I Smell Like a French Whore - Only Worse

I spent much of today sniffing expensive aftershaves and colognes. Even just the inevitable residue left on my fingers from handling the bottles is giving me a bit of a headache.

At the risk of being labeled a troglodyte, I'm finding I much prefer the cheap stuff. Brute, Skin Bracer, Raw Vanilla - they all make me smile. The expensive stuff just smells too harsh and chemically to me. :sick007

Ah well. To each his own. Frees up more money for my other acquisition disorders.

 

I smell like a French whore only worse

I agree...the fancy items don't do it for me....give me the drugstore shelf regulars and I am just fine

 

I'll agree on 80% of the expensive stuff, it's not as good as the cheap. Another 15%+ isn't any better. But a few scents standout and are clearly worth more. If they're worth how much they charge; that depends on how much it's worth to you. I have a bottle of T&H 1805, but that was a stretch for me on price. I wish I could convince SWMBO on a few low to mid cost scents.

 

Gotta love the Brut. I used to have some Raw Vanilla. Think CVS sold it. I hadn't seen it in years, though.

 

There's a myth that more expensive means better. This is just like the myth that newer means better. Those of us using a safety or a straight razor know that this myth is untrue. Newer doesn't mean better. So, I guess what I'm saying is that just because an aftershave is more expensive doesn't mean that it is better.

My favorite is Pinaud bay rum. I bought it at Walgreens and it was about $7 with tax. It's my teen-aged son's favorite too! He says it smells like the barbershop we go to, which in our area is the best place for men to hang out with other men to talk about men stuff like hunting, fishing, cars, politics, tomato plants, etc. That may be why we like it.

Anyway, don't let price be your determining factor. More expensive isn't necessarily better.

 

I've had similar experiences at the mens' fragrance counter at my local Macy's. I now prefer to spray on cards, though smelling the fragrance on my skin is always a better indicator. On more than one occasion I've had to take a long shower after coming home from the mall.

I also really like the drug store aftershaves and colognes. Nothing wrong with Aqua Velva, Old Spice, Canoe, Pinaud, etc. etc. And my wifes likes them as much as the far more expensive D&G and Issey Miyake that I own.

 

I love drugstore scents. They're my daily bread and butter. Out of my collection, I'd say that 7/8ths of it consists of drugstore scents. I do occasionally like a premium bottle, though- the only reason is that none of the stuff I get off the shelf lasts long at all on me. But by and large, I really don't see much of a difference between most designer mens colognes and womens perfume. If you want to smell like a powdered sissy, then by all means go for it- more Brut for me!

 

I do love my share of cheap AS....Old Spice, English leather, and the absolutely incredible Pinaud Clubman and of course Osage Rub. I like the price of course but if the same AS was $20 for 100ml I would still buy it. I have tried the high end stuff and of course love some of it as well as hate quite as much. If its cheap and smells good....yay! If its expensive and smells good.....yay and just ration it I will never be without my Alt Innsbruck, Musgo Real, and Speick

 

For the record: I have never talked about a tomato plant in my life, and there is nothing wrong with a little fresh baby powder scent.

Ok, now that's settled. :happy088. I hear ya OP, but you have to be discerning in your picks. I'm with you on the new-age'y, designer department store stuff. Might as well be perfume. However Shawn is right, there are some very decent, more expensive, non-drugstore AS's worth having too. Speick, Provence Sante, L'Occitane Cade, Proraso and so on. It's when manufactures get away from what an AS is, that they get into trouble. Just give us the wholesome face medicine we desire along with a subtle, masculine scent and it's all good.

 

Oh, I'm sure there is some good stuff out there. I just haven't had the chance to get my nose in any yet. And I have to admit, it was mostly the department store colognes that I had access to. Any idea where I could go have a sniff at some of the good ASs out there? I hate to go ordering a bunch on line, and then find out I hate them. I live in the Twin Cities area, btw.

 

Unfortunately most of it is available online only for most of us. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a L'Occitane store in the Cities though. They sell the Cade line which is very nice. Get the soap too! :happy088

 

what does a french whore smell like?

 

Ray - there's only one way to find out...:signs002

 

As far as colognes go, I only have/use three:

Caswell Massey Lime cologne – It’s a little bit pricy but it works for me. It’s subtle; a woman has to get in close to know it’s there… and that’s the way I like it. I try to find it on eBay where it is often much cheaper than buying it directly from CM or any other online store.

Meehan’s Bay Rhum cologne: Also a tad pricy ($25.95) but when I’m in the Bay Rum mood this is the stuff that works for me.

Aqua Velva Musk Aftershave/Cologne: Cheap and satisfying… nuff said.

 

Yeah, ask my mother...oh wait...that's not how the joke's supposed to work, is it? happy102

 

Now THAT right there is funny... almost had cornflakes coming out my nose!

 

send one my way then:love055

 

Look for the big box that smells french and has the holes in it.

 

I go mid-level. I dislike Creed and the like. None of the $100+ bottles. I also dislike what you'll find at walmart. I go middle of the line. The stuff they carry at department stores.

 

Hiya,

I've got a couple suggestions for finding stores with sorta unusual fragrances offered. There's gotta be at least 1-2 of these in your neck of the woods.

First place I'd try would be Nieman Marcus.........see if there's one anywhere near you, cause that would be my first choice. That's also the place to try any Creed products, since they carry a great selection.

Then, you can try Nordstroms, or the CO Bigelow stores. Surprisingly, CO Bigelow carries some quite nice niche type fragrances. My favorite would be L'Artisan, and they also stock a nice selection of the Acqua di Parma line (including the shaving cream). The Trumpers line is well represented there, and samples of the shaving creams are available.

Sephora also has some interesting selections, and would be worth going into if nearby. Heh, try sniffing some of the Demeter products......they offer such fragrances as 'Dirt' and 'Crayon'.

Hope that helps a bit,
Martin

Oh...I should probably warn you about sniffing stuff. First, you gotta be careful not to overload your schnozz.......it could explode if you're not careful! Hehe, well maybe not explode, but the poor thing can only take so much wonderfulness at one time and then it needs to rest. Those coffee beans they give you to 'cleanse your nasal palate' only go so far.

Then, and this is the really devious part, you have to realize that whatever you first smell is probably NOT gonna be how it ends up. Nope, there's an evolutionary process it'll go through before it finally settles down for good. Heh, crazy huh? Yeah, it can sometimes take an hour before those 'base notes' finally come through. Another deep rabbit hole..........