Fragrances

Light Blue Eau Intense Pour Homme by D&G

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I just posted my write up of the original Light Blue Pour Homme, and of course, I had to grab a decant of Light Blue Eau Intense to try out as well. This one was released back in 2017, after years of the original being a best seller and a staple of warm weather wear. How does this one stack up? Does is actually deliver intensity? Does it still smell good? Is it worth a purchase?

What Does Light Blue Eau Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, frozen grapefruit, juniper, aquatic accord, amber woods, musk

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Intense Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Eau Intense starts off quite similar to the original, in many ways, but also as a standalone fragrance. The grapefruit and mandarin are still there, this time without the bergamot note, but the grapefruit is in a ‘frozen’ state.

It is chilled, bright, and sharp. Also, while the original had a peppery note, it is absent here and in the opening I pick up more of the juniper note instead.

One big difference, is the aquatic accord that is present in Eau Intense. It is slightly salty, but much less like an oceanic note, and more of like sitting by a pool with a slight chlorination.

Not to say that it smells strongly like pool water, but there is a familiar hint of that on a summer’s day. This version is chilled and refreshing and I really enjoy that aspect of the cologne.

Update: Coming back to this one, I now recognize the aquatic note to be the same one found in Living Stromboli. That one goes spicy and dry to pair with the aquatic accord, which ultimately isn’t as good as Eau Intense.

I think that it’s the way the juniper berries super fresh aroma, is interacting with the aquatic accord. It becomes heightened, and when paired with the citrus notes, creates a clean and refreshing scent.

Update: New batches seem to be the same. No degraded quality. This part of the wear smells really balanced between that grapefruit, juniper, and the aquatic notes. 

There is a feeling of slight spiciness, but not the same sharp pepper, as found in Light Blue Pour Homme. More of a blend of juniper and the emerging musk, stemming from the base of the composition.

As it dries down, more amberwood and musk, come out more and solidify the base of Eau Intense. However, the grapefruit, juniper, and aquatic notes dominate the composition throughout.

It’s a fairly linear and simplistic scent, which is to be expected for a summery aquatic such as this. Nonetheless, the citrus does tamper down a bit towards the end, and the marine notes are able to smell much more oceanic.

To me, the strength of the juniper and the woody notes really help to separate this version from the original. Everything is geared toward being super fresh, intense, while still being usable for when it gets hot.

Yes, the aquatic accord creates distinction, but the juniper really stands out to my nose. I like the grapefruit and mandarin, in the start, and they feel well blended.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Eau Intense lives up to the name. The sillage is strong for this type of fragrance, it’s not insane or anything, but it’ll be noticeable in the 4-6 feet range around you.

The longevity is also very good, I get about 9 hours of solid wear with it on my skin, but on an old t-shirt it kept right on going along.

For me, the sillage quiets down after an hour or two. It’s not a skin scent, at that point, but feels much lighter and airy. Still, I really dig how this fragrance performs on my skin.

It’s better than all of the other Light Blue Pour Homme fragrances, in terms of performance. It not only outlasts them all, it has more consistent sillage, in the process.

Seasonally, once again it is mainly for spring/summer, but like the original it can be worn year round without any issue. It’s got that same versatility. It can be worn casually or at the office or out on a date. It’s not really limited and is a good all around cologne.

Now, I probably wouldn’t make it a go to for more formal occasions or be a daily office wear. Plus, there are better options for romantic wear, but it can cover plenty of bases otherwise.

Though, in it’s most basic form, it is best used on a warmer day. It’s refreshing, and one that I have been loving to wear casually, during this summer.

So, while it has versatility, I’m going to stick to daily wearing it during spring/summer. It’s been occupying the same role that Eternity Aqua has, for me.

Overall Scent

Overall, do I like Light Blue Eau Intense? I actually like it a lot for a summer scent. It is really great while being utterly simple and easy to love.

I am digging it more than the original Light Blue, as D&G took what was working with that, and then made it better. I like how cold and smooth this one feels versus the spicier original.

