Fragrances

Myslf Le Parfum vs. L’Absolu

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Myslf from YSL continues to expand its popularity among people with each of its successive releases. 2025 saw the release of the third cologne in the series, Myslf Absolu. With that being the case, I wanted to do a new comparison post between it and Le Parfum.

Which Myslf fragrance smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Myslf Le Parfum vs Absolu

Myslf Le Parfum

Notes include: black pepper, orange blossom, Bourbon vanilla, amber, patchouli, woods

Click here to try: YSL Myslf Le Parfum

Myslf L’Absolu

Notes include: ginger, bergamot, cardamom, orange blossom, woods, patchouli

Read my review: Absolu

Get Absolu: at Sephora

Opening

Myslf Le Parfum starts off fresh and sweet. There’s still a hint of bergamot present, but orange blossom really takes the lead in this version.

The orange blossom brings a bubblegum-like sweetness to the table, though the black pepper up top does a good job of balancing it out. You get a nice spicy kick without it being overwhelming.

There’s warmth here, and I’m picking up a fair bit of woods and patchouli right from the start as well.

Absolu starts off powerfully with ginger at the forefront, working alongside that familiar bergamot note. There’s a cool spiciness happening here that feels quite fresh, and the cardamom becomes more apparent after about 5 to 10 minutes.

The citrus burst at the start fades back, and the fragrance moves into a spicier floral combination featuring ginger, cardamom, and the signature orange blossom.

By now, the scent has grown warmer compared to that cooler opening vibe. It maintains a sparkling, somewhat sweet character. The spice notes have mellowed out and Absolu has settled into its floral center. Orange blossom, naturally.

Which is better? While, I do like what I get from Myslf Le Parfum at the start, the additional freshness and energy that Absolu brings to the table, is just better to me. I enjoy both, but one has a clear advantage.

Edge: Absolu

Projection

To me, both of these have close to the same level of projection. Very good ability to envelop the wearer and make itself known in a room. While also, not being an absolute beast.

So, in those terms they’re about equal. However, Le Parfum does have a denser and heavier feeling than does the fresher Absolu. Which can create the perception that it is the stronger of the two.

But, spraying each on a shirt and then walking away from it, I can detect them to about the same distance. Le Parfum does feel a bit more substantial, though.

Edge: Parfum

Longevity

The longevity of each of these for me sits at 9-10 hours of wear. I’ve been testing each of them and rotating between these Myslf fragrances and that’s what I consistently get. Both are better than EDP, while being equal to one another.

Edge: Push

Versatility

When it comes to seasons, Myslf Absolu basically works all year. I’d lean toward moderate to warmer weather with it. Just like before, avoid wearing this in peak summer heat.

It handles both day and night well. This is a polished floral cologne where the fresh spiciness really comes alive in the evening hours. That’s what sets it apart from the EDP. There’s more detail and refinement here.

It’s crowd-pleasing but has some edge to it. This could easily become someone’s go-to fragrance or even their only one.

Le Parfum follows a similar pattern. It outperforms the EDP and Absolu when it’s colder out, but doesn’t handle the heat quite as well. It’s not terrible in higher temperatures, but the others have the advantage there.

I think both are fine for nightlife or romantic occasions. They have more depth than your typical clean everyday scent.

Not too much distinction here. The temperature might have an effect on which you would wear. Maybe, give Parfum an edge as a more formal scent, but there’s much separation.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Ok, so overall which of these two YSL colognes do I like more after extensive testing?

I do personally rank both of them higher than the original eau de parfum release.

With Parfum, I think the quality improves and the longevity gives it an advantage when compared to the EDP. Much of that edge is removed when it’s put alongside Absolu.

The vanilla, amber, and orange blossom combination really shines in the later stages. Le Parfum goes through phases where it turns powdery, then shifts woodier, then becomes more of an amber-driven floral.

That opening is solid, but a step behind.

With Absolu, The ginger and cardamom elevate the overall blend significantly. I really like the sweetness and fresh spiciness that you get to go along with that central orange blossom note.

Even stacked up against Le Parfum, this one feels more accessible as a floral cologne for the average person, and it brings extra dimension to the orange blossom base.

