Jean Paul Gaultier

Best Le Male by JPG Fragrances (Ranked)

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Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier is a series that has been going for about 30 years, at this point. In that time, the brand has released plenty of new editions or special bottles under this fragrance title.

While most of these scents are no longer available on the market, there are some which are more recent, that can be tracked down. On this page, I want to rank the Le Male colognes that I have reviewed on the site, and update it as newer releases emerge. 

Best Le Male Colognes (Ranked)

Still My Favorite

Ultra Male– This one is not going to be a daily wear for most. Even for me, it’s one that I only go to on occasion, and for that reason it may not be the one that you buy. But, I do still think it’s my favorite.

Ultra Male represents a lot of the qualities that I like about JPG colognes. It’s bold, out there, and doesn’t  need to be a signature scent. I’ll wear something else for the day to day, but I want some fragrances in my collection that hit hard and are borderline obnoxious.

Ultra gives you a massive pear and cinnamon combination. It’s sweet and spicy and fills up a room. I’ve got an older bottle, so, I’m not sure if they’ve toned it down in more recent bottles…but this is very potent juice.

Lavender, mint, and vanilla also come through. Later, the lavender and vanilla are the main attractions, along with some amber.

Ultra Male isn’t the Gaultier for everyone or every use case, despite its popularity. Though, it’s a very good release for what it is. Ultra Male review

A Better Elixir

Le Male Elixir Absolu– Yep, this has already climbed up to the second spot on my list of favorite Le Male fragrances. I’m not sure if this one has gotten a positive reception since its release, but I wear this one way more often than the original Elixir.

Admittedly, the opening is kind of shaky and not my favorite. Once we get into things, I think Elixir Absolu really starts to shine, and I thoroughly enjoy wearing this.

This one opens with lavender as the big player, along with some warmer spice, and the plummy sweetness. Now, it’s not a juicy plum note, it’s subtle but present.

Lavender, tonka bean, and some smooth sweetness highlights most of the wear. Performance is great and it’s a better formula than the first Elixir. Elixir Absolu review

Best Daily Wear

Le Male Le Parfum– This is the one to go with, if you want something that’s going to be an easy to wear and attractive cologne for day and night use.

It opens with a prominent cardamom note and some other spice (pretty sure it’s cinnamon). Lavender and vanilla already begin to emerge. However, early on the iris is the main focus of this scent.

The dry down? Lavender, vanilla, and amber.

This is a really good cologne for most guys. It’s an easy no brainer sort of wear. There are plenty of other iris fragrance options. A more recent release, Society Extreme, is one that I bought and like more than this Gaultier.

Yet, I have to give this one its due, even if I tend to like the bolder Le Male scents. Le Parfum review

First Elixir

Le Male Elixir– I’m going to put Elixir here. It’s still one that I like, but Elixir Absolu has pulled away as my favorite between them, to the point that I barely spray this one on anymore.

This is still likeable, but you’re going to have to appreciate a very sweet and loud sort of cologne. This one is warmer and thicker, with its honey note and amber. Yet, it has a cooling spiced opening act with mint.

Lavender, honey, amber, tobacco, and tonka bean are major players here. The scent does develop and has different facets to enjoy during the wear. I’d like Absolu more, but some of you might still want to go with this one. Le Male Elixir review

Lover

Le Male Lover– I don’t have too much experience with this one. But, when I tried it out, I liked what it does. If you don’t like the Elixir entries to this series, Le Male Lover could be a good alternative for you.

It’s a better version of Le Male In the Navy. More complex with a better use of vanilla and the oceanic accord. In the Navy feels much thinner and has less going on than does Lover.

Based on my limited testing with this, I’d put it about equal with the original Le Male. It’s good, maybe I’d find it to be a notch below, if I gave it some more time. But, if you find it at a discounter, I think it can be a good pick up.

The Original

Le Male– I’ve gone through so many periods over the years of loving this fragrance and then not wanting to wear it at all. That’s basically what happened again with my latest smaller bottle of Le Male.

Yes, it’s the original. Yes, it’s a classic. It still has its positives and can be worth it, but I’m not always enamored with the result.

It opens up spicy and with its vanilla already coming out and never leaving. It’s a mix of coolness and warmth, before the smoother lavender and vanilla blend really take hold. Orange blossom is another floral note in the mix.