The aquatic accord and juniper really add a fresher summer vibe. Not the same spiciness and woods as the original Light Blue has.

Update: To me, this is still the best of the Light Blue Pour Homme line. The more recent releases have given it a run for the top spot, but Eau Intense just does everything better in aggregate. 

It also has better strength and staying power. I can recommend and it is a good inoffensive scent for guys who want a fragrance to cover many bases with one bottle.

The dry down, can be fairly musky and has a dose of amberwood, which some might not like. That’s probably the main drawback with this one. It can be pretty synthetic smelling, at times.

However, most people seem to have positive feelings toward Eau Intense. It’s a very good aquatic, that delivers a pleasant smell, and does a fine job at not quitting early.

Hero EDT by Burberry

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Hero is the latest Burberry line of fragrances, following the long-running Mr. Burberry series. Hero EDT was the first release, brought out back in 2021, and has enjoyed plenty of success ever since. I’ve wanted to give this one a deeper review for a while now and finally bought myself a travel size decant of it. How does Hero EDT smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Burberry Hero EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: cedar, bergamot, juniper, black pepper

Click here to try: Hero EDT

My Full Review

Hero EDT kicks off with its citrusy and lightly spiced aroma taking hold. The bergamot here isn’t actually massive in the composition, to where it crowds out everything else, but it does have a large role here.

The black pepper gives you that spice, but the freshness really comes from the cedar accord that is going to be the mainstay of the tail end of this cologne.

But, early, the cedar and juniper will pretty much split duties. Aromatic, but a touch sweet and quite fresh. Black pepper isn’t too highly concentrated in the blend. However, I do think that it is a great addition to the citrus and woods.

As we move along, the citrus will start to drop off, as with the pepper note. So, you get that juniper and cedar blend really working the aromatic freshness angle.

This isn’t a super complicated scent. It’s has its moments of sweetness that come through, but the deeper that you get into the wear, the drier and more of a pure woods cologne it becomes.

The very end stages is all about the cedar blend. It almost smells like there is a vetiver here, but it’s probably just how everything blends in the mix. Woody and still quite appealing, albeit much lighter.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Like the EDP, this version of Hero starts off at the higher end of moderate, in terms of how it projects off of the skin and the scent trail that it leaves behind.

It also, rather quickly becomes a lighter fragrance. Still very detectable, but it is going to be sticking closer to your person versus hitting people across the room. An hour or so of that stronger projection. It’s actually about the same as EDP in this regard. At least, I don’t notice a difference.

While EDT has about the same ability to project as does the EDP version, the longevity is a slight step back. With this Hero, I get 7-8 hours of wear, depending on the conditions of the environment that I’m in.

Honestly, it’s got pretty good staying power for a mainstream designer EDT concentration. Amazing? No, but as a daily wear, I really wouldn’t complain too much about it.

Seasonally, Hero can work in almost any climate. I would tend to keep away from the extremes (particularly heat). Though, it does have the ability to go further into deep spring and early summer than does Hero EDP.

It’s probably at its best as an autumn and early spring sort of cologne.

It’s very versatile, in terms of its use case. Probably not the most formal cologne in the world, but it can absolutely fit in as a daily wear. Younger or older guys could wear this. Plus, Hero EDT is one that has a ton of mass appeal, and probably isn’t going to offend anyone.

Overall Impressions of Hero EDT

Overall, do I like Hero? I do. I think it’s one of the better entry level designer fragrances to come out in the past few years. It’s not completely amazing, but it’s extremely wearable and versatile, for those who want something simple and/or keep only a few fragrance options in their collection.

The EDT is better than the EDP. It does have some similarities in terms of style to the newer version of Dior Homme, that was released in 2020. The Dior is slightly better, but really not by much. Burberry did well with this one.

The opening act has become very appealing to me. I wore this one out, the other night, and really loved that first 60-90 minutes of intensity. Good balance, different from the army of ‘blue’ colognes out there, and a woody scent that doesn’t smell like a pine air freshener.

