Fragrances

Stronger With You vs. The One EDP

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Stronger With You from Emporio Armani and The One by D&G are two of the more popular fragrances out there for men. With a somewhat similar style, they can often be the final two options that people are choosing between. However, which one actually smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy, in comparison?

Tale of the Tape: Stronger With You vs. The One EDP

The One EDP

Notes include: grapefruit, basil, coriander, amber, tobacco, ginger, cardamom, orange blossom, and cedar

Click here to try: The One EDP

My Full Review The One EDP

the one edp review

Stronger With You

Notes include: vanilla, mint, cardamom, chestnut, amber, pink pepper, sage, violet leaf

Click here to try: Emporio Armani Stronger With You for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 1.7 oz

My Full Review: Stronger With You

Opening

Stronger with You gives me a blast of cardamom up top, along with its other fresh and spicier notes. Pink pepper, sage, and mint. These are the leaders early on.

The undercurrent to this is the chestnut and vanilla notes, which really take over a bit later, but still have enough of a presence to make a noticeable impact at this point.

The One EDP will start off very much like the EDT version, but with some amped up notes. The grapefruit here plays a big role, along with the spice notes of: cardamom, basil, and coriander. All of which are soaking in a sea of warm amber.

The tobacco is also here, with its presence felt from the very start, and it will increase its role as we move along in the wear.

Which is better? To me, Stronger With You takes a while to really get going and into its best period. The opening is the weakest point, sort of jumbled.

Meanwhile, The One starts out great and continues pace. As such, it takes this category.

Edge: The One

Projection

Following the initial spray, these two actually aren’t far off from one another. Stronger With You does have the better ability to project, but it isn’t by much. The scent trail is longer lasting and it’ll project further off of the skin.

The duration of the sillage is where the real separation comes in. The One is already the weaker scent, at the peak of each fragrance. But, it quiets down much faster too. It’ll create an intimate bubble, while Stronger With You is still powerful.

Edge: Stronger

Longevity

Stronger With You also pretty easily takes this part of the contest, as well. It’ll last at least 9 hours and can go somewhere around 11 or thereabouts. It’s a very good performing scent on skin.

With The One EDP, normal sprays will get me about 4-5 hours of wear. With heavy sprays, I can go 6+ hours and up to about 8.

Heavy spraying is the name of the game with The One. But, doing so will get you fairly close to the Armani…Stronger still wins, however.

Edge: Stronger

Versatility

As far as when and how each should be worn, they’re basically the same.

Seasonally, autumn and winter, mainly. But, I will still wear them in spring and summer, if it isn’t too hot and humid. Though, it is mostly an indoor only option with air conditioning going.

You can wear them in a variety of situations, appropriate for a wide array of ages, but skew younger while not being something only teenagers can wear.

Romantic wear, nightlife, casual, and semi-formal.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, overall, which one of these fragrances to I prefer?

I’m not a huge fan of Stronger With You EDT. The opening act, isn’t all that great, in my opinion. However, the dry down when the chestnut and vanilla get to shine is actually very nice.

In terms of performance, it is for sure at least a notch above The One. Has better sillage for longer and even when the are both in their lighter stages, Stronger just keeps going on.

But, in terms of smell and which one I actually own, it’s The One EDP. Any performance problems, while not being without some truth, are pretty overblown. I wear it often, no real issues on that front.

Frankly, The One is among the best smelling of the best sellers in the men’s fragrance space and the one I’m going with here.

Stronger With You Intensely  or Absolutely would have a better case here, but even then, I still like the Dolce fragrance more. That being said, if you’re leaning towards Stronger, I’d get Intensely (I prefer this one) or Absolutely before the EDT original.

The One Mysterious Night by D&G

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I’ve been retesting and going through the other flanker fragrances of D&G’s The One lineup, that I hadn’t tried before over the past few months. One of them, which was new to me, is The One Mysterious Night. This 2018 release is a part of there special edition ‘Night’ collection. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does The One Mysterious Night Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, saffron, rose, oud, clary sage, amber, woods, labdanum, tonka bean

Click here to try: The One Mysterious Night

My Full Review

Right off of the bat, I have to say that I’m not a fan of rose and oud scents. Individually, I can like these notes well enough, but together they become bothersome.

Not only do I not find the smell all that appealing. It’s also the fact that every designer uses the same exact formula with these two notes and then charges $400 per bottle. At least, this D&G is an affordable example.

