Search Forum

Teenage boys - fragrance recommendations

1 - 25 by 31
Teenage boys - fragrance recommendations 10 years ago
I've had a breakthrough with my sons, aged 18 and 19, and they are now willing to be weaned off Lynx and Playboy body sprays (gag) onto something that smells good for a night out and lasts more than 10 minutes. They are stylish, but casual, dressers and their personal grooming currently comprises numerous hair products and a lavish drenching of their chosen outfit (usually after "resting" the garments on the bedroom floor for a couple of days) with the above mentioned body sprays.
The older one was wearing David Beckham "Signature" for a while. Pleasant enough but it made him sneeze a lot, didn't have great longevity and finally turned after 18 months, unboxed, near a window.
The younger one dislikes anything remotely sweet or floral, doesn't want dominant citrus and thinks he might like an element of non-sweet vanilla.
I've been trying to get their opinions on some of my fragrances to suss out which notes they like but it's not easy - they may describe something as "nice" but wouldn't actually want to wear it. Normally I would start with classic fougeres and woodies but anything too citric, green or cedarish may be too much.
I'm looking for "safe" masculines/unisex that have good longevity and feel modern and not too stuffy. Preferably designer (as in price) but I'm happy to consider niche if it's in the lower price range and easily available. I'd thought of Rive Gauche pour Homme as a possibility but would love to hear suggestions from the community. No rush - I think this will be a long process!
EDIT: The older son (the ex-Beckham) is currently sampling Tauer's "L'Air du Desert Moroccain" and likes it (a possible candidate for the Explorer set). The younger one said it "smelled like a chic's perfume".
10 years ago
According to you EDIT, your younger son is the bigger challenge Smile

My personal favorite is Lanvin Avant Garde. It's a bit gourmandish, which makes it modern,it also has some tobacco, making it lean to the masculine side. Avant Garde also has bright (but non-herbal) lavender which turns the whole into an original 'neon light' party-concoction. Very affordable too.

If your younger son likes a little vanilla, then... ---XXXXlemale-removedXXXX--- I also encountered Baldessarini Strictly Private: a nice vanilla/amber combo that isn't too sweet. But if you're a niche connoisseur, you'll probably know a better amber. ---XXXXchanel-removedXXXX---

One fragrance where I have real 'evidence' that young women like to smell it and guys like to wear, is Nikos Sculpture. It surprised me when I found out that it smells of orange blossom. A flower! It's a creamy scent, not too sweet and dries down with tonka. Perhaps niche orange blossom can do the same trick. Sculpture is really affordable. Another orange blossom is Dior Fahrenheit 32. Talking about Dior, Dior Homme Sport is worth checking.

Another timeless masculine that many people swear by, is D&G pour Homme: In there heart there's a combo of medium strong lavender + peper, then it transitions to a smoooth tonka in the base (smells like vanilla to me), which is made a little more interesting by a pinch of tobacco.

Please keep us updated about the process Smile
Last edited by Sleuth on 04.10.2013, 22:07; edited 1 time in total
10 years ago
Thankyou for the comprehensive list, Sleuth - much appreciated!
You are right - the younger one is going to be the challenge. He seems overtly sensitive to anything vaguely "chic-smelling" - the parameters of which elude me but seem to be defined by anything that's not straight-up barber shop masculine. He just said to me "I just want something like, you know, "Brut". That was pretty much all guys wore when I was his age: Brut or Blue Stratos or Old Spice for the dads.
He doesn't seem to mind lavender and your suggestions look very promising - the Diors, JPG and D&G should be easy to find and I'll sniff around for the others.
The older one has just skipped out the door in the LADDM (not too much lest he become the focus of derision from his Lynx-wearing mates).
shall keep you posted.
10 years ago
i'm skipping out the door with a combination of Tam Dao & lynx.

keep us updated Smile
10 years ago
This is indeed challenging!

Usually, the musky-sweetish fragrances are a big success with young men. There are good alternatives to the Lynx sprays that are in line with the request of smelling nose-catching enough to be used on a night out. Le Mâle is possible but at least in my country it is a bit ill-reputed for being preferred by young chavs. The old Joop! Homme works better.

I also think that teenagers who are looking for an alternative to the stuff that their peers wear would go for colognes that are marketed for older men. The keyword "Brut" gives me that impression in case of you younger son. Try a spicy chypre like "Equipage" by Hermès, and find out if he would like Guerlain's Vetiver.

