I touched upon this one briefly a couple of years ago when I was dissing Love’s Baby Soft, writing that it was something I had gotten back in the day because a co-worker really liked it and it put her in a good mood when I wore it. Since I like keeping people in good moods I wore it and promptly gave it to another co-worker when it was time to start college. Because I had too many bottles. Silly me. In any case I was ordering from fragranticanancenet or wherever and fell for that “add X amount to your bag and get free shipping!!” scam. So since the bottle of Canoe was about $15 per gallon, I bit.
Luckily Canoe didn’t. Although even at the time it seemed not quite the thing to me: I preferred Eau Sauvage myself, (and still do) but there’s something particularly American about Canoe. Maybe it’s the memories of all those ads where square-jawed blond guys were out sailing- trimming the jibbet and coming about while cute girls paddled over to share Gin and Tonics and be blonde together. It’s clean, it’s soapy, there’s nothing frou-frou about it. You can imagine JFK splashing on the aftershave after a day sailing off Hyannis (Jackie would have had him on Eau Sauvage fairly soon after- so much more refined, so much more continental) or on his way to orate in the House of Representatives.
I get a clean and surprisingly tenacious scent- the fresh citrus, carnation, and geranium are backed by surprisingly present heliotrope and a vanilla/tonka base. All of which means although it comes in practically half-gallon sizes, please don’t take that as an invitation to marinate yourself in it. Go steadily- over application may be the reason this one fell out of favor.
Notes (from fragrantica)
Top notes: Lavender, Lemon and Clary Sage
Middle notes: Carnation, Bourbon Geranium, Cloves, Cedar and Patchouli
Base notes: Vanilla, Heliotrope, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss and Musk
In many ways, if this one is remembered at all I think it gets a bum rap as something that is at Walgreens or some gas station. Certainly for someone starting out who wants an inexpensive way to smell good its miles better than a lot of stuff that’s advertised to cover up the fact that you aren’t showering enough (looking at you Axe, and kind of at you too Lumi)
Thanks to MizChris for the link to the Youube commercial I purchased my bottle from Jomashop. Samples of both the vintage and the new can be had from Surrender to Chance
Photos are mine, Pexels and Wikimedia Commons
Over in the UK I don’t remember Canoe at all. My teens were full of male teens wearing Denim, Aramis & Paco Rabanne & Right Guard antiperspirant.
When my boys were teens it was Lynx then whatever they liked from my stuff & CKs.
Just has a search & Canoe still isn’t easy to find in the UK
I don’t think it was ever really big in the UK. It wasn’t that big in the US for that matter. It was popular in the 60’s but sort of fell out of favor in the 70’s
This actually sounds quite nice. Especially given that you’ve triggered my Axe PTSD ( mother of former teenager (now 39) who over sprayed, along with his friends, then piled into my car for car pool to soccer practice…). Gaaaahhhh!
It is nice. Axe wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t used as a substitute for actually bathing, which it is woefully inadequate at. But then short of a carwash filled with lukewarm everclear I can’t think of any spray that would do much.
It’s not as creepy as the one for Love’s Baby Soft, so there’s that (if I try to put youtube link it flags this as spam)
Tom,
I went ahead and ordered the red Detchma edp scent “pen” that you featured in last week’s post, and I love it! The drydown lasted overnight! Love that aldehydic woodsy floral. It reminds me of old school Arpege, Ferre, and Gucci III. Thanks again for a great lemming.
Oh I am glad you liked it! I liked it so much I ordered a second one..
Smart man!!
Once in a while I am.
You’re right, it is leagues and fathoms better than what young folk COULD be buying at Wags, with an entire section devoted to Axe… I even think the bottle looks classy enough to leave out!
It is classy, but I would be afraid to leave it out in the light, being clear glass.
I do remember Canoe, Tom! I remember wishing more guys were wearing it and less Paco Rabanne, less bathing in RL Polo. Alas, I don’t think I ever dated a guy who wore Canoe. Those preppy ads always appealed to me.
It’s very clean and soapy which is a nice respite from some of the shirt-unbuttoned-to-the-belt-buckle vibe you got from some of the other scents.
Oh… Those Guys…
( and I don’t even like blondes ( men))
I don’t remember the actual scent.. but I remember the ads… they were the precursor to Polo ( and Jean Nate’)
I am not big on blonde guys myself but mister flag there could welcome me aboard with a nice tonic with lime (hold the gin) anytime.
Does anyone remember Rose’s Lime Juice? The go-to for people from the northeast for whom limes were like pidgeon-blood rubies? Heard of but not seen except at an exorbitant price?
I use Rose’s Lime Juice alladetime – it’s still excellent!
Former bartender and Northeasterner, thus well acquainted with Rose’s. I do Canoe, too, and have done so since it first came out. It is far better than the unrecognizable swill Jean Nate’ has become.
Tom, thanks for the shout out on the ad. : )
When I was in my last year of secondary, my parents moved to a town in New Hampshire (from suburban NY). Across the lane (it was one of those new build developments) lived a blond, clean-cut white guy who we called Captain America. He’d take me for rides on his motorcycle (no helmet). He was absolutely Canoe though I don’t recall if he wore scent or not.
Oooh- on a motorcycle yet! My heart went vroom vroom a little, vicariously..
Heya Tom,
I did have a small bottle of Canoe early on but another friend liked it so they scored it. Sadly, I’ve no memories of how it smelled at all.
Portia xx
It’s nice. Just.. nice. clean and fresh and soapy and not trying to have hidden meanings or a dark underbelly. Just nice. And that’s nice.
That was a silly commercial… I don’t remember what Canoe smelled like but I think I liked it. It is afterall made by Dana, creators of Tabu (vintage), which I love.