MrHonest

Having been a devout fan of the much hyped edp (which is more of a rosey benzoin tea scent), I felt like I had to get this one to complete the set, if not to experience another one of Roudnitska’s creations.

The initial blast is almost identical to Honey & Lemon from J-Scent with that deep syrupy honey and fizzy lemon combo. Fantastic stuff. There’s a touch of something spicy-mossy in the background too, but it’s still a good distance away. Within about 5 minutes, all of that is quickly left behind to make way for an obvious, yet perfectly blended lavender and violet. And make no mistake, it’s a quality lavender, not the cheap sort that ladens the shelves at your local candle shop. There’s also a strange skin-like funk in there that kind of reminds me of the inside of a shoe?? It’s a bit bizarre, but not entirely unfamiliar nor unpleasant, and it only seems to become somewhat noticeable in the transition before the lavender takes over at the 10-15 minute mark. Combined with what’s left of the sweetness from the honey (the lemon is completely gone at that point), the violet, musk, and some kind of spicy mustiness creates the effect of a gentlemanly fog slowly rising from a tweed jacket. A beautiful blend, but very different to what you get in the opening.

In fact, it only took me a few minutes to understand why this scent was so lovingly nostalgic. Initially, it was a love at first sniff with a hint of familiarity; but the longer it stayed on the skin, the more obvious it became that the barbershop-y lavender blend was shockingly similar to Mennen’s Original Skin Bracer aftershave from the 1980s - minus the vanilla. That scent would be forever associated with my father when I was just starting gradeschool and would eventually go on to embody my childhood – multi-coloured breakfast cereals, Dick Tracy, early morning fishing and Super Mario Bros. It was also one of the first fragrances that began my love for aftershaves and later, perfume. But as the violet begins to fade at about the 30 minute mark in Moustache, a touch of patchouli becomes evident, leaving behind a moderately soft, quasi-sweet lavender, musk and patchouli until the very end.

Overall, despite its popular reputation as a lemony fragrance, Moustache edt is anything but. In fact, it’s predominantly a soft and gentlemanly lavender for most of its life, if not for the first half hour where nearly all of the magic happens. From the massive blast of honeyed lemon, to the strange funk, soft violet and beautiful lavender drydown, it’s quite a journey to take in such a short period of time; yet frankly an absolute joy to experience. Kind of like life.

I can only imagine what life in France must’ve been like only a few years following the second world war when the original Moustache was perfumed, but there’s a small part of me that feels hopeful whenever I smell this scent - like things are looking up, or that a brighter dawn is just on the horizon - timeless beauty perhaps, or the cover of a fresh book that promises an exciting, yet comforting adventure. Whether or not that was Roudnitska’s original vision is beyond me, but I’m certain that everyone could use a bit more of that sentiment nowadays.

As for performance, longevity and projection are below average (especially the projection), but there’s still the option of jumping on the edt concentree if you’re looking for a louder and more animalic version. The trade-off is the presentation, which is significantly better than the older bottles imo, with heavier ribbed glass and a beautiful golden metal cap. I absolutely adore it. Top tier at this price point.

As for the similarities with other fragrances, I get the comparison with Eau Sauvage edt, especially with that lemon and lavender, but it’s far less herbal and harsh than both AdP’s Colonia and Artisan Pure. In fact, it’s nowhere near the Varvatos tbh. Moustache is simply smoother, gentler, less green, more reassuring, and frankly, more beautiful. Can’t say that those looking for an outright fougere like Azzaro’s Pour Homme or Beau de Jour will be completely satisfied, but the gentlemanly French touch is unmistakeable. A near perfect scent for a burgeoning father who enjoys soft fragrances with a touch of nostalgia. Perhaps not a 21st century bestselling club banger - whatever that means - but a timeless symbol of hope, dedication and work ethic in simpler times. Cher Edmond, je vous salue.

Step 1: Create a decent but overly sweet and synthetic pineapple JUICE accord.
Step 2: Take the sh*tty dirtiness from Al Haramain's Detour Noir and synthetic oud-saffron combo from miriads of middle eastern BR540/Oud for Greatness smell-alikes.
Step 3: Mix them together. Et voila. This.

Honestly, if they would've just left that dirtiness out, it would've been ok. Not good, not great, but ok. Instead what we have here is the one-eyed, one-legged cousin of Detour Noir that never left the clean room in the basement of a hospital laboratory. Somewhere between pineapple-flavoured Flintstone vitamins wedged in the over-heated plastic dashboard of a 1983 Honda Civic, and fresh babyfood vomit. Clearly someone was in a hurry...

Although I don't get any Aventus vibes whatsoever, I'll admit that something in the mid does remind me of a single accord from the original Club de Nuit Intense edt. But for the first hour, it's that awful saffron-oud mix that dominates. Medicinal and with a powdery and crystalline sweetness. Definitely vibes of Oud for Greatness, although nowhere near as woody or spicy. There's a bit of Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud too but without the whole By The Fireplace feel. If I were to place it in a genre, it would be a relative or distant neighbour of BR540.....ish. Absolutely nothing smells anywhere close to natural in this; and although the blend does get better with time, I find myself becoming more annoyed with each sniff. What can I say. The style just isn't for me.

