Fragrances

Guerlain L’Homme Ideal EDT vs. EDP

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Guerlain Ideal has become a very popular line for the French brand over the past near decade. I’ve like aspects of all the releases that I’ve come across and think that they are definitely worthwhile colognes to try. Albeit, I do personally feel they’re a bit overrated.

Nonetheless, two of the more sought out options are L’Homme Ideal EDT and the eau de parfum. In this post, I want to compare them head to head, before declaring an ultimate winner in the contest.

Tale of the Tape: L’Homme Ideal EDT vs. EDP

Ideal EDT

Notes include: grapefruit, bergamot, orange, almond, musk, pink pepper, musk, neroli

Click here to try: Guerlain L’Homme Ideal Cologne EDT Spray for Men, 3.3 Ounce

Read my review: Ideal EDT

Ideal EDP

Notes include: cherry, almond, lavender, vanilla, incense, rose, rosemary, leather, tonka bean, and more

Click here to try: L’Homme Ideal EDP at Selfridges (ships from UK)

Read my full review: Ideal EDP

Opening

The original Ideal EDT opens up with its blend of almond and woody spice coming through. It’s nutty and has its fresh citrus notes coming through along with the smoothness of the leather.

Nutty with a citrus and leathery finish.

Meanwhile, Ideal EDP goes with a natural cherry and almond blend. The opening features some spiciness, but it is overall smooth just like the EDT. Leather, vanilla, and other warmer hints are coming through from the base.

The opening is very much like Ideal L’Intense, just with the spices/smokiness toned way down and a much sweeter scent in comparison.

Which is better? For me, it is actually pretty close. I like the way EDT starts and kind of prefer it to EDP, even though I enjoy the cherry note.

Edge: EDT

Projection

Sillage wise, both of these fragrances hit the moderate band on my skin. You might think the higher eau de parfum concentration might give it a higher boost, but that hasn’t ever seemed to be the case.

Wearing them, I don’t particularly notice a difference with how well they project, or when I happen to spray each on clothing. No clear winner here.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Both of these have pretty nice longevity, even if they are the best projecting fragrances out there. With L’Homme Ideal EDT, I can get 4-6.5 hours from it depending on the day.

EDP is a bit better, in this regard. I will usually get 8 hours and it can last on my skin for up to 9.5, under the right conditions.

EDP actually takes this category fairly easily. Ideal EDT, just doesn’t have that level of perfomance.

Edge: EDP

Versatility

Seasonally, these two colognes pretty much hit opposite ends. With Ideal EDT, it is a complete spring and summertime wear. It’s an awesome warmer weather wear.

EDP is all about the autumn and winter. On a crisp winter evening, it is fantastic.

Neither really serves as an all-around one size fits all fragrance. EDT does strike me as a bit more casual and better suited for the daytime. EDP feels like it could venture better into more formal situations, light enough for office wear, and can be a nighttime gem.

Edge: EDP

Overall Scent

Overall, I enjoy wearing both of these scents. There actually isn’t a wide gap at all between them, in my experience and which I’d prefer to wear.

I love the citrus and almond blend of the original EDT. It fits so well in the summer months and while not a complete beast, it has good enough performance. The dry down is fresh and pleasant.

But, I think that the EDP is a touch ahead of the EDT. The cherry not up top, with the leather refinement, and subtle depth of the overall composition brings more to the table than the EDT. You get improved performance and some more versatile wearing options.

Again, not a massive win, but a win nonetheless. I actually think I prefer the discontinued Ideal Cologne to both of them.

One more factor that I’d like to mention is the availability in the US. Ideal EDP isn’t sold here anymore, outside of places like eBay. As such, you’ll probably have to order from the UK. That means, you might be paying $30+ for shipping costs.

Is Ideal EDP, worth that amount? Ehhh, maybe not. Unless you really want a bottle, I would just consider buying the much more affordable EDT. EDP is the better fragrance, but can be a pain to acquire.

Winner: Ideal EDP

La Nuit de l’Homme vs The One EDT

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La Nuit de L’homme from Yves Saint Laurent and The One by D&G have both been best sellers for over a decade now. They often can get compared to one another since they do have some overlap in notes, while actually being pretty distinctly different fragrances with how they smell. But, while also sharing a similar use case. So, which of these men’s fragrances is better?

