RickOne

So here it is. Not bad, quite wearable, will please many, won’t disturb anyone... and yet it’s still quite far from what Jeremy’s constant barrage of superlatives led one to expect.

The scent is a kind of mixture of already known fresh crowd-pleasers, with enhanced performance being its only characteristic that really stands out from the crowd. At least in this category, Jeremy really delivered what he promised; it’s rare to encounter such a long-lasting fresh fragrance (8+ hours), and the sillage is quite appropriate for its target location, the office.

Speaking of the office. One thing that has bothered me about Jeremy’s debut from the very beginning is the name. Both the label “Fragrance One” and the specific product name “Office for men” are hardly surpassable in terms of boredom and sound like a newly introduced house brand or product line for Rossmann & Co.
I understand that Jeremy is pursuing a specific concept here: to create the one ideal fragrance for each location (Office, Club…).

But let’s be honest, does his clientele really need the location printed on the bottle and the whole product named after it? Who are Jeremy’s customers? The casual shoppers at Rossmann? No, they are people like us, who have a bit more experience and discernment, and we certainly don’t need a cheap naming concept stamped on a €160 bottle (which is supposedly going to be increased to €450 soon (is that still current?)). A perfume is also about “beauty and elegance,” and this starts with the name. If the label “Fragrance One” already lacks any sound and elegance, then at least the perfume itself should exhibit it; however, it comes across as cheap and boring in both naming components.

Speaking of cheap and boring. It’s understandable that Jeremy couldn’t get much out of the bottle and packaging. As a startup with a manageable customer base, you don’t get much bulk discount in production, you have to carefully consider which components to invest more or less in, and then savings were made on the packaging in favor of the oil concentration (for good performance).
Nevertheless, it could have at least had a cap, and the packaging is just shabby brown cardboard. I’ve never seen a shipping package without any padding material, and the goods apparently slid around quite a bit during transport (was this the case for others too, or did they just forget about me?). But okay, such teething problems can happen with a startup label.

Finally, it remains to evaluate whether Jeremy was able to keep his announcement of creating the best office scent “ever made” “on this planet” (etc…). Um, no, but I didn’t expect that either. In the category of “performance,” it certainly belongs to the best fresh-scented work companions ever made, on this planet. However, the scent character itself is a bit too ordinary and one-dimensional. For me, the (in my opinion) perfectly balanced Prada l’homme is the clearly better representative, even if I can skip refreshing with “Office.” I can also think of numerous other candidates that I prefer for the office, which are much greener and presented more attractively.

I would only recommend purchasing “Office” if the price were to drop significantly. At the moment, it is a (and this is my final conclusion) “overpriced, poorly presented both externally and in name, quite good freshie with very good performance.”

I too can't help but regularly watch the videos of a certain YouTube influencer. Although I don't find the original Invictus particularly impressive, I did let myself be influenced by Aqua: It's supposed to be a "Champion," well-received, Drama-Baby-Drama... well, I went ahead and made a quick blind buy (since it was a limited edition and hardly available back then - now it seems to be back, whatever) and let's see what comes out of it.

Unfortunately, this Aquat has very little to do with a fresh ocean. If I had to associate it with a sea, it would be more like the North Sea in dreary weather, but definitely not the Mediterranean, Atlantic, or Pacific, where one would much rather be.

Instead, Aqua makes me think of a murky pond that stews in warm temperatures. And it's just as sexy, which is to say not at all. A bit fresh, a bit maritime, quite swampy... and all of it beautifully uninspired. I tested it at the office, and the result was collective yawning. You really can't find anything special about Aqua, and my female colleagues, whom I often recruit for my test runs, have rarely been so bored.

But it's not bad; it's "safe" and can certainly be used by unambitious people in everyday life. But it's just way too interchangeable. I sent it back on its travels via eBay.

After Habdan was promoted as a hidden gem in some YouTube videos (quote: “criminally underrated”) and the idea of an apple-caramel Marly sounded appealing to me, I eagerly organized a sample.

