Versace L'Homme

oof this one is a stinker in a good way. the dirty bitter citrus opening can put you off. you have to learn to love it. but i wont blame you if you give up there. it still manages to be soapy after that, it's all in the dry down but it takes a while before it gets there. very mature clean green barbershop oakmoss and it develops even further into radiating leather fresh woody aura that sticks to the skin for quite a while. its strong af, i can understand why people say its a cold weather scent but this frag embodies the 80s hawaii shirt wearing cuban gangster in miami with a gold chain and hairy chest. people prob wore this in the summer back then without any fucks given. and it probably had a way stronger oakmoss back then. unapologetically masculine and daring scent. but its great if you lookin for smth else than modern mass pleasing stuff n wanna try some 80s scents and wanna be challenged a little. id only recommend it for exploring scents. its also genuinely complex but wont bluntly say its a amazing frag.. i like it cuz of of how weird it is. i'd be curious how a modern take on this would feel like cuz i genuinely think if they refined it just a lil bit to fit modern standards id be great. i feel like back then parfumery was more about makin powerful scents to go thru all the cigarette smoke from indoor public places. heavy dose of carnation u dont smell that anywhere. i never wear it outside cuz i had people be quite repulsed by it before it fully settled into the dry down lol. i exclusively wear it at home. gta vice city in a bottle. time machine pro tip: spray it bit further i found that this way the soapy quality comes out more. the atomizer is rlly good you want it cover more than be concentrated in one spot VINTAGE BOTTLE COMPARISON FROM THE 80s: i got my self a vintage bottle and these are the main points of differences - the modern bottle has a lot fresher lemon opening and less bitter initial spray. the basil in the older formulation is more pronounced giving it a pepper naunce and overall just much more greener vibe that the newer lacks. petitgrain in the modern formulation is also more forwarded - both still retain a soapiness in the background but the modern is a lot more fresher so it gives a overall cleaner vibe - in the mid the carnation / cinnamon patchouli push forward the most in both but the carnation in the older one is a lot more life like and less stinky. i can also pick up on the rose a lot more. the patchouli is also more earthy while being softer and the cinnamon is warmer n bit powdery. the modern formulation relies heavily on soft cedars / and much more patchouli with a lot spicier earthier carnation. - however the mid in the newer formulation lasts much longer before the stronger base notes show up. on my left hand the vintage lets the oakmoss and leather meet the middle much sooner before the modern formulation. also the leather is a lot more textured... reminds me of a classic leather barbershop seat. oakmoss here is pre restrictions so im picking a much more mossy/earthy/inkiness that is not present in the modern. overall the vintage has way more warmer ambers and smoother under tones of vanilla and tonka that round everything up. the modern is lot more scratchier around the edges hands down the vintage takes it. its so smooth. the florals were much more lively it also has a much more masculine musky radiation. the oakmoss is more present and the leather realistic. everything just plays together so nicely. when they both become skin scents, for the vintage you are able to pick up on it long after the modern went to sleep. overall the newer formulation seems tad more synthetic relying too much on patchouli to do the heavy lifting. while the vintage is funnily enough way more wearable than what you are able to buy now. so my initial imagination above was completely wrong. the oakmoss ban was not gentle on it... it relied so heavily on it ill be honest and say that the modern is but a sketch of the original painting but still alright

