L’Homme is a very popular fragrance for Prada. It is a line of colognes, that I have had plenty of experience with and have enjoyed testing out over the years. Though, sometimes you may want something a bit different. A fragrance that smells like it for cheaper or another one with a closely related style.
On this page, I keep track of such options that I’ve come across. Whether it’s the original L’Homme, L’eau, Intense, or other flankers.
Colognes that smell alike or have a similar style to Prada L’Homme
His Royalty L’eau– This is an ‘inspired by’ option from Dua. But, the inspiration is based on L’Homme L’Eau and not the original L’Homme. I actually have a bottle of L’eau, as it and the Intense version were my favorites.
The difference is that L’eau is a lighter scent. It starts off with a bright neroli note standing in contrast to the iris powder and the light spice of the ginger. It’s fresh and feels more like a pure powder when compared with the original, as it does have additional powdery notes in the base.
Pretty simple stuff, some light woods with the iris and powder, and an amber finish. His Royalty is the alternative version of that. So, if you want a version of the designer style without the price, check this one out.
Dior Homme Eau– I’m going to include this one, even if it’s been discontinued for a while. Just on the off chance you come across a bottle.
Eau is very much like the old Dior Homme formula. But, without the cacao and leather notes. Which gives this its lighter presentation of the iris and woody notes, that lends it to favoring Prada L’Homme.
Now, it’s not going to be exactly the same as our target. However, as an alternative this can be a great one to get a hold of. The iris is magnificent, the grapefruit helps to keep it lighter and brighter, and the cedar holds down the base. Not to mention the use of coriander to give Eau an extra kick.
This may be preferable to a lot of people when compared to our Prada target. Again, you’ll just have to track down a bottle. Dior Homme Eau review
Bleu Noir Parfum– Here’s another one that’s not the same as the Prada release, but does have a very closely related style to our target and to other scents in this space.
For me, Parfum was the better of the Bleu Noir fragrances. As far as its similarities go, I would say that is has more directly in common with Dior Homme Intense with some additional overlap with Profondo Lights.
Iris, muskiness, and the citrus note up top bring in the relevant notes to what we’re looking for. But, we get a darker and woodier aroma than with L’Homme. Cardamom and cypress are powerful here early.
Then, I really got a smoother dry down with this Narciso Rodriguez cologne during testing. Iris with suede and tonka bean, sitting on some light musky woods. That’s when it has the most in common with Prada L’Homme.
This is a good one to try out, when you are wanting something a bit different, but well within the same ballpark.
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.
Prada is an Italian design house which has been around for decades and has made a huge impact within the world of fashion. It features a really great menswear line but also has some signature scents for guys up its sleeves as well. For this post, I want to explore eight scents from Prada which I consider to be their best that they have released thus far.
Key Takeaways
Here is a quick list for those in a hurry. I go into much more detail on each of these and the others below.
Prada Luna Rossa SPORT Eau de Toilette Spray 3.4 oz– Luna Rossa Sport is a simple fragrance and is a flanker of the original Luna Rossa, that is listed towards the bottom of the page. While it is a simple and fairly linear wear, Sport, is super fresh and smells really great.
It opens up with a blend of vanilla and tonka bean, which creates a sort of powdery aromatic aroma, with sweetness provided in part by a nice juniper berry note.
Beyond that, ginger adds a lightly fresh spice, and there is the lavender note that is ubiquitous in the Luna Rossa series. Refreshing and crisp.
This one stays pretty tonka and vanilla heavy, with lavender and that juniper note flanking it. Sometimes, this is my absolute favorite Prada scent to wear, but then I get tired of it. It’s great, but not something I want to wear all of the time. I reviewed it here.
It has the powdery iris note of the original, amber, and a healthy dose of leather, in the opening.
Later on, there is a subtle base of patchouli and sandalwood, which add to the overall enjoyment and aren’t a distraction. The dry down is mainly iris and tonka bean, with the leather and amber, playing support roles.
