Mankind

so here’s one i never thought i’d love or review, hell i had no idea of its existence until just recently! i actually have the body spray and i am pretty sure it’s this one, it just says mankind on it, but the can is black so i was a little confused if it’s not actually the black bottle flanker (hero?) that i have? but i don’t think so, i think it’s just the difference in the packaging of the actual cologne vs the body spray. anyway, how did i come across this? well i was staying with my dad and had run out of deodorant, and this was on the bathroom counter, so i figured, hell with it. i wear and enjoy men’s deos a lot anyway, i find them fresher and longer lasting. so i spray it on, and BAM, i am hit, very unexpectedly, with a thick cloud of pure NOSTALGIA. not of my father (apparently he never wears this, cuz i just had to have it and he said go ahead keep it, ive never worn it anyway, LOL) but of a smell that those of us who were mallrat teens in the 2000s, like myself, should know very well: the smell of abercrombie and hollister stores in the 2000s!! it is EXACTLY the smell of walking into an A&F store circa 2005, probably more so than their own actual scents (which i haven’t smelled since around 2005 tbf). i have no idea why this particular scent is making me so damn happy right now, because i don’t fee particularly nostalgic for that actual era, and i was more of a hot topic mallrat at that time anyway 😂. but nonetheless, i freaking love it. and ended up stealing my dads can, and will surely repurchase when i run out. i might even try the actual cologne, although i feel that the deo/body spray format is part of its charm. eau de 2000s mallrat kid. lmao. it’s dated and a bit tacky but in the BEST of ways. i suppose every generation has their scent(s) that fill this specific niche but i didn’t know that this specific kind of nostalgia scent was something that i wanted, needed, or would even like. it wasn’t something i ever thought about. and here i am leaving a rave-y review about how much i love it and wearing my dads (lets be real, probably bargain bin) body spray over all my classy expensive feminine perfumes 😂 c’est la vie!

PLEASE make an Intense version of this! Mankind is a really nice scent with a wholly modern feel. I consider it the perfect summer night or date fragrance. It features a dark pineapple note that's given some sexy depth with the addition of tonka bean, cinnamon, and cardamom. This is anchored by a woody base of vetiver, though the vetiver really doesn't stand out too much. Mankind has an immediate mall/mass market appeal to it, and this may turn some people off, however when it settles in it really takes on its own character and unique charm. Its upbeat, yet sensual. Appropriate for cold weather, yet perfect for warm summer nights. And it's smooth--a nice construction with no off notes or anything out of place. However, the longevity could be better. In my experience, it's short-lived, lasting about 4 or 5 hours before dying out. It really only projects for about two hours. I would love to see an Eau de Parfum version of Mankind, or "Mankind Intense," as this is such an appealing fragrance. Versatile, interesting, and hitting all the right notes, it just needs a little more oomph to push it over the edge from very good to excellent. Still, I'll enjoy my bottle immensely this summer, and will probaby get another when I run out. Compared to some other designer fragrances that feature pineapple, such as Tous in Heaven, Black L'Excess, and Legend, I find Mankind the most refined and sophisticated. It's more interesting, yet remains more subtle. It doesn't over do it, and it does not shy away either. Definitely a keeper, and worth sampling if you're looking for something to spice up your summer.

An absolutely fantastic scent. It opens with pineapple and dark greens (tarragon) and a good dose of sweetness. Quickly it morphs into an accord that smells very inky - the blackness of oakmoss and I detect some rose, a hint of anise (from the tarragon) the cinnamon and oakmoss and cardamom. There's a bright metallic note that so often accompanies scents that have pineapple (the same note is in CK One, Joop Nightflight, Ambre Topkapi, Mont Blanc Legend) and it is splendidly juxtaposed against the ink accord. Actually, the metallic note is what the pineapple morphs into - so (thankfully, to my taste) the pineapple note - as distinguishably pineapple - only lasts a short while. The opening couple minutes are a bit "standard fare" but within a few minutes that ink and metal accord, set against a backdrop of soft dark spice and suede, comes to the fore and the scent becomes something special. An exceptional business/office/classy scent, that is neither stuffy nor boring. Imagine a darker, smoother, less synthetic and overall more artsy take on Mont Blanc Legend. It also shares some qualities with Abercrombie Fierce in the dry down, but is far classier and more mature. The cardamom and oakmoss really shine in the dry down and take this to another level. This is as versatile as Bleu de Chanel, but does not at all smell like aftershave/shaving cream, or "like my dad" as I've heard Bleu described by some younger girls. It smells more unique and distinctive, and also more distinguished than Bleu. If Bleu is a white collar worker, Mankind is his supervisor (in a nicer and better fitting suit!).

This might not be a powerhouse fragrance that demands attention like Creed's Aventus but I find myself wearing it more and more each day, so much that it has become my signature scent by default. It's a subtle juice at first but don't let that fool you. This frag needs to be worn to be tested. A moments smell on a strip will reveal nothing. And reveal it does well as the very slightly fruity and spicy top notes dissipate, the sweet woody middle notes come up flawlessly and with ease and then as the bottom notes come into play the dry down can only be described as magnificent! Each transition is blended into each other so well you don't know it's happening. After 2,3 and even 4 hours I'm constantly thinking 'where's that amazing aroma coming from' and I'm delighted to find that it's actually coming from me. I cannot overemphasize how good the dry down is because the first half hour of wearing this frag is just an OK woody frag but wait for the magic to happen and you won't be disappointed! I get 2 to 4 hours of sexy aromatic, mildly spicy & warm, goodness from 4 to 6 sprays. Up to 6 hours if I double up.

I absolutely love the smell of this. It's not a very strong projector, but I generally get plenty of whiffs of it throughout the day. Initially it didn't last very long, but lately I'm getting about 6 hours, maybe longer on clothes. It does evolve quite a bit. It starts off more fresh and aromatic, then becomes smokey, then later it's basically woods and cinnamon. I would describe it as cozy, masculine, and a little sexy. I think this would work for any age really, day or night (but more night than day) and any season. This is currently my favorite fragrance I own. Update: I recently tested out Montblanc Legend and YSL L'homme. Mankind doesn't smell like either of those to me, but I feel like they fall in a similar category. I'm a fan of all 3. I have smelled at least 70+ fragrances and have never smelled anything like Mankind. It really is an underrated scent. Mass appealing but not boring. I love the way it performs on my skin, and the way it smells on my coat. It's a very rare fragrance that I never seem to get tired of. Honestly it's a 10/10 for me.