Séxual pour Homme
Michel Germain (1996)

Almost like it can't make up it's mind what it wants to be...herby lavender that almost falls into the realm of barbershop scents...aromatic semi-aquatic that reminds me a lot of Bleu de Chanel and the Allure line...to my nose there seems to be a lot of common notes and olfactory nuances...a slight minty feel...Geir Ness is aother similar fragrance that comes to mind...I don't think this is very sexual , but I think this would be a nice safe choice for date nite...I think the ladies would appreciate this aroma...

The story of Michel Germain is an interesting one: a man who entered perfumery because his wife couldn't find one that made her feel sexy and attractive. It's a rather quaint story compared to what houses like Creed or Eight & Bob try to pass on, but nonetheless filled with at least a bit of embellishment. Sophia Grojsman assisted Michel Germain on Séxual (1994) and later he tackled Séxual Pour Homme (1996) on his own, while both have been the marquee lines for the house since its inception, and obviously designed to make their wearers feel desirable in bed. Another bit about only using the most natural fragrance oils also is mentioned, but seeing what these retail for at MSRP (About $90 USD) and what they often go for in the gray market (at least half that), I am a bit suspicious. Don't take my introductory ramblings the wrong way however, as a self-identified niche perfume house from Canada doing all its own composition, manufacturing, and distribution but still selling at department store prices and staying around for a quarter-century seems rather miraculous when you think about it, since the trend seems to dictate a house like this should be sliding ever up-market until only found in boutiques. Séxual Pour Homme is a semi-oriental fougère, but it does not rely on heavy wallops of oakmoss and vanilla like many from this category, even though it contains them both.

Instead, Michel saw fit to merge a fresher fougère accord of the likes you'd find in something such as Calvin Klein Eternity for Men (1989), Paco Rabanne XS Pour Homme (1993) or Chanel Platinum Égoïste (1993), just with a richer semi-oriental base. As such, a lot of comparisons to the above happen, but what Séxual Pour Homme does is entirely unique to itself. Basil, sweet citrus from clementine, a dab of calone 1951, and bergamot establish the opening, going "full-90's" on the intro as expected with a slightly green fruity bloom. From there, a rich French lavender comes in with geranium and clary sage to form that basic fougère accord, but the sweetness and richness cranks up as petitgrain segues the nose into the semi-oriental base of sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli, and of course tonka, without which this couldn't be a fougère. Oakmoss is there but there is no sharpness from it, just the buttery base riff that holds it all together, and this stays on skin for a very long time, seemingly growing louder over the course of the wear rather than fading, until it collapses on skin. Séxual Pour Homme is clearly synthetic in the most precious of its materials, so don't expect Mysore in the base, but the overall effect is one that seems a bit more mature than the concurrently-released Curve for Men (1996) but with that same affable sweetness and roundness. Wear time of 10 hours can be expected, which is pretty great for an eau de toilette all things considered.

Séxual Pour Homme takes the cozy and inviting elements of something like Chanel Pour Monsieur Concentrée (1989) but doesn't keep the more mature powdery bits, replacing them instead with trendier sweet fruit notes and more lavender, rounding out the edges until the smell is smooth like the bottle in which it comes. While I won't say this doesn't resemble Eternity for Men in some fashion, it also goes way deeper in the dry down. This stuff was a breakout success in Canada, which isn't exactly known as a land of perfumers, and has since spawned a litany of flankers in addition to companion lines like Deauville Pour Homme (1999), so I figured it must at least be good enough to try if an entire name plate was built around it. Séxual Pour Homme has a pretty cringe-worthy name and a bottle that feels like plagiarism of the Halston "pinch" bottle, but the smell is nice for what it is, although I'd certainly look for a deal as I wouldn't pay MSRP for a style that was redundant even by 1996 when it launched. Still, on the whole I like this, and if you're not the kind of guy to own a few dozen different overlapping options, but wanting one good generally-appealing fragrance that could go year-round, you could do far worse than Séxual Pour Homme at any price. Thumbs up

A sexy, masculine scent from Michel Germain. From the nicely sculpted bottle to the amazing elixir within, this fragrance entices with the fresh mélange of florals, citrus and spices. It isn't loud, but it definitely gets attention, hovering with a tangy spiciness that feels "wet" and sexy!

There seems to be a ton of flankers of this one, but I will ever enjoy Michel Germain's original, sensual masterpiece.

Been wearing this for a couple hours, and after the initial disappointment from the lack of projection, it's starting to come on now. Maybe its my body heat activating the oils finally but I'm getting that comfortable, casual Eternity vibe. Kinda soft and romantic. I don't believe this will be a compliment magnet but could be a a nice surprise for someone who wants to get close.

This is a confusing mess of herbs and spices, with all of them screaming for attention at once. This is a very strange frag indeed. Be very careful when spraying...at a sniff you think this will be soft and subtle sweetness, but this one seems to get stronger and more aggressive as it develops on your skin. Projection is pretty potent; I know if I can smell it on myself, other people surely can!

Good knock-off of Eternity for Men Séx?al pour Homme is a knock-off of Eternity for Men (as is Very Sexy for Men by Victoria's Secret). I've compared all three, on skin, side-by-side. Séx?al pour Homme has the best longevity, though it's hardly what I would hope for. Very Sexy has almost no longevity at all; it feels as though it's gone in ten minutes. Eternity for Men falls somewhere between those extremes. Plus Séx?al pour Homme holds a bit more spice and sweet bite in the drydown than either. So, though it's not all that well-known, I rely on Séx?al pour Homme for every day usage. Meanwhile, I keep a bottle of Very Sexy displayed on the vanity for the ladies to admire ... as well as for refreshing Séx?al pour Homme while at home. I leave the lame Coty reformulation of Eternity for Men to gullible shoppers in the mall. And I keep an eBay search on for vintage Eternity for Men juice ... though I am more likely to find a live unicorn for sale first.Pros: LongevityCons: