Exceptional Because You Are For Men

Man there’s always one person who absolutely loves an unpopular fragrance and that happens to be me this time, I like most got a sample first and i immediately loved it. I think of a beautiful sunny day in nyc and the clouds are bright white a fluffy and the temp is 65° and you’re walking in the park on the way to the office. But I discovered it was pretty hated on and cheap so I tried hard to find somehting higher end that would be even better and got Chanel allure homme sport cologne I paid $103 in total for 1.7 of that and it literally just smells like orgenges and absolutely regretted buying it so I said screw it and just bought EBYA and when it came and I sprayed and smelled it I lit up with joy. I love this fragrance and did a smell test between the Chanel and Exceptional with other people and they said exceptional was better. And I don’t think by any means this is a dupe of Bleu de Chanel but I do get similar vibes and very slight slight hint of Dior Sauvage. The projection is average and longevity is 4 hours (of projection). And it’s so cheap this thing could easily sell for $100 if it was made by a bigger house name. It just makes me happy. But it’s all subjective in the end lol.

I don’t know all the hate for this. Yea it’s a bit generic *smells like the inside of a magazine like all the fragrances combined into one* and it is fairly weak but besides being a tad to expensive for what it is I think it’s rather pleasant. It’s like the wet, summery melon scent of nautical voyage mixed with some citrus *i get mostly grapefruit with a hint of pineapple towards the dry down*. It’s defiantly for the office or somewhere closed space like church or a classroom but I’ve got nothing but compliments for it. Like what Freud said about how “sometimes a cigar is a cigar” maybe sometimes a cologne is a cologne. It’s like if someone who had no sense of smell their whole life just got their sense of smell and asked what is cologne I’d probably give them this smell. Generic yes but harmless. Between us if this was cheaper or was louder and projected more I’d probably keep it in my rotation. But it’s flaws outweigh its perks. This is why I wish fragrantica had a 4th option for neutral instead of just like, love, dislike.

This is a good fragrance to try out, but not buy. It's more of a body spray. Because it only last a few hours, it's good to spray on at night going to bed or you just want to have that nice feeling on you at home for a few hours. I got some samples after making some orders and like the smell very much. I see teens and middle age adults rocking this every day. It's a bit synthetic, so when it sits close to the skin, I can bear it without finding it cloying. They did a good job copying Love and Luck, but definitely a step down. Age group: 16+ 4-5 sprays max Climate: Summer nights, Spring, Fall days Sillage: 3 stars Longevity: 2 stars Scent: 4.5 stars Versatility: 4.5 stars Overall: 3.75 stars

Am I wrong for liking this? It's a really standard, fresh, mass appealing masculine scent. It is dated and reminds me of something I would catch a whiff of in a mall. Definitely smells like 2008. Maybe its biggest issue is it's not unique at all. I don't get too much citrus on the drydown but plenty of woods and mint with a little green. Total deodorant smell, acts like one too with its performance.

This used to be decent when I first smelled it three years ago but the samples I get now seem so much weaker. It has always smelled very fresh, crisp, plain, and inoffensive. There’s nothing groundbreaking here but it is refreshing. If it was $25 I’d buy it but $45 seems high considering I could get a 200ml of CKOne for $20 and it smells 90% similar.

This smells like the Creed fragrance base. This is Aventus, Tabarome, or Milliseme Imperial without their unique notes. It’s plain and uninteresting freshie but it smells great. Or you could say it’s an Office clone.

I love this. I can't believe all the dislikes. I would purchase this again. I have 100 different fragrances and this is in my top 10 I keep going back to. Two sprays is all I need to make me happy.

Got a free sample of it from FragranceNet and decided to get a bottle! It smells great! I wear it to the office and receive many compliments. Its fresh, light and great for office use.

Like it, good day for the office. Not offensive and safe. Got a number of samples and finally bought. Was sold and a great go to when unsure. EDT but EDP performance. Love it.

Just put all your Fragrance.Net order samples together and you'll have 100ml bottle of this haha! Seriously it smells somewhat between Candies for Men and Love & Luck.

Really does smell like Candies, literally just brought me back to 1998, instantly got memories!!

Closer to Curve from the 90s than Platinum Egoiste is.

