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Mi_EvroShipping – :
I can see why politicians and celebrities wear this. They want to feel clean despite the stinking decadence that surrounds them and dwells within their hearts. It is analogous to Tom Ford’s habit of taking 15 baths a day and Lady Macbeth’s compulsion to wash her hands and shout “Out, damn spot!”
I’ll avoid Gendarme for these reasons alone. Bad karma.
kaskay – :
Pleasant and clean. One of my favorites for when I want to smell pleasant and clean.
lanchinl – :
I can’t believe politicos wear this. It smells exactly like Philosophy Pure Grace. It’s a soft jasmine musk, sunscreen or lotion smell. I mean, don’t get me wrong… it’s very nice! It’s clean, soft, fresh.. like a big fluffy stack of white towels and linens. I just don’t think of it as smelling very manly. It reminds me so much of newborn babies and warm blankets.
xDima – :
Very disarmingly different for a men’s fragrance. I love it. Airy, ozonic jasmine supported by green notes, skin musk, and citrus. It definitely conveys suntan lotion and being at the beach, but somehow does it without any coconut or tiare/plumeria notes.
It’s very easy to wear and widely appealing, but I love that it still has a sexy, carnal edge to it — like a man’s chest tanning in the sun. The EDC formulation is predictably short-lived, but luckily there is an EDP version which I look forward to trying.
aserb – :
The EDP takes Gendarme onto another level. It’s more dense and has tremendous lasting power with solid projection. It’s still easily noticeable after 8 hours and I always receive compliments on it
Scent 10/10
Longevity 10/10
Projection 8/10
Overall 10/10
khariton22117 – :
Best clean and refreshing scent hands down! Nothing like it, it’s been out since 1983. It can be worn on all occasions, work, casual, suit and tie. Very inoffensive and classy!
Hierro – :
Very pleasant, inoffensive and rich! This is very suitable for work environments and casual wear, even formal. I got decent longevity but unfortunately, the projection was very mild. With a stronger projection, this would have been a sure winner!
Decident – :
I bought this last night because I’d heard good things about it. It’s a very soapy clean scent. What initially popped in my head when I first smelled it was Coppertone sunscreen, which is not a bad thing in my opinion. It has that clean and fresh beach vibe. It’s a very nice ‘neutral’ scent that seems very balanced. I’ve sprayed some colognes on similar to this that I wanted to wash off immediately. Not this one though. It’s very pleasant. I’m thinking this will be a go to for work and daily wear.
haliphype – :
I discovered this googling colognes worn by us presidents. Bill Clinton and Bush 43 came up on my search. I figured, if it is good enough for presidents, it is good enough for me. When I put it on, it smells like a mix of a white dove soap bar, original white ivory soap bar, zest aqua pure, and irish spring soap all together with light jasmine. Hope this helps, since it is kind of hard to describe scents. This is my favorite spring and summer cologne, won’t use anything else for the time being. I am 37 and new to wearing colognes.This Gendarme cologne is very unique, distinct, smells very clean, and it does not overwhelm people. It does not have the department store cologne smell at all. It is in a class of its own. I know there are other colognes that have tried to copy Gendarme, like Mugler, Mugler attempted to copy Gendarme, Gendarme was first. You can’t go wrong with this. I have noticed ladies giving me the eye just a little bit longer than before I was wearing this stuff. Very subtle cologne, but gets the point across, ” I smell clean.” Also, this cologne has something that two hours later you can no longer smell it on you. However, everyone else around you smells it up to 6 or 7 hours later.
Sanya77dan – :
I really enjoy this fragrance but it is short lived. It smells very clean as if you just stepped out of a shower. The scent does not last long at all. Whenever I want to wear this cologne, I usually apply some unscented lotion on and spray on top of it. It may give me 3 hours.
I also noticed the price doubled since I bought my bottle.
melia-777 – :
What a delicate, pleasant, light-hearted, free-spirited, lovely little cologne! I layered it with Creed Silver Mountain Water, and both created an amazing compliment-getting result. The cheerful citrusy opening gives way to the gentle jasmine middle note, which is my my favorite stage of this cologne. I didn’t smell the leather note, though. Too bad for its poor longevity, but it is highly recommended for those who love light, gentle, office-safe fragrance.
yxq972Bessinepome – :
For anyone looking for a light soap scent this is a nice choice. It’s essentially a light musk cologne with light citrus and a nice dose of what seems to be natural jasmine grandiflorum. With the cost of natural jasmine being so high it’s nice to spray something where it is truly noticeable.
