Oh, also, I'm a bit late catching up with this thread, but as a quick comment on Dior Sauvage (since Freddy and others were discussing it): I'm in the camp of folks who don't like it. Like others, I don't think it's atrocious or horrible, but I find it crassly predictable and unimaginative. It lacks depth, distinct character, sex appeal, and soul. I realize Dior was going for a big, easy, mainstream success here, but history gives us any number of hit fragrances with much more character than Sauvage (the likes of, in its time, Cool Water, or JPG Le Male, or Dior's own Fahrenheit come to mind). My experience with Sauvage is a likably but undeniably synthetic fruity opening which lasts for mere minutes before devolving into a chemical-smelling (in the way a chlorine pool is chemical-smelling) Ambroxan base with a slug of dihydromyrcenol added to keep things legibly "basic bro department store cologne." Ugh.
Honestly, once dihydromyrcenol is a main part of a composition, I'm not sure how the fragrance smells different than dozens, if not hundreds, of other forgettable men's fragrances out there. It's just that ubiquitous as an aroma-chemical at this point. That's not to say it smells BAD to most people — it doesn't, however much I personally abhor it — but it also smells very common and unimaginative. Many people do, but I don't wear fragrance just to smell "nice" or "pleasant," but instead to express a bit of spirit, fashion, personality, and indeed, a little dose of sex appeal. I find none of that in Sauvage. Even as a fun, easy wear, which is a valid category of fragrance I enjoy, it's flat and boring. So, a big pass for me.
Honestly, once dihydromyrcenol is a main part of a composition, I'm not sure how the fragrance smells different than dozens, if not hundreds, of other forgettable men's fragrances out there. It's just that ubiquitous as an aroma-chemical at this point. That's not to say it smells BAD to most people — it doesn't, however much I personally abhor it — but it also smells very common and unimaginative. Many people do, but I don't wear fragrance just to smell "nice" or "pleasant," but instead to express a bit of spirit, fashion, personality, and indeed, a little dose of sex appeal. I find none of that in Sauvage. Even as a fun, easy wear, which is a valid category of fragrance I enjoy, it's flat and boring. So, a big pass for me.
David : DE shaving since Nov 2014. Nowadays giving in to the single-edge siren call.