Fragrance Thread

[DoubleMuffin]

Getting a sample from Hermes was really easy. I sent a message to customer service online telling them I was interested in buying Terre D'Hermes and I would like to try a sample first. They responded and told me they would be happy to send me a sample, all they needed was my mailing address. I look forward to trying out this cologne.

[the breaks]

It's hard not to love Terre d'Hermes.

[Guest redtag]

Can't wait to sample Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau.. it's supposed to smell like buttered bread

from ozmoz

Is this for real? I'm imagining myself wearing the scent like I just came out of a bakeshop. Smelling edible when one actually isn't? Cool.

[hugoagassi]

any reviews on the Undercover fragrances?

[RandR]

Can't wait to sample Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau.. it's supposed to smell like buttered bread

from ozmoz

i need this in my life pretty badly.

[DoubleMuffin]

I hear philosykos by diptyque is somewhat one-note on the fig, but other than that its a great fragrance. anyone have any opinions about it?

[gimmegimme]

any reviews on the Undercover fragrances?

Soft, fruity-musks...very juvenile...reminded me of baby shampoo.

[homi29]

Soft, fruity-musks...very juvenile...reminded me of baby shampoo.

i kind of like these but i think this sums it up well. its kind it a love or hate it frangrace definely try before you buy.

[Vampyrvargfesten]

Anyone here try the Black Fleece cologne?

which one are you talking about

the red white and blue ones are pretty recent new ones

(85 each or 170-something for the box set)

the white and black ones are older ones

these weren't particularly memorable, hip, or everyday scents (at least for me) ... they're definitely more mature scents that the average sufu user is going to wear

of all of them i like the red one a lot

its a spicy one -- not exactly sure what's in it

[flyordie]

what's the consensus on CdG Avignon? everyone here seems to like Kyoto but i havent heard much about it.. apparently morrissey wears it.

[arlee]

what's the consensus on CdG Avignon? everyone here seems to like Kyoto but i havent heard much about it.. apparently morrissey wears it.

you wanna smell like catholic church? then get avignon if yes.

I prefer Ouarzazate, its like a incense with dried fruits and spices.

[broneck]

I really dig philosykos ... i bought it for myself but it was a bit feminine for me so it was re-gifted to my girlfriend. it smells fantastic on her.

avignon is better as a candle than as a fragrance, i thinks.

also, can we unban gimmegimme? he changed his correspondance email address and got system-banned i think.

[Vampyrvargfesten]

what's the consensus on CdG Avignon? everyone here seems to like Kyoto but i havent heard much about it.. apparently morrissey wears it.

i really like avignon as much as much as kyoto

as arlee said, it really does smell like a church

both are nice mysterious scents

the kyoto has more of a cleaner woodsy smell

some people think the avignon is too intense

try ordering samples

[bill]

Petite Mort (Parfum d’une Femme)

Perfume

by Marc Atlan

The Scoop

This fragrance is not really a classic scent. It is more the representation of a spiritual state, based on the paradox of an impossible ephemerality. It is perfume as art, the olfactory preservation of a moment, so that it may live forever.

Bertrand Duchaufour is the nose whose talent was able to distill this ultimate human extract into a scent. His alchemy blends the raw components that trigger our most primal reactions. Petite Mort’s fragrance exudes an animal carnality with salty hints of sweat and urea.

As uncompromising as the project itself, the fragrance is explosively intense. Each bottle holds only 10 ml of dark, viscous, pure perfume with a flash of amethyst. The strongest perfume extracts typically contain between 10% and 40% of aromatic compounds. Petite Mort™ contains 100%. Its dosage is a single drop.

Limited edition to 100 bottles worldwide.

$1000 ---- 10ml

read more here

[broneck]

lol ^

[Iwmmm]

My favorite cologne at the moment is Yves Saint Laurent cologne for le men, 60ml

[stagename]

Maybe you guys were already aware of that, and maybe it was already mentioned on this thread but there's an annual competition of fragrances, the FiFi awards, you can check the winners on wikipedia. Hope you like this!

And just to contribute a bit, right now I'm switching between Antidote from V&R, Boucheron Homme and Intenso from Zegna. Armani Privé Vetiver will probably be my summer fragrance,

That being said, I'll have to go through this thread as you seem to be on another level fragrance-wise...

