Appreciating Fragrances
True Star Men
Dr. Geetanjali Ranade

The untamed passion and boyish charm of pop music idol Enrique Iglesia inspired Tommy Hilfiger to create a fragrance, ‘TRUE STAR MEN.’ The fragrance was developed to convey a moment of creative inspiration, with casual and sensual notes suggested by woody and spicy themes.

Imagine a fragrance that captivates the mind and creates an aura. ‘True Star Men’ invokes the sensation of ‘hip’ sophistication, temptation, and smooth warmth. The elegant fragrance is sensual, seductive and addictive. It expresses the ideal type of masculinity in today’s man: confident and sexy, like Enrique Iglesia.

Tommy Hilfiger describes his own creation this way: "True Star Men is a fragrance for the modern man. It's inspired by international music star Enrique Iglesias, who is the quintessential contemporary man. He's talented, cool, charismatic and appeals to both men and women worldwide with his casual and relaxed sense of style.”

Raymond Matts, Vice President, Corporate Fragrance Development Worldwide, Aramis and Designer Fragrances commented, "With True Star Men, we wanted to develop a fragrance of contrast from a unique blend of captivating notes so that when you wear the fragrance, it envelops you with a relaxed yet addictive feel. This fragrance, like its inspiration, Enrique, speaks to a man who has his own identity, is secure and at ease."

Enrique himself says, "As an artist, I'm constantly looking for innovative ways to express myself creatively; working with Tommy to create True Star Men has allowed me to do so. With my music, I am constantly experimenting with new sounds and lyrics to create songs and this scent was created in the same fashion."

With clean lines and an elegant demeanour, the True Star Men Eau de Toilette bottle is cool, translucent charcoal grey glass with a thermo luster metallic finish, designed to resemble a microphone that Enrique would use on stage. The bottle's form and surface resonates with a masculine attitude and energy. The packaging features custom blue and silver foil with an accent of red that seems to pop off the top panel and inside flaps.


This is soft-spiced fragrance, with an attractive opening of pink grapefruit, blended with black liquorice and a lingering softness from sandalwood and saffron. A subtle oriental and seductive note is the key to this creation.


In the perfumer’s language, the fragrance is described as:

Fragrance family: Soft spicy wood.

Top note: Pink grapefruit
Middle note: Black liquorice, Orris
End note: Saffron, Vanilla , Sandalwood

The fragrance leads to various emotional sensations. The cool airy citrus note of pink grapefruit brings enticing feelings on the initial whiff. This is the first impression one develops as the fragrance is introduced. That impression conveys self confidence and eases feelings of resentment. A green balanced note of Orris, with its green dewy vibration, gives a contrasting impression of masculine, understated elegance. Sweet black liquorice along with a rice note gives a soft but intense textural sensation. The seductive and addictive effect is achieved by the use of Saffron combined with Sandalwood and gentle wood notes. A touch of Vanilla makes the fragrance special, soft and even more appetizing.

The fragrance was unveiled on June 7, 2005. It captures the current masculine fashion trend of casual appeal and can be worn on any occasion. One can definitely see the ease and confidence displayed by the person wearing this fragrance along with the sparkle brought by the bubbly Pink Grapefruit top. See yourself in yellow and violet wearing ‘True Star Men.’ You will definitely feel like a ‘STAR!’

About the author: Dr. Geetanjali Ranade holds a doctorate in biomedical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. She was visiting scientist at National Cardiovascular Canter, Japan for post-doctoral research in brain physiology. She has completed her aromatherapy course from Australasian College of Herbal Studies, USA. She also holds RMP (Registered Medical Practitioner) from Indian Board of Alternative Medicine.

Contact Dr. Ranade at: geetanjaliranade@hotmail.com