Just putting it out there, as this doesn’t have the same effect on me as it does with others…who rank this fragrance highly.

Upon first spraying, Mysterious Night actually reminds me somewhat of 1 Million Cologne, the flanker to the more popular namesake. Grapefruit, rose, some light tonka bean. Cologne has a huge citrus blast with the rose and an aquatic note, but this gives me flashbacks.

That’ll fade, the rose and spiciness of this fragrance will come out. It’s actually got a surprising amount of powder to it. Sort of like in Burberry Brit, just without the greenish notes.

Sage really comes through for a while, like it does in Luminous Night. However, that won’t be the main focus because the saffron here has a pretty massive impact on the composition.

The dry down is better for me. I like the tonka bean, wood, and amber/labdanum. The earlier notes settle down somewhat and Mysterious Night feels more balanced and tolerable.

It’s an ambery rose with wood and tonka bean. The intensity isn’t to the same extent and I can actually somewhat enjoy this.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, you definitely get your money’s worth. Mysterious Night has a massive projection and ability to leave a scent trail…for hours on end. I can spray this one on clothes and smell it in the next room.

Not the most extreme ever, but for a designer cologne, this stuff is loud.

The longevity is also insane. Well into the double digit hours on skin. I’m getting about 12 hours on the top end of things.

On clothing, I swear this will last for weeks. Mysterious Night sticks and doesn’t ever seem to want to let go.

Seasonally, stick to late autumn and winter. This has enough heft and thickness to it, that it’s way too much for any sort of heat.

It’s an attention grabbing fragrance, whether that’s good or bad will depend on the crowd, I suppose. But, Mysterious Night lives up to its name, and is a fragrance that is basically going to be a wear for the nightlife.

It has a certain amount of depth and style, as such it’s not a casual nighttime wear. Maybe one you’d want to wear when you’re dressed up and want to exude a sense of power.

Skip the daily wear use, if you’re in close environments, though.

My Overall Impressions of The One Mysterious Night

Overall, do I like Mysterious Night? Not particularly. I wasn’t expecting to going into testing it out and it was basically just as I thought it’d be.

The oud, rose, amber, and saffron combination gets done again and again. So, there’s not much new ground being laid. But, as far as examples of this style of scent goes, this D&G gives you plenty of value for something that’s not too expensive.

The opening hour or so, is when this is a bit too much for my tastes. Then, it does improve into something, that while I still don’t enjoy it, it’s got some positive attributes.

The performance is awesome, unlike many of the others in The One lineup. Not a weak scent and it goes for a very long time. That’s the real strength of this fragrance.

If you like this style of fragrance, you know what you’re getting here. The oud isn’t too heavy in the mix versus a lot of the others, so, it can be more wearable for people.

If you’re not familiar with these notes, this isn’t a blind buy. If you really want to try, get a sample to see if it speaks to you.

It’s my least favorite of The One Night series and I’ll recommend try the much more crowd friendly, Luminous Night, if you can find a bottle.

Dior Homme Sport (2021) by Dior

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Dior has once again updated the fragrance using the name of Dior Homme Sport in 2021. This comes four years after the last change. This time, it goes in a whole different direction from the previous incarnation. How does this Sport do? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Dior Homme Sport Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, aldehydes, lemon, elemi, pink pepper, wood, amber, olibanum

My Full Review

Here’s how Dior describes it: Opens with a burst before suddenly becoming as soft as a second skin a deliciously luminous and fresh woody accord bitten by the vivacity of bergamot and the intensity of peppercorns.

The opening is a blast of the lemon and bergamot notes, that are given an extra spicy kick by the pink pepper. It is nice and a very familiar scent that you’ve seemingly encountered many times before.

This does have some similarities to Dior Homme Cologne. However, I’d say more like Chanel Allure Homme Sport Cologne, with the inclusion of the resinous elemi note. Which actually comes across a sort of waxy in this Dior. Maybe, that’s more of an effect with the olibanum note coming in as well.

But, what separates this version of Dior Sport from the rest of them is the aldehydes. It gives this one a clean freshness, like sun-dried laundry. Fresh wood and woodsy smelling resins, with that initial citrus burst is very attractive. Olibanum gives it a light smokiness, at times.