For me, I think I’d rather have a bottle of Myslf Absolu around. Others, may prefer the darker and sometimes earthier floral blend of Le Parfum. Absolu is the safer blind buy. However, for a portion of people they are going to really love what Parfum brings to the table.

Winner: Absolu

Uomo Born in Roma Yellow Dream by Valentino

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Uomo Born in Roma Yellow Dream was one of the fragrances in this series from Valentino, that I had yet to try out. To remedy this, I ordered a travel sprayer sized decant of the cologne in order to finally test it out and give it a proper review.

How does it smell? Does Roma Yellow Dream last long? Is it actually worth a try?

Born in Roma Yellow Dream Review

Notes include: pineapple, mandarin orange, gingerbread, ginger, vanilla, cedar

Click here to try: Yellow Dream

My Take

My closest comparison to Yellow Dream is Stronger with You Freeze. It doesn’t have that same cold vibe and is also a better scent. But, these two have a similar aroma at times between them. Yellow Dream is much more wearable and well done.

Yellow Dream kicks off with a bright, juicy burst from its fruit notes. Pineapple comes through a bit more prominently than the mandarin orange, though both get tempered by the warmer, spicier elements.

Right away, there’s some weight in the base. The gingerbread accord is strong here, so naturally there’s going to be a good amount of ginger and cinnamon spice going on.

Still, the vanilla makes its presence known pretty early.

The fruitier notes will begin to weaken in the mix and this one turns warmer and more focused on the gingerbread and vanilla notes. You still do have that fruity sweetness, but the juiciness definitely isn’t at the same level.

From that point on, Born in Roma Yellow Dream is pretty straightforward. It’s got that gingerbread and vanilla combination, with an underlying freshness to it thanks to the cinnamon and ginger.

But, additionally in the dry down, you will get some cedar to fully round things out and give this one a woody base to operate off of.

Yellow Dream rounds off the harsher edges of the pineapple and spices that it can have in the early stages and what’s left with this Valentino is simple and enjoyable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Yellow Dream is fairly moderate with its performance. The fragrance projects well enough, has some thickness and a rather dense scent trail in that opening hour, but isn’t going to be completely beast mode beyond that.

I do think that it’s solid, though.

Yellow Dream lasts for at least 7 hours for me and on the high end, might end up sticking around for 8.5 hours on my skin.

Seasonally, Yellow Dream is best in the autumn through early parts of spring. It can be cloying, especially when things start to heat up. Yes, the pineapple and ginger do lighten things up a bit, but this still isn’t a summertime cologne.

Yellow Dream does trend more towards younger guys. This isn’t something you’d wear to most offices or whatever, but any age group could wear this in less formal situations.

For younger men, this could be a daily wear to class or something that you wear for evenings out. At least when it’s cooler outside. Yellow Dream does have that cozy and sweet mass appeal, so it should be able to draw complements.

Overall Impressions of Uomo Born in Roma Yellow Dream

Overall, do I like this Born in Roma fragrance? I do like it. However, similar to the rest of this Valentino series, Yellow Dream is not a complete love for me. Though, I do consider it to be one of the best of the Uomo side of things.

The gingerbread, pineapple, spice, and vanilla work very well together at times. The dry down, I’m less enthusiastic about, but it’s not too bad. I’ve seen that some people like the opening act less, but I find it to be enjoyable even with that initial strong burst of its fresh notes.

The performance is good enough. Nothing insanely good, but it does what it needs to for most situations.

I went through using the travel sprayer already, so, it’s something that I did like well enough to wear around often. I don’t personally want a full bottle of the stuff, but if you do, you should probably grab it before Valentino does away with it and the online prices get too high.

I don’t think it’s worth paying a high price for, but Yellow Dream is worth checking out.

Bleu de Chanel L’Exclusif by Chanel

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Bleu de Chanel continues as a series, with the release of 2025’s L’Exclusif formula. Chanel is a lot more restrained with the number of flanker fragrances that they release versus other designers in this space.

I had to opportunity to get a free sample through a social media ad, in order to test and review Bleu de Chanel L’Exclusif. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is this BdC release, worth a try?