It’s a good cologne for casual wear or work … it’s also one of those colognes that is quite different depending on how many sprays you apply. One gives you an ‘out of the shower’ clean freshness that lasts for a few hours while two or three sprays really brings out a nice Jasmine and airy musk note.
Nice cologne for the light, fresh, clean and natural smelling crowd.
qkc028Negeltzex – :
Someone I love very much wore this cologne in the 90’s. I had the opportunity to smell it again so this is a review of my feelings about it after I have studied it’s composition. First of all I love it on any man that wears it. It’s a decidedly masculine scent because of the strong leather and musk. I can handle leather and musk but the way this fragrance is built clearly belongs on a man. The citrus opening is this scent is rather strong. It’s an acidic bitter citrus. It’s a lot of lemon. There is also verbena which I usually like but here it’s pungent. I would wear this cologne for myself if it wasn’t for all that citrus. Fortunately the rest of the time Gendarme is a warm floral-incense. I can smell that jasmine flower and the incense. Aromatic, even a tad exotic and had it been for additional notes sandalwood patchouli myrhh etc it would pass for an Oriental. The dry down is pure leather. It’s a leather based cologne similar to Aramis. If you like Aramis you’ll like this. This is a beautiful sophisticated manly scent. It has a freshness, warmth and inviting tone. Yeah it smells better on a mature man but essentially anyone can wear it if you know how to wear it and where. It’s more of an evening cologne, very formal. Gendarme means police officer in French. If they smell like this I’m all over that cop LOL
Sma1liK – :
I’ve long wanted a clean, fresh and soapy scent, but have had quite some difficulty finding the right one.
You have Prada Infusion d’Homme which is nice but a bit too anonymous. You have Creed’s Original Vetiver which is quite good, but really not worth the price. Of course there is Mugler’s excellent Cologne.
Yet none of these ever really hit home with me. They all did a nice soapy take on a fresh scent, but they all came across as too dull.
However, the original soapy scent – Gendarme – gets it just right.
It opens with a blast of citrus and lemon verbena.
Then it progresses to a green and floral heart where I mainly get jasmine and some fresh crisp vetiver.
From there it goes to the drydown which is a faint whisper of incense and leather.
Everything about this scent is about faint whisper. It’s not like Amouage’s Reflection Man where the jasmine note is in your face. Instead Gendarme is a composition where subtlety is key. Everything is in grand moderation here.
You get little complexity, instead Gendarme acts as an aura that stays with you for most of the day.
I must admit, I find it hard to really describe Gendarme. I get the listed notes, but the overall effect is quite different.
The main smell of it, is something I’d associate with clean dry linen sheets. There is nothing here to offend anyone. Gendarme is the pinnacle of a well behaved scent.
Really, for those looking to buy a scent that will please everyone, then get Gendarme. It’s only downfall is that it may come across as too anonymous at first sniff. Give it a try though, it’s a damn fine fragrance that is immaculately crafted.
Longevity is very good – 7-8 hours. It’s very subdued, but it stays present at all times.
Rating: 8.5/10
snega21 – :
I’ve been happily wearing Gendarme since 1990 or so and it is an absolute staple in my fragrance wardrobe. It’s casual, fresh and soapy. I won’t use the descriptor ‘clean’ because ‘clean’ really should smell of nothing at all.
Others have tried to copy it – the Clean brand (their “Ultimate” Clean), Pure Grace (Philosophy) – but Gendarme was the original and the one to get it just right. It’s the scent of a lovely, creamy soap; a little citrus, a little floral from the jasmine, slightly herbal and then a long lasting but light musk. Your nose will tune it out after a few minutes, which might tempt you to over-apply, but that’s not necessary. You may not sense it, but it’s there.
I’ve been complimented on my scent choices from time to time, but Gendarme is the only scent in my entire collection that’s made someone follow me down the street to ask what it was.
Rostislav66 – :
The smell of modern Hollywood and the Los Angeles vibe of glamour and sophistication. Bought this at the Gendarmerie in West Hollywood and met the founder and creator Topper who was very charming and cool. This scent is only for very upward mobile cats who who want the James Dean aura of stars.