At times, Le Male is creamy, but it does have more of a powdery finish overall. Still a nice buy. Le Male review

Not so Terrible

Le Male Terrible– You probably won’t find many bottles of Le Male Terrible still around, but just in case, I’ll put it on the list since I’ve already reviewed it. It came out back in 2010.

Overall? It’s pretty good. Quite similar to the original Le Male, but Terrible opens up with pink pepper in lieu of the mint note, along with a grapefruit.

Cardamom is also missing from the mix. Lavender and vanilla are still the leads with this one. However, vetiver, pink pepper, and amber also lend support to make it more of a unique blend.

If you can find this for really cheap and want a different take on Le Male EDT, it warrants a try. Anything above $50-60? I’d almost certainly pass. Le Male Terrible review

Fly with JPG

Le Male Airlines– Airlines had potential. The opening act with the cardamom is really attractive. Much of the time, this one feels like a relative of 1 Million Royal. Overall, it’s a nice cologne, just not one that you need to have.

My bottle was $30 or so, a few years ago. Even with that being the case, I don’t wear Le Male Airlines very often. I wore it a few times in autumn and winter, just to go walk outside with.

Light citrus and artemisia break up the usual Le Male pacing. The Cardamom is really amped up here, but it still has the familiar mint and cinnamon combination in the blend.

The back half is less fresh and spicy. It’s cooler and softer, with the lavender and some woods taking hold of the composition. Airlines review

On the Ocean

Le Male in the Navy– I’m not sure if bottles of In the Navy are still easy to find a decent price, but honestly, don’t bother. This isn’t a worthwhile fragrance and I would rather wear Airlines versus this, any day of the week.

Peppermint, vanilla, ambergris, and an oceanic accord. I thought that it might have some style with its simplicity, but was ultimately disappointed.

I do like the peppermint in the beginning, but the rest of the way its a watery mix of vanilla and ambergris. Nothing too spectacular here and not one to track down. In the Navy review

Ranking Le Beau by JPG Fragrances

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Le Beau is a much newer line than the more popular Le Male fragrances by Gaultier. But, they have become quite popular in their own right. The question is, what is the best smelling Le Beau from JPG? Or better yet, which is the top option for you?

On this page, I keep track of these scents and rank each of them from first to my least favorite.

Ranking JPG Le Beau Colognes

Trip to Paradise

Paradise Garden– The tropical summertime theme may limit its use case for a lot of people. However, in terms of how each of these colognes smells, Paradise Garden is my favorite from this line.

The opening blends sweetness, freshness, a cooling spice, and an aquatic quality throughout. It carries a greenish aroma from the fig that pairs beautifully with the coconut, and I personally detect a substantial dose of the ginger note.

The fig leans more toward the fruit rather than the leaf, though it seems like you get a blend of both parts. Sweet and green.

Salt? Not too much that I can detect.

While the coconut has a more watery quality, there’s still some creaminess to the mixture. Nice support from sandalwood, fig, and tonka bean ensures this.

I get more of the sandalwood during the dry down period. Really nice performance, too. Le Beau Paradise Garden review

Pineapple, Coconut, Creamy

Le Beau Le Parfum– Le Parfum, to me, is a much more interesting variant of the original Le Beau formula. More depth and almost as good as Paradise Garden.

At first,  I get a really tropical vibe with the pineapple coming out of the gate strong and the coconut note sitting underneath. It’s juicy, creamy, and sweet with an added light spicy kick from the ginger note.

The ginger will fall away and the pineapple will lose its prominence at the top. Coconut, tonka bean, amber, and a general set of woods will dry this one up and take away the juiciness of that tropical vibe, at least.

It’s crazy how quickly that aspect fades from the picture. Sure, that sweetness stays around for the duration, just not in the same way.

Sandalwood and the tonka bean really do assist a lot at adding the creamy finish to this one. Le Parfum review

Flowers Everywhere

Le Beau Flower Edition– This one is going to have a lot more of a narrow reach in terms of its fans. This is due to its floral composition. While not completely amazing, I actually have enjoyed this release from JPG.

Le Beau Flower Edition starts off being sweet, fruity, green, and fresh. I was hesitant about this one when I saw that it had a violet or violet leaf note.

