New here, looking for a sophisticated but not overpowering college scent  

Try to avoid heavy gourmands in the daytime, but also anything advertised as a best-seller. You don't want to smell like everyone else. Yes, Acqua di Gio is a cliche. Every other twenty-something male wears this.

What about Dior Homme or Dior Fahrenheit? Bleu de Chanel?

Welcome, Try.

ahh, beaten to the punch! I 2nd Dior Homme

I'd go with Creed Millesime Imperial. It's light, classy, and sophisticated, but can also be casual. It's a light scent - 4 sprays lasts me 6 hours. It's not shouty, no one will be offended or choked out by a huge cloud. To me, that's your bottle.

+1 on Dior Homme...actually any of the male Diors will do (the whole Dior Homme line I cannot recommend enough)

Creed Aventus is just a really great smelling, somewhat polarizing fragrance. It is really pleasant and people (especially the opposite sex) seem to like it a lot. It's expensive, but frankly I cannot think of another fresh (spring, summer scent) that I rate so highly. Aventus is good for all age ranges. Sample first though just so you can gauge how much you like it.

Creeds may be out of reach of a college student's budget. You have financial aid to consider.

Perhaps Spicebomb? This might be too popular by now as its flying off the shelves at Nordstrom.

Think outside the box on fragrance. Do you really want to smell like every other young man?

The only advice is to sample and wear what you like. Put preconceptions out of your mind. Don't think "old man" or "too feminine." A confident man--young or old--wears what pleases himself.

You're a college guy looking for a crowd-pleaser while on a budget. Basenotes is an excellent resource for a lot of things, but there is a bit of an elitist vibe here, and a lot of fragrances that would make great fits for people like yourself either never get mentioned or get bashed for being "cheap", "boring", "too common" and a host of other complaints that don't apply to the other 99% of people who have maybe 3 fragrances total and rarely give fragrance a second thought. So realistically, a few that fit the bill (and hopefully your budget- I've omitted Creed frags because while many are nice, most are not college-budget-friendly):

- YSL La Nuit De L'Homme
- Bleu de Chanel
- Dolce and Gabbana By Dolce and Gabbana
- Armani Code
- Bulgari Black
- Rochas Man
- Gucci Pour Homme II
- Terre D'Hermes

These are all (relatively) affordable, work well for a guy your age, and play well to your target audience. Remember, you're trying to impress a 20-year old chick with a passing interest in fragrance, not the dude on Basenotes who owns every vintage Guerlain ever made. Best of luck!

+1

Also, Aventus is really nice but it gets boring if you wear it too often (IMO). So, you might want to rotate it with something else .

You might want to try Devin or Tuscany Uomo, both of which should be relatively easy to come by. Other high quality, wearable, and readily obtainable suggestions in various styles for sampling: L'Anarchiste, Habit Rouge, Monsieur Balmain, Jazz, and Monsieur de Givenchy.

I am recommending you try the Dior Homme EDT.

Spicebomb starts spicy but dries down to an excellent tobacco. Give it some time, or better, try a spray in the store. Give it some time for the alcohol to evaporate and don't buy on the first spray.

Spicebomb was released only two months ago, and it's already a popular seller.

Again, sample and buy what you like, and not what you think is popular.


I would not go on to say BN is elitist.

We are simply more into fragrance that most people. That is not elitist. What do you expect from a site that discusses fragrance?

That is like calling a wine connoisseur an elitist just because he has enjoyed a bottle of $600 Chateau de Margaux.

Face it, most endeavours have connoisseurs. Even people who have hundreds of watches from an $80 Casio 200m diving watch to a Vacheron Constantin or Breguet.

Don't call us elitist.

That said, I would also recommend Givenchy Play (the original) and Dolce and Gabbana The One Gentleman. These are both easy to find and are under $100. The 100ml of Spicebomb retails for $95.

Burberry London or Carbone de Balmain might work.

And who, pray tell, would be able to afford a $600 bottle of anything . . . other than the fiscally irresponsible, or the fiscally elite?

Primrose that sentence of yours alone smacks of elitism. Not saying you're an elitist, but when one starts comparing perfume appreciation to high-end bottles of wine, it seems to be dangerous territory.

To the OP: Go to a department store and sample everything. Trust your nose only. Eventually you'll find something you like. I'd try Chanels, they have excellent longevity and sillage, and many bases are covered in their lineup.

Dior Homme is a safe choice. But from your writing I gather you have enough sophistication -for a 21 yo- to pull off more eccentric scents too. Don't settle for safe.
My suggestion: 'waste' a bit of money buying samples, or better yet, make a couple of trips to higher end stores (e.g. Barney's) if you live close to a city, and give yourself some time before you decide on any one fragrance; taste is acquired.

