Fragrances

L’Immensité by Louis Vuitton

by

I’ve been gradually making my way through the Louis Vuitton line for review purposes, with most of them that have been released in the books. L’Immensité is one that I’ve already tried before, but I grabbed a sample of more recently, do give it a full testing. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does L’Immensité Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, bergamot, grapefruit, sage, rosemary, geranium, watery notes, amber, labdanum

My Full Review

Here’s how Louis Vuitton describes it: A whisper of fresh ginger speaks of an infinite inner journey. To open your arms so wide it’s as if they were wings deployed to take flight. Like a response to a vast, beckoning sea that nourishes fantasies of total freedom. Sometimes, finding yourself before a limitless horizon that stretches to the sky is all it takes to make your heart beat faster.

L’Immensité opens up with its potent ginger note being joined by the bergamot and grapefruit. Initially, that sharp and juicy bergamot is stronger on my skin than is the grapefruit, but that will flip as it moves along.

Underneath all of that is an aquatic accord, which helps adds to that summertime vibe, but this one never completely veers oceanic. A bit salty, that’s about it.

The ginger is the star of the spiciness within this mix. Sage and rosemary might make up around 30% of the rest, at their peak. Sage sticks around for a while, though, neither is too big of a player.

Most of this one is about the amber note coming in. The ginger and grapefruit sit on top of all of that amber, which gives it a warmer vibe. The style is similar to Bleu de Chanel EDP, but ultimately fairly different fragrances.

The drydown is a fresh and slightly citrus amber. Very little of that aquatic accord is still present.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage is actually pretty strong for this type of fragrance, for the first few hours. It gets softer, thereafter, but that amber note really sticks out to me when wearing it during those late stages.

It does have a nice 6-7 foot projection or so, at its peak. It will leave a scent trail for like an hour to and hour and a half. After that, this one moves in much closer to the wearer, but isn’t as soft as you might think. Seems like it has a tendency to sort of make you nose blind to it, at times.

On my skin, I can get up to 8 hours from this Louis Vuitton scent. It actually fluctuates between 6.5 and that 8 hour mark, so, expect about 7 a good portion of the time.

Seasonally, it’s mainly going to be a spring and summer play. But really, any time the climate is pretty moderate, it’d be fine too. Great in the warmer temperatures, but probably not my go to in the wintertime.

L’Immensité isn’t an offensive or super loud fragrance. It’s well put together, so it has enough style to fit into a pretty wide variety of situations. The versatility of this cologne, is probably its greatest strength.

Overall Impressions of L’Immensité

Overall, do I like L’Immensité? I do like it, but there are better options from Louis Vuitton or just in general with this sort of fragrance. It was formerly a part of my best LV men’s fragrance list, but just barely, and got pushed aside by Imagination.

That’s got some similarities to this one, but Imagination is ultimately better.

The opening act is where this one shines. That fresh citrus, ginger, other spices, and the aquatic-like feel of it…is all something that I enjoy.

Later, the amber and citrus just kind of gets on my nerves. It’s fine, nothing too exciting, but it does get old for me while wearing it.

The performance is good. Not amazing, but not terrible either, on my skin. Still, I do want a bit more from the fragrance, if I’m paying Louis Vuitton prices.

L’Immensité is worth trying out. You may indeed like it and want a full bottle. Personally, the brand has better options to sort through during the warmer months of the year.

Fahrenheit Parfum by Dior

by

Fahrenheit was a late 1980s hit for Dior and has been a part of their lineup ever since. Naturally, they have come out with waves of flankers and special editions. In 2014, the design house released, Fahrenheit Parfum. I got a hold of a decant of this fragrance a while ago and have been testing it out, taking notes. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Fahrenheit Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: violet leaf, rum, suede, vanilla, cumin, orange, licorice, and more

My Full Review

Parfum opens up sweet, smooth, and fresh. It’s strange how you get the booziness of the rum, but the spice doesn’t hit you like it does in something like Bvlgari’s Man in Black.