Unfortunately, this was nothing Marly. Habdan is a mild apple water, quite linear and uninspired. I can hardly perceive any caramel, perhaps it is hidden behind this subtle sweetness that balances the natural acidity of the apple. Fundamentally, Habdan lacks that certain something, the special touch, the refinement. The little green apple is nice and pleasant, but quickly becomes boring and feels rather two-dimensional, as there is simply not much to discover otherwise. Generally, Habdan should have been developed more as an aromatic gourmand leaning towards a wintry apple pie. A slightly riper apple, supported by cinnamon, almonds, and caramel, would have made for a lovely appetizer for cozy evenings by the fireplace. In its actual form, this pricey Arab is unfortunately just an unexciting autumn walker that could just as well be a €40 bottle at Douglas.

Sillage and longevity are okay, but they also do not come close to what one is used to from many other Marlys (though it doesn’t always have to be that way).

Overall, Habdan is certainly not bad, but for the label and the price range, it is a clear disappointment. There could have definitely been more to it, as the idea is actually good, but the execution is too uninspired to justify the purchase price in any way. Only for Marly collectors.

I was so excited when I found an online retailer offering the old CH-Men with the "red banner." I already own CH-Men Privé, which I am not as thrilled about as most people here, but I absolutely wanted to have CH-Men because of its reputation.

Unfortunately, it left me completely perplexed....
The scent itself is well-crafted! A pleasant sweetness that, while very synthetic, still comes across as attractive and seductive. I can certainly understand why it should appeal to the ladies. However, I wonder which woman can actually perceive this fragrance when it has such a weak projection.

And here we come to the big catch: My initial enthusiasm quickly gave way to total disillusionment when CH-Men became a skin scent after just 20 minutes, a skin scent as described in the book. Even for a date, it's hardly usable unless you spray double the amount, or you are already in the bedroom...

Due to my irritation, I conducted a small test:
"CH-Men vs. CH-Men Privé"
One spray of CH-Men on my left arm, one spray of Privé on my right arm, and lo and behold, Privé has a significantly stronger sillage. Then I sprayed CH-Men again, and Privé was still stronger. With a 3:1 spray ratio, they were about even for 20 minutes, then Privé took the lead again.

Mind you: This is the original CH-Men, according to the batch code from 2010 (!). It is also definitely not a fake, as the scent has the same DNA as Privé, the liquid has the right color, and the bottle is of high quality (the leather coat, the red banner, the red stitching, the embossed "CH" logos).

In summary:
The scent: Sweet seduction with a bit too much synthetics, but quite successful.
The sillage: A quantum of nothing.
The longevity: Quite decent for an EdT.
The bottle: A bulky block with pretty details.

Conclusion: If dear Carolina had invested a bit more in the projection, I could understand this "hidden gem hype." As it stands, CH-Men is a (successful) fragrance composition that is hardly usable due to its weak perceptibility. What a shame.

"Le Male Essence" is the wrong name for this perfume, as it has little in common with "Le Male" and surprises with its individuality. Rather, "Essence" with its cardamom-heavy profile reminds me of "La Nuit de l'homme" and is even the more interesting candidate for cardamom fans. While "La Nuit" tends to come off a bit soapy and blurred, "Essence" presents itself clearer and fresher. Perhaps it is this slight freshness effect, along with the vanilla base that still remains from the original "Le Male" DNA, but in a calmer manner. "Essence" is not a disco banger, but rather reserved and civilized. This sailor is more mature, promoted to officer & gentleman, yet still youthful. Overall, the scent unfolds quite linearly, remains pleasant at all times, and fits every season, best suited for moderate temperatures.

The sillage is solidly noticeable for the first 2 hours, but then quickly becomes intimate. Generally, "Essence" is more suited for smaller gatherings; in crowded locations, it cannot assert itself. Here, I would have wished for a bit more power from a Le Male EdP, as this scent is so wonderfully pleasant that one can share it with their surroundings without hesitation. The longevity is a good 8 hours.

Conclusion: Alongside "Valentino Uomo Intense," the discovery among the new designer flankers in 2016. Absolutely recommended for "La Nuit" fans, and even the many (too many) "Le Male" haters should take a look at "Essence."

[p.s. that was my first review :)]