Catalyst for Men

I waited forever to buy this reformulation and finally bought it yesterday for $8.96 for 30ml. It has been 23 years since I bought it for the first time while traveling across the US from coast to coast. It had a special place in my heart, but my olfactory had zero recall. The opening was slightly familiar but not exact. Soon after there was a harshness which surely did not exist before? Then there was the dry down which was again harsh. Then all of a sudden the whole thing came into focus. Very close to what I had hoped for. I must say, they synthesized the heck out of this, but they got it! Sure there are some faulty moments along the way, but the end-result is a really nice reformulation of an old friend. Better than most. Perhaps I forgot the opening was harsh, because I sure am over it now and found myself wanting to re-apply a few times. Not that I need to because it is strong enough and performs decently. For less than 10 bucks, this beats the pants off of what I expected and is easily as good as many of the duds I have come across over the years. Good stuff! Really good stuff indeed. Happy Happy!

Let me be honest with you Mr.Alchemist - I do not care for your vinegary opening. Sorry, I just don't. You are too obvious,to forceful, not to mention, but I'll mention it anyway, that your initial odor clashes unpleasently with your yummy orange complexion. Your verve in introducing yourself to the world through vinegary note is so pronounced, that one would be justified to expect to see green pickles floting around inside your triangularly shaped belly. Sorry... But how gracious of you not to persist with your misleading preamble, soon after which you open your secret compartments of your truly enchanted heart of a master alchemist. You are so charismatic, so orientally aromatic and oppulent, that you must be wafting your presence here from the Tales of 1001 Nights... All your clove I love, and musks, nutmegs and sandalwoods, all of which are still tip-toeing on my forearm after seven hours past our memorably wet morning encounter. Oriental mystery... Mr.Alchemist, here comes the confession - You are my all time favorite! You were the catylyst behind this love song. So long.

Four years after Halston's passing, his namesake brand lived on and produced mid-market releases in the 90s, like Catalyst and the offspring of that master-brand, Catalyst for Men. It's a jolly, warm spiced orange with a thick, spicy heart, showcasing cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. It is the caraway, however, that stands out the most for me: sharp, sweet, and aromatic, always adhering to my skin in the most delightful manner. While it opens with fervent fanfare, its dry down is a velvety amber and mild-mannered musk. I still recall seeing the ads for it in the 90s with the catchphrase "boys like to experiment" and my even adolescent self couldn't help but to think it was some sort of coding. Catalyst won't necessarily leave sophisticated noses feeling astonished, but to me it is such a likeable and cozy wear for autumn. I am happy to own a test tube atomizer bottle and a wee little Erlenmeyer flask mini. Catalyst is just fun.

So complex as to be almost totally uncategorisable upon first whiff; the Tower of Babel of 90's fragrances. Just look at the notes listed. It's more a scent skyscraper than a scent pyramid! I wont even try to acertain all of them, just give you the ones i pick up: Orange,caraway, some kind of pepper(not black), sandalwood ,vodka,lavender,carnation,benzoin resin, the slightest bit of cinnamon. What i dont pick up is the bay leaf and i wanted to mention that as it rates highly here. It would be a mistake for someone to seek this out thinking they were going to get a citrus-bay based frag. It's definitely more for someone who's not uncomfortable with a fragrance that might confound them at first.

I got this for my Middle School graduation and it was the 3 test tube set. I don't remember what each test tube was but 1 of them had a mix of yellow on top and green underneath (or vice versa). And it all came in a little stand for each of them. Visually SOOO cool for a teenage boy. And it smelled WAY better than the Brut33 and Polo that I already had. Lots of spice and I didn't appreciate how amazing it was. Between this and the DKNY Men I got a bit later, I had some really cool fragrances for a skinny, teenage boy.

When I was just a lad, the bottles always caught my eye, even without being interested in the fragrance within. Finally was reminded of it recently and grabbed a small bottle of aftershave for less than $10, to see what I was missing. I have to say the smell of this is very nostalgic for me even though I had never knowinglt smelled it before. It has a very 90s vibe that I remember distinctly from the time. It is like a mix of many frags of the era rolled into one homogenous scent that somehow works.

Im only reveiwing the after shave at this time. But I have owned the vintage scent in the 90s. This fragrance is one of the best fragrances made in the 90s IMO. It is an unforgiving, unapologetic cinnamon bomb. But aromatic, full, yet light. In the 90s I never got the compliments I wanted though. But I cannot live without it. Like someone else one of the best presentations ever. I have only worn the vintage formulation. And will only seek to wear that formulation.

