Best Men's Colognes

Best Men's Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with the different fragrances that I've owned, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, that new hobby grew into a consistent passion, helping millions of readers along the way. I have personally test out and written reviews for well over 800 perfumes and colognes for both men and women. This is along with writing hundreds of other in-depth fragrance guides. You can also follow me on: YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok!

Comparing Santal 33 vs. Oud Wood

by

Santal 33 from Le Labo and Oud Wood from Tom Ford are two very popular releases that people seem to have a tough time deciding between. I have never been a mega fan of either of these fragrances, but have tested each out repeatedly over the years.

So, today I am going to try and provide my own personal in depth takes while comparing these two perfumes, to see if I can help you get some clarity in this head to head matchup.

Quick Overview

🏆 My Verdict

Santal 33 wins overall because it has better longevity, better versatility, wider appeal, and a stronger full-wear experience after the opening.

Oud Wood wins the opening and projection categories thanks to its stronger oud-cardamom-spice start and heavier peak, but it does not hold interest or performance as well over time.

Buy Santal 33 if you want the better daily/signature scent.

Buy Oud Wood if you mainly want the warmer, spicier, oud-heavy opening.

Category Santal 33 Oud Wood Winner
Opening Cardamom, dry woods, leather, violet, papyrus, and cedar without much spice Strong oud, cardamom, peppery spice, sandalwood, rosewood, and warm dry woods Oud Wood
Projection Moderate and more sustained on skin, then turns lighter Moderate but heavier, with a further reach at its peak Oud Wood
Longevity Around 7–8 hours Around 4–5 hours Santal 33
Versatility Works as a wider-use daily or signature scent outside the height of summer Better suited to autumn and winter, with narrower appeal Santal 33
Overall Scent Weaker start, but develops better into the heart and checks more boxes overall Nice spicy-woody opening, but becomes less interesting after that Santal 33
Best For Those who want better longevity, wider appeal, and daily wear flexibility Those who want the stronger spicy oud-wood opening —

Tale of the Tape: Santal 33 vs. Oud Wood

Santal 33

Notes include: sandalwood, violet, iris, amber, cardamom, leather, papyrus, cedar

Click here to try: Santal 33 on Amazon

Read my original review: Santal 33

Oud Wood

Notes include: rosewood, sandalwood, oud, vanilla, tonka bean, amber, cardamom, and vetiver

Click here to try: Oud Wood on Amazon

Read my original review: Oud Wood

Opening

Oud Wood starts off with a strong blast of the oud note and cardamom. Underneath that, is a peppery sort of spice. It’s warm and dry, with sandalwood and rosewood, already being prominent at the base. It’s a very spicy and woody, sort of aroma up top.

Santal also has the cardamom and dry woods. Just without the oud. It’s not remotely as spicy as Oud Wood is either. This notes are joined by leather and violet. Papyrus is a wood which distinguishes itself from the oud used in the Tom Ford scent.

Which is better? The opening act of Oud Wood is a great array of the various wood notes and spices. It’s not completely amazing, but it captures my attention.

I like the leather facets, the use of the papyrus in Santal. Though, even with that I feel the opening act is the weakest of the perfume.

Not a huge win, but I’ll give this category to Oud.

Edge: Oud Wood

Projection

Both of these are perfumes with a moderate sillage which then turn into lighter fragrances. I don’t think either is weak and both of them are detectable for most of their wear.

That being said, the Tom Ford perfume feels heavier and like it has a further reach at its peak. Yes, Santal 33 is more sustained on my skin, but I think Oud Wood is technically the stronger of the two.

Edge: Oud Wood

Longevity

Oud Wood has always been a strange one for me. Anytime that I’ve tried this fragrance out, I’ve gotten 4-5 hours of wear from it. The Intense version, lasted over 10 hours for me, however.

The Le Labo perfume will hit the 7-8 hour range, on my skin.

Neither of these is an absolute beast with their performance, but Santal 33 takes this category fairly easily in my experience.

Edge: Santal 33

Versatility

Seasonally, Oud Wood always struck me as being built more for the autumn and winter months. Santal can do that too, but it also extends well into springtime. Honestly, outside of the height of summer, I think the Le Labo works.

