Fragrances

Sam

i say it's all just wind in sails
is a Battle Simulator Admin Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis an Administrator Alumnus
greetings

Since my last thread was in Firebot and is thus unavailable, I thought I would make a new thread about fragrances/perfumes/colognes. If you know me at all you probably know that this is one of my favorite hobbies - I'd taken to writing reviews occasionally and I'll probably continue to do so in the future. However, I want this thread to be a bit more general. People will frequently come to me and ask what they should buy, but it's always a difficult question to answer. I'm just gonna put out some of the information I know so, if you're interested, you can look into it yourself.

Creating A Wardrobe
I think a lot of people think of a fragrance as a sort of catch-all for all situations type of things. After all, most people will own maybe one or two different bottles and that's it. If you just want to have something to wear for special occasions, that's fine! But if you're looking to incorporate it into part of your every day wear, I think it's pretty necessary to have a small collection so that you can change it up depending on a few factors. Of those factors, by far the most important to consider is the temperature and weather. Does the aquatic/fresh Acqua Di Gio fit in with a bitter cold night? Not really, no. While it's subjective, there's just some fragrances and notes that are more attuned with hot weather or cold weather. There's some more subjective factors like mood and impression, but that's way more up to you to decide.

Fragrantica
Fragrantica is a pretty comprehensive database of nearly all fragrance releases. It's all user aggregate so you can get a majority opinion on things like what season the fragrance is appropriate for, how long it lasts, how strong it is, etc. It also lists the notes based on how often people vote for it so you can get a general idea of what it's like. There's also more detailed user reviews that can give more descriptions and impressions. You can search through by note, by house, or just search the name of a fragrance you've come across.

Designer and Niche
One of the things that caught me by surprise when I first got into this hobby was how many niche fragrances houses there were. There's no hard and fast definition for niche, but you can imagine designer being things you could buy at a Macy's and niche being the things you can't. Most niche houses only make fragrances while designer brands are arms of popular fashion labels. Some designer brands have their own niche lines, like Tom Ford's Private Blend or Chanel's Les Exclusif lines. Niche will be more expensive for the most part, but this doesn't necessarily mean better. With a niche house though, you're likely to get things more avant-garde or unique and experimental. Sometimes you'll have more natural ingredients and such too but this isn't always the case. I wouldn't recommend diving into the niche world until you get an idea of what you like.

How to Purchase
I'm not going to list out the sites, but there's 'grey market' sites that sell most designer and some niche fragrances for less than what you would pay at a typical retail outlet. It's not exactly clear where they get their inventory from though it's usually understood to be things like overstock, liquidations, or some other retail things I'm honestly not super familiar with. You can find these sites on the Fragrantica page for most things. In terms of how to choose what to buy, it's usually recommended that you try and sample something before you buy it. You can go into a store and try it there (when it's not a pandemic), and there are some sites that sell small sample sizes of fragrances as well. Sometimes companies are willing to send samples to you but it's very hit or miss.

Why?
I honestly get this question a lot. To me, it's just an extension of your outfit; just as you use your clothes to express yourself, fragrance can do the same thing with another sense. Of course, it's not for everyone and I wouldn't implore everyone to incorporate it into their every day wear. But if that ideas interests you, definitely check it out.

I'll probably do some more reviews down the line and archive the ones from the old thread here. Please chime in if you're curious about anything or have a fragrance you'd like to talk about.
 

Myzozoa

to find better ways to say what nobody says
is a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Past WCoP Champion
mint and clary sage notes are currently my go to for unintrusive perfume that you can wear while working in the medical field, Last year I mainly used a blend intended to evoke mint mocha frap type drinks. I've been pretty into edibles for a while and as always I make all of my perfumes using essential oil and vodka, and I recommend it to anyone that doesn't have a life needs a hobby or doesn't want to support big perfume and their questionable environmental practices. Of course using essential oils can be little better for the environment if you don't mindfully source them.
 

Sam

i say it's all just wind in sails
is a Battle Simulator Admin Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis an Administrator Alumnus
I'll split it into my most worn and what I think the "best" are. My most worn are probably Comme des Garcons 2 and Ambre Nuit. They're just the ones I kind of default to I guess? They're just kind of relaxing but not overpowering or anything.

The two best, in my opinion, are Portrait of a Lady and Poivre 23. Incense and resins are some of my favorite notes, and these just pull them off very well. Portrait of a Lady also has one of the best rose notes, and it all just comes together wonderfully. Poivre 23 is a bit harder to describe. Just a great mix of pepper and incense that dries down into a great vanilla and sandalwood. It kind of epitomizes winter to me.
 

Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
It's certainly no hobby, nor could I afford it even if I wanted to, but I tend to really get into the weeds of shit when I get interested in something and start researching it. I did the same thing when I bought my car a few years back, bought new tires, etc. It was a couple years back, when I first decided to start putting effort toward socializing/dating, that I started looking into fragrances to up my game. I'm a fan of sweeter scents and generic aquatic fresh-clean stuff, but it seems "masculine" scents trend more toward spicy so I don't like a lot of men's fragrances. Stuff like Dior Sauvage or, uhh, Spicebomb... are an affront to my taste. Tobacco is a hard no.

Anyway, I mistakenly bought a bottle of Acqua di Gioia thinking I was buying a bottle of Acqua di Gio. :facepalm: It smells more unisex summer fresh than it does intently feminine to me at least, but still. So, I bought myself some Versace Eros as well. Right now I'm strongly considering picking up a bottle of Acqua di Gio Profumo, so I can mix it up and have something "safer" for more general use. I like how the subtle smokiness of the incense base gives it a more mature and classic masculine profile, without being as overwhelming as a more typical male fragrance and maintaining some sweetness from the patchouli. I was actually shoe shopping yesterday and dipped into Ulta to sneak some tester sprays on myself and I can still smell the Profumo on my skin at the very moment (roughly 18 hours later). [Shh, don't tell them their testers aren't supposed to be out, though they're not even the only ones.]

It was just a few weeks ago I got on a kick of looking into patchouli scents and stumbled onto Alkemia Perfumes, if you want to try a bunch of weird oils best described by paragraphs of purple prose.

Edit: The Indiemakeupandmore subreddit seems like a pretty good resource for niche indie scents...
 
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Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
Right now I'm strongly considering picking up a bottle of Acqua di Gio Profumo
This thread got me kickin' again and now I'm also buying a bottle of Armani Code Absolu because fuck yeah, vanilla? :smogduck:
 

Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
I keep dipping into Sephora on the way to the grocery store on a weekly basis and now I've gone and bought myself a bottle of Prada L'Homme :blobpex:

Now hopefully that's the last time in a long while, although I have wanted to pick up a more intently fresh fragrance because I think ADG Profumo is a bit dark for 90-degree summer days and the gym.
 

Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
As per the above, I decided to grab Versace Pour Homme because it's a cheap and fresh scent for the gym and hot summer days upcoming. While I was in Sephora and Ulta trying out freshies -- I haven't actually blind bought anything -- I also decided to check in on the hype and test Spicebomb Extreme... and it's fucking awesome so I ended up getting a bottle of that too. I mean, what can I say? I expected to be killed by harsh spices, but SBE is super warm and soft with a gentle hint of cumin and cinnamon that sits on top of a tobacco and vanilla base. It smells like I walked into the dining room of a freshly served Christmas feast. The vanilla makes me somewhat regret buying Code Absolu for the similarities, though I think the latter is more suitable for business/formal wear and I still like the powderyness of it too. Similar but not redundant.

... Aaaaand... *sigh* ...I bought 20 samples of various niche fragrances today. It's mostly some of the most popular and/or highly-rated stuff according to Fragrantica. I got two sample packs from Xerjoff, one from MFK (surprisingly cheap!), and a handful of randoms from Scentsplit. Would've got the sample kit from Parfums de Marly too, if they weren't "sold out" of it. (I'm not sure how you can be sold out of a sample kit if the fragrances are still available but okay. I did contact support and they said they'd be back later this months, though.) Among the latter is Creed Aventus, of course, along with Pure Malt and Pure Havane despite not being niche just because they're highly acclaimed. I plan on taking a scientific approach to evaluating them and I'll post a small review of each when I'm done testing them all in a few months.

Still not a fraghead. I don't know if I'll sit here and pay $200+ for a bottle of a high-quality niche even if I really like any of my samples cuz that's a lot of money, dood. Still can't smell for shit either TBH, growing up in a two-smoker household permanently destroyed me there. :blobpensive:

Edit if anyone's actually interested, the complete list (as of currently) is: Tabac Rose (BDK Parfums, a free sample MaxAroma threw in with my previous order), A*Men Pure Malt (Mugler), A*Men Pure Havane (Mugler), Aventus (Creed), Overture Man (Amouage), Reflection Man (Amouage), Hacivat (Nishane), Safran Colognise (Nishane), Noir de Noir (Tom Ford), Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP (Maison Francis Kurkdjian), Oud Satin Mood EDP (MFK), Oud Silk Mood EDP (MFK), Grand Soir (MFK), Via Cavour I (Xerjoff), Uden (Xerjoff), Nio (Xerjoff), Starlight (Xerjoff), MV Agusta (Xerjoff), Luxor (Xerjoff), Naxos (Xerjoff), Mefisto Gentiluomo (Xerjoff).
 
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Mr.E

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is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
And hey, I went ahead and wrote up first impressions of them anyway. I received my ScentSplit order on Saturday and the others earlier in the week.

My mom noticed my ScentSplit order and was being her usual nosy self about it, so she ended up being recruited into the paper test. I actually already tested the MFK and Xerjoff samples Friday night, so I got a second taste of them yesterday when giving my mother an opportunity to smell them for her first time.

Aventus (Creed) - I get a strong pineapple (I love pineapple) opening with a slight hint of smokiness and other fruits. Good, not great. 1hr: Gets smokier, gets a little woody/mossy, still similar to opening. Still a strong "like." 4hr: Vanilla comes in and pineapple starts to die down... doesn't quite reach "love it" for me. But it's good, definitely seems versatile to me. 3.5/5 Mom's opinion: "Interesting." Can't pinpoint much in the way of accords, but she's on the fence about it. Said the drydown was "just okay."

Overture Man (Amouage) - Slightly boozy, floral, warm spicy opening. Kinda dirty? This is a really complicated scent. Okay. 1hr: Gag! Really strong smokiness and the woody notes start coming in. Smells like a burning cigar. I appreciate this scent, but I don't enjoy it. 4hr: No change. 2/5 Mom: Hates it. Doesn't hate the drydown quite as much but still meh.

Reflection Man (Amouage) - Powdery floral, tinge of pepper. Smells clean, like a slightly more floral and less soapy Prada L'Homme. Strong like. 1hr: Woody accords start filtering in and I like it slightly less. 4hr: Better balanced? Maybe I just got used to the blend of scents. 3.5/5 Mom: Clean, floral, kinda feminine but really likes it.

Hacivat (Nishane) - Pineapple, citrus, slightly woody opening. Smells like Aventus but with more citrus and no smokiness. Borderline love. 1hr: Mossiness starts to come in but mostly the same. 4hr: No change. 4.5/5 Mom: Really likes the opening, likes it slightly less as it dries down. Smells clean, but my mom thinks everything smells clean (and gassy at first, because apparently she's very sensitive to alcohol in general).

