What scents are masculine? Gender-neutral?

[biocarolyn]

My husband is pretty uniformly against anything he perceives to be "girly-" he even thought Dorian smelled girly.

His favorites:

 

Hellfire

Galvanic Goggles

Antikythera Mechanism

The Robotic Scarab

Theodosius

Jolly Roger

 

He seems to be especially enjoying the Steamworks line...

[GeorgeJr]

Just wanted to add , I'm wearing The Great Sword of War today & loving it quite muchly . Very nice scent for cooler weather .

[lunaticana]

ok, so I have made a list of BPAL scents I think are perfect on gentlemen

 

Baoban Sith

Bards of Ireland

Blue Moon

Mr. Croup

Casanova

Creature Feature (Dark Delicacies)

Dia

Door

Dragon's Tears

the East

Ether

Galvanic Goggles

the Girl

Hanami

Ichabod Crane

the Isle of Demons

the Idle of March

Katanya the Clockwork Woman

Kindly Moon

Leanan Sidhe

Moon Rose

Voyeurs Among the Cherryblossoms

Vicomte de Valmont

Whip

the Witching Time of Night

Ravenous

Sarah

Saint-German

the Schoolhouse

Theodosius

Ultraviolet

Violet Ray

Y'han-thlei

 

and there are lots & lots more of Neverwhere, BOOM! Studios, Hellboy and Steamworks too!

Edited November 17, 2011 by lunaticana

[voorishsign]

Speaking as a guy, these are my personal favourites:

 

Herbert West and Vicomte de Valmont for a very clean, classic cologne-y smell, which on me acquires hints of green tea / musk and moss / rosemary respectively on drydown. Respectable, classic and attractive.

 

Hessian of the Hollow, Azathoth and Iago are very dark and fierce. I wear them when I need a confidence boost but they're not something I would wear to work. I didn't like Kroenen as much as I wanted to so it's not in the favourites category but it's something along these lines if you're into it. It's profoundly dark, intense, but also very incensey which is why it doesn't suit me that well, but if you're into that kind of thing, give it a try.

 

And, uncategorized:

 

Loup Garou - very woodsy, green, crisp and herbal. Barely perfumey and very comforting. I can't stop sniffing myself when I wear it. A very natural, straightforward and clean scent. Wear it anywhere.

 

The Great Sword of War is quite warm. Very gender-neutral, I feel, in the good sense. A tad foody, but in the savoury, non-overpowering way.

 

I'll add more as I try other imps, but these are the ones that come to mind right now.

Edited November 30, 2009 by voorishsign

[teamilk]

The Bow & Crown of Conquest strikes me as being gender neutral. I can wear it without feeling like it's too masculine, but I would be delighted if I had a man wear it around me. Mmm, yes. Ditto Antikythera Mechanism and Miskatonic University - again, I can wear them, but man alive, it would be delicious on the right guy.

 

Oh: I tried Antony on the ex once. That was pretty much amazing.

Edited November 30, 2009 by teamilk

[willowtreeling]

my boyfriend loves scents on me, but never wears any himself. he says he doesn't like smelling like cologne--i interpret this as an aversion to Drakkar Noir or Axe type smells...anyways, he said he would try some BPAL on for me:)

he mostly smells like soap and his own musky smell, which I like....the perfumes he has responded the most to me wearing have been Xiu...and Eat Me, which he thought smelled like pipe tobacco. What, amongst the more gender neutral stuff, is soft, slightly resinous and non-aquatic for him? I was thinking trying Tombstone for him, but I have never smelled it...

Edited December 14, 2009 by willowtreeling

[Gwydion]

my boyfriend loves scents on me, but never wears any himself. he says he doesn't like smelling like cologne--i interpret this as an aversion to Drakkar Noir or Axe type smells...anyways, he said he would try some BPAL on for me:)

he mostly smells like soap and his own musky smell, which I like....the perfumes he has responded the most to me wearing have been Xiu...and Eat Me, which he thought smelled like pipe tobacco. What, amongst the more gender neutral stuff, is soft, slightly resinous and non-aquatic for him? I was thinking trying Tombstone for him, but I have never smelled it...

