Question aimed at Vinny and Canuck

Bechet

Bechet

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Southampton
....but anyone can have a go, of course.

Would you please post your Top Ten Fragrances?

I desperately need to kill my FAD besides which, I'm all at sea with this new addiction. Too much choice and all so expensive!!!!
 
I'm no fragrance expert Carl, Vinny (and a lot of other members) will have way more knowledge and more fragrances than me I think. But since you ask, I'll list what I currently own, the top 4 are ones I save to use less often, the rest are really just work splashes / sprays.

Penhaligons Blenheim Bouquet
Lancome Miracle
Davidoff Adventure
Clinique Happy

Caldey Island Lavender
Crabtree and Evelyn WI Limes
Truefitt and Hill 1805
DR Harris Pink
Ogalalla Bay Rum limes and peppercorns
Steve's Barbershop Bay Rum
L'Occitane Verdon
Speick
Bodyshop Kistna

I'd say Blenheim and Miracle are my top 2 there. Happy and Adventure are alright but they're pretty high street, Happy might be a bit "young" as it's very citrus.

PS: This is a massive rabbit hole, every other member can probably post 10 other good scents that they own and another 10 they'd like, I think you might just have to get sniffing to be honest!
 
Thanks for that, Canuck!

My problem is an inability to survive for long in a perfumery before I start sneezing. Walk into John Lewis, for instance, and they have half an acre full of perfume and make-up stands full of people test spraying and squirting. This creates a miasma that is lethal to my sinuses! I couldn't sniff for sneezing nor differentiate one fragrance from another for blowing my nose - whilst running for the nearest street exit and fresh air.

I figure the solution is 'man-shopping'! Create a short list of fragrances and then make targeted forays into these dreaded areas. I could also maybe do some testing in the expensive perfumeries and chemists of nearby Lymington - well stocked but small, with fresh air not far away. Still, a short list would aid success, I'm sure.

Don't forget, I'm starting from a place of ignorance - never done smellies before so guidance from experts and users here would be invaluable!
 
I don't like sampling a lot either, I sympathise.
Go in one shop, get two sample strips sprayed, maximum, put them in different pockets, and then go away from the shop and have a sit down and a drink. Smell them 10-20 minutes later and you've got a representative smell without all the spray; You just have to repeat it quite a few times!

Also ask for samples by post from your favoured companies, you can usually get tiny vials or sample cards, you may have to pay for a set of vials (usually the London gentleman's shops do a set) but they're not dear. You can do it in person in the likes of Selfridges and John Lewis, most counters (Acqua di Parma for one) have pre scented cards.
 
Not in order.

  1. Chanel Pour Monsieur
  2. Chanel Egoiste
  3. Chanel Sycomore
  4. Dior Homme
  5. Guerlain Habit Rouge
  6. Guerlain L'Instant de Geurlain Pour Homme Extreme
  7. Guerlain Vetiver
  8. L'Artisan Dzongkha
  9. L'Artisan Tea for Two
  10. Diptyque Tam Dao
 
Even hearing that Habit Rouge was a fave of T. Bliar hasn't put me off the cologne.
Brut remains a trusty standby in the "cheap as chips" everyday use variety. & the wife adores Prof B Blueberry.

JohnnyO. \:icon_razz:
 
A very hard thing to do.

Like asking someone what their top ten songs or books are - today you'd get a different answer to yesterday. Some come, some go.

I can tell you five scents that I will never be without ... ever.

Histoires De Perfums 1740 (all-time favourite)
YSL Kouros (wife's favourite)
Chanel Antaeus (the first one I ever bought out of my own money)
Aramis 900 (a present from my mum nearly 30 years ago)
Calvin Klein Obsession for Men (saw it in GQ when it first came out, never looked back)

Others that are floating my boat just lately;

Knize Sec
Annick Goutal Etoille Nuit
Le Labo Patchouli 24
Chanel Cuir De Russie
Lalique Encre Noire
 
That's brilliant! thanks, guys.

I bet I can shorten the list by taking out the "HOW much?????" fragrances. A very few I already have, thanks, Helen. The rest become my hunting list!

The idea about a drink very two sniffs means staying local - ah! but Lymington has more coffee shops than you can shake a stick at. Great idea, Canuck!
 
I ended up with the C+E lime by doing that, sprayed a few of those card sticks with different smells then went for lunch and coffee, the lime one just kept getting better so I was back to the shop half an hour later.

By the way, Vinny and Richard bear out my theory as I suspected! Mine are largely citrus fresh and botanical, Richard's are all classical and very French, and Vinny loves his yesteryear vetivers and musks, just goes to show that no one smell is enjoyed by most men.
 
At the moment? The list changes slightly every so often...

Bulgari pour Homme
Chanel pour Monsieur
Creed Millesime Imperial
Dior Homme
Diptyque Philosykos
Floris JF
Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur
L'Artisan Parfumeur Côte d'Amour
Penhaligon's Castile
Penhaligon's LP No. 9
 
Hiya,

Not all my picks are expensive. Matter of fact, the Malizia Vetyver EdT is a screaming deal, although it don't stick around long. Other frags will run anywhere from $30-50 per ounce or thereabouts......sometimes a bit more.

Mostly, my tastes runs towards frags that are a little dark, although I have others that aren't like that at all. I like patchouli when it's used as a supporting note for something like oakmoss or vetyver or sandalwood and the like. At least half of the arsenal frags are either not being made or have since been reformulated.

Now Carl, please allow me to really push you down this rabbit hole. Vintage juice is often better than the current versions being sold. Yeah, read about frags like Yatagan and you'll see my point. Hah, you like that? Another thing to learn about.

Anyway, in no particular order:

Aramis 'Havana' EdT (current stuff is similar to vintage)
Givenchy 'Xeryus' EdT (old black bottle) I've heard the newer stuff isn't the same.
Malizia Uomo 'Vetyver' EdT (more like a light cologne)
The Gentlemen's Quarter 'Leatherneck' extrait' (unavailable)
Creed Santal Imperial (straight ahead sandalwood tempered with ambergris)
Caron Yatagan' EdT (old juice is amazing, new stuff is still nice)
Creed Royal Oud EdT
Jean Desprez 'Versaille' Pour Homme EdT (great drydown)
Tom Ford 'Azure Lime' EdP (best lime and most long lasting citrus frag I've sniffed)
Tom Ford 'Amber Absolute' EdT (intense wood note with zero powder or florals added)
L'Artisan 'L eau du Navigateur' EdT (old juice.....read the makeup of this stuff).

I'm leaving out a bunch, but this is a good start,

Martin
 
Creed Tabarome EDT
Creed Neroli Sauvage EDT
L'Occitane Baux EDT
Cartier Pasha EDT
Paco Robanne 1 Million EDT
and my five old school scents
Paco Robanne Pour Homme Eau de Toilette
Aramis EDT
Givenchy EDT
Ralph Lauren Safari EDT
Puig Quorum

Jamie.
 
Do you guys own all this stuff? Sheesh, these lists knock my shaving spending into a cocked hat! As well as being absolutely delicious, of course, highly desirable and ..... well, I can resist everything except temptation. Knowledge is a very dangerous thing - keeps raising my price bracket in this case.

Bechet45 said:
Canuck said:
just goes to show that no one smell is enjoyed by most men.
Click to expand...

You sure about that??
Click to expand...

What is a four letter word, ending in 'unt' and essentially feminine?








Aunt
 
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