What makes a scent smell like "old man"

[_R$_]

It's all perfume. Derives from the Latin "per fumum" meaning "through smoke"

Let me be more specific. I am not a fan of perfumes mass marketed torwards women. I feel that even perfumes mass marketed towards men are more interesting to me. My heirarchy of interest.

1.) Unisex/Men's Niche
2.) Female Niche
3.) Mass Marketed Male
4.) Mass Marketed Unisex
5.) Old Spice Body Sprays
6.) Axe
7.) Mass Marketed Female

This isn't meant as a dig at women at all, just at the designer perfume industry for not catching my interest on hardly anything. All said and done, it's just personal taste.

Yeah, I think that sandalwood could be an "Old Man" scent, evidence Santos Concentree, which I am in love with right now. Has anyone mentioned Bay Rum as a note?
- Rich

[narcus]

My only comment to this putrid thread is really a question: where is scentemental when we need him?

We are going in circles as often. That cannot be helped as there will always be a passing stream of active members in web communities. Members come and go. That's why it can be helpful to refer to on older thread on the same subject. Some of us may remember that a (then) newcomer raised the same questions nine months ago. Regrettably, that thread took an unfortunate turn and ended by major force. Maybe you find more answers (scentimental and others) here. What the junior professor (tgl) said belongs to the most memorable posts I read on BN.

Young Man/ Old man scents
http://community.basenotes.net/showthread.php?t=183783

[bigsink]

I dont think it has to do with time lines.. i mean im sure "old man smell" from the 70s is similar to "old man smell" of the 90s which is smilar to old man smell of now...

[Joe_Frances]

Old man- - the biological and the just slightly unwashed, or if washed, then no fragrance.

Older man, mature man of considerable style and force (see some of the sartorially regal gents on the Sartorialist's blogsite) self possession, wit, aethetics; experience and sometimes power:

Aramis
Givenchy Gentleman
Chevalier D'Orsay
YSL Rive Gauche
Givenchy Monsieur
Hammam Bouquet
Blenheim Blend
JHL
Van Cleef & Arpes
Various Trumpers including Violets
Floris Vetiver and Elite

What makes it smell like old(er) man?

Not obvious sexy or trying to be sexy;
Not up to date or the latest thing;
Been around a while like some of the wearers;
Words like "classic" "enduring" "classy" "historic" come to mind
Words like "dressy" or "formal" or "not-hip" come to mind as well.

Joe

[_R$_]

Although nobody in this thread thinks old man means gross and unwashed, Joe_Frances is right, distinguished older gentlemen is a much more appropriate term. Classy, dressy, and formal are all good words.
- Rich

[wolf]

media/marketing preception...perhaps

"old" being perceived as: vulnerable, very limited, needs help for the most basic tasks..that could be a description of some teenagers..

years ago..hanging out with some "old" men 60+ yrs..but they were business guru's...founders of major credit card companies..real estate moguls...music millionairs...once famous actors...for the most part they all had a mentality of being "young" .. they seems to have endless energy and worked 12+hr days in stride..they drove high priced cars, lived in dream homes and danced the LA tango with out missing a beat...they dressed the part and from what I remember...knew the meaning of "modicum"..and used its definition in the wearing of body scents..

would they be considered "old man scents" .. depends on point of view/smell..

to me they were very cool..to travel in that crowd you got to see and be places that were beyond young and old..

so perhaps its someone who pours handfuls of splash over themselves that makes breathing difficult and your eyes water if your within ten yards of them..and they might think they are wearing an appropriate amount of scent..it does not matter what they are wearing..

in a human life span... "young/old" sometime are in the same space at the same time

[Joe_Frances]

And we can't forget that whoever is judging a fragrance as "old man" is obviously doing so in a pejorative sense, and is insulting the product as hopelessly out of date-- dated and therefore totally uninteresting. By extension the wearer is insulted. Whatever is "in" is good; a lot of the rest is "old man" or just, well, nothing.

It's an insult as much as a description. This is totally akin to the "old lady" smell that has come up from time to time here, and has been commented upon by a mature woman as an insult.

I don't worry about it being an insult to my person when I happily wear certain things, but it is a slander upon the product; and expresses the ignorance of the critic.

It reminds me of a great statement attributed to Hugh Downs who said the term, "dirty old man" was made up by some young guy who wanted all the girls for himself" or something to that effect.

Joe, again.

[Bruspotter]

Well, I think that Eau Savage by CD smells like old men. In fact it smells almost faecal to me.

