Fragrances
 

Although it isn't a common hobby to have, I love fragrances! When I was a kid I used to buy little bottles at Wal-Mart for 6 bucks. My first frag ever was Candies for Men and after that was Dolce & Gabbana's Pour Homme. Unfortunately I was dragged into the Axe craze and started buying that instead of cologne. I finally snapped out of it and got Versace's Eau Fraiche and JPG's Le Male. Recently though I've gotten even more into it and since June I've gotten 212 on Ice, Yves Saint Laurent's L'Homme, Gucci's Pour Homme II, and Viktor & Rolf's Antidote. I've also been buying a lot of samples and things of the sort.

Anyone else into them.. even remotely? I also could give advice if anyone wants it. MUCH better advice than any of those stupid department store SAs.

Fougère - one of the most common types of cologne. The word means "fern-like" and is given to any fragrance exhibiting a "fresh" feel. The umbrella is quite large and the fragrances can go from very fresh like Davidoff's Cool Water to Woody and Ambery like Caron's L'Anarchiste. Common notes : Bergamot, Lavender, Tonka Bean, and Vetiver.

Examples:
Yves Saint Laurent's L'Homme : Bergamot, Calone, Ginger, Basil, Cedar, Violet leaf, Vetiver and Tonka Bean
Dolce & Gabbana's Pour Homme : Bergamot, Mandarin, Orange, Neroli, Lemon, Lavender, Sage, Tarragon, Cardamom, Pepper, Sandalwood, Cedar, Tonka bean, Musk, Tobacco, Iris, Tonka Bean
Carolina Herrera's Herrera for Men : Fern, Clove, Lavender, Amber, Tobacco, Geranium, Sandalwood, Cedar, Musk

Oriental - the fragrances in this genre are pretty far away from the fresh fougères but close to the ones that exhibit woody/ambery qualities. Perfect for Fall and Winter, way too warm for Summer. "Oriental" comes from the idea that the fragrances use a lot of spices and things that were used in the far east. Common notes : Cedar, Amber, various herbs and spices.

Examples:
Dolce & Gabbana's The One : Grapefruit, Coriander, Basil, Cardamon, Ginger, Orange Blossom, Cedar, Ambergris, Tobacco.
Gucci's Envy : Opoponax, Incense, Patchouli, Amber, Musk, Cedar, Cardamom, Anise, Ginger, Nutmeg, Pimento.
John Varvatos' John Varvatos : Medjool, Date Fruit, Mediterranean Herbs, Tamarind Tree Leaves, Coriander Seed Templar, Clary Sage Flower, Ajowan, Auramber, Vanilla CO2, Balsams, Eaglewood, Vanilla, Black Leather.

Chypre - meaning "cypress" got it's start from Coty's Chypre in 1917. These fragrances are often floral, mossy, woody, and/or citrusy. Common notes : Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Bergamot, Amber, and Vetiver.

Examples:
Gucci's Gucci Pour Homme : Bergamot, Cypress, Violet, Tobacco, Jasmine, Patchouli, Amber and Elemi.
Carolina Herrera's 212 Men : Citrus Leaves, Cut Green Grass, Spice Leaves, Ginger, Green Pepper, Gardenia, Sandalwood, Incense, Transparent Musk.
Christian Lacroix's Absynthe for Him : Petitgrain, Green Leaves, Pepper, Citrus, Cardamom, Fig, Patchouli, Orris, Myrtle, Vetiver, Barley, Amber, Labdanum and Absinthe.

Aquatic - as you might be able to guess, aquatics are meant to emulate the scent of water/beach. Some may be a bit abstract and just have an aquatic feel, whereas other scents take a more literal approach. The scent gets its aquatic feel mainly from the key synthetic ingredient: Calone.

Examples:
Issey Mayake's L'Eau D'Issey pour Homme : Yuzu, Cypress, Coriander, Mandarin, Clary Sage, Fresh Verbena, Blue Water Lily, Nutmeg, Saffron, Bourbon Geranium, Ceylonese Cinnamon.
Bvlgari's Aqva Pour Homme : Mandarin, Petitgrain, Santolina, Posidonia, Mineral Amber and Clary Sage.
Kenzo's L'Eau par Kenzo pour Homme : Yuzu, Ho Leaf, Lotus Leaf, Aquatic Mint, Green Pepper, White Musk, Tobacco, Amber, Musk, Indian Sandalwood, Haitian Vetiver, Cypriol.

