FRAGRANCE | Who's afraid of Kouros EDT by Yves Saint Laurent?

halfwhiteboy - Yves Saint Laurent Kouros EDT

Much has been said about this 1981 classic by Yves Saint Laurent. Many have complained about it smelling skanky, sweaty, like cat piss, a urinal, and so on - perhaps to the point of dissuading others who might have wanted to give it a try. I was actually quite scared myself after reading all those reviews but eventually I pulled the trigger and made a blind buy. After all, several low-rated fragrances have actually worked well on me.

I was bracing for something really strong and animalic but to my surprise, Kouros carries a powdery freshness with it. Yes, it is fresh - which also becomes just a wee bit soapy at some point - but there's a salty, musky accord swirling around. I think it's what makes it quite unique, setting it apart from most freshies out there. There are also no dominant citruses or florals normally seen in freshies. There are such notes listed, though, but they're all lost in a wonderful blend that comes off as fresh and clean.

Wait, fresh and clean but with a salty and musky undertone? Oh, yes! And this is why Kouros doesn't smell overly clean or uber-sanitized. The muskiness keeps it grounded and "normal," a kind of shower-fresh clean combined with a guy's natural body odor. That, to me, is where its appeal lies. Ironically, it's also probably where all the disdain is rooted.

This fragrance isn't a monster. Maybe it once was but the current formulation renders it fairly agreeable to most people despite its strong projection, at least to those unfamiliar with all the hullabaloo surrounding it. I mean, I haven't encountered any negative remark so far. It's a fairly long-lasting scent, with performance that gradually decreases as the hours go by. But that's expected.

I'm clearly enjoying Kouros. I have no idea what the original formulation was like but I'm happy with my 2018 bottle as it is. It works for me but I won't go forcing it down everyone else's throats because I understand that it's not for everybody. However, I say set your prejudices aside and give it a try at least. Who's afraid of Kouros anyway?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LOOKBOOK | Barong Tagalog and sneakers for 'Buwan ng Wika'

Image
Looking oh, so dignified here. Although the celebrations are normally concentrated in elementary schools, August is Buwan ng Wika (Language Month) in the Philippines. Along with dressing up in various traditional Filipino costumes, schools usually hold programs and contests showcasing the national language and traditional Filipino songs and dances. Our department decided to join in the fun by designating a special day yesterday where everyone was required to wear a traditional Filipino costume reinterpreted for modern times. Two years ago when we first held this event, I found myself wearing an ethnic-designed shirt with a malong . This year I decided on a Barong Tagalog , considered our national formal wear for men. But no one wants to go all formal on a Friday, so I wore my Barong Tagalog with sneakers . I thought, if a full-on suit works just fine with sneakers, a barong would be just as perfect with this type of footwear.
Read more

FRAGRANCE | Green Cedar EDT by Bench: An environmentally-conscious offering from the Philippines' premier retail brand

Image
A few weeks ago, I found myself wandering inside Bench Powerplant Mall. And what else would catch my eye but two fragrances by their lonesome twosome, positioned far away from the rest of the brand's scent offerings. They're Basil & Neroli and Green Cedar , both EDTs and part of the  Bench Better Made line . The frags are purported to be vegan and cruelty-free. They come in 125ml dark brown glass bottles and brown paper cylindrical boxes. Nice packaging there except for the cheap, plastic cap. No big deal, though, since they're just Php 428 apiece. 
Read more

FRAGRANCE | Rajo Uno EDT by Bench: An inexpensive local gem

Image
Philippine retail giant Bench has been many a high schooler's go-to shop for cheap colognes, myself included. And even during my college years, Bench has remained a staple. I remember  Bench Ei8ht was very popular with many people back then although my favorites were their body sprays Cielo and L'Amoureux . Through the years their roster of fragrances has only grown by leaps and bounds, with a lot of them made in collaboration with celebrities and fashion designers like Rajo Laurel .
Read more