Today we're helping Lucas, who wants to find a new casual fragrance (and he wouldn't mind finding a big occasion fragrance too). He'd like to keep the cost below $100. He has reasonably good access to mainstream fragrances, and is willing to shop online.
Here is what we know about Lucas:
He's in his early 20s, and is studying cosmetic chemistry in Poland.
He says he is quiet, not easy to anger, and not always confident. His friends tell him he's a romantic soul. He likes small cafes and cozy places.
Lucas loves smooth jazz and some pop music; other loves include tea, swimming, ice skating, walking in the park, shopping for clothes and traveling.
Lucas likes notes of lavender, fougere, amber, mint. His favorite scent at the moment is Prada Amber Pour Homme, which he loves for the whole concept and for the longevity. His number two is Police Pure DNA — he loves the lemon-leather combination.
Lucas doesn't like flowery fragrances or sport fragrances.
Other fragrances Luca owns or has tried:
Prada Infusion d'Homme: he likes it, but keeps it for formal meetings, exams, or lazy days.
DKNY Red Delicious for Men: he liked it at first, now he can't stand it.
DKNY Men (2009): he likes the peppery beginning and the dry down, but it's too short lived.
Masaki Matsushima Art Homme: too weak and short-lived.
Update: a few I missed, apologies!
Gucci by Gucci Sport: too aquatic, and strong alcohol scent.
Paco Rabanne 1 Million: too sweet.
Lancome Hypnose Homme : close, but too short lived.
Viktor & Rolf Antidote: he liked the top notes but not the base notes.
Burberry The Beat: too close to DKNY Men.
What say you?
Note: image is Southgate Street by Martin Pettitt at flickr; some rights reserved.
Lubin’s Itasca is a lavender-fougere with a ceder base with ceder notes, supposedly designed to evoke the forests and lakes of the Northern U.S. It is designated as a man’s scent.
. According to Lubin’s website, it is available in Poland at Perfumeria Styl
Centrum Handlowe Batory.
I do not know enough about exchange rates to estimate its price in Poland.
Can’t go wrong with Dzongkha; contemplative, beautiful, masculine. One of the all-time greats. Two others come to mind: Dior Homme Intense and Costume National Scent Intense. Oh, what the heck — get them all!
whoa, i just saw the “under $100” requirement. good luck with that one…. how about Jasmine et Cigarettes?
For some reason, Eau de Cartier came to mind. And maybe Heeley Menthe Fraiche?
I second Eau de Cartier!
Cartier Roadster, or maybe Eloge du Traitre by Etat Libre d’Orange.
Jicky – perfect for a quiet, romantic soul.
This. The most perfect lemon, lavender, and vanilla ever. The 90ml refills of EdT are widely available online for less than $100.
MP&G Mon Ambre Precieux is a wonderful lavender amber, too. Rich, but not too sweet. I’m not sure about the prices and accessibility in Poland but you can get samples online.
Jicky is lovely, isn’t it? This thing hasn’t been around for 100+ years for nothing. The edp of this is easily in my Top 5 Faves. Love. It.
Oh, Julia – I haven’t tried the MPG. Thanks for the rec!
If you are in the mood for a metallic-spicy apple, try L’anarchiste by Caron. Other notes include blood orange, cinnamon and cloves. It’s pretty unique for a masculine scent, definitely not for everyone, test before buying!
Another one; Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin. A soft gourmand anise/licorice heart, with a praline, tobacco, vanilla dry down. Sweet but not overwhelmingly so, just very yummy.
Caron, Pour un Homme, a delightful lavender, and just a great perfume. It’s not as ornamented as Jicky, Guerlain, but very, very beautiful. It can be had for very little online. I got a tester on ebay for
€ 10,-.
Seconding this recommendation! It was my first thought after reading that he likes lavender.
Also check out Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel – wonderful fougere and very cheap!
Do you think Le Troisieme Homme might fit this gentleman better than Pour un Homme?
I second all three of these!
My daughter loves aromatic fougeres and her favourites are Chanel Sycomore and L’Artisan Fou d’Absinthe. She also likes A Taste of Heaven, the absinthe one from by Killian. I think the Guide calls it a lavender vanilla and it is available in travel refills that are less than $100 and also easy to split.
