HiM

Autumnal delight; opens citrussy and spicy, gets sweeter and woodier with a very noticeable cinnamon, beams up from my skin. Sits at arms length, lasts all day.

This one really grew on me. I have the EDP version btw. I had never gotten a chance to try Gucci Pour Homme II, but I have always heard how fantastic it was and the nose behind it, Karine Dubreile-Serini, is also one of my favorite all-time perfumers. I got this last year and at first I couldn't stand it, something a bit abrasive in the opening, but I did enjoy the drydown. After a few months and trying it a few times I really started to "get it". It's a beautiful creation and since trying some other frags inspired by GPH2, I have really grown to love HiM. It's like a darker take on the GPH2 DNA, almost gourmandy, and better suited for the cold months. Longevity is solid 8 hours. There is a note I don't love up close that seems to fade rather quickly and I think that's what I had trouble getting past when I initially got the frag. Easy 8.5/10 for me, I am going to pick up a bottle of the EDT to compare on the coming months. I have heard they are basically identical, but it is a little cheaper. Update: I now have Gucci Pour Homme II, and this is the only fragrance that captures the opening of it, but also completely amps it up! That beautiful dark sweet violet, almost plum-like, note can be found in HM HiM and GPH2 only. The life of the fragrance is just like the opening of GPH2 and it stays on that spot for most of the time it sticks around. This fragrance has long been rumored to be discontinued but it is currently available for sale directly on the Hanae Mori website.

Great frag, darker take on the Gucci Pour Homme II DNA. It doesn't have the tea note that everyone loves but gets very close on the drydown. THIS FRAGRANCE IS NOT DISCONTINUED, it's literally up for sale on the Hanae Mori website for sale right now. Some fragrance houses have years in between releasing batches and that seems to be the case here, both EDT and EDP are available on the website in multiple sizes right now (as is HM).

Smooth, classy and dee lish us

Great, underrated fragrance. Smells classy and sophisticated. Good silage and endurance. May come off cloying in summer heat. Evening wear in warmer weather. Fits fall to spring wear best.

I was looking for a dupe for Gucci Homme II and this is very close. Love it. Refreshing yet warming at the same time. Definitely going to keep repurchasing this one.

As Calitrav says this fragrance is UNIQUE mine for example is EDP I bought in 2013 I have the same bottle the older it gets the better it is a night out beauty lots of compliments nobody knows what it is people ask which brand always say is a secret used to have HM in don’t remember very well but I think HIM is way better I’m gonna spend a few bucks will buy a bottle and keep in mind just 3 or 4 sprays no more is very very long lasting specially when get in touch to clothes a hidden gem don’t know if latest batches change the quality for the worse if somebody knows I will appreciate the comment!!

Lots of spices with slight after shave smell. A bit sweet and almost cola-like, but not quite.

This is 100% similar to GPHII after about a hr. It’s obviously not an exact copy, but it’s definitely in the same scent family. If tea was added I’d say it’s actually better that GPHII only because of performance. GPHII is my 2nd favorite fragrance after GIT

Love this, really glad i purchased it before its price went way up (if I recall I got it for around 30 USD a few years ago) and a lot of my love for it is partially because i got it so cheap and it was very worth that amount. The scent itself is very warm. It actually leans the most gourmand of anything I own or would wear (I don't normally do gourmands). to me this is a fall evening smell and it's also my go-to for date nights lol I am surprised to see "musk" listed as an ingredient as in my experience everything I see with musk as a note, I end up being noseblind to everything except the musk note.

I always enjoy Carlitos' reviews - in-depth, perceptive and we share similar tastes. But his review below is of HM, not HiM. Really annoying how similar these names are for two very different fragrances. This one does not have iris, lemon or black currrant, and it is not floral. Cinnamon, pepper, bergamot and amber are what you get in the opening and first stage. I don't love cinnamon-forward fragrances because its powerful accord is too strong to allow much subtlety. This one doesn't really try to be subtle, however, and I can see this working for someone under the age of 30, as it is a bit sweet but still masculine with the earthy spice notes that develop in the mid. The notes say fig tree, but I'm getting a clove/allspice/anise/eugenol element instead. The mid also reveals a pine scent reminiscent of the type used in Polo, but not to that extent. The eugenol and pine swirl together with the cinnamon, pepper and amber, improving the scent and keeping it from being completely linear. As others have mentioned, the ingredients have a synthetic feel to them, but the ensemble is put together quite well. To me, this is similar to Ferragamo F (not F black), not a one to one but filling the same niche. In the drydown, the cinnamon, amber and eugenol are pretty much the whole story, with occasional hints of wood and pepper. It is a fairly common base accord, and it is pleasant enough without being anything to write home about. I suppose the takeaway is that if you like cinnamon/amber fragrances, you should try this, especially for the midrange. For me, though, I already have enough fragrances of this type to wear around Christmastime.

