B*Men

Run. Keep running. Each step thuds with resounding determination. Whatever happens I must keep running. Faster. Farther. Anywhere but here. The beast chasing you will easily claim your life if you slow, even for a moment. You get a glance of the monstrosity on your heels as you leap over a massive pot hole brimming with water - the heaving beast is of caramel color with stained leather skin, fiery red eyes and vicious, gnarled teeth. You can smell the scent of death on its breath, a scorched patchouli and fleshy licorice - it has claimed many prey before you. You run as fast as your body can manage, darting through thickets of sweltering cedar, and crush tender violets underfoot as you dash toward the mountains. Just as you break the clearing, you stumble over a hidden root before feasting on a faceful of dirt. You look up right as the beast lunges, the last thing you see are the fangs of the beast ripping into your heart - a searing pain washes over you....and then, nothing. Gasping, you examine your body - no bruises, no cuts, no gaping wound pouring blood....just a small mark over your heart...the mark of the beast. Covered in musky sweat and shaking from your encounter, you stumble home. You and the beast share a common path...you are cursed to relive this moment until the end of time. Day 91 - To be loved Listening to: Muse - Sing For Absolution Notes: Well, I am certainly gravitating to a lot of my firsts - this was my first purchase from Thierry Mugler some 8 years ago. I have the metal bottle in the plastic case which I procured for some ridiculously low price in an auction (around $40). I fell in love the second this touched my skin - it spurred my love for dense and dank patchouli and my burning passion for licorice...it is simply incredible! It really does remind me of the hide of some mythical beast that preys on the fear of others. Scent wise, this opens with a thick caramel and anise/licorice note that is readily paired with the aged patchouli and tanned leather. It's quite feral in its presentation and suited toward someone looking to make a bold statement. These notes come and go in waves, and I've noticed that the scent goes down a few different paths from here. In colder temps, it displays more of the anise and caramel notes with a hint of chilly violet. In warmer temps (beware of its potency), it displays a far more herbal and dry patchouli for quite some time. Regardless of temp, when this fume dries down some 8 to 10 hours later, it starts to pick up a very mineral and slightly animalic musk which can last a few more hours. I think this is Mugler's greatest creation for the designer market - I love it more than any of his other offerings! Stay calm and enjoy the ride!

During my last three trips to TJ Maxx (3 different cities), on each occasion I've found, tucked away behind the usual assortment of US Polo Association generics, a Mugler scent. I felt sort of like Charlie getting his golden ticket in the last Wonka Bar on the planet... heavily discounted A*Men, Pure Havane, and most recently, a bottle of B*Men. I have no idea which retailer shipped this to TJ- it has been discontinued for a while. You can't even buy it on the Mugler website. It was a blind buy for me as I've never seen it for sale anywhere. The following is my review after two days of wearing B*Men: First, let's get an idea of what it is NOT: this is not a sweet gourmand. Not to my nose. I can see how some may be puzzled initially by this if they are expecting something akin to the other A*Men flankers. I It goes in a different direction completely. I don't even get strong patchouli on the dry down like A*Men. Once you begin to evaluate it on its own, it becomes something special. Rhubarb- absolutely in the opening, very tart. The mid is full of licorice/anise as the rhubarb dissipates. The base, for me, is something of an "old school" scent, probably the amber/cedar/vetiver coming through. This is not a sillage beast like A*Men nor does it last as long before becoming something subtle. B*Men is not-in my opinion-a scent for clubbing, in-your-face attention getting, or, as a fellow reviewer suggested, the A*Hole in your life. Rather, I find it more complex, distinguished, and comforting, especially in the dry down. There are no synthetic, loud, cloying tones in this- it all comes across as natural, herbal, spicy, and woody. I find it much easier to wear on a daily basis than other Muglers. That being said, it is different- MUCH different- from the typical metrosexual, sweet, floral contemporary colognes that are churned out one after the other these days. It probably will not appeal to those who think monolithically regarding perfumery. As for me, B*Men is an intriguing alternative to mass market, watered down, quasi-feminine EDTs out there....that is, IF you can find it! Good luck! Update: after a month, this has grown on me - it's become one of my absolute favorites. Such an amazing fragrance- absolutely love it

