Bon Monsieur

Bon Monsieur is fresh Fougère bliss and I wish I could stop my review there but more needs to be said. Though they are warm and heavy ingredients the warm herbal qualities of carnation, fir, and lavender are balanced to emphasize the fizzy or foamy texture in this fresh, soapy and clean blend. When I sprayed this on I wasn’t ready for it. The explosiveness, energy and overwhelming quality of Rogue Perfumery fragrances is something that simply must be experienced by any fragrance enthusiast. This fragrance started relentlessly and heavy-handed with a bright, herbal, soapy lavender. An extremely rich soapy beginning that was so overwhelming it smelled of Fabuloso within the first 20 seconds, a purple lavender based bathroom cleaner. Cleaning the bathroom is the chore I have the most hesitancy with and the smell of Fabuloso does not seem like a smell intended for skin. However it only lasts for 20 seconds but somehow seamlessly transitions and is necessary to establish your nose palate for what it will receive next from the blend. I love how rich these transitions are in some of Manuel’s fragrances and you can see the concepts of Manuel’s culinary profession bleeding into this fragrance profession as if the soapy lavender beginning were the appetizers quick, guilty pleasure, forgivable, somewhat forgettable but designed to establish a comfortable transition to the entrees and the main-course. And the great part is that in his fragrances no performance power is lost through these transitions. Soon, when you wear this perfume enough times you forget about the rich opening altogether and you begin to adore the lavender introduction. No problem for me because lavender is one of my favorite notes in perfumery and I always look forward to the opening of Bon Monsieur. Now for the main course this fragrance settles from a rich soapy lavender to a somewhat fresh, bright, slightly foamy and aromatic heart. You are rewarded for persisting through the rich opening with a bright, fresh, clean, sharp and foamy sensation that feels modern, incredibly mature, classically masculine with little to no sweetness and all the aromatic facets of the refreshing shaving cream you just washed off your face. Rich, natural and well-blended ingredients. Bon Monsieur lets you have that aromatic shaving cream to wear wherever, whenever, you want for as long as you want (performance monster). This is probably my absolute favorite from the brand I can’t stop wearing this. I have to hide it from myself sometimes just to give my other fragrances a chance. Masterpiece 🧼 ☀️ 10/10

Another hit from Rogue perfumes. Very reminiscent of mens powerhouse's from the 80's and thankfully does the job immensely with just enough modernity. It's so manly and glorious, although anyone can wear what they like....and absolutely should if this tickles your fancy! Oakmoss, lavender amongst all the usual classic suspects lead the way, followed up with another barrage of all time greats in support. I won't go into a full on breakdown, all the info you need is here and on luxeparfumes website. I'll just add that overall it's exquisitely spicy, fresh and oh so mossy. This really is a beautifully made throwback of a scent that also has enough about it to have its own identity......and that's what you'll be if you opt for Bon Monsieur, distinctive, different and an individual. Not to mention gentlemanly and well kept. If you enjoy this type of scent then you've probably had a few more trips around the sun and know a little more about style and what just works than the younger crowd! You'll also be confident, self assured and in no doubt about your preferences. It'll last 6+ hours until becoming a noticeable skin scent. Projection wise, over arms length with a good trail for several hours. Trust me, people will notice in an overwhelmingly positive manner, especially others of the same ilk. It's different enough from Mousse Iluminee from the same brand to warrant both products. This is a little more of a moderate scent, than the aforementioned...only just as it's still strong though, just easier going and a tad less rich and powerful. Having said that, it works in this fragrances favour, it's less divisive and easier to pull off as a daily option. In fact, I'd say that you could wear this wherever and whenever you want. It's a great all-rounder, still a potent blend though so be mindful of your trigger finger. 😆 If like me (obviously) you love traditional perfumery for men such as Chypres, Fougeres and the like, you must consider Bon Monsieur....or any offering from Rogue, I've pretty much loved everything I've got my nose on thus far. So, if you are a man's man, enjoy the finer things as well as someone who stands a little above the vast majority, this is for you.

