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Need a cheaper Vanilla based fragrance for a young guy

post #1 of 66
2/3/11 at 7:36am
Thread Starter 
Hi guys,

As per title, I need a cheaper fragrance with some decent vanilla for this girl I'm getting fairly serious with. Turns out she's bonkers about the smell of vanilla.

I'm also fairly young at 21, so I don't want to smell like an older man. It also needs to keep an air of masculinity and preferably be under 100 bucks.

Thanks guys.
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post #2 of 66
2/3/11 at 7:42am
Molinard Vanille - best straight up vanilla fragrance, and dirt cheap.
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post #3 of 66
2/3/11 at 8:16am
Givenchy Pi? Body Kouros has a bit of a Vanillaish note to it due to the Benzoin
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post #4 of 66
2/3/11 at 8:23am
Caron Pour un homme is a fresh lavender vanilla. The regular size bottle is in the range of designer fragrances, so it may be a little expensive. But it also comes in a small 30ml bottle, which is much cheaper.

cacio
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post #5 of 66
2/3/11 at 8:26am
Givenchy Pi!!
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post #6 of 66
2/3/11 at 8:29am
Try L'Occitane Eau des Baux. Definitely has the vanilla you're after, and yet it's masculine with the cypress. Not bad at $46 for 100ml.
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post #7 of 66
2/3/11 at 8:43am
I've been suggesting this one a lot lately, but it's really that good... L'Erbolario Meharees.
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post #8 of 66
2/3/11 at 9:16am
CO Bigelow Elixir Black in Body Spray or Cologne. Can be purchased cheaply at bath and body works which in almost every mall in the USA.
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post #9 of 66
2/3/11 at 9:29am
Givenchy Pi.
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post #10 of 66
2/3/11 at 9:39am
.........
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post #11 of 66
2/3/11 at 9:44am
Givenchy Pi
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post #12 of 66
2/3/11 at 9:57am
Budget
-raw vanilla (1996)
by coty

a little higher $$$ but well below $100
-minotaure (1992)
by paloma picasso

-roma uomo (1994)
by laura biagiotti
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post #13 of 66
2/3/11 at 10:04am
+1 Raw Vanilla, so hard to find though unless ya order online, and even then you risk getting a splash on or after shave. This fragrance is seriously amazing, slap a diptyque label on it, and I guarantee it would sell for over 100. Projection kinda sucks though.

There's also Lomani Ignition which I have yet to try.. It's supposed to me a vanilla and light tobacco mixture, I may blind buy it soon, as I'm always in the hunt for good cheap vanilla's.

As others mentioned Molinard Vanille, which I haven't tried, but knowing their Vanille Patchouli - which is excellent and I recommend, I'm assuming this is their approach to the vanilla note.. in which case, I love.

I'd like to recommend what I'm wearing now, but it's niche and pricey; that being Eau Duelle(sp?) from Diptyque Paris. Off a sample I requested, this is my SOTD. Pretty good, thus far
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post #14 of 66
2/3/11 at 10:07am
Lomani Ignition (very inexpensive)
L'Occitane Eau des Baux
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post #15 of 66
2/3/11 at 10:09am
Michael Jordan Legend is a good Rochas Man knoockoff and could be bought for under 20$
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post #16 of 66
2/3/11 at 10:13am
Jaipur Pour Homme by Boucheron (usually around $60 or so); may be a bit mature - check it out at Nordstrom.
Arpege Pour Homme by Lanvin is about $14 at Marshall's or TJ Maxx and it has a nice vanilla note.
+1 on Caron Pour Un Homme. You may also try their Royal Bain De Caron. Very sweet on both of those.
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post #17 of 66
2/3/11 at 10:14am
Double post.
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post #18 of 66
2/3/11 at 10:22am
uh forgot...
Impérial Opoponax
by Les Néréides

Depending where you're located, I hear this can be had in the UK for around 10 pounds. I grabbed it from a fellow bn'r and it is probably my fav vanilla <$50.
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post #19 of 66
2/3/11 at 11:30am
There are a lot of good vanillas out there.