The perfume of 2004 repeats the fantastical idea of inspiration initiated by A * Men. While A * Men fragrance representing a metallic superhero, here is a super dark, mixed with African and alien fire. The bottle is the same as A * Men, changing the outside of glass an opaque cover in dark green military-like, and replaced by a central blue star red. Rechargeable editions, the outer sheath replaced by a rubber-like rubber material. The beginning of the fragrance has similar colors to A * Men in the aromatic candied sweet sensation, but with a more spicy from cinnamon cloves trend, without becoming dense and relatively cool and cold. Middle notes kept in the same style of game but spicy aroma adds toast and incense resins for longer smelling, aroma becomes dominant if it is still smelling longer. Beside the incense has notes and leather-like moist snuff, with a density similar to the fragrance of the eighties. While further developing the middle notes appears cedar wood type is assembled incense. The mixture does not feel heavy or monotonous, even a simple fruit could be interleaved, patchouli, fresh or traditional snuff. The final takes snuff with wood tones and species type cedar wood line with more traditional end of a fragrance and feelings known, along the lines of The One by Dolce & Gabbana but without the green notes. Unlike rupture in style at the time of A * Men, B * Men fragrance feels like a marked and striking, but with some inspiration from the very masculine fragrance with notes and intense eighties. Although it gives the idea of an intense fragrance winter is cold and spicy cooler at the end that make it not shocking for the summer. It feels good and much better day in office, distinctive and striking, elegant aromatic with hints but without falling into an old style perfumery. At night also features a lot, where the dark tones of spices and incense stick out and give a personality with an air of mystery. In the romantic works well because the scent revolves around the idea of masculinity, with several interspersed sensual overtones, especially snuff and resins. Broad age range, 20 to 55 years, with informal night under 35 years and elegant office on day 30.

B*Men is a bold fragrance from the house of Mugler, launched in 2004 as a flanker of the iconic A*Men. While A*Men stood out for its bold, gourmand and dense approach, B*Men brings a more spicy and warm approach, with a slightly herbal and woody touch, maintaining the brand's bold signature, but with a distinct personality. It pays homage to the "superhero", with a robust black rubber bottle and a red star, symbolizing strength and energy. Dominant accords: Soft and warm spice, followed by woody nuances, anise and patchouli. B*Men opens with a striking impact of spices and anise, which may seem strange to less accustomed noses, but quickly envelop with its mysterious and almost medicinal side. The heart brings a moderate sweetness with vanilla bean, softening the initial heat of the spices. The base is full-bodied, with leather and dry woods that give depth and masculinity to the fragrance, making it ideal for colder climates. Performance Longevity: 8 hours (or more, depending on skin and climate) Projection: Strong in the first hours, then moderate Fixation: Excellent, maintaining presence throughout the day Trail: Strong at first, leaving a notable trail without being suffocating B*Men is ideal for: Winter and Autumn: Its warm and spicy body shines on cold days. Night: Perfect for nighttime dates, parties or social events. Outdoor environments: Open climates highlight its power and trail. It is not the most suitable perfume for hot days or formal work environments, as its boldness can become invasive. Overall Impression B*Men is a fragrance for those who like perfumes with a strong identity that escape the commonplace. The presence of anise and licorice may divide opinions, but it is precisely these touches that give it originality. For those who already know and like the A*Men line, B*Men is an intriguing and spicier variation, with less gourmand sweetness and more aromatic-earthy appeal. Final Score: 9.1/10 For its boldness, excellent performance and unique signature, B*Men deserves to be highlighted as one of the most unusual fragrances from the Mugler house. A perfume for collectors, lovers of intense compositions and those looking to escape the predictable.

Although B Men is in my top 3 most complemented scents of all time (better composition than the current A Men reformulation by far. Probably not better than the original A Men formulation), a quick note. I seem to get an unusually high amount of complements from black women in particular while wearing this one. I'm not sure why, but that's been my experience. That said, I've rambled so much about this fragrance in the past, but the truth is there's so much more to be said. I really feel that B Men picked up where YSL Kouros left off in terms of alpha male attributes transitioning throughout the years into a more modern man, while keeping his flannel shirt, beard and testicles in tact. But unlike the Kouros alienation factor of many, B Men will displease few, especially on the right wearer. It's clean, tough and serious with a dark aurora of burnt woods and shitty attitude that automatically attracts respect by default. When I smell this underappreciated gem, I picture John Wayne crashing through the doors of a Sierra Club banquet sponsored by PETA. He plops himself down in a chair right beside Janeane Garofalo while pulling out a 20 ounce raw, bloody steak from a Ziploc bag. He rips into the first bite with his teeth, followed by inhaling the remnants just before belching right in her face. He wipes his mouth with a napkin, stands up, flips Janeane a quarter from his pocket and silently walks through the exit door never to be seen again. Rude, but done in a stylish manner that most can appreciate. That's what B Men is to me. Buy this fragrance for the asshole in your life. That dark comedian who's always carrying on about "the short bus", or just generally always has something cute to say. When you get your first whiff you'll know what I'm talking about. B Men is the scent for the modern asshole, and being an asshole never smelled so good.