Instead, you get a light orange and licorice sweetness combining with the warmth of the rum note. Yet, it isn’t at all cloying. Suede and violet leaf keep things light and with a leather like refinement.

The violet leaf compared to the original Fahrenheit is toned down. You do still get some greenish qualities early, no gasoline smell, but a light aquatic feel to Fahrenheit Parfum.

This is a fairly big departure from the original Dior release, so, don’t expect to smell something similar in this flanker. There is some overlap, but a lot of that will be in the background.

On me, that sweetness subsides in about 10 minutes. The top citrus note does have a bit of a sparkle to it. The style of this fragrance actually reminds me of Armani Code Absolu, just not nearly as thick, and with a fresher aroma.

The next phase is a rummy vanilla scent with the suede and violet leaf sitting underneath that. I do get some licorice and very light spice, but a lot of the top is basically gone. At this stage, it also seems to acquire a bit of a fizziness.

The final dry down is a dark vanilla suede and violet leaf blend. Those are the notes that I can still pick up. It’s very smooth, not really all that sweet, and well-balanced.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is above average, on the whole, and starts off fairly strong. Though, Fahrenheit Parfum doesn’t project all that hugely, especially after the first wave begins to wear off.

The opening act? Sure, it’ll give you 5-7 feet worth of projection or thereabouts. But, it moves in much closer.

On my skin, it lasts somewhere in the 8.5-9.5 hour range. Kind of depended, when I was testing it out. Not really something that hits double digits for me, but came as close as you can get.

Still, the performance really isn’t disappointing and quite good, if you’re into how this one smells.

Seasonally, obviously with the notes, this is best in autumn and winter. The thing is, Parfum isn’t all that heavy or super cloying. It can venture into the springtime (early part), since it does have the freshness from the violet leaf and citrus.

I wouldn’t go too hot with the temperatures while wearing this, but it’d be fine for a good chunk of the year.

This is a well put together scent that has a maturity about it, is attractive, and is very wearable. I like it more for nighttime engagements, but it wouldn’t be out of place to wear during the day. Maybe go easy at work or something like that, since it does have a rum note prominently featured.

Overall Impressions of Fahrenheit Parfum

Overall, do I like Fahrenheit Parfum? I do. It’s more enjoyable for me, than is the original Fahrenheit.

However, it’s still not a complete love for me. I almost blind bought a full bottle, but I’m kind of glad I didn’t and got a decant first. I like it, while not being super enthusiastic about wearing it.

The opening is interesting and that’s when I feel Parfum is at its peak. The blend of rum, citrus, suede, spice, and violet leaf is very well done. It’s such a great mix of different notes and is stitched together beautifully.

After that? Fahrenheit Parfum smells good, it’s just not all that exciting. It feels much flatter than how it started out and I’m not too into any longer. I said that I was reminded of Code Absolu and I’d rather have a bottle of that versus Fahrenheit Parfum.

The performance and everything is solid. No worries there. Fahrenheit Parfum is a scent that is well worth a try from Dior, but with the price and limited availability, may not be worth a blind buy.

Very good, but doesn’t cross the great barrier.

Noir Extreme Parfum by Tom Ford

by

Noir Extreme is one of my personal favorite fragrances to wear. So, when I saw that the Parfum version was being released in 2022, I had to order a bottle for myself upon release. I was excited for a bolder and spicier remix of the original. Does it deliver? How long does it last? Is it actually worth a buy?

What does Noir Extreme Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: Shimoga ginger, cardamom, amber, tonka bean, guaiac wood, leather

Click here to try: Noir Extreme Parfum at Sephora

noir extreme parfum review

My Full Review

Here’s how Tom Ford describes it: A bold intensification of the original scent, Noir Extreme Parfum merges amber, spices, and woods, evoking the private, daring aspects of the Noir man.

Note: As of now, these are my initial thoughts of Extreme Parfum. Since it’s brand new, I’m going to be updating the page over the next week(s), as I get more time spent wearing it.