Both of these are unisex, of course. But, I think Santal has a wider range of use cases as a signature scent or a daily wear. Neither is a nightlife beast, but Santal also just has a wider appeal than you’re going to get with the oud based scent.

Edge: Santal 33

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these perfumes do I like more? I’d go with Santal versus Oud Wood. Which, I think that Oud Wood Intense was the better of the two anyway. Of course, it’s the one that got discontinued.

Oud Wood starts out nice, but never really interests me much beyond that. Sure, it has similar vibes at times to Santal, but I just think that the Le Labo smells better.

Santal has a weaker start. It’s never been bad to me, just kind of meh, who cares? Though, it really gets going as it transitions into the heart of the wear.

Along with the scent itself, Santal has better performance and will fit the style of a wider range of people. Plus, a more extensive use case. Santal checks more boxes and gets the win here.

Winner: Santal 33

Who Should Buy Each?

Choose Santal 33 if:

You want the better overall fragrance in this comparison
You prefer sandalwood, violet, iris, amber, cardamom, leather, papyrus, and cedar
You want better longevity, around 7–8 hours
You need something with wider appeal as a daily or signature scent
You want a fragrance that improves more as it transitions into the heart

Choose Oud Wood if:

You want the better opening between the two
You prefer oud, cardamom, peppery spice, sandalwood, rosewood, vanilla, tonka, amber, and vetiver
You want something warmer, spicier, and woodier up top
You mainly wear fragrance in autumn and winter
You do not mind shorter longevity if you like the oud-heavy opening more

Santal 33 and Oud Wood FAQ

Does Santal 33 last longer than Oud Wood?

In my experience, yes. Oud Wood has never been a good performer for me anytime that I’ve tested it out. Personally, I only get 4-5 hours of wear from that Tom Ford perfume. Maybe you get more, but it’s no powerhouse.

Which one is better as a signature scent?

Personally, I think that the answer is Santal 33. Yes, it became such a massive hit, that it became commonplace. However, that’s probably receded quite a bit over the past five years, and it actually is a very nice perfume.

Are Santal 33 and Oud Wood similar?

These fragrances have a somewhat similar style in terms of the types of notes that each uses. But, they don’t particularly smell the same. Each is quite distinct if you test them out side by side.

L’Homme Ideal EDP vs L’Intense by Guerlain

by

Continuing with some comparison posts here today, I thought that I’d do another one with two fragrances from the L’Homme Ideal line by Guerlain. One of which, L’Intense I tried for the first time over a month ago, when I blind bought a bottle that was on sale.

EDP, is one that I’m coming back to testing, after some time off. Which of these colognes smells better? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy?

Quick Overview

🏆 My Verdict

L’Homme Ideal EDP wins on opening, longevity, and overall scent, while L’Homme Ideal L’Intense wins on versatility. Projection is basically a tie.

Buy Ideal EDP if you want the smoother cherry-almond-vanilla fragrance with better staying power and the stronger overall scent.

Buy L’Intense if you prefer more spice, smoke, leather, and a slightly more mature profile.

Category L’Homme Ideal EDP L’Homme Ideal L’Intense Winner
Opening Natural cherry, almond, slight spice, leather, vanilla, and smooth warmth Warm fresh leather, almond, cardamom, chili pepper, smoke, and toned-down sweetness EDP
Projection Moderate; above average early, then weaker later Moderate; can hit a slightly higher high but falls off quicker Push
Longevity Around 8–9.5 hours Usually around 7 hours, up to 8 EDP
Versatility Autumn/winter, nightlife, daytime, and office safe; sweeter profile Autumn/winter, nightlife, daytime, and office safe; more depth and maturity L’Intense
Overall Scent Smooth cherry, leather, almond, vanilla warmth, and refined sweetness Spicier, smokier almond-leather profile with chili, cardamom, and a solid dry down EDP
Best For Those who want the smoother, better-smelling, longer-lasting option Those who want the spicier, smokier, slightly more mature version —

Tale of the Tape: L’Homme Ideal L’Intense vs. EDP

Ideal EDP

Notes include: cherry, almond, lavender, vanilla, incense, rose, rosemary, leather, tonka bean, and more

Click here to try: L’Homme Ideal EDP at Selfridges (ships from UK)

L’Homme Ideal L’Intense

Notes include: tonka bean, chili pepper, almond, cardamom, vanilla, leather, and more

Click here to try: L’homme Ideal L’intense By Guerlain FOR MEN 3.4 oz Eau De Parfum Spray, black

Read my full review: L’Intense

Opening

Ideal EDP opens with its natural cherry and almond blend. The opening features a slight spiciness, but it is overall a very smooth and refined opening act. Leather, vanilla, and other warmer hints are coming through from the base.