[the_good_life]

Well, I think that Eau Savage by CD smells like old men. In fact it smells almost faecal to me.

Ah, at last someone who agrees with me on Eau Sauvage .

There are apparently physiological factors why older persons may smell age-specifically unpleasant:
http://www.nature.com/jid/journal/v1.../5601027a.html

Well, anybody who ever walked through a school building knows, 16-year-olds stink of their teenie hormones as well Seems only us middle-aged people smell good - there's a political party somewhere in this just waiting to be founded

[manicboy]

Back to the question, I would say Musk and Patchouli. See Rive Gauche, Azzaro PH, Escada PH, and Ungaro III.

[scentemental]

My only comment to this putrid thread is really a question: where is scentemental when we need him?

I am here levente; I am just bitting my tongue so hard it's almost bleeding. At the same time, I am trying really hard not to have the most indiscriminate all-encompassing contempt for young people in general because of those few who ask such questions with all the deft self-consciousness of a mushroom.

I'll say it again. I find such threads, the attitudes they embody, and the obtuseness they show deeply offensive. Personally, I think they should be closed down immediately, and the moderators should refer those posting such threads to the previous threads which have dealt with how offensive such posts are. Think of it as a sort of Basenotes sensitivity training. Lord knows there are plenty who need it.

scentemental

[bigsink]

Why would anyone get offended?

We are discussing scents and the notes that make them smell like old man.

Maybe we can note the similarities so people dont make mistakes before they buy.

Its an educational post. If your going to cry about it, do so elsewhere. Thanks

[scentemental]

Why would anyone get offended?

We are discussing scents and the notes that make them smell like old man.

Maybe we can note the similarities so people dont make mistakes before they buy.

Its an educational post. If your going to cry about it, do so elsewhere. Thanks

I rest my case.

[LiveJazz]

So. I think we carry away a productive conclusion here.

Scentemental suggests closing these posts from the very beginning. I'm not quite such I'd go quite that far. The posters who start these threads are new and probably don't realize the can of worms they're opening.

However, it is true that just about everything that can be said on this topic has been said. And even if some important, Basenotes-changing, life-altering observation was made, it was be lost in all of this. So, I believe that those of us who have been around here long enough to see these posts come and go on a regular basis should make a point to:

a) post a list of as many previous old man threads as possible, as soon as possible, whenever a new thread like this pops up and b) make it VERY clear where the post is likely head.

These actions might not stop the posts, but they might at least stem the flow of offensive and useless comments, and make the moderators' job easier and less depressing.

[scentemental]

So. I think we carry away a productive conclusion here.

Scentemental suggests closing these posts from the very beginning. I'm not quite such I'd go quite that far. The posters who start these threads are new and probably don't realize the can of worms they're opening.

However, it is true that just about everything that can be said on this topic has been said. And even if some important, Basenotes-changing, life-altering observation was made, it was be lost in all of this. So, I believe that those of us who have been around here long enough to see these posts come and go on a regular basis should make a point to:

a) post a list of as many previous old man threads as possible, as soon as possible, whenever a new thread like this pops up and b) make it VERY clear where what direction the post is likely head.

These actions might not stop the posts, but they might at least stem the flow of offensive and useless comments, and make the moderators' job easier and less depressing.

An eminently intelligent and sensible response. I wish I were as level headed as this in the light of such posts.

Thanks LiveJazz for your excellent, carefully thought out response and idea. I endorse it wholeheartedly.

scentemental

[fredricktoo]

Youth has speed and endurance
but
Age has wisdom and patience

[bigsink]

You can go ahead and lock this. I did not understand the severity of the post and honestly thought it was a simple question. Thanks for your input and I appreciate it.

[RCavs]

Well, after all these posts I learnt a lesson: what makes a scent smell like "old man" is the perception of the other people...
I'm wearing YSL POUR HOMME today and I feel younger than ever! I'm 31. Am I old? If you think so, keep in mind that It is YOUR opinion!

[shifts]

Smelling old, like of old traditions and old perfumery is definately something else than dated. I think "dated" is the word one should be using and the one the original poster was looking for instead of that awful use of "old man/woman smell".

