Men’s Fashion

Santal 33 by Le Labo

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Santal 33 has been a massive (I mean, massive) hit for Le Labo since its release back in 2011. There was a time when it was talked about and referenced all of the time. Now, it has calmed down since that earlier era, but still exists as a wildly popular best-seller.

I bought another sample of this unisex perfume in order to revisit and finally put up a full review of Santal 33 for the site. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it still worth a try?

Santal 33 Overview

Notes include: sandalwood, papyrus, leather, violet, cedar, cardamom, iris, amber

Click here to try: Santal 33

My Full Review

To start with, I guess I’ll address the so-called ‘pickle juice’ smell that Santal 33 gets painted with. I can understand why, if certain aspects of this really pop on your skin, but for me I only get a faint bit of it.

Really, this one starts off with a mix of cardamom, violet, some leather, and the ever-present dry woods. Papyrus is the lead wood on me for a while, which will obviously shift to the star of the show, the namesake sandalwood.

The cardamom is the lead. Which, interestingly isn’t the type that gives off the lemony aroma, here it feels fresher with its spice and somewhat camphorous. The cooling sensation is interesting against the papyrus and the violet especially.

Already, I get the powdery qualities of that floral note and the iris. Thankfully, for my own enjoyment, the violet note is kept in check here.

After a while, Santal 33 becomes a clean mix of the floral notes, with the woods which are shifting. Cedar comes on stronger, papyrus fades, and the sandalwood keeps gaining steam.

There is a period here, mostly in the middle act, where I think this Le Labo fragrance really shines. It becomes perfectly balance between the violet, iris, leather, amber, and sandalwood (and other woods). It’s slightly sweet, comforting, smooth, and just great to catch a whiff of.

The dry down is still soft, really dominated by sandalwood and the remnants of everything else. It actually takes on a muskier kind of profile. Dry and still clean, with a light touch of sweetness, and any spice has fallen away.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one has a lighter feeling with a pretty substantial projection, in the first few hours. Not a complete beast, unless you start spraying heavy, but I can smell it on me without issue. I can also put some on a shirt and smell it from 6-7 feet away.

Still, this one isn’t heavy and doesn’t feel like it’ll bog you down in a heavy cloud of scent.

On my skin, Santal 33 will last for 7-8 hours. Not amazing, but still very solid for what this one is. It could just fall into being a barely noticeable skin scent. Yet, it doesn’t hit that level for me until deep into the wear.

Seasonally, this is almost a year round fragrance. On the hottest and most humid days of summer, I might go with something else other than this. Outside of that, it should work just fine.

Yes, it is a unisex fragrance. Perhaps slightly more feminine, but I don’t think it strays to far that way, and should work for most people.

Santal 33 is very versatile. Daytime, casual, office wear, school, etc. It’s not entirely formal but doesn’t feel too out of place anywhere. It’s not a straight nightlife perfume either, there are obviously sexier scents, but it’s clean enough that it could work a night.

Overall Impressions of Santal 33

Overall, do I like Santal 33? I do. If I’m just making a decision off of the scent alone, I do still find this one to be thoroughly enjoyable.

Sure, it has been hyped to the stratosphere over the past decade-plus and copied countless times. Still, Santal 33 is a good fragrance. I’m not ever blown away by it, but it has its charm.

That entry into the heart of the note pyramid is actually great, though. The opening is probably its weakest part. It’s fine, 33 just gets better after that.

I think in certain areas especially, everyone wore this perfume for years, which can understandably be grating. This is what is currently happening with Baccarat Rouge 540.

The performance is above average and to me there’s no real downside with this one, other than no longer having a unique aroma.

Most people like this one. Some people love it. While still others, loathe it. At the very least, Santal 33 is a perfume that is indeed worth a try. Even if, it’s just to satisfy your curiosity about the hype, if you’re someone who has yet to try it.

3 Fragrances Similar to Gris Charnel by BDK

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Gris Charnel is a best seller for BDK. Whether you’re talking about the original or the Extrait version, Gris is a delightful scent, laden with fig and wood that captures attention as a unisex scent.

However, it can also be one the pricey side of things. Or, you might also want something that is similar to but not the same as Gris Charnel. On this page, I keep track of the alternative fragrances to this popular release, whether they nearly match or have plenty of commonalities between them.

Similar Scents to BDK Gris Charnel

It is a short list, as of now. That’s usually how things start out, I would fully expect more designers and ‘imposters’ to utilize a formula like this perfume moving forward. I’ll update, as I come across more picks.

Carnal Gray by Dua– Carnal Gray is going to lead this list, since it is an option that is fully inspired by Gris Charnel, and aims to match the aroma that you get with our designer target.

