Comme des Garçons released Comme des Garçons 2 Man in 2004. It was developed by perfumer Mark Buxton. If you find it at all helpful, the tag line is "a worker, a man who loves his work" (that's two strikes for me), and the notes are incense, white smoke, saffron flowers, nutmeg, kumquat, mint, vetiver, mahogany and leather.
Comme des Garçons 2 Man, like the other Mark Buxton fragrances discussed over the past week (Comme des Garçons Eau de Parfum, Comme des Garçons White, Comme des Garçons 2) explores themes of spices, woods and incense. The top notes have a buzz of citrus, similar to the opening of "regular" 2 but perhaps not quite so metallic or high-pitched. There is the tiniest whiff of the inky stuff, then we get the familiar spices (I'd be very surprised if there wasn't a pinch of cumin in 2 Man, but overall, the spices are relatively light) and a trail of smoky incense. The woods here are much darker and richer than in the others, and the vetiver adds a beautiful earthy undertone to the dry down. The leather is subdued, and the kumquat went right over my head.
Of the four fragrances, 2 Man is the warmest and most approachable. There is none of the bitterness of Eau de Parfum and White, and none of the coldness of Comme des Garçons 2. It is not quite sweet, not quite dry. It might be the most conventional of the four, but it isn't a dull scent, and it doesn't smell like it has been through a focus group. Like Donna Karan Black Cashmere, which kicked off the incense-woods discussion last week, it is both soothing and sexy, and while I suppose it might be rather masculine, I should think a woman could pull it off. I wear it, at any rate.
Comme des Garçons 2 Man comes in Eau de Parfum 50 ml and 100 ml, bath & shower gel, after shave gel and deodorant.
For buying information, see the listing for Comme des Garçons under Perfume Houses.
I like it, although CdG 2 is my favourite given its woody magnolia note. All in all, the older CdG fragrances are so much more interesting than the newer releases.
I like this a lot, though like V., I think CdG 2 works best on me. Gotta love that inky stuff!
Completely agree, the most recent releases have not thrilled me at all.
Ok, might have to retract my statement that I thought 2 Man had a bigger fan base!
I get a ton of the inky stuff mixed into the wood – something about my skin, I guess! Which I like!
I only get the fruity note (kumquat) when it's hot out, and… I do not like to wear this when it's hot out, so it's a goner note for me, too.
You're right: I hadn't really given it much thought before, but it is comparatively the more conventional one of the group. Still, it's the one I wear most often 🙂
K, not sure I've ever tried it in the heat (I think of it as a winter thing), and so the kumquat is lost on me, and the “crinkly mint” as well.
I like both. As well as V & J I like inky note, and keep CDG2 for evening time. CDG2Man perfectly clears my head in the morning
Hi Robin,
I have to admire the earlier works of CdG including CdG2. They are distinctive characters, like mysterious next door neighbours who have moved from a place unknown to us. I hope they get back on track with their up and coming fragrances. A new thrill is always welcome.
Yes, “get back on track” is exactly right. The sweet series & guerilla series were both disappointments in my book.
Anna, interesting, I hadn't thought of 2 as an evening scent, but perhaps that is a good fit.
I thing that cdg2man is not interesting, for me the best from cdg it's incense series, for example kioto,i mean
this one
http://www.boutique.ru/perfumery/commedesgarcons/02340077017555400180199/?sfcmr=11
I adore the incense series, and have reviewed those as well.
and what the best smell in your opinion?
Do you mean of the incense? I love Avignon, Kyoto & Ouarzazate. Jaisalmer & Zagorsk are both beautifully done but “not me”.
Am very tempted to pick this up in the candle as a little present to myself – it's the cheapest of the lot in the CDG range of candles!
I have never tried a single CdG candle! If you get one, do let us know if they're good quality.