I had the tall, thin test tube in a yellowish color, in fact, I remember owning several bottles. I also had a bottle that looked more like a mad scientist's lab beaker with green juice. I loved the powerful scent that lasted all day with one or two sprays. It was very reasonable in price, or I would have not had them. Sadly, I can't remember how it smelled...just that I loved it!!

This was my dad signature scent and one of my favorites. There’s no specific note that sticks straight out. It all blend together beautifully. Although it is expensive and hard to find it’s a good one and worth it. It’s strong and long lasting enough for all day wear. Even the packaging is cute, it comes in a vial or beaker shaped bottle depending on the amount you get.

yep its a wonderful scent, spicy cinnamon and flowery.i just totally love this.it doesnt last long but i will bathe in this.it smells like a real flower and nut meg.heck it smells of lots of things. the after shave is much stronger and rosy than the cologne.too bad BUT i also have the aftershave. nothing like it out there.love it!

My dad had this in the late 90's and early 00's. From what I remember, it smelled very spicy, but soft at the same time. Definitely old school, but not in the same vein as stinky 80's stuff. I remember it sort of smelling like a more fragrant and woody apple pie.

When i first smelled it i fell in love with it and ranked it as my number one male fragrances.When i recently bought it as a present for my husband (tester from FragranceX)it smelled COMPLETELY different...

Ahh the old days when this was 14.99 at the Marshalls and Burlington and nobody wanted to wear it I stocked up and have 4 full beakers and 2 tubes that I will probably never finish.

Since everyone raving about Z-14 and 1-12 I find this is the masterpiece of Halston house. Catalyst! What a name, what a perfume!!

The most unique fragrance, I own.. A true gem.. Glad I have it and the aftershave too- and a back up partial bottle...

Halston-the name brings to mind couture and the excesses of the 80s (at least for me). This one however was released in the 90s and is quite different from the powerhouse twins of 1-12 and Z-14 that came out in the 80s... The notes listed above are undoubtedly the female version (although I never smelled it), if it is anything like HALSTON for women, it's strong!The ones I got from the company website are as follows: TOP-orange, lavender,sage,bergamot HEART-nutmeg, bay, cinnamon, clove BASE-sandalwood, musk, benzoin That pretty much sums up what I smell in this to a tee... This is an aromatic for sure with fougere tendencies. It has orange, mandarin and bergamot blended smoothly along with sage and lavender. The citruses are very balanced by the hebal flower pairing so the initial blast is fresh and dry. The heart unfolds to reveal cloves, bay, nutmeg and cinnamon; an understated spicy melange of warmth that feels like a favorite blanket or woolen cardigan. The drydown is simple strong sandalwood, some musk and a kiss of benzoin's resiny vanillic essence... The packaging on this scent line is the ultimate play on words (catalyst-something in a chemical reaction that is not a part of it but speeds up the reaction). The flacons for the EDT are triangular flasks or test tube shapes (30 ml and 50 ml=test tube, and 100 ml in the flask) and the aftershave splash is in a round florence flask that separates if it sits, necessitating shaking to blend the two layers of liquid. Thomas Dolby's "Blinded Me with Science" comes to mind... Sillage: decent Longevity: good Overall: 3.5/5 This is a very subdued and simple scent for this House. It's not in your face strong but it is not weak either. If you like spicy fragrances that are well-blended but not overpowering give this one a try... Halston's excesses nearly bankrupted his company and it was sold to keep it afloat. The new company has kept most of his men's scents available at decent prices. I found my 50 ml EDT at a discount outlet for under 10.00 USD...

[This review is for the AFTERSHAVE not the EDT] Great bottle - chemistry lab inspired and this aftershave separates into a green liquid with an orange liquid at the bottom. You have to shake it before use to mix it. This seems to march quickly through lots of notes. Hard to keep up - so much going on in the first 30 minutes. At first I get kiwi fruits mixed with oranges and a green note. Some mild spiciness fades in as well. Then a soapy, clean slightly synthetic note. Within a few minutes the mint creeps in. Surprised no reviews so far mention the mint note. It seems to take hold too strongly and stops me noticing much else. There are undercurrents of other notes but I find it hard to pick them out through the mint. It's too much like spearmint gum or toothpaste. After 90 minutes or so the mint starts to recede and it gets spicier, then animalic, greener and warmer. The mint bobs up again a few times but never dominates again and then slips away. For a while it smells like a softer, more floral version of the dry down of Giorgio Beverly Hills' Red. There are so many notes here and it really is quite a rollercoaster ride. Can't believe someone below says "very few notes, very simple" !!!! This is the first scent I've had where there is such a clear rise and fall of so many different notes. They seem to take turns to swell up, say hi and fade back down into the mix again. For an aftershave (rather than EDT) the projection was very good. Comparable or better than many of my EDTs. This aftershave lasted about 5 hours on me - but I didn't use very much - I decanted into a spray bottle and used 2 sprays. I like it. Complex, interesting, challenging and well made. If it wasn't for the mint note I would love it, with the mint this is more of an experience rather than a fragrance I will wear very often.