This, along with the kumquat and slight lemon pairing up top is surprisingly good. It replaces the coconut note found in other Le Beau releases.

Kumquat is a note that’s not used too often, but I don’t think either this or the violet takes over completely in this early stage. I did think that this one might be a lot fresher than it is.

It’s there for sure, but once the kumquat starts to fade, there is a somewhat musky/greenish transition before it settles into a violet led ending. Flower Edition full review

The Original

Le Beau EDT– I don’t find this one to be bad, but Le Beau EDT is my least favorite of the bunch.

Le Beau EDT starts off with its citrus and coconut wood blended together. It’s got a fresh and blue sort of tone to it in the opening. Pretty simple up top.

To me, this one really gets going once the tonka bean note has ramped up and the bergamot has settled. That’s when the creaminess of the fragrance unfolds.

Le Beau EDT, again, is a likeable cologne. As a daily wear for younger guys, it works well. The opening act isn’t great, but that dry down is pretty nice with the tonka bean and wood coming through more.

Le Beau Paradise Garden vs. Le Male Elixir

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Le Male from JPG has been a long-running and massively successful line for the brand. Le Beau, is the more recent line of colognes that they’ve released and has also ridden a wave of popularity.

Two of the scents from Gaultier, Elixir and Paradise Garden, have been recent standouts for them. Even if they’re not exactly similar smelling fragrances, they are options that people sometimes decide between.

So, which one smells better? Lasts longer? Is the one that you should buy?

Tale of the Tape: Le Beau Paradise Garden vs. Le Male Elixir

Le Male Elixir

Notes include: mint, honey, lavender, tonka bean, benzoin, tobacco, vanilla

Click here to try: Le Male Elixir at Amazon

Read my review: Elixir

Le Beau Paradise Garden

Notes include: mint, ginger, fig, coconut water, salt, tonka bean, sandalwood

Click here to try: Paradise Garden

Read my full review: Le Beau Paradise Garden

Opening

Elixir makes a bold first impression with its mint note, delivering a cooling fresh spiciness right from the start. This distinctive opening blends seamlessly with the signature Le Male lavender accord.

The tonka bean emerges as another key player in the early stages. While Elixir features a vanilla note that intensifies throughout the wear, the tonka creates a sweet, syrupy character when combined with honey and the fuzzy warmth of benzoin.

Meanwhile, Paradise Garden introduces itself through an interesting blend of sweetness, freshness, mint, and subtle aquatic undertones.

A greener character develops as the fig note asserts itself, complementing the coconut beautifully, while a pronounced ginger note makes itself known early on after spraying. The fig brings both sweetness and verdant freshness to the composition.

Paradise features a distinct coconut water element, though a certain creaminess remains present throughout. This is all supported by a base of sandalwood, fig, and tonka bean, which further enhances the creamy quality.

The sandalwood will become increasingly prominent in the dry down phase.

Which do I like more? It’s close, but I’ve been liking the mint, coconut water, and fig mix of Paradise Garden a lot lately. So, it gets the edge.

Edge: Paradise Garden

Projection

Paradise Garden isn’t too heavy of a fragrance, but it does project itself quite well and leaves a scent trail in its wake. It doesn’t have that same thickness, but you’ll know that it is there.

With Elixir, it starts off really strong, more of a cloud-like envelopment before it finally moderates.

Elixir is really strong stuff and it takes this performance category.

Edge: Elixir

Longevity

With Paradise Garden, I’ve been getting 8-9 hours of wear out of it. That actually is pretty great for a scent that you’re mainly going to be wearing in the summer.

However, it falls a bit short compared to what I get with Le Male Elixir which will hang around for up to 10.5 hours or so, on my skin.

The Le Male entry takes this category.

Edge: Elixir

Versatility

Elixir is pretty bold with its sweetness, it’s crafted for colder days and has a youthful energy that is good for nightlife. I’ve also worn it in a more temperate climate and Elixir was fine. Most guys won’t be wearing this to the office or some kind of formal black-tie events.

Paradise Garden falls squarely into that relaxed, summertime cologne territory. It’s tropical coconut aroma is built for daytime wear mostly.

Though, I could see wearing this on a warmer night out, at a bar or something. 

