Pour Un Homme
Caron (1934)

This opens with a blast of astringent lavender, like an aromatherapy room spray. But give it 20 mins and it settles down and changes completely in to the most amazing soft fougere with a hint of sweetness. It’s cosy and clean at the same time, classy but not outdated. It’s become one of my ‘go to’ bottles. Don’t judge it on its opening, let it settle and you’ll see what all the fuss is about.

I tried this as it was compared to By Kilian's A Taste of Heaven, which I adore. This is similar in feel, but isn't anywhere close in reality. I do like it, but I do agree with some of the harsher reviews here that it is A) not really masculine and B)a huge hit of lavender with powder tones.

First on, I get herbal lavender complete with woody stem and a hint of medicinal cat piss. Dry down brings a softer vanilla cooled with imperceptible musk. It's a cozy bedtime scent, but frankly smells it's era. This will smell dated to younger folks; it's got that powdery barbershop feel that we remember our grandfathers smelling like. Partly that's the oakmoss, but Pour Une Homme has nowhere near the strong opinionated oakmoss that A Taste of Heaven has, and which I love. So what you end up with is a soft, powdery vanilla lavender scent that also reminds people of their grandmothers. Tough sell to most people.

That all being said, I still really like this fragrance. I find it, after the initial rank herbal opening, soft, cozy and relaxing. Dated and specific to itself, it's still very nice, even in it's reformulated state.

Hold on, do I have a bad bottle? Has this fragrance gone bad?

Maybe, or maybe this is a very reformulated and severely dated stale and powdery concoction that smells like an old lady's powder room.

You get this strong and vomit inducing powdery lavender hit.

I heard so many wonderful things about this classic men's fragrance and I so wanted to like but I find it beyond gross!

NOPE

This is for grandfathers and it is very close to Eau de Cologne by bien-être.
It is fresh and clean but very basic

I have been wearing Pour un Homme de Caron in one form or another for almost 50 years: All through the 70's and 80's, Caron made the complimentary "necessaires de toilette" that were offered to passengers on Air France flights: Men got Pour un Homme, and the ladies initially got "Bellodgia" then later they changed it to "Eau de Caron." The men's version contained two glass flacons and a small bar of soap encased in a heavy clam shell carrier. My inaugural introduction to Pour un Homme occurred while submitting helplessly to severe trouble after having excused myself to visit the loo, always a fun experience when you are on a jet, and you are 5, to empty an entire flacon over my head then emerge screaming that it had burned my eyes, also handily perfuming the entire cabin just for everyone's pleasure. Having traveled back and forth from France constantly (Paris-NY, then later Paris-LA) I collected whole drawers full of these flacons and soaps, considering them like precious cargo. I was a dapper smelling 7 year old: Perfectly groomed in my little navy suit with the white pearl buttons, and matching hat. It stood to reason, and was perfectly logical, that Pour Un Homme would stay with me. I considered it a precious "perfume," when my mother would send me huge bottles of Eau du Coq or Eau Impériale during times I was off at school. A tiny splash of Pour un Homme layered atop these maintained my now famous aura of fragrant perfection. As I grew up, I toyed with other things. Jicky, then, when the Guerlain boutiques finally began selling it to the public, Mouchoir de Monsieur, became my signatures, and they remain so to this day, only, they are almost always augmented by a bit of Pour un Homme: Caron now even make a fragrant hand sanitizer for these barbaric times of plaque. In the winter months, when the world turns frozen, I have taken to using first finger dabs of "Impact," and now strategic puffs of "Parfum" both of which I find comforting. These intense versions do something the Eau de Toilette doesn't, as their base notes are increased dramatically, and the strength of their vanilla and musk foundations are far more noticeable, though "Impact" is more gluey. Each version of Pour Un Homme is indeed different, "Impacte" being the most noticeably altered: It has so much coumarin in it that it truly does smell like glue, or, as most Americans will define this note, "Play-Dough." The newer version, aptly called "parfum" is simply deeper, more velvety and in many ways more suave and sensual. It is for use exclusively in cold climates, and in those cold climates, during times the world is frozen: There is nothing more delicate and comforting than the effluvia of Pour Un Homme Parfum lingering endlessly on a scarf, or, more seductively, on the rolled part of a roll neck cashmere jumper. Pour un Homme in any strength requires a certain amount of confidence to carry, though it is simple, it presents a gravitas that not many mens scents might match. There are few things that have remained as they were for all of the long years of our lives, but I might confidently attest that this menu of refined indulgences is one of them. Approach with caution, but if you dare, indulge with abandon. Life is short. Savor every moment.

Pour Un Homme De Caron is a timeless aromatic fougere for men. It's powdery blend of vanilla and lavender is still very relevant and wearable today, some 87 years after the release of this well known classic. The brief note of oakmoss in the opening is what reveals this as a vintage fragrance to my nose. The oakmoss gives Pour Un Homme De Caron an old-school barbershop feel as the fragrance opens. But not a loud, masculine barbershop scent like those of the 70s and 80s, more of an elegant European gent. Think of a 1950s accountant, cardiologist or history professor; old school, masculine, confident, refined and unassuming. Of course the tonka, vanilla and lavender are right there is the opening and persist throughout the longevity as the main notes. It's just that these main notes seem to be tempered by different background notes throughout the trajectory of the scent. This is very subtle yet makes for an interesting journey.
As the fragrance settles on my skin there is a slightly earthy accord when I really concentrate on it, and I think that may come from a possible play between the rosewood and the clary sage. As the fragrance dries down the vanilla and lavender continue to shine on the skin but the background note becomes more floral as some rose comes through. Pour Un Homme De Caron has a slightly grandaddy opening but the dry-down is definitely something a younger man can wear, especially in professional or relaxed casual settings. Longevity is very good for me, it lasts a good 8 hours on my skin on a mild day with moderate projection. Pour Un Homme De Caron is a very good fragrance that still remains very wearable and welcome in my collection.