Yeah, I cross the aisle every now and then.
Sometimes it’s best to keep it simple. My favorite Masculines are in touch with their feminine side:
- Balmain Carbone de Balmain: I know how to use a miter saw Vanilla
- Bvlgari Black: Spacesuit appropriate Vanilla
- Chanel Egoïste: Plums are dandy
- Dior Eau Noire: I love Indian food so much, I really would swim in it
- Dior Homme: Hey there, sexy iris!
- Hermès Terre d’Hermès: A tweed jacket can be hip and sexy
- Prada Amber Pour Homme Intense: Myrrh rhymes with purrrrr…
I know you do it too. What’s missing from my list?
beauty on the outside 
I really need to try Dior Homme! My favorite masculines would be Amouage Jubilation for men and Bond No. 9 Silver Factory (they have some common notes that I seem to adore). Also histoires de parfums 1740 (technically a masculine..:))
Lavanya, I know this is NOT helpful, but word on the street is that the Dior’s are all being reformulated, so you really ought to bounce down to your local sniffery and try Homme before it’s gone!
Is 1740 a masculine? Well, add that to the top of my list! I love that scent, and didn’t realize it was positioned for the menfolk. I haven’t tried the men’s Jubilation— but that’s good old Bertrand, isn’t it? Not that I need another Amouage to fall for…
And Silver Factory! After hearing so much about it, you’d think I’d have tracked down a sample by now… well, my new SA friend (Frank) tells me that he will soon have the whole line available for my sniffing pleasure 🙂 **fingers crossed**
Hmmm … that applies to me too. I have heard that Dior Homme is fantastic but have never tried it. I had better get my skates on. Also, I noticed the other day that Ivoire is in a new bottle. I’d better pick up a bottle before I discover that new packaging = reformulation. New bottle is very nice tho’.
Dior Homme was on my “sniff-list” since my very first reading of The Guide, but I so rarely came across a Sephora (or even a department store) that it wasn’t until just recently that I got a sample of it; it’s everything I hoped it would be— all those times I almost blind-bought a bottle… I would have been delighted had I done it!
I’m hoping that once the new formula is out, that there’ll be tons of super cheap bottles on eBay, since so many people will want the “fresh” bottle 🙂
Ivoire has a new bottle? I’ll need to check that out. I love my bottle, and probably have enough to last a lifetime, but any news of change makes me nervous…
I like most Amouage for men , Carven’s Vetyver , Habit Rouge , Hamman Bouquet and Elixir and so many others that I’d have to look at my stash to remember them.
Elixir is in my sample cart at Luckyscent as we speak! (Building an order…)
The only Amouage for men that I’ve tried so far is Honour, which is very nice, but doesn’t move me. I really should try the others—it’s just that I have been so smitten with the femme versions, I hadn’t been tempted to the other side!
Habit Rouge is beautiful— I think I need a mini 🙂
It is so nice to hear women talk about the masculine scents they enjoy not only around them but also on them.
I see Eau Noire in your list (not exactly gender defined) so that gives me the right to add Vetiver Oriental. A vetiver for hardcore vetiver lovers and vetiver haters alike. An oxymoron: how can vetiver be oriental? Sheldrake/Lutens know and most importantly they can.
I would also suggest Iris Bleu Gris and Parfum d’Habit, two gems by MP&G, not very easy to find but truly worth the trouble.
I’ve always loved men’s fragrance. There’s something very appealing about “man smell” on a woman… primal. Then again, I love femme scents on my husband—with the exception of Bulgari Black (which is hardly masculine), he doesn’t have a single masculine fragrance!
But wasn’t Eau Noire originally marketed as part of a cologne trio?? I agree that it’s genderless, but then again, I think most things on my list actually are… 😉
Vetiver Oriental? I have not tried it, but I do like vetiver, and LOVE orientals! MP&G is a line I’ve only sniffed on paper in passing—I think I need a more thorough introduction (making my list).
I love many “men’s” frags myself. I see we both love Egoiste! I also love to wear Guerlain Vetiver and Givenchy Gentleman.
I have a sample of Prada Amber pour Homme I must try soon and I better jump on that Dior before it is too late.
Out of total boredom, I tried the new Calvin Klein CK One Shock for Him on a tester card. It smells good, but it trails for MILES. Pass.
Egoiste is wonderful! Every time I wear it, I’m shocked that it’s not more popular in the larger market. The Plaitnum version is everywhere, but I’ve only seen the original sporadically—disheartening, really.
Guerlain Vetiver… has been on the periphery of my sniff list for ages! Gentleman is one that I haven’t even heard of—have you reviewed it? (I’ll go have a peek!)