BN as a whole is not elitist. You're putting words in my mouth (I said "a bit of an elitist vibe" for the record). But there are certainly elements of elitism whether you want to admit it or not, and this snobbery is off-putting to those newer to the world of fragrance as well as those of us who happen to like certain Coty or Claiborne frags. When I say 'elitist', I mean it in the way that some BNers are quick to dismiss or bash something simply because it's from a certain house or has a key word in the name. Don't believe me? Check any topic alerting of a new fragrance with the word "Sport" in the name. Multiple posts with people thumbing their noses without having ever even experiencing it, based on the name alone. Maybe there's a better term for this type of attitude- feel free to correct me.

Nice work guys. A new member posts a request for recommendations, and it's what, ten or twelve responses before we start name-calling and backbiting? I guess I needed a reminder as to why I so rarely post...

How about we try to keep it civil? Or should we just keep it up and see how long it takes to get this thread locked?

This is what I was talking about. I've had an overwhelmingly positive experience with fellow BNers, so hopefully the positivity and help to others outweighs any negativity and people like the OP get good answers and recommendations from like-minded folks.

Rochas Lui and L'Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme

You might want to try Bulgari Pour Homme Soir. I'm in a similar demographic as you and I've never smelled it on anyone on campus. It doesn't project too much and is said to be well liked by the ladies. Can't hurt to try it out p.s. or Geir Ness, that's actually a better fragrance and it's really uncommon.

Two very good ideas. I haven't seen Rochas Lui around much lately, but I remember it being distinctive, yet very comfortable - at least once the cacophonous top notes sort themselves out...

+1 Burberry London
+1 Gucci PH II

Buy some decants from the splits section!

So much cheaper than the actual bottles

There are professional vendors who sell "decants" in smaller sizes, such as 4 mls or smaller.

These are places like The Perfumed Court. Some vendors who sell pricier, harder-to-find scents do sell samples, such as Lucky Scent or Aedes de Venusta.

You can, as mentioned, also split bottles with other members.

They are many ways to sample and try.

Bulgari Pour Homme Soir is good!!

You can purchase fragrances in various sizes from http://www.basenotes.net/forums/142-...e-Splits-Board this section of the forums. They buy flacons or the largest size available, which are cheaper ml for ml than other sizes, and decant them. This makes otherwise ridiculously priced fragrances more bearable (Aventus).

try:

CK One Shock for Him by Calvin Klein - One is initially treated to a mildly fresh accord. Clementine, with its sweet orangey and faint floral facets, lavender with its clean, herbal character, as well as cumcumber, with its medicinal, sea-like aspect, all commingle in a brisk concoction. A cloud of something, perhaps aldehydes or the cryptic, energy drink accent, imparts an effervescence to the invigorating blend. Transitioning to the heart, a field day with herbs is had. Leafy, black basil, with its licorice accent, vivacious and woody black pepper as well as mildly spicy and sweet cardamom encase the opening. A nascent tobacco serves as a backdrop to the herbal jubilation. Segueing to the base, the rich and spicy tabacco has come into full bloom, while an earthy mustiness of patchouli flitters about. A pleasant ambrene wood infuses its laurel-like, sweet and spicy, woody overtures. And, a casheran musk imparts its velvety, somewhat floral bouquet. An enjoyable drydown ensues. This versatile composition is an all-season scent with average projection and average longevity, 6-8 hours. Its favorable price point makes this fragrance even more welcomed.

&

Aqua Fahrenheit by Christian Dior - This is a considerably toned down version of the original, masterpiece Fahrenheit. No negative connotation is implied or should be taken; rather, this is a distinctive composition, somewhat bright and fresh, with ties to the original.
Initially, one is treated to a blast of sparkling grapefruit, with its sour greenness, tempered by a hint of sweetness from the mandarin. This invigorating, citrus melange is drawn to the heart by a nascent mint. Here, in the heart, the cool spearmint comes into its own with its sweet, green facets, and commingles with violet leaf, with its intense freshness and a hint of cucumber. Basil infuses the refreshing blend with a lively dusting of its lemon-like, savory herb. A very faint undercurrent of petro/gasoline can be sensed. Transitioning to the base, a rather ordinary, woods accord presents, and interplays with a light, almost airy, Haitian vetiver as well as a subtle leather. A placid drydown ensues. This high-quality composition is bright and fresh, and should prove to be very versatile. Having average projection and longevity, this scent will, indeed, shine in the spring, summer and fall.

I will go with this. Dior Homme! And no Aventus isnt a joke Its a really nice smelling fragrance that seems to attract the opposite sex. Like what someone said in one of the thread, Aventus seems to have unicorn blood haha

Another vote for Dior Homme. I think it's lovely.

Also:
Bulgari Black
Guerlain L'Instant pour homme (the regular, not the extreme)
CK One Shock for him - agree with previous poster. Surprisingly good.

