Fragrances through the day
For each day of the week, I have a particular type of fragrance associated with it. My concept of how these days should smell is largely derived from mythical associations with those days, so here goes.
First off, let me just take a moment to gripe at people who tell me that I wear colognes and not perfumes. They are idiots. Perfume and cologne do not denote the gendering of the fragrance, but rather represents the concentration of the aromatic compounds.
Perfume extract: 15-40% aromatic compounds
Eau de Parfum: 10-20% aromatic compounds
Eau de Toilette: 5-15% aromatic compounds
Eau de Cologne: 3-8% aromatic compounds
Splash and After shave: 1-3% aromatic compounds
In otherwords, perfume is a better quality of fragrance because the aromatic compounds last longer. Men, as historically common in the contemporary west, are usually sold fashion products much cheaper to make for roughly equivalent prices.
Monday: Roadster, by Cartier
This is a fragrance that makes me think of moonlit waters. It's top notes are quite strong and have been built around mint. It opens up with a kind of crushed mint leaves, with a herbal-labdanum aroma. The top notes are very strong, but progress very quickly. It progresses into its mid and base notes are green as well, with a strong fougere aspect. What I like most about the perfume is that despite the strong onset, it mellows into something very nice.
Tuesday: Ambre, by Baldessarini (Hugo Boss)
This is a scent that makes me think of fire and passion. It's top notes are red apple and mandarin, giving it a sweetness that lingers in the back of the throat. This is then warmed by base notes of leather and violet that tends to broad the sweetness. Of course, as the name suggests, underneath it all is a base note of amber, but augmented with oakwood, vanilla, and labdanum.
Top Notes: Mandarin, Red Apple.
Middle Notes: Violet.
Base Notes: Leather, Whisky.
Wednesday: Obsession for men, by Calvin Klein
Obsession is a classic for a good reason. It fills my head with a spicy scent that just lingers like a cloud for a good couple of hours. Despite being a very noticable fragrance (which can be problematic), it doesn't smell overpowering. The spiciness seems to simply cut through and wake me up. I find it very invigorating.
Top Notes: Mandarin, Bergamot
Middle Notes: Lavender, Myrrh, Sage, Clove, Nutmeg, Coriander.
Base Notes: Amber, Musk, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli..
Thursday: Terre d'Hermes by Hermes
This is the earthiest scent I have. It starts with a effervescent orange scent, it progresses into a cedar scent mixed with grapefruit, pepper, rose bay, and even flint to give it a strong mineral note. What I really enjoyed about the fragrance was the base notes though patchouli, benzoin, and vertiver to enhance the earthy tones.
Friday: John Varvatos (eponymous)
This is easily my favourite fragrance of the lot. It is my Friday scent because it has a heart of wood and leather - think about it. While normally I favour sweet fragrances as already examples, this is less sweet even though there is a tang of dried fruit through out. The sweetness I find is very balanced by the black leather, tobacco, and vanilla. I just love the way that this fragrance has a more mature and classy aroma about it.
Top Notes: Medjool, Date Fruit, Mediterranean Herbs, West Indian Tamarind Tree Leaves.
Middle Notes: Coriander Seed Templar, Clary Sage Flower, Indian Ajowan.
Base Notes: Auramber, Vanilla CO2, Balsams, Eaglewood, Vanilla, Black Leather.
Saturday: A-Men, by Thierry Mugler
This was the first scent I received as a present, and for my 18th birthday too. As you can see, the chocolate/coffee/caramel aroma creates an atmosphere of edibility. As a fragrance it lasts for hours and changes as it does, but doesn't seem to lose its strength. It is in my mind a death by chocolate fragrance, because underneath it all is a musky tone that sexualises it.
Top Notes: Bergamot, Helonial, Lavender, Peppermint.
Middle Notes: Coffee Bean, Tar, Patchouli.
Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Caramel, Chocolate, Musk.
(Incidentally, you may notice an 8th bottle on the shelf. This is Rochas Man and is similar to this. I consider it the poor man's alternative to A-Men).
Sunday: CK In 2 U Him HEAT, by Calvin Klein
A new fragrance I acquired to complete my fragrance for every day. It was very hard to find a fragrance that conjured up an image of summer sunlight and open skies; iis supposed to be a summer scent, so this works. However, it does seem to fade pretty quickly. It's notes include pear, coriander, caipirinha, mate tea, ginger, iris, vertiver and musk.
