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Relax 1990 Eau de Toilette

Ranked 353 in Men's Perfume
8.2 / 10 382 Ratings
A popular perfume by Davidoff for men, released in 1990. The scent is spicy-woody. The longevity is above-average. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Spicy
Woody
Green
Sweet
Fresh

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
SpearmintSpearmint TagetesTagetes BergamotBergamot LavenderLavender LemonLemon TarragonTarragon
Heart Notes Heart Notes
HeliotropeHeliotrope LaurelLaurel VetiverVetiver AniseedAniseed CarnationCarnation GeraniumGeranium JasmineJasmine PatchouliPatchouli RosemaryRosemary
Base Notes Base Notes
Tonka beanTonka bean AmberAmber BenzoinBenzoin MossMoss VanillaVanilla LeatherLeather PatchouliPatchouli
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Ratings
Scent
8.2382 Ratings
Longevity
8.2297 Ratings
Sillage
7.8292 Ratings
Bottle
7.1293 Ratings
Value for money
7.578 Ratings
Submitted by MartinGE · last update on 02/15/2026.
Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Relax (After Shave) by Davidoff
Relax After Shave
Restful by The Dua Brand
Restful
Gula by Memoize
Gula
Green After Shave by Don Draper
Green After Shave
Deep Forest (Eau de Toilette) by Bogner
Deep Forest Eau de Toilette
Background (Eau de Toilette) by Jil Sander
Background Eau de Toilette

Reviews

43 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Drseid

828 Reviews
Drseid
Drseid
1  
Relaxed Standards...
Relax opens with tonka bean sweetened spearmint supported by grassy tarragon spice before transitioning to its heart. As the composition enters its early heart, the mint remains, now supporting an emergent prominent mossy green oakmoss that takes the fore, with additional aromatic patchouli and thyme-like bay leaf spice support. During the late dry-down, the composition morphs to a relatively dry, slightly powdery vanilla and amber focus as the mint and spice vacate, leaving remnants of the patchouli in support through the finish. Projection is below average, and longevity on the low side of average at around 7 hours on skin.

Relax is the kind of composition that can easily be overlooked. On the positive side it smells relatively good with its rare, sweet mint focus not too unlike the Edouard Flechier composed Jean Luc Amsler Homme that came out a full decade later. That said, unlike the latter that in many ways is superior smelling by adding an interesting cucumber note to the mix, Relax starts out near equally impressive, but has a very ho-hum late dry-down with equally disappointing performance metrics. Maybe in 1990 when it was the only choice of the two to be had I might have found Relax more compelling, but nowadays it just seems to be a "good enough" release from thirty years ago that didn't distinguish itself enough then, and even less-so now. The bottom line is the long-since discontinued $300 per 75ml bottle on the aftermarket Relax is a "good" 3 stars out of 5 rated effort, but it comes nowhere near close to distinguishing itself from its 90's peers (and Jean Luc Amsler Homme) to justify a recommendation to seek it out at any price (let alone the crazy cost it currently commands).
Updated on 10/05/2020
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Can777

257 Reviews
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Can777
Can777
Top Review 73  
Faunus
Anyone who remembers the bottle from Relax knows that there was always a small faun, Pan, or satyr on the back of the bottle and the packaging. Why that was or is remains a mystery of Davidoff. On the other hand, one can draw various comparisons to a faun when one knows or gets to know the scent. A faun could, if it existed, smell like this! The faun, or Faunus, is the protector of the forests and nature. When looking at old pictures or statues, this forest spirit or deity of antiquity is usually depicted as very relaxed, chilled, or laid-back. And relaxed is exactly what Relax by Davidoff truly is!

Relax
After a relatively short, cool introduction of freshly crushed mint and ethereal lavender and anise, Relax quickly gets to the point and shows what it has to offer. What always characterized Relax in those days was a maximum dose of heliotrope, which was often compared to woodruff in this context. At the time, in the late 80s and early 90s, this was highly unusual for a men's fragrance. Once the heliotrope comes into play, Relax becomes sweeter but never too sweet. The marzipan-like heliotrope is complemented by spicy-floral accents. Notes of masculine, herbaceous geranium and pungent, spicy clove weave through the scent like a fabric of spicy-wild greens. A humid-warm and earthy patchouli grounds the fragrance further and makes Relax darker and deeper. Warm, mossy nuances and golden-brown, spicy tones of tonka and creamy-sweet benzoin ultimately give Relax an incredibly beautiful, attractive, and deep-green warmth and aura. Associations of mysterious and relaxing forests, jungles, or oases quickly come to mind!

