Good Life by Davidoff

My number one signature and everyone’s favorite, discontinued against the will of many. A 90s masterpiece with over ten notes. A delicious classic that leaves no one indifferent… masculinity in a bottle, nothing richer than this. Definitely 10/10 forever.

What a pleasant surprise! I love going to a store in my hometown and stumbling upon discontinued fragrances. Today, among several options, I found this at a ridiculous price; I bought it just because it was so cheap… Upon applying it, I felt like I’d smelled it before, but no, it was the first time. It reminded me of DKNY Men, but no, this doesn’t resemble it either. After four hours, I realized it smells very much like Yves Saint Laurent’s Live Jazz. I don’t know why, since they don’t share notes on paper, but I can’t stop seeing a huge parallel. Perhaps this fragrance is richer in ingredients, with more weight and presence than Live Jazz, which I felt was too subtle. It’s a pity this perfumery has been lost and no one is trying to bring it back. It’s unacceptable that there’s no room in the market for this type of fragrance. It’s totally current; if they relaunched it with a different bottle or a better campaign, I’m sure it would sell more than other scents, because to me it seemed more aromatic than musky. Moderate sillage but old-school, not like today’s. Before, a moderate fragrance truly radiated a moderate scent for 6-8 hours. I’ve loved finding something like this, even though this type of fragrance isn’t my usual preference, but before greatness, there’s nothing but surrender. I hope it returns!!

If I’m not mistaken, it was launched in 1998. I found a small sample, not sure how well-preserved, and I’ll try to describe it as best as I can. I notice it’s a bit synthetic in the opening; right away I perceive grapefruit, melon, and grape leaf notes; after some time, amber, sandalwood, and magnolia make their presence felt, adding a sweet yet dark and warm tone. It’s not a bad fragrance; I wonder if, as often happens with many discontinued compositions, the myth is bigger than the final result. I see it as appropriate for intermediate seasons and versatile for day-night wear with moderate longevity.

A smile, a glance, a ray of sun. ‘Good Life’ by Davidoff is like a three-chord pop song, simple and balsamic. It belongs to those friendly greens that proliferated in the late 90s and stayed there because they were already a bit old-school in conception, though they have little to do with powerful, dark aromatics. Again, the name is excellent, very appropriate, because it turns out to be optimistic and happy. It has a bit of ‘Cool Water’ air, in its fresh and aquatic conception, ideal for spring-summer, but it slides into more herbal, more natural nuances, with a heartwarming sweetness that hovers over its duration from start to finish. The opening is very white, very sparkling, with melon nuances to which a spectacular fig leaf note adheres. With these concise brushstrokes, ‘Good Life’ draws a scene of a sunny, luminous morning in the countryside, while breezes bring the scent of ripening fruits to our nose. There it finds its tone, which later oscillates around floral notes without ever losing that ‘sweet green’ that defines it and gives it life and charm. A man enjoying a mountain hike, with no other concern than recreating in nature. The projection is good, neither too much nor too little, and the longevity is very good; you’re immersed in that bed of grass accompanied by the song of birds all the time. Life has changed a lot, and excursions to the countryside no longer serve unless it’s for sports dressed in futuristic alien gear; the male imaginary today is different, decidedly vulgar and opaque in its intentions, so Good Life has no space in a commercial framework. One of the last great perfumes of the 90s.

Good Life Lejos is the best fig-note perfume I’ve tried. It has perfect longevity and sillage. They should never have discontinued a masterpiece like this. The best from the Davidoff house. I also own Voyage by Hermès, another great perfume I like a lot; in my opinion, they don’t resemble each other even remotely. Good Life is a very masculine, very classic perfume in the old-school style. At the start, I feel it quite sweet and herbal; the almond note is very present and that fascinates me. In the dry down, you’ll feel the fig note all the time; it’s fascinating. I hope they relaunch it; it would be a very satisfying purchase.

It’s a soft-scented perfume but very long-lasting, with great sillage and personality; wherever you go, you get noticed. It’s a pity I can’t find it here in Mexico anymore.