Safran Colognise (Nishane) - Honestly, my brain just kinda shuts down on this one and I can't pick any specific notes from it. It's really weird, vaguely floral and fruity. Very "cologney." Meh, though it grows on me a little if I keep sniffing it. 1hr: Soft leather starts to creep in here. Still don't love it. 4hr: No change. 2.5/5 Mom: Smells "lemony," "manly," very different from most of the others. She likes it a lot more than I do.

Noir de Noir (Tom Ford) - A punch in the face of disgusting pungency that I can only assume is the truffle. Moderately floral, soft vanilla. Hate it. 1hr: Still nope. 4hr: Quite a bit more palatable as a dark floral vanilla, but still okay at best. 1/5 Mom: Eww, nasty.

Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP (MFK) - Very faint woody, vaguely sweet opening. Meh? Hard to say. 1hr: Hint of amber creeps in, more aromatic. This is much better now! 4hr: Woody accords get stronger, slightly downgrading my opinion. 3/5 Mom: Not much of an opinion on the opening, too weak to tell much. Drydown is a subtle mossy scent that she absolutely loves. Her second favorite.

Oud Satin Mood EDP (MFK) - Strong rose opening, slightly dirty. Absolutely love it! Give me a bottle of just this opening. 1hr: What I'm assuming is the benzoin becomes highly apparent, hint of powdery vanilla creeps in. I liked the opening way more. 4hr: Vanilla picks up more but the benzoin is just overpowering, ugh. 2/5 Mom: Okay. Picks up the rose more in the drydown. "Too girly for a man but not enough for a woman. It's for a girly guy (or manly girl)!"

Oud Silk Mood EDP (MFK) - Moderate rose/citrus opening. Okay. 1hr: Woody and green and a slightly dirty accord starts blending with the rose and citrus. Borderline love now. 4hr: No change. 4/5 Mom: Not much opinion on the opening, it's okay. The drydown she "can smell all day and not get tired of it."

Grand Soir (MFK) - Very warm, thick amber-vanilla opening. Strong like. 1hr: Fuck, it's benzoin again and just overpowers my olfaction. Not so nice anymore. 4hr: No change. 2/5 Mom: This is overpowering.

Via Cavour I (Xerjoff) - Opening is kind of a weird mix of fruit and rose and maybe a hint of chocolate? Okay. 1hr: Accords start blending together much better and the base notes come through now, much better. Very "gourmand." 4hr: No change. 4/5 Mom: Loves it, can smell this one all day too.

Uden (Xerjoff) - Strong lemony citrus opening, almost photorealistic. Borderline love. 1hr: Punched in the face by a boozy accord? Dunno why it hits me so hard at first. Citrus is still there, a fresh woodiness comes in, as well as a slight powdery vanilla. Different but still very good. 4hr: Scents balance out. 4.5/5 Mom: Absolutely loves it, her favorite one! For me, it's more like... 3rd or 4th I guess? It's a worthy contender but not my definite fave.

Nio (Xerjoff) - Seriously, this juice is the very definition of "fresh." Very bright citrus opening, kinda limey, and a very fresh green like freshly pruned hedge clipping. Love it. 1hr: Similar but greens start to take precedence. 4hr: Balance further shifts toward greens, but the citrus is still readily apparently. Kinda like it went from 70/30 to 45/55 to 30/70, roughly. 5/5 Mom: Way too strong, though she seems to like the scent once she gets used to it.

Starlight (Xerjoff) - Sparkling cardamom? opening, with undertones of most of the other notes present. Very effervescent somehow, it's kind of amazing. Love it. 1hr: Base notes start taking over, everything is wonderfully blended. Reminds me a lot of Spicebomb Extreme -- which explains the absurd Fragrantica rating -- but just a smidge brighter and sweeter, more refined. Starlight is better, but it's not five times better which is how much more it costs per mL. Yikes. 4hr: No change. 5/5 Mom: Loves the opening, her favorite. Doesn't quite like the drydown as much but it's still good.

MV Agusta (Xerjoff) - Very strong clove and leather opening, vaguely powdery. Dislike. 1hr: Base notes blend in and make it more palatable, but the leather is still too strong for my tastes. Kinda smells like... a leather chair wiped down with gasoline. 4hr: No change. 1.5/5 Mom: Hates it for the same reasons I do.

Luxor (Xerjoff) - Strong funky, resinous, musky opening. Hints of leather, cinnamon, tobacco. Not as bad as Noir de Noir but bleh. 1hr: Mentholated cough syrup. Very medicinal. Interesting but not good. 4hr: No change. 1.5/5 Mom: Smells like Vicks VapoRub.

Naxos (Xerjoff) - Sweet honey, citrus, vague hint of baser notes. Borderline love. 1hr: Citrus dies down... and the tobacco just comes in and overpowers everything. I can tell it's well blended in the background, but the tobacco is just too strong. Bleh. 4hr: Tobacco mellows out a bit but is still too much for me. 2.5/5 Mom: Doesn't like it at all.

Mefisto Gentiluomo (Xerjoff) - Bright powdery citrus opening, vaguely floral. Strong like. 1hr: Florals become more apparent as citrus barely hangs on, very fresh cedar with slight amber accord. Makes me think of sticking my head in a bouquet of really pollen-y flowers. Gives me Prada L'Homme vibes, the clean-cut professional man not afraid to dip his toes in light florals, though it smells less similar than Reflection Man does. Seems very versatile to me, unlike Fragrantica's opinion. 4hr: No change. 4/5 Mom: Really likes, says it smells like a casual woman's cologne though. Picked the sandalwood right out of the note breakdown, which she says is what gives her that impression.

A*men Pure Malt (Mugler) - Creamy orangey fruit opening. Medium like. 1hr: Vanilla and amber start coming in, giving it a creamsicle sort of vibe. Strong like. 4hr: A little fresher/woodier, neck-and-neck with Pure Havane now which I do like more overall. Borderline love. 4/5 Mom: Crisp and clean. Agrees with me regarding comparison to Havane.

A*men Pure Havane (Mugler) - Gentle blend of tobacco and vanilla and honey, maybe a hint of cocoa. Borderline love. Understand the similarity to Naxos many people draw, but Havane lacks the citrus. 1hr: Earthy patchouli and sweet amber creep into a well-blended scent. Unlike Naxos to me, none of the notes overpower the others here. 4hr: No change. 4.5/5 Mom: Says it smells a little powdery and really picks up amber in the drydown, which she really likes.

Tabac Rose (BDK Parfums) - Very pungent plum and slightly rosy opening. Dislike. 1hr: Baser notes start coming through and it's much better but still mediocre. 4hr: No change. 1.5/5 Mom: Notices the rose more than I do but also dislikes it.

Quick reference:
  • [5/5] Nio, Starlight
  • [4.5/5] A*men Pure Havane, Hacivat, Uden
  • [4/5] A*men Pure Malt, Mefisto Gentiluomo, Oud Silk Mood EDP, Via Cavour I
  • [3.5/5] Aventus, Reflection Man
  • [3/5] Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP
  • [2.5/5] Naxos, Safran Colognise
  • [2/5] Grand Soir, Oud Satin Mood EDP, Overture Man
  • [1.5/5] Luxor, MV Agusta, Tabac Rose
  • [1/5] Noir de Noir
I'll give 'em a fair shake on my skin, even the ones I don't really like on paper, but yeah.
 

Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
I bought more samples, and then when the bottle of Starlight I was supposed to receive Friday didn't come in I bought more samples this weekend. I probably won't buy more. Probably. :blobthinking:

I'm forming an Exodia of scents across the fragrance wheel that'll form the backbone of my collection moving forward and I've already locked Starlight (Oriental/Spicy/Gourmand) and Atomic Rose (Floral) in, with strong contenders for an Aquatic, Woody/Earthy, and something Citrus/Fresh that I can preferably use in high heat.

Side Effect (Initio Parfums) - The opening is pretty much all the notes right from the get-go (Rum, Vanilla, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Saffron, Sandalwood, Hedione). It's well-blended, but the scent is too tobacco and boozy for me. Meh. 1hr: Much of the initial booziness has subsided and I like it a lot more now. 4hr: The woodiness gets stronger, still alright. 2.5/5 Mom: "Smells like rubbing alcohol, yucky." Drydown = BIG NO.

Atomic Rose (Initio Parfums) - Bright, very fresh rose-centric opening, hint of vanilla. Love it, reminds me of a clean version of Oud Satin Mood's opening which is exactly where I want my rose fragrance to be. 1hr: What's this? The rose stays front and center? Oh baby, I'm loving this. The vanilla is becoming more prominent, and the jasmine adds a hint of that same wispiness BR540 has. 4hr: No change. 5/5 Mom: "It's definitely rose. Smells good but it's way too girly for a guy." Yeah? Well, I don't care what you think, mom. This shit owns.

Musk Oud (By Kilian) - Very funky, musky opening with hints of the top notes (lemon, cardamom, coriander). Nope, I don't like it. 1hr: The rose is coming in with a hint of rum, but it's still too funky. Meh. 4hr: Rather rose-forward now, with hints of the patchouli and incense coming in. Meh. 1.5/5 Mom: "I don't know what this smells like but I like it." Second(!) favorite of this batch, after Xerjoff Mefisto. A huge difference in opinion here.

Carlisle (Parfums de Marly) - Opening is... kinda musty, dirty, woody. It's like walking into my basement after it rains heavily and partially floods down there. Not a fan. 1hr: Rose is coming in pretty strong now, giving the scent a much-needed boost in likeability. Okay. 4hr: Vanilla-tonka dominant now with some lingering rose. I really like this now. 3/5 Mom: "Hint of spicy. [Must be the nutmeg.] Okay, good but not great."

Layton (Parfums de Marly) - People say this smells like a warm apple pie and... yeah, I kinda get that. It's a little more fruity than just apple and a little more spicy than just cinnamony (which I don't think is even in Layton). Pretty good, not amazing. 1hr: Stronger than before but linear. 4hr: Scent fades but remains linear. 3.5/5 Mom: "I don't hate it. It smells kinda spicy."

Pegasus (Parfums de Marly) - Bright, creamy almond opening, slightly floral. I'm really liking it. 1hr: Much more powdery now, slightly vanillic, has a bit of a licorice-like bite to it courtesy of the lavender which I presume is what some reviewers call metallic. Kinda reminds me of a more refined Armani Code Absolu, which is just a straight powdery vanilla bomb. Borderline love. 4hr: No change. 4.5/5 Mom: "Really different and really good!"

Herod (Parfums de Marly) - Very tobacco-forward opening, with hints of the other top and mid notes. Meh. 1hr: Has this weird sharpness to it now that I can't describe. Dislike. 4hr: Sweet tobacco-vanilla combo with a gentle blend of everything else in the background. Much better, but way too late. 2/5 Mom: "I like it but can't quite place it..." Picks up on cedar. Dislikes the drydown.

Oajan (Parfums de Marly) - Strong honey-cinnamon opening with a hint of benzoin to sting my nose because fuck me I guess. Meh. 1hr: Vanilla-tonka coming in now but it's still kinda weird. Meh. 4hr: The vanilla, tonka, and amber are now dominant but that weird, offputting sharpness sticks around. Meh. 2/5 Mom: Catches cinnamon immediately. "This smells like Fireball! I like it but I don't think it's an appropriate cologne scent." And then she proceeded to open the bottle of Fireball right beside her chair and compare them.

