Reviews of Samba Skin Man by Perfumer's Workshop
I bought this based on the reviews shown above and was deeply disappointed. it smells like tobacco - burnt tobacco - and smells almost exactly like 'Cigar Aficionado' another low-rent men's cologne. fortunately, it doesn't last long
I won't bury the lede: Samba Skin Man (2014) is an impressively good cheapie. Samba Skin Man offers an intelligent interpretation of the "sweet tobacco" trend, an imitator, of sorts, of Tobacco Vanille and Pure Havane, but is more wearable than either.
Samba Skin Man opens with a nicely balanced blend of sweet, spicy tobacco bolstered with cacao, but there's welcome surprise in store: as it develops, the sweet, gourmand elements mellow and from beneath them emerges a green-tinged woody masculine base. It's a similar trick to the one performed by Azzaro pour Homme Intense (2015), but this has the more pleasant drydown.
That this hasn't become a "de facto" recommendation for an affordable gourmand tobacco scent is something of a shame since it's a better composition than many of the scents that get celebrated in this category,. It's perhaps a bit too sexy to be an office scent, but it's nevertheless a versatile cool-weather scent that would suit younger and older wearers equally well. Performance is impressive, with significant projection and good longevity.
The bottle, it's worth mentioning, may be the ugliest perfume bottle ever produced.
Samba Skin Man opens with a nicely balanced blend of sweet, spicy tobacco bolstered with cacao, but there's welcome surprise in store: as it develops, the sweet, gourmand elements mellow and from beneath them emerges a green-tinged woody masculine base. It's a similar trick to the one performed by Azzaro pour Homme Intense (2015), but this has the more pleasant drydown.
That this hasn't become a "de facto" recommendation for an affordable gourmand tobacco scent is something of a shame since it's a better composition than many of the scents that get celebrated in this category,. It's perhaps a bit too sexy to be an office scent, but it's nevertheless a versatile cool-weather scent that would suit younger and older wearers equally well. Performance is impressive, with significant projection and good longevity.
The bottle, it's worth mentioning, may be the ugliest perfume bottle ever produced.
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Remove the Amen base from Pure Havane and you'll get something like Samba Skin. It still has some muskiness to it but it is far less polarizing than PH. I've worn this twice and both times received compliments, so it is a pleasing scent.
Lasts all work day and can become cloying if over-sprayed, so projection is very good.
Lasts all work day and can become cloying if over-sprayed, so projection is very good.
Simply Awesome! Finally got a bottle of this, at a reasonable cost. This is one of the harder to find Samba's and some places are asking for prices far beyond the $12 or so sticker.
What a fantastic fragrance. Whether or not this is meant to copy Pure Havane or not is beyond me. I have tried Pure Havane once, and this smells identical to it, in terms of smell, and quality. Usually you don't get both when another brand is going out to clone another fragrance.
Now I have plenty of experience with the Samba brand, and believe me they are not a knock off brand. They have plenty of original fragrances. Skin on the other hand, to me is a carbon copy of Pure Havane, again whether or not that was the intention is beyond me.
Whether or not this fragrance is worth owning, is a no brainer. If you see it at a good price, get it. Even if you own Pure Havane, this could be your back up bottle, or vice versa.
What a fantastic fragrance. Whether or not this is meant to copy Pure Havane or not is beyond me. I have tried Pure Havane once, and this smells identical to it, in terms of smell, and quality. Usually you don't get both when another brand is going out to clone another fragrance.
Now I have plenty of experience with the Samba brand, and believe me they are not a knock off brand. They have plenty of original fragrances. Skin on the other hand, to me is a carbon copy of Pure Havane, again whether or not that was the intention is beyond me.
Whether or not this fragrance is worth owning, is a no brainer. If you see it at a good price, get it. Even if you own Pure Havane, this could be your back up bottle, or vice versa.
Pure Havane on a budget. This actually has more tobacco than Pure Havane and instead of the honey note it's replaced by a cinnamon note. The opening is a dead ringer for Pure Havane albeit less rich. The cherry note is present and this actually projects and lasts longer than Pure Havane. The downside is that it doesn't have the A*men base of that patchouli, caramel, honey, overall richness. The dry down of Samba Skin is mainly vanilla and cinnamon with some woods and a lot of tobacco.This reminds me of crossing Mont Blanc Individuel with Pure Havane. Overall this is an excellent fragrance for the money and for many this could easily replace Pure Havane in ones wardrobe.
Samba Skin Man reminds me of my favorite Mugler - A*Men Pure Havane, especially in the opening. It is pleasantly sweet, syrupy, and not cloying. Although Samba Skin Man lacks the sparkling quality of Pure Havane, for the price it is a pretty good substitute with average longevity on my skin. I really like it.
If you have a spare $15, Samba Skin Man is a safe blind buy, especially in the colder months. Thumbs up in my book.
If you have a spare $15, Samba Skin Man is a safe blind buy, especially in the colder months. Thumbs up in my book.
The note breakdown on this is a bit confusing. No tobacco listed?! HUH???
From what I recall when I owned a bottle of this...it was mostly sweet tobacco and vanilla with some woods and a touch of spice. Kind of a cross between Tobacco Vanille and Pure Havane. Quality smell and terrific longevity too for just a few bucks.
From what I recall when I owned a bottle of this...it was mostly sweet tobacco and vanilla with some woods and a touch of spice. Kind of a cross between Tobacco Vanille and Pure Havane. Quality smell and terrific longevity too for just a few bucks.