It’s super rich and fits beautifully in the colder weather of autumn and winter. I think that Intense is the best of the L’Homme line from this brand. L’Homme Intense Review
Top Prada Olfactories Les Mirages
Soleil au Zenith– I also liked Dark Light from this series (that’s more vanilla and amber). However, Soleil au Zenith is also an amazing perfume from this more expensive Prada line (these are going to run around $300).
Zenith does open up much closer to a traditional ladies’ fragrance, versus being purely unisex. Ylang-ylang and peach are the top notes, but will ultimately give way to is deep and rich base of ingredients.
The peach gets wrapped up with vanilla and sandalwood. You have spices including cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg becoming more prominent as it wears on. It becomes a softer warmer spice with powdery flourishes. To me, the ylang-ylang all but disappears.
Floral Unisex Perfume
Prada Amber Pour Homme by Prada for Men – 3.4 oz EDT Spray -This one is clean and soapy with bits of leather and lavender. A good fresh scent with solid performance. Honestly, it’s my least favorite on the list, personally.
I know a lot of people have said that this is among the absolute best, so, I include it for the sake of giving it a fair shake.
It does smell good, but it gets way too floral and soapy. for my taste. Has more of a unisex vibe, but it is a well put together, and classy scent overall. Amber Pour Homme is a mature or professional fragrance. You’re going to have to dig amber-laden floral scents.
Plus, the citrus is only the main attraction at first. Then, there is an emergence of mint and lavender. What a great little scent. It is a bright citrus aroma with a cool demeanor thanks to the spearmint and calming lavender note.
The dry down does have a slight powdery/soapy feel, but it isn’t that much, and way less than what is in some of the others. This is super fresh and my main alternative to wearing Luna Rossa Sport, from the Prada line. The spearmint is utterly perfect. Luna Rossa Full Review
Another High End Option
Cargo de Nuit– A lot of the Olfactories line of scents, get way too girly and not truly something that would be unisex. Cargo goes a bit more masculine with how it comes across, it smells great, and performs like a beast.
Again, this is one you can expect to spend $300 for. You’ll also have to source it from Prada, most likely. Saks has it sometimes or eBay.
Ambrette and tonka bean are the main attraction here, after an opening of aldehydes and musk. A very nice mix of sweet and spicy with a smooth muskiness to it. Prada says that, “Inspired by the mystery of a night voyage in the ocean”…Sure, why not? Not really what it makes me think of.
It dries down woodier, with a creaminess, and a cozy warmth. Cargo de Nuit isn’t going to be one that everyone will want, but is a great option for a more niche collector.
It opens up with the wood, neroli, and iris notes. So, yes, this falls in the masculine floral category of colognes.
L’Homme L’eau is a very clean sort of scent, with a heightened baby powder kind of smell, when compared with the original. It starts off with strong sillage, but mellows out over time, and hangs in the air.
This is the kind of scent that you can wear formally or to the office, since it is inoffensive, and you get decent performance. L’Homme Eau Review
This one opens up with citron, bergamot, and ginger. It is very fresh and captivating. Yes, it has that usual lavender from the Luna Rossa line, but this one reminds me of the old Dior Homme Sport just swapping the iris for lavender.
Eau Sport quickly became one of my favorite Prada scents and a very enjoyable one for the summer. Not too complex, with some light amber and cedar in the base. However, it smells great and give a nice performance. Luna Ross Eau Sport Review
Honorable Mentions
Luna Rossa Black– Black was probably the most unknown fragrance from the Luna Rossa line. Though, that’s changed recently. Actually, it’s got lots of overlap with Cargo de Nuit…just not the same level of scent.
It’s different, really good, and has fantastic performance. Pretty simple presentation, as well.
My main problem with this fragrance, is with how it opens. Patchouli, bergamot, angelica…it doesn’t come together all that wonderfully. However, Luna Rossa Black surprised me during the dry down. Amber and tonka bean combine to make it sweet, smooth, and warm.