FDSeee – :
After much deliberation, I have moved Gendarme to my “signature scents” list. I suppose my only hesitation in doing so was my own ignorance in thinking. I assumed it could be a signature seeing it only cost me 35 dollars when there are some bottles in my collection that are well over 100. Gendarme is proof that you do not need to spend half your paycheck in order to get an absolutely brilliantly made fragrance. It keeps finding its way back into my hands, even with over 140 fragrances I continually choose Gendarme for daily wear. I just cant seem to find a better alternative for a clean, fresh, masculine scent that exudes sophistication and class. Thierry Mugler’s Cologne, Prada Infusion, even Tom Ford Neroli Portofino, to me cannot compare to this (though the Tom Ford is mainly due to performance not quality). Gendarme opens with a citrus and verbena cloud, which although sounds tried it is very much unlike any citrus you’ve experienced. The main selling point for Gendarme, in my opinion, is that its truly designed to be a scent that develops on your skin as you’re wearing it. It’s almost “lotion-like” in a sense that it seems to envelop the wearer. This isn’t a fragrance that will scream to get attention. It’s not a 1 Million or a Le Male that border on ostentatious. But its not subtle either. And perhaps its best quality is its universal nature. One would think a citrus verbena fragrance would primarily be a summer scent. But here it is, the end of October, and I’m wearing this while its 40 degrees outside. I find it works all year despite its “summer” notes. And this is the true definition of a signature scent. I’m halfway through my bottle, and will no doubt part with another 40 dollars when the time comes.
игим – :
This review is for the EDP version, available on the gendarme website. I’ve lived in the world of Bond #9 and Creed fragrances for quite some time now, over 15 years. I was intrigued by what I was reading about this fragrance, and I always enjoy the stronger versions of fragrances, so I bought a 1 1/2 oz travel spray of Gendarme EDP, and I must say, in a very GOOD way,I’ve never worn anything quite like this. Two phrases come to mind: Delightfully unique, and amazingly long lasting. First, the longevity is amazing. I’ve never from any cologne experienced this kind of staying power in a cologne. Wherever you apply it, you will still be smelling it the next day. Seriously. And not just a faint trace, but an actual scent that never stops develoing. Second, there’s something about this cologne unlike any I have — and in a good way. In the reviews, many use the terms “clean” and “fresh”. True that. But, there’s something in this fragrance going beyond a generic clean freshness. It sort of reminds me of suntan lotion, but in a sofisticated blend exhuding classy casualness so appealing you’ll find yourself sniffing yourself through the day (make sure no one’s looking). As far as others are concerned, there will be a little “something” drawing them in about your smell. The citrus, the lavender, the bergamot, and everything else holds together, develops, and gets better as time passes. This has rocketed to my top three go-to’s. The EDP version is just that good!
girgardas – :
Wow. By chance I learned about this brand.
I’m blown away by the quality and beauty of this scent.
I get lots of jasmine, that it doesn’t project as a feminine note, perhaps because of the underlying leather.
It’s a clean, fresh, scent. A ‘happy’ fragrance.
I like it a lot and I’m happy that it doesn’t smell like the rest of men fragrances.
STANDLEO – :
Finally fell for the hype machine and got my first bottle of Gendarme eau de cologne 2 days ago. My take on this? Its a super weak version of Mugler Cologne (by Thierry Mugler)! I’m sure I will not be buying another bottle. As this is a cologne it does not last beyond an hour. Its not offensive but just blah! Buy Mugler Cologne guys….thats the real McCoy.
weteGedyPaw – :
Reminds me a bit of child though florals are softer and nice smooth understated leather accords
sigiux1978 – :
One of the few bottles of fragrance I can actually say I went through two bottles of. Its that versatile and that good. If you like clean scents that you can wear almost all year around and in different settings, don’t hesitate putting this in your wardrobe.
alandaalleria – :
One of the greatest fresh & clean scents available, BUT projection & sillage are terrible… simply put. I would not purchase for this reason. Given, the citrus accords that make up this fragrance don’t normally project nor last long, but this sits so close to the skin that it’s almost too personal… I mean you want others around you to enjoy the scent to, right lol? Mugler Cologne is a better alternative that still has a clean soapy scent with more complexity & performance.
kosty58 – :
claytonmarionneaux is right, I don’t think you can get any cleaner than Gendarme. For a right out of the shower scent or the smell of freshly washed linens hanging on a clothesline on a beautiful sunny summer day this is it. I did a side by side test, Gendarme EDP with Gurlain’s Vetiver and Patrick by Fragrances of Ireland and Gendarme came out the cleanest. Patrick for about $30 gave Gendarme a serious run for top spot and initially was a little stronger and a little soapier, Vetiver because of the tobacco was the most mature. All had staying power and all are very good. “Slick Willy” Bill Clinton wore Gendarme dailey. Vetiver was President Kennedys signiture scent and both were considered ladys men. Based on what you like and your budget if you’re looking for an everyday clean scent, (what woman don’t like men to smell clean and non- offensive) these are some of the best in their price range.If you’re looking for something greener (violet leaf) I love Lightscape by Ulrich Lang. Oh by the way, when you think the scent is gone, it’s not. I’ve gotten compliments on all of them after I thought they were gone.
