DerOlfaktor

When I evaluate fragrances, I always ask myself the question: Which of the fragrances you own would come closest to the expectations and description of the test candidate?
For some fragrances, this question cannot be answered, as they are too unique.
For Bleu de Chanel, I chose the Eau pour Homme by Armani, which was released a year earlier. They represent the same scent directions, only where Bleu de Chanel is supposed to be aquatic, the Armani goes in a green direction.

Both fragrances start with citrus notes, with those of the Armani simply being more beautiful, more enjoyable, and rounder in their composition. The citrus note of Bleu de Chanel is sharper and more piercing, and one can sense that it and the EdT are prototypes of a new generation of fragrances that embody freshness and have their own character.
The point, however, is that fresh and fresh are not necessarily the same. The freshness that confronts me with Bleu de Chanel is the freshness that I associate more with cleanliness and correctness. Everything is tidy, everything is in its place, the bathroom window is open and shines with a masterful glow, the terms and conditions under the contract have been acknowledged and checked.

And then something quite peculiar happens: After an hour, the lemon closes its briefcase, stands up, pushes the chair under the table, puts on its coat, and leaves the scene - even before one can call after it: “Stay a while, you are (not) so beautiful!”
What happens now, I would describe as monotony and boredom. The expectation is that now the sandalwood will take the stage and perform its role flawlessly.

But not today and not here!
Bleu de Chanel is listed here among men's fragrances as one of THE sandalwood fragrances. Perhaps New Caledonian sandalwood differs significantly from my experiences with this wood, but what is primarily perceived is the scent of liquid body soap, enlivened by an aromatic substance in its perception. Perhaps it was the Bleu de Chanel line that swung wide open the door to this new sequence of so-called shower gel fragrances. The series was a trendsetter.

The Armani does not exhibit this characteristic. Through its spices and herbs, it shows significantly more harmony and the strength that I also expect from a men's fragrance. Its greatest strength, however, is that the ingredients can be distinguished - perhaps not all individually, but as a whole, it remains a fragrance with a distinctly spicy character. Moreover, it transitions to the woody base better.
What Bleu de Chanel EdP lacks is expressiveness. It wants to please and be everyone's favorite. No edges, no corners. A fragrance that has had its resistance coefficient reduced and minimized - just like the cars on our roads today. It is not a DS, it is more of a C5 Aircross.

I gave it another chance the next day and initially tested it alone. The same thing happened as the day before. After 1 to 1½ hours, the lemon stood up again, closed the briefcase, and so on.

In my desperation, I wanted to know now. I wanted to layer the fragrance with a sandalwood scent that represents sandalwood for me. I could have chosen the reference from Chanel, but against Égoïste, Bleu de Chanel would have been overshadowed. Moreover, Égoïste corresponds entirely to a different scent direction. So, I chose a pure and clean representative of the sandalwood category, the Sandalwood from ToOBS - which is just a Cologne. And indeed, one can elevate the character of the fragrance and push it more in the direction of sandalwood. But after 2 to 3 hours, the character of a shower gel is once again clearly recognizable.

As I always seek a metaphor from the world of fine arts, I found myself lingering on Tucholsky's Eyes in the Big City (1930):

When you go to work
in the early morning,
when you stand at the train station
with your worries:
there the city shows
you asphalt-smooth
in the funnel of humanity
millions of faces:
Two strange eyes, a brief glance,
the brow, pupils, the eyelids -
What was that? perhaps your happiness...
gone, blown away, never again.

With a recurring approach every 76 years, Halley's Comet is classified as a so-called short-period comet. Its last perihelion and thus its closest approach to Earth occurred in February 1986. About 2 years ago, it was at aphelion, the farthest distance from Earth - meaning it will return!
Well, I don't experience such long intervals with the use of the Eau de Toilette Fahrenheit; however, the scent is one of those that I use over longer periods and then not again. I bought my last version about 7 years ago and still found it good, but there was no successor when the bottle ran low. Perhaps my sense of smell had gotten used to something else - LVHM also did its part to make the scent less memorable.

But since I can't let go of distinctive and defining fragrances, I wanted to know for sure. After long searching and browsing, I finally found a version from 2002 - and at a very acceptable price. Thus, it is no longer the first 1st line (1988-2002), but probably belongs to the second version (2002-2005) and is therefore one of the two shortest-lived variants. I base my information on the website "Raiders of the Lost Scent," which I use as a reference. I like to use this source and have compiled my Chanel Égoïste collection according to its specifications.

When Fahrenheit was launched in 1988, it was probably a novelty and perhaps even a sensation. Due to the political climate, it was out of reach for me; I only got to know it in the 90s, the last decade of the last century. When I started my professional life, it was one of the fragrances I bought. At the same time, the year 1988 marked another turning point - or rather a fork in the road. Davidoff launched Cool Water and thus opened a new facet, a new direction. Armani followed later and had tremendous success with it. In any case, I interpret the year 1988 as a point where the then-existing and well-known perfume brands began to go their separate ways. Chanel - Égoïste, Dior - Fahrenheit, Cartier - Pasha, and later YSL's Opium - the brands suddenly differentiated themselves from each other. Just 10 years earlier, there was a certain harmony - with some exceptions for YSL.

