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Aquatics for new frag-head

post #1 of 38
3/7/13 at 2:39pm
Thread Starter 
First post on BN:

I've recently entered the world of fragrance collecting and due to limited funds am trying to make smart and versatile purchases. I'm finding that I really enjoy some old school power-house scents such as vintage Paco Rabanne, Azzaro PH and Giorgio Red. In the more abstract realm my favorite scent is Mugler A*Men, and I actually used to wear this in highschool and just recently purchased another 100mL bottle (9 years later).

I am looking towards the future for 1 or 2 very highly received aquatics for the summer. While good longevity is ideal, it does not necessarily have to be the mediating factor. Naturally I first gravitated towards aqua di gio and bvlgari aqva but since these are SUCH popular frags I was wondering about some less popular but well received frags. I did just receive a sample of Fahrenheit Aqua and think it is wonderful so that is an option.

I am curious what this knowledgeable community may suggest to such a broad and open ended question.

Thanks for your help!
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post #2 of 38
3/7/13 at 2:49pm
Welcome . . . here's one to try . . . and reasonably priced:

Bergamotto Marino by Ferre' http://www.basenotes.net/ID26129827.html

Cheers . . . Wally
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post #3 of 38
3/7/13 at 3:02pm
360 red is under 20 bucks. also halston unbound and paris hilton
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post #4 of 38
3/7/13 at 3:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wally Swoboda View Post

Welcome . . . here's one to try . . . and reasonably priced:

Bergamotto Marino by Ferre' http://www.basenotes.net/ID26129827.html

Cheers . . . Wally

This and New West for Him by Aramis would be my picks...
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post #5 of 38
3/7/13 at 3:18pm
Yachting by Pascal Morabito
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post #6 of 38
3/7/13 at 7:44pm
I have recently become a big fan of Givenchy Pour Homme Blue Label.
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post #7 of 38
3/7/13 at 7:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by danho View Post

I have recently become a big fan of Givenchy Pour Homme Blue Label.

Givenchy Pour Homme Original Purple bottle is 10 times better. You should try it.
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post #8 of 38
3/7/13 at 7:49pm
Horizon fit's perfectly into what your looking for and you can get it for dirt cheap. I'd also recommend Bergamotto Marino which is less than $30 and an absolutely stellar summer fragrance.
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post #9 of 38
3/7/13 at 7:55pm
Azzaro Chrome , Kenzo Air
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post #10 of 38
3/7/13 at 8:29pm
If you are looking for a great summer fragrance that isn't extremely popular, you should give Heeley Sel Marin a look.
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post #11 of 38
3/7/13 at 8:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dougczar View Post

If you are looking for a great summer fragrance that isn't extremely popular, you should give Heeley Sel Marin a look.

A big +1 on that. I just got my sample of Heeley Sel Marin and I already know I'm going to buy a bottle of it. It's just wonderful, lovely stuff. I can't figure out why I haven't seen it mentioned more often on Basenotes when people ask about good aquatics. It should be number 1 on everyone's list, without question, IMO. If you're wanting an aquatic/marine fragrance, I don't know what more you could ask for or want that Sel Marin doesn't provide.

Aquatics tend to have a bad overall reputation in perfumery, and that is certainly true here on Basenotes. But Heeley Sel Marin captures what an aquatic SHOULD be...perfectly, I think. It is also perfectly unisex, IMO. And you don't have to give up projection and longevity to get it. While I type this, I can smell it on the back of my hand, and I applied it about an hour ago from the sample. I'm sure it would be even better with a little of it sprayed on clothing. Only drawback? The price, and I have not found it offered many places, much less at a discount.

However, this is just a home run aquatic scent. Can't wait to wear it as it warms up. Beautiful.
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post #12 of 38
3/7/13 at 8:53pm
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post #13 of 38
3/7/13 at 9:11pm
I realize you indicated a limited budget, but you should at least get a sample of Millesime Imperial. You may not like it, but I think it's pretty much the king of the aquatics.
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post #14 of 38
3/7/13 at 10:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dougczar View Post

If you are looking for a great summer fragrance that isn't extremely popular, you should give Heeley Sel Marin a look.

Big +1 on this. Just got a bottle recently and it's fantastic, smells like you just climbed out of the sea, part dried in the sun, and sniffed your skin, you can almost feel the sea spray on your skin, beautiful. And I'm not really a fan of aquatics, so it's really saying something how much I love Sel Marin. I get really good longevity also. Definitely sample this.

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post #15 of 38
3/7/13 at 11:00pm
I'd put Aqua di Gio and Creed Imperial Millesime up there as my preferred aquatics. I quite like Issey Miyake too, but like AdG, many here dislike it for being common or synthetic.
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post #16 of 38
3/7/13 at 11:51pm
Try Lacoste Essential Sport, Issey Miyake Sport, Versace Man Eau Fraiche.
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post #17 of 38
3/8/13 at 12:05am
Almost 12 hrs and no one has suggested Nautica Voyage? For $20 its hard to beat.
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post #18 of 38
3/8/13 at 12:05am
Heeley Sel Marin? On a budget!?!

