Searching for the Perfect Vanilla?

[Ilex]

Well, at least he likes scents. By and large, I can only wear perfume oils when my fellow is out of range, he just doesn't like perfume.

 

I recommend an LE, if you can find it. Quincy Morris (from the Order of the Dragon series). Its a vanilla/leather cowboy scent. I really like it, but unfortunately vanilla will turn to putty/playdoh on me eventually so I get only ten minutes of yum from it.

[crimescenecleanup]

Death Cap, Tombstone, Casanova, and Strangler Fig all have Vanilla or Tonka and I would highly recommend all of them.

 

I haven't smelled Death Cap or Strangler Fig on a guy, but I'm sure that they would work well.

 

My skin chemistry also amps sweet and foody things, and all of the scents listed above stayed nice and balance don me.

Edited September 9, 2007 by crimescenecleanup

[Pendragon]

CROWLEY (Infernal musk, red patchouli, lilac cologne, mahogany, lemon rind, oakmoss, leather, and vanilla husk) without a doubt I have not yet met a man who doesn't smell good in this! It's smooth yet masculine and the vanilla just rounds it all out... IMO it is the vanilla that makes this scent so special, it seems to linger in the air after my DF has left the room

[Lycanthrope]

Tombstone... nggggggrrrhhrhrmrmm.

 

I'm biased though, srsly.

 

I also love Casanova but it has a more urbane hit to it, and I detect the airy muskiness and the tonka to me is sweet rather than vanilla-y.

[dzurlady]

Chimera, perhaps? No vanilla listed, but it's a spicy yummy vanilla on me.

[303marlena]

Antique Lace is pure, pristine vanilla.

 

Tokyo stomp is vanilla plus mint, fresh and candy-ish to me.

 

Dragon's Milk, I agree, is creamy, foody vanilla, love this one.

 

Western Diamondback is vanilla plus leather plus dusky goodness .

 

Mouse's Sad and Long Tale is a beautiful, nonfoody vanilla with sweat pea and musk.

 

I hate to recommend a rare, but Sugar Cookies is vanilla cookie goodness!!!!

 

 

those are my recs, and I stand by them

Edited October 6, 2007 by marlena

[Ina Garten Davita]

A wee bit of age on Black Lace yields the most perfect vanilla perfume I've ever come across. Vanilla heaven.

[Akurarei]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned MonsterBait: BiggerCritters.

(Or I just never noticed it in the thread)

 

this one contains five vanillas - but also jasmine, which I know goes weird/soap/powder/screaming amp on some people.

so if you're ok with the lab's jasmine note - I would really recommend MB:BiggerCritters.

(it was an LE, but you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a bottle on eBay or getting an imp from someone)

[ErinZ]

I find that, after an overwhelmingly strong floral stage, Euphrosyne mellows out to an amazing, pure vanilla scent on me.

[Kelism]

Okay - I like vanilla but it seems to do different things for me.

 

Doing a quick search for vanilla and going based on what was on that list that I remember trying, here are my experiences:

 

Good:

Love's Philosopy - like a lot. It smells like sugar cookies or cake.

Golden Priapus - Like, but not so sure about the woods

Mouse's Sad & Long Tale - Like and may get a bottle

Reagan - nice, but it is gone SO quickly

 

 

BAD (I might go to bpal hell for saying this, but...):

O - overpowering, makes me feel sick

Snake Oil- overpowering, makes me feel sick

Opuhi - something about the ginger didn't work

Tiki Queen - too floral

White Rabbit - I don't remember, just didn't work

Dorian - too much

Antique Lace - too much

Tombstone - I don't really like the cedar

 

 

Add to it: honey doesn't work for me. At all - makes me feel ill.

 

I'm okay with stuff that tends towards a little powdery, but I really don't like the OMG VANILLA stuff.

 

Suggestions?

 

Edit: OMG how could I forget Mantis? For me, Mantis had a nice vanilla creaminess undertone to it.

Edited September 19, 2008 by Kelly

[jizatt]

Lyonesse =)

[Dark Alice]

Black Opal?

[anastasia]

any recommendations for a vanilla that is not very sweet?

[marared]

Antikythera Mechanism, without question. It's the most "masculine" vanilla I've smelled so far, and it's SO good.

