The Best and Worst Men's Colognes of the '80s and '90s - Retro Fragrance Review

Do these "retro" fragrances hold up today? Find our full review here:

#retrofragrances #colognes #notsponsored

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VIDEO CREDITS:
→ Script: Teresa C. Schneider & Kyle Thibodeaux
→ Camera: Chris Dummer
→ Editing: Jonathan Oster

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Gentleman's Gazette

00:00 Introduction

Today’s market for fragrances is oversaturated, to say the least, so we’re going to take a trip back in time to the '80s and ’90s, when the fragrance world was still relatively small, to see if the fragrances that were popular in our youth hold up to today’s standards.

So, the following 10 fragrances have all been tested and reviewed by our team, but Kyle hasn’t smelled any of them yet. So for each one, Kyle will give you my first impressions as well as the more considered opinions of the rest of the Gentleman’s Gazette team.

01:04 1. Calvin Klein Obsession For Men
It’s still packaged in its original packaging: a curved bottle, that actually feels a little outdated, and a little bit feminine. But what can be expected from that came from the 1980s? The price is $82 for 4 ounces or 118 milliliters.
02:26 2. Dior Fahrenheit
This is still packaged in the original bottle which while suited to the name, does make it appear like a drugstore-level product rather than a department store level product. The price is $95 for 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters.
04:08 3. Davidoff Cool Water
The price is $75 for 4.2 ounces or 124 milliliters.
06:04 4. Acqua Di Gio Pour Homme
Like Cool Water, Acqua Di Gio is an icon of this era. It was launched in 1996. The price is $88 for 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters.
07:19 5. Issey Miyake L’eau D’Issey Pour Homme
This was described as a woody, aquatic fragrance. The price is $97 for 4.2 ounces or 124 milliliters.
08:22 6: Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male
Many have described Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male as a bit of a safe buy that’s classic yet unique as it has warm baking notes and a lot of vanilla inside. The price was $94 for 4.2 ounces or 124 milliliters.
09:40 7. Givenchy Gentlemen
The price is $89 for 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters.
10:33 8. Calvin Klein CK One
This is actually one of the first to be introduced as a unisex fragrance. This really suited the brand at the time as they constantly were featuring models, male and female wearing the same underwear. The price is $65 for 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters.
12:11 9. Drakkar Noir
This is described as an aromatic Fougere scent and it really helped cement the trend. The price is $65 for 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters.
13:43 10. Eternity for Men by Calvin Klein
This is yet again another famous fragrance from Calvin Klein. The price is $82 for 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters.

Out of this list today, Kyle's personal favorite is the Aqua Di Gio. He loves how clean and light that fragrance is. But if he were to talk about what kind of fragrances he usually would go after, as mentioned before, he kind of find his self really enjoying things that have woody, cedar, sandalwood notes; things that have a bit of leather or kind of a tobacco scent to it, mint, citrus notes in there as well, too. Nothing that’s too overpowering but things with those kinds of combinations are the things that his nose is typically drawn to.

15:04 Outfit Rundown

[georgelush]

Jeez, I must be getting old. Six of these ten colognes are still in my rotation.

[madsborup]

I think that it really fits Raphael to not like something because "it is too pedestrian"

[domcagney]

Wow, describing Drakkar Noir as "Not traditionally masculine" or "Bohemian" is very interesting. To me, it is the quintessential masculine scent, it smells like a bottle of shaving cream

[nasosgreece]

Dior Fahrenheit is so unique and pleasant smelling! It is a classic for any fragrance collection. The gasoline vibe it gives at the top makes it really unique and it is one of the most legendary scents

[gplusgplus]

No 90s fragrance list is complete without Polo by Ralph Lauren, the green bottle. Brings back so many memories.

[EccentricCF]

Drakkar Noir Is top hands down. Ladies will love it when you walk by and say you smell good and even question how you smell that good.

[MisterKnightly]

Firstly, I love that Raphael referred to something as "pedestrian."
Secondly, I hope you strongly disciplined whoever didn't like Cool Water.

[Tomatohater]

Dior's Eau Sauvage from 1966 has always been a favorite of mine.

[richardolah]

What.... Fahrenheit is a classic I love the smell it's strong and It takes me straight back to the early 90s when I smell it

[sandykl]

I love this guy. He’s a perfect and natural fit for the Gentlemen’s Gazette family. This video was comforting to watch.

[cv]

My ex girlfriend was wearing CK One. I cannot smell it without remembering her! Smells work like memory triggers in an unbelievable way!

[BPsaboYzK]

Drakkar Noir is one of the best. Smells good, last a good time for the price and you’ll get compliments frequently. My younger cousin wears it to school since it is some what cheap and a good cologne. Me personally I use VS Him Deep water or Platinum because it’s a darker smell but I’d wear Drakkar Noir any day over that

[MarshallIgnas]

My orthodontist was one of the First Gentlemen I ever met: successful, kind, dressed impeccably, and always sporting Obsession. For that reason, I have always associated this scent as the apex of the well-groomed and successful man and as such, it is my daily fragrance.

[RussellChapman]

Back then it was easy to tell what was a man or woman's cologne. Today, they try to make men and women smell the same. It is increasingly difficult to find a cologne which is properly designed for men, with the scents of leather, wood and tobacco.

[mrfuriouser]

Polo green, anyone??? I understand it was TECHNICALLY released in 1979, but it completely typified and defined the 1980s. I clicked assuming that had to be here.
On another note (pun intended) I am not surprised that none of you liked Fahrenheit. It is for the man with dirt underneath his fingernails during the day but yet he's a classically sophisticated gent by night. Calloused hands that raise the bourbon to his mouth with a sense of hard-earned appreciation. He likes the smell of a garage. He embraces his rough edges and worries little about the opinions others have of him, as he is certain of who he is as a husband, a father, and as a man.

[staguar]

Escape from Calvin Klein from this era and I absolutely love it for warm weather. It's fresh and smells like spring time to me

[UBlades]

Please don't pay retail by all means, most of these can be had for less than a third of what's shown in the video. The likability of the fragrances is subjective of course. Cheers!

[careavis]

Two great decades loved those times and the colognes.

[kdknyc]

Actually Givenchy Gentlemen was launched in 1974-76. The bottle shown, maybe later, but I wore it in college in the late 1970's.

[gentlemansgazette]

As a few viewers have pointed out, Givenchy Gentleman was indeed launched in the 1970s (though there is some confusion, as various sources list either 1974 or '75). While it's therefore an outlier in this group, it's still in good company with other '70s fragrances we've covered, like Paco Rabanne Pour Homme. We hope you find our review useful--and be sure to check out our other fragrance reviews via the playlist below! -Preston