This cologne smells great. I can see how it's related to A*men, but it's shared similarities are not very obvious. I can attest that it is still 'gourmandish' but lacks the sweet, with honey, add sugar, then whipped cream, are we sweet enough yet? etc... Here, what we find is that the characters of the perfume are the same, but there are several distinctions. The body and soul of the colognes (they are brothers, so to speak) scream kinship, but upon closer inspection, they have marked differences. First off, there's none of the over-the-top caramel opening. This stuff is still strong, though. Spices open up with more of an anise flower smell. No, there's no black liquorice smell to be found here, but it's a well-composed, woodsy sort. I suppose that's what liquorice root would smell like, but alas, I have yet to smell those in real life. I swear I'm getting something gingery-lemony-cardamom-y. I guess that's the "spices." Patchouli is very evident, and the cedar mixes with all of the smells to comport B*men in a very nice way. The leather is great, it kinda brings your nose back to the skin, instead of pulling away. It's the last note I smell before taking my arm away from my face. I like this. Much less of a punch than A*men, but not such a soft scent that sits closely to the skin. People will notice this scent. After all, it is Thierry Mugler.

To me Thierry Mugler B*Men is the God of all Mugler scents. It's excellent and I absolutely love it. I've worn 6 bottles of the stuff since it's release and can't get enough. I actually love it more than A*Men and even Pure Malt. I love Pure Malt but to me B*Men lasts a lot longer than Pure Malt. Not as much as A*Men but close but B*Men is not as overpowering as A*Men. I can just eat the stuff up. Well my body that is. It's too bad that it's discontinued but I was happy to find 2 bottles for 20 bucks each at a TJMaxx last year so I have a stock of it now but will certainly get a couple more since I just can't get enough of the stuff and fear running out. Is it the licorice that I'm loving here? Is it the anise? Helps if I'm a big fan of both too. But I think it's a combo of the woods, cedar and the anise/licorice along with the vetiver (big fan) and leather with spices. It's the most amazing of fragrances ever created. I first wore B*Men to a trip to New York for the holidays in 2004 and I still am remembering smelling like B*Men during the cold of the New York winter in Times Square. Then watching the snow fall from our 46th floor suite in Times Square. Was pretty nice. I love waking up the next day and having that hint of B*Men on me. It's quite nice. it's a nice surprise when I do wear it and wake up the next day.

This one has become a "must have" in my collection... very spicy, the kind of spices used in bakery, A little bit powdery in the drydown with an amber muskiness to it and some woodsy chords. The beginning is just like A*men, not in the notes but in the harshness, strong and a little bitter. Unique scent. As it begins to dry and fusion with my skin the spices blossom, I get some nutmeg, anise, cinnamon and a little bit of pink pepper even though this are not there as a notes... I’ll guess that “spices” covers all, also in the drydown I get LOTS of an ambary lavender chord and I mean LOOOTS which I like. This is kind of a modern-classic scent... if u know what I mean. Very “Karl Lagerfeld” LOL. Old guy very fashion dressed. *On me it last 6 hours + .... Great longevity *Three sprays and you’re done. One on the neck and on each wrist will do. More than that and you’ll stink. *The projection is great. You get a cloud quite inviting to get closer... neither too close to the skin nor too aggressive (in the DD of course). *occasion: noon out in the colder months; this one is not for the warm weather. *age: 25 up Definitely give it a try.. Don’t expect much from the top notes or first impression (I personally love it). Just let it dry for like 30 minutes and you’ll fall in love with this one.

