Which aftershave do you use?
Discussion
BrabusMog said:
TheJimi said:
Folks, I need some help.
If I like Aventus, Green Irish Tweed and Original Vetiver - what else would you recommend for me?
If you like Aventus, try Mancera Cedrat Boise. It's very nice and fairly cheap. If I like Aventus, Green Irish Tweed and Original Vetiver - what else would you recommend for me?
Others I’d recommend trying along the green,woody, citrus vibe are
Diptyque’s Philosykos and Tam Dao, Chanel’s Sycomore, Creed’s Spice & Wood, Clive Christian’s 1872 or XTwist Tabac, Zegna’s Javanese Patchouli and lastly Xerjoff’s Nio.
Edited to add Xerjoff's Mefisto - like a better version of Creed's Silver Mountain Water.
Edited by toasty on Tuesday 20th March 12:57
Issey Miyake "Eau d'Issey" (see what he did there with the name? What a wag...).
Obvs bought originally by my wife as she found my usual deodorant spray (Boot's budget deodorant and fly spray) offensive. So I had a deodorant spray and some aftershave and eventually managed to work out how to use them.
Spanner in the works this Xmas. Wife gives me yet another bottle of Eau d'Issey aftershave, except this time it is actually an eau de parfum, rather than "aftershave". I applied it as per usual on Xmas morning and we set off on the drive to my mother's. Wife and son take 30 seconds to start choking on the fumes and we then drive with windows open for next 60 miles. It turns out that "eau de parfum" means "industrial strength". Seriously, how is a bloke supposed to know this stuff?
Obvs bought originally by my wife as she found my usual deodorant spray (Boot's budget deodorant and fly spray) offensive. So I had a deodorant spray and some aftershave and eventually managed to work out how to use them.
Spanner in the works this Xmas. Wife gives me yet another bottle of Eau d'Issey aftershave, except this time it is actually an eau de parfum, rather than "aftershave". I applied it as per usual on Xmas morning and we set off on the drive to my mother's. Wife and son take 30 seconds to start choking on the fumes and we then drive with windows open for next 60 miles. It turns out that "eau de parfum" means "industrial strength". Seriously, how is a bloke supposed to know this stuff?
ATG said:
Issey Miyake "Eau d'Issey" (see what he did there with the name? What a wag...).
Obvs bought originally by my wife as she found my usual deodorant spray (Boot's budget deodorant and fly spray) offensive. So I had a deodorant spray and some aftershave and eventually managed to work out how to use them.
Spanner in the works this Xmas. Wife gives me yet another bottle of Eau d'Issey aftershave, except this time it is actually an eau de parfum, rather than "aftershave". I applied it as per usual on Xmas morning and we set off on the drive to my mother's. Wife and son take 30 seconds to start choking on the fumes and we then drive with windows open for next 60 miles. It turns out that "eau de parfum" means "industrial strength". Seriously, how is a bloke supposed to know this stuff?
As per my post on the previous page, I've just bought 'L'eau Majeure D'Issey' - big thumbs up from me on it.Obvs bought originally by my wife as she found my usual deodorant spray (Boot's budget deodorant and fly spray) offensive. So I had a deodorant spray and some aftershave and eventually managed to work out how to use them.
Spanner in the works this Xmas. Wife gives me yet another bottle of Eau d'Issey aftershave, except this time it is actually an eau de parfum, rather than "aftershave". I applied it as per usual on Xmas morning and we set off on the drive to my mother's. Wife and son take 30 seconds to start choking on the fumes and we then drive with windows open for next 60 miles. It turns out that "eau de parfum" means "industrial strength". Seriously, how is a bloke supposed to know this stuff?
I do not recommend that "Novochuk" by Putin 
And somebody mentioned "Xerjoff": is that a mis-spelling? Should it not be "Jerkoff" ( possibly by Juventus? )
Loving the "Eau d'Issey"
Very clever word-play. I wonder if Homer wears it?
Being serious, does Marc Jacobs do a version.of "Decadence" for men".
I love the smell.of the original perfume.
And somebody mentioned "Xerjoff": is that a mis-spelling? Should it not be "Jerkoff" ( possibly by Juventus? )
Loving the "Eau d'Issey"
Very clever word-play. I wonder if Homer wears it?Being serious, does Marc Jacobs do a version.of "Decadence" for men".
I love the smell.of the original perfume.