 

Tombstone smells a lot like okld time country store, lots of cedar with some vanilla and a touch of rootbeer. I rather like it and it's definitely soft and gender neutral.

[voorishsign]

Two winter ones I've discovered: Archangel Winter and Evening Cicadas & Red Peppers. Quite manly (but not obnoxiously so) winter scents. Love them both to death.

 

Other recent discoveries: Crowley, Rome, Lightning, Nephilim, and The High Priest Not to Be Described.

 

Greed is very unisex and I like it for when I feel like a softer smell, but some guys might not find it bloke-ish enough.

[lookingglass]

High Priest not to be Described

Blood Kiss

The Great He Goat

Gauko

 

DH's long time faves.

[theasylph]

Just smelled Torture Queen - White amber, vanilla musk, white tea, ambergris, gardenia, and chrome

 

I am considering this for myself or my boyfriend very unisex and very very nice.

 

Also - Embalming Fluid and Ded Moroz i think would be nice on a man.

[liat]

I don't know if this has been brought up yet, but Hay Moon comes across as very cologne-y on me. Almost like a much nicer, earthier, tiny bit creamier and less alcoholic Obsession for Men. If I were a man I'd wear the heck out of it.

[krissstephens]

Satyr is one both my fiance and my cat love

[forspecial_plate]

Just smelled Torture Queen - White amber, vanilla musk, white tea, ambergris, gardenia, and chrome

 

I am considering this for myself or my boyfriend very unisex and very very nice.

 

Also - Embalming Fluid and Ded Moroz i think would be nice on a man.

 

Have you tried Metal Phoenix? I'm wondering if Torture Queen is anything like it. I love Metal Phoenix but can't seem to find a bottle for sale.

 

Oh and yes......Ded Moroz is really nice on this man! : ) It has a masculine quality without being 'dood-fume' to the extreme. I like it.

[starfish327]

Just smelled Torture Queen - White amber, vanilla musk, white tea, ambergris, gardenia, and chrome

 

I am considering this for myself or my boyfriend very unisex and very very nice.

 

Also - Embalming Fluid and Ded Moroz i think would be nice on a man.

 

Have you tried Metal Phoenix? I'm wondering if Torture Queen is anything like it. I love Metal Phoenix but can't seem to find a bottle for sale.

 

Oh and yes......Ded Moroz is really nice on this man! : ) It has a masculine quality without being 'dood-fume' to the extreme. I like it.

 

i agree. i didn't think that ded moroz wasn't that masculine until i compared it to snow maiden, and moroz was definitely the guy of the two.

[Gregory]

As a dude, I will say that the following are my all-time faves:

 

DEE - Old books and libraries, incense, magic.

 

SAINT-GERMAIN - The rich, heady smell of a long life well-lived.

 

VILLAIN - Victorian cologne for gents -- very sporty.

 

MAGUS - Woodsy cedar

 

CASANOVA - Like Saint-Germain, citrusy but without the underlying musk and sharper.

 

MUTANT HOT-RODDERS - Biker leather, polished chrome and motor oil. Get lots of compliments on this one.

 

WILDE - Classic gentlemanly smell. Like Embalming Fluid in some ways, but the lemon takes a back seat and this smells very much like an elegant aftershave.

 

______________________________

 

What I like (and love):

 

BURIAL - Smells like burnt rubber out of the bottle and freshly applied, but changes very quickly into a dark, earthy (as in dirt) scent, with a faint hint of dead roses. I rather like it, but not as an everyday thing.

 

VICOMTE DE VALMONT - Sharp aftershave. The notes don't say anything about bergamot, but I smell a lot of it in this.

 

PORT AU PRINCE - Another weird transforming scent. Like burnt marshmallows and sickly sweet vanilla in the bottle, but changes to bay rum after about a minute, with no trace of the initial scent. Spicy and nice.

 

LIGHTENING - Clean and fresh. Good for a pick-me-up. Very much an awesome scent for dudes.

 

CROWLEY - Like Saint-Germain and Dee, but with extra animal magnetism.