Cheap: Lomani Ignition and Carlos Santana for Men

Pricy: Joop! Thrill is one of my favorites. It's smells pretty basic, but well done IMO.
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post #20 of 66
2/3/11 at 11:42am
There are a few :

Molinard Ambre

Gabriella Sabatini Devotion

are a couple of nice cheaper vanilla's. It depends on what the discounters have as well.
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post #21 of 66
2/3/11 at 12:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Swanky View Post

Jaipur Pour Homme by Boucheron

+1

My Sotd, in fact
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post #22 of 66
2/3/11 at 12:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BradW View Post

Joop! Thrill is one of my favorites. It's smells pretty basic, but well done IMO.

+1 from me
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post #23 of 66
2/3/11 at 12:52pm
+1 for Eau des Baux and Pour Un Homme

What of Habanita by Molinard? Oakmoss, cedar, tobacco and vanilla? Very complex.
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post #24 of 66
2/3/11 at 1:12pm
Pi!
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post #25 of 66
2/3/11 at 1:59pm
This question has "Rochas Man" written all over it!

Great vanilla date fragrance...not loud, fairly close to the skin, smells great, etc. Also smells good on clothes.


TJ Maxxx sells it for 20 bucks for the 50ml.


Can't go wrong with it....unless your girl hates the smell of coffee (it has a slight coffee smell to it as well)
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post #26 of 66
2/3/11 at 2:54pm
It's been suggested many times already it looks like my vote would be for Pi
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post #27 of 66
2/3/11 at 5:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by blacksun View Post

Try L'Occitane Eau des Baux. Definitely has the vanilla you're after, and yet it's masculine with the cypress. Not bad at $46 for 100ml.

+1 peppery open dries down to vanilla that lasts forever on me
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post #28 of 66
2/3/11 at 5:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cacio View Post

Caron Pour un homme is a fresh lavender vanilla. The regular size bottle is in the range of designer fragrances, so it may be a little expensive. But it also comes in a small 30ml bottle, which is much cheaper.

This. You cannot go wrong.
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post #29 of 66
2/3/11 at 5:58pm
Rochas Man would work. I don't see it so much as a vanilla frag as I do a mocha-coffee frag but I guess the vanilla is in there, too. It dries down into a nice woody type base, not too feminine.
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post #30 of 66
2/3/11 at 7:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by blacksun View Post

Try L'Occitane Eau des Baux. Definitely has the vanilla you're after, and yet it's masculine with the cypress. Not bad at $46 for 100ml.

100% this.
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post #31 of 66
2/3/11 at 7:48pm
Pi ISN'T VANILLA! Can we stop recommending it in vanilla threads?
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post #32 of 66
2/3/11 at 8:10pm
I, too, must respectfully disagree with those suggesting Pi. There may be vanilla in there somewhere but it's not a "vanilla" frag. I would recommend CSP's Vanille Extreme. If you also like coconut, you could try their Vanille-Coco. Neither should run you over 60 bucks online.
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post #33 of 66
2/3/11 at 8:45pm
CUBA GOLD. CUBA GOLD. To an unexperienced nose, this is identical to JPG Le Male, only not as potent in projection, and sillage, very highly recommended. Its also under $10 for a 3.4oz bottle. You got nothing to lose at that price and cannot go wrong
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post #34 of 66
2/3/11 at 8:52pm
Either Givenchy Pi or if you want to be a bit daring D & G La Force #11 has a great vanilla undertone that I love.
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post #35 of 66
2/3/11 at 8:59pm
Givenchy Pi might work, but to me it's super cloying sweet.

The new Atelier Vanilla Incensee is a neat twist on vanilla, and you can get the small bottle for about $60.'

Or if you can go 20 bucks over your budget, you may want to sample Serge Lutens - Un Bois Vanille. To me it's almost edible on the skin it smells (almost can taste it) so good.
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post #36 of 66
2/3/11 at 9:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

Molinard Vanille - best straight up vanilla fragrance, and dirt cheap.

