I have always enjoyed smelling Obsession on other women. I have not enjoyed it on me.

For whatever reason, it was either too much or too little — it was too sweet or just not enough of something, whatever that was, that would make it me.

top: mandarin, bergamot and green notes.
heart:floral and spicy composed of jasmine, orange blossom, coriander and basil.
base: Sandalwood, amber, vetiver, musk and incense make up the woody and ambery end note.

or
Mandarin, Bergamot, Vanillin, Jasmine, Orange Blossom, Coriander, Tagette, Amber, Oakmoss.

or

mandarin, bergamot and peach. Blended with notes of lemon, jasmine and oakmoss,

I have a friend who wears it almost exclusively. It is definitely her signature or Holy Grail fragrance. On her, it has nice sillage (the amount of fragrance that trails the wearer) but not too much. When I try wearing it after being with her, I think it smells the same on me, but not as good, if that makes any sense. It is just missing notes that I need to feel content with it.

Enter Obsession For Men. About a year ago, other perfumistras were praising it as better than Obsession for women, so at that time I decided to track it down to see if I thought they were right.

Somehow I missed this fragrance entirely when it came out in 1986. Partly, that’s because I wasn’t thinking of wearing men’s fragrances for myself at that time, but also because my dh has always had only one fragrance he’s been interested in wearing, so I didn’t really look around.

Let me just say that the way Obsession for women smells on my friend is the way I feel when I wear Obsession for men, only better.

top notes: bergamot, lemon and sage.
middle notes: fern, carnation and amber
base: moss, vanilla and benzoin

or

The carnation note is warmed up by patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, benzoin, vanilla and amber.

A subtle note of red berries enhances this powerful and sensuous fragrance.

or

Mandarin, Bergamot, Lavender, Myrrh, Clove, Nutmeg, Amber.

Well, you can see that listing notes is not an exact science! At any rate, it has the zing that Obsession for women lacks.

On me, it is both spicy and woody, picking up the amber strongly. Whatever moss there is, does not register as it does in Madame Rochas. I don’t smell any lavender except blended in way below any conscious awareness of it. (Lavender is sometimes too masculine on me or the combination of notes added to lavender, because lavender is used a lot in men’s fragrances.)

I am a happy camper.

Karin

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Just thinking, Perfume review, Perfumes