Wonderwood: The Elusive Scent

Wonderwood by Comme des Garçons is a woody fragrance for men that was introduced in 2010. The cologne features notes of vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, guaiac wood, Virginia cedar, agarwood (oud) and cypress. It is available as 100 ml EDP.

The cologne has received generally positive reviews, with many praising its distinctive and unusual scent. However, some reviewers have noted that the cologne has poor longevity and sillage. Some similar fragrances include:

- Encre Noire A L'Extreme by Lalique

- Wonderoud by Comme des Garçons

- Tam Dao by Diptyque

- Black by Comme des Garçons

- 2 MAN by Comme des Garçons

Wonderwood's poor performance

Wonderwood by Comme des Garçons is a woody fragrance for men that was introduced in 2010. The cologne features notes of vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, Guaiac wood, Virginia cedar, agarwood (oud) and cypress.

However, despite its intriguing scent profile, Wonderwood has been criticised for its poor performance. Some reviewers have noted that the cologne has weak longevity and sillage, becoming a skin scent within an hour of application. One reviewer describes it as "barely there", while another states that "no one will be able to tell you are wearing anything".

The poor performance of Wonderwood is surprising given its relatively high price. One reviewer states that the "price does not match the performance", while another notes that "the juice is extremely weak".

Despite its poor performance, Wonderwood has a dedicated fan base, with some reviewers describing it as "an absolute masterpiece" and "one of the best woody scents you can find". The unique scent profile has been described as a romanticised idea of walking through an evergreen forest in the winter and "a polished wood cabinet fell on you".

Some reviewers have suggested alternatives to Wonderwood that offer better performance, including:

• Encre Noire A L'Extreme by Lalique
• Wonderoud by Comme des Garçons
• Tam Dao by Diptyque
• Dark Aoud by Montale
• Oud Wood by Tom Ford

Encre Noire as an alternative

Encre Noire by Lalique is a fragrance that is often compared to Wonderwood by Comme des Garçons. However, the two fragrances are only vaguely similar, with Encre Noire being a darker, more dank, and linear vetiver-centric fragrance, while Wonderwood is more nuanced, spicy, and focused on sandalwood. Encre Noire is also considered more polarizing than Wonderwood, which is easier to like.

If you are looking for an alternative to Wonderwood, Encre Noire's flanker, Encre Noire À L'Extrême, is considered by some to be superior to the original. Encre Noire À L'Extrême is a darker, smokier, and more cypress-heavy version of Encre Noire.

Other fragrances that are similar to Wonderwood include:

• Wonderoud by Comme des Garçons
• Black by Comme des Garçons
• 2 Man by Comme des Garçons
• Amouage Epic Man by Amouage
• Dark Aoud by Montale
• Tam Dao by Diptyque
• Bois du Portugal by Creed
• Gucci Pour Homme by Gucci
• Armani Privee Bois D'Encense by Armani
• Vetiver Extraordinaire by Frederic Malle
• Terre d'Hermes by Hermes
• L'Homme Infini Divine by Divine

Wonderoud as an alternative

Wonderoud by Comme des Garçons is a worthy alternative to Wonderwood. It is an aromatic resin, scented with subtle notes, and is known as "The Black Gold of Perfumers". It is used only for the most precious and mythical concoctions, bringing a woody, animal, balsamic, and even honeyed feel and texture to a fragrance.

The natural oud used in Wonderoud is extracted from resinous Aquilaria trees grown sustainably in Southeast Asia. Wonderoud is lavish, indulgent, and uncompromising. It is the ultimate woody fragrance, celebrating the most precious wood of all.

The fragrance notes of Wonderoud include:

• Texas Cedarwood Fraction OrPur
• Oud Wood
• Indonesian Patchouli
• Australian Sandalwood
• Haitian Vetiver
• Guaiac Wood
• Pashminol

Wonderoud is available as an Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette.

Tam Dao as an alternative

Tam Dao is a worthy alternative to Wonderwood. While both fragrances are woody, they are quite different. Wonderwood is more dry and spicy, with a cedar focus, while Tam Dao is creamier and more sandalwood-centric. Tam Dao is also more natural-smelling and has better performance.

Tam Dao has been described as "meditative", "soapy", "ethereal", and "calming", while Wonderwood is "distinguishable", "unique", "addictive", peppery, "bracing", and synthetic. Wonderwood has also been likened to "sawdust" and "vetiver", while Tam Dao has been compared to "Thai food".

If you're looking for a fragrance with better performance and a more natural scent, Tam Dao is the one for you. However, if you prefer something more synthetic, spicy, and bracing, Wonderwood might be a better choice. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference.

Other Comme des Garcons fragrances

Comme des Garçons is a Parisian fashion brand run by its owner, Rei Kawakubo, an avant-garde Japanese fashion designer. The brand has released 102 perfumes, the earliest edition being created in 1994 and the newest in 2024. Here are some other fragrances by Comme des Garçons:

• Series 3: Incense — This series includes five wearable and meditative fragrances: Avignon, Jaisalmer, Kyoto, Ouarzazate, and Zagorsk.
• Black — With notes of pepper, woods, and desweetened licorice, this fragrance has a performance problem on some people's skin.
• Series 4: Cologne — This series includes two great options for summer: Vettiveru and Citrico.
• 2 Man — A woody and incensey beauty, highly wearable yet different.
• Blue Encens — Another nice incense fragrance.
• Series 8: Guerrilla — This series includes two fragrances that are more of an experience than wearable scents: Guerrilla 1 and Guerrilla 2.
• 2 — A woody fragrance with a touch of sweetness.
• 2 Bijou
• 2 Flower Power
• 2 Love Hurts
• 2 Man
• 2 Silver Words
• 2011
• Eau de Cologne
• Happy Pillow
• White
• X Undercover Holygrace
• X Undercover Holygrapie
• Stephen Jones Millinery
• Stüssy Laguna Beach
• Series 1: Leaves — This series includes five fragrances: Mint, Calamus, Lily, Shiso, and Tea.
• Series 10: CLASH
• Chlorophyll Gardenia
• Series 2: Red — This series includes five fragrances: Carnation, Harissa, Palisander, Rose, and Sequoia.
• Series 5: Sherbet — This series includes four fragrances: Cinnamon, Peppermint, Rhubarb, and Soda.
• Series 6: Synthetic — This series includes five fragrances: Dry Clean, Garage, Skai, and Tar.
• Series 7: Sweet — This series includes five fragrances: Burnt Sugar, Nomad Tea, Spicy Cocoa, Sticky Cake, and Wood Coffee.
• Series Luxe — This series includes two fragrances: Champaca and Patchouli.
• Play
• Vogue
• Blackpepper
• Floriental
• Concrete
• Amazingreen
• Zero
• Wonderoud
• Green
• Copper
• Marseille
• Rouge

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