Millesime Imperial (Creed) - Bright fruity opening with a hint of powdery iris. Borderline love. 1hr: Base notes start coming in and just add to the opening, still really like. 4hr: Fruitiness has died down and it's mostly a powdery sandalwood now with a hint of the other bases. Still nice but not quite as good. 4/5 Mom: "This is SO GOOD! I like it a lot. Really sweet."

Jubilation XXV Man (Amouage) - Uhh, it's a big confusing jumble of fruit and smoke and honey and cinnamon. Much like Overture, this is more interesting than actually good except this one doesn't evoke any particular image in my head. 1hr: Fruitiness has dissipated and there's some mentholic cooling sensation going on now. Meh. 4hr: Now it's musky but otherwise similar to before. 1.5/5 Mom: "Just weird. Dislike." Drydown still too harsh for her.

Colognise (Nishane) - Like a fruity green tea. It's kinda weird but I don't hate it. I like it more than Safran Colognise... and they smell nothing alike, that's supposed to be a flanker of this? 1hr: Some gentle florals start to creep in. I still just like it. 4hr: Starts getting a little mossy. Yep, still like it. Don't love it. 3/5 Mom: "I like it. It smells kinda soapy. Manly soap. It's clean but not my favorite."

Renaissance (Xerjoff) - Very citrus-forward opening but it's not nose-searing sharp like Nio, it's blunted by gentle florals. Very unexpected but I really like it. 1hr: Ooh, mint comes in now along with a very fresh cedar. Borderline love. 4hr: Now it's just a minty cedar. Slightly lesser like. Reminds me of a minty Hacivat. 4.5/5 Mom: "It's fresh and clean but I don't know what to think of it, it's different from the others. It's just okay."

Mefisto (Xerjoff) - Bright powdery citrus opening, vaguely floral. Unlike Colognise, you can tell Gentiluomo is a flanker here. Mefisto just smells more citrusy and less powdery, which I do prefer. Borderline love. 1hr: The citrus hangs on here better than it does in Gentiluomo, but the cedar-sandalwood is coming in strong now with a hint of the musk. Borderline Love. 4hr: No change. 4.5/5 Mom: "Really fresh and clean, my favorite of this batch!"

JTC 400 (Xerjoff) - Very honey-forward opening with a tinge of fruit and tobacco. It's okay, good. 1hr: Base notes (vanilla, cedar, patchouli, vetiver) start creeping in, making for a very interesting scent but not drastically changing my overall opinion of it. 4hr: The fruits are mostly gone now and it's another classic honey-tobacco-vanilla scent. No complaints, but certainly not original. 3.5/5 Mom: "I don't hate it. Really sweet smelling and flowery."

Ivory Route (Xerjoff) - Strong, fresh spicy opening with a hint of musk. It certainly believe it evokes the feeling they're going for, but I don't care for the smell. Meh. 1hr: The musk and spices are getting stronger, overwhelming any hint of freshness it used to have, like walking into a big spice closet. Mild dislike now. 4hr: Allspice coming in strong, smells very smoky cigar-ish. It's okay but not my thing. 2/5 Mom: "I don't really like it. It's kinda musky. Not horrible, but not good."

40 Knots (Xerjoff) - As advertised, the opening is quite woody, green, and aquatic. Has this salt-and-pepper sort of flavor to it. Really good. Actually reminds me a lot of AdG Profumo. They're not that similar on paper but the woody accords line up with ADGP's patchouli, the spices with ADGP's incense, and it's a tad more green... but I think I like ADGP more, sorry. 1hr: Stronger but linear, quite lovely. 4hr: No change. 4/5 Mom: "I don't know what I smell but it's nice. Fresh."

Elysium Cologne (Roja Parfums) - All I can say is... Sham-wow! Very bright citrus, kinda herbal/aromatic opening. This might be the single best sample of the lot. Love it. 1hr: The citrus blend turns to straight lemon as the juniper berries and vanilla starts to filter in. Still love it. 4hr: Vanilla's dropping off, a hint of leather is coming in. No longer in love with it, still pretty good though. 5/5 Mom: "Saved the best for last!" Indeed. I can only hope the performance is not as terrible as popularly claimed. [Spoilers: It is.]

Quick reference:
  • [5/5] Nio, Starlight, Atomic Rose, Elysium
  • [4.5/5] A*men Pure Havane, Hacivat, Uden, Pegasus, Renaissance, Mefisto
  • [4/5] A*men Pure Malt, Mefisto Gentiluomo, Oud Silk Mood EDP, Via Cavour I, Millesime Imperial, 40 Knots
  • [3.5/5] Aventus, Reflection Man, Layton, JTC 400
  • [3/5] Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP, Carlisle, Colognise
  • [2.5/5] Naxos, Safran Colognise, Side Effect
  • [2/5] Grand Soir, Oud Satin Mood EDP, Overture Man, Herod, Oajan, Ivory Route
  • [1.5/5] Luxor, MV Agusta, Tabac Rose, Musk Oud, Jubilation XXV Man
  • [1/5] Noir de Noir
I like Renaissance cuz of the mint especially but both it and Elysium's skin performance have been hot garbage so I don't think I can justify paying their big price tags. If I gotta spray something a dozen times to get decent performance out of it, it better not be $200+ a bottle. To that point, I... bought a bottle of Guerlain Homme EDP cuz it's like $30 for 100mL on discounters and it's surprisingly difficult to find Guerlain samples online outside of the L'Homme Ideal line. Because mint. Because Eros is not something I want to put on in 100-degree weather.
 
This seems like an interesting hobby, I’m definitely pretty new to this tho since and tend to stay on the cheaper side of this hobby. I’ll probably experiment with some more in the future but I’ll leave a review or 2 of some of my favorite cheaper fragrances. And I’m definitely not a pro at this thing so my reviews might not be the best

Pace Jaguar
This ones pretty nice, it’s always been pretty much my go to cologne/fragrance since it’s so cheap. Definitely my go to for casual stuff like school and if I’m just hanging around at my house. It doesn’t really last too long for me or project super well, which again, makes it good for stuff like school and around the house imo. It’s a very fresh, masculine smell.
tldr: Fresh, masculine smell, doesn’t last too long or project too well but is very cheap and works well as an everyday cologne/fragrance.

Outlaw
This one is pretty new for me, recently decided to step away from my usual and try some new colognes/fragrances. And I’ve really liked this one so far. This one has a woody, masculine smell which is different from my usual cologne and I like it. This thing lasts a while on me and projects off me pretty well. I’ll just be at school or at home getting through the day and I’ll frequently get a scent of this after hours of spraying 2-3 sprays of it. Lasts a good 8-12 hours I’d say, maybe more.
tldr: woody, masculine smell, lasts a while and projects pretty well. Pretty cheap price and I really enjoy it.

Im sort of interested in this kinda hobby after buying a 2nd cologne and just trying new ones instead of my usuals. I’ll probably buy a few more and review them maybe. I definitely won’t buy the more expensive ones cuz idt I can afford many of those but I like to try the cheaper ones and definitely will buy a few more

edit:
I’ve done a bit more research and I think I’ll probably try some of these:
Dylan Blue- versace
Encre Noire- Lalique
Hunter intense- armaf
Cool Water- Davidoff
Club de nuit intense- armaf
these all seem decently affordable so I’ll probably try maybe 1-3 of them in the upcoming months and review them
 
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Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
All the last samples finally came in and I had time to write up first impressions. The designers are mostly because I couldn't find a sample of Guerlain Homme EDP, so I just bought a full bottle off FragranceNet for $30 and then in lieu of paying for shipping I just bought a bunch more samples until I passed the free shipping threshold. Good to know FragranceNet has a decent variety of carded samples for like $2 each.

Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait (Maison Francis Kurkdjian) - Maybe a tiny hint of that creamy almond in the opening that is supposed to be here, but I concur with the prevailing opinion that this smells virtually identical to the EDP. 1hr: Yep, this smells exactly like a more dense version of the EDP. 4hr: No change. 3/5 Mom: Yes, this is identical to the other one. I like it.

Post-skin test I've basically revised the EDP to a 5/5 in my head at this point, but for posterity I'm giving the Extrait the same rating as my first impression of the EDP. Pending skin test of the Extrait, I think I prefer the EDP because the relative transparency of the EDP makes it more special to me. The full-bodied nature of the Extrait just makes it yet another solid sexy evening scent to me, but the wispy nature of the EDP gives it a more understated sexiness, mysteriousness, and also makes it more versatile.

Oud Satin Mood Extrait (MFK) - Stronger, cleaner rose opening from the EDP. I much prefer this one! 1hr: It takes on a slightly dirtier vibe like the EDP, but it maintains more of the rose and the added cinnamon gives a nice sense of warmth. This is great. 4hr: Becomes a little sharper like the EDP, but it's again muted and the cinnamon is still there. Love it. 5/5 Mom: "Not as sour, more rosy" than the EDP. Loves it. And she could smell it across the room when I first sprayed it!

Oud Silk Mood Extrait (MFK) - Smells mostly the same as EDP, a balanced mix of rose and citrus, but has this hint of sharpness to it, almost mentholic. I prefer the EDP. 1hr: That "hint" is overbearing now. Bleh. 4hr: That menthol accord has toned down but it's still very present. Meh. 1.5/5 Mom: "Just smells like rubbing alcohol." Also prefers the EDP.

Masculin Pluriel (MFK) - Balanced grapefruit + lemon opening is bright and fresh but with a muted, aromatic softness to it courtesy of (presumably) the lavender. Borderline love? 1hr: Baser notes (vetiver, patchouli, cedar, leather) come in and blend beautifully, lending a bit of woody-mossy-earthy flavor to the existing scent. Love it. 4hr: No change. 4.5/5 Mom: "I likey. A lot." Favorite or maybe second-favorite of this batch.

Aqua Celestia (MFK) - Offputtingly sharp, sour lime opening with prominent mint and blackcurrant notes. Mild dislike, it's just too harsh on my nose. 1hr: Much muskier and muted, pretty good at this point. 4hr: Sourness has returned with a vengeance, albeit less strongly. Meh. 2.5/5 Mom: "Very fresh and lemony." Really likes it. Insists it smells rosy for some reason? Even when I wasn't standing beside her, because I thought maybe she was smelling my fingers from all the spraying at first.

Aqua Celestia Forte (MFK) - Very similar to the original but significantly smoother due to added aromatic accords. I really like this one. 1hr: Much stronger mint compared to the original. Borderline love? 4hr: No change. 3.5/5* Mom: "Very fresh!" Prefers over original, prefers over Universalis in the opening.

Aqua Universalis (MFK) - Watery citrus opening further muted by white florals. Rather simple but actually quite pleasant. Borderline love? 1hr and 4hr: No change, very linear scent. 4/5 Mom: "Ooh! I like it a lot. Citrusy and very, very clean." [Me rattling off the notes: "Lily-of-the-valley..."] "I knew I smelled a flower!"

