Homme Carven for men

Great reviews here - I came to know of this discontinued gem a short while ago from fellow reviewers online. I got lucky, found it and got a decent number of bottles. This is simply great juice!

The comparison to Gucci Envy is there, but I find it more different than alike. While some notes are shared, Carven Homme is a true woody spicy with very nice sandalwood & cedar on the base intermixed with great baking spices - cinnamon, nutmeg and coriander. The amber and labdanum create warmth along with a pinch of pipe tobacco that accentuates the spices - giving it a nice kick.

The slight commonality with Gucci Envy lies in the top & middle notes for me (if I really try to find the connection) - mainly with the spiciness and wood notes in the heart (but they are very different compositions) - however they share cedar, coriander and a touch of vetiver each (ironically, both clean vetivers). Common notes in the top are a nice smooth lavender with rosewood (a great opening note that give you a woody feel from the top). Carven Homme is less bright as Gucci Envy has a sharp ginger accord on top (as some find 'mentholated' - but if you have ever smelled fresh-cut ginger, you know that is not menthol at work) - that is not at all present here in Carven Homme. The citrus is fresh and well-done, but not overpowering in either.

While Carven Homme turns to a nice warm woody base with amber, Gucci Envy for Men goes to the infamous incense and patchouli that hints at amber and a touch of vanilla that distinguish it as an Oriental Woody (more of an Oriental Woody/Aromatic to me, if such a thing exists!)

There is a reason that the reviews for this are so good. It is a great quality composition, has fantastic warmth on the skin and could be worn either casual or formal (or as an office scent). It radiates nicely from the body and a couple shots to clothing upon application and the first 2-3 hours...but becomes a very smooth wood and spicy skin scent that last for over 6 hours, even in cold weather outdoors - this stuff stays on and has a nice "aura scent" to it, but is never loud or abrasive. Impressive longevity and above average projection.

Office wear - no more than 5-6 sprays total, with at least 1-2 on your clothes.
"Full" wear - 8-10 sprays total, 2-3 on clothes. This would be for going out, date night, etc. A fragrance that begs for comparison as it is so damn good. Gucci Envy is what others compare it to - I did a comparative review here with a "Full wearing" of Carven Homme, except for a Gucci Envy on the back on my hand to get all the notes right.

I suggest to have both bottles of juice in your wardrobe - one is not at all a substitute for the other. Try to find it. It is worth seeking out.

Quality ingredients here. It can be worn year-round, with moderate application in warm weather - but very masculine and a scent that will get you compliments everywhere you go. Nobody knows what it is (but wants to know - women and men) and ask where you can buy it...I get strange looks when I tell them it has been discontinued - someone said, "I guess you're lucky to have it." And, I am.

Overall score - 8.8/10. Highly recommended.

I liked this at one time but now I find it too harsh. I sprayed some on my ankle about an hour ago. What I'm getting now, as I waft it up to my nose, is something sharp, obviously at least part due to the lavender, as well as something syrupy vanillic. Obviously there is spice but these two elements really "spike" out. I'll post back if it changes.

UPDATE: The sharpness isn't letting up. Could aldehydes being doing this? It seems way too "bright."

UPDATE #2: The " brightness" has mostly subsided, and now some patchouli is clearly present. Spice has been around the whole time but is always on good behavior. The continuing brightness, along with sharp lavender and that common base of wood, patchouli, and amber/vanilla doesn't really do anything for me. By contrast, Roadster replaces the lavender with a good mint note, there is no irritating "brightness," and the base is balanced better. Roadster isn't spicy, so for spice frags I have Opium Pour Homme EdP, the original Guess frag fro men, late 90s Catalyst for Men, and a few others.

UPDATE #3: 8+ hours after application and it's very sweet. I can still detect the patchouli clearly. There is still more than a hint of that sharp aspect as well, which I'm thinking might be lavender and rosewood in larger than usual amounts. If there's a tobacco note in here it's the weakest I've ever encountered.

Yes, it is similar to Gucci's Envy for men, but I haven't tried that one in a very long time. I don't like this idea, generally-speaking, so others may be able to distinguish among these better than I can. However, I've found that they tend to get cloying after you've worn them a few times, so I suggest getting samples and trying them out once a week for about a month to make sure you can get through a bottle. Also, I question the quality of the ingredients for this one; it just doesn't seem like a natural scent to me, relative too similar ones that I've tried, though as I said I wouldn't be surprised if a huge amount of aldehydes were used.

Best fragrance in my collection to date, and that includes many Luca Turin 5* selections. The lavender in the opening is beautifully embedded with the other top notes, and the woods and spices are there from the getgo right through to the end.
I have the impression of honey and raisins which obviously aren't listed but that's how it comes across to me. Simply put, it's just gorgeous.
Longevity is around the 10 hour mark on my skin. Have tested a few Carven fragrances recently and before this one I was severely underwhelmed. Not any more though.
Good luck tracking some down as it took me a few weeks. At least it wasn't expensive.

This is a great fall/winter scent that is smooth and well-blended. The most prominent notes are the lavender, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, though other notes from each stage are detectable and add to the overall beauty of the composition. It is comfortable and easy to wear, with good but not over-powering sillage and more than decent longevity. Though hard to find, it's very affordable given its excellent quality. I can see myself reaching for this quite often next winter as the holidays come around and I look forward to it!

Smells like a niche version of Gucci Envy. The opening is a bit harsh, but it settles down fast and into a quality heart and dry down. If I didn't know what this was and was testing it I would never guess that this is less than $30 a bottle. A bargain indeed.

For the money this is one of the best masculine scents on the market. All the notes from top to bottom are there and in place. It can be worn any time of the year and for any occasion. On my skin it has decent staying power that stays close to the skin after about the first 20 minutes. The person next to you will get a whiff of it but the person next to him/her won't. I personally like this in a perfume. I'm pleased Fragrantica finally entered this little gem into their database and thank them for that.
To sum up, this just plain smells good. I still can't believe it's so inexpensive.