BdC L’Exclusif Overview

Notes include: cistus labdanum, sandalwood, amber

Click here to try: L’Exclusif at Macy’s

My Full Review

Here’s how Chanel describes it: Designed like an Extrait de Parfum, this intense ambery-aromatic fragrance features a spellbinding trail, making it the most mysterious of all the BLEU DE CHANEL interpretations. Composed by CHANEL In-House Perfumer Creator Olivier Polge, BLEU DE CHANEL L’EXCLUSIF is a true concentration of precious materials. Sandalwood, highlighted in all its glory, adds dimension. The enigmatic character of the scent manifests through notes of cistus labdanum. Finally, woody ambery notes bring contrast and vibrancy, resulting in a majestic expression that leaves a memorable impression and stays on skin as if magnetically drawn to it.

Bleu de Chanel L’Exclusif opens up quite similar to other releases in the series. Mostly, it’s closer to Parfum than anything, but you also get plenty of the EDP influence as well.

Not surprising since Chanel hasn’t done any major overhauls to the main concept or came out with some entirely different BdC flanker.

So, expect the usual citrus impression of those other two in the series. Yet, it quickly loses any of the sharper qualities and actually smells fairly sweet to my nose, in that first half hour.

There’s an amber base to this that is apparent throughout the entirety of the wear. In the early stages, it does have a musky animalic aroma. It’s not super aggressive, but it is there.

After this point, we get darker with the character that this one puts out. The sandalwood comes out (along with some other generic woody notes, maybe?) A slight powder to go along with the leather tones and that muskiness (which begins to fade on my skin).

The back half really does start to give more of those leathery impressions. A smooth amber blend with a drier woody finish and resinous touches.

It’s deep and not a pure leather fragrance, but it seems like a back and forth between the various elements as we head into the finish. I’m not even sure if there is a leather note, seems more likely this is just all apart of the labdanum that they’ve used.

But, ultimately the amber and woods win out and everything else is just a vague vapor of what it was when it was at full strength.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The ability to project with this one is quite powerful. At least for 3-ish hours, on my skin. After that, it moderates, but I’m still smelling this one very easily well into the wear. It’s got some heft to it, but I didn’t think that it was too cloying or anything.

I always have gotten better longevity for whatever reason than most people out of BdC Parfum. That one actually sticks around on my skin for 10 hours. L’Exclusif matches that for me, but does it with more sustained power than 

This is the best performer thus far in the series, at least for me.

Seasonally, this is best used in autumn and winter. You could probably get away with it through early spring. I did spray it on for a warmer afternoon and wasn’t too enthusiastic about the results.

The EDT and EDP versions are better at being a year round wear. More so, the original.

L’Exclusif is very well put together, not as casual as EDT or EDP. Feels more like a nighttime wear while still versatile enough to pull double duty as a mature daily cologne. 

Within its seasonality, you could wear this pretty much anytime without issue. It’s going to work, but will probably skew more towards the late 20s and up crowd.

Overall Impressions of Bleu de Chanel L’Exclusif

Overall, do I like L’Exclusive? I do like it. I don’t think that it overtakes Bleu EDP for me. But, I think it’s a better version of Parfum.

If nothing else, you’ll get some added depth and the performance is better.

I do really enjoy the opening act. That first hour or so is great. Smooth, some sweetness, the usual citrus notes, and everything is well-rounded. 

The rest of the way is still good, just not my absolute favorite. The leathery aspect to BdC L’Exclusif can get somewhat annoying to me. It’s grown on me after a few wears, but I wasn’t all that into it initially. 

On the whole, I actually do think that this is a worthwhile one to check out, and probably the second best in the series. It’s certainly not the cheapest of the line, so, some of you may want to sample this before committing to the whole bottle.

If you already have another Bleu, you probably won’t need this one too. A bit too redundant at this price point. Still, as a standalone L’Exclusif is another quality fragrance from Chanel.

Le Male Elixir Absolu vs. Ultra Male

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Le Male Elixir became a wildly popular flanker of the original Le Male and then JPG released the follow-up, Le Male Elixir Absolu. This series just keeps producing hits.

