aq123456aq – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

I’m not sure who voted here or where and when they bought their bottles but I purchasedt this as a splash cologne (think it was the 2.5 oz. bottle) in the 1990’s and it was perhaps the strongest thing I’ve ever owned. I cant believe the longevity and sillage ratings here are just moderate. It was strong when first applied and strong hours later. Coty must have gone oakmoss crazy with this one.
It was under $10 in the drugstores. As for a dry down – what dry down? This is a pure vanilla note, plain and simple. It’s perfect for layering. I’m sorry I didn’t buy a case of it back then.

Aphrodite – 2022-06-11:

4 out of 5

This is a good one!! Lemony and bamboo dries down to a scrumptious pure vanilla..NOT sweet. Great bargain scent that smells much more expensive than it is!!! Lemony vanilla musk! ❤️❤️

Kalabrod – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

My husband wore this the year we got married. 1997. Both of us very young with no real notion of what we might do with our lives besides love each other. So, obviously there are some amazing, bittersweet, “what-the-****-were-we-thinking?” memories in it for me. Given the chance to do it different, I would have. This fragrance, on the other hand, is something that shouldn’t be changed. If it was still made, that is. Killer juice, too bad it couldn’t have lasted as long as our union. (Going strong…most days…let’s be honest, we’re human.) It was sensual and masculine, but there was also a tender undercurrent. Call it tenderness, a macho sensitivity, the ever elusive emotional-availableness. Definitely it was a unique men’s cologne for the time. I vaguely remember Vanilla Fields was a big deal for women then, but Raw Vanilla was a maverick by comparison, even if it was probably created in response to that fragrance’s popularity. Because Raw is fairly simple and straight-forward, unlike some of the overly complex formulations floating around now, the wearer’s skin was allowed to glow through in the most intoxicating way. Unforgettable honeymoon scent. Trust me on this one.

softwazizosibisaw – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

This is vanilla done right; dry and pure, lasts, projects. I do not like gourmand vanillas or cheap vanillas. This one is a winner. I wish I had bought a larger, full bottle.

Demon13011987 – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

Why won’t the site allow me to add what this frag smells like? Hmm.
Welp, anyway—-it smells like Atelier Cologne’s Vanille Insensee.
ACVI is the more expensive version of Coty Raw Vanilla. As usual, the more expensive and niche houses mined the creative rubric of Coty and released their own pricier version.
Coty Raw Vanilla is the perfect balsamic summer vanilla. It’s the orchid or the green pod, not the finished extract. Quite lovely with depth and decent longevity given that it is a cologne. I am a woman and I wear it often enough, therefore it seems unisex to me. I currently have several back up bottles of this now discontinued frag in the mail.
That is all.

hor – 2022-06-11:

4 out of 5

Does this smell similar to Pinaud Clubman Vanilla?

BoombWobLof – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

well well welllll…..this used to be drakkars biggest competitor back in da day…while smokin j ofcoarse..anyway…this shit is beautifull recipe of uniquness…it went like this…fahrenheit…drakkar…raw vanilla…good luk finding it cheap..hmm guess that symbolizes something huh?? 9 out of 10

Svetlana – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

Another blind buy, going by reviews, descriptions, and of course, the name. How do you adulterate Raw Vanilla? By being new to this site and a little overwhelmed by all the info, I neglected to observe the notes in descriptions. Had I read them, I’d have passed. What I was expecting was benzoin/styrax, tonka, and/or synthetic vanillin a la Shalimar. More ozonic/resin in the blend.
I’ve given this the wear & whiff test three times now and I keep coming away with a drydown that leaves an underscent of sour lemon and coconut oil. Though I love both of these in culinary applications, I don’t want to wear them. Certain times of year a ship would come into the Gorge with this smell. I was told it was copal, but I burn copal w/other incenses and that’s not it either. Blech.
Ever eat a fortune cookie expecting vanilla and what you get is lemon?
Like THAT. I HATE that. Lemon is great for hot tea with honey, meringue pie, and lemon drops. Not fortune cookies.
When I’m not thrilled with a scent, I wash (or scrub, depending) it off and wait several weeks or even months to give it another chance… This one, maybe next month again, or even spring. My partner, of course, loves it. I’m glad. She can wear it to work. 😉

bvl – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

Love it, highly wearable and I like to smell it on myself though no comments so far…
BrooklynBigAl: I’m intrigued by your recipe for Ghetto TV, care to share it?