Following my previous post, the samples have all arrived. Several of these are a little more expensive than I've gone before, so I'm intrigued to see what stepping it up a bit price-wise does. I've put the price I paid on Scent Samples and then a typical price for 100ml from a retailer for reference:
Roja Dove - Amber Aoud: 2ml (£11.38 - £595/100ml)
Tom Ford - Black Orchid - Eau de Parfum: 5ml (£10.68 - £115/100ml)
Knize - Knize Ten: 5ml (£8.53 - £100/125ml)
Xerjoff - Shooting Stars: Nio: 2ml (£7.25 - £292/100ml)
Roja Parfums - Great Britain: 1ml (£8.99 - £1,250/100ml)
Tested so far:
Tom Ford - Black Orchid - Liked this from the moment it went on. Like other TF fragrances it can seem overly-sweet at first but really settles down after a while. It's worth bearing in mind that this is a unisex fragrance and therefore the orchid/floral and blackcurrant notes dominate here. It's not like anything else I've bought before but I really like it. It's a yes from me and I'll probably get a bottle of this.
Knize Ten - I didn't like this at first but after a while it started to really develop into something far more complex; much like the Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille and Black Orchid, it takes time to really settle. About 20-30 mins after spraying, the leather, sandalwood, cedar and patchouli really come out nicely - they were initially overpowered by the spicier/citrus top notes. Would I want a whole bottle at ~£100? Probably not but I may well order another larger sample of it when this runs out.
Xerjoff Shooting Stars Nio - this one is HUGELY citrus-y, dominated by the lime and neroli, almost at the expense of the other elements. It's certainly very crisp and fresh-smelling although it may be a little too much so for me. I'll give it another go before deciding one way or the other.
Roja Dove Great Britain - This was the one I was most intrigued by as it's stupid money for a bottle. Initially it was actually unpleasant although it settled down after a while and the smoky/leather notes came through. After a while the jasmine, rose and cedar also emerged but it's still very much dominated by the leather. Great Britain wasn't unpleasant overall but I can't say that I like it that much and I'd have trouble parting with cash for it at even a tenth the price they're asking. Whilst I'm aware that some of the ingredients are rare and expensive, what it ultimately comes down to is whether I actually like it or not... In that respect, RD GB is like another expensive British product - Bristol cars. No doubt that they're made with very expensive materials and to a high standard but there's absolutely no chance that I'd ever buy one even if I had the money. They just hold zero appeal for me and so it is with this scent.
The other thing is, if you want leathery, woody scents then Tom Ford have EDPs which do it better at a much lower price such as Tuscan Leather and Ombré Leather (worth noting that Ombré Leather is slightly sweeter in my opinion and would be my preferred of the two).
Ultimately what was interesting was that the most expensive products didn't really appeal to me and I'd far rather have a bottle of Creed Green Irish Tweed (£200) and a Black Orchid (£115) for not much more than one bottle of Xerjoff Shooting Stars Nio for example. I'm just glad I'm not wowed by the Roja Dove GB and wondering how to justify spending £1,250 on a bottle...!
I'll post up my thoughts on the Roja Dove Amber Aoud once I've tested it and I also had a free sample of Creed Virgin Island Water included by Scent Samples - one I've not tried before so I'm keen to see how that smells too.
It was certainly interesting testing some wallet-worryingly expensive scents but it goes to show that in my view, more expensive doesn't automatically equal 'better' and also how beneficial a site like Scent Samples can be in giving you a chance to test something properly before parting with a chunk of cash.
Edit: My top-up of Green Irish Tweed and a new Himalaya have also arrived from Tom's Creed Decants - I've also just had an email from him saying his Erolfa has arrived so I've ordered 30ml of that and a 10ml Millesime to go with it...
Roja Dove - Amber Aoud: 2ml (£11.38 - £595/100ml)
Tom Ford - Black Orchid - Eau de Parfum: 5ml (£10.68 - £115/100ml)
Knize - Knize Ten: 5ml (£8.53 - £100/125ml)
Xerjoff - Shooting Stars: Nio: 2ml (£7.25 - £292/100ml)
Roja Parfums - Great Britain: 1ml (£8.99 - £1,250/100ml)
Tested so far:
Tom Ford - Black Orchid - Liked this from the moment it went on. Like other TF fragrances it can seem overly-sweet at first but really settles down after a while. It's worth bearing in mind that this is a unisex fragrance and therefore the orchid/floral and blackcurrant notes dominate here. It's not like anything else I've bought before but I really like it. It's a yes from me and I'll probably get a bottle of this.