I agree that Arpège pour Homme is a safe choice.
10 years ago
Thankyou for your insights, Apicius. I was quite surprised when the younger lad suggested 'vanilla' as it doesn't seem to correlate with his desire for something 'manly'.
I think the problem is that he has no real reference scents or perfume terminology to narrow down the search and the frags my husband wears are all marketed as feminine (I told him they were unisex but the man likes his sillage and is a bit clueless; he's currently wearing Paloma Picasso, Midnight Oud and Bottega Veneta, to work no less - I can't imagine what his co-workers think!).
But back to the topic. I agree that some of the older gent frags might also be worth a try: fougeres, leather chypres and the like. He's not overly fond of any of my green chypres but most of these also have a floral element. I even thought of Aramis. I want to steer him away from bland aquatics as most still have that "body spray" vibe.
I'm onto ordering some minis and samples and hopefully can narrow down the parameters a bit.
10 years ago
Smile I do not have the necessary experience to allow myself to give advice, so - just a few ideas, things that I have been on the radar lately.
Apicius is right that this is a challenge, because in most cases, geared towards this age group frags are just in the list of unwanted here.
For young people, but not sweet, not floral, not citrusy... hmm.
I was thinking of:
Gucci Pour Homme II
Blv Notte pour Homme by Bvlgari
He Wood Rocky Mountain Wood
maybe Encre Noire (not exactly youth, but quite teenagers fall for the ''dark side''),
eventually A * Men Pure Shot (here I am a little reserved)
and... Jacomo de Jacomo by Jacomo - does not fit exactly, but I loved to wear it since my youth, so ...

edit/
And one more thing - they are not expensive, given the frequently changing tastes of teenagers - can be easily left behind.
10 years ago
Triffid, you are a lovely mum. My middle son smells wonderful in Porsche Essence and guys who are getting into fragrance are sometimes reassured by the car thing. I know it's ubiquitous but Terre D'Hermes is just so gorgeous. Quasar by Jesus del Pozo is a lovely starter fragrance also.
10 years ago
Omni:
Triffid, you are a lovely mum. My middle son smells wonderful in Porsche Essence and guys who are getting into fragrance are sometimes reassured by the car thing. I know it's ubiquitous but Terre D'Hermes is just so gorgeous. Quasar by Jesus del Pozo is a lovely starter fragrance also.

Oh, and Givenchy Pi for our vanilla explorer
10 years ago
WolfM and Omni, thanks so much for your suggestions. Re the Terre d"Hermes: I had a sample of Montale Red Vetiver, which I believe is very similar, but my husband liked it and used it all. I'd intended to get the boys to try it.
I'm now building a good list! The challenge will be to get the boys on a shopping/sampling trip (unlikely, embarrassing) or finding samples and minis for home trial.
I will keep you updated on the "project".
10 years ago
Pi is nice because it's multifaceted, but it's rather sweet.

How funny (and great) that he likes barber shop/fougère type scents!

For that reason I'll remove the Chanel & Le Mâle, they are not so masculine. And I'll replace them with these ones:
- Armani Code Ultimate (the original smells great but has bad performance)
- Lalique Hommage à l'Homme (it's like Eau de Cartier with pepper, oud & saffron)
10 years ago
Do keep us updated Triffid. Interesting thread for our members who have young sons... I do not... however I like reading the replies.

