Kouros

A fantastic fragrance. Don't bother with the topnotes-- you'll come to love them eventually. Spray it on, and then throw on your shirt and shoes. In ten or fifteen minutes, give it a sniff. By this point, the magic has started.

Kouros perfectly balances two strikingly different accords. One is clean, powdery, and soapy-- a bit like dryer sheets. The other is dirty, with a heavy dose of animalic musk (obviously synthetic, but all musk is these days). These two accords are tied together by another interesting duo: incense and honey. It is interesting that these two notes are both two-faced as well. Incense is clean and purifying, but also heavy and pungent. Honey is sweet, but it has an odd, urinous undertone (I am certain that much of the 'urine' that people complain about in Kouros is actually honey rather than civet; I've only recently been able to 'get' the difference between the honey and civet notes). The honey/incense accord sits across the fragrance's middle, balancing the clean and dirty accords.

All in all, the effect is incredible. Perfect for anytime, but it shines in the hot summer.

I'm shocked there's no review of Kouros in here. If they ever create a male frag Hall of Fame, Kouros goes in first round like Ruth and Cobb. Introduced by YSL in 1981, this stuff is still going strong. Think that's cuz it's not a great scent?

This is intense stuff. A legendary scent. It took me a long time to embrace it. Now I love it.

But be clear, it is a very polarizing scent. It's not for the timid. Some people HATE it. HATE is always in all caps with people who don't like it. And there's a lot of people who don't like it.

But if it works for you- it really works. The opening notes are horrific. It's been likened to dropping your pants in public. Kouros is top loaded with civet, which has a strong urine smell. But try it on skin- not on a paper strip. It does mellow into something very sexy. Sort of like an exotic scented soap. Honeyed, pungent and woodsy. This is not a work scent. A little bit of the "dirty" is always there pushing the right buttons of those who find that "dirty" appealing in corners of their mind they dare not discuss.

Sample first! But on skin. That's what lets it do it's magic. I recently tried it on a girlfriend who hates most every scent and she liked it. Blew me away.

It's strong stuff- so watch the dose. It can get overwhelming easily. It can be had very reasonably.

C'mon guys! Let's see some HATE for Kouros and hear from some others who love it.

Sorry for the vulgarity in the heading, but that is what I feel the maker of this fragrance has done to people: **** all over them!

I've seen this scent described 100 times as "urine like" or "urinal cake" and it's a dead on description (actually urine and Mountain Dew to my nose).

Seriously, is this a joke? What person in their right mind would want to smell like urine?

This is, by far, the worst fragrance I've ever smelled. EVER!

Wow Tyronious, that was harsh.

Upon first trying Kouros, I was struck by how familiar it smelled. This was interesting, because I'd never tested, tried, or even heard of Kouros until a few months ago. Seems hard to believe I'm sure, but it's true.

The first time it hit my skin, I was transported back to a particularly lovely place: Italy. Back in the summer of 2004 I spent a little over a month touring Italy, and living in Urbino, which is situated at the peak of the Apennines. Urbino was a spare, ancient place, full of browns and reds, crystal-clear mountain air, and drop-dead gorgeous people. I fondly recall having breakfast every morning at the Cafe Campari in the city's square and watching women who would put the entire modeling troupe at Victoria's Secret to shame. I also recall smelling Italy . . . the many perfumes of varying potency, the smell of freshly-cooked mountain foods, and the burning soil that shimmered off the sun-scorched earth. And Kouros.

I always wondered what it was those Italian guys (and some girls) were wearing, and now I know.

This transports me back there every time I wear it. It's a really great place to go. For the money, it's a lot cheaper than going to Italy, (although for its age it could be cheaper still), the quality, if not a trifle synthetic in some of its top notes, is very good, the packaging and opaque white bottle are stunning and minimalist, the complexity - forget the three notes listed on basenotes, there's more like five or six going on here - is very seductive and clean, staying power is magnificent, and the atomizer is fine.

Many people feel this smells a bit dirty, including Luca Turin, the famed scientist and perfume critic (who gave this 5 stars). I disagree. Like Coco by Chanel, this reminds me of the crisp '80s Italian masterpiece, Fendi. Though Kouros is French, I think it smells of central Italy. Confident, wealthy, old-world, unforgettable.

Kouros is a lovely scent which has great sillage and longevity. Some folks think it smells like urine. Presumbly this is so because of the civet note. I have never understood this comparsion. Kouros is a giant legend and a true classic which should be tried on the skin before an opinion is reached. Over application can be an issue, as it is a rather heavy scent. It is not for the Acqua di Gio crowd.

Nothing smells like this classic. It's been one of my favs for a long time and blows the wanna be boyish aquatic ocean breeze scents outta the water,kkkk.

This can be worn anytime and with a bit of heat and a touch of sweat comes out to play again.

For me it's a calming scent that can be worn comfortably and smells nothing like urine, ever. People who say that either can't smell or got a bad batch.

The women like it and never has anyone said it' soffensive or bad smelling. Its been around for along time and for good reason, it will go down as a classic and very French. RIP YSL.

A beautiful, classic scent.