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Fresh... but Interesting

post #1 of 35
5/17/11 at 4:05pm
Thread Starter 
I don't know if I'm misreading this, but it seems many scents that are described as Fresh get bashed as Dull.

So I am wondering, do you think it is possible to combine Fresh with Interesting? If so, what would you give as an example?
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post #2 of 35
5/17/11 at 4:32pm
Perhaps you could try something like Guerlain Vetiver?
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post #3 of 35
5/17/11 at 4:36pm
Niagara by Courreges
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post #4 of 35
5/17/11 at 4:38pm
West Indian Limes by Truefitt & Hill
Central Park by Bond No. 9
Guerlain Homme L'Eau
Eau de Guerlain
Eau de Rochas
Eau de Lalique
Orange Sanguine by Atelier Cologne
Millesime Imperial by Creed
Silver Mountain Water
Eau de Lalique
Acqua di Parma Colonia
Eau de Patou
Chanel Cristalle (EdT)
Ô de Lancôme
Noveau Bowery by Bond No. 9
Monsieur Balmain
Bergamotto Marino by Gianfranco Ferre
Terre d'Hermès
Concentrè d'Orange Verte by Hermès
Dune Pour Homme by Christian Dior
Tropheè Lancôme
He Wood Ocean Wet Wood
Chanel Eau de Cologne
Homme de Grès
Kouros Fraîcheur
Green Valley by Creed
Eau de Rochas Homme
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post #5 of 35
5/17/11 at 4:49pm
Aramis New West for Him
Hugh Parsons Blue
Guy Laroche Horizon
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post #6 of 35
5/17/11 at 5:38pm
Outrageous! by Frederic Malle
Eau de New York by Bond no 9
Sublime Balkiss by the Different Company
APOM by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Comme des Garcons 2
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post #7 of 35
5/17/11 at 5:43pm
AdP Colonia and Creed Green Valley and Silver Mountain Water.
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post #8 of 35
5/17/11 at 6:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by andym72 View Post


So I am wondering, do you think it is possible to combine Fresh with Interesting? If so, what would you give as an example?

Heck yeah, all the time: Diptyque Olene and Givenchy Monsieur I'd add to the above lists.

The real problem I think is the too casual use of the word "fresh." I think we use the word less here at BN than it's used at sales points everywhere, however.

Often, I sure agree with you Andy, fresh is applied to dull scents. Everything down at the department store is "Fresh," but only a few are not the usual dull.
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post #9 of 35
5/18/11 at 12:16am
Heeley Sel Marin
Heeley Menthe Fraiche
Parfumerie Generale Jardins De Kerylos
Parfumerie Generale Yuzu Ab Irato
Parfumerie Generale Papyrus De Ciane
CDG for Stephen Jones (more clean than fresh)
CDG 3
CDG Calamus
Profumi Del Forte Tirrenico
Guerlain Herba Fresca
Lush Dirty
Caron L'Anarchiste
Dr Vranjer Fico Selvatico
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post #10 of 35
5/18/11 at 12:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by volley2 View Post

Outrageous! by Frederic Malle
Eau de New York by Bond no 9
Sublime Balkiss by the Different Company
APOM by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Comme des Garcons 2

I would not call that one "fresh" at all... it's quite dense and warm, rather. Aqua Universalis Maison FK is probably on the fresh side, as well as the Cologne Pour le Matin. Not sure about the Absolute pour le Matin, though... again, would not call it fresh.
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post #11 of 35
5/18/11 at 12:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

Heeley Sel Marin
Heeley Menthe Fraiche
Parfumerie Generale Jardins De Kerylos
Parfumerie Generale Yuzu Ab Irato
Parfumerie Generale Papyrus De Ciane
CDG for Stephen Jones (more clean than fresh)
CDG 3
CDG Calamus
Profumi Del Forte Tirrenico
Guerlain Herba Fresca
Lush Dirty
Caron L'Anarchiste
Dr Vranjer Fico Selvatico

Great List
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post #12 of 35
5/18/11 at 1:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lupo View Post

I would not call that one "fresh" at all... it's quite dense and warm, rather. Aqua Universalis Maison FK is probably on the fresh side, as well as the Cologne Pour le Matin. Not sure about the Absolute pour le Matin, though... again, would not call it fresh.

