 21
Ferragamo F Black.
Sweet tonka beans over musky,spicy vetiver.
post #9 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by warlandsboy View Post

Dior Homme is the CLEAR choice here!

I agree - iris is a great lead-in to true florals. The gateway drug to eventual Kenzo Power. And if you're talking iris, then Dior Homme or the Sport or another flanker all have a high probability of being a winner. Next, there is the possibility of Sel de Vétiver.

Take your time with him. Another trick is layering. Teach him that he can add a touch of woody masculine to a feminine and come up with something that smells awesome, unique, and "safe".
post #10 of 21
Burberry Brit
post #11 of 21
Dior Homme, Lolita Lempicka au Masculin and Body Kouros are three he might enjoy.
post #12 of 21
Geir Ness
post #13 of 21
Kkeeeennnzzoooo pooowwweerrrr!
post #14 of 21
+1 Dreamer, i love that stuff. It's a very clean masculine floral but have him try London, and Brit, i have those to and love em both
post #15 of 21
Fragonard Magellan
post #16 of 21
I always recommend Bois 1920 Sushi Imperiale, but this time maybe for a good reason - it's a gourmand, but a less-sweet, non-pastry gourmand, so it might be a good transition away from the sweet gourmands. The ginger and the slightly medicinal aspect could prepare him for other things. It also comes in very masculine packaging and tends to be sold in the men's department, though it's unisex.

Hermessence Vetiver Tonka? I can't really say why this seems to fit, but I somehow feel that it does.

Tea fragrances? You could start with L'Artisan Parfumeur Tea for Two, which is a gourmand with a nice tea note. Then move on to Parfumerie Generale L'Eau Rare Matale and Parfumerie Generale Harmatan Noir, which have the tea but less of the gourmand.

Bvlgari Black? Tea and vanilla and rubber.

Serge Lutens Daim Blond? Apricots and suede. Maybe the gourmandy apricots would lead him to accept the suede. However, he might find the whole package too feminine.

Parfumerie General Cuir Venenum? Leather and orange blossom. Once he's converted to leather and apricots, you could try him on this, and maybe pause a little while before breaking it to him about the orange blossom. Or you could just say "neroli" and hope he doesn't know what it means.

Paestum Rose? I have trouble making out the rose in this one, and I certainly don't read it as feminine. Maybe if his head doesn't explode when he learns the truth about Cuir Venenum, he might be willing to try this one.

If he likes the above two leathers, you could go to straight leather and try him on Bandit. I find the modern Bandit to be quite friendly and not too challenging, which is no doubt a travesty given its history, but it is what it is. (Oh, drat - it's officially a feminine.)

If he likes the incense of Paestum Rose but absolutely won't compromise on the floral aspect, you could try him on Kyoto.

Lavender is a very traditional note in men's fragrances; maybe he'd tolerate that? Except that it's very herbal, so it's not really much of a gateway to other florals.

I was going to recommend Visa - leather and fermenting fruit - but apparently it's marketed as a women's fragrance.
post #17 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by LedByMyNose View Post

He seems to prefer the sweetish/gourmand-y frags ...................................Something with a floral note so subtle he'll accept it? I'm sort of out of my knowledge area here because I know very little in general about 'mens' frags and he makes a sceptical face when I try to tell him most frags can be worn by both sexes.

Creed Virgin Island Water = gauntlet.
post #18 of 21
For sweetish, I second Ken's suggestion of Loewe Solo and would like to throw in Paco Rabanne XS (not black XS).

VIW as Dullah and bigshooter already suggested, is very fitting as well.

If he seems to be interested in Tuberose, Serge Lutens Cedre may be one he'd like to give a sniff as well.
post #19 of 21
Add another vote for Dior Homme. If he likes gourmand-ish scents and you want to subtly introcude him to florals, you really can't go wrong with this choice.
post #20 of 21
Burberry Touch.
post #21 of 21
Burberry Brit
Dior Homme
Givenchy Pi
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