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Request for help

post #1 of 32
2/28/10 at 10:25am
Thread Starter 
I'm having a really hard time finding a fragrance that just clicks with me. I own a few dozen perfumes that I love and respect, but I haven't found something that really feels like me. I would appreciate any suggestions that might fit.

Most of my collection is in the Fougere category. I love them, but it doesn't fit me. Aquatic is out of the question. Nothing too fresh and clean. No soapy smell.

I want something clearly masculine. I negotiate for a living and I'm fiercely independent. I don't care if it projects or stays close to the skin, I just want the smell to be right. I'm also very sexual in a dominant way.

I'm not emotionally invested in any direction, but I do have some ideas for notes. I like leather, tobacco, ambergris, tea, and coriander. Possibly animal; I'm not sure. That being said, I don't want my fragrance to club you over the head, so there should be some notes in there to lighten it up. I don't care if they are citrus, floral, or whatever, as long as they're understated and compliment the deeper notes.

I don't want to smell like food, candy, or anything too nice. I have a very visible, bold, black tattoo with clean lines that is a good indicator of my personality. Anything too friendly creates discord with my personality.

A linear fragrance could potentially work well for me. I don't want to smell like I'm trying to smell like anything; just me. My personality tends to be unwavering, simple, and direct.

Not everything I wrote is a requirement, just ideas. I wish I knew more about perfume so I could communicate this better, but any help would be appreciated.
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post #2 of 32
2/28/10 at 10:28am
How about Chanel Antaeus?
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post #3 of 32
2/28/10 at 10:31am
Vintage Tabarome
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post #4 of 32
2/28/10 at 10:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

How about Chanel Antaeus?

+1 you read my mind

Get Antaeus

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post #5 of 32
2/28/10 at 10:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoRoads View Post

Vintage Tabarome

My first thought was Antaeus, but this one is EXCELLENT as well.

This youtube reviewer (Julio aka basenotes member "jcepiano") described Vintage Tabarome as a fragrance you would expect the president to wear.

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post #6 of 32
2/28/10 at 10:42am
Antaeus and Vintage Tabarome are good suggestions

From your description, Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme, Esencia Loewe and even YSL M7, Zino Davidoff and Guerlain Heritage sound like candidates at least worth testing
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post #7 of 32
2/28/10 at 10:43am
+1 for Antaeus

It´s my SotD and I´m wondering (once again), why I don´t wear it more often. Great stuff!
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post #8 of 32
2/28/10 at 10:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

How about Chanel Antaeus?


Most definitely sample Antaeus! Others that jump to mind: Molinard Habanita (not just for the ladies), Michael Kors for Men, Yatagan, Third Man, Burberry London, Gucci PH, Halston Z-14, Heritage edp, Habit Rouge edp, Polo Modern Reserve, Zino Davidoff and M7.
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post #9 of 32
2/28/10 at 11:29am
We seem to be making recommendations a bit blindly here, and some fougeres you already have may be repeated. It would help if you indicated the scents you already have. You could also type in the notes (solo, or in combination) in the Directory's search fields and see what comes up. You could then sample away at the ones whose reviews grab you.
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post #10 of 32
2/28/10 at 11:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken_Russell View Post

Antaeus and Vintage Tabarome are good suggestions

From your description, Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme, Esencia Loewe and even YSL M7, Zino Davidoff and Guerlain Heritage sound like candidates at least worth testing

Yup. Big time support from me on Antaeus, VC&A and Vintage Tabarome. I'll throw in Versace L'Homme plus Lauder for Men too.

Antaeus the most sexual. VC&A the most potent sillage- i.e. "Here comes Reed" or "Reed was here." VT is the most "don't F with me."

Very dominant and masculine juice. You're tying our hands a bit though with no wardrobe listed. You say you own a few dozen and for all we know, you already have some or all of these.
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post #11 of 32
2/28/10 at 11:59am
Montale Cuir D'Arabie
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post #12 of 32
2/28/10 at 12:14pm
Nasomatto Duro sounds like it would fit your personality to a T. This is a rather somewhat linear but uncompromising fragrance that is all wood, leather and aoud; nothing clean or aquatic with this one. It suits a dominant personality perfectly, in fact it would seem out of place on one that didn't have a dominant personality.