And whenever I see people here saying that Aventus "seems to attract the opposite sex," I always feel the need to chime in and say that I can't stand it - I'm not a Creed fan. And just to say, there was a relatively long thread on Makeup Alley yesterday about what scents they (overwhelmingly women) like on men, and it wasn't mentioned.

Sorry I didnt meant it as 'panty dropper' or something. I was just trying to say its pleasant enough for both sexes to appreciate it. And apparently it gets alot of 'nods' from BN

+1's on Dior Homme, Dior Fahrenheit, Bleu de Chanel, Millesime Imperial, YSL La Nuit De L'Homme, Rochas Man, Gucci Pour Homme II,

BIG + 1's on Terre D'Hermes and CK One Shock

Adding
Tom Ford Grey Vetiver,
John Varvatos,
One Million,
Prada Amber

Welcome to Basenotes

Bulgari PH Extreme, Boucheron PH and Lorenzo Villoresi Uomo.

+1 Millesime Imperial, Grey Vetiver, Villoresi Uomo & La Nuit De L'homme. You can also consider Frederick Malle's French Lover or Geranium Pour Monsieur.

Bvlgari MAN
Kenzo Power Cologne
Gucci pour Homme II

TAUER PERFUMES - Orange Star


Either this one, or TAUER PERFUMES - L'air du desert marocain.

L'air is chic, Orange Star is sporty.

sophisticated and not ovepowering?
ack
+1 Guerlain L'Instant pour homme (the regular, not
the extreme)
+1 CK One Shock for him
+1 Terre d' Hermes
+1 Fahrenheit
+1 Bulgari Man
Mont Blanc's Legend
Pure Havane

just throwing one out there - Creed's Original Santal

PS - check places like fragrancenet.com, add discount coupon "basenotes" or whatever and you're looking at like $150 for a bottle, which isn't that far off from a $100 bottle of gucci or something if you really love it.

Also OP, don't know if you are familiar with some of Gaultier's finest: Le Male, Fleur du Male, Gaultier 2 (my fave from that line). Gaultier 2 especially is unisex, smells fantastic, will get you attention, isn't that expensive, and is unique. I'm also same age as you so I understand that whole "not wanting to smell like grandpa." Things like La Nuit, Dior Homme, Gaultier 2 they have sweet vibes which will absolutely get attention for you while also being unique (frankly where I live I know like 3-4 other dudes that even wear fragrances, the others still use Axe and things of the such, so no need to break the bank, you can get quality for less, and definitely stay away from niche at this point)

Master, great idea to mention discounters!

Fragrancenet has the 15% discount code word you mention, and also Parfum1 has many offers from 10% to 25% off--right on the Web site--or if you are on their e-mail list.

I'm looking purely at Sephora right now: Acqua di Parma, Issey Miyake, Eau Savage, Burberry London, 212. If you're new, I personally would recommend getting 2-3 excellent designer scents before plunging into a Creed or a niche line. Good luck and welcome!

Dior Homme is called feminine cause it's a metrosexual fragrance, it's for men make no mistake about it, it just doesn't smell "overly masculine." There's many fragrances that are for men but are a bit on the softer side, hell Le Male is for men but it's a vanilla bomb and vanilla is a sweet smell, not necessarily masculine.

Armani Code is also great, and it's rightly called "panty dropper." When you start smelling these you start to see the pattern (sweet, kinda sexy smells girls like for the most part, and we dudes like them too so can't go wrong with that). I would recommend Midnight in Paris as an alternative to Armani Code (seems to last longer, sweeter, sexier, better done imo I've owned both). Having said that, if you ever, ever get a chance to smell Dior Homme Intense well that may be exactly what you were looking for in the first place (smells both sexy, playful, sophisticated, formal all in one, signature scent worthy that imo smells better thatn Dior Homme and wipes the floor with any other fragrance, though obviously it's my fave so I am biased). It's got sweet vibes, projects and lasts well, smells flat out better than other vanilla panty droppers (Le Male) and it's just cooler (plus it's rather exclusive in the youth range). It's not niche price, and you can buy it online. Do sample that, because honestly it's probably exactly what you are looking for (just have to buy it online though for the most part)

Dior Homme is kind of feminine due to the lipstick vibe (you'll see when you sample it :P) but it's definitely not too feminine to be worn by a man.

You are damn right I am an elitist! And you know what? I have never smelled better. Sure you can smell good without our elitist help. Us elitist snobs are trying to help you smell unforgettable. There are plenty of highly lauded, fairly priced, easily accessible fragrances out there that meet our elitist desires. Make your choice;

Take the blue pill, the journey ends. You wake up in your bed smelling of Le Male and Acqua Di Gio and believe you smell great.

Take the red pill, you stay in fragranceland and us elitists show you just how deep this rabbit hole goes. You will leave a wake of awe struck individuals with your sillage.

I would definitely look at Bvgari Black (I just found some real cheap in a tester on overstock.com) and Burberry Touch.

Dior Homme is excellent, as is Fahrenheit (the original ).

Also, don't be afraid of the tried and true "classics" such as Halston Z-14 and Azzaro which may not be worn by the younger crowd at the moment and are great bargains.

As a wine lover, I've worked bottles of Harlan, Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Latour and the like into a graduate-student salary without being fiscally irresponsible. It's a simple matter of strict budgeting, and these are definitely rare purchases for special occasions (or, in the case of Harlan, flipping for a hefty profit). At least bottles of perfume last longer than one night, or you can obtain decants. I don't think it's so much a matter of elitism as gaining a broader understanding and appreciation of an interest (or obsession).

To the OP - I'd recommend trying Boss Bottled as an affordable counterpoint to the Creeds, but as MOONB pointed out, sample everything you can to figure out what you like.

Boucheron - Jaipur Homme and Emporio Armani He.

Here here !
I belong to this fascinating rabbit hole of endless fragrant treasure .
To hell with it ,call me an elitist then too . I took the red pill !
I don't belong to the Land Of Perfume Communism . Better a Perfume Elitist then a Perfume Communist especially on Basenotes.
There's plenty of good, well intended advice here , Try .
We only wish you well on your fragrant journey .

Try, it's best to just go with what your impressions are of a scent. There is a trend in newer men's scents to have a light gourmand touch, such as Dior Homme EDT and Spicebomb. These may not be for you, but do try them.

If they are not for you, move on to the next scent! You will find your likes and dislikes after awhile.

Play by Givenchy, which I mentioned earlier, is a popular recent launch faced originally by Justin Timberlake. Givenchy calls him a young "dandy," with modern man-about-town flair and allure.

Give it a try and go by what your nose tells you! You might also try the new Givenchy Play Sport, which is called THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: THE SCENT OF ADRENALINE on the designer blog.

You decide...and enjoy!

(P.S. Mimi, I also took the red pill for the rabbit hole! )

Here's what I recommend for a college budget.

-Acqua Di Gio for guaranteed compliments. You're not gonna smell original. Who cares? Girls compliment me on how good I smell, not how unoriginal I smell.
- La Nuit De L'Homme
- CK One Shock Him
- Bleu De Chanel
- Versace Eau Fraiche
- Geir by Geir Ness. It's the cheapest niche' frag you can buy and it smells great and lasts forever
- 1 Million for those times you need attention
- A*Men for one of the greatest gourmand drydowns in history
- Midnight in Paris for a better if not less masculine version of Armani Code
- Ed Hardy Love & Luck for the cheapest alternative to MI even if it doesn't smell exactly the same.
- Nautica Voyage
- Tommy Bahama Set Sail St Barts for the ultimate <$20 summer time vacation scent that isn't too far behind Creed's Virgin Island Water
- Bvlgari Aqva b/c it's the most unique aquatic and it has depth
- Mont Blanc Individual for a supe cheap Creed Original Santal
- Versace The Dreamer for your inner romanitc
- Dior Homme
- Dior Homme Intense to bypass the lipstick quicker and get straight to amazing cocoa
- Spicebomb b/c it smells like 3-4 other frags so it's essentially a 4-for-1 deal!
- L'Instant De Guerlain PH for your inner classy gentleman
- L'Instant De Guerlain PH Extreme for even more cocoa goodness
- Banana Republic Black Walnut has a really nice boozy, pipe tobacco scent
- Hollister SoCal for compliments, great longevity, and an overall summery beach feel

This is a great list. These wont steer you wrong

1. Yes

2. No, but there are more distinguished scents in Armani Code's general style and price range. (L'Instant, Body Kouros, Lolita Lempicka au Masculin Fraîcheur, and Jaïpur Homme, to name but a few.)

eh, try something like L'Occitane's Eau Des Baux... pretty cheap, nobody else will have it, and it's both masculine but also intimate at the same time.

Do you have a Nordstrom nearby? They usually carry Geir if you want to give it a sniff. It is pretty sweet and floral, but it's also very fresh and pleasant. It doesn't smell like anything I've smelled before so it's pretty unique. I actually forget about it from time to time but when I revisit it, it's always a pleasure. And definitely give Febreze PH a try




Don't fall for the hype on Musc Ravageur. It's a nice fragrance for sure, but it's not the super panty dropper it's made to be in youtube reviews. The opening smells very old mannish and IMHO, like a zoo. The drydown 3 hours later is pretty nice, but not too far off from DHI or L'Instant De Guerlain PH Extreme. Just read this thread and you'll see that quite a few of us were disappointed with Musc Ravageur. I'm warming up to it, but I'm not in love just yet. Then again, you may absolutely love it. Get a sample first if you're really interested.

http://www.basenotes.net/threads/298...-Musc-Ravageur!!!