Fragrances
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@SKT I think I've smelled that CDG one before (I might even still have a sample of it) and I don't remember it smelling as unhinged as the description sounds. I think it was more just kind of industrial and graphite-y smelling. Maybe like a print shop. With a lot of those wild ones they make, I'd never buy a full bottle but I still enjoy picking up a sample to try. Places like Luckyscent and Indiescents are great for that — they cost usually like 4 to 5 bucks a piece and you can try a bunch of stuff. Plus since most of them are kinda dabbed on vs spray samples, they tend to last quite a while. Good bang for buck.
While CDG does do the wild stuff, I think they really excel at doing more straightforward things. Wonderwood is really great, and their Incense series is fantastic. Each is sort of one-note (really just a depiction of a kind of incense), but they smell so good. I'm particularly fond of Avignon, which makes you smell like an old church (my inner goth is like "yes, I'll have that") and Kyoto, which is a really nice, clean, soapy sort of sandalwood.
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@popvulture thanks man. Think I’ll spring for the sampler just to give some a try. Lettuce juice will have to wait
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@SKT eau d' endive 🥬
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@Matt
Def recommend man, they’re all really nice, and cool packaging. The one I chose just came out, employee at the store told me their newest scent when checking out. -
@derek111 @meatmarketdenim1 picked up the CDG sampler and a sample of the Aesop HWYL from lucky scent. Looking forward to trying out some new stuff!
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Curious if anyone has tried or currently uses any scents from 19-69? I got a discovery pack and have liked a few of them while others not so much.
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@SKT
Oh that’s nice man, going love it -
@guiltyparty I’ve gotten several samples and ended up buying a bottle of Purple Haze. I love incense-y scents, and it’s definitely that — great kind of hippie head shop vibe. Kinda strong, so I tend to spray it in the air and walk through it, just so it’s not too much of a blast. I also liked Chronic and Chinese Tobacco, though not sure I’d go for a bottle of either. They have some newer ones I’d like to try.
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@popvulture Yeah I've been digging Kasbah and Female Christ from them but I do agree that they seem stronger than some other scents I've been using.
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@guiltyparty I worked for a store that sold 19-69 a few years ago and I got hooked on the Chinese Tobacco, not many places stocked it back then, now you can find it everywhere.
but yeah they are pretty strong.Purple Haze is also great
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@Jack yeah they are definitely in expansion mode when it comes to retailers
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I’ve been enjoying my CDG samples and have to agree with @derek111 that 2 Man, Wonderwood and Blackpepper are my favorites of the bunch. 2 Man kind of surprised me because I didn’t love it until I wore it. Wife liked that one too. Have not worn the HWYL yet but smells great in the bottle.
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Man, tried the Aesop HWYL today and love it. Woodsy, earthy (best descriptors I can come up with)…right up my alley. Thanks for the recommendation @meatmarketdenim1 will try to get some of this and the CDG 2 Man
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@SKT
Sick man, glad you liked the rec. it was the gateway drug(fragrance) for me lol. Ive been rocking it every other day. Me and my wife, got a couples hang next weekend, and besides self edge, ministry of scent was the next top spot. Going try not get anything from self edge(next to impossible but do able) but for sure wanna get a new fragrance. It’s part of my morning ritual now. -
@meatmarketdenim1 that sounds like a good time. Good luck at both stops and please report if you make any cool scent discoveries
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So I decided a somewhat empirical approach. I did some reading at Fragrantica (mainly using their database on which notes are present in different fragrances notes, and ordered some samples.
It was a good move, I’ve figured out some trings I like and some I don’t. For instance I generally like the smell of Bleu de Chanel, but it’s too sweet for me. My wife - who has an excellent sense of smell (she spots faulty wines from across the table) - noticed the sweetness before anything else.
Oud wood was a hit - as I was drawn into this endeavor by trying Ombre Leather I decided to sample a few Tom Fords - and to my surprise Oud Wood suited me much better than Grey Vetiver. Oud wood will definitely get a place in my closet, and it’ll be more versatile than I expected.
I also liked Aqua du Gio Parfum - and as I came by it at a very nice discount (I literally walked by it on a stall in the street) I bought a bottle of it. The parfum is a little bit more mature than the edp I’ve used for years. It’ll be a daily driver during the summer, a very fresh and clean smell without being soapy.
And then there is the joker: I asked Chat GPT for a recommendation based on a description of me. And it suggested Herod by Parfums de Marley. And objectively that smell is too sweet, but I found myself liking it a lot anyway. And to my surprise my wife felt exactly the same way, going “this is too sweet - but, wait a minute - pretty nice anyway.” And that is where it gets fun - realizing that I can’t just put notes in a spreadsheet.
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I ordered a handful of samples recently — haven’t gone through them all yet, but I’ve really dug Naomi Goodsir Bois d’Ascesce (super smoky, kind of a peaty whisky thing with a bit of leather) and also her Corpus Equus. The latter is WILD — I wouldn’t buy a bottle but it was insanely nostalgic to me, smelled like an old barn or horse stable with hay, leather, and cigarette smoke. Like I said, a bit nuts, but I admire the creativity.
Also checked out a few from this company I like called Wienerblut (translates to Vienna or Viennese Blood, I think). Really loved Palais Nizam and Klubwasswer. The first is very incense-y, spicy, leathery, feels like old books. The second is super green at first, strongly leafy and herbal, and dries to a beautiful powdery scent. Both feel very classy and a bit old school in some ways — they’d go with any clothing, but I feel like they’d go especially well with a nice suit. Definitely would be up for buying either.
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Not cologne but falls under this category - been trying out a new incense each week(ish) for the office. Goodhood have about 100 scents. Sandalwood is the latest on the block, might just be my favourite so far.