L’Intense is actually very similar to how Ideal EDP opens, but with some variation. L’Intense has a warm and fresh profile, with leather letting itself be known from the start.

With that, you get spice from both cardamom and chili pepper, which is the main distinction from EDP. Though, there is also a sweetness here like its competitor, from the cardamom note and what I think is the unlisted cherry note (just toned way down).

Also, just a general smokiness, like incense from hints of sandalwood and almond.

Which is better? Obviously, it’s a pretty close call since there is so much overlap between them. But, I think that I prefer EDP’s smoothness more so than the spicy and smoky L’Intense.

Edge: EDP

Projection

Both of these fragrances are moderate with their sillage. I’d say each is above average early on, but then devolve into more of skin scents after a few hours.

I think that L’Intense actually might fall off a bit quicker, but hits a higher high in terms of how far its projects. There’s no real distinction in this category, in my experience.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Ideal L’Intense can go for up to 8 hours, on my skin. However, it’s usually around 7 and for the back half its at that weaker sillage level.

It’s got some pretty good performance, but nothing spectacular. Right about what you’d expect from this type of cologne. 

Ideal EDP is a longer lasting fragrance, with an 8-9.5 hour range of performance. It too, is a weaker skin scent for a good portion of the wear.

Nonetheless, it has the better longevity of the two. Not a massive gap, but noticeable.

Edge: EDP

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are built for the autumn and winter months. I think that they both have a good deal of versatility, as to what occasions that can be worn. Both are better for the nightlife, but are light enough to not be problems in the daytime, and are relatively office safe.

I do think that L’Intense has a bit more depth, refinement, and maturity than the sweeter EDP. L’Intense can be more appropriate for a man in his 30s, when he doesn’t want to go with a cherry/vanilla/almond focused EDP.

Not a huge distinction, but L’Intense takes this category.

Edge: L’Intense

 

Overall Scent

Overall, I really like both of these fragrances, but I don’t love either. I know the Ideal line has its fans that adore these scents, but for me they’re more of an occasional delight.

With L’Intense, I really wasn’t impressed with it the first few times I wore it. But, I’ve come to appreciate it more so. Early wears were particularly smoky, though, it now smells cleaner to my nose. 

My favorite part is actually the opening, with the chili and almond notes. That’s the high point and even then, I don’t enjoy it as much as EDP.

I think L’Intense is a solid cologne to have around, has strong points, and is easier to acquire here in the US (than EDP).  The dry down is fine, pretty standard, but isn’t as enjoyable to me as the first hour.

I’ve been wearing this Guerlain, but it isn’t something I need to have a bottle of.

With EDP, it’s just a better scent. I think it might be my second favorite now behind the discontinued Cologne, in the Ideal lineup. I’ve begun to appreciate it more than Extreme, which I’m wavering on, with my opinion of it.

I love the cherry, the leather smoothness, and the warm sweetness that the fragrance has…without venturing into ‘candy aroma’ territory. To me, Ideal EDP isn’t way better than L’Intense, but it does feel like its a cut above.

Winner: Ideal EDP

Who Should Buy Each?

Choose L’Homme Ideal EDP if:

You want the better overall scent
You prefer cherry, almond, vanilla, leather, tonka bean, and smooth sweetness
You want better longevity, around 8–9.5 hours
You like warm sweet fragrances that do not become too candy-like
You want the smoother and more refined opening between the two

Choose L’Homme Ideal L’Intense if:

You want something spicier and smokier
You prefer chili pepper, cardamom, almond, leather, tonka bean, and vanilla
You want a slightly more mature profile than the sweeter EDP
You like autumn/winter fragrances that can still work for daytime or office use
You want the version with more depth and a less cherry-focused style

Guerlain Ideal FAQ

Is L’Homme Ideal EDP worth buying over L’Intense?

