Good Life
Davidoff (1998)

My enthusiasm for this has dwindled since I last tried it. It's pleasant enough for what it is (a mid-90s amber-floral-freshie) but it lacks depth. The aquatic aromachems Bourdon likes so much flatten out the more interesting elements here.

Of the "designer fig" fragrances of note, this one lags far behind the Marc Jacobs and Salvatore Ferragamo offerings.

Good Life draws on the olfactory fig tree invented by Olivia Giacobetti,
but Good Life is more than the smell of a fig tree.

It takes the fig tree and zings it up with grapefruit and blackcurrant - the same notes that Calice Becker put into her transcendent What about Adam the year before - which gives a combination of vibrant head, fruity fig, and powdery-woody-leaves.

A lime green hybrid, it soars beyond naturalism, twisting its theme into abstract odours that keep you guessing :
what is that? ... is it a fig tree?

Yes it is
No it's not,

it's an image of a fig tree
with other plants around,
and shade and soil below;
a virtual perfume garden.

This was MY scent through the late nineties and early 2000's. Man alive I never thought they'd discontinue this awesome selling and awesome smelling EDT.

Always got compliments on this, I wore it year-round, it was never overpowering or obnoxious, and I've barely got a few weeks left....

Too bad it takes a car payment to buy a new bottle....

Bring this classic back!

After the owning phase with its berry and lavender mix, the fig arises, constituted of fig leaves and a fruit in unison. Not really very sweet and not unpleasant.

In the heart notes the violet is evident, a violet that is quite smooth, and in the base accompanied by soft woodsy impressions. Whiffs of clove-like aromas take turns with a gently resinous undertone, but the fig note remains present interwoven into the whole mix.

I get moderate sillage, good projection and seven hours of longevity on my skin.

A smooth spring scent for cooler days, its main drawback is its synthetic nature, as well as the generic character of some of its constituents. 2.75/5.

Stardate 20161024:

A cool water wannabe. I don't see the fuss here. One of the few cases where the decision to discontinue has been a wise one.
Buy cool water and be glad.

It was a total brain meltdown that led me to selling my bottle of The Good Life. One of the few mistakes that I have made as far as selling/trading scents. I was in a different frame of mind as far as what I was looking for in a scent. Now that I am older I do appreciate the scent more. The opening is a standard citrus open with a slight twist to my nose of the grapefruit and fig. The fig flows throughout and I get a hint of vetiver but I do not see it listed but I do smell it... or at least think I do lol. If you have a bottle hold on to it... if the price EVER comes down I will get it again. Enjoy!

Good Life for Men opens with relatively sweet green fig leaf coupling with an aromatic bergamot and lavender co-starring tandem. As the composition moves to its early heart the green fig leaf and aromatic lavender remain now as co-stars adding slightly tart grapefruit to the mix with additional subtle melon support. During the late dry-down the composition eschews most of its sweetness turning distinctly ambery with supporting green oakmoss and dry woods through the finish. Projection is very good and longevity good at about 8-10 hours on skin.

Ever since Good Life for Men was discontinued I have read many praising the composition, and demand must be there as prices have steadily increased. Just like many other discontinued compositions, however, the legend is often larger than the actual result so it is time to see if Good Life for Men really deserves its stellar reputation. I have worn the composition three days in a row and am again wearing it as I write this review. I am afraid despite my love of its classy bottle, for me Good Life for Men is really not so good. Oh yes, it does have some green aspects that are appealing, like the slightly synthetic smelling fig leaf, but the clover derived green sweetness that makes itself known early and hangs around with the fig through the mid-section is too sweet for my tastes. The woody amber dry-down is nothing new either, with only some green oakmoss adding an interesting twist, though far from original either. At the end of the day, this composition must have been designed to appeal to Davidoff's Cool Water crowd, as that really was their big hit (by the same perfumer Bourdon, no less) but alas, lightning rarely strikes twice and Cool Water in its original vintage form is a lot better composition than Good Life for Men. The bottom line is the approximately $170 per 125ml bottle on the aftermarket Good Life for Men is a valiant attempt by Davidoff and Bourdon to revive the house's greatest commercial success, Cool Water, but while appealing this "good" 3 star out of 5 rated composition comes up a bit short.

It is the Good Life... A classic fragrance - no more...

I am a huge fan of the Davidoff fragrances - I have many in my collection nearing 500 bottles (ok - I guess I am a little OCD..). In addition to being one of my favorite names, the Good Life is one of my favorite Davidoff fragrances. The juice is good - too bad it has been discontinued. I am glad I have 3/4 a bottle that is only used sporadically. The Good Life is truly a pleasant blend of amber, citrus, floral, and sandalwood notes that settles into a herbal, almost grassy", and woodsy fragrance that is fresh and easy on the nose. The longevity and projection/sillage are average, or slightly above average. The "Wow Factor" (comments from the opposite sex) exists - I have had more comments wearing other fragrances, but Good Life has great potential. You will get noticed. While I would feel comfortable wearing Good Life during any season, perhaps Autumn or Spring are ideal. Additionally, Good Life offers versatility that it can be worn day or night or for any occasion.

The bottle and packaging are first class. I am especially fond of the bottle - clear and designed that portrays class. Well done Davidoff.

Now... The rest of the story... The downside is that Good Life has been discontinued. That said, a check of online pricing reveals that if you want some of the Good Life - you will pay a premium.

Final tally for Good Life is 4.1 stars out of a possible 5. Everything about this fragrance is great with the exception of the price/value. If you can find it at a reasonable price, I definitely recommend adding to your collection.

Daily I.M - Today is an opportunity to make a difference in someone's life. Do the right thing..!!

I had a torrid affair with this scent when it came out in 1998. I thought it was one of the best green scents ever. However, as much as I loved the fig and the lightness of the scent overall, the synthetic grassiness began to get to me. It was like walking through fields of Elysium--but in Tartarus. The grassiness just wouldn't stop. It was like something you couldn't get away from. I finally had to break off the relationship, so to speak. But, like a shooting star, it was beautiful and burned brightly while it lasted. And even now, I get a bit wistful and nostalgic about it.

Pretty good everyday scent. Kind of reminds me of Calvin Kliein Eternity but this smells slightly better. Nice fig scent.

I've worn this since the year of launch and continue to wear it. The most obvious notes are the grapefruit, melon and fig leaf. The fig leaf stays until the very end. During the dry down, the magnolia comes through and then finally the amber and sandalwood add a masculine sweetness worth waiting for. Just a little sweet, but still dark and warmer than you would expect from the green and citrusy opening.

I first wore this on a warm afternoon in Palm Springs. It will always remind be of drinking a gin and tonic by the pool and then moving slowly into town for a nice dinner on an 82 degree night. That move from fresh and crisp to warm and elegant is how this fragrance evolves over a period of 4-5 hours.

Sillage is decent. Perfect for me, as I typically don't want to overwhelm anyone with the scent but instead want to just share it between me and my wife. One spray is all you need. In fact, I will sometimes spray that single spray from quite a distance to keep it light.

My only gripe is that it begins a little synthetically. But this is a go-to for me when I want a clean, green, elegant scent.

Good Life probably represents a line in the sand for Davidoff.You can see obvious decline in the company's output from this fragrance onwards.

It is not to say that this is an awful experience, but large passages of the fig-centric Good Life feel contrived and synthetic. Although I am generally ambivalent about the use of the fig note, I remain convinced that better examples of it can be found elsewhere.