The fig and tea with the spiciness of the cardamom are here. The back half with the sandalwood dry down and the powdery iris also make appearances.

Dua generally gets their releases mostly correct. That is, don’t expect an exact 100% match with the perfume, but something that is 90+% of the way there. Only, much cheaper than what the inspiration sells for.

However, as far as perfumes with similarities to Gris Charnel goes, this is the best option that I’ve come across.

Liam by Lattafa– Another one that is designed to be quite a bit like Gris Charnel, but not exactly the same. Lattafa puts out a lot of these similar to designer perfumes, but they usually have their own twist.

For example, Liam, utilizes a vanilla note that is stronger than the tonka bean alternative found in the BDK.

Early on, it is juicy with a great fig note. Lovely. You get the usual spices and many of the same highlights as Gris. They do share almost all of the same notes. The back half isn’t so nearly matching.

Liam doesn’t have the same sustained sweetness as our target. But, it basically matches things beat for beat otherwise. Also, you’ll want to get the gray bottle, not the blue one.

Passiflora Cologne by Jo Malone– This is a newer release from Jo Malone. It’s not exact, but it inhabits the same style as you get with Gris Chanel.

Here, passionflower is the flower at the heart of things. So, no iris powder is going to be present. Which, may be exactly what some of you are wanting in an alternative.

Honeysuckle and cardamom open things up. Again, we’re missing the fig note. But, you do get some nice sweetness with Passiflora Cologne, amid the spicy start. Just not a massive amount.

It is spicier overall in comparison and the tonka bean is joined by vanilla, to really amp up that aspect of the perfume. Still, this isn’t a heavy scent. Probably fairly lighter than our target. Yet, it is one to try, if you like the BDK.

Invictus Victory vs Bad Boy

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Invictus Victory is a flanker of the very popular Paco Rabanne cologne. Meanwhile, Bad Boy is the original of Carolina Herrera’s more recent best selling line. Since each of these fragrances has a similar style, they can be the final two picks that someone is deciding between.

On this page, I break down how Bad Boy and Victory compare and contrast with one another, after having tested and reviewed each. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Bad Boy vs. Invictus Victory

Bad Boy

Notes include: white pepper, cocoa, sage, tonka bean, vetiver, pink pepper, grapefruit, and amber

Click here to try: Carolina Herrera Bad Boy EDT Eau de Toilette 3.4oz / 100ml For Men, Black

Read my review: Bad Boy EDT

Invictus Victory

Notes include: pink pepper, vanilla, amber, lemon, tonka bean, olibanum, lavender

Click here to try: Invictus Victory

My Full Review: Invictus Victory

Opening

The opening of the original Bad Boy EDT, strikes quite differently to my nose, depending on whether it is close to the skin or not. Up close, I get a honeycomb like aroma that is dipped in amber and dotted with various pepper notes.

From afar, I really pick up the sweeter and creamier aspects of this scent. Namely, the cocoa and tonka bean.

Invictus Victory starts a lot like the old Pure XS line that Paco Rabanne had put out some number of years before this. Victory has a lemon note up top, with pink pepper, and a dose of incense.

Kind of smoky, but it doesn’t dominate the composition. Up top, it’s a bit of that lemon with a spiciness and smokiness. As it moves on, Victory will start to have a greater use of the vanilla and amber notes.

Edge: Invictus Victory

Projection

Bad Boy has never been a heavy or very far-reaching fragrance whenever I’ve tested it out. It’s more of a moderate fragrance. Not weak, but it doesn’t blow the doors off.

Victory does start off strong and it has a heavier/thicker feeling to it. That more powerful projection will last for an hour or two, before settling into a moderate sillage itself.

Between the two, Victory is stronger at first and still has a slight edge after that. Not much, but it gets the win here.

Edge: Invictus Victory

Longevity

Invictus Victory takes this category as well. On my skin, the Paco Rabanne cologne will last for 8-9 hours, which is pretty good but not elite.

Bad Boy falls a few hours short. At it’s best, I get 7 hours from that fragrance. Again, the upper end of average, but nothing spectacular.

Edge: Invictus Victory

Versatility

Seasonally, they’re both the same with what they bring to the table. Autumn and winter wear mainly, with the ability to venture into springtime, on days where it doesn’t get too warm.

They do both skew younger, have more nighttime vibes than something that you might reach for daily. But, they can cover that base too, if you don’t have a very formal environment you need to go to each day.

Really, there isn’t much separation in this category.  So, I’m calling it a tie.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances is the one that I’d go with, if I had to decide? For me, it’s not too difficult of a decision.

Looking back over at what I like about Bad Boy. The sweetness, the amber, the late stage vetiver, and use of cocoa. It’s kind of messy, when you press your nose to the skin. However, I do enjoy the fragrance while it floating in the air.

