212 Men

212 Men is a classic mens fragrance that was released back in 1999. The fact that it is still being sold today speaks volumes about how good it still is. I originally purchased my first bottle back in 2004, and I just recently purchased a new 50ml last summer (2024). I can honestly say, this has not seen any notable change in the scent profile, or even the performance 20+ years later! This current bottle smells and performs just the way I remember my original bottle! The performance is still great on me especially for a fresh style fragrance. I easily get 8 hours of solid active performance before it dies down to a skin scent by the 9/10 hour mark. From a projection standpoint, it pops off my skin at an arms length for a good 4 hours and leaves a good sillage trail during that span of time. I sprayed one pump on my forearm last night and it was still wafting up to my nose for 4 hours until I went to bed. The next morning I could still smell it on my forearm when I got in the shower after my morning workout. Granted, it was a skin scent at that point, but I could still smell it on my arm, so this stuff just sticks to my skin. 212 is well balanced with some citrus and is very fresh smelling, you can really smell the green in this which makes it perfect for day wear and works well for the Spring. It’s not too heavy on the citrus and is quite refined and sophisticated, with very slight woody notes coming through giving it a small masculine kick. If you’re looking for something for the Spring or Summer and you come across this, you’ll want to give it a try. While this is now considered a classic/older men's scent, I think many open minded younger buyers can appreciate this one if they are getting tired of smelling the endless array of cotton candy and pixie dust style scents filling the current marketplace.

Giving a thought about 212 Men for the last years through all my designer fragrance journey and all the scents I've put my nose on it, I've come to the conclusion that to me this is one of the most underrated designer fragrance I've ever come across. Yeah, you read it. Now you can hate on me or whatever you want. You might think I'm exaggerating or something. Not at all. It gives you basically everything you can ask for a signature-worthy fragrance. It gives off all-year round versatility and some uniqueness which if you think about it, it is REALLY hard having those 2 at once. That's not very common in a signature scent. There's not many perfumes out there that smell like 212 or at least very close to it and its scent profile hasn't been overused over the years. Also, it has complexity. It has projection. It has longevity. It has sillage. It's a compliment magnet and it costs a fair price. Only drawbacks you might consider: A. It still sells after 20+ years and therefore it might end up being somewhat "popular" or "familiar". B. It might not smell as high-quality as Dior or Chanel. But at the end of the day, you get what you pay for in that regard and that's just a fact. Having mentioned all of this, As I said previously, it's among the most underrated scents in the designer realm. It definitely deserves way more love and recognition. Nobody in the fragrance community ever talks about it for some reason. I guess it is because it's Carolina Herrera. This community is full of snobbish and pretentious people who think they know something. If this were Chanel every single one of them would praise the f out of it for centuries. 212 is not worse than the overpraised Bleu de Chanel. 10/10 Masterpiece. Best well-balanced designer perfume. My compatriot Alberto Morillas did a superb job with 212 Men

Alberto Morillas is the king of freshies and this is one of his most iconic creations in my view for something that was created in the 90s. Although people are forced to believe it's dated, I'd absolutely disagree. There's nothing quite like this in the market even after so many years. The bottle with its magnetic cap and premium metal covering itself is a collectible item. The juice only adds more reason to collect. The easiest way to describe the scent profile is by saying it smells like a garden full of freshly trimmed grass that has just been watered. Very green, slightly flint or mineral like along with a slightly aquatic touch coming from the violet note and petitgrain. The citrus notes plus a hint of pepper and ginger give the opening some fizz and push. The dry down is pretty linear with the slightly wet grassy green note turning ever so slightly dry and woody from the sandalwood and vetiver all beautifully rounded off by a clean white musk. It'll make you feel like you're in the middle of a green, Zen garden with a small waterfalls splashing water on smooth rocks. This is definitely not a blind buy so I'd recommend trying this somewhere first. Although potentially reformulated over the years, the performance on my 2025 bought bottle is more than acceptable. I get about 8 hrs of total longevity on both skin and fabric combined. I'll get a little more if I'm in air conditioned environments. The projection is pretty decent for the first hour or two after which the scent bubbles reduces although still very detectable. An easy all weather day time signature in my opinion that is absolutely unique and I haven't tried anything quite like this. Maybe a very expensive "in the ballpark" fragrance could be Amouage Reflection man and it's clones.

