In theory, fragrances are like snowflakes. Outside of brands who are deliberately trying to copy and clone, no two scents are supposed to be alike, and each fragrance's specific formula is supposed to be a secret. Wink, wink.
But in reality, lots of fragrances smell like other fragrances. Sometimes the likeness is nearly identical (see the similarities between CH Men Prive and La Nuit de l'Homme, or Bentley for Men Intense and Man in Black), sometimes it's more broad-brushed. How different, really, are any of the sporty aquatic scents? How many dozens of "woodsy orientals" feature the same basic base notes?
For the true lovers of novelty, then, here are five fragrances that stand completely alone, utterly unique and unlike anything else. In fact, they're so unique, they're actually a little strange. Fair warning, then: these fragrances are closer to the "Polarizing" end of the spectrum than they are to the "Mass Appeal" end. I don't wear most of these outside the house, and if I do, I apply very lightly.
Salvatore Ferragamo: Uomo (2016)
This is a bottle of liquid tiramisu. Yes, "tiramasu" is listed (at least by places such as Nordstrom) as one of the notes. No joke here, you can smell the sweet cream, the coffee, the powdery cocoa, it's all here. It's a delicious scent, and quite obviously belongs in the gourmand category. Just beware the potentially cloying nature of this one.
Lalique: Encre Noir (2006)
The name here translates in English as "black ink," and Lalique isn't fooling around with this. It's a big old swampy mess of vetiver, thick and dark, with a salty edge that brings it very close to smelling like actual ink. I can't stress how much I love this scent, because it's a brooding and mysterious bouquet that seems to reveal something new every time I use it. There's nothing like it.
Joop!: Joop! Homme (1989)
That screaming neon pink juice! You don't even have to smell it to know you're about to have a unique experience. Joop! is a laser-beam of vibrating sweetness. I could tell you that it's a combination of oranges and cinnamon, but that would be like saying the ocean is watery. This is oranges and cinnamon turned electric, slightly metallic, pulsating. Listen closely and you might even hear the sizzle and hum of the neon.
Gucci: Gucci Guilty Absolute (2017)
The designer says this is a leather fragrance, and I think that might be one of the most misleading things I've read this year. Guilty Absolute is dirty, dank, sour, sweaty, and delicious. The vetiver and patchouli smudge and blur the painting in wonderful ways. What does this really smell like? I sniffed at for hours and hours, intrigued and trying to place the scent memory, and it finally came to me: the perspiring auto mechanic who worked on my car a few days earlier, in his garage with that pungent aromatic combination of grease, oil, petrol, and other such car things. That's what this smells like. Fantastic!
Yves Saint Laurent: Kouoros (1981)
You had to know that an 80's powerhouse had to make this list at some point. There was just too much wild and unique stuff going on that decade. Kouros is a honey-drizzled pile of patchouli leaves that a cat has urinated on. Yes, this has civet in it, and yes, that's a "glandular secretion" from the testicular area of an African wild cat. For some reason, there's cinnamon and clove sprinkled on all of this, and somehow, all of this aromatic chaos is absolutely beautiful. There is nothing on earth that comes close to smelling like Kouros.
0 comments:
Post a Comment