Thanks
10 years ago
I really appreciate everyone's help with this. It takes a village....
Luckily Surrender to Chance has samples of designer/celebrity scents and not just niche and classics, so I'll be able to order many of your suggestions.
As this is such a lucky dip lottery of a process, I'm beginning to think that what proves acceptable to the guys will end up being totally different to what they think they want. I can't push it too much or they will resent the fuss. They are conditioned to sniffing any new fragrance I might be trialling (with much eye rolling) but they don't mind doing this as they have no real stake in the outcome.
The older one is more patient and keen to wear something that is not being smelled on 90% of other young guys. Postscript for his LADDM wearing "all right I guess, would like to try some others". Sigh.
10 years ago
Project update:
I've just ordered a bunch of samples, using suggestions from each of you plus a couple of others that appear to be popular and owned by many users in the community. Ordered a few for myself of course (why waste the postage...)
I've only ordered one vanilla-centric scent, as a reference, fearing that this style may end up being too sweet for the capricious taste of the younger son (he's now not sure if vanilla is what he really means..). A few were omitted, based on availabilty, but I think we'll have a good spread of styles. Some are so cheap at the discounters that I even considered blind buying, but restrained myself admirably.
If none hit the mark, the younger one has suggested a department store sampling trip after his exams in a few weeks (breakthrough!).
I hope we don't disappoint and end up with something blechh and generic!
10 years ago
Thanks Florette. I'm reading the notes: 'Skunk spray", 'rubber accord'? Should smell a bit like their bedrooms!
10 years ago
Any development with this, Triffid? Smile
10 years ago
Hi Sleuth,
Thankyou for your interest - it's nice to get some closure on these matters.
My husband has become the unexpected third player in the project. He's a one-bottle-at-a-time type of guy who recently declared that he has more than enough fragrances (he only has three, all of them mine!). It seems that I have suddenly opened the world of masculine fragrances to him and he is getting quite enthusiastic.
So, to answer your question: yes and no. I've been impatiently waiting for my samples to arrive so I can report back. Unfortunately, there is no sampling service in Australia for this, so it means waiting several weeks for the slow post from the U.S. Any day now, I hope!
In the meantime, I rounded up a few minis (and one FB blind buy) from my local online discounter. These arrived in three days and have been quite a success.
At Omni's recommendation, I bought Jesus del Pozo's "Quasar" as it was very cheap for a 100ml bottle and, based on reviews, seemed like a safe option for a daytime fragrance - a good transition from that "fresh from the shower" body spray vibe to a bona fide scent. It's in the CK One-esque mold, fresh without being chemically aquatic smelling and has decent staying power (I guess I should write a review..). This arrived on an unseasonably hot, windy spring day with temperatures nudging 100 degrees and it proved to be the ideal thing to spritz on for a feeling of cool refreshment. The menfolk all concurred on its suitability as a go-to workaday frag, actually, I'd wear it myself. My husband has appropriated the entire bottle, so a second purchase looks likely.
"D&G pour Homme", with its lavender and tobacco, has been a hit with the older lad, the husband also likes it and (no surprises) I'd even wear it myself.
I also received a GWP sample of "Boss Bottled" so threw that into the ring as well. Younger son really likes this and has almost drained the sample (hmm, so much for his previously stated preferences). Out of interest, I sprayed myself with a couple of wild cards: Luten's "Cuir Mauresque" and "Chergui" on a recent shopping trip to get the youngest's impressions, which were "NO!" for the Cuir and "chick-smelling" for the Chergui drydown. Glad about that, too expensive!
"Le Male" is in the yet-to-arrive sample order but I had a sniff of it, along with "Joop Homme", in the department store a few days ago. Not sure about those, might be too sweet but we'll wait and see (the Joop is very cherry-cola smelling!).
I'm holding off on any FB purchases til the rest of the samples arrive (about 10, I think) but at least we have some contenders plus a new list of things I'd like for myself ("Allure Homme Edition Blanche" I'm looking at you).
The project continues....

EDIT: The package just arrived! There is no one home to try them!
10 years ago
Quasar, D&G p.Homme, Boss Bottled. I think you accomplished your mission. They have no reason to wear Lynx anymore!

If they want add or change something, they know who to ask Smile

I haven't tried Quasar myself, but I look forward to trying it! Let me add it to my testing list...
10 years ago
We are working our way through the samples - full report pending. The boys are sick of it already but the adults are doing quite well with at least three on the 'buy" list. "Quasar" is a Christopher Sheldrake creation, but about as far from a Lutens as one could get. Might be too "meh" for afficionados but has its place in this household.
10 years ago
Triffid:
The boys are sick of it already

Be careful eh, don't make them hate perfume Smile

Yes I noticed that Sheldrake made it. Boss Bottled was done by Annick Menardo, but I guess you know that already!

Your description of Quasar, above, is quite informative. You could copy/paste it as a review.