CH 212 Men can be considered as a work that has not received the value it deserves in the perfume world. This perfume has remained an original scent since its introduction. There is still no perfume like it today. It has an elegance that is very different from mainstream tonkali and bubble gum scents. Unfortunately, CH 212 Men, which remained in the shadow of marketing strategies, trends and "hip" brands, has remained in the background over time; most users evaluated it on the surface, thinking it was an ordinary "fresh" perfume. However, the real power of CH 212 Men is its unique scent that does not get lost in the crowd. The freshness of green notes, the energy of spices and the balance of the woody base are so delicately constructed that it creates an air that is both sophisticated and accessible. It is neither too heavy nor simple. Especially the fact that it centers on a flower note such as gardenia, which is rarely seen in men's perfumes, is an elegant detail that distinguishes it from its peers. Among formulas that are often either too sweet or stuck on intense masculine lines in the world of fragrances, CH 212 Men offers an alternative that is both original and balanced. Perhaps it has been overlooked because of this “middle-of-the-road elegance”, because it is not overdone. Yet it deserves appreciation and rediscovery precisely for this aspect: a perfume with character but without shouting. In conclusion, CH 212 Men is a classic that has been appreciated late, not only by nostalgia but also by today’s standards of fragrance, and stands out for its originality and refinement. Perhaps it is time to re-appreciate its “quiet elegance”.

212 Men es una Fragancia cítrica fresca y algo dulce a medida que va secando... siempre me gustó y nunca tuve por una u otra razón... Hace 1 día la adquirí, de 200ml, pues después de muchos años de conocerla y de gustarme, mi hermano la adquirió, y en una salida cada vez que se me cruzaba por mi costado dejaba esa rafaga que me dejaba enamorado y pensando en la fragancia... Me gustó tanto que termine comprandola también... Atemporal, elegante pero aún jovial... Me pasó que me puse 2 sprays, 1 en cada brazo a las 12 del mediodía... Al pasar el tiempo llegó mi novia a las 21hs y se sentó a mi lado y me dijo que se me re sentía mi perfume... A las 23 hrs me duche y el aroma persistía aún en mi piel... Por lo que por aroma le doy 10/10 quieres olerla todo el tiempo (pues es fácil enamorarse de la fragancia)... Duración 9/10 (dura más de 9 horas en piel, al menos en mi caso) y estela 9/10... Fragancia que recomiendo para fiestas y ocasiones íntimas donde atraerás a quien te propongas... No creo recomendar para eventos formales ni para trabajo, ya que el aroma es exquisito pero algo dulzón... Compra a ciegas seguro!!! La usaría en cualquier estación del año, creo que en cualquiera rendiría bien, dependiendo siempre del PH de cada persona... Espero haberles ayudado a decidirse... Saludos

Green, citrusy, spicy, smoke is what I get with this fragrance. Such a classic, and so easy to wear. It's a very green fragrance, almost like a cut grass to me on the opening, so don't blind buy if that's not what you're into. I really feel that you can't go wrong with this fragrance though. For me it works in just about every situation and in every season, except maybe winter if it's too cold. Not sure it's strong enough to cut through the cold, but when it warms up outside, boy this fragrance really comes to life. Definitely has a sporty feel to me, so I could see this as a gym scent. IMO I think that this fragrance can be substituted for Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme. Since it's not quite as popular, you won't smell like every other F Boi in the room, but just because it may not be as popular doesn't mean it's not as good. Allure Sport Extreme is just a little softer and creamier, where as 212 is a little sharper throughout. Not much more to be said, especially considering that it's a Morillas creation. That basically tells you everything you need to know. In closing, buy it. Or don't. Cause then you'll smell like me, if we were wearing it at the same time, in the same location. But what are the chances of that. . Right. . ?