Yes, yes, a thousand times Yes!
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post #37 of 66
2/4/11 at 8:17pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. Since I am buying blind, I might start on two safe bets- Rochas Man and Givenchy Pi. Then I'll work my way through the rest of the suggestions, starting with Joop! Thrill and MV as suggested above
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post #38 of 66
2/4/11 at 8:49pm
You might also wanna try Dolce & Gabbana The One Gentleman if you like vanilla bean ice cream.
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post #39 of 66
2/5/11 at 6:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DuNezDeBuzier View Post


-minotaure
-roma uomo

The two above + L'Occitane Eau des Baux / VC&A Orchidee Vanille / Cadjmere / the Molinard / 10 Corso Como Uomo just don't turn Pi loose on her, you'll scare her silly with that ish.
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post #40 of 66
2/5/11 at 8:22am
Yes, we know that Pi isn't vanilla, it's benzoin, but to the average person's nose it comes off as vanilla. A type of woody, sterile type vanilla as opposed to a foody vanilla but it's much more masculine than many of the vanilla frags out there.

He wanted something masculine and many of the vanilla based frags out there for men aren't masculine at all so even though the average basenoter might not have a problem smelling like a chick, the average guy does. Most vanilla frags are so girly that wearing them make me want to put body glitter on and change my name to Desire.

It's also relatively cheap, easy to find and women really love it!
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post #41 of 66
2/5/11 at 8:57am
Oh, Pi beyond a doubt.
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post #42 of 66
2/5/11 at 9:59am
If we're sticking to real cheapos, then Stetson Untamed for sure, maybe Coty Gravity (more herbal) or Coty Wild Woods (woodier)
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post #43 of 66
2/5/11 at 10:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtgprox05 View Post

Pi ISN'T VANILLA! Can we stop recommending it in vanilla threads?

No vanilla, but to my nose, it smells like bourbenal and heliotropine are present--consider them vanilla's older, more dimensioned brothers. I say this because I get a cherry/spicy note often indicative of the other vanillic aldehydes rather than the super sweet cake batter vanilla that styrax gives by itself. In all likelihood, they're not in there. Anyway, one can't beat Pi for it's cheapness. Has relatively good lasting power too.

Molinard Vanille is an excellent suggestion.
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post #44 of 66
2/5/11 at 11:06am
eh?
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post #45 of 66
2/5/11 at 6:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chemistwithanose View Post

No vanilla, but bourbenal and heliotropine are present--consider them vanilla's older, more dimensioned brothers. Can't be Pi for it's cheapness. Has relatively good lasting power too.

Molinard Vanille is an excellent suggestion.

It's the benzoin. I don't really think heliotrope smells much like vanilla. I'm going to say it again, I HIGHLY recommend seeking out Eau des Baux. It's inexpensive, masculine and DAMN good.
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post #46 of 66
2/5/11 at 7:18pm
Try Warm Vanilla Sugar by Bath and Body Works (there's usually one of their stores at your local mall). You can get a body spray dirt cheap, which lasts for a long time and is relatively strong. It also comes in a shower gel, a body lotion and an EDT spray. It's a vanilla so good you can almost taste it...and she will want to eat you!
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post #47 of 66
2/5/11 at 7:46pm
Another vote for Molinard Vanilla. Also, their Amber is a great affordable amber scent too. One of the best actually. You can buy each of those usually for under $30.
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post #48 of 66
2/5/11 at 7:59pm
What about D&G the One?
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post #49 of 66
2/6/11 at 12:35am
Joop Thrill Man isn't that pricey, at least not here in the UK. Its recommended retail is 30 pounds (about 50 bucks) of 50ml. And that's including our crazy 20% sales tax. if I shop around I can get it for a bit less than that.