For some reason, wearing B Men reminds me of the Helicopter transport scene in the movie "Predator". You know the one. The scene where Jessie Ventura spits chewing tobbaco on Carl Weathers' boot. In turn, Carl leans into Jessie saying "That's a real nasty habit you got there". All this after Jessie goes into his alpha male rant regarding his support of chew turning one into "A goddamn sexual Tyrannosaurus" as Little Richard plays in the background. I see B Men as a no nonsense badass scent for a mature man (30 and up) who takes no shit from anyone. It's dark, spicy and leathery, with a little bit of bunt licorice and dried fruit that gives the scent some sweet (not quite gourmand worthy in my opinion) sitting on top of a bed of deep woods and Sequoia. It's mostly new school with a "tip of the hat" to old school lurking deep within it's roots. Very, very nice. You may hate it at first, but give it time and B Men will suck you in. This fragrance blows A Men out of the water in my opinion. Whenever I wear A Men, people are always like, "Wow, your coffee smells good". I have to tell them it's the cologne I'm wearing, not my drink. With B Men...problem solved. There's no mistaking it for anything other than a sex juice that should be the official fragrance of the Delta Force.

Underrated Gem... For those of you who enjoy the DNA of A*Men and a majority of the flankers, but want a Mugler fragrance without the "edge" of many of those, B*Men is perfect for you... No worries - the patchouli, musk, and spices are ever present, but the real beauty lies in the dry down where leather, vetiver, and woodsy notes reveal themselves. B*Men is a beautiful concoction released by Mugler and it is a pity this fragrance has been discontinued. Additional adoring qualities of B*Men include above average performance, and as mentioned before, without the "edge" of many A*Men fragrances. That said, B*Men offers fantastic flexibility to be worn to most events. While still a Fall/Winter scent, I felt comfortable wearing today in the office. It was well received.. Final tally of B*Men is 4.3 stars out of 5 stars and a solid Love for the Fragrantica community. This review comes with a solid recommendation to add B*Men to any collection - that is, if you can get your hands on it. Ideal for an entry level Mugler fragrance. Great fragrance with super flexibility and a compliment magnet. Enjoy your day and happy fragrance hunting...

B-Men is a tricky fragrance to pin down and enjoy. That initial spray can put you off with the opening notes of licorice and anise. Those two notes swirl around and hit you almost like a glass of Pernod Ricard. The opening eventually gives way to some earthy patchouli and vanilla. There is almost a dusty effect when the spices begin to kick in, which adds another nuance to this fragrance (it really is an odd in a good way scent) and definitely makes B-Men more fun to wear. Finally, the vanilla kicks in and this fragrance begins to harmonize. The mid gives us a sweet spicy pain d'épices accord with the musk and vetiver in the background. As B-Men dries down the cedar makes it's appearance to give this fragrance some warmth and added muscle. This is a nice fragrance for the winter and fall rotation, but wear it on your own time, it takes some getting used to and when you fight through that opening you are rewarded with a helluva dry down. Give B-Men a few sprays when the winter rotation has given you tobacco and rum nose fatigue and you need something strange for a change.

Unrelenting Patchouli opening and I can't believe Rhubarb isn't listed as a note on here, for me it's the first thing you get from the top notes... a very jammy and sweet flavour which is spiced and oriental not dissimilar to the original A*Men. In fact it's very much like A*Men and I find it hard to believe you don't like this if you enjoyed the original but what do I know hey? After the hot firework of an opening it's a great fragrance and drys down with a little woods in the base...mmmmm...it's yummy! I'm actually really glad I got this as a blind buy, I'd tried some of the other popular A*Men flankers/alts and this one seemed to be quite rare and not easy to find in shops, even at the Thierry Mugler counter in large department stores. Maybe it's destined to be discontinued or perhaps already has? B*Men's elusiveness is probably why it appealed to me and I got a gift set very cheaply from Ebay so I thought I'd give it a whirl...not what I was expecting but I'm more than pleased.

I think I love this scent. So delicious, intruguing and sophisticated, licorice and anise playing first fiddle... with nicely managed spicy accords at that! But I guess I will never understand why they labelled it as a "masculine" fragrance. Still, it does not bother me too much as I wear it proudly myself :) Anyway, this is a powerful stuff - still not extreme in its sillage, though it stays on for hours and you will be noticed wearing a nice fragrance from a personal distance. On me it lingers pretty close, no big tail, though quite prominent, I do feel it all around me and it lasts long on clothes. B*men is way better than A*men, IMHO, so sad they discontinued it. I guess I will have to stock up before it disappears from the market completely. Recommended for winter, autumn and colder days or nights out in spring/summer. Very huggable and inviting, bold, charismatic and sexy in a nice way.