On the plus side, if you're a fan of the whole super sweet dentist office oud-saffron craze, this could be right up your synthetic alley. The pineapple juice thing is really the only twist. Otherwise, it's far more modest than say, the MFK or Initio variety and could be suitable for more intimate environments.

As for the bottle, cheap cheap cheap. Clearly an aftermarket half-quality Sauvage cap and crappy, coated square bottle with a CLEAR seam running down the entire side. Atomizer is the standard misty puffer you'll find on other Lattafa fragrances; but the whole presentation just feels underdone - less weighty, less quality and rushed. Not worth the 22€ I paid and nowhere near as good as some of the other offerings from the brand. But hey, I suppose that's what happens when you trust the ratings and reviews....again. Sigh. Gambling's a bitch.

So yeah, count me disappointed with this blind-buy. Not an awful fragrance, but definitely overly synthetic and cheap smelling to me. And clearly a middle eastern creation. So if you're looking for a more refined designer vibe, you won't find it here. Tons of better fragrances in this price bracket. And if you're not a fan of powdered pineapple flavouring, flintstone vitamins or the whole BR540 fad like me, I might advise you to stay away. Aventus clones are a godsend by comparison.

Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this one suddenly pop up out of nowhere at a local discounter. For years it was touted as the best inexpensive alternative to vintage Fahrenheit that existed at the time. I wouldn't know...because it didn't seem to be available anywhere when I began my research - almost as if those in the 'know' relentlessly bought up all of the stock, relegating any remaining bottles and their prrreciousssss whereabouts to the archives of obscurity. So you can imagine my surprise and excitement when a couple suddenly appeared online, seemingly out of thin air. I had to get my hands on at least one bottle, if only for my own amusement and peace of mind. And this is what I discovered:

Firstly, without any doubt in my mind, it's clearly a copy of Dior's Fahrenheit edt, vintage or otherwise. Secondly, yes, there are a few minor differences in quality and performance compared with the original, and some more glaring ones when compared with other clones like Claiborne's Bora Bora Exotic (BBE) and Pascal Morabito's Grey Quartz (GQ). But if this is as far you choose to read, in my opinion, Metal Jeans is easily the most balanced and my favourite of the three. If you're looking for a straight-up clone, the value is simply unbeatable. For something like five to ten bucks usd, shut up and get it. No, really.

As far as the scent goes, the fragrance opens up with that obvious and nostalgic hit of Fahrenheit violet leaf, nutmeg, cedar and amber-musk. Not a trace of alcohol - nor any citrus for that matter - which is one of the first clear differences that I noticed. As far as the petrol vibe, it's significantly toned down, opting for a sweeter and more balanced take - a welcome change for those who thought that the smell of gasoline detracted from Fahrenheit's appeal. And this is where the comparisons to the vintage begin...

Literally within 10 minutes, a very decent quality chamomile and florals show up, blending seamlessly with the violet leaf and sweet amber to give me a quasi-cherry vibe, that always seems to bring a great big smile to my face. If you've smelled the current version of Fahrenheit, you'll notice that the floral mid is grievously overshadowed by the citrus and petrol giving it a somewhat sharper edge - much closer to the opening of Claiborne's BBE. Metal Jeans does a flip-flop by toning down the gas, cutting the citruses altogether and amping up the florals, giving it that retro flavour that reminds me of many drugstore floral-musks from the 90s.

And wheras BBE flattens into a weird synthetic fruitiness coupled with a mineralic flint in the drydown, Metal Jeans seems to hold its ground, remaining linear for a good 6-7 hours on skin. Projection is great for a solid 2 hours too - well above average for such a cheap fragrance. Unfortunately, there are relatively few woods and leathers to speak of...none actually. But that's partly why it's so much more mass appealing. Don't know what some people mean when they mention a metallic note or vibe, because I don't get that at all, despite the name. But you can tell that the quality isn't on par with the original when sniffed up close. Let's be real - it's Metal Jeans, not Miracle Jeans.

Overall, if you're looking for that dense petrol vibe, you're unlikely to find it here. Go for Morabito's Grey Quartz instead. That one cuts the sweetness right out and replaces it with a synthetic sheen of greenish glass and orange Tang. Performance is pretty weak on that one too. And the Mercedes line (especially the Intense version) is not to be ignored either. Although I've heard that the calone in them can be annoying sometimes. Luckily, if you want something more rounded, sweeter, more floral and appealing, Metal Jeans is a killer copy. Straight up FiRe - especially if you want to ride the nostalgia train for dirt cheap. Quality is on par with clones 6-8x the price - noticeably in the sillage - and the wearability even trumps the original. In an ergonomic bottle with a great atomizer? What more can I say? I can totally see why it was so coveted in its time. Perhaps not worthy of several backups, but truly one of the best bargains I've ever come across. A definite win for vigilance.

