Today we're helping Dan, who says the "powerful poetry" of fragrance has taken hold of him. Right now, he wants to find a replacement for Dior Homme, which he likes but sometimes finds too sweet. Ideally, what he wants is Dior Homme's "muscle-bound, black-shirt-wearing, older brother". He doesn't care if his new fragrance is hip, or geared towards men or women, or how much it costs.
Here is what we know about Dan:
He's in his late 20s and in his last year of university, studying philosophy.
He says his friends would describe him as idealistic and dandy, strange and pensive; a less favorable description would be 'volatile and unstable'.
Other fragrances Dan has worn in the past include CK One, Burberry Touch (now he finds it dull), Issey Miyake L'Eau D'Issey Pour Homme, Christian Lacroix Bazar, Hugo Boss Hugo, Joop! Jump, Hugo Boss Deep Red, and a few others.
Dan recently bought Prada Infusion d'Iris (he loves the soapy texture, and finds it a great choice for an autumn/winter day when you want to feel clean and comfortable in your own skin, but want to stay away from citrus freshness) and Parfums d'Orsay Le Nomade (he loves that you get a blast of vetiver right at the outset and don't have to wait for it to show itself).
Dan doesn't like tropical fruit cocktail fragrances or aquatic / marine fragrances.
Other fragrances Dan has tried recently include:
Cartier Declaration: not good on his skin — sometimes smells like a moldy peach.
Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit de L'Homme: meh.
Parfums d'Orsay Le Dandy: bit too sweet but he did like the tobacco element.
Parfums d'Orsay Chevalier d'Orsay: he didn't like the mint.
Parfums d'Orsay Arome 3: he likes the lavender, but thinks he can find a similar lavender fragrance for less money.
Prada Ambre pour Homme Man: might buy it when it goes on sale.
What say you?
Note: image is Post box [cropped] by eGuide Travel at flickr; some rights reserved.
Hmmm, I think for someone who’s used to buy designer fragrances, he couldn’t go wrong with Dior Homme (the new formula is even more wearable for the masses, disappointing for me 🙁 ).
Other than that:
-Chanel Allure Homme Edition Blanche
-Midnight in Paris VC&A
-Bvlgari Blu as a cheaper version of Prada Ambre pour Homme Man
for a more sophisticated recommendation: Creed Aventus
How about Bvlgari Black?
Second!
Third!
Fourth. Thought it as soon as I read the first paragraph.
Fifth
And fifth! I LOVE this on men and women, so sexy and unique.
I could also suggest Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, although it may be a tad sweet.
Will look into this soon.
Maybe tomorrow morning…..
Thanks folks!
Have you tried Colonia Intensa from Acqua di Parma?
If not, please do! It is so much more than your average eau de cologne! Some of the others from AdP; original Colonia, Colonia Assoluta and Colonia Essenza are fine, but they lack the depth of Colonia Intensa.
IMO Intensa it is a seriously sexy fragrance… 🙂
Check out Kevin´s review here on NST! :
https://nstperfume.com/2008/01/04/acqua-di-parma-colonia-intensa-fragrance-review/
I don’t know if it would qualify as Dior Homme’s bigger brother but another masculine Iris you might want to try is Divine’s L’Homme de Coeur. It’s less sweet and very elegant.
The Different Company’s Bois d’Iris is a great iris fragrance as well. Both are niche,easily found online and both fragrance houses offer a sample program.
Should have posted links to reviews of both these fragrances on NST.
https://nstperfume.com/2005/09/22/divine-lhomme-de-coeur-fragrance-review/
https://nstperfume.com/2005/09/20/the-different-company-bois-diris-fragrance-review/
Those were the two that instantly popped into my head too!
Or how about Cuir de Russie for a very refined and elegant iris & leather combination?
Now this is interesting….will be ordering samples in the immediate future. And Divine’s website is unbelievable! I’d buy whatever they were selling just to reward the creation of such a serene online space…Thanks.
Their shops and their fragrances are just the same. A haven of peace and calm in the too hectic world of perfumery.
I’ve only ever dealt with them over email but they were delightful!
