Costume National Homme - Very Nice!

I have been trying this for the past month, on and off, from a decant from a generous Basenoter.

First of all, this stuff is incredibly radiant and strong. One spray scents me for hours upon hours. I sprayed it in my bedroom and the entire part of my home smelled like the fragrance for about an hour. Amazing. It's tenacity reminds me of Black Orchid by Tom Ford, but of course the CN is more 'masculine' (whatever that means...).

The spices and the way they interplay with the citrus is quite dazzling, but I can't help feel that they are all overwhelmed ultimately by the woody amber base. A very diffusive, very tenacious, extremely strong woody amber base. Sort of something you'd smell from a candle or even (I don't mean this as an insult) a laundry detergent.

Wearing it, it seems like I can't get away from the scent far enough to actually enjoy it. I keep thinking that next time I sample it, I'm going to spray some on my lower back or my knee caps, just to see if that makes the scents wear-ability more tolerable. Seriously. I think I would enjoy smelling this on someone else (lightly applied of course) but wearing it myself it borders on cloying and makes me feel like I'm in a hermetically sealed bubble of fragrance. That, I don't like.

Maybe I would enjoy a Light or Summer version of this (or a body lotion)?

Of course I keep going back again and again, to revisit it because I (for the most part) adore Dominique Ropion's creations - and I am such a fan of cinnamon prominent scents. Still...it hasn't clicked yet.

I tried this in Selfridges when I was visiting London recently and had to buy it straight away. I absolutely love it. It's strong and a little goes a long way. I sprayed some on the collar of a jacket I wore while in London and I can still smell it over 3 weeks later.

This is on my short list....I got a sample from luckyscent not expecting much..It blew me away...FULL BOTTLE NEEDED YESTERDAY..

So what would your verdicts be on the appropriate wear of this fragrance? Everyday? Romantic Date? Office wear?

I agree it is very casual w/o being toooo common. People that know this fragrance will know exactly what it is..Very elegant!!!

It's a parfum by the way, not an EDT. It certainly lasts for ages!

CN Scent Intense is one of my favorites, hopefully I'll find time to spring for a decant / sample of this soon!

Oh I did not know that. That explains the unbelievable strength of it, then.

This picture shows it comes in EDP strength unless they have a parfum too...

I have a sample of this stuff ... it is great indeed!

I got my sample today in the mail and to me, it smells very similiar to Black Orchid, albeit the opening is much less sweet but slightly more spice.

The dry-down between the both of them is very comparable, though BO still has massive sillage after 9 hours while Costume National Homme stays rather close to skin.

Would I say its a good scent? Yes, it certainly isn't bad. However, since I already own Black Orchid, I don't see a need to buy this one and will have to give it a past.

CN 21 is very nice however.