Death Of A Ladies Man

I am an absolute violet fiend! I’ve collected all manner of violet fragrances over decades and I can say I have nothing else like this! It’s absolutely mesmerizing in its uniqueness and wearability. I find it to be perfectly balanced between a “feminine” and “masculine” style. The opening is an effervescent aldehyde that rings beautifully and isn’t soapy or sharp. The violet is the star of the show by far but it’s so well blended with the basil and mastic that you are breathing in a Chord of scents, a beautiful shimmering chord instead of singular notes. And this is no easy task with bold notes such as basil or violet. The galbanum doesn’t bite but instead balances the natural sweetness of basil and violet with a bit of green that comes off fresh, vibrant, alive instead of bitter or vegetal. Bravo!!! PS. It lasts for hours and hours! Ooof it’s wonderful!

Is it too obvious for spring? To be worn on a crisp-but-sunny March day, with birds retaking their position on the patio railings off the side of apartment buildings, and green bursting through the cracks in the pavement. To position it in the context of its namesake, it evokes emerging through the doors of said apartment building the morning after, a sunlit and shame-free walk of shame, satiated and clear headed; "The art of longing's over and it's never coming back." The sugary violet twinkles under freshly picked basil, while the galbanum and resins insist it stay grounded, a bit tangled up in the weeds. It's somehow surprising that the vibrant freshness does not read as youth-- this is not your first time reentering the world on the first day the temperature allows for a light jacket. You've done it year after year.

It's so good. Green, vibrant, & floral in an ambiguous, non-annoying type of way (I'm not a huge floral person). A little earthy & woody. I wore this and someone asked me if I was wearing an Aesop fragrance, which I thought was an interesting take. Do with that what you will! I wrote this in another UF review, but there's an accord in a few of Courtney's fragrances that kind of read as "clean sweat"-- not spicy or cumin-y, but more like being outside on a brisk walk and feeling a little perspiration on your brow. I get that a bit in DoaLM, as if you're running through a verdant field during summer, the smell of freshly cut grass and flowers swirling around you, a trickle of sweat running down your back.

smells like a treble clef. like the precise moment a stem freezes over, veins crystallizing; if you could be very, very still and quiet, you might just hear a twinkling like chimes. And it smells like the sweet river waters that flow afresh in the spring, breaking from its caged throat. perhaps this is what the Mole, emerging from his dusty cellarage for the first time since fall, smelled of the early upshoots of spring... i'm finding that i love greenness in perfumes—here, it's lushly green, with a sweet bite to it: the cold nipping at his snout. if i were Mole, i, too, would be so tempted to leave the underground safety of my home and spend the summer at the river's side...

When I first bought this it was autumn, and it smelled too strong and stuffy and made me a little nauseous, & I think it's because I needed to wait to rediscover it in the dog days of summer, like today. The spritz of the perfume itself was juicy and satisfying in a way that added to forthcoming scent of green vegetal, crystalline BEAUTY....Starts GREEN, fresh and bright, and evolves into something softer PURPLE. I smell sexy, and like spring, in a way that actually compliments summer-wear even more than spring. Once again, Courtney is a genius.

So glad this is finally here! This was, undoubtedly, one of my most worn perfumes of the latter half of 2023. I am in fact wearing it today, in this cold and depressing 22° Fahrenheit winter day, simply because it reminds me of spring-summer picnics with my besties, pulling the grass from the soil and smelling the chlorophyll that’s buried beneath my finger nails. Such strong green, fresh scent with a powerful powdery violet. So so so beautiful all around! Probably best for spring/summer but it does make my seasonal depression less daunting.

One of my favorites from one of my favorites. Crisp wet green perfection with a velvety violet heart. A little bracing at first, but soft and calming, too. Sparkly and sensual, but sensual like nature, not sensual like a boudoir. Like sun on dewy grass and maybe you’re naked. Like snapping a stick of celery and finding a piece of violet candy. Stays vibrant—and SO green—all day long.

This is playfully biting your lover during a tryst. It’s the sound of an expensive necklace falling to the floor at a party and shattering into shards of glitter. It’s botanic and cold with a heart of gold. Spending a hot summer in an air conditioned cinema devouring movies about love. One of my all time favourites no doubt.