[Delirium1009]

Love and Pain, Death Cap and Tombstone are very masculine vanilla scents IMO. Tombstone is the sweetest out of the three (cedar and vanilla), while Love and Pain is a very musky, sexy, unisex lavender vanilla and Death Cap smells like warm, clean vanilla dirt. One of my favorite vanilla scents is Black Opal, but it becomes rather sweet on me. Maybe on someone else's chemistry it'll stay less sweet however.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Delirium1009

[forspecial_plate]

Bolded the ones available as imps, straight from the lab:

 

Bow And Crown Of Conquest

Snake Oil (depending on who you ask)

Pickled Imp (currently limited edition, in the Carnaval Diabolique section)

Golden Priapus (doesn't get much more macho than that, at least as far as concept)

Blood Kiss (dries down to a satisfying dude-fume)

Voodoo (see Blood Kiss)

Death Adder (also LE from the Carnaval)

Mme. Moriarty, Misfortune Teller (not exactly macho, but not sweet by any means)

Wulric The Wolfman (also from the Carnaval, looks like you might want to search for some decants)

Snake Charmer (good luck)

Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener (if you like root beer!)

Crowley (not available as an imp, but an excellent masculine/not sweet scent....I forgot it had vanilla until I did a search)

Hellhound On My Trail (again, good luck....but this is a good one)

Quincey Morris (mostly leather, glorious, soft, not exactly sweet, and also good luck finding this one)

Tombstone (haven't actually tried this myself, but it's legendary among the bpal dude-fumes)

 

I mostly mentioned the ones I like, and I didn't even put tonka into the search, which is a vanilla-like note that would bring up more results. Anyway you might also check out Theodosius from the Carnaval, although I find this to be on the sweeter side. I'm sure others will have even more suggestions!

[hkhm]

crowley is one of my husband's favourite scents, he wears it almost daily. the only other scent w/ vanilla he's shown any interest in was mme. moriarty. i was trying some on my wrist and he smelled it from across the house, came over to me, sniffed my wrist for about 30 seconds and said: "i could wear this. i really could."

[heartlilly]

I absolutely agree with Antikythera Mechanizm and Golden Priapus and Tombstone (though that one is pretty sweet).

 

I don't find Wulric very vanillay, but I bet it would be amazing on a guy (sadly, my hubby won't wear anything vanilla). I think Forspecial Plate's list is a fantastic place to start.

[donnatron]

While not sweet, I am going to admit that some of these might require a bit of confidence in ones machismo, regardless of gender.

 

Desire Ars Amatoria bittersweet neroli, black patchouli and black musk, gilded by apple, bergamot, blood red rose, teak, and vanilla.

The vanilla is more of an accent on a patchouli-black musk combo with florals. It's more of a masculine/unisex scent even with the florals.

 

Kubla Khan Bewitching Brews Through sunlit caves of ice, roses unfurl amidst dancing waves of serpentine opium smoke and amber tobacco, golden sandalwood, champaca, tea leaf, sugared lily, ginger, rich hay absolute, leather, dark vanilla, mandarin, peru balsam, and Moroccan jasmine.

The biggest problem with this is that it's not strictly a vanilla scent. To my nose it's mostly mandarin, tobacco and leather, but the vanilla is definitely present and is bolstered a bit by the peru balsam.

 

Siren Ars Amatoria White ginger, jasmine, and a touch of vanilla and apricot.

Maybe a bit weird for the name, but the ginger is savoury enough that it keeps the scent from being too ridiculously sweet.

 

Lyonesse Wanderlust Golden vanilla and gilded musk, stargazer lily, white sandalwood, grey amber, elemi, orris root, ambergris and sea moss.

The aquatics really tone down the foody quality of the blend and the lily is pretty subdued. An interesting scent and different on everyone.

[Monster]

Tombstone! My husband has already been through one full 5ml of the stuff. It's like a sexy, woody cowboy vanilla. Yum!

[Gwydion]

I would say Snake oil, Crowley, Mechanism, Quincey Morris, and pickled Imp are all fairly masculine and ones I rather like.

[zomathesadist]

Satyr, for sure.

[Juushika]

I agree with recommendations of:

 

Saytr, which is an incredibly deep brown musk/civet smoothed out with a touch of vanilla. It's sweet on my skin, but musk is always sweet on my skin; it would certainly work as a "macho" vanilla.

 

Golden Priapus, Insatiable lust, unending vigor! A truly carnal, energetic men’s blend: vanilla and amber with juniper, rosewood and white pine. Sometimes called a more masculine Snake Oil: it has a strong vanilla component and yeah, it's a bit sweet—but the astringent pine and juniper temper that, and it's all over a rather masculine, if not "macho," blend.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Juushika

[anastasia]

yay answers!

thank you all very much. the scent is for me actually. I realized that almost everything I have ordered is smoke. which is fine. I am definitly into incense, wood and smoke but I pretty much love a little of everything. I am happy to say I have an imp of Antekithyra Mechanism on the way but will investigate the rest of the suggestions. I am soooo happy here!!!

[crimescenecleanup]

It's an LE, but if you can come up with a bottle of Hellhound On My Trail, it's a very macho, perfectly blended vanilla. Seems to get better with age, too.