Blitzreview: Synthetic warm spices. Longevity and sillage are the only... redeeming(?) qualities of this abomination. Score: 3.5

THE ZEN SCENT - SO CALM AND DELICIOUS We are all used to appreciating or valuing more an EDP than an EDT. Hanae Mori proposes an EDT and an EDP that are very similar in both scent and performance. Strangely enough, both bottles and prices are also quite similar. The EDT version is a tiny bit more subtle than the EDP version. The fragrance is quite versatile and it suits women as well. I would judge this fragrance to be more unisex than masculine. It does fit well in mid-season - Autumn or Spring, day or night. It has got a wide weather latitude and it's quite safe to use it on Summer nights and Winter days. I already asked a handful of people for identic vibes or look-alike fragrances. No one gave me any positive answer. There is an Iris middle note that blended with the top lemon and lavender, plus the bottom notes of dark chocolate, amber and cedar, create some (faint) resemblance with the current version of Dior Homme, although I don't consider it a dominant vibe. As no one around me shares my opinion I'll wait for some fellow reviewer to share the same opinion I have. The fragrance opens with a creamy sweet accord of lemon and black currant with a touch of lavender. The lavender does persist for the second phase where you notice some flowers scents - mainly iris - in a semi-sweet background (is it the awakening of an early vanilla note?). The bottom notes are very rich and responsible for the sweet aura around this scent. Vanilla, tonka and chocolate take over and do play a major role during the drydown, supported by sandalwood, amber and cedar fainter notes. It does have a nice longevity (8+ hours with 3 sprays), but an average sillage (3~4 feet) and average projection that lasts between 2 and 3 hours. You won't get either darkness or animalic vibes. You'll get a sweet zen lull for long hours that will make you feel good and secure. It's almost an unisex fragrance and a very sexy fragrance indeed! Let's see the math of HM for men: __________________ - Scent opening: 8.5 (very very good - my judgement) - Scent dry down: 8.5 (very very good - my judgement) - Longevity: 8.0 (8 hours+ with 3 sprays) - Sillage: 7.0 (about 3 feet for 3 hours with 3 sprays; projects for 2~3 hours); practical skin scent till the 8th or 9th hour. - Uniqueness: 9.0 (unique, very well blended giving me some vibes of other fragrances like Dior Homme, but similar to none; Hanae Mori EDP is out of this equation) - Versatility: 9.0 (almost everywhere, but with better choices for clubbing and formal events. Don't use it while working out or on the beach) - Wearability: 9.5 (high during Spring and Autumn,... quite adequate during Winter or Summer as well, but avoid extreme heat or cold). - Compliments: 8.0 (It's a universal pleaser, without being a compliment magnet) - Quality: 9.0 (my judgement - does not suggest even a small vibe of being cheap or synthetic. It does smell expensive; with a little better performance it would deserve a 10.0) - Presentation: 8.5 (discrete but very nice. Excellent cap and sprayer.) - Price: 10.0 (100 ml tester for 21 Euros + VAT) __________________ Average: 8.64 / 10.00 - between 7 and 8 =above average; - between 8 and 9 = recommended; - bigger than 9 = don't miss it; My opinion: This is a calm, relaxed, versatile, alluring fragrance. It's almost a "don't-miss scent". For this price, you must have a try! Music: The Beatles - "Norwegian Wood" (The Bird Has Flown)

This is a little hidden gem of mine. The dry down is pretty good for a designer. The opening and first 25 mins on my skins are a little rough, it’s synthetic, but only if you smell it directly to your nose. Otherwise it wafts gorgeous notes of cinnamon, woods, spice, cardamom. I don’t get the GPH2 reference, that’s a tea note frag, not cinnamon forward like this. This is darker. This is a mass compliment getter too. Everyone knows I have an extensive mostly niche collection, but I keep a handful of designers and this is one of them. Though it is almost gone, I won’t replace it. I’m going to get BORNTOSTANDOUT - smokin gun next, it will satisfy that boozy, woody, cinnamon craving I get, but it the upmost highest quality. 7/10 i recommend this scent. It’s one that started my journey to where I am now.

I could never quite get my head around Rochas Moustache EDP, but this is reminiscent of nothing more than a smoother, sweeter, spicier and much more wearable Moustache. Warm and spicy enough for cooler weather, fresh enough to be worn in warmer months. Nice.

Love the cinnamon and woody notes of this. Has been my "date night" cologne for years as my wife loves it also.

I maybe have a bad batch but this doesn't smell very good and qualitative at all. Heavy woody, spicy/cinnamon fragrance - not unpleasant but not wow neither. I get 0% similarities with GUCCI HOMME 2...

Very disappointed by this one, smells mediocre. Had high hopes from it, as I thought it would be the stronger version of the OG, smells rather cheap. P.S. I don't get any similarity between this and Gucci 2 side by side. Given that this one is hard to find and the prices are pretty high atm, don't blind buy in those hopes.