Spacing out crushing basil between your fingers. It has stained your fingers green, and morsels are embedded deep under your finger nails. You wash your hands, and then treat yourself to a mastic dessert. The remnant basilic scent intermingles with the soft mastic, as you dine and twiddle your pearl necklace.

At the very first whiff it smelled like Mrs. Meyers basil hand soap, but 15-20 minutes I was obsessed. The basil is sharp for a bit, but the violet is creamy for hours. Masculine with a powdery, feminine touch. Kind of like you borrowed a man’s soap. Makes me want a gin & tonic. Ordered the full bottle :)

a calming green and aromatic herbal scent that makes me crave warm weather. the violet note adds a powdery sweetness that i love. perfect for spring/summer. lively, fresh, lush; imagine an idyllic sunny day in a park while sitting on a blanket. the best green perfume ive ever smelled.

Got a sample with a purchase. Ohhh what a nice green monster scent. Freshly green grass and galbanum bitterness. Reminds me the smell of dandelions ? Mixed with your mom's garden fresh herbs. Smells natural and of good quality. Truly unisex. High quality. Oh no, now I want a FB.

Like rolling around in a vegetable garden. This is a very comforting scent for me. It’s very green. It starts out all violets, basil, mastic (piney) and galbanum (grass). The only change that happens in dry down is that the violet slowly becomes less prominent.

so very fresh, but not extremely sharp fresh, spritely fresh. bright springy green, delicate violet, and a little cornsilky. This is clearly a spring/summer scent that would cut the heat beautifully, but I love it in winter. It works so well in crisp, cold air.

I got a sample of this for the name and had to get a full sized bottle. It’s the best mix of fresh green and powdery floral. It’s beautiful. It has decent longevity as well. I did reach for it in the fall, but so think spring is when it will really shine.

Soft greenery with dew drops. There is something super nostalgic here, it reminds me of those mornings before field trips in elementary school. Very pretty and the violet gives it a romantic touch if shared and experienced with the right person.

Gorgeous! Opening is splendid-sugar snap peas and violets! That doesn’t last long. Then a warm, green, galbanum-y hum follows. Wears close to the skin. Definitely ungendered. I wish it lasted longer, or it would be FB-worthy for me!

Green and full of life. Sharp and a bit spicy at first but mellows into the gentle scent of fresh vegetation intermingled with a hint of violet petals. Very comforting and pretty. I like wearing this in bed.

The opening smells like those chowards violet mints and then shifts into a green, freshly broken flower stems and crushed ivy under your feet. It gets sweeter/less dusty the longer it sits on my skin.

Moving slow from intoxication of both sun and alcohol. Everyone's in linen. We're going to push through to keep the dinner reservation. No one can be persuaded to blow dry their hair.

Extremely sexy. Usually I find overtly vegetal smells to be unwearable. This, however, has a soft, creamy dry down from the violet.

Falling into the garden! In your lovers arms after they have been eating citrus fruit

Crushed velvet basil. At once bitter and sweet, dark and bright. Reclining on a fresh-cut lawn in dappled sunlight. Leans grassy on fabric, but something sweet and powdery awakens on skin. I swear there’s got to be fig sap hiding in here. The contrast between skin and fabric creates this gorgeous olfactory diptych. (Two for the price of one!) If I’m feeling coy, I spray only on skin. If I’m feeling zesty, I spray on fabric. Very different basil than my beloved Basilico & Fellini by Vilhelm, though both are both in that same unisex green family. Basilico is white linen, lawful good. The Ladies Man is emerald brocade, chaotic neutral. Unfortunately, I can’t with the bitter musk that lingers in fabric at the 24+ hour mark. He can be a bit of a rake. Mental Snapshot: Long weekending at the summer house. It’s an ivy-bearded Tudor, boasting a dozen silk-flocked bedchambers, embroidered in botanicals. It’s beautiful, but deliberately gaudy. Think Alessandro Michele-era Gucci. You’re invited to play lawn games with the Lord of the House. You just want drink lemonade and play croquet, but he wants to tussle on the turf. tl;dr: basil dandy 🍃🦚