Fahrenheit is associated with its legendary gasoline scent as a brand emblem. Responsible for this impression are the effects of the fragrance ingredients Vertofix (ISO E Super) and Folion. There is a very good article on the sister site to Parfumo, written by a Russian chemist named Matvey Yudov, which goes into great detail about the effects of Folion in Fahrenheit. I can only highly recommend reading this article.
Folion is responsible for our association of this scent with the smell of violet and cucumber. Anyone who thinks about it a bit - as I did - comes to the realization that these are the two scents that give Fahrenheit its distinctive character. Gasoline versus the combination of violet/cucumber - I tend towards the latter. This ingredient was reduced in concentration to below 10 percent of its original concentration in the following years. Unfortunately, the article does not specify when this happened and over what time period. And one more thing: The same ingredient was also used in Cool Water. Even today, the violet scent can still be perceived in it. However, there it has a - in my view - cardboard-like note. A bit like wet cardboard. Green Irish Tweed has implemented the violet scent much better.

So I opened and tested my old new acquisition and was very pleased with the outcome of the test. There it was again, my old perception of this scent - just as I originally remembered it. Violet, that light smell of cucumber water, and finally the leather. From memory, this scent from 2002 is better than the one I bought about 7 years ago.

But as it often is with people. Having read that the ingredients were dimmed early in their concentration, the doubt of ignorance nags: So how was it back then?

So, back to the internet and on the hunt for the original version. Not quite as cheap but on the edge of acceptable, I then bought a version from 1989! It arrived at the beginning of the week.
Even though the differences between the 1st and 2nd versions are not like night and day; you can tell that in the span of the 13 years in between, the scent was altered. The original version is already very strong. Someone wrote in the statements that the secret of this scent lies in its dosage. That is completely correct. Two sprays in the neck area and the day becomes significantly brighter.

Now I wanted to know for sure. So, on my way home yesterday evening, I went to the perfumery and sprayed the current version on the back of my hand for testing. The good news is that it still retains its distinctiveness. The second good news is that I felt from memory that the new scent tested yesterday was better than the version I last purchased in retail about 7 years ago. I found a comment on Fragrantica stating that the versions from 2022 onwards had regained some strength in expression. If that were the case, it would be delightful. This also explains the reference to Halley's Comet: Sometimes they come back!

In the end, it should be noted that Dior ventured into new territory with Fahrenheit in 1988, and there were now men's fragrances that did not always offer the standard chords of Chypre and Fougère. This period between the late 80s and early 90s was characterized by the new, by new paths, by the broadening of the fragrance horizon. One can lament or celebrate the development, especially of the last 1 ½ decades, but before that, the fragrances were thematically broader. In the niche segment, this may certainly be different. In any case, I would wish for more thematic breadth in today's mass market of designer fragrances.

Finally, one last note: To learn a bit about the mechanisms of scent perception, I acquired the books "Riechstoffe und Geruchssinn" and "Scent and Chemistry" by the author Günther Ohloff, who was the development manager at Firmenich at the time. The first book was published in German in 1990, and the second book was released in its latest edition in English in 2022. The book quickly delves into the technical aspects. Nevertheless, one can research well there which ingredients make a particular scent so characteristic. I enjoy using both works to become a bit wiser in this regard. One thing remains clear: Organic chemistry was already complex in the times of Fahrenheit.

DerO: Hey, what's wrong?
SSP: Nothing.
DerO: I don't believe you. So, spill it!
SSP: I'm thinking about my life.
DerO: And?
SSP: I should have done more with myself.
DerO: Why?
SSP: When I came into the world in 2008, many eyes and high expectations were on me.
DerO: Not everything is within your control.
SSP: Yes, but … look at Uncle Zino. Over forty years in the business, he’s still being sold and his ratings are clearly above mine.
DerO: Times change. I think you are Uncle Zino's favorite nephew - even if he has never said it.
SSP: Yes, but all the other relatives too.
DerO: Ha, Memories are made of this. In hindsight, things always get romanticized. With educated and strict people who have taught others something in life, the softness of age always prevails in the end.
SSP: Softness of age? I've been called “gray strands” in the reviews here!
DerO: People are mistaken and often biased and fickle in their opinions - and they are poor observers.