Hero EDT is for sure worth checking out. Some people will love this juice, but I can’t imagine too many people hating it. It does everything well enough, without hitting an elite level

Ranking D&G Light Blue Pour Homme Fragrances

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Light Blue Pour Homme is a series that is still going on, over a decade after the release of the original. The list is now up to a dozen scents, but which one is actually the best smelling? How do these Dolce & Gabbana colognes rank versus one another? This is my list after extensively testing them.

D&G Light Blue Colognes Ranked Worst to First

Note: The list doesn’t include, an older release, Beauty of Capri. I haven’t tried it to this point, didn’t want to spend money on a full bottle, in order to do so. By most accounts, it was middle of the pack, at best. It’s been discontinued for a long time and is getting difficult to find, anyway. 

This list starts at my least favorite and concludes in order with what I consider to be the top Light Blue.

A Volcanic Island

Discover Vulcano– At the bottom of the list, is the unique, but ultimately not very good Light Blue Discover Vulcano.

I do give credit to D&G for trying something a bit different, but its appeal is pretty limited for most people.

Vulcano came out in 2014 and is led by a massive use of cypress and an initial burst of lemon. It can be somewhat sour, dry, and it doesn’t really develop all that much.

Lavender, cedar, vetiver round things out with some ginger spice thrown in for good measure. It’s not completely terrible to me, but the combination of notes and trying to capture the spirit of this island, just never worked to my nose. Vulcano Full Review

Citrus Explosion

Italian Zest– Italian Zest could be ranked a place or two higher on the list. For me though, this is the spot to put it. I did easily like it more than Vulcano, but slightly below the next entry on the list.

Zest opens up with a mass of citrus. It’s tart, sour, and even bitter. Lemon is the lead early, with further contributions from the grapefruit and bergamot notes.

There are the drier and spicier elements. Some incense smokiness, Sichuan pepper, and a musky finish. It’s got plenty of overlap with the original Light Blue Pour Homme, just in a much less likeable form.

As I wrote in my review, “The progression of this scent is: citrus, citrus/spice, citrus/musk/spice, citrus/musk/woods.” It’s all okay, the opening is kind of annoying, but Zest is just a forgettable cologne. Italian Zest review

Ice Cream Blend

Light Blue Love is Love– Love is Love is another Light Blue flanker that went for something a bit different, yet familiar, and ultimately kind of misses out on being a great scent.

This fragrance seems to try to bridge between the Pour Femme and Pour Homme lines of Light Blue. It’s like a mix of the original Pour Homme and Femme Intense. Taking elements of each and adding a vanilla ice cream note in the mix.

It’s sweeter and creamier, with the same apple note that the women’s fragrance uses. It does remain fresh and aromatic without becoming too much of a one-sided scent.

It all sounded better on paper than when I’m actually wearing Love is Love. The smell is pretty good, performance is okay, and it never truly delivers anything all that memorable. Love is Love Full Review

Taking a Dip

Swimming in Lipari– So, this one and the next are essentially tied. I don’t have a particular preference for one versus the other, but I did have to buy a full bottle of the next entry.

Swimming in Lipari is a saltier and marine version of the Light Blue DNA. It shares a lot of similarities with something like Light Blue Sun, in the initial stages.

Grapefruit, rosemary is basically the same as the original. Then, you add a lot of amber and a salty marine accord. Now, you’re swimming. It’s all pretty nice, nothing great, but I did like the oceanic vibe that this one puts off. Swimming in Lipari Review

Living

Light Blue Living Stromboli– I had slightly higher hopes for this one. I got my full bottle and wanted to try it out, as it had an aquatic calone accord. Not a salty oceanic note, but more of a synthetic fresh aquatic aroma.

Well, the pink pepper note really dominates things early. Not bad, but pink pepper isn’t my favorite note. Living Stromboli is a refreshing spice, with an underlying dryness to the entire fragrance.

Patchouli, vetiver, and some very light citrus round things out. The citrus here might be the lightest in the entire series. The watery accord is good, it comes out strong in the back half of the wear along with amber.  Living Stromboli Review

New Vibes

Light Blue Summer Vibes– Summer Vibes is the new Light Blue flanker release for 2023. To me, it’s somewhere in the middle of the pack from this line, just doesn’t quite ever reach the top.

It starts off with a lemon note, perhaps with the usual grapefruit, as well. With that, you get the return of the cypress note that is found in Vulcano. This is much better than Vulcano, but it is interesting that these are the only two Light Blue colognes that feature it.

Less of a juicy citrus, more of a light aquatic feeling. Amberwood is also prominent here and Summer Vibes has a nice sweetness throughout. Mostly, you’re going to get cypress and amberwood, with some other potential unlisted woody notes. Fresh woods for the summer months. Summer Vibes Review

Heading to Capri

Light Blue Capri in Love Homme– This is the release for 2025. My first impression is to place it in this spot, but it might actually be better than Sun, and is quite a different cologne.

This one is mainly about the fig note. Pretty simple scent all around, that starts with a black pepper note up top (a I detect a light citrus too). 

It’s fresh, greenish, and has that fig sort of fruitiness about it. After the pepper burns off, this one becomes quite enjoyable. The patchouli adds some depth, but never comes close to dominating, and there a woody note in the blend too.

I think that Capri in Love is a good option from this line. You might want to wait for a discount, though. Capri in Love Homme review

Shine On

Light Blue Sun Pour Homme– Grapefruit, bergamot, and coconut give this one its fruity essence. It’s a lighter and ozonic cologne when compared to the original Light Blue Pour Homme.

Ginger is the main spice here, giving it a much less intense kick than the rosemary of the original. Though, that is also still somewhat present.

I like the breeziness here. It doesn’t have the aquatic focus of the previous two entries, but is kind of like standing on the shore, with a nice amount of coconut sweetness blowing around. The grapefruit and the woods, in the base, really finish things off here. Light Blue Sun Review

 

Hyper Grapefruit

Light Blue Forever– Forever takes the grapefruit note of the series and makes it photorealistic. Not the same synthetic smelling grapefruit of other releases, this one goes for smelling like the fruit itself, and it for sure accomplishes that.

That grapefruit is joined early on, by another breezy/watery blend, and a dose of violet leaf. That last note, is the reason that Forever occupies this spot on the list and not a place higher up like its successor. 

To me, this comes across as being too green and a touch bitter. I still like it, but it the one that they put out the next year, is a better version of Forever. Cool bottle, though. Light Blue Forever Review

The Original

Light Blue Pour Homme– Light Blue edges Forever on the list, basically because Italian Love exists. I feel that Forever is pretty much superfluous, so it gets knocked down a spot in favor of the first release.

The citrus, pepper, and rosemary. It’s so familiar now and you can detect the presence of this formula in most of the flankers that were released pre-2020. Crisp, citrusy, herbal, spicy, with a nice rosewood in the base.

Is it still good? Yes, I think Light Blue still holds up. It’d be one of the first ones that I’d try in the series, before moving onto the flankers. If you’re not feeling this, you probably won’t like most of them. Light Blue Review

Forever Love

Light Blue Italian Love– Italian Love is basically a remixed Light Blue Forever. But, the violet leaf in this one is much more tolerable to me. You also get a bergamot note up top with the grapefruit. It’s a tart and sour mix.

The ozonic breeziness is stronger with this one, less green, and it does indeed give you more of a blue-ish impression, like the bottle shows. 

Italian Love is everything that was great about Forever, just enhanced. For that reason, it grabs the number two spot on the list. Italian Love Review

Intense

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Intense Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce– While the flanker releases of the past 3 or 4 years, have improved a lot versus what was previously offered, Eau Intense still grabs the top spot.

The grapefruit has now gotten a ‘frozen’ element added to it, making this cologne feel colder and sharper than the others. I also like that it’s very aquatic, but not too salty marine. To me, it was always like being by the pool on a hot summer’s day.

Juniper, amberwood, musk keep this one fresh and interesting. Not as spicy as the original, but Eau Intense does indeed still have some of that peppery influence. 

