Men’s Fashion

Le Male Elixir vs Absolu

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Le Male Elixir has been a smashing success for JPG since its release a few years ago. Now, in 2025, they’ve brought to market a flanker cologne of that flanker: Le Male Elixir Absolu. I bought a bottle of Absolu and have been testing it out and comparing it to my bottle of Elixir.

Which Gaultier fragrance smells better? Which of these scents lasts longer? Between them, which is the best to buy?

Tale of the Tape: Le Male Elixir vs Absolu

Notes include: mint, honey, lavender, tonka bean, benzoin, tobacco, vanilla

Click here to try: Le Male Elixir

Read my full review: Elixir

Elixir Absolu

Notes include: lavender, tonka bean, plum

Click here to try: Le Male Elixir Absolu

Opening

Elixir begins with its mint note out in front, giving it a cooling and fresh spiciness. This is joined by the usual Le Male lavender note, that’s not as much of a stand out in the opening act.

The other major factor early is going to be from the tonka bean. Elixir also has a vanilla note, it just gets stronger as the wear moves forward. Tonka is sweet and syrupy when paired with the honey note and the fuzziness of the benzoin.

Elixir Absolu ditches the mint note. Instead you get a good deal of that lavender, with some warmer spice, and a new addition of plum. To me, the plum actually isn’t too heavy in the start. It’s also less of a tart note and sweeter than I thought it would be.

I’m not sure what the spice here is. It kind of smells like cumin mixed up 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 is better? The opening act of Absolu isn’t particularly interesting to me. I like it somewhat, but I still think that Elixir does a better job. It’s much bolder with its notes, but it works better to me.

Edge: Elixir

Projection

So, in terms of how each of these projects. They are both absolute beasts with their reach. At least for mainstream designer scents. My older bottle of Ultra Male still goes even further, but these are a notch below that.

Elixir feels like the heavier and more cloying scent, with its prominent honey and tobacco notes. But, as far as how each projects, there’s no difference that I can tell.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Le Male Elixir was always a very good performer with how long it lasts. It will keep going on for between 9-10.5 hours, on my skin.

How does Elixir Absolu stack up? While it doesn’t surpass the original Elixir, it once again matches it, 9-10.5 hours.

The scent itself has changed, but they both are stick around for the long haul. No real difference here.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Here, I think the newer release has a slight edge. It’s not as thick and heavy as Elixir can feel at times, way less ability to be completely cloying.

Again, it still projects well, but I think Absolu can venture a bit further into springtime than its predecessor. Still, both of these are good for autumn and winter, just Absolu holds up better when it’s somewhat warm out.

Still, wouldn’t wear this in the high heat, though.

Both of these still skew younger, but Absolu doesn’t have that same level of heavy syrup and loud sweetness that Elixir can feel like. So, it can probably be worn by a wider range of guys.

Still, these are both more casual fragrances rather than either being a formal or office wear kind of cologne. I do think Absolu takes this category, though.

Edge: Elixir Absolu

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these Elixir fragrances do I prefer? I don’t think either of these is a perfect scent, but the new Elixir Absolu has won me over thus far.

The dry down is where I really start to enjoy Absolu, it’s mix of light plum, tonka bean, vanilla, lavender, and maybe some iris?

The opening favors the original. Absolu isn’t that great at the start, but I do think the middle and later stages really knock it out of the park. There’s just something in the beginning that’s not clicking for me.

Now, you can also tell that it’s much like the original Elixir, just that honey/benzoin/tobacco combination are toned way down or like the mint note, not really existent.

The plum is also well blended into the mix. I was worried it be a super potent and tart note like in 1 Million Lucky, but it’s not at all. This is a sweet floral cologne with fruity highlights.

Elixir Absolu isn’t a complete overhaul of Le Male Elixir, but it creates enough separation between these two to not only be different, but better.

With Elixir, I enjoyed it when it came out and still like it, but have lost some interest in wearing it. There are times when the sweetness is too much, too thick with that honey note. I think JPG came through with a nice remix of the formulation.

The opening act of Absolu, isn’t my favorite. Still kind of a mess. Some kind of warm spice in there, taking the mint’s place. Smells like cumin to me.

