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Civet-based colognes?

post #1 of 67
3/15/10 at 8:42am
Thread Starter 
I mean mens fragrances.
Can you think of any please?

Kind regards,
Pawel
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post #2 of 67
3/15/10 at 8:43am
Guerlain Mouchoir de Monsieur
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post #3 of 67
3/15/10 at 8:44am
Thread Starter 
Wow! That was fast! Thank you :-)
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post #4 of 67
3/15/10 at 8:48am
I have a special alarm on my computer that goes off whenever the word civet appears anywhere on the Internet LOL
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post #5 of 67
3/15/10 at 8:51am
Not trying to be trouble, but have you tried Jicky? I don't think any of its starring ingredients say "woman" to most people, and it has a cologne "vibe" in the lighter formulations due to the citrus.
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post #6 of 67
3/15/10 at 9:33am
Kouros
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post #7 of 67
3/15/10 at 9:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galamb_Borong View Post

Not trying to be trouble, but have you tried Jicky?

Why on Earth would that be trouble!? Jicky indeed has a very strong civet note (a little too strong in the early heart, IMO). It's the closest thing I can think of the a civet-based scent. I think it would be really hard to create a scent that is genuinely based on civet.

Notice how there's no Le Labo Civet 32.
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post #8 of 67
3/15/10 at 9:43am
YSL Kouros?
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post #9 of 67
3/15/10 at 9:50am
  • MFJ
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Ungaro II, Givenchy Gentleman (Vintage), MKK (a soapy civet to my nose. It almost feels clean.)
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post #10 of 67
3/15/10 at 9:57am
xxxxxxx
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post #11 of 67
3/15/10 at 10:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LiveJazz View Post

Why on Earth would that be trouble!? .

Well, the OP asked for a masculine scent, and Jicky is traditionally femme ( though for a long while now, unisex ). Didn't want to seem like I was ignoring his question.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LiveJazz View Post

I think it would be really hard to create a scent that is genuinely based on civet.

Very true. I've worn the pure tincture of civet, and with nothing else... frankly, it just reeks. It needs "padding".
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post #12 of 67
3/15/10 at 10:20am
I agree with Galamb Borong - Jicky really is the one. Forget about the fact that it's in the women's section. It can easily be worn as a masculine, though I don't wear it (I may some day). I find it to be a civet bomb, and a definitive civet-heavy scent.

The other masculine I'd pick would of course be Kouros.
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post #13 of 67
3/15/10 at 10:22am
Romeo Gigli, Bogart Furyo
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post #14 of 67
3/15/10 at 10:25am
Like the avatar says: Jicky.

And strictly speaking this was traditionally (i.e. originally) unisex, though it's currently marketed primarily to women.

Go to a Guerlain counter and do a side-by-side test with Mouchoir. See which you like better. Hard to go wrong with either, IMO.
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post #15 of 67
3/15/10 at 10:27am
Kingdom - Alexander McQueen

Amouage Gold Men (King Civet! All Hail!)
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post #16 of 67
3/15/10 at 10:46am
Gendarme V by Gendarme.Citrus notes and civet.
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post #17 of 67
3/15/10 at 10:59am
Thread Starter 
[QUOTE=shamu1;1778743]I agree with Galamb Borong - Jicky really is the one. Forget about the fact that it's in the women's section. It can easily be worn as a masculine, though I don't wear it (I may some day). I find it to be a civet bomb, and a definitive civet-heavy scent.

Thank you, Shamu.
What makes me wonder, however, is, wouldn't Jicky work as a guy-magnet? [LOL]
Cause that's not what I necessarily need in my busy life.

Shall I repeat, I'm interested in mens frags here, not scents targeted at ladies.

Best,
Pawel
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post #18 of 67
3/15/10 at 11:03am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrclmind View Post

xxxxxxx

????
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post #19 of 67
3/15/10 at 11:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galamb_Borong View Post

Not trying to be trouble, but have you tried Jicky? I don't think any of its starring ingredients say "woman" to most people, and it has a cologne "vibe" in the lighter formulations due to the citrus.

