Maxim's pour Homme

in general, this fragrance is pretty amazing. the fleeting opening is REALLY amazing. on the one hand this is very well blended and refined, but you could also go over the notes list here and pick out most of them. particularly I pick up on all of the top notes in the, again, very fleeting opening. the bergamot is exceptional (considering this was probably bottled 35 years ago) and the big carnation facet is truly special for fans of the note. In the fast-arriving mid, the rose is more of a sidekick to other notes, as is the clove to the sandalwood. and it's a suuuuper smooth creamy sandalwood. i even pick out the jasmine which is used carefully. i pick up cedar in random whiffs, not so much in others. in the base there's a big load of oakmoss and of course the leather, which is one of the most obvious parts of the fragrance. the leather is certainly a true black leather as opposed to a suede-y type scent, but like the other big parts it's so well blended and smooth that this fragrance never becomes brash or loud like Antaeus does in my opinion (I also don't think it would be redundant to own both). finally, the last 3 listed base notes (patchouli/musk/vanilla) almost seriously give a 'guerlainade' vibe to bring it all together. I don't agree with many of the "smells like" posts lol....Tsar? Really lol? Eh, to each their own. Globe? eh, I dunno...the leather is much different in Globe and there's no fir here. I also don't get much florals from Globe but they play a big role here. Of course, based on notes the closest thing is Antaeus. However, Antaeus is seriously in-your-face and hardcore compared to the refined and seductive Maxims, and if i was taking a woman out on a date id pick maxims over Antaeus every time. If you take the extended dry down separately, it has strong vibes of vintage Passion for men by Elizabeth Taylor and even Ralph Lauren Monogram (the prominent leather bows out to an incensey ambery dry down) On top of all of this.....this is easily found for LESS THAN $40 USD, people! I don't see how that could remain the case much longer because this is a late 80's superstar that's starting to become wider known. i first heard about this scent from Ramsey, possibly best channel on youtube to find "hidden gems" and forgotten fragrances as well as to just plain learn about perfumery. I have only a handfull of back up bottles of anything at all, but I'm seriously considering a back up very soon before prices go up. HIGHLY recommend, 8.5/10

Once upon a time, our favorite master perfumers had their career beginnings, where they would be assigned their briefs as relative newcomers. It's unlikely that we see their complete potential in these early releases, but glimmers of their prowess often shine through. Such is the case of Jean-Claude Ellena (not Ropion), who was tasked with composing the male-marketed follow up to 1984's Maxim's de Paris. Ellena would compose a lush, leathery, mossy chypre that had become de rigueur since the release of Chanel Antaeus, and while the nose can definitely trace this back to its roots, a more polished refinement follows its aggressive showstopper carnation/wet jasmine opening. The spice and aromatics simmer rather quickly to settle into a very mossy, slightly rosy, castoreum-ish leather, leaving a seductive, musky skin scent. It's more than decent!

So few fragrances--particularly masculine ones--use carnation as a dominant note anymore that this smells like very little else on the market right now; the heavy use of oakmoss, coupled with the third dominant note of leather, makes this seem even more like a blast from the past. I love this great 80s scent, although it may seem to people under 30 very old fashioned. But if you are over 30, who cares? This is old school with a vengeance, and smells dark, leathery, spicy, floral, green, and luxurious--everything you would want out of a chypre called "Maxim's Pour Homme." It would not smell at all out of place on Louis Jordan's character in "Gigi." Wear this if only to please yourself! Belle Époque glamour in spades.

Maxim's (I have the original formula) is a paradox. It's clearly a modern fougere with oriental elements, but it somehow conjures up an earlier more genteel time. The Art Nouveau packaging enhances this aura of La Belle Epoch, and the scent brings to mind images of Paris around the turn of the twentieth century. I can imagine sitting in a Parisian cafe seeing posters by Alfons Mucha and Toulouse-Lautrec ... hearing music by Debussy, Faure and Ravel ... watching the passers-by in their finery. Elegant, complex, smooth and refined are all words I'd use to describe the scent of Maxim's, and it's one I still wear regularly.

