Findings at TJ Maxx, Ross and Marshall's

I have a sneaking suspicion that all three of these discount stores are owned by the same company. They all have the same setup inside, systems and products.

Here are the fragrances I have purchased from these three stores over the past couple of months along with a mini review.


GF Ferre Lui - spicy and reminds me of Christmas
Oxygene Homme - fresh and spicy
Spark - honey and booze, synthetic
Paco Rabanne pour Homme - classic lavender and mossy
Drakkar Noir - this is the 80's
Paul Smith Extreme - cool packaging, nice scent
Everlast Original 1910 - the best bargain out of all these
Lacoste (original) - lemon and sandalwood, screams sporty polo shirt
Lucky Number 6 - a competent evening scent that not many have heard about
Azzaro Pure Lavender - ugly as a perfume but great as a room spray
Tumulte pour Homme - cedar, cedar, cedar! get your cedar here! also cool packaging

Most were purchased at $15 or less. I feel as if Everlast Original 1910 is the most interesting of them all. It smells like you're put on cologne after a workout but it's not totally skunky.

From the Begining

I've dove head first into the world of men' fragrances. Ten years ago I only had a very small sampling of scents and those were given to me as gifts. I was never really interested in them. The only precursor to fragrances was my parents: father used Old Spice shaving stuff, mother exclusively used Beautiful by Estee Lauder. Even my friends never wore colognes nor did my girlfriends. The only distinctive scent with emotional attachment (other than food) from my youth is Tide detergent.

From what I remember, my first "designer" after shave was Brut. I also had Stetson but I barely remember the scents nor have I tried them since. What I do remember is ck One and smelling it takes me back to junior high school. Drakkar Noir takes me back to high school prom (both of them), all the jocks wore that cologne.

In the course of a month, I've created a large wardrobe of sample vials and decants to try. I've had a few I really like but none really say, "I am your scent. I am for you!"

I wish to share my experiences of men's fragrances in a newbie perspective for both veterans and other newbies alike.