Reminds me a lot of Monstera by Xinú, but more floral. It smells lovely in the sample vial, and the end of the opening through the life of the fragrance on skin is very pleasant. The immediate opening is a little harsh and soapy if you sniff right up close. That dissipates fairly quickly, however, and leaves you in a green and just pleasantly soapy bubble. The dry down smells like a nice natural shampoo, how I imagine those shampoo plants (ginger lilies) would smell. The opening skews a little feminine, but the dry down is unisex. Quite nice, if not very moving. Seems to have a good projection (a co-worker of mine said he could smell it and it was nice today) and decent longevity (he said this at about 3:30 PM) for such a light scent. Office safe, just don't over-apply. 8/10.

Absolutely not a gourmand, but it is appetizing, mouthwatering, delicious. Basil-forward when wet, which fades a little in the drydown, but never is it terribly sharp or acerbic; I think this is due to the mastic and violet. Narrowly avoids soapiness. Softens in the drydown. Smells like excitement and anticipation; like a hip Thai restaurant in the city; like a fancy herbal cucumber lemonade; like having dinner with someone you like; like you have the whole night ahead of you; like the smell left on your fingers after you tear basil leaves into a bowl of pho. If a man smelled like this I would eat him alive.

so interesting to see how my thoughts on samples change as they age! i remember this being green and bright at first, and now i feel like it’s purple and deep. it must be the violet completely taking over - i get no basil. the drydown has the same powdery sweetarts vibe that i get in UF’s burst. didn’t last quite as long as burst, faded before i left work. might pick up a 15ml at some point to test further.

First thing my mind goes to on hearing basil is pesto (I’ve been super into pesto recently) but this leans more towards grass and plant stems then it does towards pasta or a fancy sandwich. I find I like it more the longer it wears as the violet comes out and softens the sharper green smell in the opening. Makes me think of getting grass stains on the knees of freshly washed jeans. Fun one. Great name, too.

Sitting in a vegetable garden with your lover, holding hands with just pinkies. Violets placed gently in your hair and romantic dates to the grocery store produce section . You are going to marry this man and kiss his face until he closes his eyes and giggles

Mmm so evocative of something like childhood memories of playing in the garden in the spring/summer. Like biting into a raw snap pea. Very fond of this (certainly my favorite green fragrance) but not sure the category is very wearable for me personally

Reminds me of the smell that lingers on your fingers after pinching suckers out of tomato plants...not in a bad way...very green, herbal and fresh...a pleasant fragrance to wear every now and then in hot weather...

A softer and sweeter Fig Leaf. You eventually get a nice, faint parma violet smell. Would love to smell this on a guy. He's well groomed and his tshirts always smell freshly washed and sun-dried.

bright and green and charming. freshly mowed grass, dappled sunlight through the branches. droplets of water shining like diamonds. the violet here smells like a lipstick stain

Cohenesque. Dirty martinis on a spring night. A ladies’ man with a bit of a feminine twist. I bought this because it was named after my favourite album. Did not disappoint.

SUPPEERRRRR green. but very pleasant (this is form someone who does not like green scent profiles). I will say, it dries down beautifully

Most beautiful green violet. It’s bitter like a dandelion stem and the finish is soft violet that all feels shiny. Perfect unisex violet

A velvety soft pillow of grass. Soft romantic gentle green. Hazy. Also reminds me of some Apple flavored candy a bit

smells like a deeper, masculine version of Fig Leaf. It's a bit too masculine for my personal wear, but I think its subtly makes it a nice smell for someone looking for a soft, fresh, green, bitter scent. In my opinion there is nothing outstanding about it, but maybe that is because I'm a newbie and I haven't smelled enough perfumes in this category. all I can say is subtle, clean, and just a bit sexy. It's not necessarily addicting, but if this was your lover's signature scent then given the context it would be definitely more special. I wish I can say more but it sort of loses itself in the midst of the rest of the discovery set for me since it's not my style.