Floral - although we tend to associate women with so called "flowery" scents, men can wear them just as easily. Of course for some, it may take a more open mind. Floral notes in men's fragrances are not uncommon. Entire fragrances that belong to the floral group that are considered men's fragrances on the other hand, are quite uncommon. Common notes: Lily, Iris, and Lavender.

Examples:
Givenchy's Insensé : Blackcurrant, Mandarin, Basil, Magnolia, Lily of the Valley, Iris, Lentiscus, Balsam Fir.
Kenzo's Power : Bergamot, Coriander, Cardamom, Jasmine, Rose, Freesia, Tolu Balsam, Cedar, and Labdanum.
Jean Paul Gaultier's Fleur de Male : Orange Blossom, Petitgrain leaf, Coumarin, Fern.

You can wear any cologne in any season obviously, no one is going to stop you.. BUT if you wear an oriental in the summer that's akin to wearing a fur jacket and a scarf. They're warm fragrances, so they work best in cold weather. Just as citrus/aquatic dominated scents work best in the summer because they're bright and refreshing. Some will work quite well all year round (especially fougères).

When you buy a fragrance, you can pick between different sizes. Oftentimes it will be more economical to buy the bigger bottle. A 50ml bottle is 55$ while a 100ml bottle is 70$ so for 15$ more you get double the amount. Of course, if you're not sure you LOVE the scent then just get the smaller bottle. If you know you like it and would probably buy it again, just go for the bigger bottle. You can also buy samples for a couple of bucks (or euros :P) off of eBay and The Perfumed Court. If you want good deals then you can either cross your fingers and try eBay OR go to discount sites like Fragrancenet.

When applying a fragrance, it all depends on the occasion and what time of year. If it's warm out then you may have to apply a bit more than usual. This is because your skin, since it's warmer, will diffuse the scent quicker than if you are in cool weather. A way to get around this is to apply a spray or two to your shirt. A good rule of thumb is to spray once to the neck, once very close to the left wrist (then rub it against the right one), and once to the chest. If it's a weak fragrance like Gucci Pour Homme II, you can get away with 4 or 5. If you're putting on something potent like A*Men, Le Male, or 212 then 2-3 max.

Just some words used in fragranceland:

Sillage - the distance away from you that the fragrance you're wearing can be smelled
Longevity - how long the scent lasts
Designer - a fragrance created by a designer house (like Versace or Armani)
Niche - a fragrance created by a house that specializes in scents and do not sell clothes (like Creed or Annick Goutal)
Note - a single component of a fragrance. (Fragrances are made up of individual notes)
Cloying - too sweet
Linear - the scent doesn't really progress and pretty much stays the same throughout the life of the fragrance
Green - smelling fresh and clean byway of notes like Ivy and Moss.
Flanker - a new/limited edition of a preexisting fragrance
Gourmand - a scent that utilizes notes that are edible such as vanilla, caramel, chocolate, or coffee
Animalistic - a fragrance that uses brash, in your face, and raw notes that aren't toned down (Civet and Leather are most common)
Powerhouse - classic fragrance that is extremely loud and has an exorbitant sillage
Earthy - notes like Vetiver and Patchouli give a scent a very natural feel
Barbershop -a scent that uses notes prevalent in old fashioned shaving powders and creams.. the most common culprit is lavender (examples: Yves Saint Laurent's Rive Gauche, Prada's Amber Pour Homme). Soapy is another word that could be used in the same way

If you have any questions or want advice, just ask! :D

I got a few, im not really into collecting them, just received them as gifts from my girl. I bought Aqua di Gio, but she bought me Kenneth Cole-reaction, Lacoste-essential, and a Polo one. I usually rock the dio or the KC

Definitely Polo Blue, smells amazing. Escada is also a nice subtle scent, as well as 212. Nautica: Voyage is my personal favorite as of right now. Calvin Klein's Obsession and Clinique's Happy for men are some personal favorites as well.

My ultimate favorite is chrome azarro.I also have aqua di gio,and a guess one(forgot the name)

My chics favorite is issey miyake.If you have a lady friend and want her to smell good,get her that!

I wear Betsey Johnson's perfume, but very sparingly because it's a strong fragrance (slight musky tones) even though it's basically floral-fruity.

Of lately I've been wandering into the world of niche perfumery. I've started out with Creed's Green Irish Tweed and Silver Mountain Water. Both are impeccably made but the former is a bit dated with the latter being my favorite of the two. I'd like to try some Amouage fragrances even though if I end up liking them just ONE bottle would cost around 300$. I think I'll try out some Annick Goutal's first.