Aqua Universalis Forte (MFK) - Similar to the original but more orangey, even though they allegedly took the orange out? :blobshrug: I prefer it, though! 1hr and 4hr: No change. 4.5/5 Mom: "It smells like the other one. Citrusy, floraly, woody..." Agrees it smells more orangey! Prefers over the original, prefers over Celestia in the drydown.

Sorry, no Aqua Vitae. Maybe if I get the full bottle of BR540 direct from MFK I'll get Vitae and Forte as my free samples. :P Assuming I can't find it cheaper elsewhere, of course, cuz I'm not buying direct just to get the samples.

Uden Overdose (Xerjoff) - Smells fresh lemony to me, much like Uden opening with maybe a hint of ginger spiciness this time. Yep, I still like it. 1hr: Less boozy and citric, more vanillic and woody than the OG. Maybe a touch of tobacco? I still like it, but I think I prefer Uden's extra freshness. 4hr: No change. 4/5 Mom: "Smells fresh and clean and manly to me, but not lemony." Prefers it over Uden.

Apollonia (Xerjoff) - Opening is powdery, clean musk. That's it. I mean, look at the note breakdown (White flowers, Iris, Musk). It smells exactly as you'd expect it. 1hr: More musky. It's very clean, I'll say, but too plain for my tastes. 4hr: Seems to be getting even brighter. Reminds me of Prada L'Homme but more musky instead of soapy. Perfect minimalistic scent IMO, but not what I want out of a fragrance. 3/5 Mom: "I don't like that one, it's too chemical-ly."

Richwood (Xerjoff) - Fresh fruity opening but somewhat smooth and subdued by florals and woods. Really like. 1hr: Almost smells... kinda boozy? Like Uden. Actually, it's really like Uden. A little more woody and less citric than Uden, but less so than Uden Overdose, plus a gentle rose/geranium. Borderline love? 4hr: The florals and musk are coming in stronger, still reminds me of a floral Uden though. 4.5/5 Mom: "Smells almost... spicy. It's okay. It grows on you [as she continues to sniff it]."

Pikovaya Dama (Xerjoff) - Opening is fresh but subdued in a similar way to Richwood, but it's slightly powdery and has this weird airiness to it which I presume are the aldehydes? It's kinda weird, but I really like it. 1hr: Very aldehydic at this point with a hint of the other accords (bring in vanilla and patchouli from the base). Develops some sharpness but it's okay still. 4hr: No change. 3.5/5 Mom: "It's different, I really like it. Smells kinda flowery."

La Tosca (Xerjoff) - This smells like artificial grape candy soaking in lemon juice, with a weird airy and medicinal tinge to it (the violet leaves?) that is really offputting. Eugh. 1hr: Grape candy has evolved to grape soda with the help of added fizziness, maybe a hint of the base notes coming in but mostly the same. 4hr: It's gotten a bit more lemony and vanillic, but not a ton. It's tolerable now but eh... 1/5 Mom: "Smells like... old man. Like someone rubbed down in Brylcreem and Bengay."

Really sad Xerjoff didn't send me Fars as requested and gave me a random 5th sample that turned out to be hot garbage. :( Also, I was skin testing it yesterday and it's even worse. Would've been my first scrubber if I was the type of wuss that does that, but I endured through it. A lot, actually, because the performance was fucking monstrous.

Terre d'Hermes EDT (Hermes) - Fresh, earth orange opening with a hint of pepper that gives it a pleasant effervescence. "Dirty orange" as many describe it. I like this way more than I thought it would based off that reputation! 1hr: Baser notes (vetiver, patchouli, cedar, benzoin) start coming in but it still retains a lot of that opening freshness. Borderline love? 4hr: No change. 4.5/5 Mom: "I like it, it's okay. Kinda citrusy... lemony?" I swear she thinks every citrus is lemon.

Terre d'Hermes Parfum (Hermes) - Opening is 100% identical to EDT. 1hr: Becomes deeper/darker than EDT, quite mossy in particularly. I still like it, but I prefer the EDT. 4hr: No change. 3.5/5 Mom: Doesn't like the opening as much but prefers it over the EDT in the drydown. Not me, EDT all the way!

Eau des Merveilles (Hermes) - Effervescent orange and lemon, makes me think of a cleaned-up version of TDH. Borderline love? Wish I also had a sample of Eau Tres Fraiche to compare since "clean TDH" is how many describe that one too. 1hr: Baser notes are starting to come in (woody and mossy), still retains some of that effervescence from the opening but I think the pepper in TDH EDT does it better. 4hr: The orange is barely perceptible at this point, it's just a very clean and fresh woody/mossy scent now. Neat, but I def prefer TDH EDT at this point. 4/5 Mom: "I really like this one! Definitely orangey."

L'Homme Ultime (Yves Saint Laurent) - Very bright, fresh ginger in the opening. Maybe a bit floral. It's okay but I was expecting more rose. 1hr: Okay, now the rose is more prominent along with apple. The other base notes (woods) are starting to creep in. Like it about as much as TDH EDP. 4hr: The spiciness from the opening is gone, the apple is gone. It's a rosy vetiver scent now. Okay. 3.5/5 Mom: "It's okay. Smells more musky and manly" than the Hermes ones.

Homme EDP (Guerlain) - Equal blend of top notes in the opening, lime and mint and rum. Basically, it's a mojito perfume. Borderline love? 1hr: Baser notes (vetiver, cedar, patchouli) start creeping in but mostly smells the same. Still borderline love. 4hr: The balance is further shifted toward base notes, but the top is still noticeable. Hard to decide between this and TDH EDT. 4.5/5 Mom: "I like it, it's okay. Different."

L'Homme Ideal Cool (Guerlain) - Softer, slightly powdery mint than Homme EDP. I like it, but Homme EDP is better. 1hr: Mid notes (almond, aquatics, neroli) come in very prominent now, and there's this hint of a weird syrupy sweetness to it now. Is that the ambroxan blending in, perhaps? 4hr: The almond and aquatics are gone, leaving behind a sweet, minty orange. Okay. 3.5/5

I'll take one of the Hermes or Universalis Forte for my orangey needs and Homme EDP or Celestia Forte for my mint. However, I really wish I could try Allure Homme Sport now and see if they (the OG and/or Eau Extreme) marry the orange and mint accords in just the way I want both together.

Dior Homme Intense (Dior) - Slightly powdery, very iris/lavender-forward. Noticeable pear if I try to sniff it out. I do really like it, but it doesn't meet the expectations I had for it per its reputation. Would I wear this over Prada L'Homme as a sort of "neutral" scent? I love lavender, so sure, but I don't think one is better than the other. 1hr: Scent develops with a noticeable sweetness and woodiness/mossiness that blends with the top notes in the absolute best way possible. Okay, I lied before, this is the greatest scent ever. 4hr: No change. 5.5/5 Mom: "Eh, it's okay" at the opening, but boy does she LOVE the drydown just like I do. "Very clean, fresh out of the shower or laundry."

This shit's even better than Xerjoff Starlight, although Starlight has way better performance. Don't care though, because DHI is a reasonably-priced designer and not a $200/50mL niche so I can just spray more.

Quick reference:
  • [Dior Homme Intense tier] Dior Homme Intense
  • [5/5] Nio, Starlight, Atomic Rose, Elysium, Oud Satin Mood Extrait
  • [4.5/5] A*men Pure Havane, Hacivat, Uden, Pegasus, Renaissance, Mefisto, Masculin Pluriel, Aqua Universalis Forte, Richwood, Terre d'Hermes EDT, Homme EDP
  • [4/5] A*men Pure Malt, Mefisto Gentiluomo, Oud Silk Mood EDP, Via Cavour I, Millesime Imperial, 40 Knots, Aqua Universalis, Uden Overdose, Eau des Merveilles
  • [3.5/5] Aventus, Reflection Man, Layton, JTC 400, Aqua Celestia Forte, Pikovaya Dama, Terre d'Hermes EDP, L'Homme Ultime, L'Homme Ideal Cool
  • [3/5] Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP, Carlisle, Colognise, Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait, Apollonia
  • [2.5/5] Naxos, Safran Colognise, Side Effect, Aqua Celestia
  • [2/5] Grand Soir, Oud Satin Mood EDP, Overture Man, Herod, Oajan, Ivory Route
  • [1.5/5] Luxor, MV Agusta, Tabac Rose, Musk Oud, Jubilation XXV Man, Oud Silk Mood Extrait
  • [1/5] Noir de Noir, La Tosca
That's all I got, swear there aren't even more samples coming. So far I've gotten through about half of them on skin. So far I'd say big winners on skin are BR540 and JTC 400; turns out I like the latter more than Naxos (and Pure Havane) after all. Lots of losers re: performance issues with expensive frags, Elysium and Nio being the saddest.
 

Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion


I still might pick up a bottle of Oud Satin Mood Extrait, I haven't fully decided yet. Would make a killer two-frag collection with Atomic Rose too, if you wanted to be "the rose guy." Or gal seeing as how they're unisex, arguably even feminine-leaning. Maybe also buy a larger decant of Pegasus and continue to evaluate it more... I do really like it, but I wasn't wowed by its performance and I'm not sure I have an obvious reason to use it regularly.





And I might sell or swap Code Absolu and SBE for more freshies, since Starlight obsoletes the latter and largely the former. Freshies go to the gym, they WILL be used over time. Could swap for Eau Sauvage, which I'd like to try, or some Terre d'Hermes EDT or somesuch. Pegasus would also obsolete CA. Also, Guerlain Homme doesn't deserve to be as good as it is for the price.

Also also, Sam your precious Noir de Noir is actually pretty good on skin. It's like a cross between Atomic Rose and Oud Satin Mood, it's dark but has the vanilla underlying it. Performance is decent too, though not nearly as good as either of the other two.
 
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Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
nice triple-posting amirite

Final review of everything I've recently sampled from the previous posts, after taking the time to skin test all of them. Refer back to those posts for general impressions, I'm more expanding on what I wrote there plus providing performance numbers (in hours of projection and longevity) based off at least two separate wears but sometimes up to five if I can't easily pin it down initially.

For fun and suspense, I will work my way from the worst-rated up to the top.


[1/5] Noir de Noir, La Tosca

Noir de Noir (Tom Ford) - On skin, the mustiness from the truffle is toned WAY down, it's mostly black rose and vanilla. Vanilla begins to take over after an hour. I actually like it a lot now, it's almost like a combo of Atomic Rose's vanilla plus Oud Satin Mood Extrait's darkness but the performance doesn't approach either. Moderate projection for ~3 hours, hints up to 6hr, skin scent for 7-8hr. Final Verdict: I understand why people like this after skin testing, but with inferior performance to the other aforementioned rose fragrances I wouldn't say it's "Full-Bottle Worthy" even though it does have a unique scent profile. OSME is the better dark/sexy rose. Pass. Sam

La Tosca (Xerjoff) - On skin, this smells equally if not even more abhorrent somehow. If I was a lesser man, this would be a scrubber. Unfortunately, it also has insane projection for 3-4hr and 12+ hours of longevity as a skin scent. A bit of smokiness comes in the deep drydown. Verdict: NOOOOO GOD! NO GOD, PLEASE NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!


