Teadot

Muscular. swarthy. animal -heat... cooled down by eucalyptus.

Not for kiddies. Body Kouros has an omni present and misty sillage in cooler weather. It's deep, smoky, medicinal character suggests adult sensuality in those conditions: Winter air teemed with cool vapors of eucalyptus, holds a brawny benzoin hostage...A touch kinky. But in warmer temperatures... the output intensifies; provoking the beast within. Body Kouros goes Primal ! Overwhelming it's prey with an ardent, resiny, incense sweetness.

Either way, this one pushed one of my already favorite perfumers, Annick Menardo, to the TOP of my list.

Provocative, and brilliant !

( and I'm not just talking about Annick. )

(Added per request: This fragrance projects well on me with 2 to 3 sprays for the first 3hrs (in cool weather). After which, the sillage becmoes moderate for another 2-3. With a still detectable base scent that totals about 6 or 7hrs.)

Brace yourselves for the first half. Which is un-apologetically Loud, Crude, and yet Sentimental. A date night scent worthy of a truck-stop diner! It's a cloying blast of synthetic and powdery floral cliches, made doubly brash next to a (cigarette) tobacco note. Boldly unsophisticated, but never insincere. This is either a real Cowboy's misty-eyed idea of romance - Handing her a dozen roses while talking through a lit cigarette. Or, alternatively, the scent of a creepy old widow down the street...(LOL) For your sake, I hope you own a set of spurs!

The base of Dreamer is the antithesis: It's cozy, congenial, and uncanny. Is it appealing? Yes, certainly. Is it romantic? Sure...if your Mommy still buys your underwear! (and that's not necessarily an age reference. LOL). It's a comforting fuzzy blanket of indistinguishable woods (stitched together with vetiver), snuggling up to a tonka note. But when Dreamer hits a certain point of balance between it's top and base, the scent is indeed "dreamy". Hypnotic, even. (Especially when it wafts from under clothing): Ahhhhh...A perfect hoodie scent ! It has the kind of benign "varsity t-shirt" sexiness, that women at an animal shelter might want a second whiff of ! I should really make this my "signature".

One of the most intriguing, polarizing, and unique, designer scents -that may appeal to your vulnerable side. (The bottle of which I'm sure, had been designed by the general contractors of the Versace villa. LOL). Make no mistake. I like Dreamer, in spite of the jabs. It's simply...Cool !

A (surprisingly) friendly oud based, evening around town scent, for fall and winter. A bit overwhelming at the top, but great projection and longevity will follow. The namesake silver (oud) accord (oud, shined and polished by lavender and lemon) is quite unique. This is paired with a grape soda like accord -A bitter sweet orange, tonka, and geranium combo. It's quite appealing, and masculine. The usual moody dark feel of oud is made brighter, and quite festive by it's silvery-ness. On the other hand, the grape soda vibe paired with the medicinal edge in oud may remind some of cough syrup, as it did me.

Solid. But not a safe blind buy, even at it's amazing value.

No need to consult any note-breakdowns here. Lest you fall for any marketing ploy about "coffee" (??). Essentially, this tropical Kool-Aid set against balsamic basil, has got GAME ! A synthetic flirty head-turner like this isn't for everyone. But it's assertiveness, both in scent as well as performance is nevertheless appealing, owing to a structure that never seem to lose conviction even as it loses strength. A stand-out in a sea of wan puppy-dog juice aimed at a young audience. (Anne)Flippo and (Pierre)Wargnye inject just the right nuance of "mint" - to buoy this otherwise strident mix, atop the cool stratosphere of Givenchy luxury -broadening it's appeal for the more savvy, in the process.

This is a step above other comparable but banal confections -like any of the cKsummer2000and-whatevs. This under-dog from the fragrance pound is my pick of the litter.

The (literally) edgy bottle design seals the deal !

Lotsa fun.

Longevity: 5.5/10 (in base)
Projection (Spring temperatures): 8/10 (in mid)
Art/Creatives: 8/10 (bottle, concept, and scent)
How: wearable all seasons, night or day, casual,
style-conscious, "out-going", dates, parties, flirting.

The floaty, airy quality of this eau de toilette's fruity/floral aspect in the opening; came across a tad "effeminate" for my taste...at first sniff !

But on skin, it warms up nicely with body heat, and the woodiness begins to get more palpable. Then, it makes it over the side of "masculine" for me -as a crisp, woody-citrus tonic, well suited for spring and summer. Although modern in composition, it's naturalism and simplicity emit a classic vibe. What really sets this apart from others in this category ( Bvlgari Eau Parfumé au Thé Vert, Eau de Cartier, etc.) is it's treatment of yuzu. Which in this case is paired with a minor accord of reedy bamboo. Effectively placing Gigli man in an exotic locale. This Gigli Man is well travelled, romantic... and genteel... Like a modern day Prince, effortless in his charm.

Not a scent I took to immediately, mind you. But has become a "sleeper" hit in my collection. An excellent example of the brilliance of Alberto Morillas (it's creator). Recommended. Especially for the unbelievably low price it fetches. Gigli Man is a Prince's scent, for a Pauper's wallet.