It’s just never been much more than that. It’s performance is middling, but it does have a good deal of versatility and this Carolina Herrera scent is very wearable.

But, I’d take Invictus Victory.

Spicy and smoky. Better use of the vanilla note, with maybe a somewhat harsher amber not versus what I get with Bad Boy. The performance is also better.

This isn’t a massive preference for one versus the other. I’d just choose to wear Victory 6 or 7 times out of 10, if all I had were it and Bad Boy.

Winner: Invictus Victory

Dior Sauvage vs Versace Eros EDT

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In this edition of the cologne comparisons, that I have posted on the site, we have a competition between two of the best selling scents on the market right now. Those being, Sauvage by Christian Dior and Versace Eros. I will be talking about both of the original EDT releases of each cologne.

Which of these two men’s fragrances smells the best? Which is the top performer? Which one has more versatile of use? Please continue below for my full take and comparison.

Tale of the Tape: Sauvage EDT vs. Eros

Versace Eros

Notes of Eros: mint, green apple, tonka bean, madagascar vanilla, vetiver, Italian lemon

Click here to try: Versace Eros Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 6.7 Fluid Ounce

My original Versace Eros Review

Sauvage

Notes of Sauvage: bergamot, ambroxan, lavender, pepper, wood notes

Click here to try: Christian Dior Sauvage for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Original Sauvage Review

Opening

The opening of Sauvage EDT gives off an aroma of amber, pepper, and the sharp bergamot note. There is a bit of spice to it but I do get a lot of the ambroxan. It’s nice and dries down to a clean/soapy scent with some slightly spice wood notes and the ever present bergamot.

Eros, is an absolute beast from the start. The main players at the beginning are the mint, tonka bean, and vanilla. The green apple and lemon provide support and give Eros that juicy/gourmand quality.

I think the mint is done very well and doesn’t overpower the composition, for my nose, at least.

Updated view: I’m going to edit throughout this post, 3 years after initially publishing. Eros seems to have changed slightly in smell and more so in performance. This happens a lot with fragrances. Now, the opening seems to have a stronger lemon than before. 

Eros is a very sweet kind of scent, while Sauvage lacks all of that. I think that Eros is much more interesting and has a better scent.

Edge: Eros

Projection

Versace Eros is quite a heavy scent and loud as all hell. This of course, could scare some folks off from wanting to wear it, and that’s completely understandable.

Update: The latest batches of Eros EDT don’t seem to be nearly as strong, as the original. When compared with Eros Flame, they seem quite weak…unfortunately, Flame is a worse fragrance. Still a little bit stronger than Sauvage.

It’s one that I can enjoy and while I never wore it on a daily basis, I would limit it to one spray, if wearing it to work. Eros is just that kind of bold cologne.

Sauvage, upon further use, is a lot stronger than I had initially remembered. No, it’s not on the same level as Eros, but it is on the strong side of things.

Edit: After years, Sauvage is still a strong, but not massive cologne. It has not as of yet experienced any reformulation that’s noticeable.

Edge: Eros

Longevity

Eros wins here, it’s an all day and into the night kind of cologne. Edit: Nowadays, it is much more mortal. Somewhere in the 8-10 hour range it seems. Still great, but not like it once was. 

However, Sauvage isn’t bad. The first time I reviewed this scent, I would get 6-7 hours of wear. Now, with a different bottle, I seem to get around 8. I don’t know, it could just be my body chemistry, but that is the range I get from Sauvage.

I will note that, other people do get a bit more wear out of Sauvage. So, in your own experience this may now be an equal comparison. For me, it’s still Eros.

Edge: Eros

Versatility

Sauvage isn’t a winter scent, in my opinion (The EDP is better for this). Though, it wouldn’t perform badly, just kind of seem out of place.

Meanwhile, Eros is very much a cold weather scent and becomes messy in the high heat. I think that this is where Sauvage has the edge, as a year round kind of cologne.

Both of these scents could work for many occasions. Just go lightly in the office or at school. As a club scent, I’d pick Eros, but I think Sauvage wins this category.

Neither of these is really a formal kind of fragrance. Eros also has a tendency to lean younger. Sauvage isn’t necessarily a mature scent, but it is more wearable for older guys, as well as younger ones.

Sauvage really kind of nails being an all-around scent, which is a lot of the reason why it became so popular in the first place.

Edge: Sauvage

Overall Scent

These are both highly popular colognes. Neither one is bad in my opinion and they are actually quite different from one another. If you want something bold and sweet, go with Eros.

If that’s not your thing, Sauvage might be a good choice. It’s a bright/fresh kind of cologne versus Eros’ gourmand sexiness. Edit: My opinion on the original Sauvage EDT has definitely gone down, over the years. I really don’t care to wear it.