[Bytebuster]

Guys, take it easy and becareful with your words. First get things clear; what do we mean by "Old man/woman"? Do we mean that it smells like an old person or do we mean that it is, according to you, suitable for an elderly person, but not for a young person; or do we mean a fragrance that reminds you elderly people?
Time to time I go and help people in old peopl's home. Because of the change in the body chemicals old people have an different odor than young people, and if they don't get washed for a while then you can smell this very clear and it is not that nice. I can't remember any fragrance which smells like that. But on the other hand there are some fragrances that I associate with elderly people which were used by them when they were young and soem of them are still using them and some of them don't. If I get such a fragrance around me then it reminds me that. One of them is Dunhill for men, English Leather by Dana, Tabac Original, Habit Rouge, Marbert Man... I don't mean that they are not nice fragrances; I still use some of them, but they remind me old days and elderly people like my grandfather or the other elderly people in my family and around me. But most of the times the heavy and strongs smells remind me that. There were also elderly people around me who were using lavandel cologne or lemon colognes, but I have nevet had the same associations with them because they are a bit fres fragrances and not that heavy. I have the same feeling with some fragrances for women. I can't remember the name of it but especially the ones with a certain flower scent reminds me my grandmothers and some other elderly women in the family and around. My grandmother used to use Maja by Myrurgia and she was fond of colognes made out of tabac. She had a special cologne guy who used to make colognes himself and she was fond of her tabac cologne and time to time I had to go and buy a bottle for her. Probably in the future our kids or grandchildren would have the same association with the frahrances that we are using now and also probably that the fragrances which we think are "Old man" or "Old fashined" would be very trendy and populer in the future becuse the young people would have no association with them and would find them very nice and use them with love.

[fredricktoo]

I'm here to put a new spin on the old man fragrance bull. For $97.75 per hour I will carry my own bottle of Tabac Original and a notary publics vouched for, signed statement that I don't remember my last bath.

I expect travel expenses in business class and a suite of rooms with a decent view. All ground transportation will be in USA built Lincoln Towncars (The Bill Blass Edition is nice).

I will sit in the lap for photos, animal petting whatever is required that my frail body and mind can withstand.

There are a lot of other clauses so PM me right away with questions (do not expect answers)

I'm tired now — if you disagree with the terms set forth — go fuck yourself

it's the 21st Century — thats how old folk roll nowadays

now go brush your tooth.!

[Xplo]

The reason for starting this thread was Bois du Portugal... M7...
in my opinion they smelled really - old. I want to avoid this in the future. So I wanted to know if it was a specific note , technique, or blend of notes that cause this.

Those two have very little in common, though. Both have some ginger, I think, but that doesn't seem like a likely "old man" note. Both have wood notes, but zillions of perfumes have wood notes.

I would expect "old man" scents to have a lot of patchouli, tobacco, and/or powder, but maybe that's just me...

[fredricktoo]

Those two have very little in common, though. Both have some ginger, I think, but that doesn't seem like a likely "old man" note. Both have wood notes, but zillions of perfumes have wood notes.

I would expect "old man" scents to have a lot of patchouli, tobacco, and/or powder, but maybe that's just me...

How can I make this clearer. There are more things that "old people" have smelled than anyone your age can wrap his little mind around.

If suddenly everyone starts wearing long sideburns again will you join in? Feeling your sideburns, don't they almost seem like you were the first person to ever wear them? Well you're right, cause they're yours. And they're always going to be yours.
When you begin studying quantum mechanics and engineering and that new thing young people are studying per the current President, human and animal cloning you're gonna stink up the place. I'll hopefully be dead. But sideburns were worn long and moustaches and beards were worn long, when brother took up arms against brother in this great USA, and why not take a day off from wearing anything cosmetic and visit the sites of those battles and breathe. And smell and keep smelling as long as you're alive.

Life gave you this chance — take it
--------------------------------------
no refunds!!! the restocking fee is 175%

[P-Natra]

Easy, only that scent that makes you feel old...you can´t judge this about notes!!! Thats it...

[Jjzerby]

1.English Leather
2.Old Spice
3.Bay Rum(Depends which one)
4.Tabac
5.Lagerfeld

[Xplo]

How can I make this clearer. There are more things that "old people" have smelled than anyone your age can wrap his little mind around.

Oh yeah?

How old am I?

Rest assured - you haven't told me what you meant to, but what you have told me, you have told me very clearly.

[fredricktoo]

I thank you for reading and learning.

[optimus]

For my nose fragrances that smell like an old man are: Antaeus by Chanel, Pour Monseoir(I think I spelled it wrong) by Chanel. That it of course for my nose and IMO. Furthermore I always try to keep away from them since I am pretty young. =)
optimus

[Aaron01]

I think it's a matter of taste. I wear a lot of the scents listed in this thread and I'm 21. I don't think they smell "old" at all. But hey, that's just me.

[zztopp]

This thread is starting to smell "old " ..