The Divine fragrance looks really promising. Also check out the reviews at Basenotes.
hi dan
we’ve got some common perfumes and dior homme is one of my staple office scents..
so just suggesting from my collection which may have the same feel as the mentioned perfumes above.. you may wanna try mugler’s B-men, lalique encre noire (men’s) {alternative is the similar smelling, at least to my nose, CDG’s MAN2 which i personally prefer over Encre Noire, but unfortunately is not long lasting on my skin}
when i was in my twenties i finished bottles of Dune PH and am still in love with it.. you may like that too
good luck 🙂
Hallo! Encre Noire is on my “to smell list”. I find myself wearing Dior Homme when I know I’ll be spending the evening on my own, I think of it as an indulgent fragrance. Or maybe self-indulgent. Thaaaanks!
At least try Knize Ten and Parfums de Nicolai’s New York.
I second de Nicolai’s New York. A truly beautiful scent. It was my SOTD yesterday. What I love about it is how it morphs from top to bottom…nothing like it.
Yes to both of these!
I’d recommend Heeley Cuir Pleine Fleur, but the combination of “muscle-bound, black-shirt-wearing” and a few vetivers leads me to Chanel Sycomore.
Oh, but Pleine Fleur is gorgeous. First and only scent I’ve bought for my husband and I love to wear it too.
These both sound great, I think I can get a Heeley sample from Les Senteurs. : )
Dan, I’m thinking you might like Prada Amber pour Homme Intense. It has some of Dior Homme’s quality of dark, rich elegance, with the added interest of resinous myrrh. And I love Emily’s Bulgari Black suggestion.
You know that reminds me I still need to smell this, it was sold out when I was checking out others in the Prada range. 🙂
I second the suggestion of Amber pour homme intense!! And I would add L´instant pour homme Guerlain, the extreme version. Good luck!!
I’m so upset that Prada Amber Pour Homme Intense is not available in Poland! I’m sure I’ll love this one as much as I love original Prada Amber Pour Homme.
Maybe I should blind buy this one from some foreign country?
Bear in mind it´s not only an intense version of the original, to me it´s like if the mixed it with the orginal amber pour femme. so if you liked the female version, I´m sure it wont dissapoint you!!!
i will suggest:
terre d’hermes
guerlain vetiver
happy hunting!
Didn’t like Terre d’Hermes, despite friend’s recommendations. Sorry! But Guerlain’s Vetiver is on my to smell list! Thanks.
Comme Des Garcons’ Avignon sounds like it might be a good fit, personality-wise!
Yeah this sounds maaaaad! I love it! Ha ha! I have trouble finding samples for CdG though, do you know where I can find them?
Hi Dan – Luckyscent? (I suggested CdG 2 Man below…hope you find something you love!!!)
Aedes de Venustas is a great source for samples because you can get 7 samples for 15.00 total of anything in the shop (and they have some expensive stuff). Check out their web site: http://www.aedes.com/
How about Bottega Veneta? I think that would smell amazing on a man.
Andy Tauer’s Lonestar Memories
Guerlain L’Instant for men
Chanel Egoiste (the original-not platinum)
I second chanel’s egoiste
And speaking of Chanel, check out No. 19 and the new No. 19 Poudre.
I’m not sure this qqualifies as muscle bound, but you might like Parfums Delrae Mythique for a subtle iris with suede.
Also I have to comment my happiness to meet someone who is interested in both philosophy and scent! I doubt many of us exist. 🙂
Divine’s L’Homme Sage is really nice as well. A bit spicy and some incense, but it and Homme de Coeur feel pretty “intellectual” and are ridiculously sexy to me. Also have to agree on Bvlgari Black and add Etro Messe de Minuit (earthy incense) and Dior Midnight Poison (a lovely orange/rose/patchouli and my take on a clean sort of frag), both of which would be smashing on a man. 🙂
Good luck!
I suggest Equistrius by Parfum d’Empire, a gorgeous iris amber scent which is not sweet at all. Notes include orris, violet, rice powder, chocolate, ambrette, sandalwood, vetiver and grey amber. In the line, it represents the roman empire – I guess that’s as muscle-bound as it gets. 🙂
another vote for terre d’hermes!
