02/16/2013

Coutureguru
223 Reviews

Coutureguru
Very helpful Review
8
Pushing the envelope works!!
"Coumarin is a fragrant organic chemical compound in the benzopyrone chemical class, which is a colorless crystalline substance in its standard state. It is found naturally in many plants, notably in high concentration in the tonka bean, vanilla grass, sweet woodruff '(etc. etc ...)'.The name comes from a French word, coumarou, for the tonka bean. It has a sweet odor, readily recognised as the scent of new-mown hay, and has been used in perfumes since 1882." Paraphrased from Wikipedia.
I've been wondering of late whether the immediate acquisition of Fleur du Mâle upon its launch in 2007 has caused my growing interest in cologne-like fragrances. Quite possibly so, because if anything, this fragrance with its high levels of Petitgrain, Neroli and Orange Blossom could very well be a long lasting EDC, were it not for the addition of Coumarin in its base.
Fleur du Mâle is a sweet fragrance ... but not 'toothache inducing' sweet, more like walking through an orchard on a cloudy Spring day. A vanillic milkiness is quite evident here, exacerbated by a very fragrant Chamomile note drawing the mind in the direction of tea ... a steaming cup with a spoonful of demerera and a cloud of milk :) ... quite the desired effect of Coumarin! Without this note Fleur du Mâle would probably be just another 'orange flower water' ... its addition here is simply inspired!
Even the promotional material for this fragrance, featuring an extremely handsome man submerged in a tub of cloudy water scattered with white rose petals alludes to this milkiness ... a modern day Mark Anthony at his bath?
I personally find Fleur du Mâle to be a marvellous idea and I really enjoy wearing it too. Pushing the envelope by creating a floral fragrance directed at men is a great way to break down the social taboos of gender specific fragrances, imho. I've never been one for worrying about how a fragrance is marketed, I simply wear what I like. Wouldn't it be wonderful if one didn't have to choose? Fleur du Mâle has, in true Gaultier form, wonderful sillage and longevity. I get a good 8 to 10 hours from it with sincere compliments every time I wear it.
I find that the more I sample the work of M. Kurkdjian, the more I conclude that he is a genuine genius of the modern industry. A fragrance such as this should not only be something that comes out of a bottle ... it should be a lifestyle.
I've been wondering of late whether the immediate acquisition of Fleur du Mâle upon its launch in 2007 has caused my growing interest in cologne-like fragrances. Quite possibly so, because if anything, this fragrance with its high levels of Petitgrain, Neroli and Orange Blossom could very well be a long lasting EDC, were it not for the addition of Coumarin in its base.
Fleur du Mâle is a sweet fragrance ... but not 'toothache inducing' sweet, more like walking through an orchard on a cloudy Spring day. A vanillic milkiness is quite evident here, exacerbated by a very fragrant Chamomile note drawing the mind in the direction of tea ... a steaming cup with a spoonful of demerera and a cloud of milk :) ... quite the desired effect of Coumarin! Without this note Fleur du Mâle would probably be just another 'orange flower water' ... its addition here is simply inspired!
Even the promotional material for this fragrance, featuring an extremely handsome man submerged in a tub of cloudy water scattered with white rose petals alludes to this milkiness ... a modern day Mark Anthony at his bath?
I personally find Fleur du Mâle to be a marvellous idea and I really enjoy wearing it too. Pushing the envelope by creating a floral fragrance directed at men is a great way to break down the social taboos of gender specific fragrances, imho. I've never been one for worrying about how a fragrance is marketed, I simply wear what I like. Wouldn't it be wonderful if one didn't have to choose? Fleur du Mâle has, in true Gaultier form, wonderful sillage and longevity. I get a good 8 to 10 hours from it with sincere compliments every time I wear it.
I find that the more I sample the work of M. Kurkdjian, the more I conclude that he is a genuine genius of the modern industry. A fragrance such as this should not only be something that comes out of a bottle ... it should be a lifestyle.
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