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To those who dislike animalic scents..

post #1 of 7
7/28/10 at 2:46am
Thread Starter 
Would you say that the odor your perceive "animalic" as would be like body odor? Or like a spicy dry and unpleasant smell; while in feel, it may feel gritty?

I'm trying to understand the term animalic more, but before using it in my vocabulary, I wanna make sure I have its definition right. Rather than asking those who enjoy animalic fragrances and may take the way I see them as, as being offensive; I'd rather ask those in the same boat as me.

So to those who dislike animalic scents, what exactly is it that you dislike about them? I consider Dirty English to be animalic. Yes, it's dry and woodsy, but so are other fragrances that I enjoy, Dirty English to me is pretty bad, and animalic. Kouros has an animalic opening, Sante Fe (a cheapy) is animalic, as is Dunhill Desire, amongst others. They all share that same dry/stinky/sweaty armpit smell in one way or another, this is what animalic is to me. Am I correct?
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post #2 of 7
7/28/10 at 3:36am
I dislike certain animalic scents, and like others. I'd have to say i dislike the dirtiness/fecal odors and thick/warm/greasy texture of some animal notes, like in Kouros and Orange Spice.

And animalic scents vary so much in smell and texture, they're not all hot/warm/wet/greasy, so we can't really say body odor or any other particular smell....they all smell different.

But I tend to agree with animalic notes when they are texturally "dry". For instance I like the gritty castoreum notes in Cruel Intentions, Grain De Plasir, and Royal Scottish Lavender. Or I like them when they are smooth, thick, and "clean", like the animalic note used in one of the top 3 sandalwoods ever, Creed's Bois De Santal. Or smooth/waxy/sweet, like the real Ambergris used in another top-3 sandalwood, Maitre's vintage Santal Noble.

It just matters on the use and quality I guess. And it doesn't need to be animalic to have that "dirty/fecal" turnoff effect. I hate the unsanitary aspect of many Jasmines. I was enamored with Eau Sauvage for the first 15 minutes I smelled it. I thaught I had found a superior version of Neroli Sauvage, a true classic.....then the "used baby wipe" fecality came in and ruined it.
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post #3 of 7
7/28/10 at 6:56am
It's interesting but I never get "armpit" from animalic notes including the much discussed/recognized cumin. I do get general body musk odor though. If it's a worn-Tshirt type of musky smell, I kinda like it. If it's "stinky feet" or urine I don't enjoy it as much. This means musks and castoreum containted in most scnets are O.K. for me but civet, I have to be very careful with (Jicky, Amouage Gold). Indoles vary. I have no problem with Eau Sauvage but I get too much stinky feet in some other places (Un Jardin sul le Nil MPG).
With ambergris, it depends. I don't enjoy it in the drydown of Creeds. Then, again I don't perceive them as animalic there. Other places, I get animalic from ambergris and I may enjoy it.
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post #4 of 7
7/28/10 at 7:39am
When I think of animalic notes, I recall the odors I smell at the local zoo. That mixture of musky matted furs and slight fecal or urine notes. Yeah, it's pretty broad and not the easiest of scents to describe. I'd recognize it when I smell it but I don't generally associate it with spicy-BO or armpit-ish notes. I don't dislike animalic, nor any notes for that matter, as long as they are judiciously used, and in harmony with the other notes within the fragrance composition.
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post #5 of 7
7/28/10 at 8:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diamondflame View Post

When I think of animalic notes, I recall the odors I smell at the local zoo. That mixture of musky matted furs and slight fecal or urine notes. Yeah, it's pretty broad and not the easiest of scents to describe. I'd recognize it when I smell it but I don't generally associate it with spicy-BO or armpit-ish notes. I don't dislike animalic, nor any notes for that matter, as long as they are judiciously used, and in harmony with the other notes within the fragrance composition.

Me too...I think more of the zoo than human body odors. But usually it's a clean zoo, like freshly scrubbed animal stalls. That's a pretty good smell. Scents that actually smell fecal (there aren't many), I do not like.

Also, I think I have a pretty high tolerance for "animalic" notes. Many of the scents that are commonly referenced animalics (Kouros and Declaration for instance) just come off as oddly spiced and unique to me.
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post #6 of 7
7/28/10 at 10:44am
Little side topic here, it's interesting that "animalic" notes needn't originate from animals (or from attempts to synthesize animal-based components):
indolic flowers -> fecal
cumin -> sweaty armpit
honey -> urine
pineapple -> foot odor
oudh -> you name it

That said, I don't mind any of the above notes -- and don't make the indicated associations -- when they're used effectively. On the other hand, I personally don't like:
- the indolic first 15 minutes of Fracas, before it settles (or I settle?)
- the cumin in Kingdom, although I rarely have trouble with cumin (witness my love of Al Oudh)
- the honey in Miel de Bois (I suspect my skin chemistry is a factor, I don't this scent so much on others)
- the pineapple-heavy topnotes of Lapidus pour homme

In blends, oudh suits me just fine; I have no experience with the pure oil.
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post #7 of 7
7/28/10 at 12:13pm
I think animalic notes in fragrance smell best when then are used as background or as a counter measure to something very different from the animalic scent, but allowing the animal to be tamed by the beautiful combined scent. Some of my favorites that have animalism in them are:

Eau de Guerlain Cologne - one of the best mens eau de cologne for summer wear - it is my favorite anyway.
Guerlain Mouchoir de Monsieur - a refined gentleman fragrance.
Oriscent Assam Black Oud - warm dark leather + horses.
Muscs Kublai Khan - a bright traveler arrives from the desert by camel.
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