Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Fleur du Male vs. Fleur du Male la Cologne
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Fleur du Male vs. Fleur du Male la Cologne

post #1 of 20
5/9/10 at 1:30pm
Thread Starter 
After many years I finally bought a bottle of Le Male which I am taking a liking to. I just recently got a sample of Fleur du Male but found it to be a bit too floral and cloying. I kind of like it but it ventures a bit too far into feminine territory for me. Since I can't get a sample of FDM cologne, I was wondering if anyone else has worn the cologne and found it to be a bit more wearable than the EDT. If so, please feel free to offer your comments. This may be something nice to wear with Spring/Summer in the offing. Thanks for any comments you may have to offer here.
Reply
Reply

Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
post #2 of 20
5/13/10 at 8:27pm
Thread Starter 
Just giving this a bump here. Anyone have any thoughts on FDM la cologne?
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 20
5/30/10 at 8:28pm
I'm curious about this myself
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 20
5/31/10 at 2:10am
I think everything is right in Fleur du Male. I find Fleur du Male Cologne irrelevant, too thin and boring.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 20
5/31/10 at 5:03am
Its more soapy than the original, but I think it smells more indolic (the 'human body' note you smell in white flowers). I'd buy it if it were cheap, but for now I'm happy with the original.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 20
5/31/10 at 10:05am
Is the dirty musky note in the La Cologne? I like Fleur Du Male but, the dirty note initially and for the first hour or so is very difficult to handle.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 20
5/31/10 at 8:25pm
I recently bought a bottle of Fleur du Male Cologne, and upon wearing it the first few times, I was shocked at how different it really is. The only thing it retains from the original is the powdery iris, a bit of orange blossom and some of the general character.

Otherwise, the cologne version on the whole smells like stinky feet, talcum powder, orange blossom and leather. It's dirty and clean all at once, and quite frankly not even that wearable. The only thing that holds it together is that it has this barber shop clean talcum thing going on. It's actually quite dry compared to the original (I see the original as being the equivalent of orange blossom shaving cream, while the cologne version is like talcum powder you'd use on your neck after shaving). While the opening is far sharper and more citrusy, the musk is toned down a lot, and replaced by a dry and leathery kind of suede note.

With all that in mind, I really love it. It's quite unique and has this interesting animalic/indolic vibe to it that's not dirty per se, but just very alive, like the smell of a human (as someone mentioned above).

Anyway, if you didn't like the original, I don't think you'll like the cologne version. If you did like the original, but want something just as interesting but less potent, then the cologne version might be up your alley.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 20
6/1/10 at 5:14am
Fleur Du Male is a classic in my eyes.. The cologne is very ordinary.. an unworthy flanker
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 20
6/1/10 at 10:31am
The EdT is perfect even though the opening can be a little too much. I have sampled the EdC and found it too be too weak and it doesnt have the same flare and is rather boring. The EdC is definitely less floral, but in doing that, there's not much left in the scent. It's like a watered down version of the EdT.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 20
6/1/10 at 1:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by L'Aventurier

It's quite unique and has this interesting animalic/indolic vibe to it that's not dirty per se, but just very alive, like the smell of a human (as someone mentioned above).

So it's Kouros, then?

I didn't get anything animalic or indolic from the original FdM, in fact I wish it leaned more in that direction. I just got powdery florals and white background musk. Dry sounds good, though. Maybe I'll give this a sniff (and the original a re-sniff, it's been a while).
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 20
6/1/10 at 2:50pm
Thread Starter 
I broke down and bought FDM la cologne blind. I thought that it would be more wearable than the EDT, but I actually like the EDT better than La Cologne. Not that I am crazy about the EDT(especially in the beginning) but the drydown is much better IMHO. Thanks all for weighing in here. Still am liking Le Male which I just recently bought after reading about it for a long time. Happy Summer guys.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 20
3/19/11 at 11:09pm
I went to the shop, sprayed the original EDT on one arm and the cologne version on the other.

The EDT is more aromatic and very pleasant, the initial stages were a bit cloying and strong for me, the floral note is pleasant, slightly indolic/animalic trail but it is very nicely balanced with the sweetness of the base and the nice top floral notes. I find it very wearable.

The cologne version I find it to be very pleasant as well, it seemed though they had made the floral notes a little sweeter and more subtle, and beefed up the indolic/animalic note a little bit, there's an extra soapy dimension as well which makes the fragrance overall very clean but yet very natural because of the powdery animalic note.

I'll still go for the original.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 20
3/20/11 at 12:42am
When I did a side by side test, I didn't notice any difference. My nose must have been fatigued that day!
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 20
8/7/12 at 12:46pm
What does the cologne bottle look like? I have Fleur Du Male, but was at Nordstrom Rack today and saw Le Male, but in a clear frosted glass bottle. The sticker on the bottom said Le Male, but it smelled like a toned down Fleur Du Male. Was this La Cologne?
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 20
8/7/12 at 1:36pm
Fleur du Male stills breaking paradigms even nowdays. Give it a full wear, behind the ear lobes. After a while fern and coumarin emerge giving it a more male characteristic. The drydown smells quite similar to Le Male.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 20
8/7/12 at 1:39pm
FDM is a lovely scent if worn at the right time and lightly. The cologne (i own both) is ok for the first 5 minutes then it smells like somethings gone off. Not my cup of tea at all. A regretful buy
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 20
8/8/12 at 8:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Erok32 View Post

What does the cologne bottle look like? I have Fleur Du Male, but was at Nordstrom Rack today and saw Le Male, but in a clear frosted glass bottle. The sticker on the bottom said Le Male, but it smelled like a toned down Fleur Du Male. Was this La Cologne?

I think the one you see is the cologne version. Below is the picture of it. It doesn't smell like Fleur du Male to my nose though. It smells more like Fleur de Citronnier by Serge Lutens

Reply
Reply
post #18 of 20
8/8/12 at 8:12am
Yep, that's it. The can looked like the original Le Male though in silver, which is weird.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 20
8/8/12 at 10:55am
I like them both. The Cologne doesn't last all that long and is much weaker though. I have to use quite a few sprays to get a satisfying result. Still, worth picking up if found for a good price. It's light and fresh, pleasant to put on in the morning of a warm day.
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 20
8/8/12 at 1:52pm
Can't comment on the cologne but got a tester today of FDM.
I just got slightly artificial orange blossom for a while which I wasn't sure if I really liked, then gradually it developed into something very much like the original Le Male.
I think it's different enough to be worth a buy if you are happy wearing a risque kind of scent.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: MFD Archive

Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Fleur du Male vs. Fleur du Male la Cologne