Agree. To me neither CDG 2 is fresh...
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post #13 of 35
5/18/11 at 1:45am
Platinum Egoiste
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post #14 of 35
5/18/11 at 1:55am
Agua de Loewe/Agua de Loewe El
Guerlain Homme/Homme Intense
Old Spice White Water (a most pleasant surprise!)
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post #15 of 35
5/18/11 at 2:29am
Villoresi Uomo
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post #16 of 35
5/18/11 at 2:30am
Dune pour homme Dior
Quasar Jesus del pozo
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post #17 of 35
5/18/11 at 3:12am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DustB View Post

The real problem I think is the too casual use of the word "fresh."

I think I've been too casual with the use of the word "interesting" too. Maybe I should have also asked how an example is interesting. What is "interesting" for you all?

I have not tried or tested even half of the suggestions being made, but looking at the list Grottola has given just as an example, are they all interesting? For the majority of the list, they are pleasant, highly enjoyable, and constructed of complementing notes, but not all are interesting to me but then they dont have a need to be interesting, they are just so enjoyable and well constructed that they are charming. Eau de Rochas would be a good example.

Then there is one on that list that I've tried that springs out at me as interesting, and thats Terre d'Hermès. It is definitely fresh, and its interesting to me because it is peculiar. Sadly, its that very peculiarity that makes it unpleasant to me!

Edit: Just had another thought. Defining this aspect of scents as a dichotomy of interesting<->dull is too simple, and I shouldn't have done it. Grottola has listed "Fresh but not Dull", which isn't the same as "Fresh but Interesting".
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post #18 of 35
5/18/11 at 3:31am
People mean different things when they use the term Fresh.
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post #19 of 35
5/18/11 at 5:43am
Eau de Cartier & Eau de Cartier Concentrée
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post #20 of 35
5/18/11 at 6:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pawful View Post

People mean different things when they use the term Fresh.

I have found this to be my experience as well. "Fresh" is an extension of one's own interpretation and experiences. I find the following to be very interesting (and not in the sense of merely not being dull, but, in the sense that they do fresh in a manner that is acceptable with regards to my constructs for it, yet, outside of the norm);

Acqua Di Parma Colonia Assoluta: Barbershop "fresh"
Millesime Imperial: Beach "fresh"
Green Valley: Outdoor "fresh"
Geranium Pour Monsieur: Groomed "fresh"
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post #21 of 35
5/18/11 at 7:13am
Agreed with Acqua di Parma Colonia, Assoluta, Villoresi Uomo and Creed's Millesime Imperial & Silver Mountain Water. I think that Villoresi's Acqua di Colonia fits the bill also and for me Amouage Lyric is "fresh rose", if you get what I mean.
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post #22 of 35
5/18/11 at 7:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lupo View Post

I would not call that one "fresh" at all... it's quite dense and warm, rather. Aqua Universalis Maison FK is probably on the fresh side, as well as the Cologne Pour le Matin. Not sure about the Absolute pour le Matin, though... again, would not call it fresh.

APOM refers to A Piece Of Me, an orange blossom/cedar fragrance. It's not Absolue Pour Le Matin.

And I hate it when an SA approach me with "Are you looking for something fresh?"

Sometimes I had to bite my tongue, else I might reply thus:
"Yes. Something fresher from a sales associate's mouth."
Guess I do have a mean streak...
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post #23 of 35
5/18/11 at 7:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diamondflame View Post

APOM refers to A Piece Of Me, an orange blossom/cedar fragrance. It's not Absolue Pour Le Matin.

Precisely mate and it's not fresh at all! The orange blossom note is really dense, and although I love APOM and I've been wearing it for almost a year I find it a bit cloying even when applied lightly. Nothing to do with Absolute pour le Soir, in fact, and yet... completely out of the fresh category!
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post #24 of 35
5/18/11 at 7:58am
Whenever I read discussions like these my mind aways go here:

http://www.basenotes.net/threads/245...lassifications
for The H&R Geneology of Masculine Fragrances
don't know if there's been a update since 2002 but it helps me out with classifications.
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post #25 of 35
5/18/11 at 10:19am
Great recs so far

My additional suggestions:
Mugler Cologne
Creed GIT
Cartier Roadster
Burberry Weekend for Men
Cedro by Acca Kappa
Azzaro Bright Visit
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post #26 of 35
5/19/11 at 8:13am
I wear APOM since the end of February each and every day: no fresh. Great scent, my signature now, but what fresh is, yes, the Cologne pour le Matin. I tried the Absolue, it's on the fresh side, either.
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post #27 of 35
5/19/11 at 10:23am
Dior Eau Sauvage
Guerlain Imperial
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post #28 of 35
5/19/11 at 10:29am
Aramis New West For Him
Creed Silver Mountain Water
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post #29 of 35
5/19/11 at 12:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diamondflame

I hate it when an SA approach me with "Are you looking for something fresh?"