 

FERRIS WOLF - Dark, sexy, manly.

 

SATYR - Very much like Ferris Wolf, only lighter.

 

BLACK FOREST - Pine trees. Good for a pick-me-up.

 

CZERNOBORG - Dark and fresh and manly, with a touch of pine.

 

EMBALMING FLUID - As sweet as I'll go, but after a few minutes the sweetness disappears and it's all fresh lemony goodness.

 

SILAS RUTHEN - "Opium smoke, opium tar, mandarin, dark musk, patchouli, tonka, vetiver, and frankincense". That about says it. Fairly long lasting.

 

CATHEDRAL - Pretty much like Magus, but leans more toward the incense, less cedar.

 

OMEN - Very fresh and masculine.

 

ODIN - Sharp, heavy on the camphor. I like this, but not for every day.

 

ANTHONY - Nice aftershave-smelling, but I have to say that this one is so light and mild it tends to disappear after awhile. I do love it immediately after application though. Also, other people seem to smell it long after I think it's faded away.

 

____________________________________

 

Scents I thought I'd like but don't really:

 

GOLDEN PRIAPUS - Pine is a masculine scent, but vanilla is not. Unfortunately, after wearing for about 30 minutes, all I smell is vanilla. Yuk.

 

DORIAN - Not for guys, definitely a girl's scent. More vanilla, makes my nosehairs curl.

 

SNAKE OIL - Thought I liked it at first, but it has that burnt marshmallow/vanilla scent, even after I've been wearing it for awhile. Not sure what to do with this one.

 

SAILOR'S DEN - Sickening vanilla, sweet beyond measure. Why is this called Sailor's Den? More like Den of Teenage Girls Chewing Bubble Gum.

 

DJINN - Almost like a super-sweet version of Burial. Unfortunately, the sweetness doesn't wear off.

 

YGGDRASIL - Smelled fresh and herbal when I tried it on, but it got really, really sweet after awhile.

 

___________________________________

 

Based on what I like, if anyone has suggestions, I'd appreciate some...

Edited March 27, 2010 by Gregory

[Klepz]

I have to say Doc Constantine. I'm obsessed ever since my Easter Bunny sent it. Once the lemon dries out, it's all fir and leather on me. I found it well balanced and incredibly sexy. I tried it on the bf and he got a lot less lemon early on than I did. Just straight yum. Not that I'm planning on sharing any more with him

[Blithgunde]

Oberon, Fenris Wolf, and Rhinotoros all smell wonderful on my husband.

[noacastle]

Well the scents I'm very eager to try on a man are the following:

 

 

Neil Gaiman - American Gods - The Ifrit - Desert sand, red musk, blackened ginger, dragon's blood resin, black pepper, cinnamon, and tobacco. (no imps available)

 

Neil Gaiman - Good Omens - Crowley - Infernal musk, red patchouli, lilac cologne, mahogany, lemon rind, oakmoss, leather, and vanilla husk. (no imps available)

 

Bewitching Brews - The Black Tower - white sandalwood, ambergris, wet ozone, galbanum and leather with ebony, teak, burnt grasses, English ivy and a hint of red wine.

 

Bewitching Brews - Wilde - A sophisticated traditional gentleman's cologne, with just the slightest taint of patchouli's passion, tonka bean's decadence, the philanthropy of bergamont, moss' cynicism, the sharp wit of lavender, and the hopeless romantic longing of jasmine and thyme.

 

Wanderlust - Tintagel - Spicy mulled wine flowing through the musky heat, warm leather and bright clash of armor, the damp branches of Cornish hawthorn, blackthorn, juniper, English elm and bayberry, and the magical tingle of dragon's blood resin.

 

Sin & Salvation - The Bow & Crown of Conquest - Sage, carnation and cedar with lavender, vanilla, white musk and leather.