This Halston get's a lot of hate, I didn't think it would though I'm not surprised given the vast amount of (I wouldnt call this one vintage) old school scents that have been ruined this day in age. I will start by saying this - if you are a cinnamon lover get this, you will LOVE it i promise! On to the review: I like this one, i like it a lot! A very manly scent - in your face, yet warm - definitely spicy though not over the top. top notes are a blast of cinnamon and citrus, maybe even a bit woodsy from the sandalwood, though the latter being the most subdued. This is carried away in the middle by the citrus and cinnamon the sandalwood remains though cinnamon dominates. dry-down is a bit leathery and musky, warm and linear. this is where I detect a bit of nutmeg. overall pretty nice! I wouldn't call this a knock-out fragrance, though it is defintely worth a buy. I wear this mostly in the summer due to it's spicy nature. I hardly knew or cared for fragrances when I got it as a present almost a decade ago (from stepdad while I was in highschool) and even though it's not my fav out of my collection, I really do enjoy wearing it. I definitely have an affinity towards it due to it being a gift from a loved one. Scent 7/10 Sillage 7.5/10 longevity 7/10 I hear you can get this for 10 dollars, I would not pass that up! -HP

I don't think all the notes listed above can be in this one. It's quite a simple scent, nowhere near as complex as the notes listed indicate. On another site I found these notes for Catalyst by Halston: Top: Lavender, Sage, Citrus. Middle: Nutmeg, Clove. Base: Sandalwood, Musk. Those notes are very much what I can smell in Catalyst. A spicy Lavender-Citrus opening. Within seconds lots of Clove and fresh Nutmeg make it even spicier. A strong Sandalwood base, the musk comes up later in the dry down. Very few notes, very simple, very nice. A similar type of scent to this, in my opinion, is Tuscany Per Uomo by Aramis. The Aramis one is more refined and classy smelling. Catalyst, being a bit more playful, is a completely enjoyable change of pace. Another one that I would put into the same category as Catalyst is Safari for Men by Ralph Lauren. Safari has a dominant Eucalyptus-like note while Catalyst has a dominant Clove note. Good sillage. The longevity is a little bit on the short side, it's still good enough to call average. I like to wear it, day or night, in cooler weather.

I was excited I found this at a Marshal's I had looked at this here a few times and looking back at the sent proflie I dont remember why. But after purchase i was not dissapointed. Awesome bottle although the test tube stand is a little cheap. on first spray it brought back memories of what i remember my dad's brute smelling like, but then it changes after 5 - 10 minites and I think it smells alot like the way chai tea tastes. Makeing this a great buy with one month left to christmas. Now after wearing it for 3-4 hours the spicy ness faded and I can really smell the the musk and sandalwood

A favourite I have used for many years, beginning with the Test-Tube, and now the Conical Flask. I had a gap of 12-15 years when I could not find it. To my current knowledge, Catalyst is very much its own scent; I have never smelled anything like it. Rich, interesting, different, very slight sweetness, spicy and fragrant and fresh, reasonable performance, and very good value; it tells its story, then quietly leaves.Well worth every penny.

It's almost the same as vintage Safari and GrigioPerla, and Rockford comes later. I have the conical flask bottle. 7/10

smells like a candy to me good enough

Interesting enough, I can trace analogies with Giorgo Beverly Hill's Red for men, less skanky and less aromatic. As to the notes, I cannot trace the lavender nor the sage in the topnotes; the citric notes are evident though, as well as the spices, nutmeg and clove. That is where its complexity ends, I cannot recall the sandalwood and the musk in the basenotes. The overall result is that of an aromatic accord with metallic accents. Not my preferred, still an interesting blend to try for its originality, as comments done before mine indicate.

