Scent hound?

Big Swifty · Post by **Big Swifty** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:05 am

Hello gents,
It's funny how my AD's keep switching from one category to another, I mean when I first switched to DE wetshaving I covered my bases with the basics of each group. Then RAD kicked in and I thought I was going to be a "collector". I rummaged through antique stores buying anything that remotely looked like a nice razor. I scanned ebay waiting for auctions to come to a close and bid frantictly (usually losing). Then I ordered a Merkur slant and it became my favourite razor by far so I decided I would be no collector and I started to sell off my razors one by one and now I just have a select few.
From the get-go I didn't get bit by BAD because I had a nice brush (Rooney super 3/1) and it worked fine so I didn't really concern myself with it, although I do have a Simpsons Duke #3 in best on its way.

I have also had a go with SSAD ordering anything that had great reviews and sounded interesting. I feel though that I have enough soaps to satisfy my shaving needs and I will buy refills of them when the need persists. I really do love all of the Harris soaps.
So for a while I have been good and not buying much and selling some stuff off and having my AD's in check...until now. I feel I am becoming a fragrance slut once more. In the 80's when I was in high school and just out I must have had about 25 bottles of cologne...Polo (green & crest), Paco Rabanne, Grey flannel, Joop, fahrenheit, Eternity, Antaeus, Egoiste, Aramis, Obssesion, Lagerfeld, New west, Chaps, Tuscany, Drakkar etc etc (basically the trendy dept. store stuff). At some point in the early to mid nineties I just lost interest in colognes and I got rid of all of em' except for Old Spice aftershave that I have used for years.
After becoming a member of this forum I have recharged my interest in shaving and certainly colognes. I have read about and found out about so many different brands that I would not know even existed had it not be for this forum. I have read so many interesting threads about scents and it makes me want to try all of em'. You guys are all enablers and I thank you highly for it though I am not going to drop names of the culprits...Chris, Michael, Gordon, Mike, Sam, Tony, Bill, Reg, Bruno, David (in Plano), Doug, Andrew, Gareth, Dominic, And so on and so on.
Because of you guys there is just so much I want to try but where to begin? I already have some nice stuff but I still want to sniff stuff by: Floris, C&S, Penhaligon's, Trumper, Taylors, Hermes, Guerlain, Caron, L'artisan, Creed, Diptyque, C-M, Crown, R&G , Santa Maria Novella etc etc. Where to begin? at least it will be a fun journey becoming a scent hound once more.
Thanx guys

Occam · Post by **Occam** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:13 am

Like some of your ADs have been curbed by having something nice to begin with I think that I've avoided the CAD by finding two scents that I am completely satisfied with...

Tabac EDT
Burberry Brit

They are very complimentary though dissimilar. The Tabac is addictive in and of itself and long lasting. One of those old time scents that is very masculine and fortunately is not common these days esp. here where it isn't sold at all!

If you've liked Old Spice for years then I'd bet that you'll absolutely love Tabac EDT; I like the EDT and the EDC but the former is just that bit better to my nose. I spray some on even when I'm not going out... it's the kind of scent that I consider mainly for me and not others... very selfish yes but it's an awesome scent!

the_prince · Post by **the_prince** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:15 pm

CAD is rather different from other forms of acquisition disorder transmittable by this board. The advantage of Cologne acquisition disorder is that others can also enjoy and appreciate your fragrances.

No one will know that you shaved with the very expensive C & S No. 88 shaving soap but they might get a whiff of your scent and thoroughly enjoy it.

I wear cologne for my own satisfaction and find it helps give me a boost and uplifts my spirits throughout the day. However, it also brings me joy when a colleague/friend compliments and enjoys the fragrance I am wearing.

Hoos · Post by **Hoos** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:25 pm

I'm sending you a PM regarding Penhaligon's samples (courtesy of Gareth).

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:12 pm

Steve, dear oh dear I see that I am 'named and shamed' as one of the enablers. We like to...um...help people along.....

Although I have invariably gone through all of the acquisition disorders at some point, the one which I have stuck with and taken most satisfaction and pleasure from is the Colognes and EDTs. I enjoy wearing them and exploring the different scents and concoctions and it has become a 'hobby' in itself really.

I've barely scratched the surface of what is available, but when you do start to use such high quality Colognes, it does make you realise how much dross there really is out there. I'm much more appreciative now.

tonyespo · Post by **tonyespo** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:40 pm

Steve, I blame GORDON and GORDON alone for my cologne expense account. I was very happy with my department store colognes until he started referring to them as swill, appalling, atrocious, awful, dreadful, frightful, ghastly, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrendous, horrid, horrifying, lurid, macabre, smelling concoctions. So I tried Floris Santal. That was my first high end cologne. WOW!!! I was hooked and next came various Taylors, Floris, Creed, Knize, Pecksniff"s, Brooks Brothers, Dunhill, to name a few. What I enjoy about cologne collecting and wearing is that you see the results. When you go to the dentist and your hygienist has to call all the other hygienist into her room to smell you because you smell so good it's all worth it. I'm love the attention wearing the GOOD STUFF gets me.