Conclusion
I find myself reaching for Relax almost every Sunday when I want things to be cozy and snug since I got it back. It has something incredibly calming and delivers on its promise. Relax radiates a very pleasant aura of sweet-green, spicy-earthy, and soft-warm warmth. The scent is incredibly chilling and also very attractive and seductive. Relax is immensely cuddly and almost warm-hearted, maintaining a calm, soft-harmonious pace. There are no hard edges or corners. Everything is smooth and very fluidly crafted. Its longevity is very good, accompanying one almost all day for many hours. The sillage is normal to strong depending on the dosage and always well perceivable. Those who still own this emerald-green oasis from Davidoff can consider themselves very lucky. Unfortunately, it is no longer available. Many men (and certainly women) still mourn its loss today, which I can understand very well. A fragrance that would still be contemporary, successful, and more than wearable today if it still existed. Fortunately, I managed to get a bottle and now do what a faun does best. Retreat into my emerald-green oasis and,....relax!..;)

When man has found peace, he acts.
- Francesco Petrarca -
51 Comments
Sonny94

51 Reviews
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Sonny94
Sonny94
Less helpful Review 14  
99 Cents at Kaufland
Many mourn a fragrance that has been discontinued. It's like with everything in life. A personality dies, and suddenly everyone behaves as if they were best friends, as if this was the most important person. Hypocrites!

With fragrances, it's similar, no, exactly the same.

Relax by Davidoff must have been a super little scent. Anyway, one day I got a decant because I was tempted by the comments.

When I received it, I thought to myself, "Is this supposed to be the best Davidoff fragrance?"
Nothing special about this scent, just your average 0815 like Cool Water or Boss Bottled, well, it is a bit better.
But it is far from being truly stunning. It just smells too linear, too boring over time, not playful enough, even to say, sleep-inducing. I do like woodruff and with vanilla on top, I also enjoy that. But wanting to smell it for 7 hours along with a piercing, somewhat annoying note (no, it hasn't gone off, it doesn't smell off) really isn't necessary.

Enough negativity, it's not that bad, it's just nothing special; I would place it in the solid midfield.

I can absolutely understand why it was discontinued and Cool Water wasn't!
Insider tip: go buy woodruff pudding with vanilla sauce at Kaufland and slather yourself with it, it has the same effect and you'll save a ton of money!
16 Comments
Leimbacher

2877 Reviews
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Leimbacher
Leimbacher
Top Review 23  
Most Likely the Best Discontinued Men's Fragrance of All Time
Actually, Relax would be a candidate for a smooth review, perhaps for the 1000th comment... I hold it in such high regard and it is rightly mourned. I am extremely glad to have it now as a 75 ml perfume in my collection - months ago, the mini version I bought on a whim blew me away. I need to test both the large and small versions again in direct comparison, but somehow the mini seems more intense to me. However, it could just be the enthusiasm in my memory from 3 months ago, as I had rarely smelled something so balsamic and beautiful, and now I knew what to expect and my expectations were correspondingly high.

What makes the scent so special, I can't say exactly; it lies somewhere between Zino and Cool Water in a humid, paradisiacal rainforest. It is balsamic, spicy, green, powdery, thick, sweaty, and sweet. A somewhat different but similar interpretation of the Epic Man theme. Lemon, lavender, and mint create a interplay that frees the mind from all burdens and is incredibly relaxing. Exactly fitting to the name and better than a long hot foam rose bath followed by a massage. The scent is laid-back but still masculine and very warm. Cozy, cool, and full of contrasts. A dream of a fragrance that I would trade without hesitation against all the new releases of the last 5 years. And one shouldn't expect such a thing from Davidoff anymore! The scent is rough yet liqueur-like, also reminiscent of a green version of Rochas Lui. Vanilla, benzoin, and moss with a hint of leather clearly form the last part of this extinct masterpiece. A blend that you must test; it is hard to describe. Another scent that reminded me a bit of Relax was Bogner's Deep Forest.

The bottle is a typical Davidoff and inconspicuous, almost ugly. The famous Pan on the box is, however, a nice gimmick/insider. The sillage is definitely there, but in my opinion, it is rated a bit too high. For me, the scent remains a relaxation fragrance for leisure, not a scent for going out. It has a good longevity of at least 9 hours, perhaps even double digits.

For me, the best Davidoff fragrance, which even makes Cool Water and Zino look old. There is nothing comparable, no substitute - just sorrow, melancholy, and even despair. Those who own an untainted specimen can, of course, mourn in deep relaxation and enjoy this scent from time to time. But sorrow must also be present, as it is one of the lost pearls of fragrance history. No ifs and buts.

Relax & enjoy!
14 Comments
Isobarik

2 Reviews
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Isobarik
Isobarik
Top Review 22  
First Try - Lucky Shot - The Fragrance for Life
I... I am attached to the bottle. It is green.

It has been about 25 years now, we are in the year 1991, when I stood, at 18 still quite young, in one of the turquoise perfumeries of this world. And I wanted nothing less than my very first fragrance. Cool Water was everywhere, especially in the summer; it was nearly impossible to move in public without being attacked by a Cool Water scent cloud.