Is it incredible? No, but I love the use of that familiar Prada amber note, and tonka bean is among my favorite note. If you can get a good price, it’s a darker sweet scent for the winter.
Luna Rossa Carbon– I like wearing Carbon occasionally. It often gets compared to Dior Sauvage EDT, but, I think that this Prada version is better.
It opens up with a strong bergamot, ambroxan, pepper, and lavender. The lavender will really come into its own later, and take over the scent. It has good longevity and sillage.
Not my favorite scent, but I thought that I’d list it here, as another option. It’s certainly popular and has its fans.
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.
The Luna Rossa series from Prada continues with the recent additions of the Ocean flankers of this line. For 2023, the brand released Ocean Eau de Parfum, a follow-up to the fairly popular EDT entry. I recently purchased a travel sprayer size of this fragrance to test out. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it better than the original?
What does Luna Rossa Ocean Eau de Parfum Smell Like?
Here’s how Prada describes it: Luna Rossa Ocean Eau de Parfum combines intense sophistication and sensuality through pioneering technology and nature’s finest ingredients. Opening with an invigorating burst of grapefruit essence, contrasted with the woody vibrancy of incense and a rich Vanilla Bean accord.
The opening of Ocean EDP gave me high hopes that this version would take the highs of the original and flesh things out more. It opens up somewhat like that initial release.
However, we get a grapefruit note to start things off, as our citrus ingredient. Not the same as the original, still, there is a closely related blue-ish sort of aroma here.
Not as sweet, lacking the caramel and suede influence, but I like the way it kicks things off. Still smooth and a bit powdery. Tonka bean and iris aren’t listed as notes officially, but there’s enough of that Ocean EDT influence to make me believe those notes are present.
But, that opening is short-lived, after a few minutes it really shifts into a slightly smoky vanilla and amber fragrance.
Initially, this will be a sweet, smoky, and spicy blend with some woody freshness. The spice will fall first, then the smoke, and you’re left with what this one is really all about.
That being, an amber and vanilla blend with woods and a general sweetness about it. Warm and it gets smoother as you go deeper into the dry down.
There does seem to be a phase where Luna Rossa Ocean EDP is sort of screechy with its sweet/amber mix, but seems to resolve itself.
Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility
The ability to project and leave a scent trail, in your wake, is pretty much the same as with the original EDT. Now, that first initial 20-30 minutes might be a tad stronger, and the first hour might be a bit more steady. Outside of that, not much of a difference.
Though, EDP does have a slightly heavier feeling due to the amber extreme and vanilla notes, versus the iris dry down of the EDT.
The longevity here is also about the same. On my skin, it sticks around for 5-6 hours of total wear. Like its predecessor, Ocean Eau de Parfum isn’t a great performer. It’s about average and nothing more.
I tried again and again, in different conditions with this one, and still only hit around that six hour mark.
This one is still very versatile with its use cases. I’d say, it’s not as good as the original in warmer weather. I like this more in the chilly temperatures or something more temperate.
It’s good for daily wear, casual situations, or going out at night. Ocean EDP doesn’t strike me as being all that formal, but it’s fine pretty much anywhere else.
Overall Impressions of Ocean EDP
Overall, do I like Luna Rossa Ocean Eau de Parfum? I do to some extent. I’m not enthralled by it, it smells fine, and I don’t want a full bottle.
The Ocean lineup thus far is annoying with its performance woes. Plus, I’m tired of getting lured in by that opening act, just to be unimpressed by the rest of it.
Seriously, every time that I’ve worn this or the EDT, I enjoy how they start and think I may want to wear it more often. Then, the back half comes in and it’s completely middling.
I also think the ‘oceanic’ theme could have been done differently with these to make the name fit. Though, the EDT’s blue-ish opening is better suited to that name.