Knize Ten - I didn't like this at first but after a while it started to really develop into something far more complex; much like the Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille and Black Orchid, it takes time to really settle. About 20-30 mins after spraying, the leather, sandalwood, cedar and patchouli really come out nicely - they were initially overpowered by the spicier/citrus top notes. Would I want a whole bottle at ~£100? Probably not but I may well order another larger sample of it when this runs out.
Xerjoff Shooting Stars Nio - this one is HUGELY citrus-y, dominated by the lime and neroli, almost at the expense of the other elements. It's certainly very crisp and fresh-smelling although it may be a little too much so for me. I'll give it another go before deciding one way or the other.
Roja Dove Great Britain - This was the one I was most intrigued by as it's stupid money for a bottle. Initially it was actually unpleasant although it settled down after a while and the smoky/leather notes came through. After a while the jasmine, rose and cedar also emerged but it's still very much dominated by the leather. Great Britain wasn't unpleasant overall but I can't say that I like it that much and I'd have trouble parting with cash for it at even a tenth the price they're asking. Whilst I'm aware that some of the ingredients are rare and expensive, what it ultimately comes down to is whether I actually like it or not... In that respect, RD GB is like another expensive British product - Bristol cars. No doubt that they're made with very expensive materials and to a high standard but there's absolutely no chance that I'd ever buy one even if I had the money. They just hold zero appeal for me and so it is with this scent.
The other thing is, if you want leathery, woody scents then Tom Ford have EDPs which do it better at a much lower price such as Tuscan Leather and Ombré Leather (worth noting that Ombré Leather is slightly sweeter in my opinion and would be my preferred of the two).
Ultimately what was interesting was that the most expensive products didn't really appeal to me and I'd far rather have a bottle of Creed Green Irish Tweed (£200) and a Black Orchid (£115) for not much more than one bottle of Xerjoff Shooting Stars Nio for example. I'm just glad I'm not wowed by the Roja Dove GB and wondering how to justify spending £1,250 on a bottle...!
I'll post up my thoughts on the Roja Dove Amber Aoud once I've tested it and I also had a free sample of Creed Virgin Island Water included by Scent Samples - one I've not tried before so I'm keen to see how that smells too.
It was certainly interesting testing some wallet-worryingly expensive scents but it goes to show that in my view, more expensive doesn't automatically equal 'better' and also how beneficial a site like Scent Samples can be in giving you a chance to test something properly before parting with a chunk of cash.
Edit: My top-up of Green Irish Tweed and a new Himalaya have also arrived from Tom's Creed Decants - I've also just had an email from him saying his Erolfa has arrived so I've ordered 30ml of that and a 10ml Millesime to go with it...
Edited by Funk on Friday 23 March 01:33
For some bizarre reason, ive got a sample of Aura Mugler EDP kicking around (yes its for women). Just opened it up for a squirt (yes it is meant for women but thought id use it as an air freshner).
Smells abit like Tom Ford Extreme Noir but not as potent/strong so if your missus likes TFEN but its abit strong for her, id recommend this
Smells abit like Tom Ford Extreme Noir but not as potent/strong so if your missus likes TFEN but its abit strong for her, id recommend this
The latest ones have arrived from Tom's Creed Decants.
Creed Erolfa - Disappointingly, this is nowhere near as nice as I remembered and seems quite 'weak' - a long time back when I originally had a sample of this I recall I rather liked it. It's OK but there are a lot of other Creeds I'd have over and above this one. I'll give it a few more goes before writing it off.
Creed Millesime Imperial - This is a unisex fragrance; I may as well have sprayed water on. Almost completely devoid of any real scent and even that faded to nothing after a very short period of time. Categorically the worst Creed fragrance I've tried; if it wasn't from Tom, I would've suspected it of being a fake - everything else I've ever had from him has been great. Has anyone else got Millesime who could comment on it? I wouldn't want to pass judgement if it's not representative of how it should smell.
I also tried the final two samples from my previous Scent Samples order - the Roja Dove Amber Aoud and the Creed Virgin Island Water which was included free.
RD Amber Aoud - This was inoffensive and whilst it fulfils its brief of being 'sweet, spicy, warm, & sensual' it's not for me. I'm starting to realise that none of the 'unisex' samples I've tried seem to smell particularly good on me, this is way too sweet for a guy to wear in my opinion. Oh, there's also the small matter that it's around £600/100ml... Both of the Roja Dove fragrances I've tried seem to be broadly well-liked online but personally I didn't like either and I won't be trying any more RD in future. Perhaps my nose isn't sophisticated enough but as I mentioned previously, it could be made from unicorn tears but if I don't like it, what it's made from is moot.