YES! This has finally been added to the database! Now this is the real deal right here! Manuel Cross is using patchouli in Flora & Fauna and in Bon Monsieur and it's stunning! Bon Monsieur reminds me of the barbershop fragrances as well as those late 80's/early 90's hits like Jazz, Pasha De Cartier, and Tsar. I think this is fully complete and very well rounded. For me, it's incredibly sexy too; I would melt if my date wore this. You'll definitely be invited to come up for coffee. I think I like it, even more than Mousse Illuminee which is a damn near perfect fragrance! Both are beastly if oversprayed and extremely high quality for what you're paying. Real oakmoss and a perfumer that actually cares about his fragrances! To me, this rivals the likes of Sartorial and MDCI Invasion Barbare rather than Drakkar Noir or Azzaro PH. Manuel, you've done it again! This is on my "to buy" list and I'm sad that I missed the Christmas Sale! Damn, better look next time. I'll be buying this along with the Giorgio Beverly Hills like Tuberose & Moss, love that one! I have Flos Mortis, Mousse Illuminee, and Chypre Siam from Rogue, and all of them are unique and deserve their own time in the sun. They can be a tad difficult to wear with a t shirt and jeans because of how nice they actually are! They feel special and worthy of actually caring about your appearance when putting them on; rather than an after thought, dumb reach type fragrance. This is not the men's department at Ulta....these are far from it; these will wear YOU if you spray too much and let it dominate you. You must be in control of yourself and have your fragrance compliment your style and personality, not speak for you. Of course, this is just my opinion. Bon Monsieur I think will be a Youtube darling for how versatile it is and affordable. I have no doubt it will be a hypebeast once people get their rollerball samplers in, which by the way Manuel nice touch ;). I would talk more about the scent, in terms of development and etc but I need more time with it. Continue to do what you do, my friend! You have a bright future ahead of you!

Rogue is not IFRA compliant, which makes all the difference. Manuel Cross is an exceptionally talented perfumer who does not compromise on the quality of the ingredients he uses and who blends his ingredients masterfully. The reviews below cover notes pretty extensively and suggest vintage fougeres that are similar to Bon Monsier. Suffice it to say that what makes this fougere one of the very best you can buy right now is a restrained use of wonderful notes including real oak moss. Because Mr. Cross has opted not to take the "whole pantry" approach to choosing ingredients, as was so frequently the approach of the big, 1980s fougeres to which this scent is aptly compared, we get something that pays considerable tribute to the best of the past while remaining strikingly current in its structure, the way it highlights discernable notes (lavender, geranium, fir, oak moss and sandalwood all have their moments on center stage during the progression of this fragrance) and embraces a comprehensible note progression. The price asked for all of the Rogue products are bargains considering the quality of the scents. The presentation is attractive and the atomizers are good quality. You'll want to be a bit circumspect with that atomizer because this stuff can get overwhelming if oversprayed. Longevity is good, you will still get noticeable fresh smelling wafts of goodness beyond 8 hours in most conditions. When applied with consideration, projection is moderate with a pronounced silage that will attract more compliments than you'd expect, if that's your thing. As such, I would be completely comfortable using this fragrance as an office scent. I can see women who like old school fougeres enjoying this fragrance. Any guy who is a fan of the fougere classics of the late 70s and 80s should just buy this stuff. I cannot imagine you'll be disappointed. Additionally, when you purchase, you are supporting a good guy in his efforts to create a long-lived, respected perfume house, and giving support to such ventures is always a commendable decision. Very highly recommended.

Out of all of the fragrances I own, Bon Monsieur is one of my absolute favorites. It's a masterpiece fougère that takes inspiration from Drakkar Noir and Duc De Vervins L'Extreme to make a soapy, citrus-y, and undeniably masculine fragrance that's suitable for any season, any occasion. It's smooth. Really smooth. Every time I catch a whiff of this stuff, I smell something different each time. Much like Manny's other compositions such as Tabac Vert and Mousse Illuminee, it has this Guerlinade-esque touch to it. The oakmoss is like a comfortable pillow after a long day's work. In cold weather, especially in the northeast, the soapiness is amped up but the other notes don't totally take a backseat. However, in warmer weather, the citrus and quite a bit of the spiciness comes out which I absolutely LOVE. On my Chernobyl-like skin, it lasts a whopping 14+ hours, three of which project hard. Really depends on what your climate is. I've had it last an entire day and the next morning, I'd still be catching whiffs of it. Less is more. Two sprays behind the ears are what I'd recommend because of just how easy it is to fill a room with this green beast if you're not careful. The only issue I have with this isn't the scent itself. It's the atomizer. When you've got a working one, it's great and pushes out a sizable spray. If you get one that really forces you to hammer it down just to get a full spray, don't be afraid to decant it. If you're on the fence about getting this, get a sample (or the discovery kit) and give it a shot over a few days. It's a timeless scent, but it's roots in the 1980's are front and center. That might turn people off, especially those new to fragrances in general or have never gotten their nose on some of the 'classics', so to speak. Younger folks might have a harder time pulling this scent off but if you've got the right kind of swagger and style, you can rock it wherever. It's everything I want in a signature scent. It might be yours too.