Alberto Morillas479 fragrancesPortrait →
Ann Gottlieb23 fragrancesPortrait →
Rosendo Mateu59 fragrancesPortrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Carolina Herrera · Sold as masculine
212 Men
The quiet confidence of a well-dressed man stepping into a boardroom, where every detail is thoughtfully considered.
Full bottle: Premium tier, typically $100–250. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
212 MenPremium · $100–250
47%Similar accords, often for lessIcon Racing · Alfred DunhillMid-range tier, $40–100 · shares 6 of its 9 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
BaseFoundation
Main Accords
When to Wear
Who Wears It
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 1999, 212 Men by Carolina Herrera is a Woody Floral Musk fragrance that captures the essence of understated sophistication. Created by Alberto Morillas, Rosendo Mateu, and Ann Gottlieb, this composition opens with green notes and grapefruit, giving way to an aromatic heart of bergamot, lavender, and sage. The base notes of musk, sandalwood, and incense create a warm and powdery finish that lingers on the skin. Known for its distinctive matte-silver cylindrical bottle with cut-out logo and magnetic cap, 212 Men is frequently cited as one of the most recognizable in designer men's fragrance packaging.
Apply lightly at first — the fresh citrus and green notes are bright but fade within an hour. The powdery musk and woody base notes develop gradually, so it's best to let them settle in close to skin for a more intimate experience.
Fig. 01 — 212 Men, Carolina Herrera
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
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Alberto Morillas
The invisible architectAlberto Morillas is one of the most prolific and celebrated perfumers of the modern era. Born in Seville and trained in Geneva at Firmenich, he possesses an extraordinary gift for constructing fragrances that feel simultaneously complex and effortless.
“Technique is important, but it's the perfumer's soul that makes the difference.”
Alberto Morillas · Mizensir journal ('Nose-to-nose with founder Alberto Morillas'), July 2025
Co-created with Ann Gottlieb and Rosendo Mateu
The 212 line
84 fragrances, compared side by side
Designer Carolina Herrera
More from the house · founded 1980 · Venezuela
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $100–250 price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The original212 MenCarolina Herrera · Premium · $100–250Alfred Dunhill · 2017Icon RacingShares 6 of its 9 notes$40–100★ 4.02 (1,022)82%Match
Swiss ArabianAttitude for MenShares 6 of its 17 notesunder $40★ 4.40 (5)
With Lancôme Miracle Tendre Voyage
Adds rose, floral and fresh; shares violet and musk.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Well loved by wearers: loved by 45%, disliked or hated by 9%.