The amber and vanilla thing has been done a million times before…and much better. Coach Platinum, Invictus Victory, probably some of the Armani Code’s are all sort of like Ocean EDP’s dry down. Luna Rossa Black has a similar style, but way better.
It’s fine, a nice enough fragrance, that is overpriced at retail level. With a substantial discount, I wouldn’t be opposed. But, I do think this is one of the weaker Luna Rossa scents, that Prada has put out.
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.
So, today I have another entry from the Prada line of men’s fragrances, and one of the flankers to the original Prada L’Homme: Prada L’Homme Intense. In this post, I am going to cover what’s in it, how it smells, when it should be worn, how long it lasts, and if it is even worth a buy?
Prada L’homme Intense starts off with that familiar iris note, with its powdery aroma, and a warm amber plus smoothly rich leather. It’s very nice and has a noticeable darker profile than does the original L’Homme.
This scent is clean, warm, and sweet with the inclusion of a roasted tonka bean note for good measure. I like how dry the composition is and how the amber sort of soaks the iris.
Further along in the wear, we get to hit a base of sandalwood and patchouli. I really appreciate how subtle these later notes are and how they simply enhance the overall vibe of an already fantastic smelling cologne.
It’s really at this time, that I am reminded of Dior Homme and Dior Homme Eau, as L’Homme Intense fits right in line with that series. However, this is stronger on the iris and doesn’t have the leather to the same extent, nor any cacao. The overlap isn’t too extreme.
What it ultimately dries down to is an incredibly rich blend of mainly the iris and tonka bean. It’s so classy and smooth, with the leather and amber, being the next most powerful notes.
Though, I’d put the amber at number three. From here, it is pretty linear, and doesn’t develop much beyond this.
The powdery iris and the mix of woods, sweet notes, and leather are truly fantastic together. Not a super complicated fragrance in its development, but is definitely enjoyable throughout.
Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility
Projection wise, I find the sillage to be on the upper end of moderate. It’s not a heavy scent, but it projects well, just not crazy so. The performance is very good, regardless, and you or other people will notice this juice on you.
The longevity for me hits around 9 hours, which is great for just about any purposes. Not exactly top tier level, that goes on for seemingly ever, but this Prada isn’t going to disappoint. Truly, for most purpose Intense is going to work perfectly.
Seasonally, L’Homme Intense stirkes me as a cold weather scent, with the ability to be worn in more moderate temperatures. I do feel it is a bit more limited than the original L’Homme, in this regard, but if you want to wear it at its absolute best, is should be colder.
This Prada cologne, does have a more mature profile, which isn’t to say that younger guys cannot wear it. However, it’s one that works extremely well dressed up, or out for an evening on the town. It is fresh and elegant and doesn’t have any of the overly youthful sweetness.
It is an excellent choice for men in their mid-20s and above, is completely safe for work, while being completely attractive enough for dates.
Overall Impressions of L’Homme Intense
Overall do I like Prada L’Homme Intense? I think it is an amazing fragrance. It’s got enough similarities to the original to be familiar, while also adding new elements, to stand on its own.
It does occupy that same sort of space that the Dior Homme’s of the world do, which might prevent me from getting a full bottle in the near future. Though, since Dior has reformulated Dior Homme in 2020, maybe this would be a nice alternative. Update: This Prada is discontinued now, also.
This Prada is a clean, classy scent and the iris note is simply great. It’s not one to get, if you don’t really enjoy floral or powdery fragrances. The leather and patchouli rough it up and masculinize it, but there is a very good balance at play here.
But, I really have no negative things to say about Intense. I enjoyed wearing it thoroughly. This is an elegant scent, that performs well, and will appeal to a wide variety of people. Yes, there is plenty of overlap here, but still an outstanding scent to put on.
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.