Versace L'Homme is one of my favorite fragrances of all time but it took a while to get to that point. My initial encounter with L'Homme was with the recent reformulation, 4/26/2021 batch in the black box. Ended up picking up a tester bottle for $20 on FragNet after reading about it on the Pour Monsieur blog (which is an invaluable resource just like Raiders of the Lost Scent when it comes to older fragrances). I've only seen it occasionally at local discounters like TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Burlington, etc. You don't find fragrances like this anymore unless you go niche and you know what you're looking for in the first place. The initial spray is a bit shocking if you're not prepared for it. It's got a lemon-y tinge to it, but it's sharp and kind of pissy for a bit. I initially hated it but I learned to love it because the drydown is where things get good. When it dries down, it mellows out into this woody, green, and spicy lemon scent. After a while, it has almost like a sweet lemon gingerbread cookie vibe to it that lasts at least 8 or so hours on my skin. I don't really see a comparison to Bogart One Man Show or YSL Kouros. The Chanel Pour Monsieur and Dunhill for Men comparison is more apt, I suppose. It's very alluring but rough around the edges. It punches way above the $20 asking price. I ended up getting a few backup bottles. However, after wearing it off and on for a year, I realized I wasn't giving it as much love compared to other scents in my collection although I loved how it smelled post-drydown. After reading a bunch of posts on here and other sites mentioning to try out the vintage, I ended up buying a 50ml bottle with the brown box, thin text after seeing it on eBay for a reasonable price. The most noticeable difference between the original formulation and the reformulation: Smoothness. Pure silky smoothness because of the oakmoss and treemoss. The opening, which was offputting in the reform, was tamed significantly and even became enjoyable! The drydown is a lot fuller and fluffier, with a bit more of an emphasis on the lemon and the spiciness. Ended up buying 10 more bottles of the vintage after wearing this. It's *that* good. Both formulations have around the same longevity: 8 to 12 hours depending on weather and ambient room temperature on two sprays. For the love of god, just don't overspray it. One to two sprays is all you need, pleasant, and tolerable to others, dependent on your climate. A key question is: Is buying vintage better than buying the reformulation that's a lot more readily available? It depends on what you're looking for. I'd recommend buying the reformulation first and seeing if it's something that'll work well for you. I found that by trying the reformulation first and then getting my nose on the vintage, I have a greater appreciation for both. Most reformulations of fragrances of yesteryear get absolutely butchered, straying away from what made them smell as good as they did either out of cost-cutting measures, IFRA regulations or because the perfume house wants to 'modernize' things. Being able to reformulate an older fragrance and have it smell pretty close to what it used to with just with a few tweaks and changes is something I respect. Versace L'Homme is a good example of it, just like modern bottles of Guerlain Mitsouko EDP and Chanel Antaeus. Pure class and individuality in a bottle. Get your nose on this, the sillage is heavenly.

This city is old, very old, la città vecchia. It was first settled by the Greeks, Neapolis, the new city has stood in splendid defiance of the fires of Hades for thousands of years. Fires which could sweep it away in a roaring flash. Vesuvius glowers green and gorgeous as it rises nearly out of the heart of this city. The walls of the houses of Naples are ancient and burnished with the patina of history and war. It looks old and at times dirty but it is proud and enduring. And at night this city is the very heart of Italian amore! Una notte a Napoli says it all. One night in Naples With the moon and the sea I met an angel He could no longer fly One night in Naples Of the stars he forgot And even without wings Took me to heaven And the men of Naples are indeed angelic, they have what all Italians possess, style with a capital “S”. Only in Naples it is more so. With death the ever present mistress of these men, the men of Naples tread beneath the killer of Pompeii and carry themselves like kings. They dress with an elegant élan and walk like indolent big cats as the leave the ancient houses to take a passagata in the evening. Even the poorest men of the city dress well. It must be in the blood to always look so great. There is no fashion runway like it in the world as they stroll with their ladies though the streets of the city. Not even Versace can do these Neapolitans one better. The only thing I can think of when I wear Versace L’Homme is of these incredible men of Naples. Versace L’Homme might have been created with men such as these in mind when it was launched in 1986. This was the height of the power fragrance for men, bombs of scent that demanded attention. If too many opposing power bombs met up in a club there could be blood. What stands out about this predominantly leather fragrance is how restrained it is in its opening of lemon, petite grain, basil and Italian pimento. In this 80’s age of gold chained hairy chested panache Versace L’Homme comes in easy and with great style. This gives the fragrance timelessness to me. This is Versace before Donatella took us all to the gladiatorial arena. This is not for the moment, for boys who like the flash and drama of a passing fad. This is a well made Italian suit for a man of substance and taste. The center of this fragrance develops with roses in a patchouli patch sprinkled with cinnamon and cedar shavings and infused with sandlewood. The effect is Pepper! The leather comes up from behind and wraps you in a well made and comfortable jacket. The leather was rubbed with labdanum, and Tonka oil. In the breast pocket you will find a bit of smoky Oakmoss and a few vanilla beans. The passagata of Versace L’Homme lasts around five to seven hours and like its louder friends at the club it has very good silage. But this one will not grab you by the silk tie and shake you for attention. This sly sexy guy enters the room with true and impressive grace that beckons the senses with true Italian style, much like l'uomo da Napoli/ FIVE GOLD STARS *****