dima2020 – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

I don’t get the musk, coconut or metallic notes that I’ve read some reviews mention. It is a canvas with vanilla all over the background and some brushstrokes of greens and bamboo somewhere in the middle/ foreground.
It does seem unisex and that is something that might keep some men from using it more often.
Another thing that might turn some folks off is the sweetness, I like it but when I get a close sniff on my skin I wonder if the sweetness also may make it a little too feminine.
Thumbs up though, seems good for cool or warm weather.

SAMMY – 2022-06-11:

4 out of 5

This was one those unwanted Christmas gifts for me back in 1998/99.(True Story) I wore this on a late night rendezvous and was told the next day “I can still smell your cologne on my pillow”.

doctir – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

Coty Raw Vanilla
I have learned to ignore any marketing labels that say “for men” or “aftershave” and try fragrances just based on the notes. I’ve been reading Luca Turin’s book about how every perfumer tries to create a new, magical creation from just a few simple notes; some fail and fall flat, but some, like this one, are exceptional.
Vanilla is one of my favorite notes, and until this fragrance, I thought I’d tried every type of vanilla there was – creamy, boozy, floral, smoky, cupcake, fruity, musky, oud, spicy, woody – but this is the first GREEN vanilla I’ve encountered. I was intrigued by the idea of a teak wood note against a green bamboo note on top of a warm Coty vanilla. Coty does warm vanilla well, like my beloved Coty Vanilla Fields, so I knew I would like this one, but I had no idea that it was swoon worthy.
Today is my first full day of wearing and I was smitten from the first few minutes. It opens with a slightly masculine vibe because of the bright juniper, bergamot, and clary sage, but, within minutes there is a very refreshing green leaf and bamboo note that quickly takes over. This is my favorite part. It reminds me of the mornings in Bali, the greenest place I’ve ever visited. In the morning, when the dew is still fresh on the leaves, you smell a crisp, wet green, but since it’s a hot climate, you also get a warm, sweet, sunbaked smell. This is exactly what I get from this. A super fresh green leaves and bamboo on top of a warm, cozy, sweet, woody vanilla. The closest scent I have to it is the discontinued woody vanilla La Maison de la Vanille Eau Boisee de Madagascar. This scent takes that woody vanilla a step further by adding the twist of crisp green. This is a new favorite vanilla, and you can’t beat the price!

saber123 – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

This has been a secret weapon of mine for years. Vanilla on its own is an aphrodisiac, so I put this on before my moments of lust. A dab on my chest and neck and arms, just a few subtle dubs, not trying to project here, but to be noticed on close contact. It blends great with other fragrances so it’s a safe mix at the end of the day when most fragrances are fading out anyway. Never had a lady that hasn’t made a comment during of after sex of how decadent the experience was. The girl I am now seeing confessed to me that after our first night together, she didn’t want to shower because she could smell me on her all day the next day. Just a secret about this overlooked fragrance, that should not be kept a secret.

