NY Times article on the rise of "blue" scents for men

**StylinLA** · 29th July 2010, 06:38 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/fa...agrance&st=cse

**DocmanCC** · 29th July 2010, 07:01 PM

Is it just me or has Chandler Burr been MIA this year? I've only seen 3 or 4 quickie posts by him in the NYT blogs.

**DustB** · 29th July 2010, 07:13 PM

A good short piece. Interesting to think part of the origin of the "blue" term is men's favorite color. Best of all, I thought there was a great description of the beginning of the aquatic family, which I haven't seen so well and convincingly made before.

**CanwllCorfe** · 29th July 2010, 07:35 PM

I always think of Blue scents being big in the 90s and early 00s. I don't see them as being that much more prominent or numerous than the "black" ones.

**Neurosis** · 29th July 2010, 10:21 PM

I can't wait till "blue's" are out of style. Yes they do serve their purpose quite effectively, but I personally find them extremely boring and uninspired

**Redneck Perfumisto** · 30th July 2010, 01:47 AM

Very interesting - thanks for the link!

**Pipsta** · 30th July 2010, 02:13 AM

I can't wear any blue frags. Something about my skin chemistry has them turn sour on me.

**Surfacing** · 30th July 2010, 02:15 AM

Originally Posted by Pipsta

I can't wear any blue frags. Something about my skin chemistry has them turn sour on me.

Interesting. I thought it was just me ! Givenchy Blue Label and Lanvin L'homme Sport are the major culprits on me. I don't really try too many "blue" scents because of this issue.

**mrcologneguy** · 30th July 2010, 02:20 AM

The writer forgot to mention the part about how God is punishing us by allowing perfumery at large to be taken over by this odious trend. Spare us, Lord.

**Pipsta** · 30th July 2010, 02:44 AM

Originally Posted by Surfacing

Interesting. I thought it was just me ! Givenchy Blue Label and Lanvin L'homme Sport are the major culprits on me. I don't really try too many "blue" scents because of this issue.

I kind of have a spicy body chemistry and I think if the frag is too citrus dominated or doesn't have a big enough earthy or woody base there's nothing to keep it grounded on my skin. I don't have blues or aquas other than ADG and it has a nice lightly spicy base that mixes well with my skin.

**Primrose** · 30th July 2010, 02:50 AM

At the risk of censure, as "he" was not really a perfumer, I want to mention Etiquette Bleue... LOL! It's all marketing hype about the "English" mistress, who was actually an Irish countess...or not even his mistress at all.

Good article, StylinLA. I just got my DH into wearing Tommy Bahama and it's...bright blue.

**Redneck Perfumisto** · 30th July 2010, 03:01 AM

Originally Posted by mrcologneguy

The writer forgot to mention the part about how God is punishing us by allowing perfumery at large to be taken over by this odious trend. Spare us, Lord.

LOL

I think the writer was all "summered out" by the heat. You know the condition. The city is so hot, that even the kiddie pool looks like good juice.

It ain't.

**scentsitivity** · 30th July 2010, 03:39 AM

Interesting article.

I went through the basenotes directory and for fragrances that had color as part of their name, I determined the quantity each for masculine, feminine and unisex. I could present all the data here (does anyone want that?), but I will point out a few things, some obvious, some not:

(1) Fragrances with Blue or Black in their names are more frequently masculine than unisex or feminine. But feminines are well-represented for both.

(2) Pink, Red, Purple, White and Yellow are most frequently feminines.

(3) Green is most frequently unisex (though nearly evenly distributed).

(4) Compare Blue and Black (sorry I can't get this to line up properly):

Masculine Feminine Shared
Blue 70 56 9
Black 62 45 36

A few observations:

(a) the ratio of masculines to feminines for blues and blacks are not far apart (1.25:1 and 1.38:1)

(b) the lack of unisex representation for blue is surprising.

I realize that the directory is not infallible, but it is a starting place to work from.

**Redneck Perfumisto** · 30th July 2010, 04:15 AM

Good job, scentsitivity!

Even D&G Light Blue crosses the aisle in the men's direction rather easily - and the name helps.

It really seems like marketing is getting more and more "by the book" on fragrance names.

**StylinLA** · 30th July 2010, 04:39 AM

I've tried some of these blue scents and they go nowhere fast on me.

**mrcologneguy** · 30th July 2010, 04:50 AM

Of all of them, the Acqua di Parma series has the most interesting ideas. I'd be OK with the blue thing if there were more like that out there.

Still curious about the new Chanel, too. . .

**adonis** · 30th July 2010, 05:42 AM

Where's the New West pic?

**Bigsly** · 30th July 2010, 06:22 AM

For me the most interesting piece of information was the point about how molecules that had been used for things like laundry detergent came to be used for "fine" fragrances. Of course, I heard this from LT first, though I'm not sure if he stated it so explicitly.

**Ken_Russell** · 30th July 2010, 08:30 AM

Just as mentioned before on this thread, I think that fragrance industry is actually marked by the rise of "non-blue", namely a return to stronger, less ozonic-watery notes, in male frags