Here we are with another head to head cologne comparison between two Prada fragrances, from the Luna Rossa line: Luna Rossa vs. Carbon. Now, Luna Rossa Carbon is obviously a flanker scent to the original, but did it end up surpassing it in quality? In this post, I’m going to do my usual breakdown of features, which has the edge in categories, and the overall best smelling option out of the two.
The original Luna Rossa, opens with a blast of citrus and lavender, which is quickly joined by that cold spearmint note. It has a bright, positive, albeit ‘breezy’ sort of quality. The bitter orange citrus is the main highlight of the open.
It’s not too complex of a cologne. It’s a nice balance between that bitter orange citrus and the cooling freshness of the spearmint. Add to that, the signature lavender (which starts off lighter), and you’ve got yourself a very pleasing scent.
Carbon, on the other hand, opens with a pretty intense bergamot citrus, and is joined by lavender, pepper, and ambroxan.
After about five minutes, the lavender becomes much more of the biggest star of the composition. This whole affair, is why it draws so many comparisons with Sauvage.
Which one do I like better? I think I have a slight affinity towards how Luna Rossa starts off. The orange gives it a different citrus aroma, they share the lavender, and the mint sets it apart.
Plus, the lavender is much more subdued in the original than in Carbon. The more time that I have spent with each, over the past few years, the more that I like Luna Rossa’s start compared to Carbon’s.
Edge: Luna Rossa
Projection
Luna Rossa is moderate. Heck, even on the lighter end of the spectrum of moderate. Carbon is pretty loud at the beginning and then settles down into a moderate, though, it is a stronger moderate than the original. Carbon wins this.
The citrus, pepper, and ambroxan gives Carbon its punch early on. It outdoes the mint note in the original.
Luna Rossa isn’t weak, it’s just not a powerhouse. You’ll definitely notice that its there, but you’re not going to overwhelm the room, unless you go crazy with the sprays.
Edge: Carbon
Longevity
This is another clear win for Carbon. It’ll last 10+ hours on my skin, while I can only manage 6-8 hours with Luna Rossa. Luna Rossa isn’t bad, but Carbon has better staying power. Both of these fall pretty consistently within this range.
Luna Rossa doesn’t have that one note, that will just keep going, while Carbon does have more heft to its overall composition.
Edge: Carbon
Versatility
I don’t see a real winner in terms of when it can be worn seasonally or during specific occasions. They can both do the everyday, casual, office wear, and date night. These two scents are very versatile.
Edge: Push
Overall Scent
So, Carbon has the edge in terms of it’s strength and staying power, and there’s no clear winner in versatility. However, in my mind the original Luna Rossa smells better.
It’s a simple fragrance, but effective. In it’s minimalism, Luna Rossa is very fresh and inviting. The spearmint note adds a nice little dash of cooled sharpness to the cologne, which I feel keeps it from getting boring.
It’s invigorating and very pleasant. The lavender never becomes too heavy and once that initial orange and mint tones down, it’s an attractive wear.
I like Carbon too. If you’re someone who really enjoys Dior Sauvage, this is a very close approximation of that scent, especially when smelled from a distance. Neither one of these is a bad cologne, but Luna Rossa has a more pleasant and desirable aroma, in my opinion.
It sort of all depends on how you want your lavender note served up. I just prefer the original more so.
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.
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– Luna Rossa Sport is a simple fragrance and is a flanker of the original Luna Rossa, that is listed towards the bottom of the page. While it is a simple and fairly linear wear, Sport, is super fresh and smells really great.
– I’m going to go with Prada L’Homme Intense before the original. Mainly, I like the darker aroma of this one, and the fact that I can get 9 hours of wear on my skin.
-This one is clean and soapy with bits of leather and lavender. A good fresh scent with solid performance. Honestly, it’s my least favorite on the list, personally.
– I don’t usually care for bitter orange notes like in 
– L’Homme L’eau is another flanker to Prada L’Homme. It doesn’t have as much of the iris note, as the original does, but does have a stronger wood base.
