Grenouille8

Attention, this will be a declaration of love. To Aramis Classic, the one, the only... My true signature scent, my partner. While there are two or three other classics that I count in this category, strictly speaking, and if I had to choose one, my real and true signature scent, without having to think for a second, would be Aramis. Why? Because this fragrance matches my personal idea of a perfect companion for a man, for a fragrance lover. A companion for eternity, for every situation, every life situation. A complement, an identification and a trademark. Only very, very few fragrances can achieve that. Once again it is significant that in my case it is of course a (rather old) classic. Yes, I just have it with them. Or rather, for me it's simply the big, venerable houses, brands that manage to meet my ideal idea of a fragrance. And not only in the fragrance itself, but also in the appearance, the look and the message. I love it when fragrances, or let's rather talk about perfume creations here, have character, stand for something. That's why I titled this comment "Chanel N°5 for men". Because, of course, I was not interested in a scent relationship, but in a comparability regarding what status a fragrance has, how much one associates it with something and also how long a fragrance has managed to survive times, trends and "fashionable escapades" and leave behind it smiling confidently completely untouched. In my eyes, Chanel N°5 is an excellent example of this class of perfume for women's fragrances - and for men's fragrances, The One and Only Aramis Classic! My great love. My own personal idea of a perfect fragrance. To put it more simply, one could also speak of cult fragrances in this category, in case you don't quite understand my sweeping, glorifying descriptions. :-). Just as Chanel N°5 is probably the epitome (at least as far as awareness and perception are concerned) of "fragrance-made" femininity and stands for classicism, sovereignty, style, self-confidence, innovation and definitely also a completely new, personal bond/relationship with one's own fragrance, Aramis Classic has been the fragrance associated with masculinity for countless people since its birth in 1964 and especially during this time (but for many real fragrance lovers of course until today). And I don't just want to talk about clumsy "male-female roles" or the understanding of them, because those who know me know that I am definitely also an advocate for everyone to wear the fragrance that he or she likes, that suits you and that you simply want to wear. Even if it is a perfume, which is perhaps marketed as a fragrance for the opposite sex. I don't have a problem with that and I use Shalimar by Guerlain myself, for example. Everyone has to decide for themselves. In spite of everything, however, I am also a nostalgic person and find nothing wrong with having a certain idea of a woman or a man. And this may calmly also move in the original or traditional idea of it. I think that's beautiful, too. So very, very feminine women and striking, "typical men". Because in my opinion this has nothing to do with judgement or lack of equality. But that's another topic, which doesn't even belong here. The important thing is - everyone should like to hold it the way he wants. And that's what I do and that's why I find the "traditional cliché" of men and women quite beautiful. Also in the world of fragrances. But this is not just about the embodiment of masculinity or femininity, but much more. Because Aramis, even though in many people's minds it stands for THE classic men's fragrance, is above all a statement in its own right. A statement, the complete appearance of a fragrance. Olfactory and also cultural. Because Aramis is considered (at least for me) as the fragrant extension of one's own aura, as something that becomes a part of the wearer, in this case the man. As something that you will forever associate with this person. A real signature fragrance. And that starts with the bottle, which is a masterpiece of design in the case of Aramis, just as it is in the case of Chanel N°5. And both bottles, interestingly enough, have hardly changed, if at all, to this day. That's something special. And both fragrances still stand today for what they stood for many decades ago. They are classics and not fads (which I have my problems with anyway). They are so masterfully composed that you (at least me and many, many others) just don't get tired of them. They are traditional, special, fragrances as you would imagine fragrances to be, you can smell their years and yet they are designed to be current at all times, to endure, to always fit and always will. They are objects. And, as mentioned, also visually and how they were visualized and still are today. Brought into our age and still remaining true to themselves. When I smell Aramis, when I operate the atomizer or pour the beloved water from the bottle into my hand, something happens to me. I don't just smell a great, fragrance, I begin a journey. I feel like I am the bearer of a tradition, the keeper of wonderful times. I am in awe of this masterpiece by Bernard Chant. And I really don't have that for many fragrances. By applying this fragrance, I feel armed, protected, and at the same time, I feel like I am using the scent to make my soul a little more "visible" (or smellable). To reveal something of myself. That which I want to reveal. Aramis is complete. The blend of natural and synthetic, of ruggedness (earthiness, spiciness) and sweetness (floral notes) of strength and extroversion while remaining close to my personality makes this fragrance work for me in any situation. Aramis always fits. The only requirement: you have to like being noticed. Because yes, Aramis is strong, a force. But a force that does not waft encroachingly, but remains quite close. And which, I think, due to classic fragrance components (spicy, earthy, mossy, leathery, aldehydic) does not become unpleasant, such as overly sweet scents that can quickly become intrusive. Because Aramis is a chypre par excellence and one of the best representatives for leather notes. I recommend anyone who loves classics, spicy-leathery and strong fragrances, thinks nothing of fleeting trends, to try Aramis. I imagine it will be the beginning of a great love affair...Long live Aramis, my faithful friend or as the advertising strategists of the Estée Lauder Companies say today, "Aramis. All a man is."