Maxim's Pour Homme is a very sexy smelling leather chypre fragrance. An elegant and very nice balsamic woody-leather scent with a really enjoyable smoky, and almost sweet floral notes; a bit like the masculine-smelling leather in Bel Ami. Although Maxim's Pour Homme can be worn for any occasion, in my opinion it is best worn for intimate moments and dates. Though it can be worn for a night out, it only radiates within an arm's length, so someone across the room will not smell you unless you walk by them or embrace them. Best worn during the cooler months of the year, day or night. 10/10

Opens with vintage-style fresh/spicy florals, that will fast be taken over by that typical leathery moss of yesteryears, and hint of animalics (musk?) that the previous reviewer has accurately spotted. The drydown is all about a soft amber, made powder-y by a beautiful patchouli. Overall soft projection. While there are unquestionably traits 80's powerhouses, 'power' here is not the right word. Because everything is soft and refined, with edges rounded, starting from the spicy carnation (which can sometimes appear sharp, but not here). This is elegance in a bottle. I'm in love.

I've been checking out Maxim's Pour Homme for several months and so far really like it. 'Mysticman's' description is apt .... this is a 'Parisian' scent in the very best way. And so how could this be named anything else? The historic Maxim's de Paris was the place of distinction for the likes of Alain Delon, Brigitte Bardot, Pierre Cardin and a host of other iconic French celebrities. The smooth potpourri of oakmoss, leather, carnation and woods amounts to an elegant and uniquely bohemian composition reminiscent of french cafe culture. C'est très magnifique!

It is a dated but beautiful blend: it does play according to the rules of the time, plenty of woody base notes after floral tops. Any further description is useless, Bigsly's reviews is very precise. As a reference, any of the 1980's classics along the oakmoss / patch league can be thought of valid references - for example, Giorgio's Beverly Hills; even though they don't smell the same one can trace points in common. In that sense, that is why it may feel dated. But still, beautiful, regardless of the nostalgia.

This fragrance is gorgeous and I cannot believe it doesn't receive more attention. Maxim's Pour Homme is a masculine woods, leather, spice and floral blend in that order. To me, it's just a very lovable well-blended scent that is perfect for a Spring or Fall evening. If you're looking for a quality gentleman's chypre, you cannot do much better than this one. Performance is solid in that it lasts 7-hours and projects moderately on my skin, which is perfect for this kind of fragrance. Cheers!

As a woman i really love this fragrance to wear myself. It's chypre, Woody, spicy with a little sweetness in it. This makes it a warm, cozy lovely scent. I have the après rasage and use it as a eau de parfum. And its strong with above average longtivity and projection even for an après rasage. Imagine how strong de eau de toilette of eau de parfum must be. So very much on my repurchase list. 😊

Today I received a bunch of vintage minis and one of them was Maxim's Pour Homme. I have heard before about its comparisons to Antaeus, but I almost could not believe that Antaeus could have a sibling who might be as beautiful as him. For me MPH is like criss cross of Vintage Antaeus and discontinued Dior's Leather Oud. Both of them are my big loves and I will try to get a bottle of MPH soon.

Can anyone recommend similar fragrances? I need a lifetime supply of this style/scent profile. It's definitely a masterpiece and I am scared to keep using my bottles. This stuff is divine. Edit: Beau de jour fills the void. Great fougere at a 'reasonable' price

Like the vintage, discontinued Opium for women but masculine. Oakmoss and carnations. Green florals. Moderate animalic. Love it, miss it. Not sure about buying more. Bigsly below has a detailed description. And I hate to admit this, but richmilton is right...

A bomb of a perfume!Total love to this fragrance,every time i use it ,it makes me feel like a god,smoky leathery,spicy,blended to the perfection,it is worth to be bought without esitations,for the manly men and for the lover of brutal fragrances.

Guys, may you keep a secret for you. This fragrance seems to be the illegitimate father of Clive Christian No. 1. Look at all those similar notes and the similar smell. But psst, keep that for you!

Castoreum not listed. Maybe it is included in the leather accord? To my nose this all a rose dancing Tango with the beaver. Other notes just the background orchestra.

