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The Most Compliments I’ve Ever Received

“I discovered Gendarme cologne a few months ago when my friends referred me to the Gendarmerie Spa, which is literally connected to the business of the cologne company by a stairway.

Quite literally, the most compliments I’ve ever received for a cologne. It’s unbelievable how many people have stopped me and asked me what I was wearing. Maybe because they don’t overexpose themselves like Obsession and Acqua di Gio, with stickytabs in every issue of GQ… maybe because it’s unique and not what five other people on the elevator are wearing… but everyone who smells it seems to love it. Not only that, but I sent my mother and sister their women’s fragrance, Carriere, for their birthdays and they both have the same experience. My mother told me last week that two nurses and a doctor all inquired when she went for her last mammogram (TMI, Mom, but you’re welcome for the gift).

The spa sells the fragrance line, and walk-ins are welcome, so stop by and check out the testers. I’ve yet to meet anyone who didn’t rank it between 8-10 on a 0-10 scale. And everyone else is already wearing the one on your bathroom counter right now…”

Sean B. on Yelp.com

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A Whiff of Freshness

Five years ago on my birthday, I received a gift from one of my muses and closest friends. From the shape of the simple white paper package, I could tell that it was either a cologne or skincare product. True enough, I received a bottle of clear scent.

“Why would anyone give a cologne?” I wondered. Scent is a very personal choice; you have to put it on to see how the tones develop with your natural oils. Being vegetarian makes it doubly hard to find a suitable one. Very particular about what goes into the scent, I avoid animal-based essences especially when I developed seborrheic reactions to certain pigment components in perfumes.

The clear liquid showed promise and when I sprayed some in the air, I instantly liked the top notes. A spurt on the wrist, behind the ears and fifteen minutes later, I found another scent that’s on the top 3 of my list (the two others come from European perfumers whose names start with B——and C—–)

Confirming that the new scent worked for me were two friends who also bought bottles for themselves after I wore it to an editorial meeting and post-workout snack at the gym. This cologne is Gendarme.

A few months ago, Sevrine Miailhe, Marketing Communications Manager for Rustan’s cosmetics, toiletries and perfumery invited this jotter to the press launch of Gendarme. No less than Jonathan Risco, the president and international ambassador of Gendarme Fragrances flew in from LA for this launch and the exclusive party hosted by ZEE Lifestyle Magazine and Tanya McCarthy.

As administrator for the company, Risco increased the brand extensions and got personally involved in the creation of Gendarme EDP, Green, and Gendarme SKY. His marketing expertise has allowed Gendarme to grow from a California “Cult Classic” to an industry bellwether.

The new bottles look great but I have yet to try them. Still happy with my n’th bottle of Gendarme, now I realize that if you know a person well enough and had been hanging out around him long enough, you can actually tell if a cologne suits his personality and chemistry with just a whiff.

Blog article by OJ Hofer

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Gendarme – A Lightly Clean and Crisp Men’s Fragrance

I will never forget my first experience with Gendarme, which today is still one of my favorite, if not the favorite, cologne I like to wear.

It was 1991 and I had just moved to Los Angeles, California, and I was out shopping with some friends at the Beverly Center, a large commercial shopping mall.  A friend of mine suggested we go elsewhere and we ended up at International Male which boutique is no longer there today.  Regardless, before I moved to Los Angeles I would always receive the International Male mail order catalog which was the type of catalog guys were almost too embarrassed to open since all the clothing revolved around racy underwear for men.  During the late 1980’s, catalogs just did not focus on brawny tan men sporting their naturalness in underwear, with the exception of International Male.  My experience at the boutique, needless to say, was even worse since all of the clothing their also revolved around racy underwear for the “kept” man and even in the early 1990’s, I just wasn’t having it.  The catalog was better because I could close it but inside the boutique the only thing I could do was run out of there.  What added insult to injury was the fact that the guys that worked at International Male at the then time even looked like the models in the catalog!  The only thing I could purchase was my first spray bottle of Gendarme and only because it was pretty much the only classic looking merchandise available and since I was in a shopping competition with my friends, I had to purchase something so I wouldn’t look like an idiot.  In 1991 the 4 oz. spray bottle cost me $40 plus tax and today, the Company lists the fragrance at $72.00 although the suggested retail value is between $50.00 and $72.00.

Regardless, luckily for me, I would later find out that I could purchase Gendarme at various locations, including Macy’s at the Beverly Center.

In concert with what the Company states about this particular fragrance, I am in complete agreement and add that to me it smells very clean like a gently sweet non-confrontational cotton or linen type of fragrance.  Whenever I wear the fragrance, I always receive compliments and even from those in the office that typically cannot be around others who wear fragrances.   The fragrance is very California and although great year-round and especially for heavy fingers that love to spray an entire bottle in one application, not much of an application is necessary for a long-lasting aroma due to its oil base, yet perfect for heavy fingers in that too much of an application won’t result in a confrontational overpowering fumigation.

Review by John Huetteman on eOpinions.com