A very sharp, synthetic scent with elements of citrus and spice politely knocking on the door, but failing to get through the toxic chemical notes that ultimately dominate the perfume. It smells like one of those metallic underarm deodorants that everybody used far too much of at school, or the scent that bloke on the running machine next to you at the gym has doused himself in and is drying out your throat and making your eyes water. Halston’s Catalyst for Men is far too overpoweringly dry and synthetic for my nose. It smells cheap and nasty, and if I had to wear this all day the only thing it would give me would be a nasty headache. Why did I try it? I got a free sample, and just after I’ve finished this review you’ll find me in the bathroom frantically trying to rub the horrible chemical pong from my forearm.

Wow this really is just a barrage of spice...I guess cinnamon and nutmeg? Something about it smells harsh and chemical to me, and therefore cheap. Maybe the little bit of orange in the opening reminds me of Orange 409, Orange Windex, or what have you. The bright orange color is tacky but justified by the amusing erlenmeyer flask design (or 1 oz test tube with stand in my case). I bought it in the hopes of finding something as unclutteredly spicy as Dunhill Edition (may it rest in peace!) and for $5.50 was semi-satisfied at first, but the harshness of the first several hours was just too much for me. It's too bad, because it's unusual to find something that is just straight spices without woody or fresh elements.

This an extremely rich scent with the finest blend of notes that makes this one of the most exquisite scents ever produced. Completely underrated scent that was never popular despite its unique presentation . The original formula lasts 10-12hours easily . its safe to say there is nothing that even comes close to smelling like this amazing scent .The great amount of notes used makes this one of the best Gems ever produced. This is becoming more and more harder to find. at some point this will be impossible to find. This is definitely worth getting ! overall 9/10

WTF! It smells like a........elderly persons home. I am going to take a shower in a few moments. Yep still smell like old people. Anyway, it sits very close to the skin. last about 2-4 hours. If someone says the sillage and projection are higher.... Needs to drink some coffee and take a hot shower. Then try I again... Because this is trash. But it only cost $15 bucks. And I thought I found another Joop! or Individuel...because I blind bought those for around the same price. NOPE! Don't buy this scent...unless you have a time machine!

I sprayed on my French Fragrances, Inc. version of this one a couple hours ago (apparently, this means it was made between 1997 and 2000). At first there were some interesting things going on but I try to avoid top notes, so I won't guess at what that might have been. Within perhaps half an hour, a nice sandalwood note began to emerge. This is not the super-dry, incense/sandalwood type of thing so popular in recent years, nor is it the hard, not very woody one that has also been used a lot recently (perhaps it's polysantol; I think LT called these kinds of notes "pottery shattering"). The lavender is subtle and it's part of a mild fougere accord. There is clearly spice, but it's not a "dentist office" clove kind of thing. And fortunately, there is no sour, "nose twisting" kind of patchouli note, if there is patchouli in here. There is a bit of a sweet/ambery quality too. It may be worth comparing this to JHL (I have the vintage version of that one). JHL is much more floral, and it's got a sandalwood note that is closer to the "pottery shattering" kind than any other. It's also got an animalic quality Catalyst does not possess in any form. There is a bit of a creamy haze to it, but the sandalwood shines through, creating an interesting kind of dynamism. It's not a hard cream sort of thing, which I think goes back to Old Spice but is very common in men's oriental frags (going back about 20 years and beyond). I consider it far superior to vintage Chaz, by comparison. It's not strong, at least beyond the top notes (which I thought were restrained anyway), but it does seem to have nice, moderate projection ("sillage"). It's just a little sweet and it's almost like the sandalwood note is trying to make it dry but other notes are holding it back, keeping it a little "wet." There is no clear vanilla note and the spice hangs around but never dominates (the drydown). All in all, this is definitely bottle worthy at current prices if this is what you are seeking, though the EA version might be very different, since I haven't tried it. UPDATE: This isn't too far from Brit Gold, if you remove the vanilla in that one and replace it with a mild fougere accord. The sandalwood note in Catalyst is quite good, especially considering current prices, but again, that may have changed after 2000 or so. So, about five hours more (around seven hours total), and the sandalwood note is still clearly present, and it's definitely at least decent quality (unlike the thin, "scratchy," non-dynamic ones I've come across in a lot of recent fragrances). Projection is moderate, relative to the typical "power fragrances" of the early 90s, but the vaporiser puts out a very fine mist so I may need to spray more in the future. UPDATE #2: I had a chance to try the latest version. I can no longer detect any sandalwood note. It seems to have been replaced with a mild, fuzzy wood. The composition is now muddled, with poor note separation, though it still smells similar enough so that many "casual" wearers may not notice the difference. IMO, a once excellent sandalwood oriental has been transformed into something that is inferior to so many orientals that it is not worthy mentioning. UPDATE #3: I wore it today (the vintage), two sprays to the chest (it gives off a great diffuse cloud), and what impressed me was how well balanced it is. Also, the longevity was great and the projection ("sillage") just right. The sandalwood note really cuts through the sweet and spicy amber, providing enough counterpoint to prevent it from getting cloying or boring. And with all due respect, I don't think EA reformulates in a "faithful" way, though there may be exceptions I have yet to encounter. My reformulated bottle is up for swap, and I will be very happy to be rid of it !

