Manly scentsations
Men, by and large, are not huge followers of fragrance. The only “base notes” we’re aware of are those played by John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin. We like a good cologne and will stick with it for decades, even after they stop making it. That’s as far as the thinking goes for most men.
Dads are even harder to buy for: they secretly want something that smells unique or original, but they end up getting the same colognes for Father’s Day, year after year after year. Talk about traditional.
To get men to sample something different, it helps to have a woman around — someone who can give the fragrance a “thumbs up” or a “fingers pinching nose.” A wife comes in handy, and so I asked mine to supply me with reactions (and intelligent nouns and adjectives) in helping to describe each of the following French fragrances, all available at Rustan’s just in time for Father’s Day.
FOU D’ABSINTHE (Best for: Rockers, bohemians, artistic types): Fire of absinthe, indeed. This striking green bottle from L’Artisan Parfumeur packs a heady concoction. There’s actual absinthe in this one, and the packaging warns that it’s “flammable until dry.” This one is quite woodsy with an icy, alcoholic note on top, but the hint of absinthe gives it an edgier touch. There’s also angelica and blackcurrant for a crisp note, and a spicy mix of pepper, clove, nutmeg and ginger for a contrasting note. It’s an eau de toilette, so it’s lighter (my wife informs me) than perfume. It would work equally well at art exhibits or on bar-hopping nights . Maybe a bit too edgy for the office, though. (Price: P2,950 for 50 ml)
RYKIEL MAN (Best for: High-powered executives, men who like to wear suits): Sonia Rykiel’s scent Rykiel Man is a classic male scent. Like most traditional gents’ fragrances it is woodsy but deeper and more full-bodied, with a hint of musk beneath the initial sniff. It’s the first male scent to be launched by the Paris design house, and something that would work as well with corporate types in expensive suits as well as more dignified gentlemen in tweed. Its citrusy notes blend well with the woody flavors, making it good for formal occasions, though Rykiel recommends it for casual wear as well. (Price: P1,450 for 40 ml)
A*MEN (Best for: Connoisseurs of the finer things in life): Thierry Mugler came up with this male version of Angel for women, and it’s a very innovative scent — as striking as the glass bottle with a blue star encased in what feels like black rubber. Sporty and masculine, the package is something even Formula One fans will dig. Once you get past the bottle, you find A*Men uses patchouli and a number of “foodie” notes (like vanilla) to create something very modern and unique — a new category in male fragrance which the designer describes as “oriental gourmand,” suggesting a flurry of rich or opulent scents and flavors. There’s also a traditional woody base (pine), so it will appeal to most men, but it will be even more appetizing to those with gourmet tastes. (Price: P4,100 for 100 ml)
CLEAN MEN (Best for: Men who don’t want to smell like fragrance, or who want to smell freshly showered): Dlish (from Canada) presents a male version of the popular women’s Clean fragrance. This one does smell just like its name: you get a whiff of freshly scrubbed skin, using very expensive soaps, perhaps. Yet for a man, it’s not cloying or too fragrant. (My wife says it smells even better than the women’s version.) The trick is in the citrus notes, such as red grapefruit and lime, but you’ll also detect English lavender, wild raspberry, clove, olibanum, patchouli and underlying musk. Just a dash of this does the job, and experience shows it’s better to smell like a “clean” man than otherwise. (Price: P4,250 for 128 ml)
MANDRAGORE (Best for: Mavericks, fans of citrus fragrances who want to smell different): This one’s got rustic, countryside appeal. Created by Annick Goutal of Paris, this unisex scent has a few unconventional notes among its citrusy, woody accords. It will appeal to fans of citrus fragrances, but the hint of mandrake gives it its character: it’s resinous, like fresh sap, giving it a vegetal quality. Mandrake is also a poisonous root, but here it simply lends an exotic note. Yet it’s also traditional enough to wear every day, for those who are tired of the usual citrusy scents. The ad declares it “a bewitching and mysterious fragrance, within which the masculine and feminine merge in secret harmony.” I don’t know about that, but you can imagine trekking through green forests to a quiet brookside cabin, picking up on the scent of pine needles and wood-smoke in the air. It smells very inviting. (Price: P3,450 for 100 ml)
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All fragrances are available at Rustan’s.
