Star For Men

#37 of My Fragrance Journey - Mauboussin Star For Men: The Stranger in the Velvet Armchair I remember him. Sitting alone in that deep red velvet armchair - quiet, unreadable. The kind of man who didn't need to say a word; the silence did it for him. I passed by, and suddenly there it was - that scent. Warm, spicy, like autumn wrapped in a cashmere coat. I didn't know what it was then, but it stuck in my head like a half-remembered dream. Weeks later, I sprayed Star For Men, and yeah. That was it. The stranger. The opening hits with pepper and cardamom - not sharp, just alive. It's got that crackling warmth, like the first chill day of October when you finally pull on your favourite jumper again. The spice isn't loud - it's confident, grounded. You lean in, not back. Then things start to shift. The smoke, the saffron, that soft incense glow - it's all there, curling slowly, like breath in cool air. It's the kind of scent that feels thoughtful. Not trying too hard. Just... steady, intriguing. But the magic happens in the dry-down. Everything mellows, softens. The iris gives it that powdery, almost tender touch, and the woods come in quietly - cedar, patchouli - like the room dimming around the fire. Then, finally, the sweetness drifts in: vanilla, amber, a bit of warmth that lingers on your skin like someone's hand after they've gone. It's autumn bottled - gentle, introspective, a little bittersweet. The kind of scent that feels like a change in the air. Final Verdict: Star For Men doesn't shout; it speaks softly, with warmth and depth. It's refined, magnetic, and quietly sensual - a scent for those who know how to leave an impression without even trying. Like the stranger in the velvet armchair - unforgettable, even after he's gone.

Pure Heaven (Karine Dubreuil-Sereni, 2024) Scentrack: Hiroshi Suzuki – Romance Star for Men opens very spicy and oriental. A hefty dose of cardamom is laid on incense vapors and saffron – a flower often used in oriental cuisine. Additionally, I can smell some fruity tea-like accord. These oriental vapors are perfectly aligned with a strong and warm tobacco note. The golden shisha tobacco is almost instantly surrounded by a thick vanilla, reminiscent of old library. The trick I recognize from beautiful Eau de Baux. The vanilla pod is accompanied by amber and powdery iris. The composition is base-centered and tobacco/vanilla combo lingers for hours. Do I recognize this oriental tune? Yes I do. The first thing that comes to my mind is legendary Pure Havane by Thierry Mugler. Still, Star for Men is less dense and easier to handle during autumnal days. Second association is tobacco for Parfum de Marly Herod. Additionally, I can detect some creative traces of the late Lanvin Avant Garde or Khamrah by Lattafa. Still, Star for Men is definitely not a cheap contemporary carbon copy fragrance. Star for Men is an easy wearable autumnal tobacco in the truly beautiful and heart-warming. Perfect for romantic dusky evenings on a street covered by fallen leaves. More on Scentimentalwords

I bought two backups, absolute STEAL for $23 on fragrancenet! This stuff is unbelievable for the price. This is by far the highest quality mass appealing cold weather frag I have ever purchased for under $60, puts all those middle east house efforts to shame in terms of quality for price while still being an original composition. I have had quite a few wears since my initial review. This is gonna be another one of those gems that sells for $120 a bottle once it's discontinued (and FN already has it on clearance). Beautiful sweet cardamom opening over light pepper notes, blended absolutely perfectly little hints of cedar and very light saffron over a bed of rich amber, vanilla, and incense. Very safe blind buy if you like good fragrances. This is my official dumb reach of autumn 2024. I think the comparisons to Layton are fair and the quality is similar, but I prefer this by miles even if it isn't quite as long lasting. Easy 8 hours of performance, great for cooler weather and date nights. 10/10 fragrance Gate keep this fragrance!! Edit: just confirming, I have read on other sites that Karine Dubreuil-Sereni (L'occitane Eau des Baux, Gucci Pour Homme II, Ombre Noire Lalique) is in fact the nose behind this fragrance.