Yes, I think that it is a better fragrance. I do own L’Intense, because I got a bottle for so cheap, and at the time you had to order Ideal EDP from other countries. But, the added cherry and the blend of Ideal EDP is really great, even if I like L’Intense also.

Which one has better performance overall?

Ideal eau de parfum has a slightly better performance. Again, it lasts a bit longer than does L’Intense. Though, how each projects is roughly the same. Not a huge difference in terms of performance.

Is L’Homme Ideal L’Intense smokier than EDP?

Yes, the leather and smokiness is one of the distinct aspects of L’Intense. Particularly, the leather, but it is also a smokier blend when compared with EDP.

 

 

Burberry Her EDT vs EDP

by

Her is a very popular series from Burberry nowadays. It has spawned more than a handful of flankers up to this point in time. I’ve been familiar with the eau de parfum for quite a while, but wanted to compare it to Her Eau de Toilette, which I’d only encountered once. So, this is my page for that.

How does each of them smell? How long do they last? Which is the better perfume pick?

Quick Overview

🏆 My Verdict

Burberry Her EDT wins on opening and overall scent, while Burberry Her EDP wins on projection and longevity. Versatility is basically a push because the EDP works better outside of summer, while the EDT specializes more in spring and summer.

Buy Her EDT if you want the fresher, more interesting pear, black currant, strawberry, and floral version with very little performance drop-off.

Buy Her EDP if you want the stronger, longer-lasting berry-heavy scent.

Category Burberry Her EDP Burberry Her EDT Winner
Opening Strong citrus and berry opening with strawberry, raspberry, brightness, and some jasmine Pear-led opening with strawberry, black currant, pink pepper, lily of the valley, and peony Her EDT
Projection Pretty strong at first, then moderates after the first hour or so Starts fairly strong and comes close to EDP, but not quite as high at the peak Her EDP
Longevity Usually 7–8 hours, sometimes slightly above 8 About 7 hours Her EDP
Versatility Best outside of summer; pleasant daytime wear that skews younger Spring and summer vibe; light, fresh, pleasant daytime wear Push
Overall Scent Sweet-tart berry fruitiness with strawberry, citrus, raspberry, and a less original back half Fresher pear, black currant, strawberry, and floral profile with the better opening and dry down Her EDT
Best For Those who want stronger berry projection and slightly longer wear Those who want the fresher, more interesting version with near-EDP performance —

Tale of the Tape: Burberry Her EDP vs EDT

Burberry Her

Notes include: strawberry, citrus, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, wood, musk, amber, jasmine

Click here to try: Burberry Her Eau De Parfum Spray

Read my review: Burberry Her EDP

Burberry Her EDT

Notes include: pear, strawberry, black currant, pink pepper, peony, rose, honeysuckle, musk, cedar, lily of the valley

Click here to try: Her EDT at Sephora

Opening

Burberry Her EDP starts off with a strong use of its citrus and berry notes. The fruitiness is powerful in the early stages. Strawberry is the strongest note of the lot, with some additional raspberry and brightness of the citrus notes.

It can be sharp and sour versus being sugary sweet or anything. The floral notes aren’t all that strong, but there is a decent amount of jasmine at times.

EDT also has that strawberry note. However, it starts off with the pear note being the lead. Under that, I get more of the black currant than I do the strawberry. It’s fresh and kind of watery, with a touch of pink pepper breaking up the sweetness.

But, what I do notice between these two options, is that Her EDT uses its floral notes a bit more in the early stages. Lily of the valley is the main focus, though, I get some peony also.

Which is better?

I don’t have a huge preference for one versus the other at this early stage. But, I do lean more towards the EDT version. The pear, freshness, greenish qualities are a bit more interesting than what I get from EDP.

Edge: Her EDT

Projection

Her EDP kicks off things with a pretty strong ability to project and leave a scent trail in one’s wake. It will moderate in the back half of the first hour or so.

Still, it doesn’t feel weak ever, until we get to the absolute depths of the wear.

EDT actually comes close to matching what EDP does. It starts fairly strong as well. Maybe not as high of a peak, but it’s not completely weak either. It then follows the same sort of trajectory on the way down.

