Help me pick a scent - new to Frags

[Badger Bill]

Hi Friends,

I'm certainly not new to B&B nor wet shaving but I AM new to Frags! So perhaps you kind gents could help me out in picking a fragrance or two to start with. For what it's worth I recently tried out a sample of English Laundry Cambridge Knight... that's what has gotten me started down the path of trying some more fragrances. I honestly don't know how to describe it that well, but if anyone knows this scent, I think it's fairly nice however it smells a bit generic to me... like something straight ahead out of the men's dept. at Macy's. In fact, I could almost swear that this is the exact scent I've smelled in department stores when shopping in the men's section. Not that this is a totally bad thing....

But, I'd love a scent that has a bit more originality/distinctiveness to it. To give a sense of my tastes, I love RR XXX splash and I also love Speick splash. I love Captain's splashes although I don't usually like anything with too much clove (North and Lime are my favorites). I do like masculine scents that have a bit of vanilla or musk to them. I'm not really into floral scents or anything overly fruity (although citrus is ok). I don't want anything too far out there, and I also have a sensitive nose so I don't want to go with anything too forward or overbearing. Something that comes up on you in a lovely, soft manner would be great.
Finally, I'd love something that won't break the bank as I'm just getting into this... so cheap = good. Readily available would be nice too, for example, so that next time I am downtown in Chicago I could swing by Merz or a place like that and give it a sniff.

Hope I haven't laid out too many guidelines. But really looking forward to hearing (and trying) some of your suggestions. Many thanks!

- Badger Bill

 

[weylin]

RR XXX is a takeoff of Acqua di Parma Colonia so you might like classic cologne scents.
Jean Paul Gaultier's Le Male has a good dose of vanilla and seems popular with the ladies.
Versace pour homme is very fresh and clean and is quite popular.
It's a good idea to find what you like:
- fougere (Green Irish Tweed)
- chypre (Polo)
- citrus (Chanel Pour Monsieur)
- leather (Tuscan Leather)
- wood (CdG Wonderwood)
- oud (Montale)
- gourmand (Hanae Mori)
- floral (C&S 88)
Bleu de Chanel EDT is very popular these days. I'm getting some myself!
The EDT projects more than the Parfum.

 

[Badger Bill]

Thanks very much, Weylin... you've given me some good homework here. I'll write your list down and next time I'm in a shop I'll be sure to see if they have any of these to help inform my preferences. And of course if I see the Jean Paul Gaultier's or Versace you mentioned I'll give those a test spray as well.

 

[AbbyW2]

You should decide, from weylins interesting menu for starters, on a few that sound appealing antrongd test those in a store. I mean to say, I don't think the nose will be able to stand and distinguish a strong sniff of several scents.

 

[Badger Bill]

You should decide, from weylins interesting menu for starters, on a few that sound appealing antrongd test those in a store. I mean to say, I don't think the nose will be able to stand and distinguish a strong sniff of several scents.

Very good point... I may have to schedule several trips.

 

[chef8489]

Most places that sell fragrances have coffee beans to smell between sniffs to help reset the shnoz. If you find one you like the smell of make sure you try it on before purchasing. Our body chemistry can do funky things to fragrances,

 

[Badger Bill]

Didn't realize that about the coffee beans... but that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the tip, Chef!!

 

[john parker]

I will have to remember about the coffee beans. Sounds like an excellent idea. On most forays to sample fragrances, I am only good for two to three at a time. Any more than that, they get mixed in my mind and I can't remember them.