So today, I wanted to compare Absolu to another favorite fragrance from this line, Ultra Male. How do they compare? Which smells better? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Ultra Male vs. Le Male Elixir Absolu

Ultra Male

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

Read my review: Ultra Male

Click here to try: Ultra 

Elixir Absolu

Notes include: lavender, tonka bean, plum

Click here to try: Le Male Elixir Absolu

Opening

Ultra Male is noticeably missing the same level of powdery quality as the original Le Male and has a sugary sweetness like Elixir. But with an added pear note.

What it does have is a burst of initial spice, mainly from the cinnamon note. Pear, vanilla, and light citrus round it out and give it a bubble gum-like aroma.

It packs a punch and is thoroughly enjoyable.

Elixir Absolu drops the mint note from the original Elixir. Instead, you get plenty of lavender with some warmer spice and the new addition of a plum note.

The plum actually isn’t too heavy at the start for me. It’s also less tart and sweeter than I expected.

I’m not sure what the spice is here. Kind of smells like cumin mixed with a bit of cinnamon.

Lavender is a stronger focus with Le Male Elixir Absolu. There might be some iris in here or it’s just how the lavender and tonka bean are coming across.

Which start do I like more?

I’ll go with Ultra Male. Elixir Absolu isn’t at its best upon first spraying, it does take some time to settle into a better fragrance. I think the opening act is its weak spot, which isn’t the case for Ultra.

Edge: Ultra

Projection

I am going off of the bottles that I own of each of these fragrances. My bottle of Ultra Male is from years ago, so, I don’t know if the performance has weakened since (I haven’t read anything about it) then.

Ultra Male has a fresh element to it, but it is a heavier scent that creates a massive cloud and projects like crazy. Really, it’s an absolute monster for a designer cologne. Probably the strongest of all that I own, at the moment.

Is it an easy win for Ultra? It’s a win, but not easy. Le Male Elixir Absolu is also very powerful, pretty much the same as the original Elixir. If you’ve tried that one, expect more of the same. 

I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with what either of these two brings to the table. However, one clearly has an edge, and it’s Ultra Male.

Edge: Ultra Male

Longevity

Ultra Male at the low end lasts 9 hours for me. At the higher end, well into double digit hours. Most of the time, it goes towards the 12 hour mark. The last few times that I’ve worn Ultra Male, that’s what its done.

Elixir Absolu matches the original Elixir with a 9-10.5 hour time frame. It’s no slouch with how it performs in comparison. A very good designer cologne, in this respect.

It’s a close contest between these two, but Ultra seems to have the edge at the high end. It can add a few more hours on top of what its competitor is capable of. 

Edge: Ultra

Versatility

This is a category, where I think Elixir Absolu has more of an edge.

Neither of these fragrances is formal. Both are best in autumn and winter. In that sense, they are similar.

But, I think that Elixir Absolu would be the better daily wear scent between them. I’ve always liked Ultra Male as more of a nightlife scent, when I want something fun and powerful to spray on.

Each of them also lean much more youthful, in how they come across. But, I think the Elixir version has more refinement when compared to Ultra. I’ll give it this category.

Edge: Elixir Absolu

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two scents do I enjoy more? It’s a close call, because as of now, these are my two personal favorite colognes from this line. I own bottles of each of them and obviously wear them around quite a bit.

In comparison, I still think that I prefer wearing Ultra Male a bit more than Le Male Elixir Absolu. It’s not a massive advantage, but I still think there is a bit of a separation for me.

The opening is better, a tad greater performance, and I think it holds on to its top spot throughout when compared to the high marks of Absolu. 

Elixir Absolu is quite nice in its dry down phase, which is why it rose so quickly on my list. Both of these are bold and fragrances that might not be the best picks for some people. For instance, if you’re looking for something more suitable for professional environments, neither of these is going to be ideal.

Winner: Ultra Male

Myslf EDP vs. L’Absolu

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YSL has once again brought out a new entry into the Myslf lineup. This time, it’s Myslf Absolu for 2025. I’ve been really enjoying testing out this fragrance, but I wanted to do a post comparing it to the original.

So, which fragrance smells better? Which Myslf lasts longer? And is Absolu a better buy when compared to Myslf EDP?