Edge: EDP

Longevity

Her EDP will generally hit the 7-8 hour range on my skin. Maybe it can go a little bit above 8 hours, at times, but not much. It’s actually been fairly steady for me over all of the testing of this perfume that I’ve done.

With EDT, it is once again, almost as good as the eau de Parfum. Yet, it still falls short. On my skin, I got about 7 hours out of this one.

So, maybe 60-90 more minutes of wear with Her EDP. Not a massive difference, but a win.

Edge: Her EDP

Versatility

Her EDP is one that I like in every season except for the summertime. I don’t think it holds up all that well in the heat and humidity. Meanwhile, EDT specializes in the warmer months of the year. It very much has a spring and summer vibe to it. Light and fresh.

Neither of these are formal wear perfumes, nor are they completely mature. More pleasant daytime wears, that skew a bit younger without being childish.

I don’t know if there’s an advantage here.

Edge: Push

her edp vs edt

Overall Scent

So, overall, which Burberry Her do I like more? EDP or EDT?

They’re not too far off from one another. Each fragrance has some things that I enjoy about them.

With Burberry Her EDP, I do like that opening fruitiness, as it does offer something somewhat different from Cloud and BR 540 which it often gets compared to. Not totally different, but sweeter and more tart, in that opening act.

The back half is fine. Nothing too original there.

I do think that I slightly prefer Her EDT to the eau de parfum version. Actually, I think Intense is better than either of these, but my pick is EDT out of these two. There are some other perfumes similar to Burberry Her.

With EDT, you don’t get much decline in the performance versus EDP. Also, I think the opening and back half of the perfume smells better. The opening of Her EDP was my favorite part of that scent, but EDT outshines it there too.

Winner: EDT

Who Should Buy Each?

Choose Burberry Her EDP if:

You want the stronger performer between the two
You prefer strawberry, raspberry, citrus, cherry, blueberry, musk, amber, and jasmine
You like sweet-tart berry fragrances with a more powerful opening
You want slightly better longevity than the EDT
You do not mind that the back half is less original than the opening

Choose Burberry Her EDT if:

You want the better overall scent between the two
You prefer pear, strawberry, black currant, pink pepper, peony, rose, honeysuckle, musk, cedar, and lily of the valley
You want something fresher, lighter, and more spring/summer friendly
You like a more floral, greenish, watery take on the Her DNA
You want performance that comes close to the EDP without losing much wear time

Burberry Her FAQ

Which is better: Burberry Her EDT or EDP?

Again, I prefer the EDT version of this fragrance, even with the weaker performance. I like the pear not, the blackcurrant, and just find it to be a more interesting scent.

Which Burberry Her is best for summer?

Between these two editions it’s the EDT. Other options from the series are: Her Petals and Her London Dream. The latter two may be difficult to find nowadays. Those are the best bets for a warmer weather fragrance, though.

Which Burberry Her perfume should I buy first?

I’d probably try out Her EDT first, if it sounds interesting to you. Her EDP is nice enough, just never wows me. Maybe check out Elixir, as that is a popular option too. 

 

 

YSL Libre Intense vs. Le Parfum

by

Libre has been such a hit for YSL, the flankers will keep right on coming. Intense was an improvement to me, versus the original. Now, I want to compare it to the more recent 2022 release, Libre Le Parfum. Which of these Libre’s will take the crown? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy?

Quick Overview

🏆 My Verdict

Libre Le Parfum wins on opening, longevity, and overall scent, while Libre Intense wins on projection and slightly better versatility.

Buy Le Parfum if you want the richer, smoother, honeyed vanilla version with the better dry down and stronger full-wear experience.