Tale of the Tape: La Nuit vs. The One EDT

La Nuit

Notes include: cardamom, bergamot, vetiver, lavender, cedar

Try it out: Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’homme Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3-Ounce

Read my review: La Nuit de l’Homme

The One by D&G

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

Click here to try: THE ONE By DOLCE & GABBANA; EDT SPRAY 5 Ounce

Opening

La Nuit opens up with lots of cardamom and a citrus bergamot note, in the beginning. It is fresh, warm, and has that light addition of bergamot. Then, the lavender really begins to come into its own, sometime thereafter. It is a really captivating start, that gives you a nice bit of spice before settling down.

It does later become a bit more powdery and fresh, but above is what I get from the opener.

The One, meanwhile, gives me a bit less noticeable citrus (grapefruit) versus the bergamot in Nuit. Also, the cardamom feels less intense early on, and I get more of a blend with the ginger and light basil note.

The One is warm and has an amazing amber note with hints of the orange blossom giving it a floral touch. Personally, I prefer orange blossom to lavender.

Which is better? I’ve always loved how The One starts off. I enjoy La Nuit also, but with my personal bottle, my favorite part has been the dry down recently.

Edge: The One

Projection

Neither one of these has a monster projection. The sillage of La Nuit is fairly middle of the road for a few hours and then becomes light and finally a skin scent.

The One starts off nicely but really quickly fades, on my skin. It may have better performance for others, but the D&G has never really mustered much of anything for me.

Edge: La Nuit

Longevity

La Nuit used to get 6-8 hours of wear for me. The 2021 batch that I bought is more along the lines of 4-5…6 if I really spray the hell out of it. It’s for sure lost a step.

Again, The One has always had terrible performance on my skin. I might get 2 hours out of it, if I go heavy. With normal sprays, 1.

It may react differently for you, but I wouldn’t expect it to be better than the YSL, even at its peak.

Edge: La Nuit

Versatility

Both The One and La Nuit are best worn in fall/winter, but can venture into more mild temperatures, without issue.

Their versatility as popular signature scents is one of the greatest strengths that these colognes both share. Both lean more towards being nighttime wears, but honestly, neither is out of place in the daytime either.

I don’t really see much of a distinction in this category.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Between these two fragrances, which do I prefer?

If we’re going just based on smell alone, I like The One EDT better. It’s got a warmth, lightness, and sweet almost boozy quality about it that I’ve always loved. The downside, is that it just doesn’t work on my skin for whatever reason.

But, if it does work on yours…you should probably go with that.

However, based on smell and performance in conjunction, La Nuit wins this round. It’s not a superstar with how it lasts, but it smells really great and isn’t that far behind the Dolce cologne in terms of enjoyment.

You’re going to be getting plenty of the spicy cardamom, a general freshness, and light powdery finish. So, The One may be more appealing, if that doesn’t sound all that great to you.

Winner: La Nuit

1 Million Prive vs Invictus Cologne Comparison

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Today, we have another cologne comparison post, and it’s a versus battle between two Paco Rabanne scents. The competitors are: 1 Million Prive vs. Invictus. Prive is of course, the flanker fragrance to the now classic 1 Million, while Invictus has enjoyed huge success since its release, in its own right. The question is however, which cologne is the better choice? Which smells best? Which gives greater performance? Is there a clear winner?

Tale of the Tape: Prive vs. Invictus

1 Million Prive

Notes include: tonka bean, apple, cinnamon, myrrh, mandarin orange, tobacco

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million Prive Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

Read my original review: 1 Million Prive Cologne Review

Invictus

Notes include: grapefruit, sea notes, mandarin orange, bay leaf, jasmine

Read my review

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne Invictus Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

Opening

Invictus opens with a citrusy candy-like aroma of a blend of orange and grapefruit notes. This is joined by an aquatic element, that gives it a summertime vibe. Invictus strikes me as something for college aged males and maintains that youthful aroma throughout.

Meanwhile, 1 Million Prive, is darker than both its original counterpart and Invictus. It’s sweet but warm and spicy. I’ve likened the smell of Prive’s opening few minutes to that of cinnamon applesauce. Now, it’s not an absolute lock stock comparison, but I think it fits.

Between the two, Prive, is just so much better and more interesting in my opinion. It’s both masculine and seductive. Plus, it could still be worn by younger guys.

Edge: Prive

Projection

Both of these scents are fairly strong. 1 Million Prive is the stronger of the two and the one that maintains its sillage throughout the wear. In my experience with Invictus, after a few hours, it becomes much quieter and doesn’t have the same impact that it once did.