Having said that, for the same 30 quid I can get 200ml of Caron pour un Homme from cheapsmells.com. That really is the bargain of the century.
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post #50 of 66
2/6/11 at 1:27am
Theres been about 50 posts in a thread about a vanilla scent that is less then 100 dollars and none of you have mentioned Le Male

shame on you basenotes, shame on you
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post #51 of 66
2/6/11 at 4:16am
Boss bottled a.k.a. Hugo Boss' No. 6...
...and Jean-Paul Gaultier's Le Male of course ;-)!
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post #52 of 66
2/6/11 at 4:34am
Le Male or Rochas Man should work fine.
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post #53 of 66
2/6/11 at 10:16am
I suggest you pick up a few so you can rotate. Any of these can be had for $25 or less (testers even cheaper) for the big 3.4oz bottle:

- Perry Ellis for New (new formulation)
- Perry Ellis 360 White or 360 Black
- Guess by Marciano

360 White is the most vanilla smelling of all of them is a near clone of JPG La Male (but cleaner actually), for 1/4 the price.

360 Black has a raw sexiness to it, in addition to the vanilla base.

Perry Ellis for Men has prominent notes of citrus, wood, and apple to go along with a vanilla base.

Guess by Marciano has orange, wood, pepper along with vanilla & amber base



You can literally get testers of these brands for under $18 each. Variety is the spice of life, so get a few that are really affordable like these. You'll keep her guessing this way! Women love that.



All have great projection and longevity too. Can't miss, especially if you're a "bang for buck" type like me. I am a big fan of vanilla, but it is nice to have other scents blended in as well so it isn't just pure vanilla. The ones I mentioned are colognes I own and love, and are the best I've found in this realm for under $30 most places, for 3.4oz.
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post #54 of 66
2/6/11 at 11:45am
Actually LeJonny.... we're disappointed in you. It took 50 posts for you to come in and suggest it. We were leaving that one for you.
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post #55 of 66
2/6/11 at 2:08pm
Pour un Homme de Caron. You're young but it won't take long to grow into it, and I think you'll like it even sooner
The nice thing about it is that it is ageless, timeless, classic, simple, affordable (4 oz bottles run about $45), and the vanilla is brilliantly rendered and non-gourmand.
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post #56 of 66
3/3/11 at 8:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pipsta View Post

Actually LeJonny.... we're disappointed in you. It took 50 posts for you to come in and suggest it. We were leaving that one for you.

haha

But yea Le Male definitely. I love that stuff. But I also love Rochas Man
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post #57 of 66
2/11/13 at 4:58pm
Lets see who wins.........
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post #58 of 66
2/11/13 at 8:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by blacksun View Post

Try L'Occitane Eau des Baux. Definitely has the vanilla you're after, and yet it's masculine with the cypress. Not bad at $46 for 100ml.

+100 on this one. Dont waste your money on TV by Tom Ford.
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post #59 of 66
2/11/13 at 10:27pm
OK lads, I agree with many scent suggestions here. The Molinard I tried from a sample and I remember it being great. Pi by Givenchy is VERY sweet and the benzoin comes off vanilla-esque, but it's too much. LeMale....never worked well for me; Cuba Gold is a better bet (just my $0.02). Rochas Man man is great and well-blended along with being accessible. I love Caron's Pour un Homme but the lavender 'cools' the vanilla in a very old-school way (not sure if you're after this; very classic though). Carlos Santana is a value leader and presents itself like a vanilla pipe tobacco. Great stuff. The L'Occitane many are mentioning is a classic.

I will add:

Versace Blue Jeans: Cheap and accessible. A woodsy, cool vanilla.
Bulgari Black: Very unique, almost a Comme des Garcons concept, but extremely wearable.
Lolita Lempicka au Masculin: Vanilla, anise seed, wearable in warm weather. Awesome.
Jacomo Rouge: Vanilla and a mocha-like richness. Ridiculously affordable.
Jacomo de Jacomo: Dark, brooding and spicy. Vanilla on the waay bottom of the pyramid. It makes you work for it.
Adidas Victory League: Really wants to grow up to be Boss Bottled. Also ridiculously affordable.

With the price tag of some of these, you may be able to keep that young lady entertained in the olfactory sense. Have fun, lad!
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post #60 of 66
2/11/13 at 10:43pm
Lalique Pour Homme?
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