Monsieur

Monsieur is calm, but deliberate, studied in appearance, well-groomed. The verbena radiance that opens this affair seems almost too simple, but as it sustains its chord, it stuns me with its naturalistic beauty, lemony and leafy, beaming off my skin. The green-rosy herbal underline of geranium pulls the verbena in and dances with it, and it feels like filtered afternoon sunlight and garden party cheer. A legible nutmeg is a warm texture that smooths out the crispness. A powdery vetiver and cedar are its coda. I imagine wearing a straw boater and a striped summer suit while Monsieur graces my skin. I am in fact part of a barbershop quartet, which seems so appropriate, as this feels so smart, so dapper, and full of harmony. Now that I find myself humming Sweet Adeline, I will warn you that this is not meant for the performance bros, it is not built for bombast. There is no "smellmaxxing" potential here, my young 'broccoloids,' as this is intended as a dignified enhancement, reflecting a time when sweatpants were strictly for the gymnasium.

You're initially hit with a huge bright burst of Lemon Verbena and Bergamot which is soon taken over by a rich Geranium note. Beautiful juice, unquestionably top-quality ingredients, but it's not particularly complex. For what a 75ml costs, I'd either opt for Diptyque's Geranium Odorata or Creed's Vetiver Geranium, although the latter would have to be a Black Friday purchase (which happens to be today) to justify the cost. Packaging for Monsieur couldn't be beat though. Everything about the presentation is 100% top notch.

This stuff is worth its weight in gold. This is a gorgeous, spicy Lemon-ginger tea smell made richer and brighter by the concentration of natural oils. The cedar, vetiver, and verbena keep that initial feeling alive hours into the fragrance. This is a fantastic composition. Two thumbs up for this one. There is a beautiful powder that comes through on the far dry-down, which easily reaches past 12 hours. Beautiful artistry in this bottle. This reminds me of Creed’s style of composition, but lighter and more elegant!

Bought a bottle yesterday at the British Box in Milan. The shop in itself is worth the detour. The fragrance is charming with a fresh start and a sophisticated drydown, if it makes sense without naming smells. Impeccable taste.

Calm, fresh,smooth. I love it!

Initially, I felt a strong aversion but the more I smell it the more I find it acceptable. It’s still mostly a shower gel territory though.

Two months later projection is still hot garbage. I would not recommend you waste your money on this. You want me to purchase your product it needs to be project better than a cardiac patient with a 98% blockage. Shameful. I mean really, I have aftershaves that perform better than this.

Meh. Nice citrus. Poor projection.

When you hear “vintage masculine fragrance,” you likely think of 70s or 80s fougères, but Bienaimé Monsieur is even more vintage: it’s a gentleman’s scent that evokes the early 20th century, or even the 19th. When I say “gentleman,” though, I don’t mean a wealthy playboy. Monsieur doesn’t smell like luxury, it's fresh and clean in a delightfully simple and unpretentious way, like herbs from the French countryside; it opens with a heavy dose of lemon verbena accented with bergamot, ginger, and nutmeg before a refined geranium floral emerges, followed by a traditional masculine base of cedar and vetiver. It has the genteel, self-effacing propriety of a distinguished member of the servant class, like a Parisian hotel concierge. I could also picture it being worn by an older gentleman who delivers the mail by bicycle throughout his region of Provence, dressed in a smart uniform of navy blue. He’s unmarried, always impeccably groomed and faultlessly courteous, but very private. He tucks his bottle of Monsieur away in his cabinet next to his shaving brush and comb. I will say that there’s something conservative about the fragrance—I might even describe it as “celibate.” It smells like someone who believes in order and hierarchy, but I think there’s something fun and refreshing about wearing it when you’re ~not~ that kind of person—it has a natural elegance that you don’t often encounter. Also, the bottle and packaging are absolutely perfect, the pinnacle of chic simplicity.

The opening smells almost identical to Habit Rouge EdT. A bright and long lasting citrus-verbena-ginger, which merges nicely into vetiver and woodiness.

While this does have a lovely opening (if you love ginger), the drydown is disappointingly taken over by iso e super.