D&G has still yet to top this one and it is still selling strong, all of these years later. Eau Intense Review

Imagination by Louis Vuitton

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Imagination by Louis Vuitton is the last of the LV samples I bought a while back, which needs a full review posted for the site. It wasn’t the one that I was most looking forward to trying out, but it definitely became a favorite of mine to wear. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Imagination Smell Like?

Notes include: citron, orange, bergamot, cinnamon, black tea, guaiac wood, ambroxan, neroli, ginger

lv imagination review

My Full Review

Here’s how Louis Vuitton describes it: Imagination. The key to the audacity, success and drive of the creatives who make the wildest dreams a reality. An immaterial energy that is nurtured by travel and experiences that forge a new state of mind.

Citron, bergamot, and orange. The citron will come to be the strongest of the citrus notes, but early it is rather evenly split. Orange is at its peaks upon first spraying, but will take a back seat to the other two.

That orange and citron mix is really great.  A nice juiciness that will evolve as the cologne dries down. The citron will become more prominent, also.

Update: coming back to Imagination, I’ve been getting a heavier sense of the citron with some sprays earlier on, along with a sort of light smokiness (guaiac wood?). It’s interesting, sometimes it feels way more of a pure citrus and other times, more mixed.

Ambroxan is present at the beginning of this one, taking time to outlast other notes, but sort of lurking underneath it all.

Black tea with neroli. The neroli does give it some further spice and orange influence, but that will fade along with the main orange fruit note. It’s got a fresh spiciness from ginger and just a touch of cinnamon. I don’t pick up all that much.

The opening citrus blast will be more of a citrus floral. Fresh with a watery aroma, not a pure aquatic but gives you a light blue impression, after that greenish smell early.

A juiciness that will turn more into a light citrus tea. It’s a warm ambroxan, black tea with citron squeezed into the cup. The opening has a chilled scent, but it warms up without ever becoming too heavy.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is pretty strong for about an hour or so. After that, it’s more in the moderate range. Though, I have to say, the projection is solid throughout and never disappoints me, with its strength.

The longevity is actually quite good. I can get as much as 9.5 hours on my skin. Though, it tends to hit the 8-9 hour mark more often. For a citrus based scent, that’s pretty darn good, especially since it’s not all that heavy.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summertime fragrance. One that will capture attention with how pleasant it is, while not being something that’s super sexy.

Update: Yes, people seem to really enjoy this one, when I wear it. Now that it’s spring and heading into the summer, it really stands out and hits its stride in this weather. It really hangs around your person well and is extremely pleasant to have on.

It is very versatile in that, it can be worn to work or casually or even up to the right formal even during the day. It does have much more of a daytime vibe, than a nightclub beast or something that is reserved for evening.

But, I do wear it out at night still. Not screaming for attention, while it still receives plenty of it.

Imagination is a Louis Vuitton scent that could become a signature daily wear for a slice of the year for some men.

Overall Impressions of Imagination

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Absolutely. It actually might be the best men’s cologne released by Louis Vuitton thus far (update: it is). It’s certainly among the best of the more unisex offerings, as well.

That’s with the tea and ambroxan notes, which have a tendency to get on my nerves. That’s probably my only real personal complaint here, is that those notes just get somewhat bothersome to me after a while.

It’s way less the case here and probably only something that applies to me individually.

Update: Honestly, it isn’t bothering me at all, the more that I wear Imagination. I don’t wear the same thing everyday anyway, so, I doubt that I really get irritated by any aspect of this fragrance.

Also, I have since this initial review purchased a fragrance ‘inspired by’ Imagination from the Dua Brand, called, #Imagine. Which, if you’re looking for a much cheaper alternative, is fantastic and really hits the mark.

imagination dupe

Outside of that, this scent is phenomenal. The opening is so great. Juicy, fresh, a bit spicy, and the black tea giving you a glimpse while not being fully ramped up yet.

The dry down is still great, but I truly love that first hour to hour and a half. It’s awesome.

The performance with Imagination is also great and isn’t a problem, at this price point. There’s no real weakness with this cologne. It’s safe to blind buy and almost anyone would appreciate it.