Yes, Galamb, good suggestion.

What of Chanel Cuir de Russie? This is sold as a feminine, but many men wear it. Strong civet note with an aldehydic leather. The extrait really has a civet note, although, no doubt (and perhaps happily), a synthetic.
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post #20 of 67
3/15/10 at 11:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoteRosen View Post

Shall I repeat, I'm interested in mens frags here, not scents targeted at ladies.

From The Scented Salamander:

"...Aimé Guerlain is reported to have said that he wanted to create,

'an audacious, vigorous, and quasi revolutionary perfume: the perfume of an amazon, difficult to decipher, of which you wouldn't be really able to tell whether it was meant to be for a man or a woman.'

And so it was; disconcerted by the novelty of the concept, women started adopting it en masse only after 1910 while men, meanwhile, decided it would be theirs."

As others have hinted, Jicky was indeed the great grandfather of modern unisex scents, even if it didn't realize it at the time. Retailers' tendency to place Jicky with the womens' scents is recent development, based on little.
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post #21 of 67
3/15/10 at 11:20am
Pawel,

Don't worry about the marketing of Jicky. It is essentially a fougere, which is traditionally a man's genre of fragrance anyway.

I wear it in the EdT strength. It's a bit old-fashioned, and not terribly long lasting, but it smells great.
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post #22 of 67
3/15/10 at 11:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoteRosen View Post

What makes me wonder, however, is, wouldn't Jicky work as a guy-magnet? [LOL]
Cause that's not what I necessarily need in my busy life.

I don't thinik you have to worry about Jicky attracting other guys. I've smelled it on a woman, and even though it's a good scent, I don't think it smells sexy.

Sounds like you're looking for a really macho scent Then Kouros seems like the no-brainer to me. I don't think you need to worry about attracting other guys with that one.
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post #23 of 67
3/15/10 at 12:06pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you, Shamu.
Now that's exactly what I had in mind. I know and adore Kouros, by the way.
Regards,
P
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post #24 of 67
3/15/10 at 2:36pm
Yes, Kouros would bit the bill.
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post #25 of 67
3/15/10 at 5:32pm
kouros!
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post #26 of 67
3/15/10 at 5:49pm
Of my testing, Jicky EdP had the most unashamed unblended civet. The EdT was nice. Mouchoir is great. Profumo.it makes Cologne d'Empereur, which has a little bit of civet and is very expensive.
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post #27 of 67
3/15/10 at 8:28pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shamu1 View Post

I don't thinik you have to worry about Jicky attracting other guys. I've smelled it on a woman, and even though it's a good scent, I don't think it smells sexy.

Sounds like you're looking for a really macho scent Then Kouros seems like the no-brainer to me. I don't think you need to worry about attracting other guys with that one.

I am sorry to interject, but Kouros has a colossal, well-documented history of being the gay hallmark scent. More than Antaeus! Like Drakkar was for the lesbians.

I second Amouage Gold Men (old formulation).

And just to be clear, scents marketed to women do not attract men. It's just marketing, and we know that lots of older scents, from when gender delineations was a marketing concern, are essentially unisex and would be market as such today. Sexy is sexy sometimes, and unisex scents don't declare a gender preference. My BF is wearing L'Arte di Gucci these days, a dark, civety leather, and I can assure you noone is thinking it's a "feminine"scent!
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post #28 of 67
3/15/10 at 8:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillaire View Post

I am sorry to interject, but Kouros has a colossal, well-documented history of being the gay hallmark scent.

Well then, Rote Rosen, I guess you'd better forget about Kouros!

Ungaro II, then?
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post #29 of 67
3/15/10 at 9:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillaire View Post

I am sorry to interject, but Kouros has a colossal, well-documented history of being the gay hallmark scent. More than Antaeus!

