"Unjustly rated so 'badly.' Fresh, citrusy scent with a rhubarb kick. H/S for a fresh fragrance is definitely above average."
That - ladies and gentlemen - I wrote about nine months ago in the comment section when I acquired L'Homme Lacoste Intense. The German perfume sunny boy YouTuber rated it quite well, so I decided to give it a try. And I was actually quite convinced by this fragrance.
Rhubarb? I had never smelled that before. I’ve eaten it - doesn’t taste good, in my opinion. But the smell? Something special, unique, downright delightful. The synthetic aspect didn’t bother me. It was important to me, despite limited financial means - I’m still in school, not starving, but money isn’t exactly flowing - to smell particularly good. That’s when Versace The Dreamer and Banana Republic’s Vintage Green came in handy, after I finally got over my Boss Bottled phase, which I wore with pride - simply because I didn’t smell like Bruno Banani, like the others. And L'Homme Lacoste Intense was supposed to join these two.
At the beginning of summer, when I wanted to wear this fragrance, I diligently took my pocket money to Douglas and ordered it. This village perfumery didn’t have the scent in stock, after all. They hardly have more than Boss Bottled, JPG Le Male, and Bleu de Chanel - Le Male and Bottled for the kids, the boring Chanel for the boring bankers next door.
Two days later, I was able to pick up this fragrance. I did so during a school break. Back in the classroom, I tried it out, as everyone had to know that I was the guy who smelled so great of rhubarb and mandarin. So I sprayed one, maybe two sprays into the air.
At this point, a word about the sprayer: Clear middle class, you won’t get sprayed by a jet, but the liquid isn’t really atomized either. It does happen that the stuff runs down your neck. Funny enough, often just air comes out of the bottle.
But back to the classroom, where I sat, now completely enveloped in rhubarb and mandarin after just two sprays. Well, what can I say? This thing has power, at least at the beginning. That’s why the crocodile scent received nine points in the sillage category - nine months ago. I adjusted the longevity to that score. Seven points for Michel Girard. You’re welcome.
"It just smells like rhubarb," I heard. "She has no idea," I told myself. I gave the scent, that is, the smell itself, eight out of ten points. Why only eight, if I was so convinced? I found it quite cool, but I also knew that I had to stay realistic to avoid looking ridiculous. The Coty scent obviously doesn’t compare to a Tom Ford - Oud Wood, Creed Aventus, or Parfums de Marly - Layton.
Creed Aventus is like FC Barcelona, L'Homme Lacoste Intense is more like a regional league club after the striker has had three beers. I was aware of that; more than eight points for the scent itself was definitely not in the cards. Not if I didn’t want to look ridiculous here.
The bottle is solid - by the way, I’m writing this for the first time in the present tense. Aside from the cap and the sprayer, which I’ve already mentioned, the bottle looks quite high-quality. It doesn’t sit well in the hand, but the matte navy blue, with the shiny logo and the glossy lettering, does make an impression. If the light hits it just right, the silver crocodile even casts a small light reflection on the dresser where the fragrance was once placed. Unfortunately, this finish is a disadvantage if you want to know how much liquid is left in the bottle.
And now I have to be very strong and honest, Bamb1 (pronounced Bambi). Why did I really rate this fragrance so well?
Because it smells so great? Certainly not. A bit of rhubarb and mandarin, the rest is almost bland and indefinable.
Because the sillage is so good? Certainly not. A bit of rhubarb and mandarin in your face, then hardly noticeable after 30 minutes. Skin scent after at most an hour.
Because it lasts so long? Certainly not. Don’t get me wrong, but even the longevity is, if anything, slightly above average.
If I remember correctly, I was a bit unsure about the scent from the start. I liked this rhubarb note, even though it seems strongly synthetic - no question. But there’s a reason why the bottle is still nearly full.
The scent is simply not rounded. Just as clumsy as a drunken regional league player. A synthetic club that is initially incredibly intrusive before it then fades away in the wind. The mandarin almost burns in the nose. The rest of the scent is, as mentioned, hardly noticeable. The fragrance simply doesn’t develop. L'Homme Lacoste Intense is a single top note that, after trying it a few times, you just don’t want to wear anymore.
But after feeling like I’ve thrown 60 euros down the drain, I seem to have failed to be honest with myself and this community.
After I placed the fragrance on the dresser, I wore it maybe seven times before I didn’t touch it again. Yesterday, I noticed it already had a proud little dust coat. I had to smile and decided to write this comment. Thanks for reading :) (I’ll correct spelling mistakes over the next week; I often don’t feel like reading through what I’ve written again.)
Top Notes 
Rhubarb
Mandarin orange
Heart Notes 
Black pepper
Ginger
Base Notes 
Akigalawood®
Cedar
Cypriol
Vetiver
Mika29
Makeinen
Ojavierm
Zebra782
Topfpflanze3
DPArtist
ParfumAholic
Jerry73
Emko47
DaveGahan101
