Creed Iris Debonair — “ Creed Iris Debonair. And when Creed drops something new people pay attention because this house has been doing this since 1760. That's not a typo. Early reviews liken the scent to refined office and date-night scents in the designer iris category, such as the Dior Homme line, Givenchy Gentleman EDT Intense, or Prada L'Homme. Bergamot, violet leaf, pink pepper and lavender open it up - fresh, a little spicy, a little herbal. That violet leaf right up top is what makes this different from a standard opening. It adds this green, almost dewy quality that sets the tone perfectly. Then iris, orris and violet hit the middle and that's the heart of the whole fragrance. Iris and orris are basically the same plant - orris is the root - so layering them together creates this deep, powdery, cool floral depth that only the best iris fragrances achieve. Violet adds softness alongside it. Sandalwood, amberwood and musk close it out warm, clean and smooth. This base is what makes it wearable for hours without getting heavy. Iris, floral, woody, musky. Unisex and genuinely elegant. This is a fragrance for somebody who doesn't need to explain their taste to anybody. Top: Bergamot, Violet Leaf, Pink Pepper, Lavender Middle: Iris, Orris, Violet Base: Sandalwood, Amberwood, Musk Price guess: $380-$480 Best season: Spring and Fall. Iris is a transitional season fragrance at its best. @chrisdaceo | Christopher Lee Fragrances

Yves Saint Laurent is one of the better designer fragrance houses because, for the most part, they understand what people actually want to wear. They make fragrances that are attractive, versatile, modern, and easy to reach for without smelling cheap or poorly put together. YSL is not always the most original house, especially with some of its newer releases, but originality is not the only thing that matters. A fragrance still has to smell good, wear well, and serve a purpose in a collection. YSL usually does that better than a lot of designer houses. The Y line is probably the easiest example. Y Eau de Parfum is not some groundbreaking artistic fragrance, but it is a very effective modern blue scent. It is fresh, sweet, aromatic, youthful, and strong enough to get noticed. It works casually, at work, on a date, or going out at night. It is one of those fragrances that covers a lot of situations without requiring much thought. The different Y flankers also give people options. Some are fresher, some are darker, and some are smoother or more mature. There can be some redundancy within the line, but they are not all exactly the same fragrance in different bottles. Someone who really enjoys the Y DNA can find enough differences to justify owning more than one, although most people probably do not need the entire line. La Nuit de L’Homme is still one of the most important fragrances YSL has made. The cardamom opening is immediately recognizable, and the overall scent is smooth, warm, spicy, and seductive without becoming overly sweet or heavy. It became a standard for date-night fragrances, and a lot of releases that came after it were clearly trying to capture the same feeling. The biggest complaint with La Nuit de L’Homme is performance. It smells great, but depending on the version, it can sit closer to the skin and fade faster than people expect. That does not make it a bad fragrance, but it does make the retail price harder to justify. A fragrance can smell excellent and still deserve criticism if the performance does not match the cost.