Sometimes I had to bite my tongue, else I might reply thus:
"Yes. Something fresher from a sales associate's mouth."
Guess I do have a mean streak...

You could just say "no". Fresh sells these days, particularly at department stores, and particularly at the men's counter, so it's no surprise that the SAs push the fresh stuff. No need to be rude to them, they're just mouthpieces for their employers. I once told a SA that I'm not into anything fresh or sporty, and am in fact looking for the exact opposite of the store's bestseller (D&G Light Blue). She steered me to the Modern Reserve flanker of Ralph Lauren Polo, which I'd never heard of and thought was fantastic, so sometimes chatting up the SA can go your way.

Re: the topic at hand, the only fresh thing I'm willing to apply to my skin on a regular basis these days is Mugler Cologne. My tastes run as thick, spicy, woody, earthy, and heavy as you can possibly imagine, but Cologne is addictive, and a fabulous refresher without being at all Febreze-esque or aquatic. What keeps it interesting is the uncanny way it mimicks shower steam and soapy skin in the absence of an actual shower or bar of soap. Apparently there's also a semen note buried deep in the mix, so if you're bored you can kill some time trying to sniff it out.
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post #30 of 35
5/19/11 at 12:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by andym72 View Post

I think I've been too casual with the use of the word "interesting" too. Maybe I should have also asked how an example is interesting. What is "interesting" for you all?

Sorry I didn't see this post until today. Andy, I didn't mean to imply that you had been too casual with the term fresh at all, and I regret that my phrasing could have suggested that. I meant it in the same sense that the Slvrbckgorilla wisely uses it. Very sorry for any confusion. I sure didn't mean any doubt to apply to your thread's question.
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post #31 of 35
5/19/11 at 1:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by subhuman85 View Post

...Re: the topic at hand, the only fresh thing I'm willing to apply to my skin on a regular basis these days is Mugler Cologne. My tastes run as thick, spicy, woody, earthy, and heavy as you can possibly imagine, but Cologne is addictive, and a fabulous refresher without being at all Febreze-esque or aquatic. What keeps it interesting is the uncanny way it mimicks shower steam and soapy skin in the absence of an actual shower or bar of soap. Apparently there's also a semen note buried deep in the mix, so if you're bored you can kill some time trying to sniff it out.

Love Mugler Cologne, a truly interesting take on "fresh", almost a parody of it, and with a little subversive twist thrown in with that mysterious "s" note.
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post #32 of 35
5/19/11 at 2:39pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DustB View Post

Very sorry for any confusion.

Firstly, may I call you Chris? Secondly, please do not be concerned, I had not understood your comment the way you are worried I understood it, no apology necessary. I understood it in context of your excellent recent thread about recommendations, "the smells don't match up to the words", smells are mapped/abstracted to notions, and then to adjectives, and then back to notions via perceptions, personal experience and cultural triggers, and these things are not universal. You meant "Fresh" does not have universal meaning.

And on the subject of adjectives, subhuman has come up with a great new one...

Febreze-esque

but again I only find that amusing because part of my culture overlaps with his (if you can call the Laundry aisle at the supermarket "culture")
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post #33 of 35
5/19/11 at 4:08pm
+1 on Geranium pour Monsieur, New West, and Eau Sauvage
Also you could consider Oyedo (Diptyque)
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post #34 of 35
5/19/11 at 5:26pm
Millesime Imperiale, nuff said
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post #35 of 35
5/19/11 at 6:45pm
I was checking out some new frags in the citrus/fresh category at Nieman's the one's I liked were

Eau De Cartier Essence D'orange
Hermes Concentre D'orange Vert
Grand Neroli by Atelier

Creed Orange Spice and Neroli Sauvage, and Tom Ford Neroli Portifino were ok but not great.

Also, Creed Aventus and MI are both fresh and interesting... I also like ZMP but can't recommend due to longevity and the need to apply too much of it.
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