We have a lot of Jovan Andron fans here, bemoaning the loss of that scent, even if we suspect (with good reason) that AD pheros are purer, have higher content, and pack more punch.
Well, it’s time to stop whining and do something about it.
Did you know you can buy 60 ml of oak moss essential oil on eBay for $9? Yup, the FDA banned it for perfumes because of skin irritation in some people (? - I have to find official confirmation of this specific detail), but it was widely used in perfumes for centuries, and is still widely used for candles and other scented products. Heck, oak moss is still FDA approved for food 21CFR172.510, April 2014] Since 1980, I have worn several scents that I later learned (while researching Andron last year) had contained oak moss extract and never had a skin issue, so I feel safe with it for MY personal use. I can’t advise it for YOU.
You can also get tinctures of most of the other ingredients, like civet musk, castoreum, ambergris (even premixed, though I doubt it’s exactly the same mix Andron had) for a modest price – maybe not top grade, but neither was Andron, given its price and mass market sales volume.
I started to do this experiment last fall. The oak moss essential oil was a revelation for me. It was pretty potent (60 ml will last me years in a suitable dilution), and the scent somehow just made me happy. It also seemed to have pretty impressive silage without being overbearing: once I returned to the garage after working there for a couple of hours in an overcoat that had a few drops of extract under the back of the collar, and I could smell just enough of that happy scent (like an unexpected memory of a past love)
I don’t want to get too poetic, but it had some great properties for winter
I was more nervous about overdoing the musky components, since I was just getting back into pheromones, and remembered that they used to have effects at levels I couldn’t detect, so when I misplaced my “kit”, I let it slide. I’d just found AD, and it kept me busy.
Well, I just found my “kit” again, unpacking my fall clothes, and I’m now more confident in my ability to start with very low concentrations and observe carefully, so I don’t cross the line.
We don’t need Jovan to bring Andron back. We can make our own – better!