A perfume that speaks itself. An Awesome creation by Alberto Morillas in collaboration with Rosendo Mateu and Ann Gottlieb It is an all-rounder, best suited for the fall and winter, but wearable through the spring. I wouldn't recommend it for the summer, given its musk can be overwhelming for the user (at least it is for me). I consider it a pretty decent signature scent, and easy to wear for most people. Works well in an office environment, so long you control your sprays, night outs and casual scenarios. Even though it's not particularly sexy, in my experience, women tend to really like it, so it can work as a date scent, if you only have a couple fragrances. There are, of course, better suited frags for that purpose, all I'm saying is it can work well in dates too. Like I said, I do not recommend it for hot summer days, though. It is a very particular scent, reminiscent of fresh cut grass, so it has a very good memory effect. People will recognise and identify it with little to no effort. Longevity: 8.5/10 Projection and Sillage: 7/10 Fragrance Quality: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10 If you have performance issues; make sure you buy from a trusted source

I discovered this as a teen when my mother's friend gifted me a bottle of it. So I've been using it since shortly after it launched. Unfortunately I have noticed that the reformulations have dropped in intensity and have slight changes in the notes that come through, but I always remember it being intense at first and then dying down a lot after the dry down. Although this was long before I learned anything of nose blindness so there's a chance I was in fact reeking of it. I still rate it as a very classy smell. It's fresh and crisp, there's a lot of citrus comes through. It has to my nose some of the freshness of Aqua di Gio. It's certainly great for summer although I've worn it year round. I'm currently exploring different scents that are considered similar or in the same kind of category and there are so many fragrances that are very similar to one another but there are very few that I've tried that have a similar profile to 212. It's got by far the best sprayer I've ever used, blasts you. It's like spraying yourself with a bottle of kitchen cleaner.

I'm a sucker for freshies and I found this gem just a few days ago, and bought a 200ml bottle. Now my skin burns/eats fragrances quickly, I moisturise but still, anyway I read that this performs good for a fresh fragrance and I always carry a travel atomiser with me so "I should be fine" I thought and boy am I pleasantly surprised. I sprayed 6 times (2 each side of my neck, 1 back of my neck and 1 on my chest), usually I spray a lot more with fresh fragrances in order to have some performance...I got 1,5 hours of a nuclear fallout (thank god I didn't have to meet with people up close) up to the 3rd hour heavy whiffs whenever I move, now I'm in the 4th hour still detect it when moving... you get the idea. I'm in love, I'm blown away, what sort of a juice was this before being reformulated?!?! I do realise that maybe a spray from a 200ml "jar" gives me more fragrance but as I said my skin eats them fast and freshies are pretty weak on me. Anyway forgive my excitement but right now I'm on cloud 999.

This is such a nice fragrance long lasting projecting like a beast. i feel like this can be all year all occasions you cant go wrong.Even at winter this smells nice day night doesnt matter . Girls used to grab me and put their nose in my neck cuz they got so additced to the smell. i didnt even expect that from this fragrance but its a magnet for chicks. I remember once my friend used to wear this alot and while i was waiting for him in a park i just knew he was somewhere near me cuz i smelled the fragrance from 100 200 meters away and i was like yeah he will show up now from somewhere and there he was and as he was walking the fragrance was projecting more and more its crazy. It still has a decent price for a old fragrance and its not cheapy

I used to wear 212 way back when. I was feeling nostalgic and picked up a new bottle recently. After spraying, I thought: why did I ever stop wearing this? It's beautiful...it smells even better than I remember. It's fresh, green, and sporty, but still has an elegant quality about it. This is nice enough for a fancy garden party, but equally appropriate for a backyard barbeque. I live in the hot California desert where the temps are scorching right now. 212 is a perfect hot weather fragrance and super easy-to-wear. This scent still holds up after all these years. I'm glad I got reacquainted with this old friend. Love this stuff.

212 Men turns 25 this year (2024). It remains what is possibly the first men’s perfume in our generation to pay homage to New York City. Alberto Morillas and Rosendo Mateu created a beautiful scent that signified NYC's wide world of sensations: musk that captures the heat of Manhattan’s streetscape, grassy notes that echo the calm of Central Park, citrus that exudes the freshness of Hudson River. At best, 212 Men’s spices gave it power, aromatics spiked its youthfulness, and florals wrapped it with the elegance of Carolina Herrera. What an inventive way to capture what this fragrance is all about! Happy birthday, 212 Men!

