Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Keep the wood, hold the sweet: 10 CC Uomo

Through the miracle that is decanting and sharing, I have a portion of the new 10 Corso Como Uomo.  That would be 10 Corso Como for Men, you know.  Though when you read through the release materials, there seems to be a little back and forth, dithering, playing both sides, on whether this is "for men" or "the 'next' Corso Como."

I'd call it "10 Corso Como for those of you who find the original too sweet."

Personally, I'm doing a little happy dance.  I have to be in Just The Right Mood to handle syrupy sweetness in my perfume, and I've a tendency to be willing to interpret "sweet" as "syrupy sweet."  Not immortelle maple syrup sweet (though that would be a sub-category of what I'm talking about).  No, I mean sweet that has body, like simple syrup, that stuff I'm always cooking up for the bar.  And recipes in general, of course.  That stuff that you make by boiling water and sugar.  Go heavy on the sugar, and add a touch of corn syrup for viscosity.  THAT's what can happen to the "sweet" in perfume for me.  Heck, I sometimes find that in DK Black Cashmere.  So I'm going to guess that I'm a sweetness amplifier.

No matter.  10 Corso Como Uomo can handle that.  Sort it out to the farther reaches, with YSL Nu, but not quite THAT dry.

And color me happy.

I've run it through paces twice so far.  First day was warm, summer warm with lots o' humidity.  And I must have been doing my sweet amp thing, because I found a pleasant underlying tone of sweet, like you get when you slap sandalwood and make it shimmy a bit.  (You know how sandalwood is; that gorgeous element of sweetness is there all along, and it seems like all you have to do is agitate it bit to bring it right to the fore.)  Today, it's cooler, low 70's, and rainy, and it is drier, playing all like cedarwood.  I can only find the sense of sweetness if I snarfle with my nose assertively pressed to my skin.  Which, okay, I admit I've done a few times, and just did again, because hey, that's nice, too.

That's your Uomo for you.

***
Hot tip!

In the aisles at Target, I found a shower gel in the men's aisle.  Brand name, Everyman Jack.  (Sense a knock off here?)  They had two options on the shelf:  citrus, and cedarwood.

I'm telling you, the cedarwood is more than serviceable.

And would be a logical layering option to reinforce the 10 CC Uomo.  So go buy a bottle.  $5.  Now, with the money you've saved, buy some more perfume.

See?  I provide service to readers and the general economy alike.




image from the 10 Corso Como website, which will also give you the notes in top/middle/bottom form. 

13 comments:

Unknown said...

I like sweet, but I'd like to try this anyway. I love 10 Corso Como. It was a debate for me which sandalwood I liked best, 10CC or Tam Dao, and 10CC won (probably because it also has the resins and incense I love.)

Unfortunately, I can't find it in Canada. I would have to order online and the taxes/delivery charges/duty on Luckyscent for delivering to Canada are outrageous. I usually just buy samples and wait for a chance for me or a friend to be visiting the U.S. to buy full bottles of stuff I can't get in Canada.

ScentScelf said...

KJ, I'd say it's worth trying...especially since I am now finding, after a couple of hours (!) have passed, that the Uomo is has mellowed with the volume a bit higher on "sweet" and "skin." (Not sure if the skin belongs to the Uomo or to me, but it's working.)

I'm sorry about the shipping issues...frustrating.

Katy Josephine said...

I'm intrigued - definitely intrigued. As you may know, I don't generally do sweet. I like the 'drier, playing like cedarwood' thing.

I, too, amplify sweetness in perfume, which is sometimes annoying, and then again, sometimes just right.

In Uomo's case, it could work. Thanks for the review!

Martha said...

Ooh? Sandalwood? Ooh?

I like sweet myself, when it's not also girly-ruffly, so it sounds like i oughta try them both.

Rose said...

I had no idea there was going to a new 10 CC- it sounds very interesting. I appreciate the first but I don't wear it.

One day I am getting me to Milan to the actual shop, where I may well buy some of this! (I know Milan isn't very far from the UK but somehow I haven't got there, loads of other bits of Italy but not Milan)

ScentScelf said...

Josephine,

Do give it a go when you have a chance, and let us know what you think!

ScentScelf said...

Chicken Freak,

Well, now, I feel I need to point out that the notes given for the base are cedarwood, mysore vanilla, musk, and amber. ("Mysore vanilla"...now, isn't that interesting, as it is "mysore SANDALWOOD" we know and love and can't get anymore due to overharvesting, but what is this "mysore vanilla," hmmm?) Anyway, it would seem the warmth comes from the vanilla + amber, when you find it.

That said...

I KNOW!! I love sandalwood, too. I hear ya. So, see what you can get out of it.

Laughing at "girrly-ruffly," btw...totally know what you mean.

ScentScelf said...

Rose,

Funny about European distances...in America, they're a day trip. There, they're...a mental preparation. :)

Yes, it's out, limited in distribution now, but there. If seeking it out instigates a trip to Milan, well, I've served another purpose today. (Feel free to invite me along...)

Rose said...

I know, I know. It's Milan though, I can't just pop there- I must book to see the last Supper and research everything. All messing about apart as well it's also cost and check in times for flights. These are all excuses though, I need to try and go- and you would be very welcome!

Vanessa said...

I didn't really care for the original 10 Corso Como which I vaguely recall as having been a bit in Cabaret Gres territory, but more woody.

This sounds like a very pleasant proposition - the base sounds like my kind of thing.

I wouldn't say I was a sweetness amplifier, though my friend is, hence her nickname "Sucrose Sharon" - but I blow hot and cold about sweet. Today I am wearing AYY and it has been all wrong from the moment I put it on!

ScentScelf said...

Rose,

Good! Try. (I'll go pack my bag, and pretend like I'm ready to join you on the turn of a dime. )

:)

ScentScelf said...

FS,

Now you've got me wanting to go back and try Cabaret Gres, which I sampled so early in the curve I wouldn't trust my impressions even if I remembered them.

Blergh. Sorry about the AYY not working. Doesn't matter what the scent...when it goes wrong, it can be worse than simply being wrong from the outset.

(Do you know Wallace & Grommit? I was initially going to cry "It's the wrong perfume, Bonkers, and it's gone wrong!")

Vanessa said...

Haha - love Wallace & Grommit. And Nick Park's "Creature Comforts". The tortoise advertising utilities is my outright fave!