I love the bottles like a chemistry set, conical flask, Test tube, Round bottom flask etc. They did cost so much here in England nearly 8 times the price of in the USA. They are slated fragrances, however whenever I have worn this it never fails to get attention, and in a good way. It is a very Christmas scent, Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and all spice and all things nice. I have some fragrances that cost 800% more maybe more for half the volume, however this frag which I picked up at century 21 whilst in USA, for $14 (comparing it is nearly $90 dollars here) is have to say one of the best finds, and that's considering I have fragrances, from, Stephane Humbert Lucas, Clive Christian, Amouage and Tom Ford. That's quite a statement. None of them have ever got the positive comments that this gets. This should rank in the Hall of Perfume for fragrances especially when one considers the price. It also got more admiring glances just for the bottles than the bottles which were worth more more than the contents housed therein and you had to acquire a loan to buy.

God, I really miss this scent. Writing this 20 years after the last time I smelled it feels a bit surreal. It was the first fragrance I was ever gifted. I was 17 and finished the bottle during my last year of high school, and of course I didn’t appreciate it the way I should have back then. I haven’t smelled anything quite like it since, but I remember it clearly. The opening is bright and sharp, then it settles into a spicy heart. At the time I thought of it as woody, but looking back, the boozy character is what really defined it — a rich, masculine, liquor-like vibe with subtle green nuances. The mid carries straight into the base; it’s fairly linear and just slowly fades away over time. Definitely a night-time, special-occasion scent. Formal wear only. It makes you feel like an English gentleman.

They don't make them like this anymore! Catalyst was beastmode, before beastmode was a thing. I recall thinking catalyst was the never-ending bottle I couldn't finish. In retrospect, that bottle should have lasted me a lifetime. As the saying goes, "You don't know what you have till it's gone." How I miss that Erlenmeyer flask-style bottle! I miss Catalyst, but not enough for the ridiculous prices people ask for this fragrance. How times have changed!

This scent is awesome !!! Spicey, exotic , and interesting... There's a lot going on in this scent and the best thing about it is it's so smooth and not synthetic . Halston has a lot of history and it's original thick perfumes are so hard to find now But if you want something unique or a signiture scent that no one knows then try this baby out. I got a text after a date saying mmmm I can smell you on my clothes... This scent will last Big thumbs up

I used this cologne for MANY years, used to be able to find it at Marshall's or TJMax, just can't find it there or anywhere anymore !! I miss it ! I loved it as well as my co-workers did !! Many females said they liked as well, used to get great comments about it & very often !! Unless you get it online, are there any stores that actually carry it anymore?

Don't let first impressions on this one discourage you. After the dry-down, a much more mellow, warm presence. I'm surprised how much smoke and leather comes out. The cinnamon/clove and faint sandalwood pull this one together for me. Complex and mysterious - a little more character than Z14 or I12.

i just got this today .. is smells like a sharp darker version of (chanel egoiste platinum) they're almost similar .. catalyst is just way cheaper. again i'm so sure about what i'm saying ... they're so similar. update: i'm sorry i don't think they smell that similar anymore xD

There is a massive difference between the EDP and the aftershave (as if the aftershave was an actual flanker - the summer edition of the EDP), the latter is much more subtle, creamier and better mixed than the EDP spray.

This fragrance from 1994 is very similar to Alfred Dunhill Edition for men from 1984 ,the notes are almost identical too, I have both fragrances and to me there both a spicy fresh bold scent.

mixed feelings, it feels like opening a wooden drawer of old memories I am talking of the vintage bottle

What a perfume pyramid ! Don't so much ingredients create a cacophony ? I want to try it.

The bottle looks beautiful, im just wondering how does it smells

i love this one. very good. love it.