Picture this. A suited-and-booted man enters a vacant loo with a determined aura and leather satchel strapped across one shoulder. He walks straight up to the middle urinal - but instead of undoing his zipper and taking care of business, he slllllowly squats down until he's eye-to-eye with a little white cylinder lovingly resting on the glinting porcelain in front of him. He glances left...he glances right...making sure that nobody is watching as he reaches into his satchel and withdrawls a small plastic squeeze bottle half-filled with lightly coloured golden honey. It's not the expensive kind, but a small token from the break room at lunch and enough to flavour a drab cup of steaming tea on a slow day. With a single graceful movement, he reaches forward, upends the bottle and squeezes a thin stream of sweet deliciousness onto the eroded white mass. He withdrawls....chances one more glance around the room before licking his lips, closing his eyes, leaning forward, and taking the deepest inhale of his life.

The spicy and vaguely antiseptic florals fill his nostrils with pure joy, mingling beautifully with the thin layer of refined honey and lingering aroma of bathroom soap and stale urine that permeate the room. THIS is what it's all about - the moments when he can savour the goodness - the MOMENTS that remind him of who he is and what he can do. And as the man leans back, eyes closed and a massive grin upon his face...the bathroom door suddenly bursts open, jarring him out of his reverie and nearly knocking him on his ass as he scrambles to his feet.

The incoming gentleman pauses at the door, the blank expression on his face a result of just witnessing what appeared to be another man apparently squatting in front of a urinal and nearly toppling over in an attempt to deflect attention from his bizzare state. "Everything ok Mr. H?" asks the man. "Of course, of course Daniel." says the squatter. "I was just...examining the ahh....", his sentence quickly trailing off into awkward obscurity. Mr. H nervously shuffles over to the sink and hastens to wash his hands, avoiding making eye contact with his interuptor at all costs - even in the mirror. He quickly and roughly dries his hands on a brown paper towel and walks past the man, still rooted to the same spot, apparently unable to move out of bewildered amusement.

Out in the hall, Mr. H takes a deep breath. He needn't have worried. After all, he IS the boss - number one in a company that he's owned for nearly 37 years. He was an American before he entered that bathroom, and he remains one now that he's left. And regardless of what Daniel THINKS he may have seen, nobody would believe him if he told. His status and salary doesn't even compare. Nevertheless, a certain amount of caution seems warranted. He SHOULD be careful next time. And as he makes his way back to his office, the smirk already returning to his clean-shaven visage, he can't help but wonder where he smelled that wonderful smell before... the perfect scent he thinks, for Mr. Honeybunny.

Back in the bathroom, Daniel finally shakes off his stupor. His gaze immediately returns to the urinal that his crazy boss apparently found so interesting. As if in a daze, he cautiously makes his way over and glances down into its grimey depths. There, upon the crumbling white urinal cake below, rests a curious mound of yellow gel that somehow seems out of place. But of course, he knows the scent well. He's been wearing it ever since he started in the company. And as a devious smile crosses his youthful face, he glances left....he glances right....and slllllowly begins to squat down.....

Every time I wear this scent it never fails to impress. From the first spray, just imagine cracking open a brand new bag of organic dried figs and giving it a good sniff. Bam. Like fresh prunes or raisins with that dusty crystalline sweetness quality - that's what the violet, labdanum, oud and saffron does in this. Very ethereal, high frequency, but with a touch of that grunge from the woody pepper.

It's funny, the first time I ever smelled it on a test strip, it was an immediate love. Dusty and understated sweet man-spice. Big smile. Morever, I couldn't help but get bits of nearly every association that other people have made - Fahrenheit (yup), Gucci Pour Homme II (yup), grape? (more of a raisin or wine), cherries (yup), L'homme Libre (yup) and get this....after sitting for about 8 hours on a test strip...I kid you not - the drydown of Guerlain's L'homme Ideal Cologne. As crazy as that sounds, it took me a while before I figured it out, but yeah. Mostly on paper though.

On skin, the black pepper, saffron and cistus combine to give the high frequency sweetness and ethereal violet a slightly earthy, burned match quality up close that combines with a bare dusting of wood to give it just the right amount of groundedness. It's amazing. Many people have compared the smell in the drydown to dry tobacco leaves and I can see why. But to me, it's really more of a mashup of dry, resinous fruit that sometimes approaches wine territory in the sillage. Like two scoops of raisins decided to waltz around a bowl of freshly poured cherry juice laying on a bed of smouldering leaves or paper. Oud? Not even a hint. At least, not the middle-eastern kind. And the longevity and projection is just about perfect for a scent of this class. Nothing really juvenille about it, despite the sweetness giving it a playful wink.

Overall, if the idea was to create a product reminiscent of the fine glass work that Lalique is known for with just a touch of grounded masculinity and intrigue, Hommage a L'homme is nothing short of a homerun. Even in its current bottle it exudes precision and refinement, all the way up to the logo at the very tip of the reflective cap. Superb attention to detail, and at an incredible price to boot. If I were to sum it up in one word, "lovely" would certainly be it. Not a surprise that Lalique remains my favourite designer fragrance brand right next to Guerlain. Affordable elegance without compromise. THAT, I can count on.