You might try Pascal Morabito’s Or Black.
You should check out the Cereus line. You can get free samples from their website, thought they come in a lame moist toilette form, rather than a vial.
Other than that i might suggest Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir or Ferre for Men by Gianfranco Ferre .
thats ‘towelette’ btw
Strange and pensive or volatile and unstable?
Caron Yatagan, or for a really dark, weird day, DSH Erotica.
Dior Homme intense
Bulgari Black
Musc Ravageur
Chanel Egoist (NOT the platinum)
Chergui by Serge Lutens
Mechant Loup L’Artisan
How about Dzongkha by L’Artisan?
It’s a “cold” iris, smoky, spicy, lovely IF you can wear it. If it doesn’t agree with you it’s like wearing laundry powder. Try before you buy.
This is a great idea!
“Muscle-bound, black shirt wearing” makes me think of Comme de Garcons fragrances. Maybe CdG 2 Man? Or go wild and sniff a bunch of them. Guerlain Habit Rouge EDP is really wonderful, too.
That sounds like a game plan. I’ve tried Habit Rouge but it didn’t scream “buy me now right now”, I think it might be worth a re-smell though…
Note that it was Habit Rouge *EDP* – includes a big dose of Oud. Yeha, this one is pretty hypermasculine.
Some other “hypermasculines:” Kouros, Antaeus, Yatagan, Le Labo Patchouli 24, M7, Dzing!, Trussardi Uomo, Paco Rabanne (original), Polo (original), Bijan Men… these are getting farther and farther away from that iris note though. 🙂
Yum! Patchouli 24. I’d love to smell that on a guy.
Thanks for pointing that out, I would have missed that distinction entirely, I wonder how many times that has happened so far when reading reviews, yikes! Must be more careful. Are all EDP’s reformulations of the EDT’s?
Not all EDPs are reformulations on EDTs (or the other way around), but for some houses EDPs and EDTs are purposely created with somewhat different lists of notes. Chanel is one house especially known for doing this.
My muscle bound, black-shirt-wearing husband loves Lonestar Memories. Sweeter than Sycomore; better than Bvlgari Black but drier than Dior Homme. And way smoky.
The Divines are amazing; I have l’Homme Sage and still want l’Homme de Coeur.
if someone finds ‘Dior Homme’s “muscle-bound, black-shirt-wearing, older brother”’, please send him my way too 😉
Not sure if this is the older, but perhaps as the younger, cashmere wearing younger brother Chanel no 28 La Pausa might be worth a shot if you like Dior Homme. Given Andy Tauer’s power fragrances White might be a goer, though I haven’t smelt it yet, and of course there is Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist.
Oooh also, before I forget I have a bottle of Angel Schlesser Femme that I bought for my lady a few months ago, used once, and not loved. : ( So if anyone wants to give it a home let me know…
[Is that ok to do on this blog?]
It’s ok, it just doesn’t always work very well…might be that nobody sees this & wants the bottle today, then 3 months from now somebody wants it and you don’t see their response.
Ah of course. What we need is a give-away thread…or not!! Maybe that is too rigorously consumerist to fit within the aesthetic marvel that is this blog…
sorry you didn’t care for Terre d’Hermes; my first thought.
try Bulgari Black for sure, Bandit by Piguet, and definitely Le Labo Patchouli 24.
Love to layer fragrances here, and in fall I always begin with a base of Hermes Eau d’Hermes, not for the faint of heart, but definitely for “muscle-bound, black-shirt-wearing, older brother”’
Narciso Rodriguez: “Essence, Eau de Musc” since he likes the soapiness or “For Him, eau de Musc”
John Varvatos: “John Varvatos” or “Artisan Black”
Hugo Boss: “Hugo Energize” – Because this is very different.
Ralph Lauren: “Polo Black” or “Polo Double Black”
Serge Lutens Daim Blonde
Christian Lacroix tumulte pour home
Bulgari black
Diptique vetiveryo
Chinatown from Bond No. 9
Truth by Calvin Klein
Jo Malone French Lime Blossom Cologne
Sycomore, L’Instant Guerlain pour homme (the original EDT)