Once this citrus wears off, Dior Homme Sport starts to lose my interest. It’s basically just a clean wood with lemon wax on top of it. Sure, some freshness makes it okay, but the initial dynamic is lost and it feels like I’m just wearing laundered clothing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is moderate. A bit of a scent trail for an hour or so. But, overall it is moderate. It’s not a skin scent until later in the wear. However, you might not always notice that you’re wearing it. Then, you’ll catch another whiff of Sport.

In terms of longevity, Sport actually matches the new Dior Homme EDT in its performance. On my skin, this one goes for 6.5-8 hours, depending on the day.

It’s not an elite performance, but it’s actually quite good for a ‘Sport’ scent. Even if, there really isn’t too much that is ‘sporty’ about this fragrance. Nonetheless, it is a cologne that doesn’t just fall apart.

Seasonally, this is probably best in warm weather. However, it can really work year round and not feel out of place at all.

Sport is highly versatile. It’s clean, inoffensive aroma can go casual, daily wear, or even more formal events. Not really a sexy nightlife beast, but outside of that, it can fit in wherever its needed.

Overall Impressions of Dior Homme Sport 2021

Do I like this fragrance? It doesn’t smell bad to me. However, outside of the opening 20-30 minutes or so, I’m just not into this. It’s my least favorite of the Dior Homme or Sport line, even the 2017 version, which was just okay.

It does have overlap with Dior Homme EDT. But, they aren’t exactly the same, and I like that one much more than this.

Performance is fine and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to wear this fragrance, if you enjoy how it smells. To me, it’s pretty boring, a bit too waxy/resinous, and almost a detergent-like quality.

I’ll pass on getting a bottle for myself. But, it’s worth a try, at least. Test it out and see if you actually enjoy it. If the performance and versatility was bad, I’d say to just stay away from this. As it is, try it if it still sounds interesting. If not, pass on it entirely.

Fahrenheit Cologne by Dior

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Fahrenheit Cologne wasn’t a fragrance that I was really on the lookout for, since it’s been discontinued. But, when I had a chance to get a decant of it, I grabbed it anyway. I’m a huge Dior fan, but Fahrenheit was never something that I was personally all that into. How does this one do? What does it smell like? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Fahrenheit Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, bergamot, lemon, violet, vetiver, nutmeg, cedar, caraway

My Full Review

Cologne opens up with a bold mix of the citrus notes and a pronounced and quite green violet note.

Right away, you can tell that this is related to the original Fahrenheit, but without the gasoline aroma, less grassy, and no leather.

The bergamot and lemon are the strongest of the citrus notes to me. The bergamot, especially early on is noticeable.

Violet is joined by the vetiver note, further creating a dry and fresh sort of smell. I would say that the caraway is also adding a green sort of vibe to this fragrance. A bit of that sweetish herbal spice, but this one is very violet leaf dominant.

As it dries down, that will change somewhat. Yes, the violet remains during the entirety. However, cedar and vetiver give this the fresh woodsy finish that sits very nicely underneath the citrus notes (that are now geared toward the lemon).

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Fahrenheit Cologne does open up with some power, but it’s not a massive projector or heavy scent, on the whole.

You’ll get good projection and a scent trail for an hour or so. But, it will come in much closer to the skin, as we get into the middle act. But, it’s above average in totality when compared to other fragrances out there.

The longevity is pretty middle of the road, however. I get 5-6 hours, on skin. It’s not the worst among this sort of citrus-led fragrance, but it isn’t among the elites either. How long it actually lasts, is worst aspect of this fragrance.

Even then, it’s still okay.

Seasonally, this one is built for the spring and summer months. It absolutely shines in the warm weather and wearing outdoors was a very nice experience. Mostly during the daytime, maybe also for something casual during the summer evenings.

This could be a daily wear for men during the warmer parts of the year. It’s fresh and has a fairly attractive aroma, but nothing that would be termed ‘sexy’ by most people.

Overall Impressions of Fahrenheit Cologne

Overall, do I like Fahrenheit Cologne? Yes, it’s enjoyable, but not amazing. Easier to wear than the original and gives you a nice option for spring and summer, if this fits your style.

I do like the citrus focus with Cologne, while I’m not a huge violet leaf fan, I don’t find it bothersome at all to wear with this Dior fragrance. That violet leaf dominates, but the caraway does help to give it a bit more balance in the early stages.

The performance is average to maybe slightly above average, so keep that in mind. The sillage is good enough, the longevity is less so. Fahrenheit Cologne’s performance doesn’t necessarily hinder someone from making a purchase of it though.