How often have I tried to put this fragrance into words, to describe it. Started and stopped again. It is so difficult to do justice to this masterpiece with words... How do I begin? Shalimar is not pleasing. That springs to mind. But all positive. Because who needs "pleasing water"? And the fact that we're talking about a genuine icon And with what? With good reason. I'm talking about the currently available version of the fragrance, by the way, because unfortunately I don't currently own a vintage version. And I certainly don't know what the fragrance smelled like in 1925, when it was created. Except for a few notes from Thierry Wasser in an interview. But I've known this fragrance for many, many years and according to my memory, I still recognize it immediately, or rather it basically corresponds to the scent I've had in my head since we met (and never forgot). I am referring to the eau de parfum, because I use it primarily, but in principle I mean the fragrance itself. The composition, the character of the creation itself. So I think Shalimar is one of the few fragrances that has survived a reformulation or reworking (if it has taken place - which I think it has) well and without damage. This is a great gift, because the loss of this masterpiece would have been a huge one. Of course, as with all Guerlain classics, there is this wonderful story that led to the inspiration of the fragrance. The great love story that led to the construction of the Taj Mahal, alongside the Shalimar Gardens. Epic proportions, therefore, even in the creation of this fragrance. Modesty is not an option. Think big. Don't make a mess. And there's nothing wrong with that. It just fits. Because Shalimar is opulent. Shalimar is deep. Shalimar is intense. Shalimar is unique. In short - Shalimar is big. And what makes this fragrance so distinctive? It is, as usual with master perfumers, mostly the composition itself. The interplay, the perfection, how the individual notes and elements combine, complement, underline and form contrasts. What a juice this is. My goodness. It's pure magic. They say Shalimar was "the first oriental fragrance". In my opinion, one could correctly have meant only the first WESTERN perfume with an oriental fragrance. Anyway. In any case, it IS an oriental. And what a perfume it is. Powderiness, as it is sometimes mentioned, is something I associate only very, very subliminally with this fragrance, for example. As are the floral notes. I do not perceive them as solitary and characteristically standing on their own, but as a common harmony that contributes to an overall picture. For me, much more leatheriness and smoky notes are absolutely in the foreground. Animal attraction in perfection. Erotic? Very much so. But not vulgar, but mysterious, stylishly provocative. Magical. And of course the vanilla, which never drifts into a sticky, nauseating sweetness, but remains carrying, connecting and in a certain way spicy at all times. Shalimar intoxicates, but never becomes exhausting. At least not for me. Throughout its evolution, the fragrance remains strong and present, but still personal, I think. That's why I consider Shalimar a true signature fragrance, like most of the great Guerlain classics. And now I'm back exactly where I started - I'm at a loss for words. Although I feel I still have an infinite amount to say about this fragrance, because it triggers so much in me. But sometimes silence is simply the more appropriate way to express your feelings. So I'll end simply with the words of Jacques Guerlain: "To wear Shalimar is to unleash your senses." Just one more thing. I recommend to everyone the wonderful commercial "The Legend of Shalimar" from 2013. Just like the fragrance is a masterpiece.

A masterpiece. I really looked for other words, but couldn't find anything more fitting. Basically, L'Heure Bleue is the perfect fragrance. Harmonious, round, deep, multi-faceted, highly individual, distinctive, exquisite, weightless and yet heavy, soft and strong at the same time. It is simply Guerlain. Learned is learned. A guarantee for guarantee. Especially the classics. I first came into contact with this fragrance about 18 years ago. And I can still remember the situation almost exactly. It was the time when I began to discover my enthusiasm for Guerlain. All those stories. To almost every single perfume an own inspiration. So much tradition and history to discover. Mine, precisely. So of course I was especially interested in the old perfumes. From the hands of the greatest masters. And logically, there's no getting around L'Heure Bleue. I wanted to find "my" Guerlain fragrance and described it to the expert as it should be. What's important to me and what I like. Heavy, tending to be dark, full, with a touch of oriental, deep, long-lasting... She didn't have to think long and reached for a bottle. "This is it. Her scent". She was right. One breath was enough. I felt something velvety falling heavily upon me. It enveloped me. At that time I was still worried about how women's and men's fragrances were. Oh dear. This is a woman's perfume. There's no doubt about it. What am I doing? But it's mine. Fortunately, the desire was stronger and I adopted it despite some reservations about whether I "may" wear it as a man. Of course I can. Because now I know that you can't define a gender by a scent. There are still some notes that I would tend to assign more to women or men, but that doesn't mean that they can't both wear it. Basically, our perception today is probably mainly the result of marketing, and we have learned and accepted it that way. In its origin, however, fragrances were not really assigned to gender. Another example are real Arabic, oriental fragrances, i.e. those that can be bought on the net or directly in Arabic countries. There are many fragrances that are meant for men, completely untypical of what is sold to us here in the West as a male fragrance. But anyway - everyone has to decide for himself anyway. In the end it always depends on the individual wearer and the respective fragrance. And it's exciting when, for example, a very feminine woman wears a tart scent and a distinctive man wears a perfume with a certain sweetness or floral quality. It simply has to fit. And then the supposedly unsuitable scent even underlines the man's masculinity or the woman's femininity. Now back to L'Heure Bleue. Here it was just like this. Of course, the scent is anything but what we understand by a men's scent in our country. But I immediately recognized the potential, the complexity of this composition. I knew that this fragrance had a development, that it would bring out very different facets, and above all that it would connect with its wearer. This fragrance is a real signature. And that's why it also underlines a masculine personality. By the way, I feel this way with most of the older, great classic fragrances. Everyone now knows what the inspiration for this fragrance was, which was created in 1912. The hour when the sun has set, but night has not yet fallen. And yes. One might think that L'Heure Bleue perfectly captures this magical moment of the day. But of course it is an imagination, as inspiration is. A beautiful one, admittedly. But L'Heure Bleue is much more than that, because every wearer can of course give this fragrance their own interpretation. So I associate with this fragrance, apart from its magical aura, its heavy softness, its enveloping nature, a very special darkness, a certain melancholy and lascivious, intoxicating sensuality. But all this always with style and class. French. And despite the partly powdery softness of the fragrance, for me it also possesses great strength and angularity. It is complex and multi-layered. Above all, you have to learn this fragrance, get familiar with it. The more you deal with it, give it time and space, the more you will discover. It's worth it.