Buy Libre Intense if you prefer a brighter orange blossom opening with stronger projection and a slightly easier everyday wear profile, but overall Le Parfum is the better fragrance. You might also want to try a cheaper alternative: Intensely Liberated by Dua

Category Libre Intense Libre Le Parfum Winner
Opening Orange blossom, lavender, vanilla, amber, and brighter floral sweetness Honey, saffron, ginger, vanilla, orange blossom, and richer warm sweetness Le Parfum
Projection Stronger projection and a louder first few hours Strong, but smoother and less sharp off the skin Libre Intense
Longevity Around 7–8 hours Usually 8–9+ hours with a stronger dry down Le Parfum
Versatility Slightly easier for daytime and cooler-weather daily wear Best for evenings, cooler weather, and dressed-up wear Libre Intense
Overall Scent Beautiful floral-vanilla scent with stronger brightness and projection Richer, deeper, smoother honeyed vanilla with the better full wear Le Parfum
Best For Those who want stronger projection and easier daily wear Those who want the richer, smoother, better overall Libre —

Tale of the Tape Libre Intense vs. Le Parfum

Libre Intense

Notes include: lavender, orange blossom, orchid, vanilla

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent for Women Libre 1.6 oz Eau de Parfum Intense Spray

Libre Le Parfum

Notes include: ginger, saffron, mandarin orange, bergamot, orange blossom, lavender, vanilla, honey, tonka bean, vetiver

Click here to try: Libre Le Parfum

Opening

Libre Intense starts fairly sweet for me, but still not super sugary or anything. Less lavender/musk soapiness than the original, a lot more orchid, and the orange blossom is about the same. Vanilla is a bigger player for the entire duration of the wear.

Le Parfum goes more in a citrusy direction, but not completely so. The orange blossom, honey, spice, and vanilla are all very present early. Parfum is warm and cozy.

Way less lavender here (at least early, later it shows up quite a bit on my skin) than either the original or Intense, for that matter. It also feels much thicker and syrupy like than the others in the series.

Which do I like better?

There’s obviously plenty of overlap between them. However, I like the direction that Le Parfum takes it. Sweet, citrus, warm, with enough spice from ginger/saffron to not be boring. It’s familiar yet unique.

Edge: Le Parfum

Projection

Intense is a powerful perfume. I don’t think it’s elite in this regard, but it is certainly well above average with its reach, and has some heavy qualities to it.

Le Parfum feels thicker, but I don’t think that it leaves the same sort of scent trail in its wake as does Intense. It is also a strong perfume, but it seems to be a slightly less powerful one than its competitor.

Not too much of a difference, just what I noticed.

Edge: Intense

Longevity

Libre Intense is fantastic with its longevity. For me, it’ll easily hit 12 hours worth of wear. Maybe a little bit beyond that, also. It’s no slouch.

With Le Parfum, I got close to the same. Maybe a tad less than 12 hours. It seems to hit 10-11 hours for me. Not at all bad, just a step behind what I get with Intense. Now, that may not be the case for everyone, but I have to give Intense the edge.

Edge: Intense

Versatility

I don’t see much difference here in this category. They are both autumn and winter wears that will break down in the heat. Both are powerful, both lean more towards nighttime wear.

The similarities here, don’t give it much space to pick a winner. Maybe, I’d say that the sweeter qualities may make Le Parfum the more attractive/sexier fragrance of the two, and that could be enough to push it over the top.

Le Parfum is sweet, without being girlish, and maintaining a maturity.

Edge: Le Parfum

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these perfumes do I like more?

Well, Intense was my favorite of the bunch coming into trying out Le Parfum. But, I think Parfum has surpassed it. Le Parfum is slightly better than Intense and much better than Platine, which was released in close proximity to Parfum.

Intense, was one that I liked because of the greater performance versus the original, it had more depth and better balance. I liked that the lavender isn’t as heavy, as the original. The orchid was improved and the vanilla gets ramped up.

Again, here’s a similar alternative to Intense for $33 currently: Intensely Liberated

Here, we get an interesting shift towards less lavender at the start, with Le Parfum. But, it does still come through past that opening act, much to the same level as Intense. I like the added citrus, a similar vanilla, plus the spiciness.

To me, the orange blossom has a lot of similarities in terms of strength to the Intense version. It’s less soapy, but the honey and gourmand notes give Le Parfum a stand alone identity, while remaining true to the series.

It’s not a big win for Parfum, but if I had to pick one, I’d go with it. The complexity is more interesting. It’s smoother and I like the delicious honey and vanilla combo.  I do think the competition is closer in the latter stages, since I think that Le Parfum has a very nice opening and good enough back end.

Winner: Le Parfum

Who Should Buy Each?