Imagination isn’t too complicated, but it is extremely well done.

6 Fragrances Similar to Dior Homme Intense

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Dior Homme Intense is one of the more popular fragrance options out there. It’s a continual best-seller and one that can be a starting point in a journey into more formal or floral men’s colognes. But, it can also be pricey. So, you want something cheaper that’s simialr. Or, something that’s close in style, but ultimately different from Intense. This is my ongoing page for tracking such scents.

What Colognes Smell Similar to Dior Homme Intense?

Inspiration 1

Velvet Iris by Alexandria– Velvet Iris is the first of the ‘inspired’ fragrances based on Dior Homme Intense. This one comes from Alexandria, which does a good job a creating their own versions of famous cologne formulas, at a much cheaper price.

Iris is going to lead the way, but we are supported here by lavender and a nice pear note up top. Moving more into a iris and amber middle act. Vetiver and cedar follow in the base, creating an effect extremely similar to Dior Intense, even if it isn’t 100% exact.

For the money, it is close enough and well worth a try if you want the same type of aroma without the designer costs.

Inspiration 2

Intense Homme by Dua– Intense Homme from The Dua Brand is the other ‘inspired’ fragrance based on the Dior Intense structure. For this, they chose to base their creation on the 2008 release of the Dior.

This one I haven’t tried yet. But, I have like 7 bottles of other designer inspirations from this brand and they’re all like 85%+ percent similar to what you’re looking for. Along with, having really good performance, as a higher extrait de parfum concentration.

Dozens of positive reviews for Intense Homme, so, I doubt that Dua misssed the mark. Very affordable, if you want something super close in scent.

Leathery Iris

Valentino Uomo Intense by Valentino EDP for Men, 3.4 Fl Oz– Uomo Intense from Valentino is one that has been compared to Dior Intense since it was released.

To me, it actually has a lot in common with the old Dior Homme, rather than just Intense. In fact, it starts out with a more leathery opening act than either of the Dior fragrances. Leather, vanilla, with lighter citrus notes.

The dry down is when this gets better and does more of its own thing. The iris is the commonality and it is well done. I like it with the vanilla, tonka bean, leather, and that sage note that weirdly pops out on my skin late in the game.

Personally, I still like Dior Intense more than this. But, Uomo Intense gives you a bit of a different take on this scent structure. Uomo Intense Review

Boozy Similarities

Gentleman Reserve Privee– Chestnut, iris, whiskey, and a light citrus make this one a close relative of what you get with Dior Homme Intense. Not the same, but plenty of overlap with it, Dior Homme 2011, and Uomo EDT by Valentino.

Reserve Privee with its chestnut note, starts out quite nutty and has a chocolate-like finish to it that I enjoy quite a lot.

Now, other people are higher on this fragrance than I am overall. Mainly, because once you get past the opening, it really doesn’t have anything that stands out. Iris, amber, and some wood is basically how it finishes. The iris just isn’t as good as the Dior, either.

But, maybe you enjoy it more than me? Reserve Privee Review

Bleu it Up

Bleu Noir Parfum by Narciso Rodriguez– This entry in the Bleu Noir series does strike a pretty familiar aroma to scents like Dior Intense and the aforementioned, Uomo Intense.

It’s going to give you something along the same lines, with a main iris note, but it isn’t trying to be exact and does plenty of its own thing. So, don’t expect the same thing, but a similar structure.

This one utilizes a great cypress note, leather, and a pretty hefty cardamom in the opening act. Plus, Narciso Rodriguez scents are known for their use of musk and this one doesn’t skimp on that either.

Powdery, clean, a different woody accord but very much in line with the type of scent we want here.

An Armaf

Futura La Homme by Armaf– So, here’s one from Armaf that I haven’t personally tried out. But, everything points to this be along the same lines as the style of Dior Homme Intense.  The iris note, woody notes, bergamot, and some light leather too.

I wouldn’t expect an exact match or anything like that, just another cheaper fragrance that doles out a similar experience. Armaf is usually decent with their colognes, this one is probably worth a shot.