My theory for why this fragrance is so polarizing is because of its name. Most people have not heard of this until they receive it as a free sample with orders from FragranceNet, and they try it out because they're curious. This smells perfectly fine: it has nice fruit and floral notes on top (pineapple, melons, and violets), which generate an extremely enjoyable fruity-ozonic accord. Were you to wear this to the office, you would almost certainly garner compliments (and this DOES have at least moderate--not strong, but moderate-- projection on my skin, so your co-workers would be able to smell you). This is enjoyable and pretty, and very much like many other fragrances out there that are much more highly priced (I share with other reviewers the sense that this is much like some Creed fragrances like Millesime Imperiale). But there is one thing this perfume is unfortunately not, and that is "exceptional," because there were just too many fragrances like this during the late 90s and 00s for this to seem special. So the perfume's name seems instantly like false advertising, which I think annoys people enough to generate the harsh reviews. The idea that this scent is in any way offensive seems unbelievable to me: I think it's due to disappointment rather than the fact that there's really anything wrong with this,

Reviewers on here are on crack or something. This is actually pretty good. It’s not AMAZING, but it’s good. I enjoy it, people around me enjoy it, my gf enjoys it. It’s sparkly, fruity, bright and enjoyable. After spraying give it 30 seconds to dry down or all you’ll get is alcohol. After that initial 30 seconds, you get citrus notes, pineapple and the ever so prominent melon. This is melon done in a masculine way. Very reminiscent to Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce. The citrus and fruity notes blend perfectly with the violet leaf giving this a very welcoming sparkly fresh cologne. The dry down is even better, same initial DNA but the woods step in and take this to a whole different level. I got a sample of this with an order I recently placed and it was love at first smell. I bought two bottles within an hour of smelling this. Don’t believe the garbage these other reviews are saying, they’re a bunch of wanna be frag heads. At the end of the day, this smells AMAZING. Period. $32 a bottle right now on fragrencenet.com. The one issue I have with this, is that I only get maybe an hour of a trail around me, then for another 2-3 hours at best it’s a skin scent. 4 hours total on a average of decent performance. I carry around a decant and just reapply. Simple fix. For $32 a bottle you can’t go wrong here.

Decent. Not as generic as people say. The reminds me of is once again all over the place. I understand. If this was as generic over done as people say then I would think we would have better consensus. It's not as melony and grassy as the love & luck, unforgivable... it's not that close. For me it does have a sort of ck one, Fierce mall smell. Fresh, clean, contemporary. I see Claiborne in the reminds me of. That one used to really be something when it was released. This has a faint similarity to that also but once again it's not close at all no matter the note description. It's very pleasant and unoffensive. The big draw back will be performance. It's not strong and doesn't last long. You could likely get away with this in sensitive environments. Nice pick me up refresher. It's an okay value in general. For some professions it will be a better value. 4 out of 5 stars feels very reasonable to me. I use all the samples I get of it pretty quick because it's just such a pleasant pick me up. I've started to strongly consider getting this. Especially after trying so much else. I appreciate this more and more.

REFORMULATED! No, but seriously, this scent was changed... I have a 2017 bottle that reminds me of Bleu de Chanel or Jimmy Choo Man (and this always has reminded me of those when I received samples), but also now a 2019 bottle that reminds me of... well, it's much much softer... More of a soft watermelon, like a dumbed down Millesime Imperial. Which - oddly enough, is what everyone said this smelled like before being changed, or what Love and Luck is described as smelling like at least. Weird, right? So basically, now there's more soft watermelon and less smoky woody lemon. Also, you can confirm the changes by the ingredients listed on the old samples vs the new samples. Im surprised nobody has mentioned it, but it seems like a lot of people here just don't give this fragrance any second thought. But, the general populous likes it, both the old and new versions... Either way, it's not as bad as everyone says before or after. I preferred the older version, but the new version is more like Millesime Imperial to my nose and the old version bordered on Jimmy Choo Man territory.

Oh, come on guys! It's not thaaaaat bad. It's like Diesel's Only The Brave meets Bleu De Chanel. Both of those are loved, so why is this so hated? The projection isn't so good, but still, I'll take it as a freebie from FragranceNet, as I'm sure 99% of the rest of you have. I doubt I'd spend the money they're asking for it however. Longevity is kind of a joke though... This morning I was wearing Exceptional - Because you are... And now? Now I feel the need to use the "I'm wearing nothing" showerhead feature, which I've never done before. 4 hours, and then - where did it go?! I pour my sample vials into a spray decant and use this one around the house and before bed.

***************************************** I ♥ the scent but NOT WORTH $60 ***************************************** ✓ Smells Fantastic.... ✓ Bright Fruity; Clean & Masculine ✓ Compliment getter........................BUT ☹ Short-Live performance like an aftershave / cologne ☹ GENERIC.....like a $7 Adidas from walmart ☹ Forgettable...like a $7 Adidas from walmart ☹ Ripoff Pricing at $60 without discount, or $30~$25 with discount I like the scent, BUT It smell & performed like a $7 Adidas Fragrance from Walmart re-packaged by fragrance.net for $60. "Exceptional Because You Are" should be renamed as Forgettable Because You Are Ripping me Off

Absolutely dreadful name and performance... but other than that, the scent is very likeable and pleasant. It's soft yet masculine, clean, calming, fresh, soapy and just plain inoffensive. Reminds me a lot of Versace Pour Homme - kind of a throwback 90's or 2000's scent in a way. This is a good, safe anytime casual scent. The performance though... dang it's bad. After splashing on the entire sample vial, it's gone somewhere between 1-2 hours, and projection is very minimal. If they could reformulate, keep the scent relatively unchanged, and get this around 5-6 hours with moderate sillage, they'd have something very solid.