Choose Libre Intense if:

You want the stronger projection between the two
You prefer orange blossom, lavender, vanilla, amber, and brighter floral warmth
You want something slightly easier for daytime wear
You like fragrances that feel bold but still a bit more flexible
You prefer stronger opening projection over the smoother dry down

Choose Libre Le Parfum if:

You want the better overall fragrance
You prefer honey, saffron, ginger, vanilla, orange blossom, and richer sweetness
You want better longevity and a stronger dry down
You mainly wear fragrance for evenings, dates, or cooler weather
You want the smoother, deeper, more luxurious take on Libre

YSL Libre FAQ

Which YSL Libre should I buy first?

Out of the ones in the series that I’ve personally tried, Libre Le Parfum is the best. They have released other newer scents in this lineup, so you may want to check those out also.

Are Libre Intense and Libre Le Parfum very similar?

I don’t think so. Obviously, there are going to be similarities. I do like how they toned down the lavender in Le Parfum, it feels more balanced that way. Here’s my review for Le Parfum for more information on that perfume.

Does Libre Intense project more than Le Parfum?

I think it has a farther reach than Le Parfum. While Le Parfum feels denser. Libre Intense is one that I can spray something and easily detect it from across a good-sized room. That being said, both of these perfumes perform very well.

Stronger With You Intensely vs. Absolutely

by

Stronger With You is a series that keeps marching on for Emporio Armani. Among the two highly rated and sought after versions of this formulation are: Intensely and Absolutely. Each has some memorable aromas and comes with great performance.

However, the question is, which of these colognes is better? Which lasts longer? Which one should you buy? I’ve tested and reviewed each of these scents and will break down the competition below.

Quick Overview

🏆 My Verdict

Stronger With You Intensely wins on opening, projection, and overall scent, while longevity and versatility are basically tied.

Buy Intensely if you want the sweeter, smoother toffee-vanilla-sueded scent with slightly better sillage and the stronger full-wear experience.

Buy Absolutely if you prefer the glazed chestnut middle act, rum, elemi, and a more resinous nutty profile.

Category Stronger With You Intensely Stronger With You Absolutely Winner
Opening Pink pepper, cinnamon, sage, toffee, caramel sweetness, and spice Bergamot, sweet fruity notes, rum, cinnamon, elemi, glazed chestnut, and resinous warmth Intensely
Projection A bit more powerful with slightly better reach and sillage Very good projection with room-crossing reach, then a 4–5 foot scent bubble Intensely
Longevity Excellent, around 11–12 hours Excellent, around 11–12 hours Push
Versatility Autumn/winter, nightlife, casual wear, and date nights Autumn/winter, nightlife, casual wear, and date nights Push
Overall Scent Sweeter, smoother toffee, vanilla, suede, spice, and lavender with the better full wear Great glazed chestnut middle act with cinnamon, rum, elemi, and later lavender Intensely
Best For Those who want the sweeter, smoother, better overall pick Those who want glazed chestnut, rum, and a nuttier profile —

Tale of the Tape: Stronger with You Absolutely vs. Intensely

Stronger With You Intensely

Notes include: pink pepper, cinnamon, toffee, lavender, sage, suede, amber, violet, vetiver

Click here to try: Intensely

My Full Review: Stronger with You Intensely

Stronger With You Absolutely

Notes include: glazed chestnut, rum, lavender, cedar, vanilla, elemi

My Full Review: Stronger with You Absolutely

Opening

The opening spray of Absolutely provides the short-lived citrus burst of bergamot and some other sweetish and fruity background notes, that I believe are apart of the initial lavender accord.

This is met with some spice and warmth. Not overly so, however. Arman’s description mentioned  pink pepper being here, I think that may be a part of this initial mix, since that is in Stronger Intensely as a note also.

But, this one also strikes me as being quite resinous from the get go. Elemi or the ‘glaze’ of the chestnut note is something that really sticks out after that top blast.

Notably, there is cinnamon in addition to the rum accord. Yes, there is some warm spiciness and booziness , but this is a lot smoother composition than a heavily spiced boozy rum note. It never really hits that level.

With Intensely, starts with its spiciness. Here, it is warmer and doesn’t last long (like the bergamot in Absolutely). The pink pepper is now the stronger note, joined by cinnamon and sage.