I must confess, however, that at that time I did not yet know that what was occasionally penetrating my nose was Cool Water. Now, Cool Water itself is not bad, but the frequency of its occurrence, when I would have preferred a bit of individuality, was too much for me. Well. Important decisions need to be well thought out, so I had read a bit about perfumes beforehand and thus knew that one can only truly evaluate a fragrance after having worn it on the skin for a while.

So there I stood, and while I was still struggling for orientation, someone rushed towards me - I had never seen anyone so heavily made up in the wild before - and asked me what I desired.
I briefly outlined the situation, and upon repeated inquiries about whether I was perhaps looking for a gift, we ended up in front of the Davidoff shelf. I found this quite appealing because I recognized the logo from my cigarette pack. Promptly, a test strip with Cool Water was held under my nose, and I recoiled. The lady apparently did not expect this reaction and looked confused. I explained the reason for my reaction, she nodded knowingly, and then - then she reached back into the shelf and this time it was…

…Relax. Wooooooosh. I closed my eyes, and somehow the sounds in the background blurred into a soft murmur. To this day, I hope I only stood there for a few seconds; when I opened my eyes again, the store was still open, and the young lady was still in front of me, looking at me expectantly with her gray eyes (after all, she hadn’t fetched a chair yet…). Cool Water? Quite ordinary in comparison.
Hoarsely, I inquired about the possibility of getting a spray on my skin (for the record: left wrist) and left the store.

…Two hours and some kilometers later in the city center…

Relax and my skin seemed to have entered a symbiotic connection. It was as if something was now there that had always belonged there. At that time, I could only theoretically understand terms like top, heart, and base notes, but this - this was it. So I returned and placed 69 Marks on the counter. The beginning of a great, albeit purchasable love.
The product range was almost immeasurable, from shaving foam and pre-electric lotion (the latter unnecessary, which gentleman shaves dry?), to aftershave, deodorant spray & stick, shower gel; I seem to remember having also owned a bath additive, but perhaps I just repurposed the shower gel. And then the "Ultimate Body Moisture," which once shattered on the bathroom tiles, the plastic bottle broke, and the floor must have felt very well cared for.
At some point in the late nineties, the bottle design changed, the flatter version came onto the market, and I believe that the scent changed a bit back then. In direct comparison, the old version always seems a bit rounder and warmer to me - perhaps that is also due to age (whether mine or the bottle's...?).

At some point in the early 2000s, then came the shock: No longer available. Now, a life without Relax is possible and not necessarily meaningless, but significantly less beautiful. So I had to be frugal with the remaining stock. Then, around 2005, there was another surge in stores - and by 2006/7, that supply was also over.
Everything that came later from Davidoff never reached this magnitude. Somehow, with the namesake's passing in 1994, the spirit of the house also died. "Zino" has apparently also been discontinued, but is still available. And yes, for a brief liaison, the still available Cool Water is quite nice. Classic, also great. But the younger ones? Vade retro...

Relax, that is still my signature scent to this day, at least I know that now. Nothing has ever come under my nose again that has excited me so immediately and for so long. And so I silently thank the young lady with the gray eyes and heavily made-up face for this gift to this day. The same lady later helped me find Jil Sander Man (later called Feeling Man), but that is another story.
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Statements

83 short views on the fragrance
4
Aromatic, spicy, woody, green, sweet. The opening is fresh with mint. Then, slightly floral and patchouli. Vanilla and tonka in the drydown.
0 Comments
1
The best Davidoff scent(the second is ZINO).Fresh,green,spicy,woody,leathery,manly,versatille,classic!Very sorry they discontinued it...
0 Comments
11 months ago
1
Anisic-fruity synthetic abstract perfume composed by none other than Almairac. Strong patchouli too.
0 Comments
4 years ago
1
Sweet amberish spiciness that can be regarded as timeless when compared to present day blends of the time.
0 Comments
1
Dosent smell dated at all. I would describe it as aromatic/sweet. Its not that often that you encounter a versatile frag that is not blue
0 Comments
39
35
Standing before a moss-covered coast
Looking at the blue sea
Taking a puff of my herbal Davidoff
Anise-clove spicy vapor
Tonka delight
Relaxing
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35 Comments
31
22
Back then, almost indifferent
Today, genius
A more original mint-woodruff fresh accord
Over clove & flower harmony
&
Spicy benzoin-tonka bass
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22 Comments
24
14
Back then
Summer tasted like mint
Herbs grew bitter in the meadow
We were
In resin-tinted glasses
The earth was moss
The sky vanilla
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14 Comments
24
27
My garden herb soil is getting mineral amber water and volcanic ash from Vesuvius today to get rid of the soap moss!
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27 Comments
24
15
Deep relaxation for the nose and soul! Anise, tonka, and heliotrope. Paired with spicy cloves and geraniums. A spicy green-mossy oasis!
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15 Comments
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