But, if I had to buy only one of them, I’d get the newer release. If you already own the first one, try this Elixir Absolu out, when you can. But, I don’t think it’s a situation where you’d need or want both.

Winner: Le Male Elixir Absolu

Bad Boy Extreme by Carolina Herrera

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Bad Boy Extreme was released as a flanker back in 2022. I wasn’t too interested in the fragrance at the time, but I recently received a sample of this Carolina Herrera scent, as a part of another order. So, I’ve tested out.

How does this Bad Boy cologne smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a buy?

Bad Boy Extreme Overview

Notes include: cacao, bergamot, ginger, patchouli, tonka bean, clary sage, plum, vetiver, incense, davana, labdanum

Click here to try: Bad Boy Extreme

My Full Review

Bad Boy Extreme starts off with sweet and warm spicy mix, but with more aromatic touches at the start. The ginger is particularly present on my skin, as is the cacao early.

Along with these two, the sage is the next most noticeable and some tart aroma coming from a light plum note. The sage and ginger are pretty central to how this cologne begins.

Yet, it still has that spice and ambery warmth which keeps it masculine and more interesting to my nose. Once that first wave begins to fade, the patchouli and vetiver create an earthier undertone.

Also, here’s where I start to notice more of the incense smokiness. Still, that’s a fairly subtle touch for me.

It’s at its most aromatic, in the early stages. Later, it will still be spicy and sweet, but the profile will have changed from that. Cacao with patchouli and some vetiver, a general spice, and some warm amber sort of aroma.

The ginger and plum evaporates for me.  The sweetness is more about the cacao and tonka bean, much like in the original Bad Boy. The labdanum holds it all together and those three notes are basically what it smells like for the rest of the way.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This is a fairly heavy scent but, it’s got enough freshness not to get bogged down. If I compare it to something like Le Male Elixir, this one doesn’t have the same level of sillage and projection.

Though, it is a strong fragrance that you will for sure notice. It moderates after an hour or two, but I wouldn’t worry about the power here.

Extreme is the best Bad Boy fragrance in terms of performance, that I’ve come across thus far. On my skin, it will last for more than 10 hours. Maybe it’ll hit 11 or so before evaporating completely.

Seasonally, this is an autumn and winter wear. I wouldn’t venture too far into springtime with this scent. Though, since it is more of a nighttime wear, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem so long as the heat and humidity isn’t that high.

It’s still a fragrance that trends toward a younger crowd. It is more casual and not really a work scent or something to wear for formal occasions. Going out, just hanging around, maybe a daily wear if you’re college age.

Overall Impression of Bad Boy Extreme

Overall, do I like this Carolina Herrera cologne? I like it for a Bad Boy release. I’m not a massive fan of this line, most of the scents are okay to me, and nothing more. Extreme, is one of the better releases, and maybe the best of the lot.

Extreme is better than Cobalt and one that more people would go for versus Le Parfum.

I like the greater depth that it has versus the original and I think this mix of notes actually works well enough and gives it some extra power.

The opening is a showcase for how much this scent has going on. The ginger and sage, which give way to the patchouli and vetiver, which finishes with the cacao, tonka bean, and labdanum.

That’s when you get the sweetness with the remaining woodsy aroma and touches of spice.

If you enjoy the Bad Boy line from Carolina Herrera, you’ll almost certainly like this one. It’s closer to the original in the dry down, is unique earlier on, and has much better performance.

If you want a spicier chocolate sort of cologne, this can fit the bill. Though, while it smells good, it’s probably not going to be a fit for everyone. If it sounds like something you’d like, give it a try.

JPG Le Beau EDT vs. Le Parfum

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Le Beau is a series that has really been strong for Gaultier this decade. The original Le Beau EDT is well liked and it has spawned numerous flankers already. The most popular of which, is probably Le Beau Le Parfum.

In this post, I want to compare and contrast these two colognes, to see which one is superior. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the best one to buy?