Aoud Cuir d'Arabie could also be a good one to test. This is a little more refined than Duro but just as masculine and no non-sense. For an even more elegant fragrance try Cuir d'Iris by Parfumerie Generale or Aoud Safran by Montale. The latter is another of Montale's take on the aoud/rose/incense theme but the saffron and a little leather adds a nice edge that makes this a very good masculine fragrance.

Sel di Vetiver by The Different Company is a little more subtle than the others I have recommended so far but it is a great masculine earth smoky vetiver.

Gucci pour Homme and L'anarchiste are less expensive scents that I would also recommend.

Vintage Tabarome is a great fragrance but after reading what you wrote and thinking about people I know that seem to have a lot in common with you, I think that VT might just be a little too "nice."
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post #13 of 32
2/28/10 at 12:17pm
Creed Tabarome Millesime
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post #14 of 32
2/28/10 at 12:22pm
I'd hit some Hermes Bel Ami.

Also, the Vintage Tabarome suggestions might be a bit frustrating: the stuff was recently discontinued and thus sells at exorbitant price when and if it's available. Further, I think the stuff is just too soft.
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post #15 of 32
2/28/10 at 12:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by surreality View Post

Aoud Cuir d'Arabie could also be a good one to test. This is a little more refined than Duro but just as masculine and no non-sense. For an even more elegant fragrance try Cuir d'Iris by Parfumerie Generale.

I'll second both these two. And, to continue Surreality's rough-to-elegant slide, an even more elegant leather to my nose is Cuir Ottoman, very wearable and very true leather with a floral undertone. More gentle and fruitier is the long-gone Cuiron, but finding a bottle of that is a wild goose chase I wouldn't send someone who wasn't already a fan on.

Most of all, I'd suggest sampling broadly. I understand perfectly what you said in your quest for the right scent about liking fragrances but them not being you, somehow. I have this with all the regularly available mens designers out there, but have found many fragrances that were "me", so I suggest sample, sample, sample from high and low until you find one or many matches to your tastes.

PM me if you like, I can send you samples of Duro and Oud Cuir d'Arabie.
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post #16 of 32
2/28/10 at 2:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DustB View Post

I'd hit some Hermes Bel Ami.

Also, the Vintage Tabarome suggestions might be a bit frustrating: the stuff was recently discontinued and thus sells at exorbitant price when and if it's available. Further, I think the stuff is just too soft.

DustB, I hardly ever disagree with you but Vintage Tabarome is my stone wall - the furthest thing from soft in my wardrobe.
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post #17 of 32
2/28/10 at 2:30pm
I suggest something like Guerlain Derby
or Gucci Nobile
Aramis Havana
Rive Gauche
Opium EdP
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post #18 of 32
2/28/10 at 2:39pm
  • Zgb
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+1 Antaeus...and do try Zino by Zino Davidoff

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post #19 of 32
2/28/10 at 3:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoRoads View Post

DustB, I hardly ever disagree with you but Vintage Tabarome is my stone wall - the furthest thing from soft in my wardrobe.

Yeah, tastes vary of course. But "soft?" I had to scrub some off last time I wore it. Brutally strong stuff.
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post #20 of 32
2/28/10 at 3:54pm
Al this talk about 'Antaeus' ... no no no,
you go with 'Pour Monsieur' de Chanel,
or even better 'Pour Monsieur Concentreé'!

Christian Dior 'Dune pour Homme' would also
be a good choise..!
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post #21 of 32
2/28/10 at 4:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoRoads View Post

DustB, I hardly ever disagree with you but Vintage Tabarome is my stone wall - the furthest thing from soft in my wardrobe.

Quote:
Originally Posted by StylinLA View Post

Yeah, tastes vary of course. But "soft?" I had to scrub some off last time I wore it. Brutally strong stuff.

Great to hear from both of you gentlemen, and couldn't be in disagreement with better quality members. I'll put together a thread about what I mean and then maybe we'll just have to suffer through another thread on this scent and it's house.

Thanks very much for the posts. I'll be back to both of you.
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post #22 of 32
2/28/10 at 4:55pm
Try Eau Sauvage. Though it is a chypre, it contains cumin, amber, leather, and citrus. It is very masculine and well-made. For something smoother and less "savage," try the original Chanel pour Monsieur.
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post #23 of 32
2/28/10 at 4:59pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks so much for the replies! I'm excited to try the suggestions. Tomorrow I'll respond with greater depth and I'll post all of the near misses in my current wardrobe.
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post #24 of 32
3/1/10 at 2:38pm
Thread Starter 
I actually have Anteaus and I love it, but it doesn't quite work for me. I need less woods and less dry. Also, I find it to be overly forceful. I suppose I described myself poorly above, but I'm more subtle than that. Think walk softly and carry a big stick.

