Our selection of essential masculine fragrances in 2017 …
We also recap the best essences for men of 2018 .
For a very long time, perfumery was an area that was exclusively reserved for women. The men then perfumed themselves with Eaux de Cologne. The male-female distinction was born at the same time as the industry, in the middle of the 19th century. Historian Élisabeth de Feydeau explains that this differentiation between men’s fragrances and fragrances for women is the result of a desire to segment the market in order to organize it, and to allow consumers to better navigate it. Since that day, men’s perfumery has become more codified. She explores a multitude of different olfactory territories and thus evolves from year to year according to the trends. As 2017 draws to a close, it is therefore high time for us to give you a quick overview of the fragrances that marked the year.
1 – Sauvage the Dior perfume
Sauvage, a clear scent of freedom
The Sauvage perfume by Dior , embodied by the famous actor Johnny Depp, creates a kind of intimate link between man and nature. He expresses an immediate virility in perfect harmony with his raw and instinctive name. It is about a particularly contemporary juice inciting the man to leave the urban rage and the vain cities to turn towards a vaster and more serene horizon.
A woody fern fragrance evocative of the great outdoors
Sauvage by Dior is designed like a vast landscape. It is directly inspired by the great American spaces and by itself evokes the blue of the sea or that of the sky facing a mineral landscape heated by the sun. Its bergamot-based start is particularly fresh. It is associated with peppery spices as well as more fruity scents. An ozonic and woody current runs through the whole of this fragrance. Ambroxan reinforces the marine and amber aspect while the whole is further enriched with a breath of incense. The woody power of Sauvage is omnipresent in its base, while aromatic notes also sublimate the whole.
2 – The new Gentleman fragrance by Givenchy
Gentleman, a dive into the history of Givenchy
Unlike Sauvage de Dior, which was created from scratch, the new Gentleman by Givenchy is inspired by an old perfume of the house designed in 1975. It is a metamorphosis of this fragrance reinterpreted with more modernity. Gentleman respects Givenchy’s heritage while now addressing the men of today. The result is an elegant mix of daring and spontaneity.
Gentleman, a fragrance with aromatic and fruity notes
Gentleman de Givenchy begins with a fresh and fruity breath of pear associated with one of the most emblematic ingredients of men’s perfumery: lavender. This Mediterranean plant has a smell similar to that of barber’s soap of yesteryear. It is a classic in men’s perfumery that men never tire of rediscovering. The iris also underlines the nobility of this essence and the whole finally ends with a more powerful duo of leather and patchouli.
3 – The Bleu de Chanel perfume
Blue, the color of freedom and Chanel perfume
Through the Bleu de Chanel perfume, the eponymous brand clearly aims to deliver a juice praising freedom. After all, what better than blue to evoke the vastness of the sky or the sea? What’s more, blue has always been a color associated with men. This is a strong, clean shade that can evoke the sweetness of a sunny day just as much as the more intense blue of a mysterious or stormy night.
The woody olfactory freshness of Bleu de Chanel
Like many men’s fragrances, Bleu de Chanel begins with a sensation of intense freshness dominated by citrus fruits. Orange, lemon and grapefruit give it an impertinent clarity quickly relayed by a spicier accord. Nutmeg and ginger only heighten the fiery sensation of this scent. Peppermint also contributes greatly to this effect while jasmine enhances its refinement. Bleu de Chanel ends with a more woody digest that underlines all of her virility.
4 – Terre d’Hermès, the essential fragrance
Terre d’Hermès, a fragrance with universal reach
By choosing to evoke the Earth in a Perfume, Hermès has opted for a universal message. Earth is a word that makes people vibrate and that is the source of everything. This is the first natural material, our founding material. It is also on her that the man stands upright, proud and vertical. This fragrance is a tribute to our common base and any man can then recognize himself through it.
Terre d’Hermès, a condensed smell of wood and spices
Terre d’Hermès is a juice similar to an immersion in the heart of the elements. Its smell begins with a sensation of bitterness brought by grapefruit and orange. It nevertheless becomes more mineral on contact with flint, pepper and pink berries. A vegetal sensation then gains ground thanks to a combination of geranium and patchouli. Terre d’Hermès is finally enveloped in a smoother and more masculine scent of vetiver, benzoin and cedar.
5 – Dior Wild Water
Eau Sauvage, a timeless fragrance
Eau Sauvage by Dior is far from being a perfume that was conceived in 2017. However, its scent is still fully part of current trends. This is the first male essence to have seen the light of day in the house of Dior, in 1966. Its freshness and chypre breath are still very trendy. It is a composition that is both elegant and relaxed, even possessing a little air of provocation.