Cinnamon Goodness! This review is severely overdue..I was kinda confused on the EDP vs the EDT.. I grabbed the EDT and it does not disappoint.. This is very similar to Gucci PHII.. If you can't get your hands on Gucci PHII this is a great replacement and it will keep some money in your pocket.. I find this to be more cinnamon forward almost in the spicebomb realm which I do enjoy.. A fall/winter and early spring stunner! Nice to be worn around the holidays.. 8.6/10

Applies soft with pink peppercorn and glowing amber cinnamon warmth. Body has heady humidity. Base of cedar and musk blend without being overbearing. Good complexity while mostly cozy warm cinnamon in a not cloying or gourmand way. Nuanced like spices in a bazar by a hot stove. Doesn't scream "holidays." Piney brightness with woody base. The way this deviates from Gucci Pour Homme II is it's less complex and doesn't have the fresh blue chord. This leans more warm and cozy. Sultry and romantic. For dates, not clubbing. Densely radiant. Realizing it reads deeply Autumnal - almost painfully so. Becomes more refined as it dries down. Surprised how long it keeps impressing me. Welcomingly hot and sensual. 1ST REVIEW: A loving version of Gucci Pour Homme II that opens sweeter/brighter. Cinnamon/spice pair with fresh blue notes and sing. Uplifting, warm, energetic. Comfort of vanilla without being cheesy. Gucci Pour Homme II is more intense, deep, and spicy while this is fresh and sweet (without being cloying/sugary). I detest sweet vanilla, so the fact it’s so tastefully represented here is adorable. Growing base notes of amber and musk balance sweetness. Dry down becomes identical to Gucci Pour Homme II, except less nuanced and only barely less strong. Impressive length and projection. Easy to love without being common/boring.

I feel like this is soooooo criminally slept on! I wore this as a signature scent for years. I love it and I get compliments every time I wear it. Any season, any reason dumb reach in my book!

Like a couple of other reviewers have said, at first I found this (EDP) to be so strong and sweet that it was cloying. And I really like cinnamon and violet! I tried it a few times and decided it was impressive in its projection but just too much, or not masculine enough for my old-school taste, or both. I figured I'd swap it for something sooner or later. Then after letting it sit for 2 years, I felt the urge to try it again. And guess what? It smells terrific! Either the juice improved after a year to mature or my nose did, because now it seems much more balanced and multi-facted. I pick up on the pepper and spice and woods, which I really didn't before. I really enjoyed wearing it last night and today and expect I'll wear it a bit more while the weather is still cool. If you get the EDP I recommend starting with one full spray (it's got a good sprayer) and wait at least an hour before considering spraying on any more.

CINNAMON <3 sorry, this beats all those other date-night fragrances that boringly end up on every top 10 list on youtube lol. This is a mastery of oils

This is decent. I'm not feeling the similarity to Gucci Pour Homme II as much as some, maybe a distant cousin to it. The cinnamon stands out a few minutes after the initial spray of a brighter bergamot. After the dry down it disappears from my nose but people within arm's reach enjoy it. It's a solid juice overall.

Upon revisiting my bottle, it's got this calming, sparkling cinnamon-y cola vibe. Very relaxing, kind scent. I wear this to sleep.

GPH2 meets Spicebomb meets PDM oajan. Very nice, luckily I bought the EDT and EDP a few years ago. Prices on this fragrance have gotten a little ridiculous.

I personally pick up a lot of cinnamon and amber in this scent. Those are the only notes I knew were in here without looking. I could smell a touch of sweetness which was the tonka, and a spicy floral note which was the violet leaf and cardamom. It’s a warm and spicy scent that has a masculine yet sensual vibe to it. Women do seem to find it alluring. I wouldn’t suggest paying more than $80 US for this as there are cheaper options that work even better.

25% Spicebomb 25% Gucci Pour Homme II 25% 80’s/90’s potpourri 25% 80’s women’s perfume If I was reading this as an outsider, those last two bullets would make this sound super intriguing. But imagine the less-enjoyable sides of those two items and that’s what I’m referring to. It absolutely has some lovely aspects, but it has a certain bitter herbaceous side, which comes across as weeds to my nose, that I just can’t get past. It’s an “unpleasant weedy” as opposed to an “interesting weedy.” The bottle has been in the back of my closet for three years, though I’ve used half because I keep trying to see if I can get into it. 😂

This was my signature scent before I was actually "into" fragrances. Love it. Never tried GPHII so I can't compare but this otherwise smells unique and has excellent sillage and longevity. Glad I bought a new bottle after I'd quit using it for a while since it seems it's disco'd now.

I guess this is one of those fragrances that has been good at some point but not anymore. The one I have would barely go beyond an arm in terms of silage and 1-2 hours of longevity. It reminds me Gentleman Reserve Privée very much off of my skin. To me it's just ok and I don't think it's worth the money. You can get much better fragrances in this category for the same or less like Moustache. To me it smells very unisex. If you have a chance to try it before buying it, I highly recommend to try it before blind buying it.