This cologne has the specific scent you get from a thoroughly washed hand. It's such a good fresh, airy, soapy, powdery, slightly sweet, slightly citrusy, and second-skin cologne I have come across so far because it feels balanced, and the fresh spicy part of it is toned all the way down (personal preference). It's a "slightly masculine but unisex at the same time" kind of cologne, and I like it. I can see the relation to Versace Pour Homme, but it's less harsh and weaker in terms of fresh spices and aromatics. In terms of sillage, it is insanely weak and projects 1 cm above your skin and clothes, so it's a no.

I can't believe it - this is the Candie's for Men by Liz Claiborne dupe I've been searching for. For years, I've ordered Men and Women's fragrances from FragranceNet. I never ever bothered to open and smell the samples. They just collected in my top dresser drawer. I have about 10 of the men's sample vials! I feel so foolish. It opens bright, citrus fruits, and a spicy violet leaf that quickly - and I mean QUICKLY - dries down to smooth woody suede. The negative reviews come from other fragrance wearers who are rightfully outraged over the scammy price of this line especially since it's a FragranceNet house.

So like everyone else here, I received a sample from FragranceNet. It has a fresh clean scent that reminds me of right after a shower. The smell is pleasant but its nothing special. Its definitely, like everyone else has said, generic. You could walk into a drugstore and find half a dozen cheap fragrances that are similar to exceptional. That being said, it is pleasant and would likley be enjoyed by lots of people. It is also "office safe" and pretty cheap. So if you are looking for a cheap & pleasant (albeit boring) everyday type scent this is perfect.

Smells very fruity, woody, citrusy and fresh.. Immediately after spraying I get a sour pungent vodka like smell which fades out after about 10 minutes.. I would describe the drydown as light woody-fruity.. Longevity is around 4 hours and that too mainly as a skin scent.. Projection is almost non-existent.. The smell is quite pleasant to be honest.. I feel it smells way better than a lot of these "widely reviewed", overhyped, big name designer brand fragrances.. If only it lasted a little longer....

A generic safe nice scent; think something you'd buy from your co-worker who sells Avon products in the breakroom.The name IS a misnomer,but the scent isn't unpleasant at all and this is coming from somebody who had to wash it off with handsoap and witch hazel because of the marine migrainous notes.A starter gift fragrance for youngsters in the vein of Jovan musk, Paul Sebastian or Aramis.A scent that would have been sold at Chess King clothing stores if time were our friend.

This is a pretty good scent. It's pleasant, happy, and I can't imagine anyone disliking it. It reminds me vaguely of Light Blue, with just the sliiiightest hint of Sauvage. It's unisex but leans masculine. Like the women's version, this could work for any occasion. A good choice if you want a versatile scent, and the price is great. Edit: I see that someone mentioned Azzaro Chrome. I can definitely see a resemblance here, although this is much lighter and softer.

I won't lie, I slept on this. Got it with a bunch of samples, sat to the side for months. I was looking for a bottle of Candie's for men by Liz Claiborne, because nostalgia. Discontinued, $400 on eBay. So I was looking for dupes and clones. this was brought up, Eureka! I have that on the side! It is comparable, not going to knock your socks off but if you miss Candie's for men this is an excellent substitute. At the price point you won't be disappointed.

Anyone else get so many samples of this from online orders that they put all their vials into a travel atomizer? I DID! This stuff don't smell bad it just has pretty bad performance. I get a good smelling citrus and pineapple opening but an hour later I check my wrist to see how its doing and it is pretty much gone by that point. Not worth the price but something I'll wear for free during the daytime when nothing is going on.

At first I thought the dry down was similar to Green irish Tweed but then after seeing the comparisons to Milliseme Imperiale, I figured the dry down was sweeter than GIT and that MI was a better comparison. One of the commenters below must have been reading my mind because they said this fragrance smells like the Creed base because they pick up MI and Aventus. Exceptional Parfums stole SOMETHING from Creed here for sure.

Hard to believe this has so many bad reviews on here. I absolutely love this for what it is, its great for work, gym, or any occasion you don’t want a strong over powering scent. Also, you can go up to 10 sprays if you want to get noticed and its not over bearing, pretty cheap and very likable for everyone around you. This is mainly a gym and work scent for me. I will definitely get another bottle when this one runs out.