I would try Quiksilver Eau de Toilette. It's as cheap as chips and has a beautiful sandalwood note alongside the aquatics.

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post #19 of 38
3/8/13 at 4:22am
skip the sample of Millesime Imperial (it is great, but the point of this thread which many people missed for some reason is that you're on a budget) and get Hardy Love and Luck. A very good mimicry of MI at a fraction of the price.

Also look at Inis by Fragrances of Ireland. a very salty marine scent much like issey Miyake.
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post #20 of 38
3/8/13 at 4:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bemiller View Post

I've recently entered the world of fragrance collecting and due to limited funds am trying to make smart and versatile purchases.

Sorry, when I recommended Sel Marin, I read this to mean that OP wasn't looking to have a large collection, not that each and every purchase had to be a cheapie. Especially since he said he first gravitated toward AdG, which isn't exactly a cheap one (not top dollar, but not bargain bin either).

I would certainly +1 the Nautica Voyage recommendation for the lower end of the price spectrum.
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post #21 of 38
3/8/13 at 7:55am
Thread Starter 
I love the variety of recommendations and I will certainly research every single one and buy samples accordingly, I hope that more suggestions keep coming as this is such a helpful way to narrow down the impossibly large options and just get a hint of the "best."

My price range is between $20 and say... $60. I didn't put a price range initially because if I want something bad enough I will either splurge a little or find it used or as a tester. Naturally, I think the $120 options sound wonderful and something certainly to aspire towards, however, for all practicality it's too much at this point.

In essence, I want quality products in the middle-of-the-road range, but will consider frags on the higher end and certainly the lower end of that range.
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post #22 of 38
3/8/13 at 7:59am
Enjoy your sampling! FWIW my vote, hands down goes to Sel Marin. The only aquatic I ever liked.
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post #23 of 38
3/8/13 at 8:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcurtiss View Post

skip the sample of Millesime Imperial (it is great, but the point of this thread which many people missed for some reason is that you're on a budget) and get Hardy Love and Luck. A very good mimicry of MI at a fraction of the price.

Also look at Inis by Fragrances of Ireland. a very salty marine scent much like issey Miyake.

No, I didn't miss the point of this thread. I know he said he was on a limited budget, and that's why I suggested a sample and not a full bottle. The op said he was interested in aquatics. It makes sense to me that he should at least try the fragrance that is generally considered the best (and perhaps the first significant) aquatic in the market. And considering the attention MI gets on basenotes, it can't hurt for someone starting out to experience it first hand to know if, to his nose, those of us that sing its praises have lost our sense of smell.

And Love and Luck is not a good mimicry of MI -- it's got several notes that MI doesn't -- but it's not a bad scent overall for the price.
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post #24 of 38
3/8/13 at 8:31am
I guess I just have a different outlook on samples. Its like being told you have a choice: drive a Ferrari for a week or own a {insert practical but nice car here}. I totally agree that MI is a superior aquatic to most everything out there, but (to me) it would be a tease.
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post #25 of 38
3/8/13 at 8:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skyline:2869340

Quote:
Originally Posted by danho View Post

I have recently become a big fan of Givenchy Pour Homme Blue Label.

Givenchy Pour Homme Original Purple bottle is 10 times better. You should try it.

Unfortunately it is not.
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post #26 of 38
3/8/13 at 8:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bemiller View Post

I love the variety of recommendations and I will certainly research every single one and buy samples accordingly, I hope that more suggestions keep coming as this is such a helpful way to narrow down the impossibly large options and just get a hint of the "best."

My price range is between $20 and say... $60. I didn't put a price range initially because if I want something bad enough I will either splurge a little or find it used or as a tester. Naturally, I think the $120 options sound wonderful and something certainly to aspire towards, however, for all practicality it's too much at this point.

In essence, I want quality products in the middle-of-the-road range, but will consider frags on the higher end and certainly the lower end of that range.

at $65 for 100ml, you may also want to check out Lili Bermuda South Water. sea breeze, coconut, guava. Its one of my summer favorites. I think shipping would push it closer to $70 though.
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post #27 of 38
3/8/13 at 8:58am
+1 Bergamotto Marino - this is a great orange & white musk fragrance with a strong salt water note. Think of an ocean breeze blowing through an orange orchard before it hits your clothesline. And it's dirt cheap. Does not have as much of a calone note as many aquatics.

+1 Issey Miyake pour Homme - futuristic lemon & lotus aquatic that invokes still ponds full of flowers. It's the only real aquatic in my collection.
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post #28 of 38
3/8/13 at 9:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bemiller View Post

$120

http://www.ayalamoriel.com/index.cfm...s&PerfumeID=90
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post #29 of 38
3/8/13 at 9:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by barclaydetolly View Post

I realize you indicated a limited budget, but you should at least get a sample of Millesime Imperial. You may not like it, but I think it's pretty much the king of the aquatics.