I would love to hear the full report.
10 years ago
The results are in!
We've actually ended up with a suggestion from each of you, so great advice all round. Some were universally liked and will be purchased as shared bottles (me included, if that doesn't creep the guys out too much). I pretty much liked everything and have also added a few as potential purchases for myself.
The final selections are as follows:

"Quasar" by Jesus del Pozo as a shared daytime/work friendly summer frag. Plus:
Younger lad: "Boss Bottled" (huh, so much for his vanilla and 'Brut' requests!)
Older lad: "Encre Noire" by Lalique (I love this) and "Gucci pour Homme II"
Husband: "Infusion de Vetiver" by Prada (I love this) and "Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme" (to share with older lad). Latter has been reformulated, not sure which version we have but the mini came in a blue velvet box and the site indicated it was the 1994 version and not the 2012.

Others that were tested and generally liked, but for various reasons were not preferred over the final choices, were:
"L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme"
"Rive Gauche pour Homme" (I love this)
"le Male" by JPG
"Paco Rabanne pour Homme". I like this but not as popular with the guys, perhaps too 'old school' in style for them.
"Equipage". 'Baby wipes' and 'soapy' were the comments.
"Vetiver" by Guerlain. Husband liked but less so than the Prada; son described it as 'too mature' (I'm politely paraphrasing, he actually said 'old person')
"Heritage" by Guerlain. Ordered sample but did not arrive, apparently on back order.
"Bottega Veneta pour Homme". Husband wears the original and found this lacked projection/longevity. Younger son liked.
"Allure Homme Edition Blanche". I may get this for myself.

Thanks everyone!
10 years ago
A very interesting read, Triffid Very Happy I'm glad that everyone has found something to his/her liking.

"Encre Noire" is quite a bold fragrance to put on at age 19, good for him! I've only smelled the new D&G pour Homme, it isn't very complex but it is rather good. One girl on YouTube did a side by side comparison and she said that the old one is better but that there's not enough of a difference to go through the trouble of finding the old one.

triffid:
"Equipage". 'Baby wipes' and 'soapy'

<-- Hahah! But the opening is so wonderful! Do you think there's some truth in those comments, is the dry down like soapy baby wipes?

triffid:
"Heritage" by Guerlain.

It's Guerlain quality, but I don't think your sons will like it, do you?
10 years ago
Sleuth, I was quite surprised about the "Encre Noire" as well. After a few rounds of testing the more mainstream fragrances, I think it stood out as being in a noticeably different genre. We haven't bought it yet as my son thinks it would be an occasional wear to add some variety. I love it. When my husband tried it, he wasn't wowed (though he likes Montale's "Red Vetiver") but I couldn't stop sniffing him.
In fact, I'm becoming a bit of a vetiver fanatic and enjoy the different interpretations offered by each house. We've bought the Prada and I'd like to get the Guerlain and Lalique to wear myself. I love earthy green chypres, so perhaps it goes with the territory. I dug out my 20 yr old (!) bottle of vetiver essential oil (a throwback to the days when, embarrassingly, I used to make potpourri and 'fragrant craft items'). It's as black and sticky as tar with a sweetish smoky smell, not nearly as pleasant in this undiluted form.

It turns out we have the newer version of D&G pour Homme, but as we're happy with it, I won't fret about the reformulation - thanks for the tip about the comparisons.

The "Equipage" vial leaked in transit so we ended up with half a sample and a slightly 'off' soapy baby powder smell around the spray nozzle. This one really didn't get the sampling consideration it deserved and testing was refused outright by two of the guys. Shame, as I like complex soapy chypres and probably should have tried it myself. No point pushing it with the guys, they're too impatient and we had a lot of ground to cover..

The "Heritage" duly arrived but I didn't bother with the testing, given the lack of enthusiasm for some of the other 'old school' masculines. I packed these ones up and have given them to my brother-in-law who enjoys and wears this fragrance style. Hopefully, he'll have fun with them and find something new for himself.

I've ended up with a few more GWP carded samples to be tested in due course, including Chanel "Allure Homme Sport" which was previously recommended, Chanel "Bleu" and Versace "Eros" which I'm not too impressed with; to my nose it had a very synthetic, body spray vibe with a weird minty/aquatic note up top and a sweetish vanilla base.
Thanks for your ongoing interest!

EDIT: Brother-in-law not keen on Equipage so now my Chanel no.5 wearing sister is going to give it a try.
10 years ago
Lol, your family gets quite a lot of free samples Very Happy
Notify about new comments
Display posts from previous:
Forum Overview Perfume Recommendations Teenage boys - fragrance recommendations
1 - 25 by 31
Jump to