312312 – 2022-06-11:

4 out of 5

We got a slightly synthetic, woodsy vanilla scent, with some floral feminine lightness to it. Its not very sexy to me, but i’ll still try it

Раилаг – 2022-06-11:

4 out of 5

Recently, I made a trip out to a local department store to wrap my nose around Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille. As a former pipe smoker who used to love settling down with a nice bowl of vanilla Cavendish–and who was in need of a new scent for the fall, I wanted to buy a bottle of this stuff if it passed the sniff test. I was once again chasing something new, something exciting, something to take me where I had never been…or had I? The too-cute perfume girl at Neiman Marcus handed me a tester with a smile and as I gave it a squirt and let the smell envelop me it INSTANTLY set off a series of synapses long unused in my brain. The memory of a particular scent came first, then a memory of lots of nights of passion (mind you, I still didn’t remember what scent or with whom I had had sex–I was just getting a wave of…”vanilla and sex memory” from the vanilla in the scent. Weird, I know!) I put the $200+ bottle down as the memory hit me. My mind said, “screw this,” and my lips said, “no thanks,” to the clerk.
I pretty much RAN home to hit the internet and try and research what the name of the fragrance that I kinda-sorta-remembered attached to this memory was. It took me two days but I finally found it…Raw Vanilla. Then the full memory came back…how I bought it on a Sunday at a Genovese (now Rite Aid) drug store back in the mid-90s. How it got me LOTS of attention from girls at school (I attended at night) and women at work (I worked the graveyard shift at a call center, then slept during the day). How, in particular, it got me attention from a woman at work (Ms. V.) who was 20 years my senior, and it lead to a long, fruitful fling. How, after school and after that job I abandoned this scent for more expensive, supposedly “better” fragrances.
So now I had found it but the bad news was it was out of production…I rush-ordered a sprayer from eBay (twice the list price but still under $20 for 1.7 oz.) and…wow. Just…wow.
If I was rating it based on personal experience and on the sexy-times I got from it (not only from Ms. V. but from many other women and girls who would fall victim to its spell), I would give it a 6-out-of-5. But as a fair, unbiased rating, it is a legit 3.5-to-4-out-of-5. And this rating is coming from the frame-of-reference of someone who’s owned dozens of scents including $100-an-ounce snooty stuff.
What can I say…besides loving it today for nostalgic reasons, this cheapo department store brand was truly ahead of its time. Back then in the days of Fahrenheit and Drakkar Noir and Cool Water, BOLD was the way to go. A scent for men by Coty (who made cheap stuff for old ladies) that was very subtle wasn’t likely to get on anyone’s radar. I wound up buying this only because 1) it was cheap, AND 2) it was on sale making it cheaper, AND 3) I liked vanilla (usually in cakes, not on my skin). I couldn’t be happier that I got it: the panty-dropping effect of this guy was legendary. Seriously…whereas it was pleasant and comforting to me personally, it had an aphrodisiac effect on women (maybe because it was borderline feminine and out of the realm of male scents of the day? Or maybe because women like cake?).
If you re-introduce this today and throw in 1 more note for complexity’s sake, it would be all the rage. Let me rephrase that: even though it’s got green leaves and bergamot and musk and sandalwood and a lot of other notes and it’s a near-perfect formulation, many would call it too “simple” to rate five stars in today’s fragrance world, and I agree. While something like Encre Noire can be a 5-star masterpiece with very few notes just because Nathalie Lorson hit upon the perfect combination of notes, Raw vanilla settles into “woody vanilla” mode after a rather quick green opening and just rides it out (this, by the way, is intentional as vanilla is in the topnotes and basenotes). Back in the 90s there wasn’t a whole lot of, “what do you want to smell like now? What do you want to smell like later? What would you like to smell like inbetween?” Actually, I think the 90s is when things started to get a bit over-the-top (do we blame Acqua di Gio?). Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah–not complex enough. But if you throw some coffee in there and call it New Haarlem, people would line up to pay hundreds. Or throw some tobacco in and call it Evasion Digo de Havane and they’ll do the same. Besides the extra note (leather, spice, whatever) you would have to improve the sillage and projection (they are both decent but not good–longevity is OK though) and you would have a $70 modern masterpiece.
With that missing note in mind (and also because I was intrigued by the tobacco and vanilla combo that had set everything in motion), I set out to find a good, cheap tobacco scent to mix it with (mixing it with an expensive scent would defeat the purpose of the experiment). After much research, I settled upon Cuba Red, ordered it, tried a bunch of different ratios in my Travalo and…drumroll…TA DA!!! I mixed up some ghetto Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille for 1/10TH the price. Actually, retract the word “ghetto”. Raw Vanilla–though low in price was way ahead of its time and is a fine, complex frag. Cuba Red, which was new to me, lived up to all the hype (go read my review for the details). I thought I would have to go heavy on the Raw Vanilla to keep the Cuba Red opening harshness down but I’ve actually got more Cuba Red because the longevity of that is not that great. Not dissimilar to Tom Ford in the middle and at the end. Truly a great combo!!! (P.S. you don’t have to mix it in a Travalo, you could just layer it–the reason I mixed it is that I wanted to find the right ratio today and if I test-layered, I would soon run out of body parts to test-layer on…or I might pass out). The green opening (more “tea” than “grass” which is good) softens the harsh cinammon open on the Cuba Red; then the soft but complex vanilla goes all the way through the middle, coupling with the Cuba Red’s vanilla-like tonka midnotes; and finally, the bamboo in the Raw Vanilla perfectly complements the wood notes in the Cuba Red. Nice, nice, nice…and still very subtle (go easy on the spray, the Cuba Red is strong). It’s kinda like when you smell someone smoking a pipe stuffed with a nice vanilla tobacco (a rare occurrence these days) down the block. It’s smokey but it’s so soft and nice.
By itself, Raw Vanilla is a great comfort scent that will make you feel good and will perk up the attention of women. Very enjoyable and very doable today–if anything, it was out of place back in the 90s when intro’d and it’s a better fit for today’s sensibilities. If you ever see it in a bargain bin, buy it; and if you decide not to sell it on eBay for double the price, wear it. You won’t regret it. 100% AWESOME by itself (you’ll keep smelling yourself, I promise) or with something else that is complemented by Vanilla (something heavy on wood, spice or, of course, tobacco). This was–and to many, will always be–a winner.