Neither fragrance really ventures into formal territory. They’re casual scents that’ll resonate more with younger guys definitely not something you’d rock at work. These are pretty even here, but I might give a very slight edge to Elixir

Edge: Elixir

Overall Scent

This is honestly a pretty close race between these two, but I think that Paradise Garden is slightly better. If I were to include Elixir Absolu, I’d pick that one over both of these options.

I’m particularly drawn to Elixir’s opening notes and how honey and tobacco enhance the Le Male line. It delivers a sweet, warm, spicy, rich, bold experience that’s genuinely fun to wear.

That said, Le Beau Paradise Garden wins my vote as the better JPG fragrance. The opening is a tad better and I have a slight preference for the entirety overall. You don’t have to give up much performance either.

It strikes an excellent balance with impressive longevity, a gorgeous tropical character, and an overall pleasantness that makes it wonderfully wearable. I’ve been enjoying spraying it on warmer days, since I bought it.

Neither of these would be my daily wear, but they are fun colognes that I will finish out the bottles of, at some point.

Winner: Paradise Garden

Le Beau EDT vs. Paradise Garden

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Le Beau is an increasingly popular series, which is continually spawning new flanker colognes to add to the lineup. Le Beau EDT is the original release, which has been somewhat recently overshadowed by scents like, Le Beau Paradise Garden.

But, which of these fragrances is actually better?

In this post, I want to do a comparison between each of these JPG perfumes, after I’ve worn and tested each out many times. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better Gaultier fragrance to buy?

Tale of the Tape: Le Beau vs Paradise Garden by JPG

Le Beau EDT

Notes include: bergamot, coconut wood, tonka bean

Click here to try: Le Beau by JPG

Le Beau Paradise Garden

Notes include: mint, ginger, fig, coconut water, salt, tonka bean, sandalwood

Click here to try: Paradise Garden

Read my full review: Le Beau Paradise Garden

Opening

Le Beau EDT starts off with its citrus and coconut wood blended together. It’s got a fresh and blue sort of tone to it, in the opening. Pretty simple up top.

To me, this one really gets going once the tonka bean note has ramped up and the bergamot has settled. That’s when the creaminess of the fragrance unfolds.

Paradise Garden opens with a mix sweetness, freshness, minty spice, and an aquatic undertone to it all.

It’s a greener aroma from the fig note asserting itself, that pairs well with that coconut, and I get a good deal of the ginger note coming through early on. The fig is sweet and green

Paradise has a coconut water note. Though, there is still some creaminess in the blend. All supported by sandalwood, fig, and tonka bean, which adds that creamy touch further. I get more of the sandalwood in the dry down.

The start of Le Beau EDT is my least favorite part of that cologne. It gets better, but I’m not too sold on the blue citrus aroma that I get with it. Paradise Garden has more depth and smells better.

Edge: Paradise 

Projection

Paradise isn’t a super heavy fragrance, it’s not a completely light scent, and has some body to it.

Though, it does have really good projection for what kind of cologne this is. It’s a lighter moderate sillage for spring and summertime. 

It hangs around in that lightness quite well. I never don’t notice this one, when I have it on, at least until it finally fades.

Edge: Paradise

Longevity

Paradise Garden will go for 8 or so hours. For me, while I’ve worn this Gaultier cologne, I haven’t yet had it reach the 9 hour mark. It’s quite good, but not a spectacular performer.

Le Beau EDT is more middle of the road with its performance, at least for me. I can get up to 6.5 hours of wear from this Gaultier cologne. Doesn’t seem to go beyond that.

It’s a pretty distinct advantage for Garden, here.

Edge: Paradise

Versatility

Each of these works best in the spring and summertime. I wouldn’t be wearing them in the winter. But, if the temperatures are moderate to hot, they can be used without issue.

Both of these are more casual daytime wears. Not formal or something that you’d wear to the office. They do tend to skew younger, as well. Though, for when you’d wear each of these, they fit fine for all ages.

I do think the smoother dry down of Le Beau fits in better as a daily wear. The coconut and minty tropical intensity that Paradise Garden gives off, might not be the best in every situation. 

As such, I’ll give the slight edge to Le Beau EDT.

Edge: Le Beau

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I enjoy more?