Also, Ambre Narguile – a beautiful warm spicy apple amber. It is just lovely. The thought of wearing this on a cozy leather couch in an old bookstore or cafe on a cool, rainy, afternoon makes me swoon. An old stone building on a dark green day with the smell of pine and smoke in the air….*sigh* I need a break from this heat.
The Hermesessences are pricey but they have travel bottles available.
Love Sycamore!
Sycomore is fantastic and smells great on a man!
Jo Malone Amber & Lavender may do the trick. The 100 ml is $105 or 30 ml for $55.
I third Jicky and add Chanel’s Egoiste (the original, not the Platinum version) sprang immediately to mind. Tangerine, rose, lavender, coriander, vanilla, sandalwood and a dose of ‘herbs de Provence’ conspire to make one of Chanel’s best (IMHO). Immediately recognizable and dare I say, sexy as heck.
Seconding Egoiste original!
I third Egoiste! (Dee, I think we’re at risk of becoming Egoiste pushers! Here little child, wanna smell my wrist?. . . Oh, I just bought a bottle of Egoiste on ebay. . .Here’s hoping it’s still good!)
I 4th Egoiste!
Definitely Caron pour Homme… given how cheap you can get it, there’ll probably be enough $ leftover for 2 others! Also a definite try is Histoires de Parfums 1725 Casanova – an amber fougere with middle note of Lavender.
Estee Lauder Azuree, which is a wonderful herbal leather with ctirus topnotes or Hermes Bel Ami, which is a citrus leather, and Aramis by Aramis, a lovely leather chypre.
Azuree is a great leather – sunny, herbal and comfortable!
If you like incense, you’ll love Gucci Pour Homme. Also, try Marc Jacobs Bang! It is so unique! I love it myself! How about Ormonde Jayne Man?
Love the idea of Jicky, Egoiste, and Eau de Cartier for this gentleman. All day, though, I’ve thought of Atelier’s Oolong Infini. It’s tea notes with bergamot, tobacco and vetiver may be perfect. It comes in small, 30mL bottles, so price can be reasonable, if he can find a stockist near him. Another thought was Escentric molecules’ Escentric 01 and 02 (and the Molecules 01 and 02) for comparison. For a quiet chemist, these may be both cerebral and pleasing. I love them all. I hope he will tell us about his experiences in sampling after our suggestions someday. Happy hunting, Lucas!
Lukas, I think Heeley Menthe is worth trying. Just in case you don’t know, you can get it at Galilu perfumeries (Krakow or Warsaw) They sell “niche” perfumes as well as samples and have nice, knowledgeable staff.
I also agree with other readers who suggested Caron Pour Un Homme and Guerlain JIcky.
I would add Dior Homme as a relatively inexpensive and lovely frag.
Powodzenia!
Lucas, the Prada Amber pour Homme would have been my first suggestion for you, so I’m glad you already wear it! Marc Jacobs Men is sophisticated and understated (it’s one of my favorites). Bvlgari MAN is a light, non aquatic fresh and smooth scent, and the new Gucci Guilty Pour Homme is warm and spicy. Perhaps Guerlain Vetiver would suit you as well. Chanel Allure Homme Sport is not sporty to my nose, but instead very zesty with citrus- like Eau Savage by Dior, which is pure citrus. Mugler Cologne is also a crisp and clean fresh citrus, lemon verbena cologne with a sweeter dry down, suitable for everyday wear. Good luck! : )
The Heeley Menthe is the only non medicinal mint fragrance that I have come across, but does it fit the “below 100$” requirement?.
I would suggest Encre Noire, even if it doesn’t contain the notes mentioned.
Malles’ Geranium Pour Monsieur is a great non-medicinal mint, but a full size would be outside Lucas’ range.
Guerlain’s AA Herba Fresca is a non-medicinal light mint. It may be discontinued, but I know bottles are easily available on eBay for way less than the $100 limit.
Lucas, Burberry Touch Man and Arpège Pour Homme from Lanvin. For me they’re close to Prada Amber Pour Homme, each one with some differences, and such some good differences.
While it does not get much love I think SJP Covet would suit a man well with it’s lavender, fougere notes and you can’t beat the price!
Check out Sonoma Scent Studio’s Amber Noir and Fireside Intense.
Having just read Kevin’s excellent review of Guerlain Heritage, and being reminded how good this scent is, maybe this is something to consider as well Lucas?