COMME DES GARCONS 2 Review: the inky woody scent that doesn’t try to be pretty

I’ve been wearing Comme des Garçons 2 Eau de Parfum on and off for a couple of weeks, and it’s not your standard “fresh shower gel” perfume at all. If you’re used to blue designer scents from the usual big brands, this one will feel a bit odd at first. It has this ink / marker pen vibe mixed with woods and a slightly metallic side. The first day I sprayed it, my first reaction was basically: “Okay, that’s weird… but kind of cool.”

To be clear, this is not the type of perfume you blind buy for someone who just wants to smell “nice and clean”. It leans more artsy and experimental, which fits the Comme des Garçons name. On my skin, it smells unisex, maybe slightly more on the niche/arty side than the typical “masculine wood” label Amazon gives it. You can wear it as a guy or a woman without it feeling off. It doesn’t scream clubbing fragrance, more like office, café, gallery, or just daily life if you don’t want to smell like everyone else.

After a few days, I started to get used to that ink note and actually look forward to it. It makes the scent stand out. When people asked what I was wearing, they didn’t say “you smell good” in the basic way, they said “that’s interesting, what is it?” which sums it up pretty well. If you want compliments in the usual way, there are easier options. If you want something a bit different but still wearable, this fits.

So overall, my first impression is: quirky, woody, slightly inky perfume that grows on you. It’s not perfect, it’s not mass-appeal, but it has character. If that sounds like your thing, keep reading; if you only like safe, sweet or super-fresh scents, this might feel too odd for you.

On the value for money side, Comme des Garçons 2 sits in that niche/designer hybrid zone. It’s not cheap, but it’s also not in the ultra-luxury price bracket. For a 100 ml Eau de Parfum made in France with a distinctive scent profile, I’d say the price is fairly reasonable. You’re paying more than for a generic mall fragrance, but you’re also getting something that doesn’t smell like every third person on the street.

The key question is: will you actually wear it? If you like offbeat, slightly weird scents and appreciate the ink/woody concept, you’ll probably reach for it often, and then the 100 ml bottle makes sense. Cost per wear becomes pretty decent, especially with its solid longevity. But if you’re not sure about the smell, or if you’re very sensitive to synthetic or metallic notes, it might be smarter to try a sample first. This is not the safest blind buy for people with more classic taste.

Compared to typical mainstream men’s Eau de Parfum in the same ballpark, you’re trading easy mass appeal for originality and character. If all you want is compliments and zero risk, then value-wise you might be happier with a more standard blue or sweet woody scent. But if you’re bored of those and want something that feels a bit more niche without jumping to super high prices, CDG 2 lands in a good spot.

For me personally, I’d rate the value as pretty solid but not unbeatable. You’re paying for the name, the concept, and a distinctive smell. If that’s what you’re after, the price is justified. If you just want “smells nice, nothing weird”, there are cheaper and simpler options that will make more sense for your wallet.

The bottle of Comme des Garçons 2 is pretty recognizable: an irregular, pebble-style flat shape with the “2” scribbled on it. It looks modern and a bit artsy, which fits the brand. On a shelf, it stands out compared to the usual rectangular or standard bottles. If you like objects that look a bit different, you’ll probably enjoy just having it around. It has that “graphic design” vibe rather than a classic luxury look.

In daily use though, the shape is not the most practical. Because it’s kind of flat and rounded, it doesn’t always feel super secure in the hand, especially if you’ve got wet hands in the bathroom. I caught myself grabbing it carefully a couple of times because I was afraid I’d drop it. It’s not a disaster, but it’s less ergonomic than a simple straight bottle. Also, depending on the version, some bottles don’t stand up perfectly and tend to lean, which can be slightly annoying if you like everything lined up neatly.

The sprayer itself is pretty solid. One press gives a decent, even mist, not a sad little squirt. Two sprays on the neck and one on the chest were enough for me for work days. I didn’t get any leaks or issues with the cap either. The cap clicks on firmly and doesn’t feel flimsy. If you want to throw it in a bag, I’d still be a bit careful because of the shape, but it’s not worse than most other perfumes.