Similarly, if you're on a budget and wants a full bottle, Sean Jean's Unforgivable or Ed Hardy's Love and Luck comes close enough too
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post #30 of 38
3/8/13 at 11:15am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by juanderer View Post

http://www.ayalamoriel.com/index.cfm...s&PerfumeID=90

lol i think that was the price i was trying to avoid
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post #31 of 38
3/8/13 at 11:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tonghpafu View Post

Similarly, if you're on a budget and wants a full bottle, Sean Jean's Unforgivable or Ed Hardy's Love and Luck comes close enough too

Between the two, I'd say Love and Luck is more likely to be enjoyed, though it's not to my nose all that similar to MI. Why on earth Unforgivable Multi Platinum was discontinued is beyond me, since it smelled pretty damn good.

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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcurtiss View Post

I guess I just have a different outlook on samples. Its like being told you have a choice: drive a Ferrari for a week or own a {insert practical but nice car here}. I totally agree that MI is a superior aquatic to most everything out there, but (to me) it would be a tease.

Yeah, I get where you're coming from totally. I guess my view was that if he tried the best, he could get an idea of what the others were emulating. And really, a one ounce bottle of MI at a discounter isn't crazy expensive, and would last most people a while. There are lots of frags I wish I hadn't smelled because, as soon as I did, I had to have them!
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post #32 of 38
3/8/13 at 12:45pm
David Beckham Signature.
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post #33 of 38
3/8/13 at 12:55pm
I guess things will never change. For whatever reason, there's still a continuing, but incorrect, assumption that Creeds are not a viable choice for "average" buyers. Legitimate, reasonably priced Creeds are SIMPLE to find online today, and most of the best selling ones can even be found in tester bottles, which will bring the price down even lower.

When comparing what you spend when buying something like Acqua Di Gio with what you can spend on one of the more popular Creeds, it can frequently come down to a meager difference of only $10 to $15.

I'll never understand why anyone would "settle for" something that's not as good and really not even what they want over such an insignificant amount of money. It seems like happiness and satisfaction alone are worth the extra 15 bucks. But I know many don't see it like that.

Personally, I'd rather save and wait a little longer to buy exactly what I DO want than "settle for" something that's inferior and I'm not proud to have.
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post #34 of 38
3/8/13 at 12:59pm
I guess things will never change. For whatever reason, there's still a continuing, but incorrect, assumption that Creeds are not a viable choice for "average" buyers. Legitimate, reasonably priced Creeds are SIMPLE to find online today, and most of the best selling ones can even be found in tester bottles, which will bring the price down even lower.

When comparing what you spend when buying something like Acqua Di Gio with what you can spend on one of the more popular Creeds, it can frequently come down to a meager difference of only $10 to $15.

I'll never understand why anyone would "settle for" something that's not as good and really not even what they want over such an insignificant amount of money. It seems like happiness and satisfaction alone are worth the extra 15 bucks. But I know many don't see it like that.

Personally, I'd rather save and wait a little longer to buy exactly what I DO want than "settle for" something that's inferior and I'm not proud to have.
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post #35 of 38
3/8/13 at 1:10pm
If you're really on a budget, Bergamotto Marino is the one to go IMO.
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post #36 of 38
3/8/13 at 1:13pm
I've not tried it myself, but I've read some good things about Tommy Bahama Set Sail St. Barts. And pretty reasonably priced too.

You can read about all the fragrances mentioned in this thread in the Basenotes Fragrance directory. A fantastic resource well worth repeated visits.
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post #37 of 38
3/8/13 at 1:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul P View Post

I've not tried it myself, but I've read some good things about Tommy Bahama Set Sail St. Barts. And pretty reasonably priced too.

You can read about all the fragrances mentioned in this thread in the Basenotes Fragrance directory. A fantastic resource well worth repeated visits.

I agree that TB SSSB is a great scent; citrus/booze/coconut with some marine mixed in

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Quote:
Originally Posted by RedRaider430 View Post

I guess things will never change. For whatever reason, there's still a continuing, but incorrect, assumption that Creeds are not a viable choice for "average" buyers. Legitimate, reasonably priced Creeds are SIMPLE to find online today, and most of the best selling ones can even be found in tester bottles, which will bring the price down even lower.

When comparing what you spend when buying something like Acqua Di Gio with what you can spend on one of the more popular Creeds, it can frequently come down to a meager difference of only $10 to $15.

I'll never understand why anyone would "settle for" something that's not as good and really not even what they want over such an insignificant amount of money. It seems like happiness and satisfaction alone are worth the extra 15 bucks. But I know many don't see it like that.

Personally, I'd rather save and wait a little longer to buy exactly what I DO want than "settle for" something that's inferior and I'm not proud to have.


On the flipside, I think it ridiculous to answer someone's query on what to buy when they are on a budget with a Creed or a Tom Ford. Laughable, even.

"On a budget" or as the OP says "limited funds" can vary from person to person, but to just recommend a Creed out of hand is silly, in my opinion. Recommending a split or a sample of a Creed? That's something else, not sure I agree with it, but its not an unreasonable response.
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post #38 of 38
3/9/13 at 9:15pm
Creed Millesime Imperial
Azzaro Chrome
Versace Pour Homme
Bvlgari Aqua Pour Homme
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