[1.5/5] Luxor, MV Agusta, Tabac Rose, Musk Oud, Jubilation XXV Man, Oud Silk Mood Extrait

Luxor (Xerjoff) - Doesn't smell cough syrupy in the air, only up close, but the menthol feel remains on skin. It's an interesting scent for sure. Very evocative, gives me the feeling of an Egyptian pharaoh: extremely warming, very regal, musky like I was freshly exhumed from my pyramid. I feel rich wearing this. Projection starts off weak but strengthens significantly after 30 minutes as a smoky incense comes in. Projects for 2-3hr, skin scent for 7-8hr. Verdict: Very interesting scent, again, but not to my tastes. Pass.

MV Agusta (Xerjoff) - Smells mostly the same on skin, a chokingly strong leather, but the clove is a little less present. Nuclear projection for 2-3hr, but mediocre longevity that peters out after 6-8hr. Verdict: It accomplishes what it wants but still isn't my bag at all. Pass for me, but recommended only you love strong skanky leather.

Tabac Rose (BDK)
- Like NdN, the opening is much less pungent on skin which actually makes for a rather pleasant scent. Heavy plum, moderate rose, hints of cinnamon and chocolate. Tobacco comes in the late drydown. Performance is outstanding at 4-5 hours of solid projection and 10-12hr longevity. Verdict: I'm surprised, I actually like it. Kinda grandma-ish vibes, though. I can't pull this one off. Pass for me, but recommended for older women.

Musk Oud (Kilian)
- On skin, it's still pretty musky but the lemon is very prominent and stays the whole way through. Makes me think of a "dirty" Safran Colognise (further down the list), it's just a very creamy lemon scent. Somehow. Moderate projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 10-12hr. Verdict: Just okay. Not a fan. Pass.

Jubilation XXV Man (Amouage) - On skin, opening is much better as the cinnamon is very prominent. Quite decadent. Projection is only moderate for the first hour, after which that weird mentholic accord comes in and it dies after ~2hr. Skin scent for 6-8hr. Verdict: I still don't like it once it begins to dry down, and the performance is poor. Pass.

Oud Silk Mood Extrait (MFK) - Smells the same on skin as paper, overwhelmingly mentholic. Weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 7-8hr. Verdict: Trash. Pass.


[2/5] Grand Soir, Oud Satin Mood EDP, Overture Man, Herod, Oajan, Ivory Route

Grand Soir (MFK) - On skin, the benzoin sharpness is toned way down. Basically creates a warm scent bubble of caramel goodness around me. Performance is actually difficult to evaulate because it smells so much like it's just a natural extension of my body, but I estimate 4-5hr of low projection and 10-12hr of total longevity. Verdict: I do like it, and the way it performs is very interesting, but there's still hints of that benzoin sharpness that turns me off. Pass for me, but recommended.

Oud Satin Mood EDP (MFK)
- Same as Grand Soir, the benzoin is toned way down making for a significantly more pleasing scent but with a hint of unpleasant sharpness remaining. Strong projection for 3-4hr, skin scent for 8-9hr. Verdict: I still wish the rose was more of the star here, plus the benzoin thing. Pass.

Overture Man (Amouage) - On skin, comes across less boozy but is otherwise the same: a very strong burnt woody scent. Strong projection for ~2hr peters out around 4hr, skin scent for 10-12hr. Verdict: Opinion unchanged, an intriguing piece of art but not something I want to wear. Pass.

Herod (PdM) - Much more pleasing on skin, as the cinnamon is prominent in the opening here to drown out the overwhelming-on-paper tobacco. That "weird sharpness" I describe previously also never rears its ugly head. Poor projection for <2hr, skin scent for 4-5hr. Verdict: It's okay, but performance is a total bomb for me anyway even if I liked it more. Pass.

Oajan (PdM) - Another strong benzoin blunted by my skin, completely this time. Straight honey-cinnamon that picks up vanilla slowly over time. Nuclear projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 4-5hr. You could say it burns bright but dissipates quickly... like a fireball. The only sample that pulled unsolicited compliments. Wore it to yoga, the ladies were practically drooling over me. Verdict: I can't say I'm not flattered by my yoga class fawning all over me. Not sure the longevity is FWB, but I'd strongly consider at least a sizable decant to further evaluate... and wear around the girls. *ahem*

Ivory Route (Xerjoff) - On skin, the opening is actually quite fresh and sweet... it's surprisingly similar to Naxos and JTC 400? Huh, didn't expect that. Develops this slightly cool mentholic sensation as it dries down, though. Very weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 6-7hr. Verdict: Wow, this one smells way different on skin, but it still doesn't compare to either of the aforementioned. Pass.


[2.5/5] Naxos, Safran Colognise, Side Effect, Aqua Celestia

Naxos (Xerjoff) - On skin, opening smells the same. Tobacco still comes on a bit strongly after ~30min, but much less drastically. Kinda smoky too. Very well balanced on skin, whereas Pure Havane becomes almost sickly sweet. Good performance too, 3-5hr of moderate projection and 7-10hr longevity. Verdict: I'm definitely much closer to popular opinion now, but... JTC 400 is better in the same honey-tobacco-vanilla scent family that has become so popular of recent. Pass.

Safran Colognise (Nishane) - On skin, the florals are a smidge stronger but still has that nebulous weird vibe to it. I think it's the saffron combined with some other notes? A gentle leather enters after ~30 minutes. Very weak, aura-like projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 8-10hr... However, I did wear this to the gym once on a 80F day and it actually came alive in high heat. Has a wispy, kinda creamy lemon scent that I mentioned in Musk Oud's review. Verdict: Not to my tastes, and kinda wonky performance. Pass.

Side Effect (Initio) - Smells identical on skin, overwhelmingly boozy and tobaccoey but eventually settling down to a boozy woods. Moderate projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 8-10hr. Verdict: Not much to say here. Pass.

Aqua Celestia (MFK) - On skin, the sharpness is muted but it's still supremely limey. Performance is nonexistent at <2hr projection and 4-5hr longevity. Verdict: Performance is way too poor for its price. Too limey for me anyway. Pass.


[3/5] Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP, Carlisle, Colognise, Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait, Apollonia

Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP (MFK) - Wow. The subtle sweetness and woody accords really come alive on skin. Maintains a sexy ethereal nature (transparency, airiness, wispiness). Performs on skin as it does on paper, where it somehow gets stronger up till about ~2 hours in. Projects for 3-4hr total, skin scent for 7-8hr. Leans kinda feminine to me, though. Evokes the image of what a guy might imagine a woman's sweat to smell like, even if sweat doesn't actually smell like that. Verdict: This is so subtle and sexy, like it's very light but at the same time doesn't fade quickly like many soft scents. Though I ultimately don't think I will buy after all, as it's expensive and slightly feminine to my nose, 100% FBW.

Carlisle (PdM) - On skin, apple takes the lead in the opening but otherwise it smells the same. Strong projection for ~30min, weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 6-8hr. Verdict: Still kinda just meh-good, nothing special. Layton is the better fancy apple scent. Pass.

Colognise (Nishane) - Smells identical on skin. Low-moderate projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 6-8hr. Verdict: Meh. Pass.

Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait (MFK) - I get maybe a hint of a creamy almond accord, but for all intents and purposes I find this to be basically identical to the EDP except more thick/dense. Performance is slightly better at solid projection for ~4hr, skin scent for 16+hr (the highest rating I have). Verdict: I simply prefer the EDP. The transparency of the EDP makes it a very special fragrance IMO, and more versatile to boot. This fills in the proverbial holes and makes the scent just another heavy, full-bodied evening fragrance. Pass, but only because the EDP is better (and cheaper too).

Apollonia (Xerjoff) - On skin, smells the same. Actually okay projection for 2-3hr, longevity as a skin scent is hard to say since it blends so seamlessly into body odor as a pure, clean musk. Somewhere in the 6-10hr range. Verdict: Too simple and non-perfumey for my tastes, but FBW if you like minimalistic scents.


[3.5/5] Aventus, Reflection Man, Layton, JTC 400, Aqua Celestia Forte, Pikovaya Dama, Terre d'Hermes Parfum, L'Homme Ultime, L'Homme Ideal Cool

Aventus (Creed) - Opening lacks in smokiness on skin and projection is weak, but both the smoke and projection come on stronger after an hour. Projects for 2-3hr, skin scent for 8-10hr. Verdict: Still fairly pleasant but nothing special to me. Pass for me.

Reflection Man (Amouage) - On skin, the pepper is much less abrasive and I absolutely LOVE how the super-clean white florals come through. It's basically a lightly scented version of Apollonia, or perhaps a less soapy white floral version of Prada L'Homme. Weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 5-6hr. Verdict: Decant-worthy. I'm loving the scent, but I want to evaluate the performance further and take more time to decide if it's FBW.

Layton (PdM) - Identical on skin, a fancy spiced apple/fruit pie. Projects strongly for 2-3hr, skin scent for 8-10hr. Verdict: I get the hype but similar to Aventus, I just kinda like it. Pass for me.

JTC 400 (Xerjoff) - On skin, comes alive with a wonderful balance of sweet fruits, florals, and spices. Like a slightly floral Naxos. Strong projection for 3-4hr, skin scent for 7-8hr. Verdict: 100% FBW, though I won't buy a bottle. This is my favorite scent in the tobacco-vanilla family I've tried, and the performance is really good.

Aqua Celestia Forte (MFK) - Same as paper, a smoother and mintier OG. Performance not noticeably better, <2hr projection and 4-5hr longevity. Verdict: Ass performance. Pass.

Pikovaya Dama (Xerjoff) - Comes across very green on skin, like rose stems. Very dry, oddly abrasive. Don't care for it. Weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 8-9hr. Verdict: Still weird, but more weird-bad than weird-good now. Pass.

Terre d'Hermes Parfum (Hermes) - Smells the same but my skin eats this. Very weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 4-5hr. Verdict: I still prefer the freshness in the EDT and the performance is even worse. Pass.

L'Homme Ultime (YSL) - On skin, mid notes come in prominently from the start. Nice but not amazing. Weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 5-6hr. Verdict: "Nice but not amazing." Pass.

L'Homme Ideal Cool (Guerlain) - Smells the same on skin, including the progression of accords over time. Weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 6-8hr. Verdict: Guerlain Homme EDP is a better minty fresh scent from the same house, and it's cheaper to boot. Pass.


[4/5] A-men Pure Malt, Mefisto Gentiluomo, Oud Silk Mood EDP, Via Cavour I, Millesime Imperial, 40 Knots, Aqua Universalis, Uden Overdose, Eau des Merveilles

A*men Pure Malt (Mugler) - Orange comes through even more prominently on skin, otherwise smells the same. Also, dabber vials still SUCK. Projects for ~2hr tops, skin scent for 4-5hr. Verdict: Smells nice, but performance is too poor. Pass.

Mefisto Gentiluomo (Xerjoff) - On skin, the citrus stays closer to skin while the florals project more. Projects for <2hr, skin scent for 4-5hr. Verdict: I still like it a lot, but again the performance is too poor, especially at this price point. Pass.

Oud Silk Mood EDP (MFK) - Smells the same, nice, but scent dies almost immediately. Projects for ~2hr even with judicious spraying, skin scent for ~6hr. Verdict: Good-not-great scent, bad performance. Pass, again.