I'm not trying to be a jerk, but when and where was this? I remember in the 80's that there was a fog of Lagerfeld over Chelsea and the Village and in the 90's CKOne was all over West Hollywood. I don't remember Kouros; maybe it wasn't in the US? I like Kouros mind you, I just don't remember it as a big gay scent at least in the US. Could be wrong...
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post #30 of 67
3/15/10 at 9:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tmp00 View Post

I'm not trying to be a jerk, but when and where was this? I remember in the 80's that there was a fog of Lagerfeld over Chelsea and the Village and in the 90's CKOne was all over West Hollywood. I don't remember Kouros; maybe it wasn't in the US? I like Kouros mind you, I just don't remember it as a big gay scent at least in the US. Could be wrong...

Yeah, c'mon. Kouros was very popular and a best selling scent (and still is selling well). I suppose at any given time, there are some scents that gay men may favor more than others, but on average, I'm guessing that whatever is a popular male frag will be popular in the gay community. I doubt there are meetings where such things are discussed and appropriate gay scents appointed.

I like Antaeus and Kouros with little regard for any of that.
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post #31 of 67
3/15/10 at 9:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by StylinLA

I suppose at any given time, there are some scents that gay men may favor more than others, but on average, I'm guessing that whatever is a popular male frag will be popular in the gay community.

True that. In another era, ie. when gay liberation was just getting a foothold, it may have been more significant to wear an "iconic" scent as a unifying symbol along with your fellow gay, like lesbians did with Drakkar in the '80s. But these days gay guys just wear whatever smells good - perhaps more on the Gucci/Armani/Prada end of things than the Sean Johns or Davidoffs, but still pretty spread out. For the record, I've never smelled a gay man wearing Kouros. (Come to think of it, I've never smelled anyone wearing Kouros.)
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post #32 of 67
3/15/10 at 10:06pm
I have over 40 frags. The only one I've ever smelled on anyone else (too many times) is Issey Miyake.
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post #33 of 67
3/16/10 at 1:04am
I fully second Givenchy Gentleman, Mouchoir de Monsieur and Jicky
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post #34 of 67
3/16/10 at 5:25am
All right, moving away from the whole "gay perfume" debate, if you want a real civet bomb that is specifically marketed to men, RoteRosen, then Ungaro II might be for you. Personally, I don't like it - I generally don't like civet blended with citrus - but it will definitely give you your daily recommended allowance of civet. It's discontinued, but still available online for not outrageous prices.
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post #35 of 67
3/16/10 at 5:39am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shamu1 View Post

All right, moving away from the whole "gay perfume" debate, if you want a real civet bomb that is specifically marketed to men, RoteRosen, then Ungaro II might be for you. Personally, I don't like it - I generally don't like civet blended with citrus - but it will definitely give you your daily recommended allowance of civet. It's discontinued, but still available online for not outrageous prices.

Thank you very much, Shamu. I'm sorry to say I never liked U II either.

Respect,
P
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post #36 of 67
3/16/10 at 5:56am
  • jss
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Is there a certain dose of civet (with cumin of course) that gives dirty and animalistic note in Eau d’Hermès?
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post #37 of 67
3/16/10 at 6:35am
Vintage Rose Poivree by The Different Company has a substantial dosage of civet in it that can tickle some civet hungry smell buds.
It is predominantly a peppery rose fragrance but with heaps of civet in the settling stages of the fragrance development.
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post #38 of 67
3/16/10 at 8:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken_Russell View Post

I fully second Givenchy Gentleman.......

For the true civet experience please get your hands on a vintage bottle.
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post #39 of 67
3/16/10 at 9:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruggles View Post

For the true civet experience please get your hands on a vintage bottle.

I totally agree. Can't believe this one skipped my mind. And yes, the earlier version has way more civet in it than the new formulation. A great frag, and one of my favorites.
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post #40 of 67
3/16/10 at 9:47am
C&S Citrus Paradisi.
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post #41 of 67
3/16/10 at 9:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruggles View Post

For the true civet experience please get your hands on a vintage bottle.

