Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Question about Van Cleef and Arpels PH?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Question about Van Cleef and Arpels PH?

post #1 of 26
8/12/10 at 11:18pm
Thread Starter 
Today i went to the mall and decided to smell the well known VCA Ph.

The SA said "this is an old mans scent, not for you, mayb your dad" (i'm 17 and love the bold scents, especially classics, i seem to get the surprized look from every SA whenever i ask to smell certain colognes) "please don't torture your gf with this scent!"

I was surprized when she said that because when i smelled it, i seemed to enjoy it. I didnt think much about it until i left the mall. My gf thought it was "okay" but possibly smelled better on my skin.
On the ride home, the memory of VCA ph kept haunting me, like i dunno. It was somewhat just i don't know any better way to describe it but haunting me. It had like this, dark cold powerful aura. Something just drawing me in even though i just wiffed it once. I definately caught the i suppose "old" smell but only for a split second when i first smelled it. After that it was quite lovely.

What do you guys think of this? I'm just seeing if anyone else got the same sort of "haunting" effect. Or am i just an overly dramatic highschooler haha
Reply
Reply

Features on Basenotes

Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
post #2 of 26
8/12/10 at 11:28pm
I truly dislike the pseudo knowledge of sales people who say things like this, leading their own prejudices to keep people from something they really like.

You had one of the best types of fragrances experiences available with VC&A PH--that's exactly what the delight of the scent hunt is, the haunting scent that you can't get your nose away from and that sings in your brain even when you're not smelling it anymore. That's when you know something that will really make you feel great about how you smell. Notice that many other scents you've smelled don't do that for you, and Slushiex3, listen to yourself and go get happy and get some VC&A PH and tell that stupid sales person DustB says she/he is a damned fake.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 26
8/12/10 at 11:38pm
what is wrong with torturing your gf? mwahaha JK guys! VCA wearer here.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 26
8/12/10 at 11:44pm
I like it but it's a bit strong for me so I plan to dilute it with vodka thel next time it comes up in the rotation.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 26
8/12/10 at 11:46pm
do what you want ..VCA Pour Homme is so particular ..so different from all those Le Mâle , Aqua Di Gio and so on...at least something original and now classical , all the more so nice
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 26
8/12/10 at 11:54pm
Everything DustB said.

Age should not deter from experiencing and enjoying a classic.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 26
8/12/10 at 11:57pm
If you like it, enjoy it.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 26
8/13/10 at 12:32am
Everything DustB said +2.
The SA is talking out of her backside. As long as it appeals to your nose age is of no consequence. It's a great fragrance - go for it.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 26
8/13/10 at 1:29am
It's a fantastic fragrance. Get it if you really like.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 26
8/13/10 at 1:43am
+3 for DustB
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 26
8/13/10 at 2:55am
It's a great fragrance, so +4 for DustB.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 26
8/13/10 at 5:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DustB View Post

I truly dislike the pseudo knowledge of sales people who say things like this, leading their own prejudices to keep people from something they really like.

You had one of the best types of fragrances experiences available with VC&A PH--that's exactly what the delight of the scent hunt is, the haunting scent that you can't get your nose away from and that sings in your brain even when you're not smelling it anymore. That's when you know something that will really make you feel great about how you smell. Notice that many other scents you've smelled don't do that for you, and Slushiex3, listen to yourself and go get happy and get some VC&A PH and tell that stupid sales person DustB says she/he is a damned fake.

Agreed. VCA is from my era and peer group, but for an SA to tell me that something modern isn't for me because of my age, I would no doubt have something very unpleasant to say to them and ruin their day.

Ditto for you. If it smells good, then it is good my friend. That's the ONLY rule in this hobby.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 26
8/13/10 at 5:17am
It's a classic, i love it too. I'm 28 and the saleswoman told me: wow, you have good taste for fragances... i didn't buy it, but I plan to. I'm not sure if I prefer Tsar to Pour Homme... someday i'll have both.

A scent that haunts me and i'm going to buy soon is Mugler cologne. Works very well with my skin, and i love it for daily use. Pure Malt also haunted me and i had to buy it, so happened with For Him Musc Edition, it was an instabuy!
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 26
8/13/10 at 5:17am
Probably you got the wisdom of a mature man to love this fantastic scent at an early age!
Just a bit of fun; DustB rules!
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 26
8/13/10 at 6:12am
I cant help but wonder how much the SA is getting paid to be an "expert guide" to young men buying scent?
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 26
8/13/10 at 9:27am
Uh-oh. You wore VCA? You're one of us now.


Basenoters 1

Sales Ass. 0
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 26
8/13/10 at 9:46am
DustB indeed nailed it. I've seen some of your posts Slushiex, you know your own preferences and are learning more about them all the time.

I had a similar experience a few years back. In my pre Basenotes days, I was drawn to try Vintage Tabarome though something I had read about it. The SA pulled out the bottle and verbally pissed all over it. "Old mannish" "Old fashioned" "Too strong" You think of a slur, they used it. As such it put me off buying a flacon for $230. Arrrgghhhhh. Live and learn.

You keep hanging in here and soon you will know much more than the average SA about scents. Tricky thing for you will be your age. The SAs will be a bit shocked that a young guy knows so much. I'm an old guy and I freak more than a few of them out.