Smells like picking greenbeans in Grandma's garden. I liked it at first, but after a while the intense greenness became too much for me. I was half drawn in by the notes, half by the name, which is inspired by the Leonard Cohen song Death of a Ladies' Man. This bright perfume does not at all match its broody namesake. I have no idea what they were thinking when they named it, but it is cute nonetheless. I'll continue to test out my sample.

Opens very green. Not like herbal, more like fresh cut grass. It's a little overpowering on first spray. It dries down to balance with the florals pretty nicely for a little bit. I'd quite like this perfume if it smelled like this the whole time.

Smells JUST like Dove cucumber mint deodorant on me! That's really all I get as long as I sniff :')

Interesting perfume but tad headachey

Mostly generic smoothie smell in the opening, or yoghurt with a fruit coulis layer. But chopped basil instead of berries. It calms down after an hour or so into a nose tickling galbanum/violet but retains a pulpy, smoothie shop odour I don't like. One of maybe 4 perfumes I've smelled that makes me physically queasy at points..... The 'smells like' section is done for.... Green spell, deja le printemps, nuit de bakelite.... ❔Pirates (2005), jaws, and finding nemo are all movies that feature water

Safiya Nygaard youtube video titled "I took all the handsoaps in TJMaxx and made them one big soap": the fragrance. Ironically impossible to wash off.

Literal seconds after the first spay, it smells like a vegetable my Grandma forced us to eat as children. I never learned the English name. We just called it "bitter". Extremely green and fresh, straight from the garden. Seconds pass and it becomes sweet. Still green, as if you've been playing in the sprinklers, out on the lawn and your legs are covered in grass. Maybe minty? Not toothpaste... Like it's summer and you've been coaxed to sip an older man’s Mint Julep. He was probably handsome in back in his prime and he feels warm and comfortable, so you sip, and it's so strong that you chase it in a hurry with an icy cream soda. Edit: Ran out of my sample within 3 days. Today, I really wanted that last sliver of juice that wouldn’t spray out so I bit off the cap with such ferocity that a little of it got on my tongue. I hope I don't die of poisoning before my full bottle gets delivered ;;

I think i have to admit that this house, sadly, may not be for me. It is a pleasant fragrance but I am meh on it. People are right, this is somehow balanced perfectly between feminine and masculine which is strange. It is a peppery woody fragrance with a sweet silken violet note. The violet note reminds me of the violet in Stora Skuggans 'Thumbsucker' and I really loved that with the cherry but sold the bottle as that ended up pulling too 'baby powder' on me so if you liked that fragrance and had the same issue, this would he a nice alternative. However nothing but the violet is really grabbing me though other than this just sitting in a comfortable 'pleasant' space. I do prefer this one much more over 'Daddy' though.

I’m so glad this is on here! I’ve been wearing this a lot lately. It’s really hard to describe because the only other mastic thing I have ever experienced was mastic ice cream... The best way to describe is if someone took DS & Durga’s White Peacock Lily, Debaser and Jazmin Yucatan and threw them in a blender and made them more herbal? It’s a very humid but sweet scent. It’s not very unique to me. I’ve been wearing it in the winter but it’s probably more spring/summer.

It-girl perfumer Universal Flowering's newest, Death of a Ladies Man, is a perfumed tribute to the poetic life and loves of Leonard Cohen. A gorgeous composition structured around a crunchy and vegetal use of basil, green galbanum, and powdery sugared violet, smelling like everyone's perennial old-enough-to-be-your-dad songwriter crush has never been so chic.

A spring must, this is green without a soil/peaty/earthiness, very clean almost soapy. Bright and the floral notes bloom on the warmth of skin. Smells like you showered and then with abandon roll down a hill and get grass stains and morning dew on your skin, cold now you run into the morning sun. Universal flowering's chokehold remains supreme.

Smells like opening a fresh pack of cigarettes near an open window on a clear, cool morning when you’ve just stepped out of the shower. Lots of reviews stating this is for spring, but don’t sleep on the dusty violette that rounds this out perfectly for fall as well. Well balanced and wears beautifully.

Sweet, wet violets and green, stemmy violet leaves upon first spray. Nice bitterness from the galbanum, which becomes more prominent in the dry down. A faint, anisic basil comes out then as well. Turned a little bit plasticky on my skin at the end.