California for Men

This is for the older Dana version in the oval-cylinder shaped bottle. Happy orange peels and musk, basking in a glorious sun! It's even darkly-colored enough to look like a little bottle of orange extract, much to my chagrin as a shirt-splasher. I'd say it's like a sweeter, calmer Drakkar Noir, or maybe Tuscany without the brisk herbiness. I can't decide which type of Californian it reminds me of more: the tanned 80s surfer dude in Manhattan Beach who was focused but too cool for school, or the cocksure day trader sitting in his skyrise office in Century City, waiting for the next big deal and the next big score with one of the secretaries. Ah, junk bonds and testosterone! But buyer, beware: I have a newer spray bottle (Jaclyn Smith version?), with a rounded rectangular design and blue cap, and it has been reformulated from the deodorant-stick-shaped silver-capped version to be less cigaretty and more sugary, which I think has largely ruined it.

Not much of Tuscany in this at all. It's a lighter, fresher offspring of Drakkar Noir --- a coniferous chypre with the focus on the citrus and lavender topnotes, and the green, woody, smoky and musk base notes de-emphasized. A pleasant enough concoction, and light enough to use as an after-workout splash. Doesn't last very long at all, which can be fine for certain situations. Although it's a well-balanced composition and very pleasant, it's still highly derivative with nothing particularly distinctive about it. The Dana version was already a reformulation. The original version was by Max Factor in the blue=stoppered bottle, which is what I am reviewing here.

I wore this to make a girlfriend happy at the time

Not sure why folks are claiming MAX Factor's California for men smelled ANYTHING like Drakkar Noire, YSL Kouros or any of the "Smells like" fragrances listed above. California smelled nothing like those and was definitely its own dna. I so very much miss this fragrance! It really did remind me of some wealthy Californian entrepreneur who dressed in casual/Chic clothes, and who NEVER flaunted his wealth, except for showing off his Yacht which he was so proud of.... (Oddly specific I know). I California was a unique Chypre-esq Fougere with excellent longevity and sillage and smelled very sophisticated especially for such an inexpensive fragrance. It was my signature scent during my early 20's until Id discovered Joop Homme which was my first "Expensive fragrance (between $80 and $90 when it first came out) . California for Men wad an amazing scent and they just dont make em like that anymore sadly. Boy do I wish I could find a somewhat reasonably bottle. Its going for around $385 on ebay for a 3.4 oz bottle when it used to be under $20!! Lol! Oh well, twas a great scent!

This was the first fragrance I ever wore in my teens (Dana version). It was gifted to my father. I adopted it when he did not have interest in it. There is a definite Drakkar Noir resemblance but the breakdown is more warm weather friendly here. It still has strength, 2 sprays is sufficient. Great performance. 25 years later, still enjoy this one.