I get a sweet influence earlier with Intensely. The toffee accord with the cinnamon and caramel notes really gives Intensely a more dynamic feel. It is much less resinous and doesn’t have the same ‘glazed’ aroma as Absolutely.

Which do I prefer? I consistently have favored the opening of Intensely. Absolutely is nice, but I think once its chestnut note gets fully going, that’s when it is at its best. However, that’s not entirely in the opening act.

Intensely, gives me a better blend of sweetness and spice initially, and that’s what gives it the win in this category.

Edge: Intensely

Projection

The projection of Absolutely really good, able to reach well across a room. Then, it’ll become a 4-5 foot scent bubble, and finally a skin scent. Not the heaviest or most beast mode projection out there, but I wasn’t disappointed.

Intensely, is a bit more powerful than that. Now, it isn’t completely overwhelming either.

However, I do notice it further away from Absolutely, when I tested each on clothing and walked to the other side of the living room.

Not a convincing win, but Intensely does have the edge. It’s not going to be the reason I’d buy one versus the other, however.

Edge: Intensely

Longevity

The longevity of both of these scents are really great, on my skin. But, there’s also no distinction between them, and they perform equally.

Both Intensely and Absolutely, outperform the original EDT. Total longevity is 11-12 hours, which is great for this sort of mainstream fragrance.

No winner here, just awesome performers.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Another category in which they are equals. Autumn and winter wears. A bit more mature than the original EDT, but still suitable for younger men as well.

Each is great for the nightlife, casual, or date night. Neither is something that’s completely formal or going to be an office scent for most folks.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, this is a pretty evenly matched competition. I enjoy both of these fragrances and they are among my favorites from the Stronger with You lineup.

But, which is the cologne that I actually prefer to wear?

With Absolutely, the opening is enjoyable, but I really like the glazed chestnut middle act that it provides. It’s one of the nuttier versions in this line and that core ingredient is really done well with Absolutely.

The cinnamon, rum, and elemi all give it further depth but is mostly limited to the opening. The dry down, though, comes on stronger with lavender.

It’s not terrible, but Absolutely really starts to lose a lot of its distinction from the rest of the series and the lavender doesn’t do much to boost it.

Even at that early stage, which with the heart of the fragrance is my favorite part of SWY Absolutely; it doesn’t hit the same level for me, as does Intensely.

With Intensely, I love the toffee, vanilla, and suede with periods of spice and lavender. Great, just without the same chestnut note, but also the vanilla reminds me of the EDT (just blended way better)

It’s sweeter, smoother, and gives me slightly more sillage than Absolutely. So, it’s my pick in this contest. I enjoy it from start to finish, even with Absolutely’s enjoyable middle act.

I would select it over Absolutely, unless you can find Absolutely for significantly cheaper for some reason. Maybe if you’re a bigger lavender fan, you might also want to go with Stronger With You Absolutely.

Winner: Intensely

Who Should Buy Each?

Choose Stronger With You Intensely if:

You want the better overall fragrance in this comparison
You prefer toffee, vanilla, suede, cinnamon, pink pepper, and amber
You want the stronger opening blend of sweetness and spice
You care about slightly better sillage and projection
You want the version that stays enjoyable from start to finish

Choose Stronger With You Absolutely if:

You prefer glazed chestnut, rum, elemi, cedar, vanilla, and lavender
You like a nuttier, more resinous Stronger With You style
You want excellent 11–12 hour longevity
You enjoy the middle act more than the opening
You can find it significantly cheaper or prefer lavender-heavy dry downs

Stronger with You FAQ

What is the best Stronger with You fragrance?

What I consider to be the ‘best’ of this line or maybe just my favorites are: Intensely, Leather, Absolutely, and the original EDT. I haven’t tried every single edition as of yet, but here’s my list and rankings: Best SWY Colognes.

Does Stronger With You Absolutely project more than Intensely?

No, not in my testing of it. There isn’t a huge gap between them, but Intensely does have the edge in terms of its strength.

Are Intensely and Absolutely very similar?

They are quite similar, but still different enough. To me, the main difference is the stronger use of the chestnut note in Absolutely. The rum note also distinguishes it, though that isn’t super strong in the mix.