Tale of the Tape: Le Beau vs. Le Beau Le Parfum

Le Beau EDT

Notes include: bergamot, coconut wood, tonka bean

Click here to try: Le Beau by JPG

Le Beau Le Parfum

Notes include: ginger, pineapple, sandalwood, ambergris, iris, cypress, coconut, tonka bean, woods

Click here to try: Le Beau Parfum

Read my full review: Le Parfum

le beau parfum review

Opening

Le Beau EDT starts off with its citrus and coconut wood blended together. It’s got a fresh and blue-ish tone to it, at this early stage. Not nearly as complex as, what you’re going to get with Le Parfum.

To me, this one really gets going once the tonka bean note has ramped up and the bergamot has settled. That’s when the creaminess of the fragrance unfolds.

With Le Parfum, I get a really tropical vibe with the pineapple coming out of the gate strong and the coconut note sitting underneath.

It’s juicy, creamy, and sweet with an added light spiciness from the ginger note. I like the addition of the ginger here.

The ginger will fall away and the pineapple will lose its prominence at the top. Coconut, tonka bean, amber, and a general set of woods will dry this one up and take away the juiciness of that tropical vibe, at least.

Which Gaultier is better? I’m giving the opening act to Le Parfum. The start of Le Beau EDT is my least favorite part of the cologne. The bergamot, coconut, coconut wood combination isn’t as good as the depth found in Le Parfum.

Edge: Le Parfum

Projection

Le Parfum beings with a good amount of power and projection. It’s not too heavy of a fragrance, but it will project itself off the skin and can fill a room early on with enough sprays.

But, that’ll temper down and the sillage here is basically above average.

Still, it’s definitely got more reach and intensity than Le Beau EDT.

Edge: Le Parfum

Longevity

Le Beau EDT isn’t a great performer. It’s pretty middle of the road, overall. For me, it’s the worst of the line with how long it lasts. 5-6.5 hours, is what I get out of this one. Even below what I get with Flower Edition, as lighter and fresher flanker.

Le Parfum is the longest lasting of the Le Beau series thus far for me. It will go for 9-10 hours, on my skin.

An easy win for Le Beau Le Parfum here.

Edge: Le Parfum

Versatility

Seasonally, both of these are best for spring and summer. Le Beau EDT might be better in summer than Le Parfum. But, I think Le Parfum extends its wear better into autumn than EDT.

I’d skip the winter with either.

Both are more of a casual to nightlife sort of cologne than anything. Not a formal or dressed up kind of cologne, in either case.

Not really an office wear or anything. Each is suited for younger guys, mainly. Likeable fragrances that are both already popular and are attractive in a fresh and sweet kind of way.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these Le Beau colognes do I like more?

Personally, I’m not a super fan of either of these scents. They’re more of fragrances that I enjoy and both have mass appeal.

With EDT, I’m not a big fan of the opening. It’s nothing too interesting and it’s kind of annoying to me. However, the middle and the dry down of this fragrance are really nice. I like the coconut, tonka bean, and the woodiness. 

Creamy and has just the right amount of sweetness. The problem is that it’s not too strong at this point. Not completely weak, but I wish it had more power, by the time Le Beau EDT really gets into the best part.

I’ll pick Le Beau Le Parfum. The opening is better, this is more complex, has a stronger and longer lasting wear, and still does a lot of what the EDT brings to the table.

The trade off is that it is woodier and has an added amber, which makes the latter stages less enjoyable for me. Still likeable, just prevents it from being something I really want a bottle of.

So, neither is a love, but I’d lean more towards Le Parfum in this match up. If you want something simpler, easy to wear, and cheaper; Le Beau EDT can do a good job.

Winner: Le Beau Le Parfum

Le Beau Paradise Garden vs. Flower Edition

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Le Beau is a series of fragrances by Jean Paul Gaultier that are starting to add new flankers to the mix, over the past few years. The latest in 2025, is Le Beau Flower Edition, which comes on the heels of the popular Paradise Garden.

I recently bought bottles of both of these colognes and wanted to do a direct head to head comparison between them. Which JPG smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Paradise Garden vs. Flower Edition

Le Beau Paradise Garden

Notes include: mint, ginger, fig, coconut water, salt, tonka bean, sandalwood

Click here to try: Paradise Garden

Read my full review: Le Beau Paradise Garden

Flower Edition

Notes include: kumquat, lemon, violet leaf, tonka bean, cashmeran, patchouli

Read my full review: Le Beau Flower Edition

Opening

Paradise Garden opens with a mix sweetness, freshness, minty spice, and an aquatic undertone to it all.

