Leimbacher

"Wave 2" by Hollister is a find. And sometimes it needs that. No more, no less.

A sugared green apple by the sea. Youthful and free. Totally carefree and always up for a party. Spontaneous. Friday anything goes. Lots and lots of textured sugar frosting, but not sticky or silly to me. Quite the opposite. Maybe I'm almost too old for him. Maybe also too little US Beach Boy in type. But basically he embodies this Hollister high feeling ideally. Certainly no "Fierce" or Gamechanger. But undoubtedly a nice, fresh sugarquate, which is in the same category as many current, better known hits, but does much more right than many of them. It doesn't come across as synthetic. It doesn't come across as contrived. It doesn't come across as overbearing. It doesn't come across as lab-grown or freshly lifted. He seems balanced and a joy to chill with. To me, by now, probably almost better and more gripping than some "Invictus" and its clones. Even with minimal fougerefeeling.

Flacon: thick, strong, high-quality
Sillage: noticeable cotton candy aura
Durability: 5-6 hours on the beach before high school

Verdict: O.C. Sugarfornia - "Wave 2 for Him" positively got me and is an uncomplicated playmate without constraints and future fears. Cool.

"Intimately Men" by David Beckham has been on my "test wish list" since I started here at Parfumo. So quasi a decade. I do not know exactly why, believe in early "YouTubes" he was often used together with 'nem Michael Jordan fragrance as a successful celebrity fragrance and touted as boozy cuddly mild. That comes also roughly, since I have him now here and finally smell, wear, take apart, classify. Still, of course, it's worth zero fanfare or hype. Even if it is easily above most of its celebrity peers.

The scent is a cuddly synthetic boy, as far from a real man as Beckham's little Barry White voice. An autumnal and leafy shampoo. Footballish to Regency, Halloween to Christmas. Peppery greetings, a little "Burberry London" (men's version), a little "Gucci PHI", a little "Dirty English". But far from edgy and strong. All of the aforementioned are better. Definitely a buttery-smooth banana flank. Creamy, artificial, slightly creamy, with fruity fresh cardamom. Absolutely not natural. Somewhat featureless. Wearable. But had expected more based on the long time in the back of my mind. On the other hand: at this price, it's hard to complain. No Boris Becker. But also not a must have. Not even for beginners. Was perhaps also once better - could imagine quite significant reformulations and watering down over the years.

Flacon: very thick and great for the price range and a celebrity fragrance. The highlight here.
Sillage: bedspread-tight
Durability: 5 hours of caress

Verdict: a solid, but not by any means outstanding C-league fragrance from an A-league star. Can be worn. At heart, a nutmeg man in the woods. But who knows only halfway, knows unm the better cousins, role models and alternatives. Across all price ranges.

"Life Energy" smells almost identitisch to the in-house "Nautica Voyage" - only in (even) more synthetic and pungent. More unfruity. That's not good, that's not creative. Much rather impudent and stupid.

I won't deny this limited edition "Life" flanker can work after sports, gym, or showering in general. A fragrance for young football players. A hissy men's shampoo nailbiter, ozonic, youthful and takes some getting used to. It's good and does the job. But for me, "Voyage" remains distinctly more rounded and this is just a knock-off. It went in a (by Leimbacher standards) oldschool giant order of Cheapies by its price and casual bottle in the shopping cart and the collection - but will be given away very quickly. I'm sure of it. Although, my Voyage emptied out a few weeks ago... who knows. Actually, though, I'm not satisfied with the recycled B-side.

Flacon: 90s and very nice
Sillage: sporty meaningless
Durability: 3-4 hours of practice

Conclusion: rather reach for "Nautica Voyage" - as before!

"Wanted By Night" reminds me of the famous Big Red chewing gums. Its very special main cocktail of tangerine and cinnamon lingers and determines the complete fragrance impression. A polarizing, (positive?) synthetic top note full of frown and sensation.

A little as if one had crossed the "Lagerfeld Classic" with the original "Wanted", this nocturnal flanker is a (night)dream. At least vornerum. Sticky, artificial, chemical. Yes, still kind of. But miles better than its lighter father scent, which I had pretty much ripped off at its release and still can't stand. This one is just more my wavelength. At the same time, I don't like the red cult gum all that much. But this fragrance start here pulls with me crisp. Tasty, different, almost creative and bold I must say. Moist pipe tobacco. After that, it runs dark woody in the sand. Not sugary, rather oriental-lightly tipsy. But overall it's enough for the clearly green area. Chewing gum meets Christmas tree.

Flacon: cannon strong
Sillage: party suitable. Rather shisha than dance floor.
Shelf life: 8-9 lush hours

Conclusion: an incredibly unusual, aggressive and memorable cinnamon-manda top note is followed by.... not much more. But that can do and for that the weak original should give way in any case.

"Meander" by Amouage is a mildly oriental peppery dream that is probably the closest thing to an everyday Amouage fragrance yet.

"Meander" lives up to its name and is without question a cozy comrade. Not to say slow, sluggish and ponderous. You have to get that right with a pepper-heavy mix. But fire in the butt this one has as much as an emperor penguin. Slightly dusty, library, powdery. The iris isn't exactly the most active flower now either. But my favorite, still. Dry desert aroma. Oman meets grandma. High-end and luxurious, but that doesn't stop it from being wearable. Great scent. If you can get your slightly asleep feet off and have patience.

Flacon: color fits, shape and heaviness as always plump
Sillage: close to the carrier. Since but then clearly.
Durability: 8 hours slurps's his rounds

Conclusion: (because of the perfectly fitting pyramid) failed to my personal expectations. But otherwise a (too?) relaxed iris-pepper mix that lulls you creamy. Signature-worthy, yes. But then a bit boring.