The Gentleman's Starter Kit

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Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is having a marvelous day today. It's another cloudy and humid day here in South Carolina, but I am staying inside all day, so I am not worried about it.

I have had many people message me and ask, "John, I don't like many modern fragrances that smell like a teenager. What should I look into to start smelling more grown-up?". That is what has inspired me to write this article. The Gentleman's starter kit is going to be a collection of low priced fragrances that are more suited towards men who are over 30. Men who are working professionals and don't care about clubs and compliments. Men who want to smell like men.

I also plan on doing a more expensive list for this same topic at a later time. So, these are only my starter picks, hence the title "starter kit". These will all be under $100.

I hope you enjoy this one. Let's get into it!


Guerlain Vetiver

For: Gentleman who have classic taste, but still fit into a modern world.

Situation: Any

Weather: Vetiver favors warmer weather, but can be worn all year. It works especially well on rainy and cloudy days.

I am just going to go ahead and get this out of the way. Most of you know of my obsession with this fragrance. It's a masterpiece, plain and simple. Woody green vetiver with a melange of citruses and spice, that transitions into a dry tobacco.

Vetiver is for a man who enjoys the finer things in life, but it not pretentious about it. He's the man that wears suits that fit properly and cares very little about what is "trending". He probably drives a classic european car that has never let him down and is in pristine condition.


Ferrari Bright Neroli

For: The modern gentleman who loves life and embraces it, but never forgot where he came from

Situation: Casual days when you get to relax

Weather: Spring and summer days


Every gentleman needs a fragrance for those days you can unwind during the warmer parts of the year. This fragrance is a casual day on the coast of Italy in a bottle. A man with a non-pretentious Italian sports car who is sipping Italian wine on the Mediterranean coast.

Soapy clean neroli, citruses, and a bit of herbalness in the dry down.  This fragrances price is astounding for the quality you get from it. This is a staple in every man's wardrobe.


Valentino Uomo Intense

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For: The modern gentleman who thinks for himself.

Situations: Suit and tie, nighttime meetings, or date night.

Weather: The colder, the better.


I prefer this one over Dior Homme Intense.  This is for the modern gentleman who doesn't let preconceived notions stop him from doing anything.  Lipsticky iris, which mellows down to more powdery as the fragrance progresses, met with sweet vanilla and black leather. This one reaches outside the bounds of what masculinity is know for, and takes it to a new level.



Zaharoff Signature Pour Homme

For: The modern gentleman who loves seeing the world.

Situations: Any

Weather: Colder weather brings out the character of this fragrance better, but it can hold its own on warmer days.


Zaharoff Signature has been talked about and hyped for a while now. I was one of the first people to review this, even though some reviewed it months before me. It deserves the love. This is a fragrance with love in it.

Zaharoff Signature is balsamic, slightly dark, woody, and clean. The blend is absolutely superb. It works especially well when dressing up, but it doesn't have to be. I have spoken about this one on many occasions, so feel free to look at my older reviews if you'd like more information. 

Baldessarini Nautic Voyage

For: The seafaring gentleman

Situations: Beaches and sailing.

Weather: The warmer, the better.

I call Nautic Spirit the "gentleman's aquatic" for a reason. It has sweet notes such as passionfruit and mango, but it doesn't come off as overly sweet. It's a very clean and musky aquatic with a bit of tropical sweetness and spice. This is not an aquatic for young men. It's refined and has depth.

The performance isn't the best on this one, but it's only around $30, so that isn't a big deal. It's a great scent for what it's trying to do and a welcomed respite from the oversaturated Invictus and Dylan Blue genres.

The quote on the box says "separating the boys from the men" and this fragrance certainly does that. Good marketing, Baldessarini.



Bvlgari Man in Black

For: The exotic gentleman

Situations: Any

Weather: The colder, the better.