Whoever created this fragrance deserves daily head for the rest of there life. whoever discontinued it deserves eternal damnation

A very nice chypre for nice gentlemen. Was a bit late to the party unfortunately.

I like to call this one "The poor man's EGOISTE" (at least on my skin, but it is not so creamy like EGOISTE of course!) although nowadays it's difficult to find and not cheap at all. Spicy and strong on the oak moss. Almost a powerhouse fragrance. Beautiful opening, but so is the drydown, which - same like to 'ezequiel91' - also reminds me of Salvador Dali pour Homme (the reformulation!). Dark green, vetiver-ish-musky with a touch of patchuli. Wonderful! This one makes me really happy!

This is a very nice fragrance; an old-world (80s) classic that dries down to a spicy, powdery-woody, and slightly incensed scent. It reminds me of V.I.P Special Reserve by Giorgio Beverly Hills, which I prefer. Since I already own V.I.P., I'm not going full bottle on Maxim's. Performance is good, it's readily available for sale, and it's reasonably priced. Recommend. (BTW, the 4.45 rating here is deceptively high. It's good, not great.)

This is beast among the beasts of perfumery. The most aggressive herbal combo you can except. Over Farenheit, One Man Show, Yatagan, Davidoff, ir whatsoever. My god it's only for the really brave of heart. Bitter, herbal and yes floral, but never in the gentle side. The drydown reminds me of Salvador Dali pour Homme, but agressive all the time. Great, really great but extremely difficult to wear.9/10

spent the weekend with this and loving it. the opening is a little brash but it comes across clean and old-fashioned. mellows to an adult delight with the carnation playing the ring leader of a cadre of flowers and spices. there is a hint from the bases notes of a tobacco/leather like dry spicey.

I must have received a bad bottle. That's the only explanation for its complete lack of longevity and thinness. Smell's good for the 30 minutes it lasts. The scent from my bottle isn't deep and dark like others have posted. And nothing like Balenciaga PH. To be honest, I get a vibe similar to a less fresh Coolwater. I also get more florals than many other notes. Guess I will need to hunt down vintage juice in order to experience what most reviewers enjoy about this fragrance. Scent: 7/10 Longevity: 1/10 Projection: good for 30 minutes and then nothing

Take a typical but high-quality "women's" chypre from the 1970s. Now remove most if not all of the aldehydes and dilute it 50% or so. Now take a typical "1980s power" scent marketed to men. Remove the fougere accord and dilute that scent at least 50%. Combine the two and you have something like this one. Seriously, the floral notes are strong enough in this one to work for women; it's unisex, IMO. There is a slight animalic quality, probably from "dirty jasmine," and a kind of leathery hum in the background. Overall, it's a dry, floral/woody. I'm thinking this one would work for formal events these days, or for the aficionado who is seeking exactly this kind of thing. It's natural smelling and lasts well but does not have very strong projection ("sillage"), though it's not bad, and if I sprayed more it might be too strong. Here is my old review from July, 2011: This is a quality fragrance with at least decent longevity and projection/"silage." There is, however, a kind of clash that I don't find enjoyable. I think it might be the leather and wood. The leather is strong at first, then gives way to the wood. It may be the kind of thing that I can get used to and enjoy if I wear it a few more times. However, at the moment, I prefer leather fragrances like The Knize Ten and Gomma. I'm not a huge wood fragrance fan, though some with pine, like Green Jeans, I find enjoyable. As time goes on, it's mostly a slightly vanillic, sligtly musky, woody fragrance. Perhaps it's just a matter of which notes you enjoy most, but this one does not have a "wow factor" drydown for me.