Your experience of VC&A PH sounds great, and not dissimilar to mine. It is a nice scent. Potent with killer sillage. You seem to be the type that would enjoy it. If you wear it to school, just keep the dose low. This stuff has more "lingering" ability than many of the scents I own.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 26
8/13/10 at 10:00am
I had a similar experience recently when I was checking out Aramis original. I think it's bad customer service personally, but I think the rationale for it may be something like this: the SA is thinking that if person X buys product Y and is then told by their friends/acquaintances that Y smells "too old for them", then they'll regret the purchase, so the SA is attempting to safeguard against this scenario, and steer X more towards products that will be generally approved of. I'm sure this holds true more for the general public than it does for basenoters, who are better catered for by SAs in specialist stores than general department stores.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 26
8/13/10 at 10:40am
I have said this to idiot SAs: "I like it, and I'm the customer - you're the service provider." SERVICE PROVIDER - shuts 'em up every time!
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 26
8/13/10 at 4:03pm
I agree with DustB and others on this thread. And, Slushie, props to you for enjoying the less "hip" stuff. Aquatics, celeb frags, and even the new niche fad is all getting old. I notice a trend of younger folks reaching for Azzaro ph, for Drakkar Noir, Polo, even Quorum. Big, bold fragrances. Often times when I'm wearing a powerhouse, I think to myself "this is how god wanted a man to smell" Even if it's not a powerhouse per say, but has that powerhouse smell and appeal, it's sort of an acquired smell that not everyone enjoys. I myself used to not care for these types of scents, but I find that being more open to them, giving them the benefit of the doubt, just expands not only my nose but my mind to even more variety.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 26
8/13/10 at 9:07pm
Slushinex, if you're 17 and you're already wearing Van Cleef & Arpels, to me that just means you have good taste and are already way ahead of the game.
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 26
8/13/10 at 10:47pm
I personally don't get VC&AP pH. It's a dark one for sure, and frankly, it weirds me out. But if it appeals to you, and you've tried it on your skin and can see yourself wearing it, then go for it!

Seems to me that once you let go of the established "categories": young/old, male/female, daytime/nighttime, casual/formal, etc. etc. you'll find that it's all about finding what appeals to you, and what works on your skin. The categories are all loose....sample, sample, and sample some more. The choices are endless...find what works for you, and have fun with it.
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 26
8/13/10 at 10:57pm
+ 1 for the "Follow your bliss" school of scent selection. If it speaks to your deep mojo, go with it. Do you really want to smell like every other teenage dude out there with Axe body spray and Acqua di Giò? Dare to be different; there's no one quite like you in the world. Let the world know it!

VC&A pour Homme rocks bigtime. Soon you'll be ready to smell their Bois d'Iris from the Collection Extraordinaire series, but you may not want pay their price for it...

Van Cleef & Arpels
Collection Extraordinaire
Bois d'Iris
(2009)
Émilie Copperman
Woody Oriental
------------------
Top Notes: Sweet Notes, Frankincense
Middle Notes, Woody Notes, Cedar, Iris, Vetiver
Base Notes: Ambergris, Labdanum, Myrrh, Vanilla Notes
------------------
This starts off with a soft iris accord that at first seems not to have much sillage, but after a few minutes, when the heart notes begin to appear, the sillage gets quite a bit more noticeable, shifting the focus from iris to vetiver and cedar. Then the oriental notes begin to appear: first the incense/balsamic notes, and finally the amber and vanilla. The iris remains in the mix, but as each layer is revealed, it changes and floats in and out between the foreground and the background. An interesting scent, truly unisex also; it could easily be sold as a masculine with the vetiver and woody notes being well featured here. The pony trick in this one is dosing the vetiver enough to take advantage of its undertones of orris butter and violets and thereby really supporting and reinforcing the iris soliflore impression of the whole. Good sillage, and a good longevity nearly six hours after application; but I would say if you want the longevity and sillage, don't be too sparing with the number of sprays.
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 26
8/14/10 at 12:53am
Thread Starter 
Ladies and gentlemen of basenotes, your advice and comments are highly appreciated and somewhat flattering as well. Thank you all for your well thought out responses, they have helped me greatly ^ ^

I shall be ordering VC&A in my next haul as i cannot seem to stop thinking of it.

JaimeB, Bois D'iris does sound very appealing to me actually and i appreciate the recommendation! It sounds really really lovely and i would like to try it sometime. I suppose you have a good sense of my taste. The price does seem quite pricey for a highschooler and my parents do not seem to quite approve of my hobby but i sort of buy them behind their backs anyway HAHA. SHHH no body needs to know. Now you got me thinking of this new fragrance as well
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 26
8/14/10 at 11:23am
Why you dont respect the SA opinion? She was honest! I really apreciate that.... Lot of SA are not honest with customers.

Personally I like VC and Arpels, I feel like a billionaire with that bottle....What amazing aura! Not for all people....
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 26
8/14/10 at 2:58pm
The sales associate was trying to protect you (and themselves) from some probable unintended consequences. They assume you are wearing the frag for appealing to others (esp dating) and, let's face it, a typical young girlfriend will be tortured by it.

Wear it for yourself. Experiment to see if the significant other can stand it. Get the Fierce and the Arpels if that's what it takes to make everyone happy.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: MFD Archive
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Question about Van Cleef and Arpels PH?