Eau Sauvage, a very contrasting fragrance
Both raw and refined, fresh and sensual, Eau Sauvage by Dior plays on contrasts. What’s more, this is the very first fragrance to have incorporated hedione into their recipe, a synthetic molecule that smells of jasmine. Its opulence is here associated with the freshness of bergamot, lemon and petitgrain. Lavender, rosemary, coriander and basil give it a more aromatic part. Finally, Eau Sauvage ends with a more masculine and woody signature.
6 – 1 Million the ioconic perfume Paco Rabanne
Paco Rabanne’s fascination with gold with 1 Million
Men in general have an unfortunate fragrenza in being attracted to anything that glitters. Paco Rabanne is no exception to this phenomenon and many of his creations have highlighted the most luxurious of materials: gold. This time, however, it shines one of the most famous fragrances in men’s perfumery. 1 Million is an ingot-like fragrance that has attracted all lusts since its inception in 2008.
1 Million, a sparkling fragrance
1 Million is a joyful and luminous essence. Its freshness begins with a trio of mandarin, mint and grapefruit. Its heart, meanwhile, relies more on luminosity and elegance, assembling rose and neroli. Spices tickle the whole and underline the impertinence of the man Paco Rabanne. Finally, the sensuality of 1 Million is displayed in a trail of leather, white wood, amber and patchouli.
7 – Stronger With You, the latest Armani fragrance
Stronger With You, a scent of love
Unlike previous fragrances, Stronger With You is new for 2017. This juice is accompanied by its female counterpart, Because It’s You, and the two together form an inseparable couple. Like two intertwined rings, they inspire men and women to unite their talents to surpass themselves, transforming their feelings into extraordinary power making them stronger, more fulfilled and more balanced every day.
A fougere with sensual notes signed Armani
Stronger With You is a fragrance that belongs to one of the most famous scent families in men’s perfumery: fern. This one is revisited with modernity and draws all its originality in a spicy breath mixing cardamom, pink berries and violet leaves. Its heart is more aromatic and highlights the Mediterranean breath of sage. For added magnetism, Stronger With You ends with a carnal trail of smoky vanilla and iced chestnut.
8 – Y for Men the brand new YSL fragrance
Y for men, a fragrance for Millennials
Y Men is the newest fragrance in this category as it has just been released. It is aimed at men of Generation Y and gives us the image of a youth with a very creative and daring spirit. This is a very contemporary fragrance, intended for enterprising men who do not hesitate to follow their dreams and think outside the box.
A modern, woody fougere scent
Then again, like the previous Stronger With You, Y for Men belongs to the fern family. However, here we are talking about a more contrasting version of this olfactory category. The top notes of this fragrance are particularly fresh and consist of ginger, bergamot and aldehyde. They oppose a much darker, woody trail of fir, ambergris and frankincense. At its center, Y Men is dominated by the naturally peppery elegance of geranium.
9 – Wanted Azzaro’s best-selling perfume
All the virility of Azzaro in the Wanted fragrance
Wanted is a fragrance that embodies the very essence of the Azzaro house. Its motto could not be clearer: “play, flambé, succeed”. Wanted inherited the very charismatic temperament of the creator of Azzaro. It is a provocative juice, made to stoke desire, and endowed with unwavering confidence. He embodies the image of absolute freedom and an indomitable seducer. In other words, this is a product for men of character.
Wanted, a fresh, spicy and woody scent
Playing on contrasts, Wanted conveys all the moods of a man and sets the tone from the start. It begins with a fiery and fiery note of lemon before evolving into the more explosive freshness of cardamom from Guatemala. Nigerian ginger, on the other hand, asserts its share of sensuality while making it spicier. Finally, in the base, vetiver gives it a particularly virile allure, while enveloping itself in the vanilla, amended and tobacco sensuality of the tonka bean.
10 – La Nuit de l’Homme fragrance by Yves Saint Laurent
La Nuit de l’Homme, a magnetic and seductive fragrance
La Nuit de l’Homme by Yves Saint-Laurent highlights the natural charisma of men once the evening comes. It is a magnetic fragrance, giving free rein to all daring and all fantasies. The Night of Man is an essence that flirts with the forbidden. This is a scent of temptation that will make you a seasoned seducer!
The sensual contrast of La Nuit de l’Homme YSL
La Nuit de l’Homme is a fragrance playing in the chiaroscuro register. It initially displays a freshness resulting from a duo of lemon and bergamot. In contact with the spices, the latter becomes more vibrant. Black pepper serves as a gateway to lift us up to a particularly manly and woody trail, combining cedar, vetiver, lavender and tonka bean.
You will understand, in this year 2017, men’s perfumery explored a very wide range of different horizons. Indeed, the perfume must reveal the personality of the wearer. This explains the range of styles offered by this range of fragrances. Of course, the reasoning is absolutely the same on the women’s side. However, it seems that niche fragrances are also increasingly trendy. So we just have to wait until next year to see what the future holds. Will the big creative houses always have the wind in their sails or will consumers prefer to move towards more confidential brands? Case to be continued …
