Black Suede

Ok, here goes... I have long avoided any fragrance produced by Avon. I am a younger fragrance enthusiast in my 30s, and always felt Avon fragrances were cheap and old-fashioned. However, I have been experimenting with a number of “old school fragrances”, and have loved them. The key with older fragrances is very light application, lighter than I would normally use with more modern scents. For example with most modern fragrances (although the strength of each varies) my standard application for my skin is a MAX of 3 sprays... 1 chest/upper neck 1 stomach, .5 sprays on each wrist. This gives me a subtle aroma bubble for most modern frags. I may nix “the stomach spray” (bringing it down to 2) for stronger modern frags. But I rarely find a fragrance that needs 4 sprays. At 4 sprays I hate to tell you, but you DO SMELL like “THAT COLOGNE GUY”, at least with my skin. If I have a weaker fragrance, my stomach spray will be on the back off my head instead, for projection. Now with an older fragrance, especially a so-called “powerhouse” fragrances I’ll generally use 1 full spray to the center of my chest, and the scent is perfect all day. This is how I wear Van Cleef and Arpels, Quorum, etc. When I do this it smells amazing. Complex, but not overpowering. Especially, because I normally wear a full suits. But I digress... I finally decided I would try a few Avon fragrances. I tried Wild Country and hated it. It had that weird Avon smell, that’s cheap and old-fashioned. The epitome of “OLD MAN smell.” It smelled like the chemical they use to scent old "Baby Wipes". My girl agreed. And then I tried the current iteration of Black Suede Leather. Just boring and linear, and still had this odd Avon vibe I didn’t like, which translates to me as cheap. Then just recently someone gave me 2 bottles of the original, and new version of Black Suede. I actually prefer the new version the best. Some people will say any time a fragrance is reformulated it’s watered-down. And for fans of the original it may feel that way. However I think in many instances the company is merely tweaking the formulation for a more modern aesthetic that will resonate with a new generation of consumers (as well as the need to eliminate ingredients that may cause allergic reactions...aka Oakmoss) I for one having smelled both back to back prefer the newer. It’s less aggressive and even more subtle and cozy. And for the record: I DO love Black Suede. Actually, for me this is mildly embarrassing. But it’s a very, very nice scent! It would have to be because for me to go out and buy two more bottles just to have as the safety when I openly admit I hate Avon fragrances is very telling. Now to be clear I’m not a fan of the top they still have that cheap Avon smell like old baby powder. But on my skin, right out of the shower... with the NEW formulation of Black Suede this “opening” only lasts the first five minutes. Once I get into the mid and basenotes it’s fantastic. And on my skin it lasts 6 to 7 hours. I have no idea what the note breakdown would be, it’s not really about breaking down individual notes with Black Suede it’s more the overall feel, or “aura”. And this is the “aura” when lightly applied (3 sprays, as mentioned above as this is not a powerhouse)- WARM, INVITING, SAFE, SUBTLE. COZY, SEXY – Think curling up in front of a fire on a cold night, with a snifter of cognac (or glass of whiskey), a warm blanket and a good book (or old movie), with your girl at your side. All the while the aroma of some delicious, warm baked goods (cookies perhaps) is wafting through from a nearby oven. This is definitely a fall/winter scent. It screams autumn in New York. The image of a sharp dressed, casual man, with a scarf and Peacoat, strolling through central park with his girl. I have no previous associations with this fragrance, as I’m too young to remember it in its heyday, if it ever had one. It’s not modern. But it’s also not dated. It’s unique. And my girl who is in her late 20’s loves it! She’s not a fragrance enthusiast, but this is one she always snuggles up to sniff ...when I wear it. Well played Avon, well played.

Varanis did not steer me wrong. This is a really nice very old school fragrance. This is really "cologne-y" in a nondescript way when you immediately spray it, but it quickly shifts in a much more coherent way. The opening is pretty aldehydic but the stars to me are the carnation with support from the nutmeg. I personally sense that carnation/nutmeg thing kinda far into the drydown, theyre listed as top notes but they arent fleeting. Citrus is minor if discernable at all. They make the aldehydes sharp and tart. A little ways into the mid the clove rises further and the beginning of a powdery aspect starts appearing. The aldehydes have given way to a leathery thing that lasts a bit of time along with an animalic civet-like note joined by more prominent florals. As the drydown starts the florals, aldehydes/leather and the civet significantly give way to a base of clove, musk and oakmoss where i also still "think i smell a hint of carnation". The oakmoss is of the rich and buttery variety (i have a 1996 bottle). When the fragrance has entered its final stage, youre left with alot of that nice oakmoss with clove and musk, but i can defintely see the listed oppopnax giving it a twist towards the ambery. It performs very well, it didnt feel super strong upon first wear but later i kept getting whiffs of it after i thought it might have been gone. Probably projected good for a couple of hours, hung around a really long time after drying down. Honestly i thought immediately that i had smelled this before when i first sprayed and as it dried down. But i realized it does smell like other things. Definetely stetson, definetely royal copenhagen, and it shares aspects with kanøn, which my father wore. In my head it smells like i remember ralph lauren chaps smelling way back in the day but i haven't smelled that in 20 years. Its like 15-20 bucks. Like old school colognes? Blind buy it now.