The opening of Noir Extreme Parfum has a lot going on. You get the same light citrus and neroli notes, as the original. What I do notice, is that the floral accord in this one does not have the same strength.

Those white floral notes do not play a major role in Parfum. Not that they’re massive in the original, but they are always present in that one. However, the citrus notes do have more of a role, adding a sparkling quality to the spice, and are playing off that initial ginger.

One of the main changes here, comes with the spices. The ginger note replaces the nutmeg of the original Extreme and is paired with that same cardamom note. The opening sprays are spicier, warmer, less sweet, and smoky.

The guaiac wood is also a new addition, hello smokiness. This a very rough, dry, and somewhat animalic version of the note, not a sweeter one. It’s funny that this base note, is so noticeable in the opening, but really tones down as it dries down.

So, the kulfi note is still present with the vanilla note. The vanilla is weaker in Parfum, splitting its strength with a tonka bean. This actually gives that kulfi accord a bit of a boost within the composition. A very similar effect overall, just slightly different.

The kulfi is sweet, creamy, with a pistachio finish.

Once the spices and guaiac wood has settled down, the leather note really comes out fully. That’s the biggest change with Parfum. Smooth, yes, but the smokiness and warmth doesn’t allow it to pop in the same way it does in something like Ombre Leather.

The final dry down is a leathery and spicier/warmer version of the original. It’s really a split between the remaining kulfi/tonka/vanilla notes and the leather. The amber note is noticeably weaker in the Parfum version’s dry down.

As a single note, the leather has the greatest weighting at this point.

noir extreme parfum

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The performance on the whole, is roughly the same as Extreme EDP. However, I don’t think that Parfum has the same sillage and projection as that one.

Not a huge difference, but it is a slight step back. You get that initial power from the ginger and cardamom, then, it settles into that same kind of moderate projection. Not a huge deal, but I thought that this would be a beast mode with the higher concentration.

Coming back to it again and again. It really doesn’t seem to be stronger than the original for me. I’ve tested on shirts to see how far away I can detect it and there’s almost no difference, other than EDP feels a bit more powerful.

With the EDP, I get 6-8 hours of wear from it usually. Though, with the way that I spray (heavy), it hits that 8 hour mark more often.

Parfum seems to be able to go up to 9 hours, during this initial testing. It’s a slight step back in terms of its strength, but its staying power is also slightly better on me. Again, about the same overall, but this is what I’ve gathered about it thus far.

Seasonally, Parfum is still a colder weather fragrance. It’s summer now, so, I’ve had to test it out in the air conditioning. Not ideal, but it’s fine in the temperate climate. In the heat, it gets messy like the original.

I can’t wait to give it a go in autumn and winter. That leather addition should be great.

Noir Extreme often felt like more of a unisex wear than being strictly something men would want to wear, since it’s based off the original Noir. This one, falls more so in the masculine camp, still wearable by anyone just heading toward one side of the spectrum.

Overall Impressions of Noir Extreme Parfum

Overall, do I like Noir Extreme Parfum? Yes, I do. Is it better than Noir Extreme? First impressions…not really.

These Tom Ford fragrances are really similar to each other, just with the differences that I mentioned above. I am a massive fan of the original, it’s one of my favorites ever, and it’s going to be tough to top.

I like the changes here, but there’s nothing about it that truly surpasses Extreme EDP.

Now, that’s my first impression. In a week or two, it might have flipped completely. As of this moment, Extreme Parfum is a few points below its predecessor.

Update: Parfum has grown on me more. It’s almost a tie at this point between these two fragrances for me. I will often spray both of them on at the same time. Like, two sprays of EDP for every spray of Parfum. Still, I think I still enjoy EDP more, personally.

That being said, you may prefer the added spice, smoke, and dirtiness that Parfum brings to the table. Though, if you also already have a bottle of Extreme EDP, the differences may not be enough to justify a bottle of this.