Star for Men strikes the perfect balance of rich and warm, but not too sweet. This balance allows me to wear it both during the day as well as in the evening for many occasions. So far, I have opted to wear it mainly for daytime work use. I find it a good work scent for the cooler months since it is not a monster projector (1-2 arms lengths), but it will last an easy 8-10 hours before it really starts to fade. So you will definitely get a full work day worth of performance. I also really like how the spicy kick in the top note adds depth to the fragrance, while the creamy undertones provide a smooth finish. I can definitely pick up the Layton vibes from this, but it's definitely not trying to be a dupe or clone. I would also recommend this fragrance for a wide range of guys from 20's through maybe even 50's. It’s not overly sweet, while maintaining a mature vibe overall. The prices online seem to range from $25-$40 dollars (I picked up my bottle for $30). I would say even at the $40 price point this is absolutely worth the money!

I've recieved this as a gift from a friend of my father who also works in an office that also has a fragrance shop. I must say that no one knows this scent nor the brand. I didn't know this brand before getting this gift. First spray and I tought of myself that this was so good. After smelling it I immidately tried to find a price for it and it was very cheap. Spicy cardamom and patchouli at start , aromatic vanilla and warm amber when it dries down. It does feel like Layton which I love. After getting this, I didn't sample Layton anymore. It isn't 1 to 1 with Layton, but very similar. Layton might slightly be more mature, this one is a bit more sweet so I won't say that this is a clone. This scent feels warm and cozy for me. If you try to find something like Layton, this will be a good choice, good quality with an affordable price. Be careful that this isn't a blind buy safe because it is very sweet, also if you are going to wear this, use 4 sprays or less, more than 4 and it will be headache inducing and choky.

This is my second written review of this fragrance. I cannot stress how good this smells. People compare it to Layton but I don't find it similar at all as 'Star' lacks the prominent fresh apple and geranium notes of 'Layton'. Star is also overall more spicy. I find that this fragrance is more in line with BDK 'Gris Charnel Extrait', but still quite different. This is a designer vanilla fragrance done to absolute perfection. It's a slightly smoky and spicy cardamom infused vanilla fragrance with a small infusion of black pepper and saffron. It's so well balanced and mass appealing -- but still unique. The overall impression of the scent is not as spicy as it sounds -- it just comes across like a sweet, warm vanilla with a small kick of well blended spices. If this fragrance was $ 150, I would still buy it in a heartbeat. If anyone knows of a scent like this with improved longevity and projection -- please recommend it to me and do not say 'Layton' as it is not even similar.

On first sniff it's unapologetically Layton-esque, but with a twist. I honestly believe I find this to be, overall, more enjoyable than Layton, and so does my girlfriend, even despite the chasm between the two pricepoints. This comes across as more mature and even more manly to my nose than Layton does, without stepping into the more 'dirty' territory of Layton Exlcusif. It's well composed and confident, it's matured from the original Layton DNA, and smells unreal in the air, and will absolutely fill the room you spray it in. There also exists this strong ambery-boozy undertone which paired with the prefect amount of powderyness just makes it perfect to my nose, maybe something left to be desired with prior DNAs. I'm a huge fan, so is my other half, and I will undoubtedly be rocking this 30$ fragrance more than many of my 'grails' this cold season. I try to refrain from calling things "hidden gems", but to me this is one of them.

Wow. Opens as Layton, dries as Pure Havane with a nice, unique woody backbone. Really good fragrance. Right in the middle of designer and niche with the heavy dose of patchouli which makes the heart a little reminiscent of Boss Bottled Elixir, whilst remaining crowd-pleasing. A mild lactonic butter accord is present and supports the drydown. Probably the iris and vanilla working together with the ambers. It gives a baked shortbread vibe whereas Pure Havane had more of a toasted cereal drydown. The cap is awesome. Backup worthy at £20 for 100ml. Doesn't feel too "inspired-by". It just reminds of 3 really good frags all combined in a nice, unique way. If you're buying it for its Bottled Elixir similarities, you might be disappointed. The Patchouli has a brief moment in the mid and the similarities aren't striking. But it's there and it adds another layer of development for a fragrance that opens and dries down fairly sweet.