So, design-wise: it looks cool, but it’s not the most practical object ever. If you care more about visual personality than perfect handling, you’ll probably be happy. If you value pure practicality and easy grip over everything else, you might find it slightly annoying but still usable. For me, it’s fine: I like looking at it, I just handle it a bit more carefully than my standard square bottles.

Let’s talk smell, because that’s the main point. Comme des Garçons 2 is officially listed as a “wood” scent, but if you expect a simple woody cologne, that’s not what you get. On my skin, the first spray hits with a strange mix of ink / marker pen, metallic notes, and a bit of spice. It sounds odd, and honestly, it is. The first 10–15 minutes can feel slightly harsh if you’re used to more standard perfumes. It’s not sweet, not super fresh, more like walking into a studio full of paper, ink, and some resinous wood in the background.

After that opening, it calms down and gets easier to wear. The ink vibe stays, but it softens and blends into something warmer: woody, a bit smoky, with a light floral and incense feel. It doesn’t turn into a cozy vanilla scent or anything like that; it keeps that arty, slightly cold edge. On me, it stays pretty unisex the whole time. My partner (female) tried it too, and on her it leaned a bit softer and more woody, less metallic, but still with that ink signature. So skin chemistry definitely plays a role.

In daily life, I wore it to the office, in public transport, and to a couple of dinners. Nobody complained, and I didn’t feel like I was choking anyone out. It’s not a loud club scent; it sits fairly close after the first hour. I got a few comments like “this smells different” or “it smells like paper and wood in a good way”. If you want a typical compliment magnet, this is not the easiest pick. But if you like people asking what you’re wearing because it doesn’t smell like the usual designer stuff, this does the job.

Overall, I’d sum up the fragrance as: ink + woods + a slightly metallic, incense-like air. If that sounds interesting to you, there’s a good chance you’ll like it. If you hate anything that smells even remotely synthetic or “arty”, you’ll probably find it weird or even unpleasant. Personally, I ended up liking it quite a bit after a few wears, but it definitely took a couple of days for my nose to adjust.

The packaging for Comme des Garçons 2 is exactly what you’d expect from a niche-ish brand that doesn’t bother with drama. You get a standard cardboard box with the branding, volume (100 ml), and the usual legal info: ingredients, safety warnings (for external use only, avoid eyes, keep away from flames and heat sources), country of origin (France), and so on. It’s not ugly, it’s not fancy; it’s just functional. If you’re used to heavy, super-decorated boxes, this will feel a bit bare.

Inside, the bottle is held in place well enough. It’s not floating around or badly protected. The inner structure is basic cardboard, but it does its job. I didn’t see any damage, dents, or loose parts when unpacking. For shipping, that’s the main thing that matters: the bottle arrives intact. The Amazon listing mentions some shipping limitations outside mainland UK, which is more about regulations than packaging, but worth noting if you’re planning to send this abroad.

As a gift, the box is acceptable as long as the person you’re giving it to likes minimalist stuff. It doesn’t scream luxury, but it also doesn’t look cheap or tacky. If you want a more “wow” effect, you’ll probably want to wrap it nicely or add your own touch. For personal use, I honestly opened it once, took the bottle out, and the box went straight into a drawer. It’s that kind of packaging: you don’t really keep it out on display.

In short, packaging is no-nonsense and functional. It protects the product, provides all the required info, and that’s it. No magnetic lids, no velvet beds, no overkill. If you care mainly about what’s inside the bottle, you won’t mind. If you’re big on presentation and love fancy boxes, this one might feel a little boring.

Since this is a perfume, “durability” is mostly about the bottle, sprayer, and general build quality. Over a couple of weeks of daily handling, the bottle of Comme des Garçons 2 held up fine. No leaks, no loose cap, no weird rattling parts. The glass feels solid enough, not ultra heavy, but not thin or cheap either. I wouldn’t want to drop it on tiles, but that’s true for pretty much any perfume bottle.