One of my favorites, very underrated. Citrusy, herbal, leathery. I detect something animalic that may turn some off, but it’s pretty inoffensive and doesn't punch you in the face. This is probably the closest thing to an animalic scent that I can enjoy (even though animalic isn't listed anywhere in the profile). Opens with a sharp, zesty, herbal citrus blast and dries down to smooth, creamy, lemony. Leather is present from start to finish. Nothing sweet here even in the vanilla and tonka bean I detect in the base- this one is masculine all the way. Very versatile, could be worn with something dressy or just jeans and a t-shirt. Also versatile in terms of seasonal wearability, I’d say it’s better suited for fall and winter, but I will wear this any time other than hot summer days and I wouldn't hesitate to wear it in the spring or on a summer night. I also feel like you will smell different notes when you wear this during different seasons. Pretty good longevity, I get about 6 hours from this, projection is decent. If you’re a fan of drakkar, polo green, polo crest, or any other old school or barbershop type fragrances then this is definitely worth a try. This is actually pretty similar to polo crest now that I think about it. I wasn’t exactly in love with Versace L’homme at first, but this scent quickly grew on me and I find myself wearing it a lot and will always keep a bottle of it. Definitely old school, young folks will probably think this smells “old”- if you’re under 25, I think there’s a pretty decent likelihood that you won’t like this (unless that’s your thing). Not like any of the other Versace fragrances so don’t think this is going to smell like modern releases from Versace (it doesn't smell like any older Versace fragrances either, actually). Versace L’homme is also an excellent value as well at around $20USD per 3.4oz/100ml bottle for a good quality natural smelling fragrance. I could see this being pretty polarizing and I think you’ll probably either love or hate it (can’t really imagine anyone being unsure about whether or not they like this one), but if this is in your wheelhouse it will most likely become one of your favorites. Overall: 8.5/10 Scent: 8.5/10 Longevity: 8/10 Projection: 7/10 Value: 10/10

Many may disagree but I believe it’s a masterpiece! I own the modern formulation and the vintage Giver Spa formulation. Clean lemony fresh opening but not in the juicy lemon manner. More in a green and bitter herbal manner. Then it dries down into an addictive blend of florals and woods very slightly sweetened by cinnamon. The modern is great but the vintage is even better. The opening on the modern formula I can see why people find it unbearable and unpleasant. As it smells more synthetic with a bit of bathroom lemon cleaner smell. Chris from Scent Land describes it as a male bathroom smell. When I let the new bottle sit for a month I notice the fragrance becomes smoother and less synthetic smelling. The dry down however is amazing and worth the wait. On the other hand the vintage Giver Spa formulation is incredible from top to bottom. It is richer, smoother and with more depth. Every time I sniff it I think to myself: why do I need any other fragrance? It lifts my mood every time I wear it. I see many comments saying it smells like piss. Maybe it’s their body chemistry not working with this fragrance or they are not letting the fragrance develop and drydown. For the folks that dislike the modern version I urge you to at least try the vintage giver spa version before completely knocking it. Those folks may not believe it but it is my most complemented fragrance. It somehow works great with my body chemistry. I get more compliments when I wear this, from all ages, both women and men than any modern fragrance I have worn. I will continue to buy the vintage until they are all gone or prices become unreasonable. When that day happens I will gladly move on and continue buying the modern formula.