Edge: Prive

Longevity

Neither of these scents is weak sauce in terms of performance. Yet, there is once again, a clear winner. 1 Million Prive consistently gives me 9-10 hours of wear. Meanwhile, I get 6-7 usually when wearing Invictus.

I think it is the citrus notes that cause it to under perform its Paco Rabanne mate. Prive doesn’t go to the extremes that the original 1 Million did, back in the day, but it’s still a great performer.

Edge: Prive

Versatility

I thought that this might be the category that Invictus takes one, based on the fact that it can be worn in any weather situation, while Prive isn’t great in the highest temperatures.

The problem is, I think that Prive has much more use in a wider variety of social situations. It is more mature and can be worn with a suit, while at the same time, being a damn good club scent.

Invictus can seem to immature for some older guys and would sometimes feel out of place as well. So, I’ll give a very slight edge to Prive in this category.

Edge: Prive

Overall Scent

It’s a clean sweep for 1 Million Prive. Understand that: I’m not even an Invictus ‘hater’. Heck, I’m wearing Invictus Intense right now. It’s just that I happen to think that 1 Million Prive is now the best Paco Rabanne cologne.

Yes, it’s better than both the original and Invictus…and the other flankers.

Update: 1 Million Prive has been discontinued. It’s pretty difficult to find bottles too, at least for a reasonable price.

None of this is to say that Invictus is bad. Again, it has its charms and use. For me, it’s not even a contest, as to which I would rather wear if I had absolutely had to choose. Especially, if your older than say around 25 or so, 1 Million Prive will just come across as the more refined cologne.

I enjoy both at times, but it is just far more often 1 Million Prive. Invictus could still be a good bet for younger guys, but Legend would probably be even better than it. The original Invictus has kind of been cut out of consideration, with at least two of its flankers being a better fragrance.

Winner: Prive

Mont Blanc Legend vs. Emblem

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For this head to head match up, I want to take a look at two different offerings from the Mont Blanc lineup. First, is the ever popular Legend versus it challenger, Emblem. Which of these colognes smells the best? Which has better performance? Which is the better buy overall for most men? I will break down each in a variety of categories before declaring an ultimate winner.

Tale of the Tape

Mont Blanc Legend

Notes include: Bergamot, Pineapple Leaf, Sandalwood, Apple, rose, oak moss, lemon verbena, geranium, lavender,  And Tonka Bean

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Legend Eau de Toilette 3.3 fl.oz.

Read my review: Mont Blanc Legend

Emblem

Notes include: cinnamon, violet, tonka bean, sage, cardamom, grapefruit, wood, pepper, ambroxan

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Emblem Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3 fl. oz.

Read my review: Mont Blanc Emblem

Opening

Emblem opens up with a grapefruit note that is joined by spicier notes of pepper and cardamom. There is also a violet lead note, and it is interesting, how Emblem has a cool spice considering these notes.

A few minutes in, the cinnamon brings some warmth to it, and it eventually moves away from the citrus top and into something that is more herbal.

Legend has a fruity opening of apple, bergamot, and pineapple. It has a very citrus beginning, but it features a dry scent, with creamy tonka bean and lavender coming through. Along with, the underlying woodsy notes.

The pineapple and apple notes are a nice contrast versus the inherent woodsy style of the fragrance, sitting underneath.

Which is better? I don’t love either of these, but I think that I prefer how Legend opens up. It’s fresh and clean. Emblem is nice, has an interesting composition, but the cardamom and cinnamon just isn’t as good.

Edge: Legend

Projection

Legend is a fairly moderate sillage, but never ventures into beast territory. Emblem is light to moderate. It starts out about the same level as Legend, but moves much more into a lighter and airy cologne.

I would’ve thought something with cinnamon and cardamom, would’ve brought the power…but apparently not.

Legend isn’t even a heavy fragrance, but it pretty much blows Emblem right off the map, in comparison.

Edge: Legend

Longevity

I have gotten about 5-6 hours of wear, out of both of these scent. Neither one, really has an amazing staying power, and are fairly average.

That seems to be an issue with a lot of the Mont Blanc lineup. Some like Legend Night, can go longer. Between these two, no discernable difference.

Maybe older formulations of Legend had better longevity, but this is what I have consistently gotten with the latest batches over the past few years.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Legend is the type of scent that you can wear year round and for seemingly any occasion. It is a simple and no-brainer kind of cologne. Emblem is more suited for the colder weather and is a business casual to formal sort of smell. Legend is the more versatile.

Legend has served as a single go to cologne for many guys, over the years. It’s versatility is among its absolutely greatest strengths.

