Skip to main content

Paul Sebastian Fine Cologne

Image
By
Sage, Lavender, Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Jasmine, Oakmoss, Amber, Musk.

This 1979 release is a rather interesting concoction. I consider it a flo-gere since it embodies enjoyable floral components and fougere traits. It's rather dismissed by folks in the hobby, possibly due to its cheap price and perhaps some snobbery as well. There are some who like it however and I can consider myself one.

PS does smell like a time and place. It's readily identifiable as a 70's to 80's aroma, but still smells contemporary enough to be viable. It also embodies characteristics of other masculines from that era as it transitions from the opening, heart and base. PS won't win any awards or go down in fragrance history, but it performs simply and admirably for a bargain basement scent.


PS opens with an aromatic and spicy lavender that's merged with a diffusive floral array led by Jasmine. The Sage lends a dissonance that somehow performs successfully in the opening accord. It's an interesting contrast for me and it's this ( I believe ) that has people either dismissing PS or embracing it.

Yes, it's old school, but PS is so readily available for economical prices that it should be tried simply to see what camp you fall into. I cannot help but feel that PS Fine Cologne would perform very well for men over 30, but it's not exactly fair to pigeon-hole any fragrance unless it truly warrants it.

Even though PS starts out fairly expansive, it quickly settles down its presence and behaves rather nicely. The first half of the fragrance gives way to a polite combination of musky amber and moss. The spice aspect is still accounted for, but much more subtle in its finish.

Thumbs up from Aromi for this retro cheapie bearing the name PS by Paul Sebastian. Sillage is strong at first, then settles within 10 minutes. Longevity is approximately 5 hours. A sample wear ( as always ) is highly recommended.
Labels:

Comments

  1. shamu1November 24, 2012 at 8:02 AM

    This is definitely a love/hate frag. People who dislike it REALLY hate it. I love it, and find it to be one of the strongest fragrances I own. I'll bet if you ask people within ten feet of you if they can smell it, even five or six hours later, they'll say they can.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Keith CNovember 12, 2021 at 8:07 AM

    PS Fine Cologne got heavily reformulated for the worse some years back. Fans didn't notice because they own huge bottles and never had to repurchase it.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

By
Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...
4 comments
Read more

Black Suede by Avon

By
Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...
1 comment
Read more

Paco Rabanne Pour Homme

By
I am reviewing the original Paco Rabanne Pour Homme ( circa 1973 ) thanks to a generous basenoter who sent it to me recently in a swap. He also sent me the current formulation in order for me to do a side by side comparison. The side by side resulted in what I had already imagined would be the case. Not that the newer formula is terrible by any means. The original version simply is better by being deeper and a bit more masculine. No......you shouldn't go to ebay searching for the vintage formula and paying stupid prices. It's simply a notch or two better than the current and noticeable by comparing the two in real time. Rabanne Pour Homme opens with a slight shimmer in conjunction with lavender, spices and a subtle woodiness. It's an old school introduction, however a good one. The lavender takes about 5 minutes to raise its volume and evolve into a soapy rendition. I dislike when a boatload of soapy lavender takes over a composition, but here it doesn't go over t...
2 comments
Read more