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I can't stand Aramis - so am I going to hate Parfum D'habit too?

post #1 of 20
4/23/11 at 9:19am
Thread Starter 
Parfum D'habit is tricky to find a sample of (it's fairly tricky to even source a big bottle of the stuff) but the reviews of it inflame my curiosity and I can feel myself heading in the direction of a blind buy.

One thing worries me though - the big leather element. I blind-bought Aramis recently and absolutely hated it - revolting stuff - so my question is this: How close is the leather in Parfum D'habit to that of Aramis? Are they related? Distant kin? Nothing like each other? Am I barking up the wrong tree to even stick 'em both in the same sentence?

Let me offer my thanks in advance to any experienced basenoter who'd be so kind as to clue this frag-noob in a little bit!
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post #2 of 20
4/23/11 at 9:43am
I don't think they're very much alike, although I like both of them. I don't see Parfum d'habit as primarily a leather fragrance at all. It's more of a dirty patchouli.
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post #3 of 20
4/23/11 at 10:03am
Thread Starter 
Ah, excellent, that's helpful!
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post #4 of 20
4/23/11 at 11:29am
Not so simple a query, I'm afraid.

While the two don't smell all that much alike, you may still dislike Parfum d'Habit if you truly detest Aramis. Why? Because despite a difference in content, both share an extremely assertive - even confrontational - stylistic bent. Leather is a common feature, as are pungent patchouli and aromatic notes, but where Aramis includes a surprising floral accord, Parfum d'Habit leans heavily on dry vetiver. The result is that Parfum d'Habit feels more "outdoorsy," spare, and stark, while some might find Aramis comparatively stodgy or "old school." Both are great, and both, I believe, are acquired tastes. I once hated Aramis, only to come back to it with love and respect after decades of neglect. I thought Parfum d'Habit was utterly repulsive the first time I smelled it. Now it's one of my wardrobe staples.

Parfum d'Habit is not a good blind buy. Sample if you can by any means. I'm fairly sure that you can order a sample of Parfum d'Habit online from First in Fragrance (Aus Liebe zum Duft). Whatever it costs you is better than spending 100 Euros on a bottle that you'll never use!
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post #5 of 20
4/23/11 at 11:38am
Off Center is right: IMHO, Parfum D'Habit reeks masculinity the same way Knize 10 does in its boldness. With due poetic licenses, think of Parfum D'Habit is YSL's Jazz übermacho brother.
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post #6 of 20
4/23/11 at 11:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph View Post

I blind-bought Aramis recently and absolutely hated it - revolting stuff - so my question is this: How close is the leather in Parfum D'habit to that of Aramis?

I hear you loud and clear. Try Parfum D'Habit. I think you will like it. IMO leagues above Aramis.
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post #7 of 20
4/23/11 at 12:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Off-Scenter View Post

I'm fairly sure that you can order a sample of Parfum d'Habit online from First in Fragrance (Aus Liebe zum Duft). Whatever it costs you is better than spending 100 Euros on a bottle that you'll never use!

That's a great site to get samples from thanks, I'm really chuffed with that. Just ordered samples of Knize Ten, Timbuktu, D'Habit and Black Aoud! I've never tried any of these so this is a little packet winging to me now from Germany that - I'd guess - is going to bring me some challenges and some pleasures in equal measure. Joy.
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post #8 of 20
4/23/11 at 1:35pm
I love Parfum d'Habit. Smells fecal and animalic. Leathery too.
The above makes me want to try Aramis now.

Off scenter, I love your reviews in the perfume directory.
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post #9 of 20
4/23/11 at 2:16pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

Off scenter, I love your reviews in the perfume directory.

Yes, me too.
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post #10 of 20
4/23/11 at 3:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph View Post

That's a great site to get samples from thanks, I'm really chuffed with that. Just ordered samples of Knize Ten, Timbuktu, D'Habit and Black Aoud! I've never tried any of these so this is a little packet winging to me now from Germany that - I'd guess - is going to bring me some challenges and some pleasures in equal measure. Joy.