I'd be a little scared to try this one in skankier form. The modern stuff as it is was really just too uncomfortably sweaty and fecal for me, but then, I often feel that about patchouli, even without "enhancements".
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post #42 of 67
3/16/10 at 9:51am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shamu1 View Post

I totally agree. Can't believe this one skipped my mind. And yes, the earlier version has way more civet in it than the new formulation. A great frag, and one of my favorites.


Thanks! I just got a sample of GG. Heavenly stuff.

Regards,
P
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post #43 of 67
3/16/10 at 9:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galamb_Borong View Post

I'd be a little scared to try this one in skankier form. The modern stuff as it is was really just too uncomfortably sweaty and fecal for me, but then, I often feel that about patchouli, even without "enhancements".

The new formulation is great, but if that "scared" you, definitely stay away from the old formulation. The new version smells clean and proper by comparison. The old version is truly a patchouli and civet bomb. The civet in the current version simply rounds off the rough edges of the patchouli, but in the original version, the civet makes its poopy presence quite prominent.
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post #44 of 67
3/16/10 at 12:07pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by subhuman85 View Post

True that. In another era, ie. when gay liberation was just getting a foothold, it may have been more significant to wear an "iconic" scent as a unifying symbol along with your fellow gay, like lesbians did with Drakkar in the '80s. But these days gay guys just wear whatever smells good - perhaps more on the Gucci/Armani/Prada end of things than the Sean Johns or Davidoffs, but still pretty spread out. For the record, I've never smelled a gay man wearing Kouros. (Come to think of it, I've never smelled anyone wearing Kouros.)

I agree with you three completely; the only impetus for my comment was to react to the quote: "I don't think you need to worry about attracting other guys with that one.", which I realize is potentially just as"dubious" applied to any men's fragrance, but struck me as especially funny, as I recalled the prevalence of Kouros (in fact, how I became aware of it) in Berlin c. mid-late eighties on tons of the out gay guys there.
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post #45 of 67
3/16/10 at 12:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillaire View Post

[B].......as I recalled the prevalence of Kouros (in fact, how I became aware of it) in Berlin c. mid-late eighties on tons of the out gay guys there.

It must have been a Euro-gay phenomena. I remember Antaeus being very gay chic in the 80s in NYC, but I can't recall smelling Kouros all that much, but then again, I don't remember too many details from the 80s.
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post #46 of 67
3/16/10 at 12:44pm
Kouros and Antaeus were both iconic fragrances for gays in the 80's. Their marketing might've helped...
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post #47 of 67
3/16/10 at 12:55pm
Though hardly a scientific sampling, sounds like Kouros was more popular in Europe and Antaeus more popular in U.S.
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post #48 of 67
3/16/10 at 1:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillaire View Post

I agree with you three completely; the only impetus for my comment was to react to the quote: "I don't think you need to worry about attracting other guys with that one.", which I realize is potentially just as"dubious" applied to any men's fragrance, but struck me as especially funny, as I recalled the prevalence of Kouros (in fact, how I became aware of it) in Berlin c. mid-late eighties on tons of the out gay guys there.

I think the idea that a female fragrance would attract men is inherently contradictory as it is. If one follows the idea that fragrance attracts based on gender, wouldn't a masculine fragrance attract gay guys? Following the attraction logic, a women's fragrance on a man would attract straight guys and disappointed lesbians.
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post #49 of 67
3/16/10 at 2:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galamb_Borong View Post

I think the idea that a female fragrance would attract men is inherently contradictory as it is. If one follows the idea that fragrance attracts based on gender, wouldn't a masculine fragrance attract gay guys? Following the attraction logic, a women's fragrance on a man would attract straight guys and disappointed lesbians.