Tale of the Tape: Myself Eau de Parfum vs Absolu

Myslf EDP

Notes include: bergamot, orange blossom, woods, patchouli, ambrofix

Click here to try: Myslf by YSL

My Full Review: Myslf 

Myslf L’Absolu

Notes include: ginger, bergamot, cardamom, orange blossom, woods, patchouli

Read my review: Absolu

Opening

Myslf eau de parfum starts off with bergamot and orange blossom as its main two note. It’s fresh, dynamic, and also has a bit of creaminess to the scent. The orange blossom adds that quality, but doesn’t bring too much sweetness during the beginning.

The very opening stage is bergamot-centered though. That shifts later on, but at the start it’s a fresh citrusy cologne.

Absolu really kicks off strong with ginger taking centerstage alongside that familiar bergamot note. It does have this cool spiciness to it, quite fresh, and cardamom becomes more noticeable after 5-10 minutes.

That initial citrus burst in the opening pulls back and it shifts into a spicier floral blend with the ginger, cardamom, and signature orange blossom.

At this point, the scent has warmed up from that initial cooler vibe. It still carries a sparkling, slightly sweet quality. The spiciness isn’t as intense and Absolu has transitioned into its floral heart. Orange blossom, obviously.

Which is better? I actually do think they’re close and more similar to each other than to Le Parfum.

Ultimately, I like the ginger and cardamom additions to the mix. Not as heavy with the bergamot, but that early clean spiciness is really complementing the core DNA very well.

Edge: Absolu

Projection

Absolu isn’t a heavy fragrance. It doesn’t have the same density or thickness as the Le Parfum version. However, it actually projects really well for a designer scent.

The first few hours especially have serious reach for me. Not a complete beast or anything, but I feel like I get plenty of coverage with Absolu for a good amount of time.

Myslf EDP for the first hour is actually pretty strong. Not a heavy fragrance, but it creates a substantial enough scent trail behind you. It never hits the same level as the other YSL scent though.

After that, it becomes more of an intimate scent surrounding you. I’d say it sticks in that 1-3 foot range off the skin, but it’s still noticeable.

Absolu is more substantial and has the further reach.

Edge: Absolu

Longevity

Myslf EDP lasts for 6-7 hours before it fades away completely. It’s fine, just not a great performer.

Longevity-wise, I still get 9-10 hours with this one, which is what I get with Myslf Le Parfum. So it’s about equal performance between those two and better than the EDP.

It’s a pretty clear cut separation between them, as expected with the higher fragrance concentration.

Edge: Absolu

Versatility

Myslf eau de parfum is easy to wear and can fit pretty much anywhere during any time of year. Maybe not during daytime in summer, but outside of that it’s fine.

It’s easy to just spray on as an everyday wear, but attractive enough for nightlife, even if that’s not its main function. It’s not going to overwhelm and works for all age groups without issue.

Seasonally, Myslf Absolu works year-round basically. I’d say it’s better in moderate to warmer temperatures. Again, skip the height of summer with this one too.

Daytime or nighttime. A well put together floral cologne whose fresh spiciness also plays up during the evenings. I think that is what separates it from EDP. It’s more detailed and refined.

Crowd-pleasing with a bit of an edge. This could easily be plenty of people’s main fragrance or only one for that matter.

Edge: Absolu

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two fragrances do I think smells better? While I do like what I get from Myslf eau de parfum, I just think that Absolu is the best cologne in the line thus far.

The ginger, the cardamom, and the blend overall is just superior. Even comparing it to Le Parfum, I think that it’s more approachable as a floral cologne for most people, and adds some depth to this orange blossom formula.

The bergamot and orange blossom focus of EDP is nice, but it just doesn’t hit the same level for me as does Absolu.

The question for you is do you want to spend an extra $80-100 (currently as of writing), on this new Absolu?

For some, it might not make sense. If you already have one of the other Myslf fragrances and you enjoy that, I don’t really believe that you need a second or third option. They’re different from one another, but also occupy a lot of the same space.

Update: You could also try an ‘inspired by’ take on either of these two, as alternatives from the Dua Brand: True Self or the Absolute version.

Myslf EDP is a nice cologne. It’s popular, well-liked, complemented, and is a great option for daily wear. It’s simple, but it’s simply not as good as the more intriguing and better performing Absolu.

What that’s worth to you? I don’t know. For me, if I grabbed a full bottle of any of these YSL scents, it’d by Myslf Absolu.

Winner: Absolu