Bvlgari's Man in Black is a grown-up version of Spicebomb from Viktor & Rolf. Exotic spices, rum, leather, and tobacco combine for a kick of class. This one is probably best for being dressed up, but it can work casually as well. This is one to wear if you want to announce your presence.


DUA Invasion of the Barbers

For: The versatile gentleman

Situations: Any

Weather: Any

I was hesitant to put a clone on this list, but I wanted to include it because I haven't tried the original MDCI Invasion Barbare. So, I included it because it is a great barbershop fragrance and it fits the prices laid out for this article. Clean and powdery lavender, sweet vanilla, spices, herbs, and musk blend seamlessly to create a fougere experience that you will not forget. A simply breathtaking scent. If a clone is this good, then I need to try the original.


Bentley for Men Intense

For: The Gentleman with a commanding presence

Situations: Formal and business

Weather: Freezing cold, like Frosty the Snowman cold.


Bentley for Men Intense is an aggressive scent with class. Rum, incense, leather, heavy woods, and plenty of spice will grab the attention of anyone in the room with you and let them know you mean business. This is not for timid gentleman. This is for that rough businessman who gets the deal done, but isn't rude or crass.


Azzaro Pour Homme

For: The family gentleman

Situations: Any

Weather: Any, but it works better when it's cooler.

Azzaro Pour Homme is a legendary barbershop fragrance. It's humble, masculine, and a tad bit playful. This is the scent that will make your kids remember you as a great father. This is the family man's scent. The man who gives everything for his family and never asks for anything in return.

Anise, dry oakmoss, powdery lavender, and herbs compose this class fragrance that will bring back warm memories to most who get a whiff of it.


Guerlain L'Instant de Guerlain (EDT)

For: The romantic gentleman

Situations: Date night and casual

Weather: Cooler

L'Instant is a gentleman's fragrance with gourmand notes, but it far from a gourmand. Two of the main players here are licorice and cocoa. The cocoa is bitter, mixing with some lemon, dark patchouli, anise, tea, and sandalwood. It's only semi-sweet. It's a romantic fragrance for men who don't want a full-on gourmand.


Lalique Pour Homme (Lion EDP)

For: The middle-class gentleman

Situations: Any

Weather: It favors cooler weather, but can be worn all year


Lalique Pour Homme harkens back to the days of fougere greatness with powdery lavender, sandalwood, peppery cedar, clean iris, and oakmoss. Some say this is a clone of Creed's Bois du Portugal. I ask if these people have smelled Bois du Portugal before. Sure, it's in the same genre, but it is its own fragrance. Classy, clean, and spicy. This one is for the man who has a little bit of money, but never flaunts it.



Cerruti 1881

For: The simple gentleman who has a heart for the outdoors.

Situations: Any

Weather: Any

Cerruti 1881 is a foresty scent with class. Not many know too much about this one. It's a hidden gem to me. Woody juniper, pine, dry oakmoss, lavender, and vetiver. It's woods upon woods with a dash of citrus and spice. A green style fougere for the simple man who works his 9-5 and dreams of being in the middle of a forest.


Cremo Bourbon and Oak

For: The budget-friendly gentleman who loves a good drink

Situations: Any

Weather: Cool to cold

Bourbon and Oak is just what the fragrance name suggests. A rich and dominant oak note with whiskey and spices. It's simple and to the point. It's super cheap as well, so you can save a few bucks for a better quality drink. It's not trying to be anything that it's not.


Conclusion

I originally planned to only name around 5, but I kept thinking of more fragrances. There are more in my collection that I could put on here, but I am going to stop here. I hope you enjoyed it!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day today. Remember, a kind word is free and you can change someone's life with one. You never know what someone is going through.

Let's all pray for the world. Against the injustices towards our black brothers and sisters. Pray for them to be strong and appreciated and pray for the rest of us to stand up and change the world to make it a better place for all of us. We are all in this together. We will triumph or fail together. It's up to us to make the difference.


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