Drugstore Scents - Oldies But Goodies !

[david]

On a recent trip to my native Wales I discovered a chemist/ perfumery that had loads of "ancient" stuff on offer.
There are a few things I personally always hated and think I will never warm to, for example Insignia and Turbo.
...but as far as most of the other stuff is concerned it is definitely a case of " My god - I had forgotten how good this is ! "

This was the case with Mandate. I find this an amazing and sophisticated lavender based fragrance, (shame about the unimaginative name) Classic old school, very well structured and always incredible value for money. As a teenager I detested it for the very fact it was so available and affordable. Times have changed, I have changed and I now appreciate its beauty. Judging by reviews here on basenotes and on fragrantica I think others do too.

Among the other treasures were Chique, Aqua Manda, Pagan, Blue Grass, English Blazer and many other Yardley's and Bronnley's.

They all seem to have a depth, structure and life that many modern, (including niche) fragrances don't have. I recently bought Tea For Two from L'Artisan which seems (to me) to use flat, dull ingredients from the food and flavor industry, rather than essential oils that bring 3-dimension to a perfume.

Which older drugstore fragrances do you recommend ?

 

[superfluousPastry]

After getting a vintage sample of this a couple weeks ago I'd have to recommend Quorum. I've read the current juice is still decent though lacking in the beefy oakmoss note. It's cheap enough that I'm going to buy a bottle of the current formulation.

 

[freewheelingvagabond]

One that I'm liking a lot is Pino Silvestre.

 

[david]

One that I'm liking a lot is Pino Silvestre.

Agree !...love to wear this in Winter.
I recently saw 30ml edt splash for sale in Woolworth's in Berlin for €1 !!!

 

[Slayerized]

- Tabac edc
- Irisch Moos
- Playboy Vip
- Adidas: 'Sport Field' - 'Ice Dive' - 'Fresh Impact'
- La Rive 'Cabana'
- Afan for men (a very nice Platinum Egoiste clone)
- Old Spice
- Brut
- Blue Stratos
- 4711
- Agua Lavanda
- Caractere

 

[hednic]

- Caractere

This is a very good one.

 

[sjg3839]

Lauder for Men

 

[adam090273]

The Lomani one is available here for 9.99 and comes with deodorant. Ingredients on the back states oakmoss.
Credit to Renato.

 

[Beck]

Old Spice is so good.

 

[easyfish]

Acqua Di Selva

 

[AnthonyG]

After getting a vintage sample of this a couple weeks ago I'd have to recommend Quorum. I've read the current juice is still decent though lacking in the beefy oakmoss note. It's cheap enough that I'm going to buy a bottle of the current formulation.

True, it's not the vintage and never will be again, but its longevity and pleasant sillage put many to shame. I'll always have a bottle around, speaking of which the bottle is a classic.

 

[Ken_Russell]

Perhaps also Scottish Fine Soaps EDT, Fire & Ice by Revlon, several Bourjois fragrances including Masculin Equateur and Acier, Silences de Jacomo

 

[Fahrenheit13]

The Lomani one is available here for 9.99 and comes with deodorant. Ingredients on the back states oakmoss.
Credit to Renato.

Just went on chemist warehouse.com.au and got this. They have a deal going at the moment for free shipping (within Australia) on all fragrances...

100ml EDT and deodorant delivered to my door for $9.99? Bargain!!

 

[Dimitrios]

Lauder for Men

:shocked: what !

 

[Slayerized]

The Lomani one is available here for 9.99 and comes with deodorant. Ingredients on the back states oakmoss.
Credit to Renato.

Forgot this one indeed! Bought 2x 100ml three years ago in France for €5,90 a piece in a supermarket (Leclerq)! Smells like a less complicated, fresher Drakkar Noir! Excellent stuff, quality to price wise. Caractere they sell in France for €15/50ml while here in NL they sell it for €4.99 in the drugstore.

 

[hitman]

Old Spice is so good.

Still trying to get this here in Dubai-UAE but no luck :angry:

 

[superfluousPastry]

Can't believe I forgot my one of my all time favorites....Monsieur Musk formerly Monsieur Houbigant which is now made by Dana. Definitely old school. Clean, soapy musk with tobacco and tree moss. A decidedly masculine edt but I've read a review on fragrantica where a woman layers this with other scents. I don't know about that! ...as this ones got some hefty huevos! Not for the kids.

 

[Mr. Popo]

- Irisch Moos

I love this one. Old school, but very good. I remember I went to a party a couple of years ago and as I got in my friends car one of the guys said "lol you smell like a grandpa". I ignored him and several hours later when it dried down a bit one of the drunk girls said that my clothes smell really great and she wanted to know the name of the fabric softened I used. I told her not to ask questions and sent her to get me a drink. Not the best fragrance for partying but yeah, it is great.

 

[Pollux]

Agua Brava / Pino Silvestre

Heno de Pravia

Quorum

Agua Lavanda Puig

Tabac

Old Spice

Mc Taylors

Colonia Inglesa Fulton

Canoe / Pinaud Clubman

 

[Indoril Nerevar]

The ones I have and never get tired of...

Floid
Tabac edc ( not the edt )
Irisch Moos edt
Pinaud clubman
Old Spice

 

[easyfish]

Agua Lavanda Puig

+1; a BIG lavender!

 

[david]

Has anyone else tried Mandate ?
I was so impressed by this lavender fragrance !!

