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Polo by Ralph Lauren Reformulated?

post #1 of 15
9/12/12 at 9:00pm
Thread Starter 
I have read some posters here state that Polo by Ralph Lauren has been reformulated, and is now a much weaker shadow of its former self. Is this true?
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post #2 of 15
9/12/12 at 9:37pm
I've only tried a very early version but I can't imagine that it smells the same. The important question concerns what the recent formulations are like. I would just find a vintage bottle on ebay and not worry about it. I doubt you will pay much more than you would pay for a few bottle and you might get lucky and pay less. Oakmoss is probably something it's got a lot less of now.
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post #3 of 15
9/12/12 at 9:57pm
What it has a lot more of is ashtray.
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post #4 of 15
9/12/12 at 10:53pm
Okay, I just tried to wash off Morgan de Toi Homme, which I didn't like much, and then I applied vintage Polo. No ashtray note, though that sounds quite interesting. Instead, there is a mint-like quality (clearly not mint though) and a root beer quality (clearly involving some of the spices), along with something like cumin. It's quite blended. I'll update here as it develops.

UPDATE: Wow! Yet more reason to avoid top notes, as after ten minutes or so this came together very nicely. I'd call this an abstract frag, meaning that it doesn't have much note separation but instead smells like something in nature. This is what I would call a fougere or fern scent, in that the lavender and coumarin in fougere frags is too obvious (though it wasn't back in the late 1800s, I guess), if I was the one who could create classifications. Lavonka would be what I would call frags with a strong fougere accord. LOL. Still no ashtray.

UPDATE 2: The amber seemed to smooth things out nicely in less than an hour. I think the Morgan de Toi Homme is still present so keep that in mind with my perceptions here.
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post #5 of 15
9/12/12 at 11:37pm
I, faux-King, crown thee Bigsly as Most Decorated Top Notes Avoider for all eternity!

Let it be known, and cry out among man kind!

Kidding Bigsly; so what do you do? Rub on the frag for friction to try to get rid of top notes and/or put somewhere away from nose and wait a while before sniffing?
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post #6 of 15
9/13/12 at 2:28am
I don't doubt that it has. I'm sure Safari has too - there seems to be a noticeable difference in the colour of the juice with that one based on some I've seen for sale in stores recently (much darker).
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post #7 of 15
9/13/12 at 2:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jouho View Post

I, faux-King, crown thee Bigsly as Most Decorated Top Notes Avoider for all eternity!

Let it be known, and cry out among man kind!

Kidding Bigsly; so what do you do? Rub on the frag for friction to try to get rid of top notes and/or put somewhere away from nose and wait a while before sniffing?

In this case I think time has muddled the top notes of my Polo bottle. However, just blow on the area you spray to get to the drydown quicker; very simple. In some ways, Polo strikes me as vintage Quorum without lavender (or with just a little), though Polo came first of course.
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post #8 of 15
9/13/12 at 3:17am
  • Zgb
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aren't they all reformulated...
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post #9 of 15
9/13/12 at 4:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zgb View Post

aren't they all reformulated...

It would appear so
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post #10 of 15
9/13/12 at 8:51am
Thread Starter 
Ok. We all know that fragrances undergo reformulation. I have used Polo since it came out, and never had an issue with its strength. I have bought the frangrance most recently in 2010. Yet some posters here have recently said that it is a weak and a quickly fleeting frangrance now. Can anyone help answer my question?
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post #11 of 15
9/13/12 at 9:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hamp View Post

Ok. We all know that frangrances undergo reformulation. I have used Polo since it came out, and never had an issue with its strength. I have bought the frangrance most recently in 2010. Yet some posters here have recently said that it is a weak and a quickly fleeting frangrance now. Can anyone help answer my question. Thanks.

I have a recent bottle of Polo and I would not describe it as weak or fleeting. It's no Kouros when it comes to power or longevity, but I'd rate it solidly above average. Before I bought it, I compared Polo and Polo Modern Reserve wrist to wrist on several occasions and the regular Polo seemed clearly stronger and longer lasting.

I don't have any vintage Polo and never wore it back in the day, so I can't make any kind of comparison, but I really like the current version on its own terms.
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post #12 of 15
9/13/12 at 9:32am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigsly View Post

Okay, I just tried to wash off Morgan de Toi Homme, which I didn't like much, and then I applied vintage Polo. No ashtray note, though that sounds quite interesting. Instead, there is a mint-like quality (clearly not mint though) and a root beer quality (clearly involving some of the spices), along with something like cumin. It's quite blended. I'll update here as it develops.

UPDATE: Wow! Yet more reason to avoid top notes, as after ten minutes or so this came together very nicely. I'd call this an abstract frag, meaning that it doesn't have much note separation but instead smells like something in nature. This is what I would call a fougere or fern scent, in that the lavender and coumarin in fougere frags is too obvious (though it wasn't back in the late 1800s, I guess), if I was the one who could create classifications. Lavonka would be what I would call frags with a strong fougere accord. LOL. Still no ashtray.

UPDATE 2: The amber seemed to smooth things out nicely in less than an hour. I think the Morgan de Toi Homme is still present so keep that in mind with my perceptions here.

thanks, you are so kind.
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post #13 of 15
9/13/12 at 1:39pm
the reformulation is more bitter and dry, more linear.
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post #14 of 15
9/13/12 at 4:41pm
My father in law has been wearing Polo as his signature scent for over 25 years. I asked him last year about this same thing and he agreed that they had tinkered with it. His main complaint was it didn't last as long. Gave him my bottle of Reserve and he switched to it from the original.
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post #15 of 15
9/13/12 at 6:21pm
I owned a bottle 20 years ago. Recently sampled some new juice. I find that it has a different smell than I can remember.
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