I’ve seen some people say already that these smell exactly the same. They don’t. There are distinct differences, but this also isn’t a complete re-imagining of the formula. Just expect less of that amber and white floral notes, also.

Is it worth a buy? Yes, it’s a great fragrance. If you already own one, you don’t ‘need’ the other. If you’re undecided, I might wait to be able to test this one and see if you dig the new changes versus the EDP version.

The One for Men Grey by D&G

by

Dolce & Gabbana keeps right on using The One name to introduce new fragrances, some of which actually have a relation to the original formulation. 2018’s The One Grey, is one of those cologne offerings which has a lot of overlap with the popular EDT and EDP versions of this D&G scent. But, how does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does The One Grey Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, coriander, cardamom, vetiver, basil, lavender, geranium, sage, patchouli, tobacco, labdanum

Click here to try: The One for Men Grey

My Full Review

The One Grey is very much a flanker of The One and I can tell that from the opening spray. The difference with Grey is, that the strength of each of the notes has been changed in order to make a lighter fragrance more friendly to warmer temperatures than The One EDP.

Grapefruit leads the way, just like the original versions. Except that it is amped up in this formulation. Spicier, fresher, with less tobacco and amber.

It is joined by cardamom, sage, basil, and coriander as the main spices. Basil is actually strong to my nose and the equal to the cardamom early on. That will change and cardamom will be the one which sticks around the longest.

The basil will fade and sage, takes its place, but doesn’t muscle out that cardamom. Coriander is a distant fourth, with a minor influence. Patchouli very briefly gives Grey an earthiness, that will pass too.

It is interesting that after the initial blast, I can pick up on that tobacco note, from the others in the series. It sits underneath almost everything, but it is there reminding you of The One EDP.

After 20 minutes or so, this is less of an intense spice and more of a lightly spiced clean freshness. Vetiver, lavender, geranium and that tobacco really help to moderate this one.

Bright citrus with a cold aromatic aroma.

The final dry down will be a balanced mix of vetiver, lavender, tobacco, and cardamom. Still a bit of a spice, but not much, and there is a smokiness that emerges. Not heavy, but I guess it’s the labdanum mixing with vetiver and some other notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The One Grey actually has some decent power, at least for a while. It’s not a massive fragrance, but for the first few hours you will get nice projection off of the skin.

This Dolce & Gabbana is not going to leave a scent trail behind you for all that long. However, I get a nice intimate bubble of the fragrance for most of the wear. It’s pretty average, but towards the above average end of things.

This one lasts on my skin, somewhere in the 6-7 hour range. Not one that’s going to seriously outperform (like its predecessors), but it also doesn’t just quit like EDT, either.

Seasonally, this one takes the formula of The One and makes it acceptable for the spring and summer months. I love The One EDP, but the heat is not friendly towards it. With Grey, the clean style and lightness of the notes makes it one that can take the heat.

It’s fine in more moderate early autumn weather, also. I’d skip the winter application and go with EDP, instead.

This doesn’t have that same level of sexiness or date night vibe as the EDP. This is more suited for daytime wear, good for the office, casual, or even semi-formal occasions.

It smells good. Is attractive and easy to like. You can wear it in a lot of different scenarios without issue. Very nice versatility here.

 

 

Overall Impressions of The One Grey

Overall, do I like The One Grey? I do. It’s actually one of the better flankers from this line, despite the lack of fanfare about it.

The originals, Luminous Night, and EDP Intense are all better than this. But, I like it more than Gentleman and Royal Night (slightly). It gives you a different weighting of the notes of the original, but in a more palatable form for day to day wear, in the warmer months.

Grapefruit and vetiver give it a nice and freshly clean feeling. There’s still some tobacco and the spicy notes create a dynamic aroma, without being too much to handle.

The performance is much like other entries in the series, not terrible like the original, just passable and useful for daily wear. I’ve read others say that this one is weak, that hasn’t been my experience with the travel sprayer, this one came in.

