Any idea how to choose/use cologne..

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I never did like mainstream things much. I wouldn't mind going out of my way to find samples of obscure colognes that is recommended on the forum. I'll just try them out at work.

Nicole Miller for men. It's about as obscure as they get as it has been discontinued, although there is some to be found on ebay from time to time. One of the only scents that I know of that has a distinct cedar wood note, very unique.

 

[ClassicIsBetter]

Nicole Miller for men. It's about as obscure as they get as it has been discontinued, although there is some to be found on ebay from time to time. One of the only scents that I know of that has a distinct cedar wood note, very unique.

Is this what you are referring to?

http://www.perfumebay.com/men-s-n-nicole-miller-by-nicole-miller-for-men.html

 

[carebear]

I find trying to be "obscure for the sake of obscurity" to be a bit supercilious and contrived. The definitions of "popular" and "common" don't include the phrase "not good". Trying uncommon stuff for its own sake is fine, rejecting stuff just or primarily because somebody else has heard of it is... meh.

Given the aforementioned difference in scents that body chemistry creates, almost every scent is "custom" to one degree or another so an obscure label isn't the end-all be-all anyway.

As for getting opinions on what scents people like, the "asking around" is not done to pick the scent, but to provide the sample group to then wear and have evaluated. Similar to "What's a good hat company?" or "What stores have a good suit selection?".

 

[AcmeNews]

Scents

I have four scents I use:
Tricorn and Greenbriar, both by Caswell Massey. Both have been around for many years, perhaps 100 or more.
I also wear Eau de Baux by L'Occitane, which drives my wife crazy.
Last in my lineup is a custom blend of teakwood oil, sandalwood, and suede. I get this from a local perfumer who makes custom colognes.
Custom scents are especially nice.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Is this what you are referring to?

http://www.perfumebay.com/men-s-n-nicole-miller-by-nicole-miller-for-men.html

Yep, that's it. Hard to come by and expensive, but worth it to me because of it's rarity and the fact that it just smells so good. Has hints of orange, cloves, and cedar.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I find trying to be "obscure for the sake of obscurity" to be a bit supercilious and contrived. The definitions of "popular" and "common" don't include the phrase "not good". Trying uncommon stuff for its own sake is fine, rejecting stuff just or primarily because somebody else has heard of it is... meh.

Given the aforementioned difference in scents that body chemistry creates, almost every scent is "custom" to one degree or another so an obscure label isn't the end-all be-all anyway.

As for getting opinions on what scents people like, the "asking around" is not done to pick the scent, but to provide the sample group to then wear and have evaluated. Similar to "What's a good hat company?" or "What stores have a good suit selection?".

I know what you mean. I do actually have to try some of the current fragrances from time to time, to see what's out there. Most of them just tend to not have that stand out quality that I appreciate. A lot of them tend to smell the same or just so similar that they may as well be the same thing.
Some mainstream fragrances I've liked include, Cool Water, Lagerfeld Classic, and Grey Flannel, all of which I of course had to go and check out for myself. Some fragrances will smell not so good to me most of the time that I try them,...but then once in a while I'll try something again and it smells great. [huh] So I tend to go with what I think is consistently good.
But more often than not, by the time I start using something I like a lot regularly, they discontinue it!
I think I'll invest in a gallon or two of the next new cologne I really like. lol

 

[carebear]

There's a scent I used to get at Nordstrom years ago that was good but I can't for the life of me remember the name. Nordie's was the only place in town that had it and noone else wore it One of those two-part names, the creator and the fragrance.

 

[RedShoesGirl]

.. when you have no sense of smell? ...

how about no cologne? i hate the smell of that stuff any more. it all smells like phoney chemicals.

i like the smell of a man without extras. and even prefer no-smell deoderants. (that spelling doesn't look right, but you know what i mean)

something about a fresh clean right out of the shower smell or one after a hard hike up the mountain, or after a hard day in the fields - au natural is best!

my 02¢

rsg

 

[Mr. Rover]

Do you guys prefer to use the spray or to dab it?

 

[Feraud]

I do not have a preference for spray versus dab.
All fragrance is better used sparingly. There is nothing worse than leaving a long trail of scent following you!

My favored scents included:
Christian Dior's Fahrenheit
Old Spice
Burberry Weekend
In NYC there is a Caswell-Massey on Lexington Avenue. They have the best fragrances I have smelled. I bought a sample set that included approximately seven fragrances. I seriously recommend the Number 6!!

 

[carebear]

Spray for me. You can spray it and then walk into the mist. You get a lighter and more even application than splashing it on. Gives it more skin area to heat up on and mix with your own scent.

 

[raiderrescuer]

how about no cologne? i hate the smell of that stuff any more. it all smells like phoney chemicals.

i like the smell of a man without extras. and even prefer no-smell deoderants. (that spelling doesn't look right, but you know what i mean)

something about a fresh clean right out of the shower smell or one after a hard hike up the mountain, or after a hard day in the fields - au natural is best!

my 02¢

rsg

Obviously you have never been around me after a Hike ! lol

Seriously, I don't like those that over-do it but there were times on the bus trips from Istanbul to Izmir that the "Zoomer Juice" was a blessing !