 

[Primrose]

I thought of English Sterling when I saw this thread.

 

[unkie fester]

Still trying to get this here in Dubai-UAE but no luck :angry:

Import it. Old spice isn't the most expensive thing

I was and still am a fan of preferred stock

 

[Mountainbikesandwatches]

Hugo Boss! The green one with the nylon strap. So tacky but still good

 

[RCavs]

Forgot this one indeed! Bought 2x 100ml three years ago in France for €5,90 a piece in a supermarket (Leclerq)! Smells like a less complicated, fresher Drakkar Noir! Excellent stuff, quality to price wise. Caractere they sell in France for €15/50ml while here in NL they sell it for €4.99 in the drugstore.

Yeah! Lomani rules, even the new formulation, It's all about Drakkar noir's green top notes. I'd also say Caesars man, a better Drakkar noir!
Ouch! I'm looking after a bottle of Caractere but can only find it expensive on ebay...

Can't believe I forgot my one of my all time favorites....Monsieur Musk formerly Monsieur Houbigant which is now made by Dana. Definitely old school. Clean, soapy musk with tobacco and tree moss. A decidedly masculine edt but I've read a review on fragrantica where a woman layers this with other scents. I don't know about that! ...as this ones got some hefty huevos! Not for the kids.

Had a splash bottle once and It was truly nice! How's Dana version?

 

[Ken_Russell]

Indeed seconding Preferred Stock- what at underrated and under-priced fragrance of sheer powerhouse quality!

 

[Celticfrost]

Has anyone else tried Mandate ?
I was so impressed by this lavender fragrance !!

I like Mandate (though it's a little soapy for my taste). Lomani is still one of the best spring/summer scents with nuclear longetivity. And let's not forget the good old Tabac.

 

[sunnymitra]

I like Mandate (though it's a little soapy for my taste). Lomani is still one of the best spring/summer scents with nuclear longetivity. And let's not forget the good old Tabac.

Likewise, it was the kind of fragrance given to dads and uncles every Christmas in the 1980s, usually as part of a gift set, in other words, it was ubiquitous but I still like the vintage version, it reminds me of vintage Worth Pour Homme and is quite long-lasting. Rapport in the red and black bottle was Mandate's partner in crime as I remember, it was a little fresher than Mandate and for a cheap scent, also very nice juice, potent and with good projection. Celsius was another cheap classic, it opened with a lot of citrus before turning very barbershop and a bit soapy, and lasted all day in aftershave splash concentration. The last one I recall from the 1980s, which may have been a 1970s creation, and which I loved sniffing as a child, thinking it to be the height of manliness at the tender age of 5, was Yardley Gold. Came in a glossy black box with gold writing and a medal or medallion logo embossed on the front. It has been at least 35 years since I last came across it, but I remember it being quite leathery. The one drugstore cologne I'd love to try is Carrington, the masculine cologne tied in with the TV show Dynasty. I've heard it's exquisite stuff but haven't yet managed to procure a bottle from the USA.

 

[Dandydude]

Love these types of fragrances! They just make me smile!
Clubman
Tabac
Floid Vigaroso
Virgin Island Bay Rum
old Spice
4711
Floid Blue
Stetson
Florida Water
Brut
English Leather

 

[Joe_Frances]

I love Clubman Special Reserve, but you can't find it drug stores, really; you have to order on line.

 

[mrcologneguy]

Love these types of fragrances! They just make me smile!
Clubman
Tabac
Floid Vigaroso
Virgin Island Bay Rum
old Spice
4711
Floid Blue
Stetson
Florida Water
Brut
English Leather

Great list!

 

[hednic]

Manes by Remy LaTour

 

[Pippin06]

Pinaud Clubman after shave--LOVE it. In my top 10 all-time favorite scents for men.

Old Spice

 

[Pippin06]

Manes by Remy LaTour

Hednic, in your opinion is this a relatively safe blind buy for someone who enjoys the classics? Just found it and it's quite reasonably priced. I like the note pyramid. Thank you.

 

[hednic]

Hednic, in your opinion is this a relatively safe blind buy for someone who enjoys the classics? Just found it and it's quite reasonably priced. I like the note pyramid. Thank you.

I bought this a long time ago in the NYC wholesale fragrance district brand new for $6 for 100ml. I like it, but that's just me. Not sure you would feel the same way. What are they asking for it?

 

[_Nicolas_]

Alt-Innsbruck Eau de Cologne from 1953

Alt-Innsbruck - Alt-Innsbruck Eau de Cologne cologne reviews

Alt-Innsbruck Alt-Innsbruck Eau de Cologne perfume information, consumer reviews, where to buy, perfume notes and more... Alt-Innsbruck Eau de Cologne is a men's fragrance launched in 1953 by Alt-Innsbruck

basenotes.com

 

[Pippin06]

I bought this a long time ago in the NYC wholesale fragrance district brand new for $6 for 100ml. I like it, but that's just me. Not sure you would feel the same way. What are they asking for it?

$35 on amazon

 

[hednic]

$35 on amazon

That seems a bit steep to me for an inexpensive French mass-market house even it's the 100ml size. It would be a judgment call on your part.

 

[Pippin06]

That seems a bit steep to me for an inexpensive French mass-market house even it's the 100ml size. It would be a judgment call on your part.

Thank you, hednic.