As staple for the late 90’s and early 2000’s, it seemed every guy had this one. And it was a beast. The question is raised: Are the current formulations and clones similar to the original, or must we look elsewhere to get those notes of juniper, amber, cactus, and lavender that we loved so much. Let’s dive in. Liz Claiborne’s Curve for Men. The original. I applied this today, and immediately, I was taken back. This twenty year old 5 mL bottle smells exactly as I remembered it. Smooth, deep woody, ambery, lavender, with a unique cactus undercurrent. There is also a slight peppery and juniper note. There is pineapple listed as a note, but I do not detect that at all, and I can’t say that I remember a pineapple note at all either when I wore it decades ago. So I do not think that top note has degraded over time. It must be and has been a subtle accenting note if it was even there. But did I say this fragrance is smooth? Dang, it’s good. Curve was coming out of the “complex” era of fragrances where the notes were many and well blended. So individual note details are hard to describe, and the fragrance functions as a whole. This is a strictly linear fragrance and doesn’t change much if at all over its lifespan. As for performance, it has decent projection, but not crazy. Again, this one works well in a work space, but spray heavier if outdoors or in an open space. It does lend itself to cooler weather because it does feel thicker and heavy, but it could be worn in an evening setting during warmer weather. As for longevity, it projected nicely for at least 5 hours, then it was a skin scent. It was gone in 8 hours. In 2011, Liz Claiborne was acquired by Elizabeth Arden Co. and the Claiborne name was dropped from the label. And alas, the downhill slide from there is real. Elizabeth Arden’s Curve for Men. I would like to think that I am not aggravated by many things. But this is one of them. I do not know why, but synthetic rubbing alcohol pineapple is where they thought this fragrance needed to be. The pineapple is up front, and not in a good way like Aventus DNA. Though I can’t help but think they brought the pineapple forward after Aventus’ success. The opening doesn’t smell like I remember the fragrance at all, and when compared to LC Curve, that seems truer than ever. The opening is just awful. For one hour, this is a vastly different fragrance. Then, to say something nice, it finally lands pretty close to the original late in its life as the pineapple alcohol evaporates away. Although it does seem to lean a tad bit more on the black pepper and juniper; and the cactus note seems absent. As for performance, this is right on par with the original. And as for longevity it is a skin scent after 5 hours. It actually may last just a tad longer than the original, just a tad longer.

Beach Hut Man is a stellar hot-weather fragrance that opens with a striking green accord, immediately grounded by warm resins and incense that evoke memories of India. There's something deeply calming about it from the first spray. The fragrance develops beautifully over the first hour, with the initial greenness softening into a lush sandalwood base while orange blossom florals emerge—creating an unexpectedly delicate floral quality that balances the smoky incense. By two hours, it settles into a more intimate scent while maintaining excellent projection when worn outdoors. This is genuinely a projection beast. It radiates strongly throughout the day without being cloying, and the interplay between incense and sandalwood keeps things sophisticated. Whether you're sitting outside or indoors, Beach Hut Man commands presence without demanding attention. It's the kind of fragrance that makes you feel confident and centered. Highly recommended for those seeking complexity in a warm-weather scent.

From left to right in that order. In our Facebook group, I traded L’Homme Ideal EDP and Xerjoff Starlight for an extra bottle of Percival. Thanks, brother @Steve Wong I bought Hermes Pairs Eau d’Orange Verte and Eau de Citron Noir because I enjoyed them before and they were a good deal. I had to have Memo Paris Winter Palace because it has a great tea note and wanted in my collection. I traded an item for Electimuss Trajan and Mercurial Cashmere, looking for Astrum Nova. I bought Dolce & Gabbana Intenso and Pour Homme from a great fellow member, @Frank Barnett Finally, I found Micheal Malul & Gents Scents West Loop for a really good deal and I’m looking for the last three to complete my collection.