This one has a special place in my heart and collection. Growing up, I remember staying over at my grandma's house in the spring/summer when the gardenias were in full bloom right outside her kitchen window. Every morning she'd go out and snip off a few to bring in, place them inside a vase, and set it as the centerpiece on the kitchen nook. The fresh-cut grass from the neighborhood, all other flowers in bloom, and the smell of the orchards nearby must be inside this bottle. This is one of my wife's favorite fresh scents and every time I put it on, I get a blast from the past and a smile on my face.

I’m a 31 year old woman so this is a bit strange for me to be reviewing this cologne. I said I would never wear a men’s cologne since I’m so girly. I love florals, fruity, and girly perfumes. I normally hate masculine smelling smell goods. I was in Marshall’s and this family walked past me and I got a whiff of this BEAUTIFUL scent trail. It blew me away. I asked both the husband and wife what they were wearing. She said... Valentino Donna. He said... 212. I immediately got in my car and googled the scent. I LOVE THIS! My first men’s cologne and I can’t get enough. It’s sexy, fresh and beautiful.

When I saw this on Amazon for $36 a few months back, I couldn't resist and blind bought it. Initially I was not a big fan and found this scent a little unoriginal and boring so I took a break from it after only wearing it for a couple of days. But coming back to it these past few days, I love it. I don't know what changed, but it smells refined and masculine, and almost has a niche quality to it. I'm not great at describing specific notes, so all I'll say is that overall this smells very well put together. Maybe all the people who rave about maceration are right after all.

212 Men Carolina Herrera has a lovely, fresh aroma of green. Although it is vibrant, green, and sporty, it yet exudes elegance. This is elegant enough for a formal garden party but suitable for a backyard barbecue as well. Green Notes, Grapefruit, Spices, Bergamot, Lavender, and Petitgrain are found in the top notes. Ginger, Violet, Gardenia, and Sage are found in the middle notes. Musk, Sandalwood, Incense, Vetiver, Guaiac Wood, and Labdanum are found in the base notes. Strong and moderate sillage performance is displayed. Honest, Reliable, and Consistent.

Smelling like New York nightlife before social media existed. 212 Men was peak early-2000s cool. Clean, metallic, fresh and slightly spicy, it smelled like wearing way too much confidence. There’s something unmistakably “urban” about this DNA that still feels unique today. The green freshness mixed with musks and woods created a futuristic vibe back then, and somehow it still works. A true time capsule from the era when every mall had a Carolina Herrera counter and everyone wanted to smell expensive. To me, still better than many “modern” stuff.

212 Men is everything Acqua di Gio EdT is, but better, or it could be. It surely is for me, and maybe it's for you too. The only reason why I think it's better is that it's very similar to the scent profile of Acqua di Gio, but it's stronger. There's just a touch more complexity. It's not just a safe and clean citrus, there's a whisper of a bite more behind it all. Acqua di Gio EdT is already a perfect summer scent for daily wear, if you've gone bored however with how basic it is, give this one a try. I'll promise you won't regret it.

Patrick Bateman smelled liked this in the movie, it’s smells like the future we were promised, frutiger aero aesthetic, futuristic office scent, masculine, attractive, uplifting, dominant, been looking for this smell for years, I’m 22 now, this is how grown ups who used to get all the girls smelled like when I was younger, definitely signature scent worthy for office, school or college all ages can wear this no problem 10/10 scent on the opening 7/10 longevity for what it is. an edt 7/10 projection 10/10 will buy this forever timeless

One of my Top 5 scents ... Summer, strength, confidence, compliment puller, in a way fresh, relaxing, clean. Solid performance and projection. I would buy it again ... always Performance: 7-10 hours Sillage: 6ft noticeable For whom: Gentlemen >25 My background: I only write reviews about scents I have worn already (until the bottle is finished or given away) or are in current use. I'm a Gentlemen - middle aged - predominantly in an executive office environment wearing suits and representing with many official gatherings.