Should I get more fresh scents?

[L'Homme Blanc Individuel]

I always seem to be ahead of the season. It's February and I'm already wearing spring and summer freshies.

Have you tried Chanel Eau De Cologne? It's amazing, but it's also challenging in a unique way. Rather than being hard to wear, it's challenging in the sense that it's so easy to wear that it may take a few wears in order to fully appreciate it. It's also challenging because it isn't top-loaded at all. In fact, the top is almost lackluster compared to the heart.

Every time I wear it, I think I should add another spray... but after ten minutes or so, it blooooooooms.

It's one of the highest quality scents I've ever smelled, especially among freshies... but it's almost too easy to wear. It's surprisingly long lasting, but if you're used to heavy scents, it might seem too delicate - don't mistake that for "feminine" though. It's perfectly unisex.

I see Boy Chanel on your list. In the same way that Boy has a very "Chanel" quality to it, Chanel's Eau De Cologne does too. It has a similar sort of sparkly airy billowy feel, but for citrus/floral style. Think 4711 but modernized and ultra-smooth.

Guerlain homme is a must.

I need to try that one again. I picked up a sample of the EdT years ago in a swap, but there was only enough juice for a wear or two. It impressed me a lot though. I wish Guerlain had a presence where I live. Their scents aren't available anywhere here. I haven't tried any of their Ideal lineup.

 

[ChuckW]

By this time each Winter, I am so done with heavy/sweet scents. I find myself desiring lighter, fresher scents more and more.
Also, post Covid I dealt with some daily nausea that really put me off heavy scents. Lately, lighter is better.

 

[cazaubon]

I might go for another Hermès: Voyage, Eau de Narcisse Bleu, Épice Marine. Or, Chanel Eau de Cologne.

 

[Hugh V.]

I also need to get some more fresh scents. The majority of my stuff is great, but it's either out of fashion or feels stifling.

Some oddball fresh scents I have or tried:

Avon Encounter aka American Classic
Kind of in the vein of Halston 1-12 but without any real spice or bite to it. Kind of floral almost. I still wouldn't classify it as a summer fragrance, but it does feel light and easy to wear.

Banana Republic Vintage Green '78
Feels powdery fresh, expensive, and somewhat green. Kind of like the femme version of Light Blue, but with a green tea note being prominent.

Azzaro L'eau
A refreshing take on the original, that's much easier to wear, but also old school fresh. Not modern fresh. If Tuscany or Aramni Eau Pour Homme were "cold."

 

[kreteknose]

But fresh and personality don't contradict each other.
I can't think of many perfumes with more personality than Kouros or Grey Flannel.

What are fresh scents with personality but are not too heavy (and not the blue aquatic kind, or the kind that leaves some musky ending)?

The lady appreciates male scents I have like Tom Ford Oud Wood and Terre d’Hermes Intense Vetiver which have a gentle but still somewhat strong sweet note and vetiver note, respectively. I love them but still find them slightly too heavy for some casual days, while a eau de cologne type scent is very light.

The only thing that comes to mind so far is vintage Aventus, it fills the nose with a fresh scent with body the way the Tom Ford Oud and Terre d’Hermes Vetiver fill the nose with their opening note. I’ve sniffed a few more but nothing as interesting and with that full bodied fresh scent.

 

[hednic]

What are fresh scents with personality but are not too heavy (and not the blue aquatic kind, or the kind that leaves some musky ending)?

Nu Green by Honore Des Pres is quite fresh, has personality IMO, and isn't heavy at all.

 

[rum]

What are fresh scents with personality but are not too heavy (and not the blue aquatic kind, or the kind that leaves some musky ending)?

You should look into things like Chanel Platinum Egoiste and perhaps Penhaligon's Endymion (cologne version, not the newer 'concentrate' version).
The Chanel has a super-fresh green accord that doesn't get over-powering at all (just don't spray half a bottle at once). Endymion has a soapy-clean nature that will only get a bit much when over-sprayed, but ultimately it has a super-clean, fresh, soapy out of the shower vibe, yet is in no way a blue or aquatic scent.
The other thing I can think of is Acqua di Parma's Essenza di Colonia (in the all-black bottle), however that one can be a bit too much for some, given the super-strong neroli note. It's bang in the middle of the "clean" spectrum and again nothing blue or aquatic about it.

The lady appreciates male scents I have like Tom Ford Oud Wood and Terre d’Hermes Intense Vetiver which have a gentle but still somewhat strong sweet note and vetiver note, respectively. I love them but still find them slightly too heavy for some casual days, while a eau de cologne type scent is very light.

I certainly wouldn't wear Oud Wood if I was into more fresh scents. I know it has been toned down over the years, but I just don't see it as fresh or clean in any way.
For Terre d'Hermes, I would much rather go for the original EdT rather than any of the flankers.

The only thing that comes to mind so far is vintage Aventus, it fills the nose with a fresh scent with body the way the Tom Ford Oud and Terre d’Hermes Vetiver fill the nose with their opening note. I’ve sniffed a few more but nothing as interesting and with that full bodied fresh scent.