My favourite perfume ever
Thierry Mugler - Alien
http://slimages.macys.com/is/image/M...0.5,0&fmt=jpeg

He actually made a limited edition version of that where he put the original Alien in cherry wood casks and ages it. He did the same thing with A*Men except he used oak instead.

http://z.hubpages.com/u/1591389_f496.jpg

I've never really known much about any fragrances, other than what I see at stores like Abercrombie and fitch and what not.

Serious here, some advice would be nice. 16, more muscular than most (if that matters). Would like a scent not to over powering, but enough punch to it that a girl will notice and maybe double take (lol). Not something to exspensive either, I have a job but I cant be spending all my cash on cologne.


Anyone?

Surprisingly the best cologne I've ever owned is Adidas Moves. I really like the smell, and I've gotten more compliments from the ladies while wearing that than anything else. Best part, a large bottle runs under $15.

Other than that I've also owned Old Spice Classic scent, CK Euphoria, and Lucky Number 6.

http://images.mylot.com/userImages/i...os/2070561.jpghttp://z.about.com/d/skincare/1/0/D/...iceClassic.jpghttp://www.interstellar-solutions.co...spray-50ml.jpghttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg

Adidas Moves, like I said, is awesome! Old Spice isn't my personal favorite, but it's always a pleaser. Euphoria is good. Lucky Number 6 is alright, kind of an acquired scent.

Never knew that even existed, have you smelled it? I'm guessing it's much nicer than the original :(

I will definitely have to check some of those out then.

Well I know A*Men Pure Malt beats the HELL out of the original :bowdown: I'm not sure about Alien but I've heard a lot of good things

EDIT: I've added some things to the OP

Bumpity Bump. Just wanted to add this in lieu of the times and the fact that the god forsaken season of Winter is damn near over.

Fragrances for Spring/Summer

Here's some suggestions from your favorite cologneface :D All the prices are online prices.. because they're MUCH cheaper than retail.

Canali Summer Night

Notes: Mandarin, Bergamot, Coriander, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Apple, Pineapple, Melon, Orange Flowers, Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Leather, Musk, Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Oak, Musk, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Iris

Price : $20 - $35

A beautiful citrus opening leads into a floral heart and transitions into a smooth and warm base.

Prada - Infusion d'Homme

Notes: Mandarin Orange, Neroli, Clean Notes, Iris, Galbanum, Cedar, Vetiver, Benzoin, Frankincense, Powdery Notes

Price: 35$ - 75$

A very bright and sparkly opening laden with neroli fades into a soapy, floral, and squeaky clean heart which falls into a powdery drydown.

Kenzo - Power

Notes: Bergamot, Coriander, Cardamom, Rose, Jasmine, Freesia, Tolu balsam, Cedar, Labdanum

Price: $25 - $50

A spicy and citric top gives way to a surprisingly realistic floral heart and dries down to a woody amber.

Gucci - Pour Homme II

Notes: Bergamot, Violet Leaves, Pimento, Black Tea, Cinnamon, Tobacco Leaves, Musk, Myrrh, Olive Wood

Price: $30 - $45

A slightly sweet tea opening leads to a warm soft and spicy heart which fades into a smooth musky finish.

Comptoir Sud Pacifique - Aqua Motu

Notes: Helychrisum, Marine Notes, Lily of the Valley, Warm Sand, Kelp

Price: $20 - $50

In essence, the beach in a bottle. If marine fragrances pique your interest, then you should also try the much easier to find, and much more tame Bulgari Aqua.

Beth Terry Creative Universe - Mare

Notes: Sea salt, Avocado, Ginger Lily

Price: $72, or a sample for $3 (Luckyscent)

Much like Aqua Motu, Mare is a simplistic marine fragrance that smells like bottled shoreline mist.

Versace - Versace Man Eau Fraîche

Notes: Lemon, Rosewood, Carambola, Cedar Leaves, Tarragon, Sage, Musk, Amber, Sycamore.

Price: $20 - $40

A bright citric aquatic with a slightly warm and woody drydown for people who find marine fragrances a tad too extreme.

Bought this, I love it :love:
http://www.auntjudysattic.com/Factice/Anna_sui.jpg

edit: it's a sorta summery perfume, I love it, not as much as alien though!

The Canali sounds intriguing. Of course, anything that has "Summer Night" in the title is going to pique my interest.

Yeah I LOVE the name and bottle. :clap:

He was onto something! It's kind of a funny coincidence because Aquatics were HUGE in the 90s and that's when they were really at their peak.