One of the reviews was compared to Egoiste. Mu nose must be broken because Maxim PH and Chanel Egoiste are 1000% different. Anyway, if you can find the real late 80's early 90's Maxim Pour Homme... buy it. If you are truly a fraghead you will love the fragrance. So who should own Maxim PH? 1. Collectors into the golden era of men's colognes... late 80's to mid 90's. This is a must have classic! 2. Young bucks in their 20's to 30's that would love to tap a MILF in her 40's. Trust me fellas, women that were in their sexual peak of the 90's will get excited over Maxim PH. They just love this scent. 3. Remember, Maxim PH was created based on advice from supermodels and some of the most beautiful women in the world back in the day. It might be one of the most female tested colognes for men of all time. Not just any female... but some serious hotties. Look it up! Today, Maxim PH is clearly a "dated" scent and that is the appeal for many. If you can find an authentic bottle BUY THE FUCKING THING! It's a piece of American history just a few years before the Internet. And to me it smells like the 90's... AMAZING ERA!

Ah, the good ol' days! This is a wonderful powdery aromatic with touches of floral, the perfect male counterpart to Maxim's for women. You can actually smell the womens version in there (a musky floral chypre). That's how they seemed to create mens and womens fragrances back then. It actually complimented each other, which shows back then they knew how to create good balances between fragrances. None of "this note is masculine, this note is feminine" thing. Pour Homme is big and masculine from the get go. Bright, outdoorsy and green notes segue into powdery and aromatic notes. As the powder relaxes, light and bright floral touches appear. Then, as if creating an ombre effect, the floral deepens to old world rose notes, ending with a classic oakmoss patchouli and vetiver base. I say you can never go wrong with these type of fragrances, provided you go lightly with it. It is elegant, yet warm and nuzzly as it dries down. A great unsung classic.

Absolutely wonderful. I am at a loss of words to describe this juice, and it may be because NOTHING nowadays smells like this. Also, it's such a multifaceted fragrance that it is very hard to pick one note (I smell oakmoss, I smell leather, I smell a very spicy carnation...)and additionally, this smells like the 80's. Yep, proudly so, and wonderfully so I would add. The flowery heart reminds me of a lot of ladies fumes. Which ones? Who knows. The bottle I got has a very light projection and longevity. I do not know how powerful the original was, but it's still a fragrance to cherish. In short, you must experience Maxim's. Smell great my friends.

Maxim's PH is an okay power scent from the 80s, but it's no better than most of the others from that era that are still in production. It smells like a second-rate Antaeus. Trust me, if you have Kouros or Antaeus, which are still easily purchased today and are so much better, you don't need a bottle of this stuff. I've had my bottle of Maxim's for about 15 years, and I think it's overrated. I never wear it. Just because it's been long discontinued doesn't mean it's good.

Imagine if these fragrances were released today, people would say naaaaah beuaaark again another fougère or chypre clone of Antaeus, Égoïste and whatnot More seriously this fragrance is amazing if you like old-school fougères. They all smelled more or less the same but each had its particular nuance and specificity PS: I don't know about you but the reviews of this guy below are always so pedantic and pompous.

Dominique Ropion is a fucking genuis. In the early 90s Maxim had to compete with the first era of freshies entering the market. Maxim was the last of the 80s masculines along with Drakkar Noir. Both was absolute kings of their day when it comes to female attention. If you think it's overrated... you are overrated in your own mind.

Both Maxim's de Paris were luxurious in their own right the epitome of the 80s in all its glory and Maxim's Pour Homme was never reformulated. I had both now the woman's version I do feel it was reformulated or changed its not the chypre beauty it was back in the 80s

my post is under this one its got me down as a guest but im signed in..i just want to add the only thing out there that even comes close to maxim sis one million intense...and still its not even close but its the closest ive come

This is the perfume that literally taught me what oakmoss smells like. I still remember that base of inky leather all these years later. 2.5 out of 5.

Very , very sexy perfume for men ! Maxim's pour homme , it's a timeless treasure , very class. Strong / Dark / Black / Night spirit...try it !

people stop saying reformulation.there isnt any.its all original it was only out for a short time.it was never reformulated.

For me this reminds me of a more subtle Antaeus but with an opening similar to LT Piver Cuir de Russie. Lovely stuff.

Nice perfume and low price , no buy perfume of big price ,perfume of big price is fake note

krmarich I think the perfume is available for purchase on their official site

Smells better than all the smells like fragrances listed above....

Smells like old fashioned clothes in a charity shop.