Nov
17
2013
123slip666 – :
I agree with @burgundyaltima
This smell like cheap soap.
Longevity is about 30 mins. and sillage is good in the first ten minutes, then is gone….
Sorry, I’ve tried, but definitely not for me.
scent: 3/10
longevity: 2/10
sillage: 3/10
Alachlarita – :
I really dont think you can get any cleaner then this? Its a very comfortable different (clean) scent, mixing with out of the shower and clean linen is just brilliant! Cant wait to buy the huge can of this and Grabazzi for my backups!
Grazhdanin.kz – :
‘Hooray for Hollywood’ when it comes to Gendarme a fragrance for the stars. The smell of Los Angeles on a crisp, warm morning strolling down Sunset Bouevard. The feeling of just having showered with a succulent lather of garden soap that leaves you feeling groovy, clean, sexy and wanting more. No wonder this is a hit with the Hollywood Elite!
Vlasova-Stef – :
If you want to smell clean(er) wear this. Fresh out of the shower without taking a shower… now that’s brilliant.
I have;
One at home
One at the office
A travel size in the car
A travel size in the suitcase
andrei1902 – :
Robert Downey, Jr
Bill Clinton
Hugh Grant
Bradley Cooper
George Bush, Sr
…and me 🙂
MeGa1987ProG – :
This is an excellent “moist” soap scent, richly verdant compared to Mugler Cologne. It has less of the dry, sticky soap-residue aspect of Mugler, so I take it to be more idealized, whereas Mugler is more realistic. The EdC is largely just a weaker version of the EdP, which allows it to approximate the airy soap aura of having just gotten out of the shower, while the EdP is more like standing near a waterfall in an idyllic tropical garden. This extra lushness of the EdP, which I think is partly due to extra wintergreen (or something that reminds me of WG), makes it rather sweet, but the sweetness is very natural and unobtrusive. Sniffings of other Gendarme scents will further demonstrate this theme: they use such natural-smelling ingredients that the considerable sweetness of some of their scents becomes muted and pleasing instead of insistent and cloying. Based on my limited experience, I think the EdP has more batch-to-batch variation. Strangely, the EdP stays closer to the skin/clothes in spite of how concentrated it is, so I think that its supposed advantage gets nullified, and I find myself reaching for the EdC more often. Also, the EdC comes in smaller sizes than those of the EdP, which is exactly the opposite of how they should be packaged!
evgeniyushakov – :
After wearing this for almost a week, I can now give this a rating. This has a beast longevity on my skin, 8 hours and more, it has a soapy floral scent, and call me crazy but i get a hint of a nutty smell mixed in. All in all a decent scent, maybe not for everyone, but can be worn anytime.
8/10
nikchim – :
Recieved mine today. I’m no too sure about this one. It does smell clean, but it’s really floral to me in the drydown. Can’t put my finger on the smell but it smells sort of like a bar of lavender soap? Not bad by any means though. i can see why this could be worn easily by women aswell, very unisex, wouldn’t say masculine. I will wait to make my mind up on this before i give it a score
i15426378b – :
The “celebrity” scent. Well its something you’d want to wear if you don’t want to seem like your wearing cologne. It’s more like you just took a shower then grabbed your clothes out of the dryer that had like 10 dryer sheets. A clean scent overall.
Doran23 – :
Kinda smells like an alcoholic suntan lotion to me… Not terrible, but it’s okay.
travm2410 – :
Has anybody tried the eau de parfum version? i saw it at the web page of the company.
hev282Negeltzex – :
Clean, non-offensive and simply smells good. I use this often when at an office or in daytime settings. To me it opens a bit feminine but dries down to a good unisex scent. On my skin I have to use five sprays or it just disappears completely. Projection is fair and it stays fairly close on me. So I don’t get many compliments unless someone has to get close. Then I hear…”You smell really clean”
After all the entertainment industry hype and LL Cool Jay going on and on about it I expected more. Maybe I had my expectations a little high. In the end it is however good enough that I will likely always have a bottle on hand.
PolliAnna – :
I’m in the entertainment industry and one of the most commonly used fragrances on set is Gendarme!! Go figure.. My guess is because it’s super clean, non cloying and inoffensive. Perfect for up close scenes, or smelling good in front of the in your face invading personal space paparazzi..(if you’re that fortunate) 🙂 …Smells like clean lemon and linen.. I prefer Neroli portifino Tom Ford but this is comparable and in the same family of fragrance for sure.. If you’re in search of a hot weather scent that keeps you feeling cool and fresh even when the hot bulbs are flashing, this is it!!! I highly recommend this as well as Neroli, but of course Gendarme has the price advantage..Stay fresh my friend!