The sprayer is consistent. Each day, the spray came out in a nice mist, not in random jets. That might sound basic, but some perfumes have uneven sprayers that either soak one spot or barely spray anything. Here, one full press gives a good cloud that covers the neck or chest easily. After regular use, the nozzle didn’t clog or start dribbling. I also didn’t notice any weird build-up around the sprayer head, which sometimes happens with thicker or sweeter scents.

As for the printing and finish, the “2” and the text on the bottle didn’t start rubbing off or fading during my testing. Obviously, long-term you have to be a bit careful if you’re throwing it around or keeping it in a messy bag, but for normal bathroom shelf use, it feels stable. The cap clicks on securely and doesn’t fall off if you lightly shake the bottle, which is important if you plan to carry it in a bag or suitcase.

One minor downside is the ergonomics combined with durability: because of the curved, flat shape, it feels like something you could drop more easily than a straight, grippy bottle, especially with wet hands. So I’d just say: handle it with a bit more care. But overall, in terms of build quality, it feels like a proper niche product, not a cheap knock-off. It should last you as long as you have juice in it, as long as you’re not throwing it on the floor.

Performance-wise, Comme des Garçons 2 is fairly solid for an Eau de Parfum, but it’s not a beast mode monster either. On my skin, with two sprays on the neck and one on the chest, I consistently got about 7–8 hours of detectable scent. The first 2 hours project a bit more, then it settles closer to the skin. Around the 6–7 hour mark, it’s more of a soft aura that you notice when you move or bring your wrist close to your nose.

On clothes, it sticks better. I sprayed it once on a sweatshirt and could still smell it clearly the next day, although softer and more blended. So if you want it to last a full workday easily, a couple of sprays on clothes plus skin is enough. Just be careful with delicate fabrics if you’re paranoid about staining, even though I didn’t see any marks personally. Given the inky vibe of the scent, I was a bit nervous, but there were no visible issues.

In terms of projection, it’s moderate. People within arm’s length will notice it in the first couple of hours, but it doesn’t fill a room. I think that’s actually a good thing for this kind of scent, because the ink-metallic note could become annoying if it was too loud. For office use or public transport, it’s pretty well balanced: present, but not aggressive. If you want something that leaves a big trail everywhere you go, this won’t scratch that itch.

Compared to typical mainstream designer scents in the same general price range, I’d say performance is above average, but not crazy. It outlasts some lighter fresh scents, but it won’t outdo those ultra-strong sweet ambers that hang around for 12+ hours. For daily use, I was fine with one morning application, and only felt the need to re-spray for late-night plans. So from a practical standpoint, it gets the job done pretty well.

On paper, the product is simple: 100 ml Eau de Parfum, made in France, from Comme des Garçons Parfums. No fancy extras, no travel spray, just the bottle in a basic box. The Amazon listing says “item form: aerosol”, but in reality it’s a normal spray bottle like any other perfume, not a deodorant can. The concentration is Eau de Parfum, which usually means a bit stronger and longer-lasting than Eau de Toilette, and that matches what I experienced on skin and clothes.

The outer packaging is pretty minimal. You get a cardboard box with the usual info: name, volume, ingredients list, safety warnings (for external use only, avoid eyes, keep away from flames, etc.). Nothing feels cheap, but it’s not some luxury unboxing experience either. It’s straight to the point: you open, you get the bottle, that’s it. If you’re buying it as a gift, it looks decent enough as-is, but don’t expect ribbons or fancy inserts.

The main thing here is you’re clearly paying for the juice and the brand concept more than for packaging. Compared to many designer brands that overdo the box and the bottle, this one feels more stripped down. That fits CDG’s usual style: a bit industrial, arty, not too polished. If you like clean, minimal stuff, you’ll probably be fine with it. If you want something that screams luxury on a bathroom shelf, this won’t really do that; it’s more low-key.

From a practical point of view, everything is clear: 100 ml is a good size if you actually wear your perfumes and don’t just collect them. It’s big enough to last months of regular use, but not so huge that you feel stuck with it forever if you get bored. Overall, presentation is functional and honest, nothing more, nothing less. It feels like a niche product that doesn’t bother with theatrics.