[stagename]

I mean, there are some scents that play up the tobacco smell, [...]

that being said, I don't know how either of those actually smell, or how they'd smell mixed with actual cigarette smoke.

Just wanted to add that, although it is not on their price list, that coqui coqui has a great tobacco perfume. it's all tobacco. similar to, let's say, bois d'encen from armani privé, but tobacco. did I mention it smell like tobacco?

[Dioxic]

Hey guys! Welcome to my cologne topic. This is meant as both a novice and enthusiast's guide to finding the most suiting and attractive personal fragrances one can. The gist of the topic is pretty simple: I'll provide a guide for choosing the right cologne, good resources for obtaining samples and retail bottles, and a list of popular, niche, and shitty fragrances so that beginner's can get a feel for options to try, while those more experienced with cologne can try out new, more exclusive, scents.

***CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLOGNE***

When choosing a cologne that is right for you, the most important factor is that you like it. That may seem obvious at first, but perfume is far more complex that a single spray will reveal. All perfumes & cologne are composed of a harmony of notes, separated into three "generations": The top notes will be the smell that comes from the initial burst of fragrance. These are volatile notes and will generally die off within the first 30-60 minutes. Following this are the middle notes which make up the heart of the fragrance. These will generally last a couple hours at the most before they give way to the illustrious base notes. These notes are what ground the fragrance and, while more subtle, will live out the remainder of the olfactory experience. Because of the intricacy of each and every fragrance, you have to be patient and allow the scents to come to fruition. Only then will you know if a cologne is right for you.

Another factor you must consider is your own skin's effect on the smell and longevity of a cologne. Oily skin can interfere with what a fragrance is trying to do and, in some cases, produce a very unpleasant aroma as a result. If you have oily skin, don't fret. You will be more than able to find a cologne that works with your chemistry. On the other hand, if your skin is too dry the longevity of a fragrance can be cut drastically. In a case like that, you may consider a more intense/extreme version of a cologne that is made to last longer.

One last thing to note is that because of these factors you should not rely on scent strips to indicate what a cologne will smell like. Always ALWAYS test out a fragrance first, and very rarely should you ever blind buy one. This brings us to the next section...

***WHERE TO BUY SAMPLES/BOTTLES***

Since there is rarely a time where you shouldn't have to sample a cologne before purchase, there are few great options for obtaining samples.

1) Retail/department stores: Most retail stores will have samples or be able to make samples for you to try. Some places, like certain department stores, will only allow you to try a cologne on. This kind of limits you to being able to sample only one. Sephora, Nordstrom's, and other specialized places should be able to provide you with samples to take home and try at your leisure. Call around and when you find a place that will hook you up, go raid that shit. This is the easiest and cheapest way to get samples.

2) If you aren't able to sample a certain cologne that you'd like, the two best fall-back options are either eBay or The Perfumed Court. TPC specializes in providing nothing but perfume samples, so should be able to find whatever it is you're looking for.

3) Lastly, and this is more of a perfume buff thing, you could check out forums like http://www.fragrantica.com/board/viewforum.php?id=2 & http://www.basenotes.net/forums/29-Items-for-Swap and see if anybody will hook you up.

As for purchasing full bottles of cologne, I'd recommend any of these:

1) eBay (Only use trusted sellers, as there are a lot of fakes being sold)

2) Amazon

3) Fragrance.net

If you can't find a cologne amongst these websites then you may have to go right to the source and spend a little more green. This brings us to the final section...

***THE LIST***

Here is a far-from-complete list of some awesome and not-so-awesome colognes to look into. The only real difference between God Tier and Swagger Tier is the price and rarity. If you want something that very few other people will have and, in some cases, screams class, then consider any of these. As for the Swagger Tier, it's hard to go wrong with any of these, and none of them should run over $100 for a 3.4 oz bottle. Everything below that is pretty self explanatory. My main goal here, if anything, is to provide you with a wide array of perfume houses to choose from and, subsequently, some of the best scents they have to offer. Don't let this list stop you from exploring other options. Most importantly, have fun and godspeed!

$$$GOD TIER$$$

02 L`Air du Desert Marocain: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Tauer-Perfumes/02-L-Air-du-Desert-Marocain-4573.html

Alba: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Profumum-Roma/Alba-6967.html

Amber Absolute: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Tom-Ford/Private-Blend-Amber-Absolute-1821.html

Ambre Precieux: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Maitre-Parfumeur-et-Gantier/Ambre-Precieux-5259.html