Jazzniggeroff – :
Gendarme rocks. I take this over neroli portofino and creed original vetiver hands down. Save your money on np and OV, and get gendarme. Then use the money on another Tom ford or creed.
fishkaneribka – :
I got this in a blind swap and I couldn’t be happier. It’s wonderful.
It’s like fresh, clean linen with a faint hint of lemon that’s been hung out on the clothesline to dry in the breeze. The description says it has a hint of leather but I don’t pick that up at all.
It reminds me a lot of Prada Infusion but while Infusion is fresh, clean and powdery; Gendarme is fresh, clean and citrusy. Either way, I’m happy with both but the edge goes to Gendarme.
никольанита – :
One of the best fresh scents ever created. It works well for any occasion. Although Gendarme isn’t a projection monster, it lasts all day long (the EDP version even more so) I’ve gotten many compliments over the years, highly recommended!!!
white86 – :
It’s clean. It’s soapy. It’s light. It smells kind of like laundry. But for me, there’s also a bit of a headache-inducing quality to it and it reminds me of a Glade bathroom spray. For a clean, soapy scent I prefer Mugler Cologne which I believe has more body, more character, and ultimately smells better. I was expecting something great from Gendarme, considering its reputation, but I was disappointed in this one.
речной дозор – :
Clean shower smell, short lived, but I like it. This cologne got me started in fussing around with colognes.
saleh – :
This is a great cologne. It smells nice, clean, and soapy. I’ve had the Eau De Parfum version before. I actually think the Eau De Cologne has more longevity. The best way to describe this cologne is Clean and Fresh!
Bitoarima – :
my ex wore this…loved it…we were in our early 20`s and it was this fragrance made me discover i preferred wearing men`s fragrances before the big unisex wave hit…recently purchased it again…doesnt seem to last as long before…still nice clean refreshing and subtle
stamp11 – :
I absolutely love this stuff! I have been debating between getting this and Mugler Cologne for awhile now and pulled the trigger on Gendarme last week and am so glad I did. To me this is a perfect everyday summer fragrance. Many fragrances have the “clean” and “fresh” label but this one fits the bill more than any other I have tried. I think the touch of leather I get from this is what made my decision for me, I feel it is just a bit more masculine than Mugler Cologne.
It’s longevity isn’t great but I also use the body lotion which helps the staying power a bit I think.
I don’t know if this can ever be considered a “masterpiece” in the world of perfume but it’s awful hard to beat if you just want to smell good!
Leo77 – :
Gendarme is a light soapy jasmine with a sheer touch of leather. When sprayed, it gives its user a clean out-of-the-shower smell. As for as projection and longevity is concerned, Gendarme stays close to skin and lasts (at best) about 4 hours. Be that as it may, Gendarme is practically inoffensive, which makes it suitable for both genders and all occasions.
alchoholyzmiki – :
There isn’t much going on in this one. It’s just a linear soapy creation. A bit overpriced for what it gives but which fragrance isn’t these days. I get hints of jasmine and citrus but they’re faint, very faint, and the leather and incense notes are almost non-existent but they’re there somewhere, lingering around all the light florals. Still, they all work in harmony to create a very clean, masculine scent. If you enjoy Prada Infusion D’Homme, this is one to try. It’s just a lighter version, not as sharp nor as potent and definitely not as elegant, which isn’t a bad thing. Also, you know that clean barbershop vibe that you get from Canoe For Men by Dana (1996 release)? Well, this also has that type of clean feel to it. It’s perfect. It won’t offend and smells like clean, fresh linen.
Even for a cologne concentrate, it actually holds up pretty well. It’s very aromatic and lasts 4-6 hours, roughly. I believe every man should have a nice, clean fragrance, in their fragrance arsenal, to wear in casual settings, and this one, along with a couple others, is mine. It just gives you that fresh out of the shower feeling, which I love! There is also an edp version of this, which I feel defeats the purpose of this cologne, but I have no basis for comparison so until I try it, this one will do nicely.
Kloyn34 – :
James Todd Smith III loves this and promotes it as I just saw on the NBC Today Show. LL Cool J to the rest of us. Ladies Love Cool James but he loves Gendarme. And I still love him…
dimidrol71 – :
I love this fragrance however it doesn’t last very long. It’s best for an evening out or an evening in if you know what I mean.
Herriopen – :
Very light refreshing scent for summer. I would prefer to smell this on a man on a hot and sweaty day. Its spicy yet it remains airy due to the citrus top notes. A very clean smell. Fresh out of the shower.