If you are looking for a baby brother to ADG, this will get you pretty close. Top notes are very clean and ozonic. Opens up to a nice woody citrus blend. Dies down to a nice marine muskiness. Definitely isn't the same as Gio, as it is lacking in the spice department, but it is still worth checking out nonetheless if you want a fresh ocean breeze scent without wanting to break the bank.

Got a sample of this from Fragrancenet.com . My lady gave me a complement on the sample so I bought a bottle for cheap on Ebay. I don't have any complaints.Some frags that cost me $350 haven't gotten me complements so what can $20 hurt. I think a lot of people on here get caught up on name brands instead of whats actually in the bottle.

I think I would have named this "Fine, I Guess It's Fine" instead. It's ... fine. Floral, ozonic, with a drooping hint of sour spiciness in the background. Not unpleasant. The name probably hurts it more than anything. I wouldn't steer anyone away from it; it's just nothing "exceptional" in my view. It's worth a try.

Surprised at the dislikes to be honest it’s not bad or rancid smelling it’s just generic you guys are to harsh on scents hahahaha. I think it smells pretty good in my opinion nothing crazy. Name is super corny though hahahaha. Short and sweet. It’s a summer time fresh scent. I’d pay $20 for this scent nothing more.

Despite this fragrance having little to no trail following you, it is an amazing scent. The fresh and clean smells are delightful, and are great for a night out with a significant other. Leaving out the fact that you will have to apply this multiple times throughout the day, it is an amazing bottle.

I agree that it’s nothing mind blowing...but some of hate it’s getting is probably because of the over saturation of samples from Fragrancenet....if this was something from Creed and some of these people where paying $400 for it, they would be raving about “how fresh and citrusy” it was....

I have to agree with all the reviewers below. It is not a bad fragrance. It is not an exceptional fragrance. And It is not a unique fragrance. Actually totally takes me back to shopping at Hollister in the Mall circa 2005 But Totally worth the $29.99 you can buy it for on Fragrance.net.

Also a member of the free sample from fragrancenet club. It's not a bad scent at all and I don't really get the hate but it is painfully generic. It kindof give me a slightly better BOD vibe. I'm a complete casual when it comes to cologne and even I can tell how plain it is.

Very airy light and clean. Good fragrance. It’s the best out the shower fragrance I’ve ever smelt. If you want something light and airy with a great smell this is it. Shampo soapy. I could see myself using this quite a bit if I just want something simple and not heavy.

Free sample from fragrancenet. Smells very nice, very pleasant, definitely a crowd pleaser. However, it does not project at all. I could barely smell it with my nose to my skin. It only lasted about 20 minutes total on my skin before completely dissapearing.

This actually isn't to bad. It reminds me of those fruity men's fragrances from the 2000's. I have alot samples of this but I don't have a big bottle. I would say it's good for a t-shirt or the gym. An easy dumb reach! I give this a 8.2/10

Love the scent. Matches the note breakdown perfectly. Fresh, fruity, sweet, even quite unisex. Problem is, The performance is ABYSMAL! You'll get about 20 minutes out of it. If they'll make an EDP version that last, is be VERY interested.

It's nice, clean, soapy... that's it. Very meh fragrance. Although in my opinion very unisex as it has no real scent other than soap, and extremely wearable as it is inoffensive and fresh. [Mental Imagery]: Fresh out da shower.

Not sure why all the harsh reviews tbh. The fragrance pulls very sparkling and citrus-y in my opinion, in a really pleasant way. Very inoffensive and versatile. Sillage is moderate, as is longevity. Definitely a nice fragrance.

This cologne does not smell bad at all. It is pretty fresh, reminds me of an aftershave. However, the smell is VERY generic and everything else about it is subpar and for that reason it is just ok and I would never buy it

I got a sample with a order I made. I'm not sure why it's disliked so much. If anything, this makes me more cautious of the reviews of others on this website if our tastes are this different.

Got this as a tester from a discounter and its okay. Its a very generic male scent, definitely an office kinda cologne. To me it also has a slight smokey note but it works pretty good.

It’s generic, not unpleasant. Just smells like deodorant. Basically redundant for most collectors to get but it’d be a good beginner scent. Not offensive at all.

This one is nothing special but its cheap and smells nice on my clothes. Smells very clean, not overpowering at all, I like wearing it to the gym. 7/10

I received a sample and I really enjoy this as a casual anytime fragrance, there’s enough depth there to use this whenever you like imo. 7/10

opening is a blast of alcohol dries down to an ok scent not bad but not great either just ok in my opinion