It’s a greener aroma from the fig note asserting itself, that pairs well with that coconut, and I get a good deal of the ginger note coming through early on. The fig is sweet and green

Paradise has a coconut water note. Though, there is still some creaminess in the blend. All supported by sandalwood, fig, and tonka bean, which adds that creamy touch further. I get more of the sandalwood in the dry down.

Le Beau Flower Edition starts off being sweet, fruity, green, and fresh. The violet/violet leaf is paired up with the kumquat and slight lemon at the start and is quite good.

It is in place of the coconut, that Paradise Garden and the other Le Beau fragrances feature.

When the kumquat starts to fade, it becomes greener and somewhat musky with how it presents. Obviously, the violet is sticking around for the duration.

Which is better? I like both of them a lot. Flower Edition is much better than I expected and I was surprised by how I enjoy it. Though, in this opening act, I think I like the scent of Paradise Garden somewhat more.

Edge: Paradise

Projection

Paradise isn’t a heavy fragrance, it’s not a completely light scent, and has some body to it.

Though, it does have good projection for what kind of cologne this is. It’s a lighter moderate for spring and summertime. 

Flower Edition is lighter and doesn’t sustain its reach for the same amount of time. Though, in that first hour, they’re actually neck and neck. This newer Gaultier actually has more power than you would expect and isn’t a weak scent.

It’s more airy and light in its sillage. Not one to bog you down, but it sticks around well.

Edge: Paradise Garden

Longevity

Paradise Garden will go for 8 or so hours. I’m not even sure that it’s hit 9 hours thus far, while I’ve worn this Gaultier cologne. Solid enough, but nothing amazing.

With Flower Edition, I get 7-7.5 hours of wear from it. It’s not a powerful aroma there towards the end, but it is still quite present.

I think I get a little bit better performance than some other people seem to with these scents. But, there actually isn’t too much of a difference, just a slight favoring of Paradise Green.

Edge: Paradise Green

Versatility

These two scents inhabit a lot of the same space. Both are spring and summertime wears. The lightness and ozonic qualities of Flower Edition, might make it slightly better on the hottest days. 

Though, Paradise Garden wouldn’t be too shabby either.

Both of these are more casual daytime wears. Not formal or something that you’d wear to the office. They do tend to skew younger, as well. Though, for when you’d wear each of these, they fit fine for all ages.

Flower Edition might be the more versatile one, as it’s closer to being unisex, can hold up better in the hottest temperatures. So, I’ll give it this category, but it’s a very close competition here.

Edge: Flower Edition (slightly)

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these Le Beau fragrances do I actually enjoy more?

It’s a closer race between them, than I might have expected coming into things. 

I like Flower Edition quite a bit.

The opening act is really good and the kumquat makes it interesting. The dry down is a good use of violet and tonka bean. It gets somewhat powdery, while still being light and built well for the heat.

However, I think Le Beau Paradise Garden is the better JPG scent. 

It has a good balance between the different notes, better performance (even if it’s only slightly), a great tropical vibe, and is a very pleasant scent to wear around.

I’m going to continue to wear both of these Gaultier fragrances as things heat up. So, maybe I’ll change my mind. For now, it’s Le Beau Paradise Garden, that’s my pick.

Maybe you can go with Flower Edition, if you don’t like the coconut note, and you’re a big fan of violet. I’m not sure how many people that applies to. Outside of that, it’s pretty safe to pick Paradise Garden between these two.

Winner: Paradise Garden

Smoking Hot by Kilian

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Smoking Hot is a 2023 release from Kilian, under the banner of their ‘Smokes’ collection of fragrances. I had tried and enjoyed this one before, but saw a travel sprayer during the Black Friday sales, and decided to give it a more thorough testing.

It is a perfume that has started to gain some more attention as of late, but how does it actually smell? Is it a long-lasting fragrance? Is it even worth a try at all?