Thank you Gordon and American Express thanks you also.

Hoos · Post by **Hoos** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:46 pm

It appears I'm an oddball.

I'm trying to catch CAD or EdTAD. The Penhaligon's scent library, several samplers from the Perfumed Court, several bottles of Floris and T&H and I am poorer. But not enamored.

Maybe the right scent hasn't caught my nose yet. Yes, they're all fine scents. None of them give me headaches (well, some of the newer fragrances from The Perfumed Court do). None of them curl my nose hairs (in a good way). The Penhaligon's Castile same oh so close. Then it turned to petrol. Sigh.

Thankfully, I shower daily.

The Truthinator · Post by **The Truthinator** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:48 pm

Hoos wrote:I'm sending you a PM regarding Penhaligon's samples (courtesy of Gareth).

Where can I get some Penhaligon's samples? Steve???

drumana · Post by **drumana** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:41 pm

CAD is my current favorite Acquisition Disorder, without a doubt.

Esoteric83 · Post by **Esoteric83** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:49 pm

I agree, despite limited resources due to the gestapo-like Canadian customs and the pitiful, well Ottawa in general...

I love scents. For me, I can have the shave of a lifetime and would mean squat without finishing with a scent that wears well on me.

Big Swifty · Post by **Big Swifty** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:52 pm

Well yesterday I was in Neiman-Marcus sniffing some colognes and I decided to pull the trigger on one. I know the scent puritans will scoff at me because it is a Dept. store cologne but I love it anyway. The scent in question is Terre D' Hermes and I can't get enough of it. I am no good at describing scents But I would have to say earthiness plus a hint of citris and a little bit of heaven, Did I already say that I loved it? I have read elsewhere that Chris is not too big of a fan and Gordon is probably laughing at me but what are you gonna do?

p.s. Thanx Andrew for the turn on~

Hoos · Post by **Hoos** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:56 pm

Terre d'Hermes has intrigued me from other folks' descriptions. Same as yours: dirt and oranges. More or less.

Maybe I'll run up to Needless Markup and check out their men's fragrances tomorrow. Nordstrom's selection has not impressed me (unless you like Burberry, Creed, and some of the newer lines).

D.Irving79 · Post by **D.Irving79** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:42 pm

im slowly catching on. lime and various other citrus scents are going to be the first of my explorations being spring is coming up.

there is a couple dept. store scents i will be hanging onto though to be honest.

drumana · Post by **drumana** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:54 pm

there is a couple dept. store scents i will be hanging onto though to be honest.

. . . not for long

Yup. That's a challenge. . .

D.Irving79 · Post by **D.Irving79** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:59 pm

drumana wrote:
there is a couple dept. store scents i will be hanging onto though to be honest.
. . . not for long Yup. That's a challenge. . .

hahahaha.

i accept

Lou · Post by **Lou** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:06 pm

I agree that CAD is the most likely AD, and I've become quite interested in finding my signature scent(s). I want to sample as much as I can, and I've already developed a method for approaching a contender so I don't end up with purchases I'll later regret.

First I get a paper strip sample and walk around for about a half an hour with it (usually more than one at a time) and see how it develops. If it gets me swooning by that point, I'll go back and get a sample spray on my arm and leave. I'll spend the rest of the day seeing how it develops, then make my final decision. As I said, I'm looking for signature scents that fit me like a glove. If the fragrance absolutely blows me away, I'll go back another day and get it. I thought having a woman at work smell the sample paper would be another good phase of the test, but I've grown away from that. Fragrances like Floris 89 and Antaeus showed me that my special scents will leave me 100% certain.

tonyespo · Post by **tonyespo** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:21 pm

Lou and others, what the scent smells like on a paper test strip isn't going to be an accurate appraisal of what it will smell like on you. Our body temperature and oils change the fragrance. I have even noticed with the Knize that it smells differently on me on different days depending on the temperature. When you find that day when all the stars align and it is perfect take note of all the conditions.

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:31 pm

Tony said what I was thinking, Creed Bois du Portugal on a strip was nice, ok even, but on me it is great.

southpaw · Post by **southpaw** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:31 pm

And the question all of us noobs want answered is:

Where can we get samples of these?

TIA, Michael

Lou · Post by **Lou** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:07 pm

tonyespo wrote:Lou and others, what the scent smells like on a paper test strip isn't going to be an accurate appraisal of what it will smell like on you.

I understand. I sometimes wonder if I'm missing good fragrances for me by not testing more of them on my skin. But I don't want to have two scents on me at a time, which leaves me with the occasional difficult choice. I'd never buy a fragrance based on the paper strip alone, and I do try to eventually make my way back around to skin-testing the almost-there fragrances. For example, I found a bottle of Equipage and was intrigued by the strip, but I was wearing a sample of Tuscany. I plan to go back this week and skin-test the Equipage (if it's still there). Rolling the dice and buying it without a skin test just isn't my thing. Then there are colognes that on paper are so far from what I like that they drop off my list right there, maybe to be skin tested later if the opportunity presents itself.

I do look for sample vials, but availability seems to be quite limited at brick and mortar shops (at least the ones I frequent).