Mainstream Monday – Sniffing A Popular Perfume
Fragrances like these are the fragrances that turn people into judgmental fragrance snobs. This fragrance is a synthetic mess, a fragrance with no thoughts or feelings. It’s obvious that it was only made to be sold to brides that wanted their husband in a “matchy-matchy” fragrance on their wedding day. And it makes people snobs because all of the marketing works. Wow, I didn’t mean to sound so bitter…
Vera Wang for Men opens as this nose hair singing mess of the most synthetic, robotic citrus known to man. It reminds me of cleaning products, industrial strength cleaning products so strong they must be diulted in gallons of water. But, here’s the deal…it isn’t diluted! After about 5 minutes, it settles a little but it still burns my nose. It gets a little spicier with a green pepper note that manages to be spicy without any of the heat. I wait. There’s a synthetic leather. It’s a clean and sterile leather. What’s the point? The base is a green tobacco that is astringent-green but really clean. I’d guess there are some “clean” musks in this. Many, many clean musks.
My verdict is that this is a fragrance that smells better from far than up close. This is not a cuddle fragrance. It’s like a “I smell good if you are standing over there” fragrance, but not too far, this doesn’t “throw” too much.
Notes listed include green mandarin leaf, yuzu, nutmeg, leather, anise, amber, sandalwood, and tobacco.
I guess give this a try if you like synthetic citrus fragrances or any of those fragrances in the CLEAN perfume line.
The large 3.4 oz EDT spray retails for $72 at Nordstrom. One can find it at discounters like Fragrancenet.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A synthetic soapy mess. When I’m not smelling it, the only thing that I can remember is that I never want to smell it again. It actually hurts my senses. Fragrances like this are the fragrances that give mainstream fragrances a bad name.
Want more reviews? Try…
Basenotes (member reviews, very polarizing member reviews)
Fragrance Talk (video review, a gentleman’s perspective)