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Gents your suggestions please....

post #1 of 16
7/2/10 at 6:47pm
Thread Starter 
Hi, I'm a gal that LOVES perfumes, but my boyfriend just refused to join the party. What can i get him samples of to try and entice him to start wearing fragrance? Here are some guidelines:
-something that doesn't 'smell like cologne' -(that high ringing, chemical smell)
-on me he has given unsolicited praise to Chamade and keiko Mecheri's crystal d'ambre, so I think he likes greens and incense fragrances.
-no aromatics, that doesn't work for me and I don't see that working on him.

What do you think?
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post #2 of 16
7/2/10 at 6:55pm
BayKAT, I feel for you. My tactic was to get my DH to use scented shaving toiletries. Sometimes that's all you can do. You can lead a horse to water, as they say, but you can't make him drink...and some people will only tolerate the use of fragrance.

As some people never love music and are tone-deaf, some people never learn to love fragrance and are nose-deaf, so to speak...

I was able to get DH is use Truefitt and Hill 1805 shaving cream and shaving balm, L'Occitane shaving balm in Cade and AOC Lavender, and even T&F shaving cream in the rose scent. I only see him wear fragrance (all of which I have bought for him...he likes Opium PH) when we go out to a nice date or dinner. I bought him a shaving set and now he says he has the best shaves he has ever had in his life! Still, no fragrance for the sake of fragrance...

At least I will never have to fight over all the scents I have.
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post #3 of 16
7/2/10 at 8:01pm
You might check out the Gendarme line. gendarme.com sells samples of their fragrances. The original Gendarme is actually a fragrance for people that don't like fragrance, if that makes any sense. I got all 6 samples myself, but have only actually tested one (Gendarme Green). You say you think your boyfriend likes green frags. Well, you should let him take a whiff of Gendarme Green. It reminds me of Prell shampoo. Oh yeah, and Mugler by Thierry Mugler smells a bit like Irish Spring, so that would be a
likely cologne for him to sample as well.
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post #4 of 16
7/2/10 at 8:11pm
Green and incense? You can grab a bottle of One Man Show for peanuts (I got 100 ml new for less than $10 delivered), then dilute it with vodka and put some in a sprayer (5 ml or whatever). Increase the percentage of OMS to vodka if he thinks it's too weak. I got 200 ml of vodka for $2.50. So, for probably less than $15 you can do this "experiment." If you think he will hate castoreum, then forget it, but if you think he will like it, then this is the way I'd go.
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post #5 of 16
7/2/10 at 9:35pm
It's too difficult! I have a friend(boy) that he have not been wore fragrances at all. He prides for it! and always he says: "I have not been spent money for Roll On and fragrances stuff until now!!"
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post #6 of 16
7/2/10 at 10:56pm
The Gendarme rec is good. Some other subtle non-cologney scents are:

Helmut Lang Men (or the EDP)
Subtil pour Homme - Salvatore Ferragamo
Chanel pour Monsieur
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post #7 of 16
7/2/10 at 11:02pm
Use behavioral therapy, gal. Find out what you love, that he at least tolerates. Then, SHOW him how much it turns you on.
Repeat until he's conditioned.

Worked on me.
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post #8 of 16
7/3/10 at 12:32am
I'm pretty new to fragrances so I can't recommend anything specific. But I was in the mindset of "All cologne smells the same and I don't like it" for a long time. And all it really took to get me interested was realizing how narrow my perception of scents was, and how much variety actually exists out there. When your picking samples throw in a couple that are a bit out there, and he might not want to wear them, but maybe they peak his interest.
Good luck.
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post #9 of 16
7/3/10 at 12:33am
Gendarme. Easy, clean, addictive. Good one to start out with, the gateway fragrance to the harder stuff in due time

http://www.gendarme.com/cart.php?m=p...&c=4&gmen=shop

Notice the "Find a Retailer" Tab. There should be some place in Norcal that carries it.
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post #10 of 16
7/3/10 at 8:50am
Try Polo and Halston Z-14. They are the best green and incense fragrances that I have smelled.
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post #11 of 16
7/3/10 at 9:52am
I agree with Primrose & Sensual. What he loves on you doesn't necessarily mean he would like to smell it on himself esp. if he has learnt to associate those notes with perfumes worn by women. Let him take baby steps & start him off with fragranced toiletries, & always tell him how good he smells. Going to colognes from there is a simpler step imo.
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post #12 of 16
7/3/10 at 10:13am
Pour Monsieur (Chanel)
Nicolai pour Homme (Parfums de Nicolai)
Isfarkand (Ormonde Jayne)
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post #13 of 16
7/3/10 at 10:30am
Look around for cans of designer antiperspirant sprays going cheap to substitute for what ever he's using now. I've often see cans of Aramis or Safari going cheap around the place. If he likes them, wait a while, then point out that it's nice he smells good for three or four hours, but suggest he smell good for seven or eight hours, by trying the real thing - the EDT.

If he doesn't like the sprays, well you've saved yourself some money. Don't bother trying the same with most deodorant sticks, they're usually pretty weak. The only potent one I have is the D&G Homme one.
Renato
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post #14 of 16
7/3/10 at 4:33pm
If he don't like I say don't force it. If he is anything like my partner the more I push an issue the more he pushes back. Try the antiperspirants as suggested by Renato, but don't try and force it. Let's face it is it that important he wear colognes?
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post #15 of 16
7/3/10 at 9:14pm
If I were you, I'd pick something that is really discreet (close to the skin) but classically very masculine. If you're willing to buy online, the one I always recommend is Worth Pour Homme (don't worry about seeking out old formulations - the current one is great). It's a warm, leathery fougere that is extremely masculine but is very discreet with light sillage. Trust me, it's totally easy and comfortable to wear, classic and I'd doubt he'd feel self conscious wearing it because it's not loud - just manly smelling. Plus, a 3.4 oz. bottle is only like $25. One of my favorite scents.
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post #16 of 16
7/4/10 at 7:55am
Thread Starter 
Primrose- scented aftershave, love it, I think this will be my first baby step.
Bradw- i've heard of Gendarme before, I'm going to check it out as you suggest.
Bigsly- i can't play with vodka, I set it down after college and haven't revisited since-heehee!
Hamid- yes, this seems to be his sentiment too, which I'm tryign to change :-(
Perfaddict- of your suggestions helmut lang is interesting me...
Sensual-hehehe
Disremember- right, i agree, which is why i'm posting. I have not exposure to male fragrances, so do'nt know what's out there
Adonis- plus 1 for Gendarme!!
diamondflame- yes, good suggestion. i'm going to be looking for scented (light) colognes first

Pluran, good suggestions! I love these houses
Renato- he likes antipersperants that are more 'natural', do you know if htese have a lot of 'chemical' ingredients? (some anti p.s can be really harsh on the skin)
Marc- hmm, maybe I can start with scented hair shampoo, aha! (he doesn't buy his own)
shamu- thanks for the suggestion!

And a big thanks to all, I just got some really good ideas.
have a good fourth of July, Kari
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