Bigarade Concentree: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Frederic-Malle/Bigarade-concentree-4770.html

Brooklyn: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Bond-No-9/Brooklyn-5453.html

Cuiron pour Homme: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Helmut-Lang/Cuiron-pour-Homme-4195.html

Dambrosia: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Profumum-Roma/Dambrosia-6977.html

Derby: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Guerlain/Derby-5396.html

Dia pour Homme: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Amouage/Dia-pour-Homme-1110.html

Domenico Caraceni 1913: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Domenico-Caraceni/Domenico-Caraceni-1913-2196.html

Green Irish Tweed: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Creed/Green-Irish-Tweed-474.html

High Line: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Bond-No-9/High-Line-7503.html

Jubilation: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Amouage/Jubilation-for-Men-2366.html

Knize Ten: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Knize/Knize-Ten-7913.html

L'Homme Sage: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Divine/L-Homme-Sage-43.html

Memoir Man: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Amouage/Memoir-Man-10145.html

Mouchoir de Monsieur: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Guerlain/Mouchoir-de-Monsieur-3943.html

Musc Ravageur: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Frederic-Malle/Musc-Ravageur-1801.html

Muscs Koublai Khan: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Serge-Lutens/Muscs-Koublai-Khan-4090.html

Narciso Rodriguez for Him Musk: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Narciso-Rodriguez/Narciso-Rodriguez-for-Him-Musk-6576.html

New Harlem: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Bond-No-9/New-Haarlem-3258.html

New York Oud: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Bond-No-9/New-York-Oud-11234.html

Noir de Noir: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Tom-Ford/Private-Blend-Noir-de-Noir-1822.html

Oud Wood: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Tom-Ford/Private-Blend-Oud-Wood-1826.html

Reflection: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Amouage/Reflection-Man-920.html

Santal Noble: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Maitre-Parfumeur-et-Gantier/Santal-Noble-5252.html

Silver Factory: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Bond-No-9/Andy-Warhol-Silver-Factory-1297.html

Silver Mountain Water: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Creed/Silver-Mountain-Water-472.html

Tobacco Vanille: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Tom-Ford/Private-Blend-Tobacco-Vanille-1825.html

Tuscan Leather: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Tom-Ford/Private-Blend-Tuscan-Leather-1849.html

Vetiver Extraordinaire: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Frederic-Malle/Vetiver-Extraordinaire-4774.html

Yatagan: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Caron/Yatagan-4024.html

Zeta: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Tauer-Perfumes/Zeta-11910.html

[Dioxic]

***SWAGGER TIER***

Allure Pour Homme: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Chanel/Allure-Pour-Homme-523.html

Allure Homme Edition Blanche: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Chanel/Allure-Homme-Edition-Blanche-2653.html

Dior Homme: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Dior/Dior-Homme-230.html

Dior Homme Intense: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Dior/Dior-Homme-Intense-1771.html

Eau Sauvage: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Dior/Eau-Sauvage-231.html

Eau Sauvage Fraicheur Cuir: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Dior/Eau-Sauvage-Fraicheur-Cuir-1242.html

Egoïste Platinum: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Chanel/Ego-ste-Platinum-614.html

Guerlain Homme L`Eau: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Guerlain/Guerlain-Homme-L-Eau-8115.html

Gucci Pour Homme II: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Gucci/Gucci-Pour-Homme-II-1119.html

John Varvatos: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/John-Varvatos/John-Varvatos-2355.html

La Nuit de l`Homme: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Yves-Saint-Laurent/La-Nuit-de-l-Homme-5521.html

L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Guerlain/L-Instant-de-Guerlain-pour-Homme-52.html

L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme Eau Extreme: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Guerlain/L-Instant-de-Guerlain-pour-Homme-Eau-Extreme-11570.html

London: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Burberry/London-for-Men-804.html

M7: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Yves-Saint-Laurent/M7-1031.html

Opium Pour Homme: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Yves-Saint-Laurent/Opium-Pour-Homme-562.html

Pour Monsieur Concentree: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Chanel/Pour-Monsieur-Concentree-3131.html

Pure Havane: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Thierry-Mugler/A-Men-Pure-Havane-11444.html

Pure Malt: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Thierry-Mugler/A-Men-Pure-Malt-6103.html

Terre d'Hermes: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Hermes/Terre-d-Hermes-17.html

