By Designer

Dior Homme vs Dior Homme Intense Cologne Comparison

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Yes, it’s time for another cologne comparison. Today’s head to head match up is between two Christian Dior scents: Homme and Homme Intense. Is the flanker Intense version better than the original? How does each hold up? Does one of these scents smell better than the other?

Tale of the Tape

Dior Homme

Notes include: vetiver, iris, cacao, bergamot, amber, leather, sage, and lavender

Click here to try: Dior Homme By Christian Dior For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my Full Review: Dior Homme Review

Dior Homme Intense

Notes include: pear, iris, vetiver, ambrette, lavender, cedar

Click here to try: Christian Dior Dior Men Intense Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read My Full Review: Dior Homme Intense Review

Opening

The opening of Dior Homme is more of a floral with the introduction of iris and an underlying sweetness provided by the cacao. It sets the stage for the magnificence, that is to come with this fragrance.

The note that stands out, up top is bergamot. This juicy citrus, pairs very well with the powdery iris, clean lavender, and sweet cacao. Not to mention the sage and dry vetiver.

Homme Intense has an amazing opening act. I absolutely love it. It’s warm and woody with the cedar, vetiver, and amber joining forces to create an aroma that is absolutely divine, in my opinion. This is also paired with the same lavender, as Homme.

I really enjoy the smell of Dior Homme at the start, but I once again, love the way Homme Intense opens. Both are extremely good, but Intense takes it to another level.

Edge: Homme Intense

Projection

Dior Homme is a softer/moderate kind of scent. Obviously, Dior Intense was made to be stronger, as it’s in the name. So, Intense is the winner here because it is strong (but not overpowering).

I will however say that, if you double spray Dior Homme, you get much better sillage and longevity. Like two sprays to each side of my neck, worked wonders. This isn’t always the case with weaker colognes, because you can get fragrances that are so weak, that even tripling up doesn’t really help.

It still won’t be as strong as Homme Intense, but it gets close.

Edge: Homme Intense

Longevity

Homme Intense wins. It lasts all day. In the 9 to 11 hour range.

My full bottle of Dior Homme, with the large sprayer, can get me 8-9 hours of wear out of this cologne. Which is great because you can buy large bottles for under $100, so you don’t really have to conserve the sprays anymore.

Nonetheless, it doesn’t go quite as long as Intense.

Edge: Homme Intense

Versatility

Both of these scents are mature, refined, and work well in the colder weather. I could wear either one casually or for a night out. These are the kind of fragrances you dress up for while wearing.

Dior Homme is more versatile, due to the prominence of the floral notes, in its composition. This allows it to be worn further into the springtime and it holds up better in heat. Not extreme heat, but a nice warm day.

Edge: Dior Homme

Overall Scent

This is honestly a tough one. They are of course similar fragrances but they have enough differences to be distinct. I really do go back and forth between the two…and feel like I now need to purchase full bottles of both again.

However, I do seem to prefer Dior Homme overall when compared to Homme Intense. While the opening of Intense is better, it dries down into more of a chocolate powdery sort of aroma, that simply isn’t as pleasing to me as is the entire life cycle of Dior Homme.

Homme Intense gives better performance, though, that gap can mostly be closed by spraying a bit more Dior Homme. Dior Homme is so subtle, refined, and layered. It’s almost a perfect fragrance in my mind.

I love both of these scents and will gladly wear either one, based on my mood that day. Also, I’ll use both at the same time. In the end though, if I had to choose one, I’d pick Dior Homme.

Dior Homme is my main daily wear, on the off days, when I’m not doing reviews for the site. A lot of folks seem to prefer Intense, but I don’t think it’s a strong throughout, as Dior Homme is.

Winner: Dior Homme (slightly)

Ultra Male vs Layton Cologne Comparison

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For this entry in the men’s fragrance competitions, we are going to be taking a closer look at two absolute powerhouse colognes from France: Ultra Male vs. Layton. Which smells better? The Jean Paul Gaultier or the Parfums de Marly? I have already reviewed each (linked below) and will break down each by different categories, before ultimately declaring a winner.

Tale of the Tape

Ultra Male

Notes include: vanilla, pear, amber, woods, cinnamon, cumin, sage, lavender, mint

Click here to try: Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male for Men Intense Spray, Eau de Toilette, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original Review: Ultra Male

Layton

Notes include: green apple, vanilla, sandalwood, cardamom, lavender, pepper, orange, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Parfums de Marly Layton – 4.2 Ounce edp spray

My Review: Layton

Opening

Layton opens with a crisp fruit blend of bergamot citrus and green apple. Underneath of this is sandalwood and vanilla, which adds a creamy sweet layer, which offsets some of that tart fruitiness.

Ultra Male starts off with opens up with a candy-like sweetness with a warm spice. It is lead by notes of pear, mint, vanilla, and cinnamon. It doesn’t have the same powdery aroma of the original Le Male.