First off, let me just take a moment to gripe at people who tell me that I wear colognes and not perfumes. They are idiots. Perfume and cologne do not denote the gendering of the fragrance, but rather represents the concentration of the aromatic compounds.
Perfume extract: 15-40% aromatic compounds
Eau de Parfum: 10-20% aromatic compounds
Eau de Toilette: 5-15% aromatic compounds
Eau de Cologne: 3-8% aromatic compounds
Splash and After shave: 1-3% aromatic compounds
In otherwords, perfume is a better quality of fragrance because the aromatic compounds last longer. Men, as historically common in the contemporary west, are usually sold fashion products much cheaper to make for roughly equivalent prices.
Monday: Roadster, by Cartier
This is a fragrance that makes me think of moonlit waters. It's top notes are quite strong and have been built around mint. It opens up with a kind of crushed mint leaves, with a herbal-labdanum aroma. The top notes are very strong, but progress very quickly. It progresses into its mid and base notes are green as well, with a strong fougere aspect. What I like most about the perfume is that despite the strong onset, it mellows into something very nice.
Tuesday: Ambre, by Baldessarini (Hugo Boss)
This is a scent that makes me think of fire and passion. It's top notes are red apple and mandarin, giving it a sweetness that lingers in the back of the throat. This is then warmed by base notes of leather and violet that tends to broad the sweetness. Of course, as the name suggests, underneath it all is a base note of amber, but augmented with oakwood, vanilla, and labdanum.
Top Notes: Mandarin, Red Apple.
Middle Notes: Violet.
Base Notes: Leather, Whisky.
Wednesday: Obsession for men, by Calvin Klein
Obsession is a classic for a good reason. It fills my head with a spicy scent that just lingers like a cloud for a good couple of hours. Despite being a very noticable fragrance (which can be problematic), it doesn't smell overpowering. The spiciness seems to simply cut through and wake me up. I find it very invigorating.
Top Notes: Mandarin, Bergamot
Middle Notes: Lavender, Myrrh, Sage, Clove, Nutmeg, Coriander.
Base Notes: Amber, Musk, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli..
Thursday: Terre d'Hermes by Hermes
This is the earthiest scent I have. It starts with a effervescent orange scent, it progresses into a cedar scent mixed with grapefruit, pepper, rose bay, and even flint to give it a strong mineral note. What I really enjoyed about the fragrance was the base notes though patchouli, benzoin, and vertiver to enhance the earthy tones.
Friday: John Varvatos (eponymous)
This is easily my favourite fragrance of the lot. It is my Friday scent because it has a heart of wood and leather - think about it. While normally I favour sweet fragrances as already examples, this is less sweet even though there is a tang of dried fruit through out. The sweetness I find is very balanced by the black leather, tobacco, and vanilla. I just love the way that this fragrance has a more mature and classy aroma about it.
Top Notes: Medjool, Date Fruit, Mediterranean Herbs, West Indian Tamarind Tree Leaves.
Middle Notes: Coriander Seed Templar, Clary Sage Flower, Indian Ajowan.
Base Notes: Auramber, Vanilla CO2, Balsams, Eaglewood, Vanilla, Black Leather.
Saturday: A-Men, by Thierry Mugler
This was the first scent I received as a present, and for my 18th birthday too. As you can see, the chocolate/coffee/caramel aroma creates an atmosphere of edibility. As a fragrance it lasts for hours and changes as it does, but doesn't seem to lose its strength. It is in my mind a death by chocolate fragrance, because underneath it all is a musky tone that sexualises it.
Top Notes: Bergamot, Helonial, Lavender, Peppermint.
Middle Notes: Coffee Bean, Tar, Patchouli.
Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Caramel, Chocolate, Musk.
(Incidentally, you may notice an 8th bottle on the shelf. This is Rochas Man and is similar to this. I consider it the poor man's alternative to A-Men).
Sunday: CK In 2 U Him HEAT, by Calvin Klein
A new fragrance I acquired to complete my fragrance for every day. It was very hard to find a fragrance that conjured up an image of summer sunlight and open skies; iis supposed to be a summer scent, so this works. However, it does seem to fade pretty quickly. It's notes include pear, coriander, caipirinha, mate tea, ginger, iris, vertiver and musk.