If you like the originals, this one is worth a try. You just have to know going in, that it’s not the same fragrance. Yes, the note’s are quite the same, but the style is different. A remixed version of the original, where the background players get shown more love.

Ombre Leather Parfum by Tom Ford

by

Ombre Leather Eau de Parfum is one of my favorite entries from the Tom Ford line. When the brand released a 2021 Parfum version, I was really intrigued at giving it a try. Well, I’ve been testing it out and am now ready to post my review to the site. How does it smell? Is it as good?

What does Ombre Leather Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: leather, violet leaf, jasmine, orris, cedar, tobacco

Click here to try: Ombre Leather Parfum

My Full Review

Here’s how Tom Ford describes it: OMBRÉ LEATHER PARFUM INTENSIFIES THE ORIGINAL SCENT, FUSING HEATED LEATHER FLORALS WITH WOODS–CAPTURING THE UNBRIDLED SENSUALITY OF THE AMERICAN WEST.

Well, I don’t think there’s anything any more intense about Parfum versus the EDP. Actually, that one starts and finishes with a heavier boldness.

Parfum isn’t as warm and doesn’t have that cardamom spice up top. Instead, we get a lighter and cooler aroma at first versus EDP.

The violet leaf note really sets the tone. Watery to an extent, with its greenish floral aroma, giving the leather a cleaner feeling than the somewhat earthy example of the EDP.

Cedar, jasmine, and the orris note also come into the picture. The jasmine note won’t be as prominent as in the original, but it still does a lot next to the more dominant violet leaf.

Yes, the orris note is present. It gives Parfum whiffs of a light powdery smell, but really not too heavy.

This is fresher and never has that same dryness. Cedar bolsters the base and a general woodiness just sits underneath the leather and violet leaf.

Tobacco is a newer addition to this. Again, another light note that adds some sweetness and an overall smoother experience.

In the end, it does become dominated by the leather. If EDP was an older, beat up type of leather, this is a brand new jacket.

Leather, the violet leaf/jasmine combo, and woods. That’s the dry down, on me.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

With the longevity here, I still get the same 9-11 hours total on skin, like the EDP. But, whereas that gives me 6-8 hours of strong wear before become a skin scent. Parfum will go 5-6 and then be much softer.

The performance is by no means bad, but on my skin it is actually a slight step back from the original.

Seasonally, Ombre Leather Parfum is still mostly in the autumn and winter camp. Though, it has much more of an ability to be a late springtime wear versus the original. It’s lighter style is beneficial in that environment, holding up better in the heat.

Also, while both are unisex fragrances. Parfum is much more universal in its wear-ability. The original can be earthier and more animalic. With the violet leaf here, plus the lack of intensity from the cardamom and patchouli notes of the original.

This is an attractive scent. Good for nightlife. But, just know that not everyone appreciates the smell of leather, so it isn’t going to be universally beloved.

Overall Impressions of Ombre Leather Parfum

Overall, do I like Ombre Leather Parfum? I do. It shares plenty of overlap with the original, but takes things in a bit of a different direction.

I was worried about the leather and violet leaf before trying this. It could’ve veered more into the Fahrenheit by Dior direction, which isn’t a bad scent, but not one of my favorites.

This is a cleaner representation of the leather, actually can be a bit suede like. There is some tobacco and orris which gives it a smoother finish. Not all that powdery, but there is just a hint at times.

The jasmine that I loved in the EDP is also still here. Now, it splits weight with the violet leaf, which is just isn’t as good as the original.

Ombre Leather Parfum is a lighter version of this fragrance and probably will have a greater appeal in that regard.

Personally, I don’t like the smell of this one as much as the EDP. It’s still up there, just a notch below the eau de parfum.

Performance is also very good. So, which Ombre Leather you should go with is going to boil down to your personal taste, and not anything glaringly wrong with either. Softer, semi-aquatic suede? Or heavier earthier leather?