Via Cavour I (Xerjoff) - On skin, the chocolate and rose come through more prominently. Weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 7-8hr. Verdict: Slightly better performance than the last three, but still meh for a scent I just like. Pass.

Millesime Imperial (Creed) - Smells the same. Performance is better than I expected from its reputation, but still not great. Very weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 8-10hr. Verdict: Sits too close to skin. Pass.

40 Knots (Xerjoff) - On skin, smells much darker. Deep woody notes, noticeable spiciness (clove? pepper?), kinda salty too. Moderate projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 8-10hr. Verdict: Okay, this one is pretty interesting. So dark I don't actually think it's that versatile, though. Still taking AdGP over it. Pass.

Aqua Universalis (MFK) - Smells identical on skin. Nonexistent performance at <2hr projection, <4hr longevity. Verdict: Yeah... Pass.

Uden Overdose (Xerjoff) - On skin, still a kinda sparkling spicy version of Uden. Seems to get a boozy accord back as it dries down, but it's very dry. Tobacco is only apparent up close. Worse performance than Uden but still very good, weak projection for ~3hr with 7-8hr longevity. Verdict: FBW if you prefer the tweak to the Uden formula. I don't, so pass for me. Some people say it smells way different, I think they're very similar just UO is slightly woodier and dry.

Eau des Merveilles (Hermes) - On skin, just as bright and fresh as it was on paper. Bad performance, though. Weak projection for ~2hr, skin scent 4-5hr. Verdict: Like the scent, performance is just too weak though. Pass.


[4.5/5] A-men Pure Havane, Hacivat, Uden, Pegasus, Renaissance, Mefisto, Masculin Pluriel, Aqua Universalis Forte, Richwood, Terre d'Hermes EDT, Homme EDP

A*men Pure Havane (Mugler) - On skin, comes off almost sickly sweet. Still decent, but it's a little imbalanced now compared to similar options. Also, did I mention dabbers blow? Weak projection for ~3hr, skin scent for 6-8hr. Verdict: Never buy dabber samples. Also, I find this worse than a myriad of similar options. Pass.

Hacivat (Nishane) - Smells bad up close on skin, where the patchouli and jasmine are overwhelming, but it's fine in the air. Surprisingly weak projection, though, for 2-3hr. Skin scent for 10-12hr. Very mossy in deep drydown. Verdict: FBW, but I don't love it enough to buy it for the mediocre performance I experienced and I like Uden more which is very similar. Pass for me. Also, does not smell that similar to Aventus. *ahem*

Uden (Xerjoff) - On skin, takes ~20 minutes for the boozy accord to hit me like a freight train and then quickly settles. Powdery vanilla creeps in around 2hr. Excellent performance with strong projection for 3-5hr, skin scent for 10-12hr. Verdict: FBW full-stop. Bought it.

Pegasus (PdM)
- On skin, smells the same. Weak projection for 3-4hr, skin scent for 12+hr. Basically a strictly superior Armani Code Absolu in my eyes. Verdict: Decant-worthy. Unlike Reflection Man, this is a little bit about the scent in addition to the performance. Do I love it enough? Maybe. Does it project enough? Maybe. Not sure.

Renaissance (Xerjoff) - Smells the same, a lovely bright and fresh mint citrus. Projects for <2hr, ~2hr with double sprays, dead after 5-6hr. Verdict: Sigh... My favorite of all the freshies, but its performance is just too poor for how much it costs. Regretful pass.

Mefisto (Xerjoff) - Projects very lemon cleaner. All in all still compares the same to Gentiluomo with the same bad performance, <2hr projection and 4-5hr longevity. Drydown is more rosy, ambery, musky. Verdict: Same ol' song. Pass.

Masculin Pluriel (MFK) - On skin, the citrus opening comes across a little too sour/sharp but eventually settles down. Weak projection for ~2hr, skin scent for 6-8hr. Verdict: Opening is offputting on skin and performance isn't good enough at this price point. Pass.

Aqua Universalis Forte (MFK) - Citruses come across more balanced on skin, it's less pure orangey. Projection <2hr, longevity <4hr. Verdict: I prefer more orange anyway, but dear Lord that performance. Pass.

Richwood (Xerjoff) - Smells slightly powdery on skin, which I don't get on paper. Otherwise the same, a slightly floral Uden. Moderate projection for 3-4hr, skin scent for 12+hr. Verdict: FBW on scent if you like how it compares to Uden + Overdose, but price is offputting. I was one click away from pulling the trigger on it during Fragrancebuy.ca's giveaway contest, due to the 25%-two-frags-from-one-house deal. Ultimately, I decided Uden + DHI + Guerlain Homme gave my collection enough woodiness to save my $240.

Terre d'Hermes EDT (Hermes) - The earthy accords come through stronger on skin, which isn't my bag but it doesn't bother me that much. Weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 5-6hr. Verdict: FBW for its price. Performance isn't great, but it's cheap enough to overspray and the scent is still good plus fairly unique.

Guerlain Homme EDP - Way different on skin. On paper, there's a clear progression through the top to the base but on skin everything blends together from the start. Very green and aromatic, slightly woody, with a gentle whiff of the top notes lying... on top. Projection is low but gives off a pleasant, mature aura for 2-3hr. Skin scent for 6-7hr. Verdict: FBW for twice the price I paid to actually "sample" it. $36/100mL on FragranceNet, and the testers are $3 cheaper when in stock. Highway robbery, this is an excellent versatile and sophisticated scent.


[5/5] Nio, Starlight, Atomic Rose, Elysium, Oud Satin Mood Extrait, Dior Homme Intense

Nio (Xerjoff) - Smells the same on skin... but wow does my skin devour this. Projects for an hour tops, gone after two hours. Verdict: Sigh... Pass. Makes Renaissance look like beast mode in comparison, and this costs twice as much.

Starlight (Xerjoff) - Smells the same on skin, it's absolutely divine. Nuclear performance, 4-5hr strong projection with just two sprays with hints up to 8hr. Skin scent for 10-12hr. Verdict: FBW. First major purchase.

Atomic Rose (Initio)
- The jasmine is more noticeable on skin, giving it an airy vibe reminiscent of BR540. It's BR540 with rose instead of woods. Vanilla starts to comingle around 3hr in. Strong projection for 4-5hr, skin scent for 9-11hr. Verdict: Somehow, this comes across more unisex to me than BR540. FBW. Bought a ~97% full bottle off Reddit at a good price.

Elysium Cologne (Roja)
- Smells the same on skin, excellent, but... performance as trash as feared. Projects for <2hr, longevity 4-5hr. Verdict: Can't justify a $300 bottle of perfume I have to overspray like the dickens to smell. Amazing scent, but pass.

Oud Satin Mood Extrait (MFK) - Sadly, the cinnamon is harder to notice on skin because that really complements the "jammy" rose, but it's still quite amazing. Great evening complement to Atomic Rose if you wanted to be "the rose guy" (or gal, since they're both unisex scents and arguably feminine-leaning even). Performance is fucking insane. Strong projection for 3-4hr, hints up to 10(!)hr, skin scent for 16+hr. Verdict: FBW, but not sure I can justify buying based on price and overlapping so heavily with Atomic Rose.

Dior Homme Intense
- Smells the same on skin, though the woods come through more immediately. Weak projection for 2-3hr, skin scent for 8-10hr. Verdict: This is the best smelling thing ever and the mediocre performance can be overlooked since it's not an absurdly expensive niche fragrance. 100% FBW.

And... that's it! I've finally done it!

Summing it all up, my FBW-worthies are: Starlight, Uden, Atomic Rose, and Dior Homme Intense I bought. BR540 EDP, JTC 400, Richwood I won't buy. Oud Satin Mood Extrait (cost), Pegasus (scent/performance), Reflection Man (performance) I'm still on the fence about. Guerlain Homme EDP + Terre d'Hermes EDT are worth the low price. Tabac Rose, MV Agusta, Grand Soir, Hacivat, Uden Overdose, and Apollonia I'd recommend for others but not myself. Oajan I might buy a decant to impress my local yoga studio. I better try Layton at yoga too now...

What I've learned:
  • Base notes often come through more immediately on skin than on paper.
  • Skin often smooths out very sharp or harsh notes on paper.
  • Those previous two things said, my ultimate opinion didn't drastically change between paper and skin testing. Nothing I actively disliked on paper suddenly became FBW after skin testing, even if they crossed the threshold from dislike to like, and only a couple of average scents really elevated themselves (BR540 and JTC 400). Skin testing is much more about evaluating performance, to eliminate spending prohibitive amounts of money on expensive niche scents that require overly heavy spraying to project and last, than changing my opinion on the scent itself.
 
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Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
Don't mind me just quadruple posting my hopefully last additions to the Mr.E fragrance fam indefinitely. Wait, no, still gotta get a bottle of Reflection Man after being persuaded by my 10mL decant. On that note, Pegasus isn't making the cut and I'm still questioning whether I wanna drop the bones on a bottle of OSME. Lemme run out the carded sample first... And I'm trying to sell/swap Code Absolu and SBE to pick up at least Allure Homme Sport, possibly one or two more warm weather freshies.

I blind bought Hawas for $40 for its reputation and I'm not displeased with what I got. It's really different from everything else I've tried because it's so fruity but not citric. The only vaguely similar one from my sample haul would be Millesime Imperial, but even that utilizes completely different fruits. Plum is the star in Hawas, with apple being the most noticeable #2 in the jumble, along with aquatic notes to create something very fresh 'n' fruity. Underneath is a light base of clean musk, earthy patchouli, and something like sandalwood shavings or whatever. Maybe it's the cinnamon that's supposed to be here that gives off that "freshly sanded wood" vibe, I dunno, like some vague spices tickling my nose. It all adds up to a classic "cologney" undertone to the main aquatic and fruity notes, which honestly I feel makes it less the summer banger I was expecting and more a solid all-occasions wear that happens to still work under heat. A smidge synthetic but not offputting.

Performance seems to be quite outstanding, though so far I've only worn it to yoga yesterday and am wearing it today. (It lasted 10 hours at work till I got home to take a shower, and projection is pretty strong for 3+ hours.) On the rating scale I'd say it's borderline 4-4.5. The fruitiness is fairly unique, I'm pleased to have it in my collection. Atomizer is really good too.

Also I bought Light Blue Intense Pour Femme because it smells really good and fresh but Pour Homme smells musty in a bad way. Happy to report performance is actually very good on my skin too, as I didn't actually test that while I kept obsessively smelling it at Ulta.

IMG_E1103.JPG
 
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Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
Sold my sample leftovers for a cool $100 back. Was putting the shipping supplies back away and found an errant sample amid all the crap... must've been snuck in there with one of my previous recent buys. And what is it but an unused carded sample of Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP.

*sigh*
It's a sign, man. I have to buy a bottle now. :blobstop:

also I got these

UFBK6087.JPG


I managed to sell my Code Absolu for $80 and picked up CAHS for $70 for a mighty $10 profit over swapping. (SBE is more of a cold-weather purist and ForeverLux is selling it for $75 right now, so...) I did get an opportunity to smell it when I was in Columbus a couple months ago. It's a Creamsicle! With a peppery efferevescent pop off the skin. Actually reminds me of yet another "clean Terre d'Hermes," and of course it's basically just Versace Pour Homme's orange-flavored big bro. Regretably, the performance is pretty subpar on my skin. I get halfway decent projection for the first hour and barely noticeable for two, with maybe 5-6hr total longevity as a skin scent. I favor the scent of CAHS, but it's ~50% more expensive than Terre d'Hermes by volume...