Which smells better? I really do like Ultra Male a lot, in fact, I have a giant bottle of it. However, I like the opening of Layton a bit more. The green apple note is pretty realistic and the way that it pairs with the vanilla is great.

Edge: Layton

Projection

For many colognes that go up against it, they cannot compete with the strong sillage of Ultra Male. However, Layton is one of the fragrances, which absolutely can.

Now, does either outdo, the other? Not really, at least to my nose. I can spray both on a shirt, across the room, and pick up each clearly. No real edge.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Ultra Male has always gotten me a consistent 8-9 hours of wear. Layton outdoes it and can go 10+ hours. I’m not sure how much over, as I never kept track, but this is an all day wear.

Edge: Layton

Versatility

Layton is the type of scent that can pretty much be worn year round without problem. It can go casual, more dressed up, or be used for romantic evenings. It’s a very versatile cologne. The Jean Paul Gaultier fragrance, is a cold weather wear.

It can venture into a moderate climate, but avoid the warmer days. If you go light with it, it can be worn around just fine, but it is more of a nightlife scent.

Edge: Layton

Overall Scent

I’m a pretty big fan of Ultra Male, it was what I wore during the winter a lot, back in 2018. It’s warm with a spicy freshness, and a big, bold attitude. It’s got a certain sexiness to it and is honestly a great wear for younger guys in the nightlife.

Layton, is just a bit better. I like the smell more and its performance is a cut above Ultra Male. It’s blend of sweet fruit notes is great, then, the light spicy of cardamom and pepper kicks in to give the fragrance more depth. It’s a scent that leans masculine, but it honestly fairly unisex. Also, the versatility is a selling point.

The only other consideration, would be the price. Layton is much more expensive than a bottle of Ultra Male, so consider that, when deciding between the two. All else being equal, Layton takes this competition for Parfums de Marly.

Winner: Layton

CH Men by Carolina Herrera

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In this post, I would like to delve into a name, that I never got around to doing a review on. Well, apparently, this old name has a new formula and is basically a new cologne: CH Men by Carolina Herrera.

In this post, I want to explore what the notes are, how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a purchase?

CH Men Overview

Notes include: violet leaves, grapefruit, cyclamen, saffron, cashmere, leather

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera CH Eau De Toilette Spray – 100ml/3.4oz

My Full Review

So, right off of the bat, CH Men has been reformulated and isn’t the same scent as it was before. The ingredients have changed significantly and I will be reviewing this newer version.

The opening of CH Men I get plenty of saffron, violet, and grapefruit. It is fresh with a bright fruity sweetness and grassy notes, that sit underneath it all. It’s clean and has a pretty unique aroma, yet feels familiar, like the structure is similar to other colognes but the individual notes are different.

As it moves along, CH Men becomes more of a green floral with woody notes emerging from the base. I get  mostly cashmere and I think some sandalwood is in there, as well.

Violet leaf and saffron are still the two main notes that hit my nose, with the secondary layer consisting of green grassy notes and spice.

The floral note here is cyclamen, which I’m not too familiar with how that smells, but perhaps is what is providing that green aroma.

Finally, there is a leather and woody base. It is smooth and masculine and provides a nice balance with the saffron and violet leaf. The grapefruit, at this stage, is pretty much gone completely.

So, what you’re left with is a green freshness led by saffron and violet leaf, with leathery woods, and with floral notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage is pretty light with CH Men. This is definitely a candidate for over-spraying the hell out of it.

I would double up each side of the neck and possibly once more. That way, you might get a better performance from it.

The longevity isn’t great either, about 4-5 hours, of light sillage. Maybe you could squeeze out and extra hour or two with heavy spraying, but I wouldn’t expect much more than that.

Seasonally, it’s one that seemingly can be worn year round, and fit in just fine. It is attractive and office safe, with the ability to venture into the nightlife, just won’t be a bold beast performer.

CH Men is the type of scent that will get complements, if you can get it to perform up to par.

Overall Impressions of CH Men

Overall, do I like CH Men? The smell of it is really good. I’m already a fan of saffron and leather, but Carolina Herrera takes it in a new, and appealing direction with this new formulation.

The only issue that I have, is the performance. I wish that it was stronger and would last on my skin, but it doesn’t seem to want to.

If you can get a good price for a bottle, it might be worth just doubling or tripling the sprays, as the scent itself is quite enjoyable.

Prada L’Homme vs. Dior Homme (2011) Comparison

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In today’s head to head fragrance comparison, I am going to take a closer look at to men’s fragrances that feature a leading iris note: Prada L’Homme vs. Dior Homme. Which of these popular designer scents, smells better? Which gives a better performance? Which is the better buy overall?

Tale of the Tape

Prada L’Homme

Notes include: iris, amber, geranium, patchouli, neroli, violet, pepper, cedar

Click here to try: Prada L’Homme Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My review: Prada L’Homme

Dior Homme

Notes include: vetiver, iris, cacao, bergamot, amber, leather, sage, and lavender

Click here to try: Dior Homme By Christian Dior For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my Full Review: Dior Homme Review

Opening

Prada L’Homme opens up with that fresh powdery floral scent, that is led by the iris note. It also is flanked by neroli and violet. This is all surrounded by amber, dotted with pepper, and on top of a cedar base.