That's the spirit!

Have fun sampling!
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post #11 of 20
5/3/11 at 10:21am
Thread Starter 
Well OK: I have Parfum D'Habit throbbing away in the crook of my left arm and Knize Ten in my right (and Jicky EDT on my right hand and Shalimar EDP on my left - but that's another story).

P D'H: I'd have been delighted if I'd bought this blind 'cos it's a stunner. Sharp & beautiful with pine forests, incense & aromatic roots. Would be very popular with druids, I'd imagine; if Tolkien adapted Lord of the Rings for Smell-o-vison it'd smell like this.

Knize: On the other hand (well, arm) smells like some vile synthetic ointment for the removal of recalcitrant sticking plaster. Blechh!
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post #12 of 20
5/3/11 at 10:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph View Post

Well OK: I have Parfum D'Habit throbbing away in the crook of my left arm and Knize Ten in my right (and Jicky EDT on my right hand and Shalimar EDP on my left - but that's another story).

I think I'm a fan of that book myself.

Glad to hear that you like Parfum d'Habit, and also glad to hear that you reacted violently to Knize Ten. Knowing that you really don't like something is just as valuable imo as the opposite sometimes. Still, it is an excellent fragrance by any standard, so maybe give it a small dab somewhere a few months from now to see if you feel any differently (or exactly the same ).
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post #13 of 20
5/3/11 at 10:53am
Good thread, I need to get a sample of this too. Historically, MPG has been good me!
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post #14 of 20
5/3/11 at 11:06am
Thread Starter 
More sniffing: Yes, to make Aramis it seems that all you need to do is get a bottle of Knize Ten, pop the top off, fill it with freshly ground pepper and then voilÃ*!
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post #15 of 20
5/3/11 at 11:44am
Thread Starter 
More sniffing: The leather in P D'H is by no means assertive as it turns out, it could be described as a soft, buttery suede note if anything. I'd say that there certainly are accords in common between Aramis and Knize - for me they call up the most visceral revulsion though. It's a relief to learn that all leather notes aren't like this.
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post #16 of 20
5/3/11 at 12:39pm
^ You should try Tuscan Leather...you'd probably really like that rendition of leather, judging by your comments.
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post #17 of 20
5/3/11 at 1:43pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, I'll think in that direction!

More Pd'H sniffing: This is what I hoped/expected Yatagan would be like. For a split second I got pine forests with Y then just - Bang! - celery, celery, celery - & where's the mystery in celery?

The longevity on the Pd'H doesn't seem mind-blowing but it may be that I haven't tuned my nose in yet...
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post #18 of 20
7/8/11 at 8:51am
Thread Starter 
OK, two months later and I'm wearing Aramis and liking it very much. I took a sniff of a tester recently and thought 'Yuck, yeah, still terrible!' - but then later found myself thinking 'yeah, that's revolting - and yet...somewhat intriguing'. Then I found a bottle in a charity shop a couple of days ago and I've been happily wearing several sprays of it today. I would not have guessed that frank disgust could swap so quickly into infatuation. Go figure.
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post #19 of 20
7/8/11 at 9:43am
Let's just say you can't love someone until you got to know them. How else do you think many of us ended up with such huge fragrance wardrobes?
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post #20 of 20
7/8/11 at 10:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph View Post

OK, two months later and I'm wearing Aramis and liking it very much. I took a sniff of a tester recently and thought 'Yuck, yeah, still terrible!' - but then later found myself thinking 'yeah, that's revolting - and yet...somewhat intriguing'. Then I found a bottle in a charity shop a couple of days ago and I've been happily wearing several sprays of it today. I would not have guessed that frank disgust could swap so quickly into infatuation. Go figure.

The exact same thing happened to me with Aramis. I used to hate it, and still am not too fond of the opening. But the leathery-patch evolution is just so nice and smooth. Congrats on the turnaround...your horizons are expanding!
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › I can't stand Aramis - so am I going to hate Parfum D'habit too?