With Aventus, it's a case of evaluating the scent according to its scent pyramid. I find it is fresh only in the opening; it takes a completely different turn in the base, turning musky, sweet, with a woody-amber like accord. It's way too sweet to be classed as 'fresh' in my view.

 

[PrinceRF]

I don't think you need to add more freshies just because they make up a small percent of your wardrobe. But if you really want more, go for it.

 

[Toxicon]

What are fresh scents with personality but are not too heavy (and not the blue aquatic kind, or the kind that leaves some musky ending)?

The lady appreciates male scents I have like Tom Ford Oud Wood and Terre d’Hermes Intense Vetiver which have a gentle but still somewhat strong sweet note and vetiver note, respectively. I love them but still find them slightly too heavy for some casual days, while a eau de cologne type scent is very light.

The only thing that comes to mind so far is vintage Aventus, it fills the nose with a fresh scent with body the way the Tom Ford Oud and Terre d’Hermes Vetiver fill the nose with their opening note. I’ve sniffed a few more but nothing as interesting and with that full bodied fresh scent.

I agree with @rum - the original Terre d'Hermes is great year round, and a bit lighter than the Vetiver flanker. But it's quite similar overall, so you might want something in a different vein anyway.

You might like something like Mugler Cologne or Creed Original Vetiver - both very similar soapy green Eau de Cologne-style freshies. Original Vetiver is basically an upscale clone of the Mugler (and it costs MUCH more), but both are very good for what they are. Fresh scents are an incredibly broad category so it's hard to make too many recommendations without more to go on. A few freshies I really enjoy include Eau de Rochas Homme, Atelier Cologne Cedrat Enivrant, Guerlain Homme EDP, Dior Homme Cologne (2013 version), Zara Vibrant Leather Summer, and even Nautica Voyage (it's really an ultra-fresh, fruity green aquatic; very different than modern blue scents).

 

[Foxsbiscuits]

I will throw my hat into this ring as I'm appreciating freshies more recently -

Terre d'Hermes Eau Givree I think is better than the original.

Eau de Guerlain has a deceptive complexity in a cologne structure.

Cologne du Parfumeur (Wasser's Guerlain creation) is a very inoffensive and pleasant soft/soapy clean aroma. Reminds me of Mugler Cologne.

Dior Eau Fraiche has a timeless sour perfumey accord

Eau d'Hermes is just on another level. The performance is lacklustre but my god it's a beauty.

Colonia Futura is a modern take on an old school structure, very astringent and bitter green.

And if you want a very persistent citrus then there's the discontinued Ideal Cologne (although possibly rebranded as Platine Prive)

Heeley make a vast range of mostly fresh scents that are impeccably well made. Gingembre probably gets my vote.

 

[Brisso]

For me in a subtropical location:
Guerlain Boise (or whatever it's called)
Roadster Sport (satisfying but lousy performance)
Body Kouros (smells like a Eucalyptus forest)
Declaration D'un Soir (less fresh though).

 

[L'Homme Blanc Individuel]

Eau de Guerlain has a deceptive complexity in a cologne structure.

Are you the one who's been raving about Eau De Guerlain a lot here lately? Somebody sure has, and I'm glad, because their comments finally convinced me to pick up a sample. I got a sample of Eau Du Coq too, and Hoe Lee Moe Lee. I'm really enjoying both of them.

And you're so right about the complexity. On first sniff, Eau De Guerlain seems like just another citrus/floral eau de cologne style scent, but it has layers that reveal themselves over time. I just got the sample, so I don't have much experience with it so far, but I'm already very impressed.

Top notch stuff!

EDIT: I'm wearing these two again tonight (a day later). Eau Du Coq is nice, but it isn't in the same league as Eau De Guerlain. Eau Du Coq is more Mediterranean, which is good, but it's missing the underlying depth that Eau De Guerlain has. Eau Du Coq is fresh, fruity, floral, and away it goes! Eau De Guerlain is citrus/floral over a bed of woods and musks that are almost bright white from being worked smooth, and at first you don't even notice them, but then they take center stage. In other words, Eau Du Coq is fresh, fruity, floral, NICE! Eau De Guerlain is a work of art disguised as something simple which reveals itself to be much more. I should also add that I think I get surprisingly good longevity from Eau De Guerlain, though after the opening fades, it wears close to the skin. I'm really enjoying it!

 

[Foxsbiscuits]

Are you the one who's been raving about Eau De Guerlain a lot here lately? Somebody sure has, and I'm glad, because their comments finally convinced me to pick up a sample. I got a sample of Eau Du Coq too, and Hoe Lee Moe Lee. I'm really enjoying both of them.

And you're so right about the complexity. On first sniff, Eau De Guerlain seems like just another citrus/floral eau de cologne style scent, but it has layers that reveal themselves over time. I just got the sample, so I don't have much experience with it so far, but I'm already very impressed.

Top notch stuff!

Yes that's probably me raving. It's an absolute top scent for me and when I first sprayed it after blind buying I almost shed a tear of joy getting a sudden glimpse of all its beauty. I really think it's a masterpiece of cologne and fragrance in general.

Glad to hear you enjoy it too!