Some perfumes in my wardrobe that don't work and why...

Wall Street, Original Vetiver, Mugler Cologne, English Fern, Crown Fougere, and Green Irish Tweed - I love all of these, but they are way too fresh and clean.

Serge Lutens - Gris Clair - Adore it, I don't really have the language for it, but there's something here that resonates with me. That being said, it doesn't work at all for me.

Hermes - Terre d'Hermes - Adore it, this actually works for me when I'm an a particularly light and fun mood. I get a ton of compliments with this one and it will stay as my go-to fragrance for business when I want to be more generic and pleasing, but I'd like something more sexual for normal days.

Bulgari - Black - Really like this. I wear it on nights out. I don't have the language for why it doesn't work, but when I wear it I feel like I'm trying too hard. A*men falls in this category for me as well, but that fails because I smell too much like candy.

Juicy Couture - Dirty English - Gets surprisingly close. I like it, but it frustrates me. I love the animal, amber, and leather. I just wish I could get rid of the woods and make it less dry.

Thanks again for all of the suggestions! I'm going to order a bunch of them... wish me luck!
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post #25 of 32
3/1/10 at 2:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reed View Post

I actually have Anteaus and I love it, but it doesn't quite work for me. I need less woods and less dry. Also, I find it to be overly forceful. I suppose I described myself poorly above, but I'm more subtle than that. Think walk softly and carry a big stick.

Some perfumes in my wardrobe that don't work and why...

Wall Street, Original Vetiver, Mugler Cologne, English Fern, Crown Fougere, and Green Irish Tweed - I love all of these, but they are way too fresh and clean.

Serge Lutens - Gris Clair - Adore it, I don't really have the language for it, but there's something here that resonates with me. That being said, it doesn't work at all for me.

Hermes - Terre d'Hermes - Adore it, this actually works for me when I'm an a particularly light and fun mood. I get a ton of compliments with this one and it will stay as my go-to fragrance for business when I want to be more generic and pleasing, but I'd like something more sexual for normal days.

Bulgari - Black - Really like this. I wear it on nights out. I don't have the language for why it doesn't work, but when I wear it I feel like I'm trying too hard. A*men falls in this category for me as well, but that fails because I smell too much like candy.

Juicy Couture - Dirty English - Gets surprisingly close. I like it, but it frustrates me. I love the animal, amber, and leather. I just wish I could get rid of the woods and make it less dry.

Thanks again for all of the suggestions! I'm going to order a bunch of them... wish me luck!

Reed,
I certainly wish you luck, but I think you might be looking for too much of a literal translation of "yourself" into a fragrance. Fragrance hunting isn't really looking for that, it's just looking for and then wearing a scent that you like.

I often tell new members this, so it might be a broken record thing, but the essence of scent searching is just finding something that you like to smell and like to smell of. There is no inherent match between scents and so many of the fantasies new members have for scents fitting them as age group, as attitude, or profession. Those things might come after the fact, once you've come to associate one smell with a time in your life or something, but it's a personal thing--smells aren't a language that you can make say aggressive, laid back, or speak softly yet have a big stick.

All you do is smell a lot of things and wait until one you smell really sings to you. So to speak.
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post #26 of 32
3/1/10 at 3:27pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks DustB for the pragmatic advice. I'll try to take my holy quest with a grain of salt. Admittedly, it's fun as hell to buy this stuff up. :-)
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post #27 of 32
3/1/10 at 3:50pm
How about Aramis or Derby?
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post #28 of 32
3/2/10 at 12:57am
You should try Body Kouros once
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post #29 of 32
3/2/10 at 1:04am
Pour Monsieur by Chanel.
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post #30 of 32
3/2/10 at 6:33am
Try Havana
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post #31 of 32
3/2/10 at 8:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DustB View Post

All you do is smell a lot of things and wait until one you smell really sings to you. So to speak.

Wise words.
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post #32 of 32
3/2/10 at 11:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DustB View Post

All you do is smell a lot of things and wait until one you smell really sings to you. So to speak.

Chanel Allure Homme sang to me like Whitney Houston - hits all the right notes in the beginning but cracks in the base.
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