HisStory
Avon (2003)

Avon HisStory (2003) is an unlikely fragrance for the time, but that is probably the point. Avon had been experimenting with broadening its men's range for some time after CEO Andrea Jung (formerly Nordstrom) took over, in an attempt to make itself more attractive to the luxury buyer that had replaced brands like Avon with discount designer fare found in places like The Rack or TJ Maxx, but Jung wanted the brand to be the first choice for entry-level luxury cosmetics and fragrances again, like it had been years before indoor shopping malls had chipped away at Avon's middle America dynasty. The way to do that, or so Avon thought, was to broaden selection and apply an upscale makeover to everything, which is why we have something like this. Avon had freshies and aquatics for the younger guys, rich orientals and gourmand tones for the clubbers, and dragged the old chypre out from oblivion to try and make a selection of fragrances for it's older and/or more conservative male buyers. HisStory is but one of a small line of such chypres that started in earnest with Avon Uomo (2000), then ran through until the mid 2000's before Avon moved to something else.

The fender-like cap houses a clear liquid that smells like it could be petrol with the violet ionones in the opening lifted by galbanum and verbena, although an herbed heartof basil, muguet, and a light mid-century lavender/geranium mixing with modern hedione quickly irons things out. The base is isobutyl quinoline leather, with benzoin and oakmoss/treemoss giving smoothness and clarified body. The Avon house amber powering the "cypress" here is also very slight like in Avon Paradigm (2002). The whole thing sort of reminds me of the "Crystal Pepsi" version of Dunhill Blend 30 (1978), Dior Jules (1980), or Pascal Morabito Or Black (1982), in that it tries for the whole "green leather" thing, but is gutted from all the heft and haunch of those fragrances. Instead, HisStory has the green pushed to the max, and does a few then-modern aromachemical tricks to keep this grassy freshness touched with a hint of petrol leather and benzoin, but still smelling clean. I like HisStory but as um... history shows, not many others did and it got axed in short notice. HisStory really did become history... er.. nevermind. Wear time is good at 8 hours, but sillage is not monstrous. Best use is casual events spring through fall, making this the rare warm weather leather scent.

The thing to remember here is this scent was worked on by the esteemed Calice Becker, who handled many of Avon's 2000's output of this ilk, and making something of an iterative process of it, since this, Avon Uomo, Avon Modern Balance (2001), and Avon Paradigm are all thematically linked, even if they all don't share the same ingredients. Describing a scent as a "fresh green leather" is pretty weird, but also so is making such a scent in a bottle shaped like an old 1950's car fender, then putting a young greaser in a black leather jacket on the ads for it. Take that, and pitch it to guys who have gone gray and fat, then Everyone's confused, hooray! The problem here is mature guys like this is aimed at like what they like, they're set in stone and don't want their favorites "messed with", no innovation, no forward thinking, just give them what they've decided for themselves is good and go be avant garde somewhere else please. Avon didn't see the forest for the trees with this one because it is such an attempt to be both "modern" and "classic" at once. I like weird stuff so this is up my alley. Thumbs up.

This is basically a 100 percent herbal perfume, I cannot smell anything else but grass and some other herbal notes and nothing else.
Although I like herbal scents, this one concentrates in just one single concept, and that makes it boring and unattractive to me.
And the "coup de grâce" that finally kills this fragrance is its poor longevity and nonexistent sillage.
I am not surprised it was discontinued.

Synthetic but pleasant. I Smell vanilla, sandalwood, mint, and grass. I wear it casually and the the gym. I like it.

This is good stuff reminds me of Curve in a way. I've gotten lots & lots of compliments when wearing this fragrance, very versatile. This is great for the outdoors if in an office go easy on on the trigger.

Grassy -- often I like grassy frags, but not this one. Grassy, powdery, chemical smelling, sharp and offensive. HisStory is History for the most part, and thank goodness it is. Its only redeeming quality is its nice sleek bottle.

I just LOVE fragrance n one my buddy gifted me this since his wife deals with AVON products....I have a lot designer fragrance to choose from but still I give this guy a chance to prove himself but unfortunately didnt do for me....In short didnt like it so far...