Creed Virgin Island Water - I can't be sure but this really reminds me of the free Christian Dior "New Look 1947" that Scent Samples sent me (New Look 1947 is a women's fragrance, no idea why they thought it was a suitable freebie when everything I'd ordered to that point was for men!). I found VIW to be sickly-sweet and I'm half-wondering whether SS put the wrong label on the sample... Creed's blurb says:
Top notes: Bergamot Jamaican lime Sicilian mandarin
Heart notes: Hibiscus Ylang ylang Indian jasmine
Base notes: Tonkin musk Tropical woods Coconut
I'm not getting any of the lime, mandarin or woody/coconut notes at all, it just seems to be very floral. Some research shows this is another 'unisex' one...
Note to self - DO NOT BUY UNISEX SMELLY STUFF!
Creed Erolfa - Disappointingly, this is nowhere near as nice as I remembered and seems quite 'weak' - a long time back when I originally had a sample of this I recall I rather liked it. It's OK but there are a lot of other Creeds I'd have over and above this one. I'll give it a few more goes before writing it off.
Creed Millesime Imperial - This is a unisex fragrance; I may as well have sprayed water on. Almost completely devoid of any real scent and even that faded to nothing after a very short period of time. Categorically the worst Creed fragrance I've tried; if it wasn't from Tom, I would've suspected it of being a fake - everything else I've ever had from him has been great. Has anyone else got Millesime who could comment on it? I wouldn't want to pass judgement if it's not representative of how it should smell.
I also tried the final two samples from my previous Scent Samples order - the Roja Dove Amber Aoud and the Creed Virgin Island Water which was included free.
RD Amber Aoud - This was inoffensive and whilst it fulfils its brief of being 'sweet, spicy, warm, & sensual' it's not for me. I'm starting to realise that none of the 'unisex' samples I've tried seem to smell particularly good on me, this is way too sweet for a guy to wear in my opinion. Oh, there's also the small matter that it's around £600/100ml... Both of the Roja Dove fragrances I've tried seem to be broadly well-liked online but personally I didn't like either and I won't be trying any more RD in future. Perhaps my nose isn't sophisticated enough but as I mentioned previously, it could be made from unicorn tears but if I don't like it, what it's made from is moot.
Creed Virgin Island Water - I can't be sure but this really reminds me of the free Christian Dior "New Look 1947" that Scent Samples sent me (New Look 1947 is a women's fragrance, no idea why they thought it was a suitable freebie when everything I'd ordered to that point was for men!). I found VIW to be sickly-sweet and I'm half-wondering whether SS put the wrong label on the sample... Creed's blurb says:
Top notes: Bergamot Jamaican lime Sicilian mandarin
Heart notes: Hibiscus Ylang ylang Indian jasmine
Base notes: Tonkin musk Tropical woods Coconut
I'm not getting any of the lime, mandarin or woody/coconut notes at all, it just seems to be very floral. Some research shows this is another 'unisex' one...
Note to self - DO NOT BUY UNISEX SMELLY STUFF!
Edited by Funk on Sunday 25th March 13:50
Funk - I've got nearly all that Creed sell for men, and whilst I love Millesime Imperial, you have to pick your moment to wear it. It's not a strong scent and won't last all day, I only really wear it if I'm going out for dinner somewhere warm i.e. on holiday. Virgin Island Water smells like someone has chucked a bottle of Malibu over you when you spray it on lol!
I much prefer Amouage fragrances, as I feel they have much more depth. Currently wearing Beach Hut and loving it - such a unique fragrance!
I find Roja quite hit and miss, my boss wears Danger and it suits him but when I tried it I hated it. The only fragrance from them that I've felt compelled to buy a bottle of is Oligarch, again a really unique fragrance that smells like nothing I've ever tried before, and that's what I like with my aftershave - individuality, so it's quite ironic that my favourite is still Creed Aventus
I much prefer Amouage fragrances, as I feel they have much more depth. Currently wearing Beach Hut and loving it - such a unique fragrance!
I find Roja quite hit and miss, my boss wears Danger and it suits him but when I tried it I hated it. The only fragrance from them that I've felt compelled to buy a bottle of is Oligarch, again a really unique fragrance that smells like nothing I've ever tried before, and that's what I like with my aftershave - individuality, so it's quite ironic that my favourite is still Creed Aventus
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