For the price, Star is fantastic. I agree with the descriptions provided by most of the posters below. It is similar in style and scent to Karine’s Lalique fragrance White In Black - the fragrance with the cool bottle that comes with a white pencil you can use to write and draw on the black bottle. It also reminds me of Mercedes Club Black and just a little bit of Tumi Continuum. Star is warm, slightly sweet, slightly spicy, masculine yet unisex and a real cozy scent. It is appropriate for any age. A couple weeks ago I blind bought a bottle and a day after receiving it I bought 4 more bottles, 2 for my sons for Christmas and 2 back ups for me. A few days after that and it was difficult to find. I’m sure it will get restocked soon, so if you see it don’t hesitate, blind buy a bottle! And if you can’t find Star, look for Lalique’s White In Black in the meantime.

Elegant and intriguing smell. The aura of the perfume is not overpowering, but it lingers for many hours. To my nose this is a very decent frag to use in office, car pool and even when inviting a woman to your place. It is not offensive in any way. I don't find anything gourmand or screechy and if you can hit it for 15-20€, let it sit on your shelf for a while. Maybe it is inspired by Leyton, but they are rather in the same realm and not real clones. Imagine Leyton being the mother, who slept with A men, Boss and John Varvatos, but then doesn't know who the father is, neither you can tell, but the kid is promising and looks like all three of them. Then don't forget this is ultra cheap and is a total steal for the money you pay for it.

Just picked this up for under $30 and it is a very nice fragrance for that price. Definitely a lot in common with PDM. It’s a love child of Layton and Herod- it has that mass-appealing quality that PDM capitalizes on. It has much less in common with Pure Havane- no real tobacco note, but the spices and saffron vanilla give a vague impression, maybe. It has that cherry Chloraseptic accord that I also detect in spades with Herod. It’s sweet, “dark” and “seductive,” as fragrances go. It smells like a designer scent in terms of quality, and that it will remind you of something else in a similar category, but at this price point it’s hard to beat. I think it would suit a younger guy looking for a date night scent.

Stunning bottle. Well balanced notes and nice opening. Immediately the vanilla/ amber/ spice combo, but without overwhelming sweetness or overpowering spiciness. In fact I feel this combo really just smells like bitter almond. Also I don't feel it as powdery. The notes profile are nothing exceptional or new, but the proportions are well balanced. The sillage is great, and because it is so rounded up as a fragrance, it's not at all offensive. Longevity is about 6 hrs at best. Unbeatable budget price! Really a gem to go for in a blind buy. * After letting it mature for a few months, I'm not as impressed. It's kind of monotous, and slightly synthetic.

Absolute stunner. I've owned a few from the house over the years, but this...despite its 'recognizability', is truly an incredible value for the money. It fits into the Layton/Herod/Pure Havane wheelhouse indicated by the 'reminds' above, but somehow it stays in its own lane. Bits of those are discernable here, but for what this costs, it is really impressive. Performance is average for me so far, but my bottle is relatively new so I'll be curious to see how/if it macerates/matures. No similarity to BBE to my nose. Going to wear the heck out of it this Fall and really see how it develops as the temps cool down. Highly recommend this one!

Very well done, it shares a few notes and structure w Layton and when brand new i did not like it all ...it smelled Strange and to close to layton and i allready own that one , so i put it away to banish it to be sold Put it on 4 months later... O man o man.. this is not layton ennymore, it blossomed to smell like burning spicy marsipan w some fougere undertones... Its gotten sweeter and more spicy It still has some simmilaritys to Desire toxic and Layton but it has its own things going for it It also has that A men patchouli going on... And Smoky boss absolut Iff you like these scents its a no brainer So give it time guys

Wow, absolutely stellar value! I can't believe more people aren't talking about this! What a steal for $23! Cold weather banger for sure. It opens up with some sweetness reminiscent of Layton in some ways, I definitely see the reason for some comparison, on the dry down this smells way different and invokes vibes similar to Issey Miyake Nuit D'issey Polaris flanker: it's those patchouli, incense, cedar, black pepper, vanilla notes! Polaris with some amped up sweetness and cardamom. Absolutely stunning fragrance for the money. This is my first wear and I am already planning on grabbing a back up

@southboy I agree with you. I think people are voting in a wrong way here. This perfume is surely in the same character/vibe with layton and bottled absolu but not a clone or similar scent by any means. This is a fabulous perfume, sweet, manly, with above average performance, easily there on skin for 10 hours, stays for days on clothes. It gives me 80s/90s vibes somewhat similar in character with a loved discontinued fragrance, IL by lancetti. Personally I picked not 1 but 2 extra bottles, yes its that good at least to my nose, and the 20$ price tag was a steal literally.