 

 

And out of those I think I'll get the bow & crown of conquest and wilde first. I would likely get the ifrit and crowley asap too if i could afford it ^^' But yeah as I can prly order some imp packages later, I'll try wilde and the bow & crown of conquest first to see which notes I like more on a man =)

 

I think a male dragon's blood resin scent would be awesometastic so one day I'll for sure try titangel and the ifrit (>^.^)>

 

 

(Edited for a grammatical error and to make the ingredients show in cursive)

Edited April 2, 2010 by BishouNoTeresa

[harshmallow]

My husband's favorite BPALs are Doc Constantine, The Black Rider, and Jolly Roger. I have to say that there's something about BPAL's leather note in their men's scents that... Ah... When he puts on these oils, I want to rip his clothes off. Casanova and Crowley are equally amazing on him, but he doesn't seem to like them as much, sadly.

 

Even more sadly, Fenris Wolf smelled like goats on him. Goats. I totally wanted him to wear something called Fenris Wolf.

 

You know... I should totally have him try Antony... Why haven't I thought of Antony yet? And Hellfire. And The Robotic Scarab.

Edited June 25, 2010 by harshmallow

[judas_kiss]

Things that smelled best on Hubby:

 

Dracul (my fave), Tezcatlipoca (MINE now), Dead Man's Hand, King of Clubs, Magus, Cathedral, and sometimes Dorian (too sweet for me some days).

 

ETA: Nero is amazingly chilly and very sexy. I cannot believe I forgot this one. Very good for the man who wants to smell expensive and be taken seriously.

Edited July 6, 2010 by judas_kiss

[parrot_suspect]

Things that smelled best on Hubby:

...

 

Judas, I just want to say it's nice to see you posting here again. You were gone for a long time!

 

And, so this post isn't completely off topic, I think Mechanical Phoenix smells great on my hubby.

[judas_kiss]

Judas, I just want to say it's nice to see you posting here again. You were gone for a long time!

 

Thank you, beautiful!

 

Also, hubby liked to wear Dirty, for some reason. He's a bit of a silky boy, though, so

 

It smelled rather nice on him. Like "guy just put on clean clothes after a shower". Had the clean smell of freshy showered boy with a wee bit of a sweet smell, like sheets left out to dry in the sun. Was nice.

 

So, while some scents are "classically" male, like the Vicompte...some might be appropriate for men even if they are not screamingly male. I also would highly suggest Snake Oil for the same reason.

[eyeska]

So, while some scents are "classically" male, like the Vicompte...some might be appropriate for men even if they are not screamingly male. I also would highly suggest Snake Oil for the same reason.

 

Puddin' has said several times in various places on the forum that Scherezade is one of his faves. I need to put that one on my hub! Dirty could be awesome too - your review makes me want to get an imp of it for him.

[meredyn636]

Pls heeeelp. I've caught him at it again (cleanse your minds, you naughty people).....!

 

My husband is open to just about everything and anything (oil wise)! And he has no clue about what smells good on him either, he just experiments. With all my stuff. With spillages galore..........

 

Willing to swap him to replenish diminished BPAL supplies..........will provide wire brush and Dettol with your new 'prize' to anyone interested. )

[zmulls]

Well, as a man, this thread is of particular interest to me, and I’m getting lots of ideas to try. The difficulty is that while some scents can be tagged as “masc” or “uni” there’s still the question of variegated body chemistry. I happen to be of Slavic descent, and am pretty, how shall I say, hirsute. Hirsute and perspirative. So sweet scents – florals and spices – simple don’t work on me.

 

I tried wearing Dracul and a trusted female friend told me it reminded her of Shalimar; and I thought to myself “ur doin it rong” And I was frimped a decant of Crowley and I couldn’t figure out what was amiss until I realized it had lilac in it. Very strange.

 

So I try many things and few work - -Iago is perfect, Antikythera Mechanism is masculine but warm, Robotic Scarab sits well. I was frimped a decant of Enkhespalos, which is as perfect on me as Iago.

 

I’m having luck with unusual choices like Godfather Death, a good autumn scent, woodsy and dry, with something that smells like fennel. And The Deep Ones, with its murky aquatics and romantic kelp.

 

Thanks for all the good suggestions. If I find anything else that is aces, I’ll report in.

 

ETA: The Coil is a nice change, too. I like smelling like an live electric circuit.

Edited September 14, 2010 by zmulls