Island Lime
Avon (1965)

From first sniff, this presents as a delightful key lime pie type of fragrance: cool, refreshing, a little sweet, and perfect for tropical days.

There's more going on than lime, of course, but the base stays fairly creamy and pleasant even as the lime feeling fades.

Novel and satisfying.

Avon is turning out to be one of my favorite fragrance houses.

Island Lime opens up with a gummi green-like scent. That sounds like it would come across as "juvenile" or overly sweet but it's not. It's very much a lime-scent but subdued enough to not be confused as some type of candy gourmand.

What I've found in most classic men's fragrances from the 60s, 70s, and 80s is that "fresh" is not in their vocabulary with some very rare exceptions. The one's that aren't overly dry heavies end up being overly powdery or overly musky. Azzaro Pour Homme is legend for its soapy barbershop character but it's so musky it gives off a mild warmth. It's not what I'd consider "cool." Drakkar Noir is described as fresh-out-the-shower, but it too has a warmth that emanates from the heart which makes it more appropriate for cooler weather. Paco Rabanne Pour Homme is probably the cleanest and freshest of the old guard, and probably the "lightest" of them. And yet there's a dirty note in the middle and very musky dry down that in modern times is better suited for those who like to be noticed. It's not for the casual wearer. Avon itself has some classics that are bold and conspicuous. Wild Country is extremely powdery and can be confused for baby powder. Deep Woods is a bit spicy and similar to Halston's Z-14.

And yet, Avon Island Lime is different. It's like a lime-scented after shave, refreshing, smooth, and low key. It smells clean without being musky or powdery. And I really like it for that reason.

I can see this even being worn today. It smells a bit retro I suppose, and yet it doesn't have any of the typical traits of "old" well-known men's releases.

Avon Island Lime (1965) is, or at least was, a rather timely inclusion to the budding Avon for Men range that the brand christened in 1963 as a sub-label dedicated to men. Previously Avon for Men (1949) had been a flagship men's fragrance and grooming line, but that single line was retired after it earned a few flankers that were all re-launched as separate products later, and among those was Avon Island Lime. Originally this was released along with Avon Spicy (1968) in a uniform square bottles labeled "spicy" and "lime" varieties of the original Avon for Men, as was the mostly-failed follow-up Avon 'Vigorate (1957). After the restructure, Avon for Men and 'Vigorate the fragrances were no more, and Avon Tribute (1963) became the new flagship men's fragrance (for a time), with Blue Blazer (1964) aftershave and grooming range for teens, and then Island Lime aftershave to capitalize on the "lime craze" sweeping the US men's fragrance market.

Island Lime separates itself from the many lime entries popular men's fragrance ranges pumped out in the 50's and 60's by not being a clone of Royall Lyme by Royall Lyme of Bermuda (1957), but also by not being a flanker to a pre-existing fragrance (anymore) like all things rushed to market by Shulton, MEM, and such. Island Lime was never technically a stand-alone cologne either, only available as an afershave lotion with a grooming range because Avon probably realized that's what guys were doing with Royall Lyme anyway. The lime note here is a bit sweeter than most others from the period, less direct-squeezed from a lime and more mixed in with other top notes like lemon, making it actually a bit smoother too. Of course, not everyone wants an adulterated lemon lime note, let alone one that's semi-sweet. Island Lime also has some patchouli, vetiver, and oakmoss in the base that makes it different from the bay rum spice vibe of Royall Lyme. I could actually enjoy a cologne or toilette strength Avon Island Lime, if only it existed.

As an aftershave, you know this stuff won't give you much by the way of performance, but you're probably not looking to smell like limes and patchouli for any appreciable length of time in the first place. The patchouli and oakmoss base do make this quite nicer than the Royall Lyme in my opinion, as the green facets of the dry down I find more appealing than the trainwreck from limes to clove and leather in the Royall Lyme, but I might be an outlier in that respect. Unfortunately, this stuff did not survive much past the mid 70's, like most things of this ilk released, since the "lime craze" fad had pretty much run its course by then in the States. Island Lime is a fun little alternative to the bog standard aftershave of the time, but it is very much of that time too, making it of limited appeal outside collectors or vintage fans. I love using this stuff after a shave if I'm tired of all the menthol or spicy sturm und drang I usually dose on my face. Thumbs up