YOSLY was at the top of my list of fresh mint fragrances I wanted to try before and couldn't find a sample for. So, I was going to pick up the 30mL bottle for relatively cheap... then I saw AuraFragrance was carrying the 100mL for only $20 more. *ahem* And... it's my worst blind buy so far. That's not saying much because I've only blind bought three to date (Guerlain Homme EDP, Hawas), and I really like the other two, but I don't like the opening here. It's like wet grass clippings with a nose-searingly sharp citrus and offputtingly bitter mint. However, after about 30 minutes it does dry down to a pleasantly light minty rose underlaid with watery citrus and clean white musk. Very fresh and outdoorsy, like walking through a misty garden of rose and mint plants. Projection is also surprisingly strong for a scent like this over 2-3hr, longevity 6-8hr.

I also bought a 5mL decant of Oud for Greatness, which arrived today, and Allure Homme Edition Blanche. OFG is basically BR540 with a more dense saffron and Oud instead of Cedar representing the woody notes, which has a more dirty/earthy tinge to it. It also has nutmeg, which gives it a very gentle warm spicy edge that makes it more masculine-leaning where BR540 is more feminine. Performance seems worse so far, though not terrible, and the denseness is more reminiscent of BR540 Extrait than the EDP. That's long-form for saying I prefer BR540 (EDP).
also an Oud Satin Mood Extrait tester for $225 walked in front of my face sooooo I'm not on the fence about that anymore either :smogduck: no accompanying picture

Real talk tho I think I'm gonna pick up the small bottle of BR540 (for collection purposes; BR540 decants are cheaper than full bottles) and then once I find a bottle of Reflection Man at a good price my collection should be truly "complete," pending Blanche. Blanche I can't imagine will actually have good enough performance that I'll want it even if it smells amazing, but I suppose I'll see when it shows up later this week.
 
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Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
who else can claim a legit sextuple post in a topic

Picked up a barely-used small bottle of BR540 for $110 (retail is $150, similar-size decants are ~$90). Got my bottle of Reflection Man for $160, UK manufactured, although it was shortly after that I saw an older Oman-manufactured bottle for $180 I kinda wish I would've ended up with instead. Oh, yeah, and figure I'd get OSME mentioned last post in the pic.

And so now my collection is, for all intents and purposes, truly "complete" for the indefinite future. Pending the eventual sale of Spicebomb Extreme... and maybe if I find a bottle of Xerjoff JTC 400 that doesn't cost a bajillion dollars to ship from the UK? :smogthink:

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Just borrowed the shelf to take pictures, heh. If I were to list which ones were staples, I've a hard time deciding whether Profumo should be a long-term fixture in the collection now. I mean, ignoring that it's a 125mL bottle I'm never going to use up anytime soon and I don't plan on selling it off because it's a modern classic and fairly unique scent in its own right. I'd say Hawas might actually be a better fit for "Exodia" now, though, as it's a more apparent aquatic fragrance and much better performing.

So I'm looking at Atomic Rose, Starlight, Uden, Dior Homme Intense, and Hawas as Exodia. Reflection Man has overtaken Prada L'Homme as my "neutral" scent of choice, although a reasonable argument could be made for both: Reflection Man is a rare men's white floral fragrance, whereas Prada is more true neutral because it just comes across as literal soap in the drydown. Guerlain Homme EDP is dirt cheap and satisfies my desire for a quality mint fragrance, and also has stronger green and woody accords that I feel fill a bit of a hole in the rest of my collection. Atomic Rose has green facets and many others have woody accords, but the Guerlain is the only one that focuses heavily on them.

Joining Profumo in the gray area is Light Blue Intense Femme, which could be a high-heat specialist and is a more pure, fresh aquatic than the fruity/spicy Hawas or smoky Profumo. Then there's BR540 and OSME, which I'm just not sure fulfill a big enough niche in my collection to be necessary although I love both scents. Especially OSME, which also has the most nuclear performance known to man. I suppose OSME covers the obligatory Oud fragrance, whereas BR540 is just... there. Being BR540. That gives me 11 "staple" fragrances, counting BR540 and not counting Prada, possibly 12 someday if I ever pick up a bottle of JTC 400. 400 would serve as another fruity fragrance to back up Hawas and another, sweeter gourmand to back up the spicy Starlight.

Acqua di Gioia, Eros, Versace Pour Homme, Dior Homme Cologne, Allure Homme Sport, and You Or Someone Like You aren't returning once they're gone; I'll use them up at the gym or at work (where I vaguely interact with anyone currently and I work around stinky sludge). Prada falls in there too, I suppose. Spicebomb Extreme will eventually be sold since it's too redundant with Starlight, probably when Fall rolls around and discounter supply is bled dry as people are buying up Winter frags again and I can get a better price for it.

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Look how perfectly they all fit in my Xerjoff foldy box! Although the Prada and Guerlain caps are a smidge too tall, which is why they're in the front there so the top doesn't bulge too much. The bottles also fit if I take the caps off.

Also, as for OFG and Edition Blanche:

OFG performance is a lot like Code Absolu, where it seems to have average projection but absolutely eternal longevity as a skin scent. Edition Blanche smells amazing... literally though it smells almost exactly like Uden, or rather the other way around since Blanche came first but yeah. I definitely don't need it in my collection, Uden is basically the improved niche version kinda like how I treat Starlight against Spicebomb Extreme.

Blanche is a very creamy lemon vanilla with a soft woody background. I get the lemon meringue thing a lot of people compare it to, but IMO it only smells like that on paper where I don't pick up the woody notes. Compared to Uden, the lemon is less photorealistic and it's a bit more vanillic and creamy. It lacks the rum accord, although I still pick up a similar sort of boozy sweetness anyway, and I don't detect it going powdery in the drydown. More importantly, I only get 1.5-2hr of weak-moderate projection and 5-6hr longevity where Uden performs twice as well... Granted Uden costs about 3x as much by volume, but that's the price of luxury as it's simply the better, more complex scent.
 
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Anyone try dem Old Spice jobs? The aftershave ones? Mixdat shit with the spray (lightly, unless ya house smoked out) + dat musk roll on shit, the collogne match. Come out the restroom, smellin like ya gramps era, no one new, with hints of cinnamon+vanilla.

For less than 20 dollars, the ladies don't know what hit 'em.
 

Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
Sad would-be septuple post was ruined by gibberish :pirate:

Did I say my collection was complete? Okay, probably really is this time... But I decided I should try to look for a true blue, bona fide Fougere in my collection. However, I've never been satisfied with the ones I've tried before because they just smell so acrid and, dare I say, dated.

Anyway, I've seen quite a bit of hype surrounding the non-IFRA-compliant Rogue Perfumery and learned about their vintage inspirations of classic Fougere (and Chypre) fragrances. The complete sample set of 12 (not including 4 discontinued) for $38 seemed like a good price to go ahead and try them, whether or not I was gonna buy any bottles (knowing my opinion of more well-known Fougeres). They're mostly unisex -- I think only one each is specifically marketed as male and one as female -- although the fougeres kinda lean masculine by default and some of the others lean feminine likewise.



They are roller balls, though. Not a fan but oh well. I went in alphabetical order for no particular reason:

Bon Monsieur (Lavender, Bergamot, Fir Balsam, Geranium, Oakmoss, Carnation, Lily of the Valley, Cedar, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Musk)
  • Opens with a sparkling fresh citrus, lavender, and fir accord best summed up as "clean and green." There's a hint of minty freshness in here too from the geranium. The citrus quickly transitions to a sharp yet muffled pine needle smell, gentle spicy florals, strong mossiness, and a foamy soap. Mossy, piney shaving foam. Ah, is this a classic fougere style? Gotta say, I like it. A lot. And I could still smell it projecting ~3hr later despite the method of application, lasting up to about 8hr as a skin scent. Kinda gets a damp soil type smell in the deep drydown. Rating: 10/10
Champs Lunaires (Tuberose, White Rose, Pomelo, Sandalwood, Coconut Milk, Musk)
  • Opening is a soft powdery white floral with a hint of coconut milk and musks. Being a guy I don't have any real experience with tuberose or much in the way of white florals, but it reminds me of Reflection Man if the effervescent pepper was replaced with buttery coconut. Reflection Man pops off the skin, this radiates like a fluffy cloud. It's very dry, then the powder slowly turns into something creamy. I barely catch a hint of citrus from the pomelo, then hints of fresh sandalwood after ~20min where the scent stays as it dries down. Soft, creamy white floral. I'm a big fan, but it's really feminine. Moderate projection noticeable up to 3-4hr, longevity 7-9hr. Rating: 9/10
Chypre-Siam (Kaffir Lime, Basil, Spices, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Benzoin, Leather, Civet)
  • Opens with a strong musky, citric moss. The civet confers a noticeable funk that is juuuuust subdued enough to add depth without being too offputting, but it's definitely cat pissy if you get too close and inhale too sharply. A warm, nondescript spiciness arrives in a few minutes -- reminds me of Xerjoff Ivory Route -- and the moss is replaced by woody notes as it dries down. In short, it smells like a damp forest after a heavy rainfall. Very interesting but not my favorite... in hindsight, actually my least favorite, but it's not bad. Quick settles into an auric projection for ~1.5hr, longevity 8-10hr. Rating: 5/10
Derviche (Bergamot, Labdanum, Vanilla, Jasmine, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Musk, Tobacco, Leather, Saffron, Civet)
  • I swear the opening smells like warm cinnamon. After a few minutes, the "cinnamon" settles down into what is apparently tobacco leaf and a soft leather that must've been lifted off the skin from a fizzy bergamot. Jasmine and saffron play a gentle supporting role, giving it a bit of that airy BR540 vibe, but tobacco is the star. Unlike CS, I don't notice the civet at all here. Very thick and syrupy sweet. Once the vanilla comes in after ~30min, it wears like any other tobacco-vanilla fragrance to me but is balanced more toward the tobacco than most. In comparison, this has interesting depth and is less sweet but more dry. Gets slightly powdery as it dries down. It's okay, but tobacco-forward scents aren't really my jam. Moderate-strong projection for 2-3hr, longevity 8-10hr. Rating: 6/10
Derviche II (Citrus, Mediterranean Herbs, Incense Woods(Oud?), Sugared Fruits, Amber, Vanilla, Musk)
  • According to LuckyScent, this "keeps mostly the same ingredients but completely reconfiguring the proportions to produce a very different scent" despite the fact the listed ingredients are completely different. And so, perhaps unsurprisingly... it smells completely different. Opening has a sparkling spiciness very reminiscent of Xerjoff Starlight, with added fruitiness. (Starlight itself smelling like a brighter, fresher Spicebomb Extreme if you recall my review.) So yeah, this is fruity Starlight or perhaps a non-aquatic Rasasi Hawas. i.e. Heavily spiced fruits with a sweet amber base. Fairly linear. Strong projection for 3hr+, faint hints up to 6hr, longevity 10-12hr. It's not Starlight, but the performance is fantastic. Easily FBW if I didn't already own Starlight. Rating: 10/10
Flora & Fauna (Bergamot, labdanum, oakmoss, amber, dried apricot, civet, patchouli, leather)
  • Opening is like a deep peachy moss. Touches of leather, civet, and patchouli give it a dank sort of depth that smells funky up close but pleasant in the air. Dries down to something really similar to CS, IMO. That said, I don't love it. Neat that it's all natural ingredients, though. Moderate projection for ~2hr, longevity 6-7hr. Rating: 6/10
Fougere L'Aube (Lavender, Green Citrus, Galbanum, Geranium, Hay, Rose, Amber, Camphor, Sandalwood, Oakmoss, Musk, Costus)
  • Opening is an aromatic lavender wrapped in a sharp lime, green galbanum, and dry hay? After a few minutes, a minty geranium and camphor add even more green flavor and a refreshing cool sensation. Very uplifting. If CS is a damp forest, this is a sharp and crisp walk through a dry forest. A light rose accord comes in after ~45min, smells a lot like ELDO You or Someone Like You with a camphorous flair. (Too bad the mint accord is geranium and not real mint!) Performance is not great, though, at ~1.5hr weak-moderate projection with 4-5hr longevity. That said, roller balls... Rating: 7/10
Jasmin Antique (Jasmine blossoms, Musk, Cloves, Vanilla)
  • Yep, it's jasmine. Just jasmine. Reference jasmine. Light, airy, uplifting white floral. Dry, slightly powdery, pollinic even. Opens weak, becomes strongly indolic -- borderline poopy -- around 20min, then levels out after another 20min. Very authentic jasmine blossoms. Strong projection for 2-3hr, longevity 5-6hr. I think I lean toward Champs Lunaires between the two big white florals, because of the briefly strong indoles here, but they're different enough to enjoy both equally. My mom is more sensitive to the indoles and hated this, though. Rating: 9/10
Mousse Illuminée (Treemoss, Frankincense, Cypress, Artemisia, Bay leaf, Cedar, White Florals, White Musk)
  • Ho. Ly. Shit. This thing is a nuclear blast of treemoss and green cypress, almost piney, opening with an herbal tinge and noticeable menthol accord (the frankincense? the tuberose?). An extremely bright tuberose is revealed after a few minutes followed by a light, airy jasmine as the scent transforms into something more woody and green with a hint of fresh spice. Very bright and uplifting, like walking through a heavily coniferous forest. Not damp like CS, but not totally dry like FL... so like a gentle mist of morning dew? The day after light rainfall? :blobshrug: Alternatively, this is a very strong pine-scented aftershave. I can understand why other reviews I've read say it's too medicinal, with that mysterious menthol accord, but I love this. Nuclear projection for 2-3hr, longevity 6-8hr. Rating: 10/10
Tabac Vert (Pepper, Bergamot, Amber, Tobacco, Cedar, Sandalwood, Oakmoss)
  • Mossy tobacco. Fizzy bergamot and pepper opening make it pop, with a gentle mentholic accord again. Quickly dries down to a faintly damp, sweet pipe tobacco, a big dose of oakmoss, and some warm spices that come across so subtly that I get why some people say it smells powdery. Linear from there, though. Moderate projection for ~2hr, longevity 5-6hr. I like it more than Derviche, but tobacco-forward scents still aren't my jam. Rating: 7/10
Tuberose & Moss (Tuberose, Bergamot, Allspice Berries, Vanilla Cream, Cedar, Oakmoss, Labdanum, Musk)
  • Smells like its namesake if you ask me, a white floral tuberose with a heaping dose of oakmoss. Starts more mossy and gets more tuberosic as it dries down, projecting with a soft fuzziness that gently lifts from the skin. Underneath lies a creamy vanilla base that never intrudes on the main notes. Moderate-strong projection for 2-3hr, longevity 6-7hr. All-around pleasant but unspectacular to me, I prefer CL between the two tuberose scents. Rating: 8/10
Vetifleur (Bergamot, Java Vetiver, Rose, Jasmine, Iris, Amber, Cedar, Sandalwood, Oakmoss)
  • Is this what vetiver smells like? I don't have much experience with "reference" vetivers, despite seemingly every house having one. This is dry, green, and soapy like a freshly opened package of Irish Spring bar soap with a hint of woody brush lurking beneath. Completely linear. Weak projection for ~2hr, longevity 5-6hr. Smells nice but Bon Monsieur is the more complex and better performing green soap for me, plus I prefer the wet shaving foam feel over the dry bar soap one. Rating: 8/10
Summary:
  • (10/10) Bon Monsieur, Derviche II, Mousse Illuminée
  • (9/10) Champs Lunaires, Jasmin Antique
  • (8/10) Tuberose & Moss, Vetifleur
  • (7/10) Fougere L'Aube, Tabac Vert
  • (6/10) Derviche, Flora & Fauna
  • (5/10) Chypre-Siam
As a whole, I'm extremely impressed with Rogue. The quality is apparent and I dig the vintage inspirations. Some of 'em aren't my style but none of them are bad. I actually kinda came to like the roller balls, although I think part of it might be the sheer strength of these fragrances making up for the application method. I'm curious how much better the low performers perform with an atomizer... and I almost fear Mousse Illuminée.

Yes, I bought Bon Monsieur and Mousse Illuminée. I got two small bottles though; they're offered in 30mL or 75mL and it's about the same price to get two 30mL as one 75mL. Hoping Mr. Cross is kind enough to send me samples of the four discontinued fragrances along with my purchase, in which case I'll follow up with a review of those later.
 
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Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion


A sample of Le Canotier sadly did not come with my bottles, but the other three made it!

40 Rogue (Citruses, Fruity Notes, Aldehydes, Carnation, Basil, Musk, Rose, Narcissus, Oakmoss, Tarragon)
  • Opens with an indescribable blend of... practically everything. It's a little citric and fruity. It's fizzy and uplifting, almost aldehydic. Slightly powdery. Lightly floral, primarily Rose. Quickly starts drying down and picking up a gentle tobaccoey (from the Narcissus) moss with a light dusting of fresh herbs & spices. Some other reviews report animalic accords but my nose picks up nothing of the sort. It's clean and pleasant, though the juice has an oddly noticeable cooling sensation on the skin that persists for a long time I don't find so nice. Moderate projection for the first hour, weak projection for a second hour, skin scent for 6-7hr. Late drydown devolves into pure moss. Rating: 8/10
Flos Mortis (Tuberose, Jasmine, Leather, Redcurrant, Osmanthus, Musk)
  • Opening reminds me of Champs Lunaires with its buttery tuberose, but it lies beneath a primary accord of what's best described as cherry cough drops, bitter and slightly mentholic. After ~10min the menthol settles out and is replaced by grape soda and skanky leather, where it stays as it dries down. The jasmine provides a gentle airiness. Reminds me of a more palatable version of Xerjoff La Tosca. In short, it's a "slightly medicinal fruity floral with animalic undertones, given a hint of transparent lift from the jasmine." Like a pile of grape, red berry, and flower compost starting to decay. Moderate projection for 2-3hr, longevity 6-8hr. Rating: 4/10.
Ishtar (Frankincense, Benzoin, Juniper, Myrrh, Lily, Sandalwood, Musk)
  • Opens as a deep smoky amber. Very opulent, like walking into a Catholic cathedral lit only by a massive wall of candles in the back. Quickly, the candles are snuffed as the smoke mostly dissipates to reveal a slightly soapy candlewax. And that's where it stays, a soapy amber wax. Very waxy, slightly soapy, a hint of smoke remaining. Kinda sterile, like walking through a candle store. Soft-moderate projection for 2-3hr, longevity 6-8hr. Rating: 7/10.
Real money shot tho

 
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Mr.E

unban me from Discord
is a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
My Cincinnati trip was very fruitful, since I got to smell a boatload of new fragrances in all the department stores there (LB Forever, a ton of Guerlains, the new Dior Sauvage Elixir, etc.). I didn't know ahead of time but they also have a Louis Vuitton boutique down there, and so I ended up with quite a few free samples. My Client Advisor wanted to totally overload me, but I'm a good guy who doesn't like waste so I only took samples of the fragrances I liked the most. Except Heures d'Absence, they didn't have any samples in stock on that one. :(

I got Sur la Route, Afternoon Swim, On the Beach, California Dream, and Les Sables Roses.

Sur la Route - Opens with an uber-fresh citrus, almost like I'm peeling oranges and lemons by hand with the oils misting up in my face. Quickly, leather starts to creep into the scent profile and it slowly becomes more prominent as the scent dries down. However, it's a very gentle, smooth leather and the citruses stick around fizzing off the surface, so to speak. Great scent, but the performance is hot garbage. Projection is very soft for maybe an hour tops, with 5-6hr longevity. I could never recommend paying that much for performance that poor, and if one were so inclined the "good freshie with zero performance" space is pretty crowded anyway... looking at you, multiple Xerjoffs and MFK's entire Aqua collection. Too bad.

Afternoon Swim - Opens with a very deep, sweet, juicy orange, followed quickly by something kinda soapy and white floral-like. As it dries down, it picks up a fizziness that makes the orange come across like orange soda. In short, I'd describe it as "orange soda soap," with maybe a whiff of sea salt in there. Weak-moderate projection for ~1hr, longevity 8-10hr. Yep, it's another good-smelling freshie with abhorent performance.

On the Beach - Absolutely gorgeous blast of yuzu, orange from neroli, and what smells like salty ocean air blowing gently over a sandy beach. It gets more orangey as it dries down but otherwise doesn't change significantly from the opening. Absolutely captures the image of being "on the beach" as well as humanly possible. On scent alone this would be a Top 5 contender for me, I'm loving this stuff, but... *sigh* Yep, it's ass performance yet again. Low-moderate projection for an hour max, 6-8hr as a skin scent.

California Dream - Bright, clean musk intertwined with a very watery orange and sweet pear accords. The orange fades as it dries down but it retains the peary sweetness. It's pretty fresh and simple, easy to like. Aqua Universalis vibes, or maybe D&G Light Blue (femme), though not identical by any means. I find it quite pleasant, yet not as good as any of the above three. However, I have to give it credit for actually having pretty good performance! I get moderately strong projection for 2-3hr, longevity 12hr+ total.

Les Sables Roses - It's a slightly spicy rose and oud combo, floral and a bit of dirty/earthy woods, with a sort of mentholic lift that comes across as airy and clean. Honestly, it feels kinda like a tweener of Oud Satin Mood EDP + Extrait. The rose-oud is more balanced like in Satin EDP, but it adds spices like Satin Extrait. That gentle dusting of spice adds a slight fuzziness or powderyness that really elevates the rose + oud to another level of sensuality but where Satin Extrait has a soft and warm cinnamon that complements the sexy factor, LSR has harsh and uninviting black pepper that kinda takes away from it a bit.

Performance is pretty nuclear, though. It's one step underneath Satin Extrait in God Tier, 5-6hr of powerful projection and 16hr+ longevity. If Satin Mood wasn't just a slightly better version of this, I'd say this was worth buying. I suppose this is, while no means cheap, still cheaper than Satin Extrait. Well, same price, but you get 100mL instead of 70mL and refills are another $100 off.
 

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