Although it is classed as a male fragrance, however, I find it perfectly unisex. I bought it for myself (I am a woman) and I enjoy wearing it😍 Definitely smells more expensive than what I paid for it. It starts with a blast of cardamom and saffron (also I can smell something similar to an almond note, which makes the perfume more unique), then it dries down to the most delicious spiced vanilla, with saffron and amber. I am genuinely blown away by Mauboussin’s perfumes, they are criminally underrated. Will definitely use this perfume more, and I’ll definitely get a backup😍

I got the green apple straight away without looking at the "inspiration", The apple is creamy definitely there is vanilla and a touch of patchouli, and some powder in the dry down. A nice fragrance, not groundbreaking for me but for most it'll be great. There is no saffron in this as I'm sensitive to the note I would know if there is even a little bit of it. Thankfully there isn't. This isn't a oriental /middle-eastern fragrance DNA but instead a great, elegant western fragrance. BTW smells nothing like Harod or A*man. This is fresher and different

After wearing it for the past few days I think if you can buy it for 30-40usd it is well worth it. It is a well blended, long lasting warm and cuddly type of fragrance that smells quality. It provides you with a bubble that last 7-8hrs with 2-3 sprays (put one on a shirt for a stronger effect). Still to enjoy it fully you will need to be close, within a feet or less. Directly off the skin or a clise it does smell absolutely amazing. Having in mind the above I still feel the current rating of 4.63 is a bit misleading. It is definitely not that good.

This is an intoxicating fragrance. The spicy cardamom pops from the open, reminiscent of Coach For Men EDP which perhaps is my favorite use of cardamom in top notes. Star is more hypnotic though, drawing you in after getting your attention with the initial pop, with a powdery, exotic spiced incense that smells like it has star anise despite no note for it (what a missed opportunity!) and cedar that wraps you into a warm vanilla ambery patchouli and softer cedar base.

As a woman who likes incensy spicy subtle perfumes ( my nose was educated by Serge Lutens, Timbuktu and Dzongkha from l'Artisan Parfumeur) this is totally my vibe. So, totally unisex for me. The perfume is well blended and elegant, doesn't need maceration, and doesn't project too loud, which I prefer... I bought the three stars (2 for women and this one). Also nice bottle, though not easy to hold for my little hand:0) Very nice for the price, niche quality !

It was a cheap hit. It's not a beast, it will project well enough in intimate settings. This is not a clone, despite some similarities to much more expensive frags. This perfume is neither sweet nor dry... it's elegantly in between. Autumn and spring. That's $22 safely spent, beautiful scent... for pennies. In a year it will be twice as expensive. Good job Karine.

This is gonna be the next big thing on YouTube. It's a very good fragrance, discovered it without knowing the list of notes. To me it's a sweet vanilla, patchouli with a underlying touch of cherry pipe tobacco, from the first spray it reminded me quite a bit of A*men Pure Havane, not a direct clone but going in that sweet syrupy patchouli - tobacco direction.

This one has been hyped up as a nice cheapie with the same scent profile of Parfums de Marly Layton or other similar smelling frags. Star for Men has a bit less vanilla and drier spices. A great take on the DNA. Also, for the price on discounters you can't beat it. Recommended if you are interested in this type of fragrance.

I'm digging this fragrance. I got a bottle of it really cheap. It smells so good, like a mixture of patchouli with sweetness and maybe a slight touch of tobacco. It lasts pretty well and gives a pretty good sillage. It's a little hidden gem and the bottle design is nice a lot of attention to detail.

First sniff and I was blown away 🤯🔥 Such a lovely creation! Woody, powdery, creamy, aromatic... Seduction in a bottle!! Unfortunately, the only issue that I have, is that it doesn't last and doesn't project that much off of my skin😓 This juice had big potentials to be in my top 5 frags ever

Great stuff for its price. I bought it for just 16€ and after 2 months of using i can easily say that this fragrance is freaking luxurious. To my nose it has nothing to do with Layton or Herod. It also has nothing common with Pure Havane. It's a unique winter scent with a fantastic bottle.