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post #50 of 67
3/16/10 at 2:55pm
Creed's Private Collection Bois De Santal was the only civet fragrance I liked, perhaps due to the sandalwood/greenleaf/citrus padding it.
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post #51 of 67
3/16/10 at 3:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galamb_Borong View Post

I think the idea that a female fragrance would attract men is inherently contradictory as it is. If one follows the idea that fragrance attracts based on gender, wouldn't a masculine fragrance attract gay guys? Following the attraction logic, a women's fragrance on a man would attract straight guys and disappointed lesbians.

LOL! I'll tell you about my experience/s with Tabu . . .

Regards, GB
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post #52 of 67
3/16/10 at 8:37pm
Geez, I didn't know my remark about Kouros not attracting other guys was so profound. To tell you the truth, I never put much thought into whether or not a guy would be attracted to another guy wearing Kouros. I say no, because after all it's the person that is the "magnet", not the fragrance the person's wearing.
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post #53 of 67
3/16/10 at 9:45pm
Furyo scares me more than Kouros. Current Givenchy's Gentleman feels quite tame and not long lasting.
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post #54 of 67
3/17/10 at 2:02am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shamu1 View Post

Geez, I didn't know my remark about Kouros not attracting other guys was so profound. To tell you the truth, I never put much thought into whether or not a guy would be attracted to another guy wearing Kouros. I say no, because after all it's the person that is the "magnet", not the fragrance the person's wearing.

Words of wisdom
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post #55 of 67
3/17/10 at 3:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jss View Post

Is there a certain dose of civet (with cumin of course) that gives dirty and animalistic note in Eau dHermès?

Not that I've ever found mentioned anywhere but it does smell as it should, doesn't it?
Leather for the full moon.

+2 for mathewfoo's: " Ungaro II, Givenchy Gentleman (Vintage), MKK (a soapy civet to my nose. It almost feels clean.) "

Now if you want to be uptown, copy this:
1oz civet oil
1oz musk
1/4 oz patchouli
1/4 oz ambergris.

This was Aleister Crowley's signature scent. A man the newspapers reported to be a Satanic devil worshiping maniac.
Not true!
This was the man Satanic devil worshiping maniacs were too afraid to mess with. . .

I like Jicky but Kouros--um, never mind. The problem with Jicky is the longevity and I suffer from PTEOVS (Post-Traumatic Eau d 'Orange Verte Syndrome.

Worse, unlike EdoV, which begins and ends in citrus, Jicky has a mandarin/lemon opening but an amber tonka style drydown. So re-applying surreptitiously throughout the day would really drive one nuts.

Still, if you're into EDC aftershaves, it's great. I wonder why Guerlian hasn't come up with and EDP version?

Or why those who brew and sell their own frags haven't tried a variant of Uncle Aleister's ?

Cheers,

Mario
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post #56 of 67
3/17/10 at 3:24am
Oops double post.
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post #57 of 67
3/17/10 at 3:27am
triple post? Sorry
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post #58 of 67
3/17/10 at 3:34am
Mario, I would suggest that you try Jicky in edp/pdt or parfum concentration. You get more civet, especially from the edp, and great longevity. They last all day for me, while the edt is fairly fleeting.

Aleister Crowley's signature scent sounds interesting...
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post #59 of 67
3/17/10 at 4:42am
A formal suggestion since it is very difficult to find, and if available, very expensive: Azzaro's Acteur
This might prove easier: Roger & Gallet pour L'Homme (http://www.basenotes.net/ID26121374.html)
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post #60 of 67
3/17/10 at 6:34am
  • MFJ
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shamu1 View Post

The new formulation is great, but if that "scared" you, definitely stay away from the old formulation. The new version smells clean and proper by comparison. The old version is truly a patchouli and civet bomb. The civet in the current version simply rounds off the rough edges of the patchouli, but in the original version, the civet makes its poopy presence quite prominent.

I agree with you. While the current is a shadow of its former self, it is definitely clean and feels very contained, and smoothed out, very suitable when you are not in the mood for something too heavy. The vintage is all over the place with Patch and Civet, in a good way.
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