Who knows: maybe the Dior reformulation will be really good! Personally, I’ve really been impressed by their exclusive collection releases (can’t remember what they’re calling it today), and would like a full-bottle of each and every one. Homme just may survive… **fingers crossed**
You tried Shock? I’m Shocked! It’s getting some serious buzz, so I should probably sniff it, at least for reference 🙂
I sniffed Guerlain L’Instant pour homme recently, and it was very nice. Will try it on skin soon.
As far as I remember Prada Infusion d’Iris pour homme is also worth a try.
And after watching Katie Puckrik’s review of the classic Old Spice I’ve been trying to find the eau de cologne/toilette to try.
I’ve had young SA’s look at me funny when I’ve sniffed my way through a number of men’s fragrances – somehow it must be very obvious that I’m not looking to buy a gift for a significant other.
Generally, I don’t find women’s fragrances that sexy – with notable exceptions – so I’m increasingly looking to male fragrances for that. I feel the same way as Dee – there’s something primal about the experience. And a recognition that we contain both femine and masculine qualities and that contrasts one is often most visible when combined with the other.
I love Classic Old Spice! My dad has worn it since I was a little girl, and I’ve always thought it was wonderful— I love those spicy orientals, so of course I love it 😉
Isn’t it funny how SA’s respond to Aisle Crossing? Even other shoppers will give you sideways eyes— what the big deal? I seriously doubt if anyone on the street would be able to ID an (unrecognized/non-fougere) fragrance as either masculine or femme anyway!
… that would be a cool experiment— to go to a shopping area or other public place, and ask people to sniff your wrist and determine the “gender” of the fragrance! Or really weird. Cool, or really weird 😉
My dad wore Old Spice too, and I loved it as well.
I think I might just have to buy some – I already checked, of course, and I can get it online from the UK for next to nothing. Now that would be fun – having someone take a wild guess at what perfume that was and then triumphantly proclaim: Hah! It’s Old Spice! A classic! ;-D
I did do a small experiment like the one you mention – 1 female friend and 1 male colleague. Interesting resultas. More about that in a short while 🙂
Thank you, Angie. I love rose scents as well. I’m in Denmark, which means that virtually nothing is available in stores. I’ve seen it online for sale from a private Danish seller, so when I saw you mentioning it, I was curious.
Do it! I love your Old Spice experiment; now you must pick up a bottle, for research purposes!!! 🙂
I can’t wait to hear about your interesting results…
Angie, I’m curious about Hammam Bouquet – can you say a bit about it – what’s it like? Thanks 🙂
I’ll try , it’s a dusty rose , orris and sandalwood . I am a lover of rose and powdery fragrances . I am not sure where you are but it’s probably best to request a sample . There used to be a pure perfume I believe . If I was to compare it to anything …….thinking ……..I couldn’t !
Wow, that sounds really good Angie!
I am generally more leaning towards feminine fragrances, although I wore Dior Fahrenheit in high school and loved it!
Dior Homme is great, and I really like Guerlain Vetyver.
Once it screams freshness at me though, like many men’s perfumes do, I run a mile…
Freshness, “water” or “ozone” accords send me running too! 😉
I love Guerlain Vetivier on hot summer days, and Ormonde Man is another favorite. Just bought me some Terre d’Hermes yesterday at the airport. I’m also on the lookout for Aramis, since Elena on Perfume Shrine gave the tip that it’s related to Bandit, wich I adore.
Ormonde Man! Of course! OM is stunning— I *almost* like it better than Woman…
Congratulations on your new bottle of Terre d’Hermes! I am a little bit envious 🙂
I like Ormonde Woman more than I like Man and I ‘m a guy!
Looks like I may be the rare feminine fumehead that doesn’t care much for so-called “men’s scents.” I do like Bulgari Black… but I don’t love it. When my 5ml mini is gone, I will have moved on to something else. And I think Egoiste is TERRIFIC… but not more so than, say, Mauboussin or Champagne de Bois or even vintage Dolce Vita, all of which are spicy-woodies but far less expensive.
But then, I’m always drawn to florals, whether they be green florals, floral-orientals, or floral chypres. I’m comfortable in them. And I do not care much for vetiver or classic cologne, which seems to be my sticking point with most masculines. It’s not that I won’t wear men’s stuff – just that it doesn’t really appeal.
But you peeps go ahead and have your fun. I don’t begrudge you a bit, or think that you’re strange!
In general, I prefer feminine or unisex perfumes. I’m with you on Bvlgari Black (I never realized it was considered masculine) and Terre. I also like another perfume by Hermes – Voyage. Tam Dao isn’t really masculine – love it. One of my favorite roses – Le Labo Rose 31 which is considered masculine. Cologne by Thierry Mugler. Most of the more prominently masculine scents I prefer to smell on my vSO.