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Throwback Fragrance Favorites

Each year, the fragrance industry barrages our faces with new releases and editions (dubbed flankers, think CK One Summer).  Within this mass sea of marketing, know that there have been forerunners in the past that have already paved the road for these fragrance free loaders.  Read below for some monumental releases that not only have heritage, but smell totally appropriate in the modern world (not to mention they’re less likely worn by your friends and girls will think you really know your stuff).

Guerlain Vetiver

Year released: 1958

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Notes: Lemon, Bergamot, Vetiver, Cedar, Tobacco, Tonka

Wear if you: Like to smell fresh but want it to last; think citrus and woods

Dior Eau Sauvage

Year released: 1966

Notes: Lemon, rosemary, green basil, vetiver

Wear if you: Prefer lighter, unobtrusive scents; it’s bright, fresh, and warm weather friendly (for that Caribbean holiday your taking this winter!)

Chanel Antaeus

Year released: 1981

Notes: Lime, Clary Sage, Myrtle, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Labdanum, Beeswax Absolute.

Wear if you: Want to be bold and exotic and not sweet. Fun Fact: named after the Greek demi-God!

Creed Green Irish Tweed

Year Released: 1985

Notes: Lemon, Verbena, Iris, Violet leaves, Sandalwood, Ambergris

Wear if you: Like if you prefer aquatic scents and only need one. This is the Swiss army knife of scents; wear it for all occasions, all year round from the historic house of Creed.

Wes Holcombe
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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Not the usual woody foundation fragrances
 
While cedar might feel familiar as a foundation ingredient in men’s fragrances, this particular version is different.  Atlas cedar is native to the Atlas mountains in Algeria and Morocco, and it’s prized for having a warm scent that also offers a hint of delicate sweetness.
Gaiac wood is equally unique. It comes from a tree native to South America, and its smoky, sweet scent blends with both its woody cousin and the leather in the next layer. It offers traces of amber, too, and in its natural form this versatile, super-hard wood is used in both tool handles and traditional medicine.
Cistus has its own special origins, too. It grows wild in the areas around the Mediterranean, and it produces labdanum, a sticky resin that’s a staple of the perfume and fragrance world. It’s often used to support wood fragrances in the base layer, so it’s not surprising to see it turn up here. Perfumers see it as both cozy and romantic, hence the appeal in a fragrance that seeks to evoke this level of romanticism.
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