Black Suede- I first Bought this Fragrance over 7 Years ago, was almost one of my first fragrances I bought to use strictly for work. I have to defend this fragrance by saying that though I don't have this Cologne anymore I actually miss it... Yes I am admitting it, this Powdery, velvet like aroma of woods, amber, musk and spices is addictive. When I owned it (I had about 3 bottles of this juice) I used it everyday to work and sometimes on cold winter days while going to visit friends and never did I hear someone say I smelt, Old, Musty or terrible. In fact it garnered a lot of compliments and many of my female co-workers who smelt if off me ordered it for their partners, and the main thing I always heard is that it smells really kind, gentle and the type of fragrance to cuddle with. This may not be a top designer fragrance, nor a Niche line product, but Avon has some Amazing fragrances that they sell, and some not so good, but I feel a lot of people Moan about these Frags as it is cheaply priced. But I have smelt some niche perfumes, and even designer colognes and some Cheap colognes can give them a run for their money, it may not have a Top Brand Label and cost an hefty price tag but their scents are nothing short of quality and sense. Black Suede is one such scent, It may not exactly be the Messiah of the fragrance world, but its worthy of being in a Guys wardrobe, and when the Ladies seem to really gravitate towards you when using this then that's gotta mean something. Black Suede lasts 7 to 8 hours on me, and it really projects well so 5 sprays of this Powdered spice amber juice on a Cold Day or night and you will be set, get warm, fuzzy and cuddle with Your baby coz black suede is enough to make her not let go. 8 out of 10. I am actually contemplating buying another bottle, maybe 2 just to spray and relax in its spicy, powder cloud.

Epic Journey Into the Bottled Yonder, 109 ------------------------------------------------------- Purchased July 2019 The current formulation is an EDT spray. Basically a clone of Royal Copenhagen but after the first couple minutes it becomes its own thing. The fluid has a caramel gold appearance whereas Wild Country is a rose brown. If you're old-school then you probably bought both at the same time like I did. The bottle is truly groovy looking. It has notches on both sides and makes for a slightly 3D appearance. The cap has a notch which follows through with the notch on the glass so both sides are identical, no back per se. The photo on this website is apparently the aftershave. My EDT has squared off edges even on the cap so it's more '80s and modern rather than '70s. Very recent formulation, made in Mexico. Beauty of a scent. This is probably more original than Stetson and I'd have to say so far this is not exactly like Stetson either. It has the blue print of Royal Copenhagen instead and holy cow, what a frag. Classic, if you're an Avon fan you need this and Wild Country. Woody, sweet, slight amount of spice plus soft musk and amber almost in the Coty Musk/Jade East ballpark. This is like a spiritual flanker to those, but also Royal Copenhagen could be instead. No, it's not unisex. This is for real men, through and through. Whether you're a gent, or a badass cultured man this frag will make everyone know you're serious about who you are. Also how come I'm the only second guy claiming this is a clone of Royal Copenhagen, what's the deal with that? None of you out there have smelled Royal Copenhagen before? Get some nuts and get that one or Black Suede, whichever is cheaper it doesn't matter. This is manly powder, ok?

Another good basic cologne my dad wore as I was growing up. It was his signature while he worked in banking as a manager, but wanted a warm, approachable vibe. There must be one of those old Coty signature bases in this. The vetiver/amber/labdanum found in Fougerie au Crepuscule, L'Origan, etc. The dry down of Black Suede is actually extremely similar to Fougerie. The openings are different, but the rest is almost a dupe - probably as close as you can get to that famous, discontinued classic! I, for sure, have never found anything that comes as close. (Saving my last 1/4ml of Fougerie for special occasions as it's more natural smelling and safer for my allergies.) The suede definitely comes across, but has a balminess to it. Sweet isn't quite the right word. It's definitely more balmy because it has a borderline aquatic edge. Sillage and longevity are excellent, especially on fabric. Obviously it was watered down with the couple of reformulations. The original vintage bottles are the best, for sure. They retain the original full-bodied oakmoss in the base and that really helps round out the composition. Obviously I am biased because of my dad, but this smells like a trustworthy monolith of a man. Highly recommend.