…

DerO: Do you remember where and when we first met?
SSP: Yes, it was in the drugstore. I was placed at the very bottom.
DerO: That's right! And I almost overlooked you - and what would have been even worse - almost missed your scent. One Million and Le Male were the kings in the room - and it smelled like that too.
SSP: And why me?
DerO: Let's call it the sixth sense. One Million and Le Male looked like clowns in their bottles - made for those who never grow up. You stood there in your suit and had style.
SSP: … but there was the other one …
DerO: The imitator? YSL lost a lot of prestige with me back then, and no one from that house has made it into my collection since. Besides, it smelled like burnt plastic.
Look at it this way, it started with Zino and closed the circle with you. You are the safe bet.
SSP: And all the others in your collection?
DerO: Love is indivisible - but you have grown dear to my heart. Over the many years we have known each other, my love for you has only grown. And I promise you one thing: My collection will get smaller over the years. But you will always be my companion. No other scent have I gifted my father so often. And when I occasionally brought home another fragrance, he thanked me - but I knew he expected something different. I then corrected my mistake.
SSP: Really?
DerO: Turn around! What do you see there?
SSP: One, two, three … eight. We are eight! We are octuplets!
DerO: I told you: You stay with me.

…

DerO: So, how do you feel now?
SSP: Better, much better!
DerO: Now come into my arms!

As a wet shaver, I use a range of aftershaves, each of which has a corresponding Eau de Toilette. This applies to Égoïste, Eau Sauvage, Agua de Coimbra, Old Spice, and Sandalwood by ToOBS. So, those who know the respective Eaux de Toilette also know how the corresponding aftershave smells. Depending on the season (or mood), the mentioned aftershaves are used in rotation.

However, I also have a fondness for fragrances that have a strong, earthy character. For me, this includes scents that contain patchouli, vetiver, and all forms of moss. Anyone familiar with fragrances like Zino, the old Pour Homme, or Rive Gauche by YSL, or even Macassar, surely knows the aura of these perfumes when the last third of their stage performance and role begins - just before the scent leaves the room through the door. Then, this slightly sour but still pleasant scent rises from the clothing and neck area, where one only dares to slowly inhale through the nose, hoping that this will make the effect last particularly long.
Ultimately, I have solidified the fixed idea of finding the king among these scents. However, since I have not yet found such an EdT from my own experience, I stumbled upon this colleague, which is only available as an Après Rasage. I bought it directly from the manufacturer, who specializes in hair and beard care products. By the way, I was surprised that not a single scent or aftershave from this manufacturer has been reviewed here so far.
So it was a blind purchase, and I hoped for a good catch.

I received a scent with vetiver and moss - but not in the way one might imagine. Yes, yes, it is vetiver - but it is not the blades, it is the root. The aftershave smells as if you have yanked the plant along with its root out of the ground, stuffed it into an Erlenmeyer flask, and distilled it with the addition of alcohol and water or subjected it to steam reforming. There is no brightening, as occurs in Terre d'Hermès Eau Intense Vétiver with the addition of bergamot.

Anyone who applies this scent does so for themselves. After application, the hands smell as if you have been digging in the earth and have stumbled upon the first oil-bearing layers. This scent almost smells like machine oil, so strong is the impression of earth and humus - and humus is important for soil health! What is mentioned as components of the scent is indeed present. After initially being very surprised, I have grown quite fond of the water in the meantime.
This can happen when you get what you were looking for. The scent is not sent by heaven; it comes directly from the devil. As an old song goes:

“We loved each other like there was no tomorrow.
Then he came, and we didn’t know what to do.”

For me, the journey in search of an earthy scent ends at this point. There is no more earthly center than this.
I have seen that the company Le Père Lucien has just released a new aftershave Santal. If it contains sandalwood like the earth in vetiver, then the next purchase is a given.

I would like to mention the care aspect of the aftershave - the most important aspect of an aftershave. You can apply the aftershave without grimacing. It does not sting, and the moisturizing effect is very good. Normally, I rinse my face with cold water after shaving and dry it with a towel - and only after 2 to 5 minutes do I apply an aftershave. Here, I do not do this. The skin relaxes immediately after use, and a light film of oil settles on the cheeks, which lasts a long time. However, one must be a bit careful: if, for example, you feign interest and appreciation in meetings by resting your chin on your hand, your hand will smell of earth for half the day. My two bottles that I ordered must have been freshly filled. In any case, the alcohol had not completely managed to dissolve all the oil components, and a small bead of oil was still rolling around at the bottom. They have almost disappeared by now.

The last two notes are about the price and the bottle.
The price is very fair, especially compared to the initially mentioned aftershaves. Considering the better moisturizing effect, a purchase is recommended. It is up to each individual whether they want to face the strong and also extraordinary scent experience. Trying makes wise.

The bottle is simple and does not surprise with an extravagant design. But the glass is thick, and the bottle stands securely - something that is important when handling it in the bathroom.

Finally, the question remains why the brand leads such a shadowy existence here on Parfumo? Every (well-groomed) man should shave - at least from time to time. And no matter if wet or dry shaving, a skin care product is needed afterward. Since most providers in the niche segment do not offer shaving care products, what do their buyers use? Roja as EdP and Hâttric as aftershave?