It’s funny how many other scents have started to have Sauvage-like qualities, as this Dior release has grown in popularity (like Dylan Blue).

However, I think that Sauvage is still better than all of its ‘clone’ fragrances (update: Luna Rossa Carbon is better if you’re in the market for Sauvage EDT).

In the battle between these two, I think Versace Eros has the edge. I enjoy wearing it more than Sauvage, any day of the week, it has better performance, is more unique, and just plain smells better. Again, that’s not to say that Sauvage isn’t a good choice for some guys, it just wouldn’t be mine.

2020 Update: Nowadays, I still have Eros ahead of Sauvage EDT. However, Sauvage EDP and Parfum are better than either in their current form. As such, go with those, unless you’re dead set on Eros…which is still good.

2024 Update:  Coming back to this once more. I guess I’d still choose Eros, when considering the EDT editions. My ranking of the other top variants would be something like:

I have lost a lot of my enjoyment from the Eros series. That being said, the original Sauvage EDT doesn’t do much for me either. I think it has the worst blend of any of the editions released thus far. EDP and Elixir are really great, in contrast.

The rest of the Eros line, is about the same as the original, as far as I like them. Parfum is the best of that series.

Winner: Eros

Invictus vs. Invictus Victory

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Invictus has been such a massive success for Paco Rabanne that we’ve now had about a decade’s worth of flankers released in its wake. Many of the initial releases were a lot like the original Invictus EDT. Now, the names are the same, but they don’t always have much in common.

On this page, I want to compare the original Invictus to one of its much later flankers, Invictus Victory. How does each smell? Which lasts longer? Which cologne is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Invictus vs. Victory

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

Invictus Victory

Notes include: pink pepper, lemon, vanilla, amber, tonka bean, olibanum, lavender

Click here to try: Invictus Victory

My Full Review: Invictus Victory

Opening

Invictus opens with a citrusy candy-like aroma of a blend of orange and grapefruit notes. This is joined by an aquatic aroma, that gives it a summertime vibe. Not a realistic water, mind you, but that’s what they’re going for.

Ambergris and bay leaf combine with the fruits and aquatic accord to give Invictus a sweet grape bubblegum sort of smell. Very blue-ish and watery, without giving off that oceanic sea water smell.

Invictus Victory starts a lot like the old Pure XS line that Paco Rabanne had put out some number of years before this. Victory has a lemon note up top, with pink pepper, and a dose of incense.

Kind of smoky, but it doesn’t dominate the composition. Up top, it’s a bit of that lemon with a spiciness and smokiness. As it moves on, Victory will start to have a greater use of the vanilla and amber notes.

Which is better? Invictus is pretty good at the start. Kind of a lot to handle all at once, sometimes. But, it’s fine.

However, Invictus Victory has a more refined scent, that’s just more pleasing all around.

Edge: Victory

Projection

Both of these fragrances have a strong burst of power during the initial part of the wear. Victory is the heavier of the two, but the citrus notes of Invictus make it seem like a more power scent than it might actually be.

However, both of them will turn more moderate after that first hour or two. But, I’d say that Invictus Victory has the greater reach and staying power when comparing them.

Edge: Victory

Longevity

The original Invictus was never a super long-lasting fragrance for me, but it was always passable. On my skin, I can get about 6-7 hours of wear from this EDT.

With Victory, that gets bumped up to 8-9 hours. Victory Elixir actually hits the double digits, but the original Victory is just shy. Still, it takes this category.

Edge: Victory

Versatility

Invictus EDT has the greater versatility across seasons. It is more of spring and summer wear, that holds up better in winter than Victory does in the heat. Victory is mostly an autumn and winter cologne that can go somewhat into spring.

I think that Victory is the more refined scent of the two. It’s still a younger man’s cologne, but it’s well put together in comparison to the youthful Invictus. I also think that it does a better job as a nightlife option than Invictus.

I tend to give the edge to Victory in this category, because I think it has more use cases within its time of the year, but Invictus EDT does have that seasonal lead.

Edge: Victory (slightly)

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I prefer? It’s honestly not a difficult choice for me. Invictus Victory is the better cologne versus Invictus EDT.

I’ve never been a big fan of the original. Though, I do sometimes enjoy the opening act, and don’t think that it’s a terrible fragrance. People in public do tend to overspray it, which makes it also feel unbearable to be around sometimes.

When compared to Invictus Victory, I just don’t think that EDT does much better. Victory smells better, performs better, and is at least equal with when it can be worn. I like its spice and its vanilla note.

It’s not my favorite cologne in the world, but Invictus Victory would be one of my top picks in the series.

Winner: Victory