The One: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Dolce-Gabbana/The-One-for-Men-2056.html

Vetiver: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Guerlain/Vetiver-69.html

Vintage: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/John-Varvatos/Vintage-2356.html

***SOLID TIER***

Acqua di Gio: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Giorgio-Armani/Acqua-di-Gio-410.html

A*Men: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Thierry-Mugler/A-Men-705.html

Brit: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Burberry/Burberry-Brit-for-Men-1115.html

D&G: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Dolce-Gabbana/D-G-483.html

Le Male: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Jean-Paul-Gaultier/Le-Male-430.html

L'Homme: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Yves-Saint-Laurent/L-Homme-734.html

Mugler Cologne: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Thierry-Mugler/Mugler-Cologne-708.html

Rochas: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Rochas/Rochas-Men-1426.html

***SHIT I DON'T DIG, BUT ISN'T NECESSARILY BAD TIER***

1 Million:http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Paco-Rabanne/1-Million-3747.html

Armani Code: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Giorgio-Armani/Armani-Code-412.html

Bleu: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Chanel/Bleu-de-Chanel-9099.html

Fahrenheit: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Dior/Fahrenheit-228.html

Pi: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Givenchy/Pi-39.html

Versace Man: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Versace/Versace-Man-643.html

Gucci by Gucci, Armani Code, Polo, Abercrombie Fierce and other common as fuck department store colognes. Seriously, do you really want to smell like every other guy or some frat bro??

***__________ TIER***

Axe Body Spray

Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and other tacky colognes. This is shit 12 year olds wear when they are trying to up their swag in middle school.

Deodorant sticks (Your body wants to sweat naturally, but that doesn't mean you have to smell bad. Use Cologne)

[Dioxic]

By the way, I wasn't really sure what category this was best suited for. Forgive me if this is the wrong location.

[OkayOkay]

***SWAGGER TIER***

John Varvatos: http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/John-Varvatos/John-Varvatos-2355.html

Swooped this up a while back and I'm loving it. You're right about the stronger notes burning off earlier, I never really noticed until you posted the difference in how it smells from when I put it on and a couple hours later, but it really is way better. Good thread.

[Scais]

What about penhaligons? I use their English fern and I love it but it wears off too quickly

[ChaseDizzy]

I use tuscany per uomo, picked it up from my dad four years ago, been using it since. works perfectly with my natural scent.

a third grade girl told me i smell nice couple days ago, bitches love it

[house]

I have this one http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Yves-Saint-Laurent/La-Nuit-de-l-Homme-5521.html

love it

[playdisonlyatnight]

+1 for john varvatos

i ran out of that but these days i switch between burberry brit and london, love those shits. ive been meaning to cop chanel allure as well.

[Dioxic]

@ Scais, I'd recommend looking on the list for one that might sound appealing to you. I've tried penhaligons before, but it's far from my favorite.

Just order a couple samples and see what you think. Good luck on your quest.

I dig the Varvatos, but tons of cats are wearin' it these days. If you can afford it I'd recommend looking for something a little rarer..something to make your "signature sent".

[the breaks]

the new MMM scent "untitled" is pretty amazing

[_untitled]

Great resource, have ordered a few samples due to your recommendations.

Was wondering how no CDG made it into the list? Quite eager for my wonderwood sample to arrive.

[Epiphany]

Hey Dioxic, great writeup! As someone who's new to the world of fragrances I really appreciate that you took the time to write this thread; major points. I've been checking out basenotes for a couple of months now and I'am just starting to figure out what I like and dislike in a fragrance and I was hoping maybe you could help me pick out my next purchase.

Right now I own Creed MIllesime Imperial, Creed Original Santal, and Terre D'Hermes Parfum. As you can probably tell I gravitate to more light/airy/sweet fragrances. I bought the Terre D'Hermes because I wanted to branch out a little and I really wanted a citrus fragrance for the Spring.

So anyways, right now I'm thinking about getting a fragrance for the fall/winter and for summer evenings. I'm considering New Haarlem or L'Instant EDP but I'm having a hard time choosing between the two. I got to try a sample of New Haarlem on paper but it was so boozy and the coffee scent was so volatile. I kept the paper and sniffed it a couple of times hours later but I never really got that vanilla/coffee combination that I was looking for, just the coffee. Will L'instant give me what I'm looking for? Do you have any other suggestions?