 

[dogtoe]

I just picked up Ormonde Man and am very impressed with it being both fresh and complex. Plus, though I can detect it during a full day, it’s not a room filler. I originally turned aside from it because it’s not an in-your-face fragrance. That was a mistake.

I also blind bought Nicolai’s Amber Oud. The name makes it sound dark and heavy, but it’s not; it’s airy, a bit fruity-sweet, effervescent. It’s similar to HDP 1804 but less sweet and more masculine. I look forward to trying it out throughout the summer.

About 3 years ago, I started buying scents generally considered freshies and was bored with most. (My wife hates aquatics, so those weren’t considered). The following are the winners (for me) of that expensive exploration. Some will argue against categorizing some in this list as summer scents, but for me, I just spray less.
- Malle Music for a While
- Malle Geranium pour Homme
- Malle Eau Magnolia
- AdP Quercia (my wife hates it)
- AdP Colonia Intensa
- AdP Pura
- MFK Aqua Universalis
- MKF Aqua Celestica
- MFK Gentle Fluidity Silver
- Nishane Wulong Chai
- Le Labo Ylang 49
- Zegna Florentine Iris
- Floris Neroli Voyage
- Creed Royal Mayfair
- Hermes Givree
- Dior Sport 2021
- Dior Cologne 2013
- Tauer Phi Une Rose de Kandahar
- Amouage Beach Hut
- Amouage Lyric Man
- HDP 1828
- Roja Elysium PC
- Tom Ford Costa Azzura Parfum (the original PB EDP is too fleeting)

Other new ones I look forward to trying through the summer
- PDM Greenly (bad initial reaction from my wife—I sprayed too heavily for her)
- PDM Sedley
- Hermes H24
- Creed Tabarome

 

[Toxicon]

I just picked up Ormonde Man and am very impressed with it being both fresh and complex. Plus, though I can detect it during a full day, it’s not a room filler. I originally turned aside from it because it’s not an in-your-face fragrance. That was a mistake.

I also blind bought Nicolai’s Amber Oud. The name makes it sound dark and heavy, but it’s not; it’s airy, a bit fruity-sweet, effervescent. It’s similar to HDP 1804 but less sweet and more masculine. I look forward to trying it out throughout the summer.

About 3 years ago, I started buying scents generally considered freshies and was bored with most. (My wife hates aquatics, so those weren’t considered). The following are the winners (for me) of that expensive exploration. Some will argue against categorizing some in this list as summer scents, but for me, I just spray less.
- Malle Music for a While
- Malle Geranium pour Homme
- Malle Eau Magnolia
- AdP Quercia (my wife hates it)
- AdP Colonia Intensa
- AdP Pura
- MFK Aqua Universalis
- MKF Aqua Celestica
- MFK Gentle Fluidity Silver
- Nishane Wulong Chai
- Le Labo Ylang 49
- Zegna Florentine Iris
- Floris Neroli Voyage
- Creed Royal Mayfair
- Hermes Givree
- Dior Sport 2021
- Dior Cologne 2013
- Tauer Phi Une Rose de Kandahar
- Amouage Beach Hut
- Amouage Lyric Man
- HDP 1828
- Roja Elysium PC
- Tom Ford Costa Azzura Parfum (the original PB EDP is too fleeting)

Other new ones I look forward to trying through the summer
- PDM Greenly (bad initial reaction from my wife—I sprayed too heavily for her)
- PDM Sedley
- Hermes H24
- Creed Tabarome

Considering I love 1828, Phi Une Rose de Kandahar, and Dior Cologne 2013, I'm really curious to try some of the others on your list. Ormonde Man has been calling to me lately, too, so I finally ordered a sample the other day (arriving next week).

 

[hednic]

Cologne du Parfumeur (Wasser's Guerlain creation) is a very inoffensive and pleasant soft/soapy clean aroma.

This is exactly as i feel about this one.

 

[Foxsbiscuits]

This is exactly as i feel about this one.

It's why I both like and dislike his style. This one and Ideal Cologne have a somewhat sterilised feel, lacking in any grit or roughness, which keeps them out of the realms of great fragrances. At the same time they both smell good so I can't dismiss them.

I was actually annoyed by how much I came to like Cologne, I've got over it somewhat but it's firmly in the category of easy and inoffensive. It's the white t-shirt of my collection (and I don't own any white t-shirts).

I don't know if this makes sense, I've tried to articulate my feelings about Wasser's style before and can't quite coin it. It's well made but safe, simple, and perhaps therefore boring, lacking in artistry and more serving a function. Swiss perfume. I still wear it though so my criticism isn't fully negative. I often wear it as a break from my other more challenging/complex ones.

 

[Roky]

I also tend to the more fresh scents recently. There's already a lot of wonderful suggestions, but here's my two cents:
Eau d'Ikar is a chalky iris citrus with a lot of nuances.
Incense Extreme to me feels like a Tauer's take on a more blue theme.
Older bottles of Bvlgari Aqva have a pronounced mandarin/algae/gasoline/marine vibe which is quite entertaining.

 

[pouring]

AdP Colonia Essenza has been light and lovely on the Mediterranean this weekend