autolifan – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

Very clean, crisp vanilla scent. Inexpensive but really good. Vanilla with woods and clean bamboo and herbs. Very very good and highly recommended.

gennadiivo – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

Coty Raw Vanilla is fantastic. If your looking for something that smells great and costs very little, this is the one for you. Cuba Gold (said to be better than the great Le Male fragrance) is another one that fits this bill and if you layer it with Raw Vanilla you’ll get an incredible scent that lasts for hours. It’s masculine, but ladies can wear this to due to it’s sweet but not overwhelming vanilla notes. Raw Vanilla and Cuba Gold are a fantastic blind buy for sure and will only cost you about 5-10 dollars for big bottles of each…
Raw Vanilla
Scent ~ 4 out of 5
Longevity ~ 3.8 out of 5
Sillage ~ 3.5 out of 5
Cuba Gold
Scent ~ 4.5 out of 5
Longevity ~ 4.5 out of 5
Sillage ~ 4.7 out of 5

EstasiaPago – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

While Raw Vanilla smells great on men, it is also an excellent scent for women who want to wear a vanilla perfume, but do not want to smell like a mall rat or a stripper!
This is a deep, rich vanilla, fairly long-lasting and with a decent sillage.

Mexbo058bedyWelty – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

Yummy

feldGrege – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

Raw Vanilla opens with crisp masculine cedar-like woods and green crisp leaves, but quickly settles to a rich deep natural vanilla. Totally wearable for male or female. Longevity is over 12 hours. Projection is moderate throughout wearing.
Raw Vanilla is excellent for blending with other scents also, to make them last longer.

storm217 – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

I went on my very first date with my best guy friend in February of 1998. The cologne he was wearing was Raw Vanilla. I just remember that he smelled SOOO good! I’ve never owned a bottle, but whenever I’m at the store, I’ll stop & smell it, and it takes me right back to that night! That is one of the main reasons I love fragrances so much… because of the powerful memories it evokes!