With, Le Beau EDT, I find it to be a likeable cologne. As a daily wear for younger guys, it works well. The opening act isn’t great, but that dry down is pretty nice with the tonka bean and wood coming through more.

As a daily wear option, it might be a better bet for some guys.

However, if I have to answer which one smells better overall? It’s Le Beau Paradise Garden, for me. Sure, it’s tropical vibe might make it somewhat more limited or not something some percentage of guys will want to wear, but it is a unique and attractive cologne.

Note: You might also consider picking up the Dua Brand’s cheaper ‘inspired by’ take on Paradise called: Garden Tales. Just grab a bottle of Le Beau to go with it too.

The performance is without a doubt better and almost everything about the blend is preferable when compared to Le Beau EDT.

A pretty easy win for the green juice.

Winner: Paradise Garden

5 Colognes Similar to Le Male Le Parfum

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Le Male Le Parfum has quickly become the most popular or at least seemingly most talked about flanker from the long-running Le Male by JPG lineup.

I’ve actually warmed up to this fragrance, after not particularly enjoying the first bottle that I bought. Turned out to be a bad batch, that lacked a lot of the cardamom spice. Which, is a large part of this cologne’s appeal.

But, what fragrances are similar to Le Parfum in smell? What are some cheaper alternatives. On this page, I will keep a running account of the options.

Fragrances that Smell Like Le Male Le Parfum

Inspiring Parfum

Error 404 Attar by the Dua Brand– For those who are looking for a cheaper alternative that is ‘inspired by’ the JPG fragrance, Dua has that covered with Error 404 Attar.

I’m going to start out the list with a few options that are directly attempting to smell like our target fragrance. I haven’t tried either of them out, but I’ve owned over a dozen fragrances from Dua, and they do a great job at recreating a very similar scent.

The Imagine fragrance that I bought from them, which was inspired by the popular LV fragrance, was really good.

The Error 404 series is all based on the JPG Le Male line.

The Cheapie

Glacier Le Noir Alhambra– I’ll add it to the list, since it’s like $20 per bottle. Alhambra has their versions of most popular fragrance formulas, some are better than others.

I haven’t tried this one out, the reviews are mostly positive, but there are also a contingent of people who weren’t too happy with this.

But, if you’re solely fixated on the price alone, you might be willing to go for something that is somewhat similar. Personally, I’ve had better experiences with Dua’s releases, so I’d go that way first.

Breaking the Code

Code EDP by Armani– The vanilla in Code eau de parfum makes it smell the most like our target out of the Amani Code lineup. But, I think Code Parfum is the better fragrance.

Still neither of them are exactly like Le Parfum with how they smell, but are similar enough that people should like these a lot, if they’re into the Gaultier cologne.

This is close in the opening to Luna Rossa Sport, with its use of lavender and tonka bean. So, you’re swapping out the iris in Le Parfum, but you’re getting a creamy/powdery infusion from that tonka bean note.

Sweeter and smoother versus the spicier Le Male Le Parfum.

Suede and wood will also be there, but the vanilla is going to be the main focus and everything else is in support. Just one that can give you a different aroma with a close enough style.

A Possible Alternative

Guilty Elixir by Gucci- Another option that doesn’t smell the same, but has similarities. Now, I do have to say, I didn’t think this one was all that great and prefer Le Male Le Parfum to it.

However, there seems to be a large contingent of people online who really love this.

It too starts off as a spicy fragrance with a blend of vanilla and iris. Here, it is more of an orris butter, a richer take on the more powdery iris in the JPG.

It does get powdery, has a fuzziness from benzoin, and an amber base. Mostly, the dry down is that vanilla and iris with those notes sitting underneath.

Plenty of overlap, even if, ultimately these two are distinct fragrances. Elixir review

More Extreme

Gentleman Society Extreme by Givenchy– If you want a more complex (and to me better) use of iris and vanilla Society Extreme is a great release from Givenchy, that I’ve been wearing for months now.

You get a spicy top, this time it’s: peppermint, sage, and nutmeg. Plus, a coffee note which really sets this one apart to me and the whole presentation much better than the original Gentleman Society.

Again, this isn’t one to go with if you want an exact copy of the JPG cologne, but it’s got a similar style and structure as to what we’re looking for. Nice performance and around the same price as the Gaultier (might even be cheaper at times). Society Extreme Review