I've never seen that one before! Kinda looks like a purse haha

I wear Azzaro Silver Black, any opinions on that particular fragrance?

haha it's funny you mention that because when I was buying it, I asked only for the anna sui perfume, and she said the one that looks like a handbag or the one that looks like blablabla, and i hadnt realised until that day it does look like a little bag haha.

I've actually never gotten to try it.. but I see Anise in the notes which isn't good. Me and Anise don't get along very well. Anise is also in Diesel's Fuel for Life and I think that's what really ruined it for me. That's also why I don't plan on trying Lolita Lempicka au Masculin. I may end up liking it though! I tried Intimately Beckham which has Anise and couldn't even tell. It wasn't a bad fragrance but was rather boring and nondescript.

I wear this Guess by Marciano stuff mostly but I've got a little bottle of this lying around...
http://www.parfumuri-romantic.ro/cac...tos/400_2.jpeg

Ahh yes! I tried Guess by Marciano about a week or two ago. It's definitely a great oriental, perfect for Fall/Winter. It's almost like D&G's The One but more spicy and more brutish.

i love juicy coutre and burberry perfume. i havent tried dolce and gabanna . .

If you have a Sephora nearby, I suggest going there. They have a great selection but more importantly you can ask them for a free vial of any fragrance so that you can sample it.

No perfume for me. I wear an oil called Pussy.

But where's the individuality?! :p:

Weird that you say that because I've encountered about five other women who wear it, too! Needless to say, I'm good friends with all of them now. Fuckin' strange, though! And no, I don't walk about smelling like a giant fish ... It's more like crab.

yes and there is a perfume shop in the mall ... soo im sure they might have it

thats where i got my dkny perfume at..

Nevada City? I like your downtown.

Either way, those scents are alot different than what I originallly imagined. Good on ya.

I smell of catnip ;)

Very clever. If you're going to smell of a bag of green ... ah, well you know what I'm going to say.

Ahh okay! Good luck with that. Don't be shy, ask them for tons of samples.. that's what they're there for. Maybe not, but I used to do it anyway.

thats very nice.. there's no problem if you really love fragrances! i think its a very unique collection!=)

Thanks! It definitely is pretty unique.. which is probably one of the main reasons I'm drawn to it :D Fragrance is really just as valid an artistic medium as anything else we use; sound, taste, visuals, etc. Yet it's still quite uncommon. I do like it that way though.. it leaves more to the connoisseurs

As a slight bump I figured I'd add something slightly, in a way, music related. Sort of.

As it turns out Carlos Santana has a fragrance

http://www.skinstep.com/product_imag...5634192314.jpg

It's quite cheap.. but surprisingly well made!

Notes: Bergamot, Mandarin, Lavender, Cinnamon, Apple, Maja soap, Sandalwood, Cypress Wood, Cedar, Patchouli, Musk, Leather, Benzoin, Vanilla, Amber, and Tonka Bean.

Does this guy look familiar?

http://baroqueinhackney.files.wordpr...orrissey02.jpg

The name: Morrissey. Now, he doesn't have his own fragrance but he does have a SS (signature scent). As it turns out he has a very strong love for Avignon by Comme des Garçons. So much so that he sprays it on stage before his performance! So if you've been to one of his concerts and it smelled like an old derelict church or ancient gothic castle then this fragrance was the culprit.

http://jenniferbanash.files.wordpres.../03/219002.jpg

Notes: Roman Chamomile, Cistus oil, Elemi, Incense, Vanilla, Patchouli, Palisander, and Ambrette seeds.

That sounds like it smells really good.

I like Allure by Chanel, but I can't really afford it, so I have a small bottle for special occaisions and that's it. Hypnotic Poison by Dior smells amazing too, but I ran out of it ages ago. :/

Instead I use the cheap-y body sprays from Victoria's Secret and Bath and Body Works. Still smells good, but no staying power.

I knoww :( I haven't gotten to try it. I've never tried any incense dominated fragrances as of yet. I understand they can be very dark and unforgiving so they tend to be a love/hate sort of thing but as Morrissey seems to understand: they're very good at creating a mood/atmosphere.

Your position sounds like that of my sister haha :D Although she prefers bodyspray and doesn't really even try perfume. They don't really "click" with her like they do with me

Yeah, I heard that fragrances tend to smell different once they've hit the skin, because of pH level and whatnot. Fragrances smell different on different people, I've noticed.

I absolutely love incense, though, so a fragrance smelling similar sounds kind of interesting. It reminds me of the Demeter Fragrance Library, only, they make fragrances like Dirt and Laundry Soap instead of church incense. :P

If anything, those two are unforgiving. Haha.