супер NEO – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

This stuff is damn good for the price. It’s certainly not one of my favorites, but I challenge you to find a better vanilla for as cheap as this. It’s a very light, creamy, Guerlain-esque vanilla (though nowhere near as refined as the Guerlinade), with a slight hint of some abrasiveness (think drying paint), but overall very well done, with excellent sillage and longevity. It also has a very smooth yet subtle coconut sort of vibe, which makes it a good choice for summer nights.
This also is totally unisex; no gender discrimination here. If you’re a fan of vanilla, check this one out, although be aware that most of the bottles for sale are splash bottles, so unless you’re lucky enough to find a vapo bottle, then you might need to get decants ready.

Underskin – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

this is a girls review. I bought this online for $8 not realizing it was a splash, like seriously why a splash? like what am i supposed to with this drink it? add it to the bath? seriously just give us a sprayer. anyway now I have to go online and buy somthing to put it in that sprays. i did dab a little on me and i do like the smells, it somehow smells like pinneapple, vanilla and musk to me. Just dang it I want to spray it. I also love anything with juniper berries in it but i can’t seem to smell them in this :-/ but thats ok, still wonderful

woll170 – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

It reminds me of The one, by D&G. Of course the latter is much spicier and evolves a lot on the skin. But The One was clearly inspired by this gem. Raw Vanilla, as the name says, is pretty raw, simple, unique. Great value.

Alexander88 – 2022-06-11:

4 out of 5

I had a boyfriend a few years back who use to wear this. Now I wear it myself from time to time. Nice warm, casual scent- I like to wear it during fun, laid back nights out with friends.

eeddd – 2022-06-11:

4 out of 5

Love this sweet, woody vanilla as much on myself as on the BF. He limits to home wear (for my benefit) as he thinks it too feminine for him to wear to work. At its best about an hour after application when it becomes really soft and smooth. Good staying power and great value.

babiduri – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

I first smelled it in 2009, and yes it still lingers on my mind. I want it so bad and had a headache googling it out only to realise it was a cotty product. The only thing I could remember was vanilla essence for men and the bottle desing and cannot believe that it is of the price quoted. I gots to have it else my life would not be complete

MedvedAN – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

Had it for a week now (bought it for my husband) and I absolutely love it! At first is very masculine (on my skin), but after 10 minutes it dries to a scent that I really enjoy and would like to bathe in it. Usually I don’t like heavy, sweet fragrances, but this one is very vanilla and very light 😀 Perfect unisex scent for all year around!

unikelectro – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

This is an awesome underrated unisex marvel.I have a splash bottle, but I decanted some in a spray vial and it is easier to appreciate it this way. The green top notes are very well balanced and bamboo does not have an artificial feeling. It dries down to a pleasant, natural scent that slightly reminds me of Bulgari Black – no rubber, though. Very nice vanilla/ lavender (sage?) for ladies and gentlemen – it really, really should be sold as unisex.

yurckin – 2022-06-11:

5 out of 5

this is, as i read in a basenotes review, a wonderful scent for blending.
i use it with arden sandalwood AND jovan musk. they’re nice together and within ten minutes of applying, there’s a lively yet grounding mix happening.

ovl699elipseskism – 2022-06-11:

4 out of 5

Very under rated scent! Nice Price!
Cool minimal bottle design!

derx – 2022-06-11:

4 out of 5

Goes on a fantastic crisp, green scent, drying to a great sandalwood vanilla. Unfortunately, on my sweet-amplyfying skin, it becomes murky at the end. It’s still nice, but the murky sandalwood/vanilla isn’t what I really care for. Understandably, this is a mens’ scent on a woman’s skin, but I do wear mens’ scents sometimes. This one just doesn’t work out for me.

ohotniktv – 2022-06-11:

3 out of 5

I was wearing this one about 10years ago. The one ingredient that really stand out was the Bamboo. This is a masculine frag that has a very good longevity. Woman love this scent, and it can be worn at anytime.

rapid – 2022-06-11:

4 out of 5

gotto say this is a great scent for the price and i love the way they blended all the notes this is totally wearable and long lasting and the vanilla is subtle so it does not make this scent offputting