Marly Layton. I have it and just got Star and resemblance is definitely there. If you like Layton, you will like this. Got it at Amazon for a little more than 30. Great value. OK with blind buy. I give Layton a 10, and since this is a twist fragrance of Layton I will give it a 9.

A very beautiful scent indeed. It is even more refined now after 6 months in my closet, proudly standing with my Serge Lutens favorites. It's totally unisex, but as a woman who likes to wear "men's perfumes" I think it gives me un petit côté Femme Fatale...

It's like Layton with the Toffee note from Azzaro Most Wanted EDP Intense (The all black bottle). Quality is okay, and longevity is what you would expect from this scent profile. Very good buy specially for the price. (Around 20$ at discounters)

Just got mine. Get on this ASAP while it's cheap. Smells devine. Layton opening with a gorgeous lightly smokey amber vanilla drydown. Two sprays lasted five to six hours on my skin. Would make a compliment monster on nights out.

Anyone into perfume collecting just has to get their hands on this bottle. It's not possible! A piece of art, a masterpiece. As for its essence, it is indeed a very beautiful fragrance. But the bottle... How beautiful honestly.

Ridiculously high quality and pure SEX in a bottle. Just DON'T tell anyone so the price stays crazy affordable!. This is better than most of my collection of niche, designer, and Arabic selections. I am beyond impressed!

It is similar to Layton, but far better. I'm actually shocked for the price it would be this decent. Well worth the money. It would be really difficult for me to imagine someone not liking this.

A very gentle gourmand fragrance with a lot of cardamom. Very warm, intimate and inviting. It's best sprayed on skin rather than clothes. An addictive smell for sure.

It starts off Mugler A-Men then becoming Layton. A masterpiece for its price.

for me it smells like cruisaint eaten in the morning in Italy. Perfect

Incredible scent lives up to the descriptions

No longer cheap, you can ignore this one.

It’s an original ! And not a copy or replacement dupe of anything like people have been saying. Besides, Iris is in the slot light center stage in this one to my nose. I like Iris. It is really More like Layton lite in a lip stick bag than just Layton alone. . If that be the case then truthfully ,why not just compare it to Dior Homme with all the Iris? It just does its own thing ! People compare this to Layton, and honestly? I see it. Not a copy, not a dupe, but like Layton’s calmer cousin who went to therapy, drinks herbal tea, and says things like, “I’m working on myself.” The patchouli, cardamom, and vanilla give it that familiar vibe, but they’re not trying to fight anybody. They showed up for polite conversation, not a bar brawl. And then the iris walks in— not aggressively, not flamboyantly— just confidently dropping a little cosmetic magic on the whole thing. It doesn’t “feminize” the scent in a bad way... It just softens the edges, like Paul putting on a wig for the first time and saying: “Listen... today, just call me Paula.” Not wild, not dramatic — just gently unisex. A little lipstick bag energy. A little whisper of powder. Not a crime. And let’s be clear: this is NOT a replacement for Layton or Boss Absolu. It’s not trying to be. It’s quieter. More polite. More office-friendly. It’s the guy who holds the door open and apologizes when YOU bump into HIM. But it’s nice. Very nice, actually. Super wearable. Super safe. Super “I’m not trying to get fired today.” Boss Absolu still has that richer, deeper, louder presence. Star for Men? It’s the lighter, easygoing cousin who shows up with good manners and good hygiene. I’ve got the EDP version, but honestly it smells like what an EDT Layton would be if it chilled out, drank some water, and stopped yelling at people. Summary: A lighter, gentler, airy Layton-like vibe with a soft iris lipstick-bag touch. Not loud. Not aggressive. Not trying to prove anything. Just a smooth, pleasant, “Paula if she’s feeling cute today” kind of scent. And if Layton is truly what you’re after? Yeah, Paris Corner Deux hits closer. But Star for Men is still worth trying—just go in expecting something softer, cleaner, and a little bit glam around the edges. Listen, I joke and make fun of stuff a lot, okay? But this actually smells pretty damned , shit ! Pardon me. I meant smells pretty darned good. And I’m glad that I picked it up for $25 — well worth it. I enjoy wearing it, and I enjoy smelling it. Smelling this on one wrist and Quaeed intense on the other. It’s amazing how iris like Quaeed intense is with no iris. They smell great with each other. Now let’s be honest though... this scent isn’t going to kick anyone’s door down. It might bump into them politely and say, “Excuse me.” And it’s not trying to take the place of other cheap fragrances either. Forget that — it’s its own thing. If you like iris, you’ll probably enjoy it. Just be prepared to enjoy it quietly... because that’s really the only way you’re going to enjoy it anyway. It’s a nice scent. Smooth, pleasant, and easy to wear — just not a loud one.