Dior Homme opens up with its own floral blend of iris and lavender. However, it teams that up with a sweet cacao, citrus bergamot, and dry vetiver. With a smooth leather note, coming through.

Which is better? I lean toward the Dior. The Prada is very nice, simple, but smells great. I just think that the Dior’s use of cacao and citrus, give it a more complex, and better aroma.

Edge: Dior

Projection

Both of these fragrances are pretty moderate, in their sillage. Dior Homme might be slightly stronger, but it’s not much, and no significant enough to give an edge here.

Edge: Push

Longevity

I get 5-7 hours with Dior Homme. It’s mostly towards the 7 hours end. However, I can double spray the Dior and get 8-9 hours, and this is what I usually do with my bottle. Prada gives me 6-7 hours of wear, but the double spray really doesn’t add any time…go figure.

Edge: Dior (slightly)

Versatility

Another category that they really overlap. Both are good year round, outside of high heat and humidity. Both are office friendly, can go casual if need be, and have a refined style.

I personally think that Dior can venture better into the night life, as the cacao sweetness and leather notes, fit in more than the fresh powdery scent that Prada is.

Edge: Dior (slightly)

Overall Scent

These are two extremely evenly matched fragrances, and since they both are masculine iris-based floral colognes, that is to be expected. Ultimately though, which is the better scent? I’m going to have to go with Dior Homme. It’s my personal choice, the one I went with when buying a full bottle, and is the closest thing that I have to a daily wear.

I really do like Prada L’Homme, it’s a very nice scent, but a pretty straightforward cleanly fresh cologne. Non-offensive with decent performance. I would personally go with, Prada Intense, over this one if I were in the market for a Prada fragrance.

I think Dior is a much more interesting and better fragrance to wear. I love how it has the powdery iris, but that’s not all that it is. It can be dry and woodsy. Sweet. Smoothed by rich leather. Even having a touch of citrus, to set it apart. It’s not way better, but it’s my pick.

Winner: Dior Homme

CH Men Prive by Carolina Herrera

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Carolina Herrera is low key one of the best fragrance design houses out there, in my opinion. The 212 scents, such as 212 VIP and 212, are fantastic and distinct in their own ways.

With so many positive experiences I’ve had trying out this designer’s line of fragrances, I always look forward to picking a new scent and giving it a wear.

This time around it’s, CH Men Prive, which I gave a one time wear while at yet another duty free shop over in Europe.  I want to use this post to give my impressions of Prive and explore exactly what kind of fragrance it is.

CH Men Prive Overview

Notes include: lavender, cardamom, sage, leather, whiskey, grapefruit, tonka bean, benzoin

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera Prive Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Review

Immediately, CH Men Prive, has me hooked by its scent. Leathery, boozy, tonka bean laden scents are among my favorite and Prive is right in that lane.

212 VIP also by Carolina Herrera, uses vodka as its alcohol of choice for an upbeat/club type of vibe, while Prive chooses whiskey with leather to create something darker and more mature.

Prive is sort of like a cousin of Bvlgari’s Man in Black (which I wore heavily this past winter and even last Saturday night), as they share the leather, tonka, and benzoin notes but Man in Black uses rum as its booze note.

I’d say that Man in Black is the spicier of the two, while Prive has that smooth/neat feel to it.

The leather is rich and warm and is paired very well with the whiskey note. However, it doesn’t seem to stray too far into the hyper-masculine arena, as Prive has a nice touch of sweetness to it. It’s not really a fruity sweetness or candy-like, more like a refined sugar.

To me the benzoin note brings to mind, Kouros Body by YSL. The whiskey note isn’t overpowering and in fact starts to take a backseat after the initial opening.

The vodka in 212 VIP and the rum in Man in Black are both much more prevalent than this whiskey of Prive.

I don’t know what the ‘wood’ note is in this cologne but I do detect one in the scent. I’d have to spend more time with it but it was a pleasant surprise.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it starts off pretty big but then ends up being fairly moderate. It’s not huge and overwhelming but you’ll know it’s there.

The longevity is also pretty good, I got maybe 6-7 hours, when I wore it. Maybe it was the conditions, but it didn’t strike me as a powerhouse scent.

I could definitely wear this casually but like Man in Black, I would use it more for nightlife or for going out on dates.

It’s a fall/winter scent but as long as it’s not too hot at night, it should hold up well in the evenings. CH Men Prive is dark and sensual and should attract plenty of attention.

Overall Impressions of CH Men Prive

Overall, is CH Men Prive worth a buy? To me, yes. I hardly need another cold weather favorite, as I have so many options but Prive is really damn good.

I don’t know if there’s a Carolina Herrera cologne that I hate and if there is it sure isn’t Prive.

If you like well balanced, masculine scents, full of leathery goodness, then you’d do well to check this one out.