 

[mysterygal]

Ironically, I wear both Obsession and Nautica now. Have worn Cool Water and a few others.

All the scents I wear were favorites of old girlfriends and seem to go well with "me". One girl I dated whispered "mmm, ex-boyfriend" in my ear as we danced. I was understandably confused and she later explained that she, like every other girl, had an ex-boyfriend who wore Obsession. His loss was my gain.

There's something about talking to a girl and having her suddenly lean in and sniff your chest and make "mmmmm" sounds. Opens up new conversational gambits.

lol see!, told you us girls love that one! There is nothing better than a man who is wearing some great smelling cologne. Even though we may not be outwardly saying 'mmmmm', we're thinking it.

 

[Mr. Rover]

Wearing too much cologne is something that a lot of guys in my generation do- they treat those spray-on deodorants (usually Axe) like cologne.

 

[Feraud]

they treat those spray-on deodorants (usually Axe) like cologne.

Funny you should mention Axe. My son's friend stunk up their Boy Scout cabin last Winter. He sprayed about half the can of the stuff while getting dressed in the a.m.! I believe his deodorant was the cause of the counselor's asthma attack.

 

[carebear]

I think kids are imitating the applications in the tv ads. Apprently you need enough to attract women from across a grocery store.

I've read somewhere some guys in high school are using it like Frenchmen, as a substitute for showering, especially after PE.

It's bad enough they've cut the real courses for self-esteem reasons, did they have to eliminate hygiene from the curriculum as well?

 

[ClassicIsBetter]

I think kids are imitating the applications in the tv ads. Apprently you need enough to attract women from across a grocery store.

I've read somewhere some guys in high school are using it like Frenchmen, as a substitute for showering, especially after PE.

It's bad enough they've cut the real courses for self-esteem reasons, did they have to eliminate hygiene from the curriculum as well?

That is quite disgusting. My brother will overdo it if he smoked a cig prior to meeting a girl. As for your question concerning me being anti-mainstream for the sake of it, it's a long story. Long story short - I grew up hearing impaired, picked on, yada yada sad story. I was never "picked," popular, etc, therefore I don't do a lot of things that everyone else does. There's an old qoute I saw on my professor's door once, "What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right." Mainstream society is never right.

 

[carebear]

That is quite disgusting. My brother will overdo it if he smoked a cig prior to meeting a girl. As for your question concerning me being anti-mainstream for the sake of it, it's a long story. Long story short - I grew up hearing impaired, picked on, yada yada sad story. I was never "picked," popular, etc, therefore I don't do a lot of things that everyone else does. There's an old qoute I saw on my professor's door once, "What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right." Mainstream society is never right.

Well, I don't necessarily think then you are being anti- for the sake of it. For a better example, the folks who gush over how great a band is until their song hits the radio and "everybody else" likes it. Not the next "sell-out album", the same exact album and song. That's contrived and shows a pathetic dependence for their self-image on external things as opposed to internal qualities.

I do have a problem with this

"What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right."

which is patently true...

...being used to support this

Mainstream society is never right.

which is patently false and contradicts the earlier quote.

Mainstream society holds all sorts of objectively true beliefs; math, science, definitions of various words, the comparative nature of various economic and political systems.... Just because members of mainstream society can be cruel and/or ignorant does not necessarily (in the logical sense) make everything "mainstream" cruel and ignorant.

 

[ClassicIsBetter]

Well, I don't necessarily think then you are being anti- for the sake of it. For a better example, the folks who gush over how great a band is until their song hits the radio and "everybody else" likes it. Not the next "sell-out album", the same exact album and song. That's contrived and shows a pathetic dependence for their self-image on external things as opposed to internal qualities.

I do have a problem with this which is patently true...

...being used to support this which is patently false and contradicts the earlier quote.

Mainstream society holds all sorts of objectively true beliefs; math, science, definitions of various words, the comparative nature of various economic and political systems.... Just because members of mainstream society can be cruel and/or ignorant does not necessarily (in the logical sense) make everything "mainstream" cruel and ignorant.

What is "true" or "false" of the world can really only apply to the person who is living in that world. What I should I have said was that subjective nature of the world is never true. Mine was full of hate and cruelty, therefore, the world is nothing but hate, everyone in it has a hidden agenda. That's just my experience, my truth... But alas, it is outside the scope of this thread/forum.

 

[jamespowers]

What is "true" or "false" of the world can really only apply to the person who is living in that world. What I should I have said was that subjective nature of the world is never true. Mine was full of hate and cruelty, therefore, the world is nothing but hate, everyone in it has a hidden agenda. That's just my experience, my truth... But alas, it is outside the scope of this thread/forum.

Everyone may have an agenda but that isn't always bad. My agenda is usually to help other people if I can. I suppose it has something to do with the old Scout "Do a good turn daily" motto.
I have also found that what you put forward is usually what you get in return. Hate=Hate. It does not always work that way but it is tough to hate someone who is trying to kill you with kindness. [huh]

Regards,

J