Kilian Smoking Hot Overview

Notes include: apple hookah flavor, cinnamon bark, moss, Bourbon vanilla, tobacco absolute, Orcanox

Click here to try: Smoking Hot from Bloomingdale’s

My Full Review

Here’s how Kilian describes it: At night, there are no rules but one: just be Smoking Hot! KILIAN PARIS newest smoky fragrance is a truly caramelized delight. Evoking everything from European clubs to Eastern hookah lounges, Smoking Hot redefines what a smokey scent is today, going almost where it’s too hot to handle

Smoking Hot begins with an apple and cinnamon blend being quite prominent.  It smells  to me, like Apple Brandy on the rocks, just swapping out that brandy note for a smoky shisha.

Which is good, because the brandy is a note that becomes too bothersome to my nose, after a while. So, I really like what I get here with Smoking Hot instead.

It’s fruity, sweet, smoky, a tad spicy, and fresh. The cinnamon note isn’t as powerful in Smoking Hot, as it is in Angels’ Share, for example.

I was wearing this one again, recently, and kept getting this sweetish/spicy smell in the mix that I couldn’t immediately identify. I had to look up the notes again, to see that it was licorice. Not too much, but it’s fairly prominent underneath during the start of this one.

Plus, you do get some moss and a faint clary sage note, adding a lighter and somewhat greenish dimension to this scent. This is a good change up that adds a lighter fresher clean to it, along with that crisp apple note.

The smokiness does tone down, as will the apple note. The transition is still utilizing that mossy accord, the cinnamon, and the purer tobacco note comes through as more of a standalone.

Vanilla, will come on and stick around for the rest of the way. It is joined by Orcanox, which is another synthetic amber or ambergris note. Those two are with the tobacco and some touches of light spice.

Not a super complex perfume, but it’s still delightful in the fairly linear development.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one isn’t too heavy of a fragrance that bogs down on you. However, it is powerful with its projection, initially. This Kilian perfume is one that will absolutely be noticeable for most of the wear and gives you a long reach up front.

Though, I think it moderates nicely, as the fragrance transitions into the second act.

As far as how long it lasts, Smoking Hot will go 10-13 hours, on my skin. Very good performance, even if it isn’t the farthest reaching perfume out there.

No real complaints about this aspect of the scent. Sure, it’s an expensive fragrance, but it actually delivers what you’d want when dropping that much money.

Seasonally, this one is autumn through early spring. Maybe a bit deeper into springtime, depending on your local climate. That moss and apple freshness give this one enough lightness to work well even a past room temperature. Just skip the summer.

The versatility here, is obviously a weakness. It’s a fruity and spicy hookah aroma, not exactly what you might want to smell like on every occasion.

Nights out seems like the best bet. I’ve been using my travel sprayer a lot for that. Also, just around the house, for my personal enjoyment. I’ve still worn it out during the daytime.

I’ve gotten positive comments about this one and it’s pretty easy to like. Probably not best to wear it to the office, however.

On the plus, side it is a unisex fragrance, so the potential audience for this is wide, even if the use cases are pretty limited.

Overall Impressions of Smoking Hot

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, it’s one of my favorite perfumes from Kilian. Not perfect, but a very enjoyable one to wear.

I like the smoky hookah accord here versus what you usually get with more of a straightforward tobacco note. The fruity sweetness of the apple, the spice, and the warmer dry down are all great.

Early on, it has more freshness and the moss note is apparent in the transition. But, it will become a warm tobacco with less smoke, vanilla, and some spice.

The cinnamon and apple combination isn’t like what you get with Oajan, Angels’ Share, or even the old 1 Million Prive. Again, it’s closest comp to me is Apple Brandy on the Rocks and that’s still a way’s away.

They share apple, vanilla, ambroxan, and moss. I guess you could say the rum note, has a cinnamon spice to it as well, in that fragrance. Swap out the booze for hookah and it’s closer.

Now, is this one worth a buy? Possibly. It is expensive and might not have much opportunity to be worn, depending on your lifestyle.

It’s a great perfume. It’s also a perfume that you’d probably want to test out with a sample of it, before buying. Not that it’s a challenging scent to wear, but hookah smoke, isn’t a formal type of smell.