Edge: Legend

Overall Scent

Mont Blanc Emblem actually has a pretty interesting wear. It starts off spicy, then moves into something that is creamier, and sweeter than it had started. It’s a low key scent that smells quite pleasant, but doesn’t have much power or longevity.

Between the two, I think that the original Legend is better than Emblem. It is a blend of citrus, lavender, and sandalwood for the most part. However, it is a very nice smelling fragrance, that is a solid starter cologne for guys.

Emblem is a decent wear, but feels like it could’ve been much better than it ended up being. It might not be a bad buy, if you can get a big discount.

It’s one that you can just spray on, anytime, without having to think about it. It’s also got more versatility, sillage, and about equal performance to Emblem.

I’m not a that enthralled with either of these scents, but this is a fairly easy win for the popular Mont Blanc scent. If you want other options that smell like Legend, I wrote a post on that.

Winner: Legend

Polo Ultra Blue by Ralph Lauren

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So, I’m back again with another review of one of the newer Ralph Lauren releases, this one a flanker from the Polo Blue line of scents: Ultra Blue. This one came out in 2018, but how does it stack up? Is this flanker a worthy release? What does it smell like? How long does it last?

What does Polo Ultra Blue Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, salt, amber, bergamot, basil, verbena, sage, juniper

Click here to try: Ralph Lauren Polo Ultra Blue 2.5 Fluid ounce Eau De Toilette

My Full Wear Review

Ultra Blue opens up with a mix of citrus and salt. There are two types of lemon in this one and a salty note that reminds one of an ocean breeze. Yes, this one is an aquatic, but not overly marine in nature, but quite fresh.

It’s actually pretty close to Polo Blue EDP, while maintaining its own character. This is lighter, less spicy, and more citrus/salty.

The melon and cucumber of the original EDT are absent here, which is a nice change of pace if you’re coming off of wearing that one a lot. The opening act of the citrus is really nice. Pretty familiar with other non-Polo fragrances, which do the same thing.

However, for what this is, I find it enjoyable enough. The light marine/aquatic elements are a nice tough, without going overboard into the realm of the oceanic.

Ultra Blue is much lighter than either of the other three Polo Blue colognes. It also strikes me as having a pretty simple and linear aroma. There is some change after the opening, but it’s not a big one, in my opinion.

I pick up on some spicy herbal notes like the sage and basil, which tones down the saltiness of the composition. Even then, nothing that is so powerful to be readily noticeable, unless you’re paying attention.

For the dry down, I get lots of citrus, a mix of salt and amber (sort of like a Creed fragrance would, but more on par with Tommy Bahama), and then the herbal undertones. It’s a nice citrusy clean with limited aquatic elements and a nice spice.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of Ultra Blue is weak. I mean, it’s decent for about an hour or so, and then it sticks close to the skin…really close. You’ll have to go heavier with the sprays, to get good use out of it.

While I’m not in love with the scent itself, if it had a bit more power, Ultra Blue would be something that I really wouldn’t mind wearing fairly often during the summer months.

However, the longevity actually isn’t bad. Not great, but not as bad as the sillage. I get about 6 or so hours with it on my skin, in that very light state. With double sprays, you might be able to pull off longer.

I thought that it might quit really early, after I tested it out for the first time. But, it did keep chugging along in that airy/skin scent form.

Seasonally, an obvious candidate for spring/summer, with a nod to summertime in particular. The citrus, the salty ‘sea air’ quality at the start, just screams warm weather. Though, it’s so light, that it could be worn at other times without issue.

Ultra Blue is a casual fragrance or a light office scent for the daytime. I don’t think that it is loud enough or really ‘sexy’ enough to be a club cologne.

Overall Impressions of Ultra Blue

Overall, do I like Ultra Blue? I do enjoy the smell, it’s not amazing, but the aroma is good. It is similar to Polo Blue EDP, but has enough differences to set it apart.

What I don’t like, is the very weak sillage, but that can be somewhat overcome with a greater number of sprays. It turns into a skin scent much to quickly. Though, it hangs around for a decent amount of time.

It’s a nice freshy cologne for the summer months and wouldn’t be a bad buy, at the right price. I definitely wouldn’t pay retail for Ultra, if I could help it. But, for under $40 for a full size…it could be worth it, depending on your situation.

A decent effort from Ralph Lauren, but far from perfect. Edit: Now that they’ve released Polo Deep Blue, I’d go with that or EDP. Ultra Blue seems pretty pointless to have, unless its super cheap