Le Barbier de Tanger

I hate reviews which go completely against the trend and off on a tangent comparing the subject fragrance to others, of which it bares no resemblance. So I apologise in advance but hear me out. I think barbier has one of the most exciting openings I’ve smelled for sometime. It opens with juicy punch of citrus and tangerine peel, then starts out on this rive gauche like, barbershop affair and you think okay, I’m feeling this. Then comes a Dior (or should I say Christian Dior?) Fahrenheit type accord lurking through this powdery Fougere. I thought there has to be Violet listed in the notes and combined with a dirty, oily, diesel smell which wouldn’t be out of place in a Xerjoff fragrance and somewhat of a signature of theirs I think. These two elements conspire for a brief moment to conjure up an old formula Fahrenheit, with non of the vanilla sweetness and dumbing down that has crept in to recent batches. Call me crazy but Thats what I get . I consider myself somewhat of an authority on the older Fahrenheit and I can honestly say a smidgen of it’s spirit graces this fragrance. Can someone please tell me they smell it too and I’m not just imagining things? However, As it settles after the first 20 mins or so this fades completely and the majority is a dazzlingly well rendered mix of green notes, lavender, oakmoss, cardamom, all of which was there to start with but caught up in that opening it gets a bit lost and jumbled. Le Barbier de Tanger is lovely, really lovely and a preference for me over Invasion Barbare. (Which is also very nice) It becomes more and more powdered and less distinct very quickly indeed, retreating down to the skin with a warmth of resins in the base. This composition has been given some thought and although the resulting fragrance might be a touch disappointing when all is said and done, I like the brief but thrilling ride it gave when first applied. This sadly applies to the performance and silage as well, becoming a skin scent after less than an hour and not projecting very much at all. When it’s really settled I get the modern aroma chemistry, and something salty and of the sea. I know what Calone smells like but I wouldn’t of necessarily thought that was it. I need to wear this again properly to give a better appraisal, because it is one them but I’d say on the whole shows promise but doesn’t quite deliver. It might have gotten away with it too but when you’re paying top wack, expectations are sky high for a reason. UPDATE 14/05/21: When I look back at reviews like this I'm staggered by how similar my thoughts are (rather than how much different) because I largely stick to what I said above, there's nothing 'wrong' with what I'm saying here as such. However, I hadn't tried Invasion Barbare in a while here and it shows because that is WAAAYY superior to this, it's the best of that style of fougere, end of conversation about that! Barbier de Tanger starddles the wonderfully natural feel and the incredibly hollow, sensation of woody and ambrox base materials. The brilliance shining through on occasion but I'm not that taken with this fragrance, it's good, complex all the stuff I said above and I like it but I'll never love it.

Fresh mediterranean elegance, very classy scent! Love the use of tangerine and calone along with the fougere accord (strengthened with vetiver) to make the olfactive representation of a barbershop in Tanger. The lavender and citrus opening is so beautiful that it keeps me smelling my wrist every few minutes and, while I don't find the drydown as engaging and some may even consider it dull, it does satisfy my cravings for a quality fresh fougere. Le barbier de Tanger vaguely reminds me of the once gorgeous Loewe Pour Homme (now a much weaker fragrance), with MDCI's being richer, fuller and generally much better done, though with weaker performance. I love this fragrance and it's in my opinion an excellent fougere, with very few I'd take ahead of it. However, when taking price into consideration, I do think there are better value options in the market. If price isn't an obstacle and you're looking for a fragrance of this profile, this is definitely worth sampling at least.

Oh, this is amazing! I know I'm in the minority here, but I actually prefer this one to Invasion Barbare. Le Barbier de Tanger is simultaneously retro AND modern. It's clean, crisp and classically masculine, with pineapple and apple notes to modernize it. I love barbershop fragrances, and this is a great one. Where Invasion Barbare goes very powdery and reminds you of the soothing talc that a barber places on the back of your neck after a haircut, Le Barbier de Tanger calls to mind the amalgamated smells of a wet shave: Spicy, sweet shaving cream, the clean metal of the straight razor, the calming aftershave tonic and the smell of the barber's leather strap and case.

A fresh fougère, built around the classic structure of oakmoss and lavender. It leans on the greener side, supported by herbal notes, woods, and citrus. The composition feels well blended. Opening could come across as a bit harsh to some, but I would not dismiss it too quick. It does settle into a smoother barbershop scent with a texture that reminds me of shaving foam. In terms of fragrance comparisons, what came to mind was a combination of Chanel Platinum Égoïste and Creed Aventus. This one, however, feels a bit more natural and has more depth. Performance is above average, especially in terms of longevity. Lasts almost a full day for me.

Love this. Criminally underrated due to the brands own astronomical success with Invasion Barbare had this been in any other brand would’ve been huge. Classic barbershop fougere yet feels up to date even if it was reloten years ago. In my opinion if your looking for something in this category of fragrances this is a MUST try. Extremely elegant office fragrance so much so you could even wear this to a special occasion. Exceptional creation. Scent 10/10 Sillage Office friendly Performance could last the whole day but respray for your enjoyment Value 6/10 Great scent. Difficult to find discounted and retail is pricey for a fougere.