B*MEN... in the opening, on my skin, i get vetiver and spices with a hint of licorice. In the heart, this is where it becomes sweet, the violet and patchouli kicks in with vetiver still lurking in the back. And in the base, of course, i get patchouli, leather and little bit of anise. I don't get any vanilla or cedar at all. The weird thing is, out of all the Thierry Mugler fragrances i've tried, this has the lowest longevity and siliage. Again, im talking about only on my skin because the other people i know who have tried this get a pretty long lasting. But why not me ? .... sigh ! Also if you try to smell it in a warm environment, its not gonna smell that good. My advice is when you sample this just stand outside in the cold and then test it because that is where your gonna get the best results.

The local chain store is no longer stocking fine fragrances and so reduced what they had left, so I bought a bunch of different fragrances cheaply, but without smelling any of them (no testers). I thought I had made a big mistake when I bought this. The initial application almost made me nauseous - like a bowl of over ripe fruit and burnt sugar with a ton of spice added to it. I could actually feel it in the pit of my stomach (probably should try not to inhale). However as it dried and changed I was pleasantly surprised. A wonderful warm spiciness stayed with me all day - a very unique fragrance unlike any of the others I have. My wife really likes this one. EDIT. Since I got more fragrances I can now say... To me this is somewhat like Body Kouros.

After 3 month of wearing, B*men is a spectacular fragrance. Balsamic, muddy, slightly vinegary with a sparkling amber, a touch of violet and a salty licorice and patchouli of course. I dont get any leather. The amber reminds me the amber of Narciso Rodriguez For Him but with a bit turn down volume. It is aromatic and can go to warmer spring days easily, would be interesting to test it in hot summer. Soft projection with decent longevity, delicious dry down that mostly reminds the start, but it is not very linear, it has it own moves. A high level of sophistication, with familiar old school barber shop accord, presents bold perfumery that from our time perspective should be admired.

This is Thierry Mugler’s unique take on a classic men’s barbershop scent. What a brilliant take on this scent profile! Mugler’s penchant for over the top-ness is here, no doubt. Anise, leather, cedar, patchouly, and vetiver have all been used before in classic men’s barbershop colognes, but this stands unique with licorice accord amped up and rhubarb to give it a juicy tartness. My bottle is 10 years old, but still it’s going as strong as ever. I can smell it on me the next day and the dry down is heavenly. I know chasing discontinued since is a bit of a gamble, but if you can find a bottle of this and love the barbershop profile, I would get it before it’s gone forever!

I was surprised how many compliments and people noticing the cologne, and knowing it was me.. very impressed, even more than with the classic A*Men. Will keep updating once get the big bottle. Update: This has become one my top shelf colognes, is delightful for me from the way that it develops in my skin and is hard to explain, It has some sort of addictive ingredients that I just want to keep sniffing my chest and wrists.. I do not think is out of date at all and the fact that is discontinued it makes it more special since not to much people out there wearing it. For me is a 9/10 just because there's a couple more on top of it, but it is just lovely.

When I received my B * Men bottle, of course, I loved it. For me, there was not much news in the fragrance, because I think it has the base of Blue Sugar with something metallic on top. This "metallic" disguises the sweetness very well as if maintaining the aroma "imprisoned" so as not to become too aggressive. To illustrate what I felt with this scent, I use the example of Individuel regarding Joop! Homme. Anyone who knows both will understand what I'm talking about: one resembles the other very much, but the "animalic" side is trapped under less aggressive notes, making it more wearable. The performance is typical of a Thierry Mugler. Great!

Initial impression is a linear rhubarb-patchouli with a little wood and spice. It is very pleasant in a kind of dirty-earthy way. It reminds me of JPG Kokorico with the dirty patchouli along a little dirt-like sweetness plus a slighty fruity note. Might be my skin, but the sour fruit only gives kind of a zing to the patchouli, but its totally not a super fruity type of frag. I enjoy dirty patchouli types, and this seems to be a nice take on it, but nothing groundbreaking. It is pleasant enough, but I don't see it being super unique. I have a .5 oz travel sprayer that I'll enjoy using, but probably won't buy a large bottle when It's gone.