People comparing this here to Layton or Bottled Absolu must either have had a rhinoplasty or other terrible accident leaving them almost completely anosmic or they just convince themselves that what their favourite youtuber (who is also tragically anosmic) says must be true. Maybe it's because they never had their nose anywhere near Babycat (or its clones) before, I don't know. The formula is quite simple, but quite astonishingly alluring - black pepper starts the experience with its sting, saffron with its leathery facets dominates the heart, vanilla rules the bottom end allowing some cedar like raw materials to juxtapose its creamy sweetness. Other notes play 2nd and 3rd fiddle. Look at the notes here and for Babycat and you'll see what others just cannot smell. Top notch fragrance nevertheless, there's no way around it. Edit: The white amber is what differentiates this the most from the Babycat DNA. Where Babycat bottom notes provide for a robust, dense and heavy vanillic drydown, the white amber in Star makes the heart and drydown lighter and "blondish" in comparison.

I get a stronger tobacco scent from this that is more along the lines of mancera red tobacco. Layton, Boss bottled absolu, and red tobacco are all 9/10 or 10/10 fragrances, so being compared to any of them at this price is phenomenal. I own all three of those, and this isn’t any of them. If you’re looking for a clone of Layton, there are better options. This is in that area, just don’t expect a clone. Great scent and definitely a steal at that price.

I do get the similarities to Layton, But for me more like Layton exclusife. Don’t get the freshness and and the crisp apple I pick up in Layton. Anyway, very pleasant, smooth and well rounded fragrance. Spicy with a lot of cardamom. Subtle incense and som sweetness later in the drydown. Ambery and I bit powdery. What’s not to like and it’s still really cheap. I think it’s a solid deal. Not the most complex scent, but it definitely gets the job done.

I heard Boss Bottled Absolu & Layton, as soon as I sprayed it. I said YES! Absolu being 1 of my top 3 of the year, the only things are. A tiny bit more sweetness & a louder projection & I would be head over heels in love. But the price & quality, has me really liking it. My friend smelled it & said "ooh, I don't like that". I looked at him like 😒 "Give me my perfume, peasant you know nothing about niche fragrances! " (It's true tho) lol

Very heavy on the cardamom! But otherwise a nice fragrance. For that reason though, I don’t wear it. It makes it very manly (obviously with the title “for men”). And although I am a man, I just prefer more feminine unisex leaning fragrances, and that’s okay. A well done fragrance however, if I smelled another guy wearing this I’d definitely enjoy it. P.S. Why are fragrances “for men” always so much more nuclear?!?!?

A very welcoming and warm vanilla fragrance, decent projection and awesome presentation. I love the bottle design and the cap, which is all metal. Need to wear it a little more but I got the 90ml bottle bundled with the 20ml travel bottle. 110ml for only £21 is unhinged levels of value. Definitely a recommend!

Might not exactly set the world on fire but it's surely a clean and appealing smell. When it starts to settle, one gets a bit of the Lapidus Pour Homme (1987) vibe, perhaps as they share 4 or so similar ingredients together. Very well worth the price, so why not?

Layton but nicer. This doesn't have the Vicks rub smell, just the nice parts of Layton, less cloying, and has a more posh vibe. They both perform at an average level, nothing to write home about. I like this one a little more than Layton.

First impressions. Starts off like an almondy fresh scent, sweet but very balanced. Very well blended. Dries down like Pure Havane. Nice one if you dont have Pure Havane and want to have something similar and with a great price.

A very pleasant scent for the fall 🍁 a nice moderate gourmand scent ❤️ good value as well 🤗