If you like the Fahrenheit series, this is a nice one to pick up. Similar to the original, but gives you a lighter and fresher option for the spring and summertime.

Since this one has been discontinued recently, if you want it, you should probably strike soon. Though, if the price is too high, I don’t think it’s really worth tracking down. It’s solid, nothing special, unless you’re a fan of the rest of them.

Dior Homme vs. Homme Sport (New Editions)

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Dior Homme is a long running line from the designer, with all of the accompanying flanker fragrances. However, the brand also revamps the scents every so often, and also completely changes them…as they did in 2020. So, it’s time for a new comparison post between the latest iterations of Dior Homme vs Dior Homme Sport. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Dior Homme vs. Sport

Dior Homme (2020)

Notes include: bergamot, elemi, pink pepper, Haitian vetiver, Atlas cedar, musk, patchouli, cashmere, Iso E Super

Click here to try: Dior Homme at Macy’s

My Full Review: Dior Homme (2020)

Dior Homme Sport (2021)

Notes include: bergamot, aldehydes, lemon, elemi, pink pepper, wood, amber, olibanum

My Full Review: Dior Homme Sport

Opening

Dior EDT kicks off with a use of bergamot. The citrus is actually pretty toned down, even in comparison to Sport. It’s a cold and fresh start, with vetiver, pink pepper, and patchouli. It’s almost minty in how it comes across, at times.

Also, some slight resin from the elemi note. Dior Homme is a bit spicy, not overly so, and it will have more of a sweet woodsy quality as we roll along.

With Sport, you get a greater use of citrus. The lemon, bergamot, and orange notes really come through. The pink pepper note is the same here as in Dior Homme.

Elemi, olibanum, and the aldehydes are what really separate these two scents from one another. Less pronounced early on, but Sport has more of that resinous aroma, a bit smoky, but actually smells waxy to me.

The aldehydes give Sport a fresh laundered clothing sort of aroma.

Which is better? It’s tough, as I like the first part of Sport when it has its citrus out. Though, as that fades quickly, so does my enjoyment.

The entirety of the beginning? I think I’ll go with Dior Homme. Less citrus, but the overall woody fresh blend is great.

Edge: Dior Homme

Projection

I came into testing both of these with the expectation that Dior Homme would have the better performance. Actually, it turns out that they’re both pretty equal. I don’t really notice a difference between them.

The sillage of each is pretty moderate, but has some sneaky power. You might not notice the notes all of the time, and then, it’ll hit you hours into the wear. Neither is a beast, but quite solid.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Again, the longevity was about the same for each. I get between 6.5-8 hours of wear, on my skin with both Dior Homme and Sport.

It was a pleasant surprise that Sport had this sort of comparable staying power to its predecessor. However, it doesn’t surpass it.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are extremely versatile in their uses. They can pretty much fit in year round, even if I’d stay away from the far ends of the hot and cold spectrum. Both are great as daily wears, inoffensive, and have a certain mass appeal.

Though, I do think that Dior Homme EDT has the upper hand here. I’d say that it can more easily be a nightlife scent, even if that’s not its specialty. It’s much more fresh and dynamic, versus the clean persona of Sport.

So, it’s not a huge difference, but Homme has the slight edge.

Edge: Homme

Overall Scent

Overall, this competition really isn’t as close as it would seem, at least to me. Being that the old Dior Homme 2011 was my daily wear for a long time, I was skeptical of the entirely new direction Dior took with the line.

Though, I turned out to be pleasantly surprised with Dior Homme 2020. No, it’s not as good, but I do like it and think that it’s a solid pick up.

Dior Homme EDT has a very nice use of the vetiver and cedar notes. It’s fresh, earthy, spicy, and even sweet. Very well balanced and reminds me of being somewhat like the old Guerlain Homme, that I used to have a bottle of.

Meanwhile, I like the opening 20-30 minutes of Sport. After that? It’s my least favorite of the Dior Homme line, even the old 2017 version which previously held that distinction.

It’s not a off-putting smell. It’s just not exciting at all and I don’t particularly enjoy wearing it. The resin turns waxy, the aldehydes are just okay, and it has a lemony wood finish that doesn’t compare to Dior Homme.

If you do like the smell, the performance is there. There is also some overlap with EDT, just the distinctions definitely don’t improve the formula.

Winner: Dior Homme EDT