Uncategorized

Coco Mademoiselle L’eau Privée by Chanel

by

Coco Mademoiselle L’eau Privée was brought out by the design house in 2020, as a night scent interpretation of the original Coco Mademoiselle. I grabbed a sample of this a while back and wanted to give it a try to see what it’s all about. How does it smell? Is it worth a buy?

What does Coco Mademoiselle L’eau Privée Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, jasmine, mandarin orange, musk

Click here to try: CHANEL COCO MADEMOISELLE L’EAU PRIVÉE Eau Pour la Nuit Spray 1,70z

My Full Review

Here’s how Chanel describes this scent: A delicate, sensual interpretation of COCO MADEMOISELLE designed to be worn at night.

L’eau Privée opens up with the bright and juicy orange note that is found in the original Coco Mademoiselle. The neroli note is noticeably absent, but it does seem like there is still a bit of the patchouli note lingering around.

Obviously, this one isn’t anywhere close to being as bold or intense as the others in this line of fragrance. However, I really like the way that it smells. I’ve always been a fan of Mademoiselle and this gives you a lighter interpretation, where the orange really gets to shine.

It’s fresh and not as sharp, which is great, since it’s made to be sprayed before bed. The rose and jasmine are there, more of the jasmine to my nose, but neither ever really comes to dominate. For me, the mandarin orange and the musk notes are the stars of the show.

Not too much development, the orange fades, and it becomes more of a musky floral blend.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

At it’s peak, the sillage is pretty moderate. Weaker than the others in the series, so, don’t expect a huge projection. The thing is, that peak is short-lived. After that, L’eau Privée is a light fragrance that’s going to stick close to the body.

The longevity, is about 4 hours on me. Those last two hours, it’s basically a complete skin scent. Again, that’s what this one is designed to do. The performance isn’t going to be the selling point for anyone looking to purchase this fragrance.

The versatility is basically limited to a few hours before bed or anytime, you want a quick spray to freshen up for a short period of time. If you buy this, you’re not going to be wearing it out to the club or the office or wherever.

I mean, you can wear it to these places and you’ll smell great. But, a few hours later…it’ll be all but gone.

My Overall Impressions

Do I like this perfume? Yes, I love the formulation of this Coco Mademoiselle. L’eau Privée smells really great, upon the first spray. The mandarin orange really gets time to shine and you get plenty of that original DNA here.

If this were a longer lasting flanker, it’d be pretty damn amazing. As it is, only a limited number of people are going to want a bottle.

Something to wear to bed? Okay, fine. You’re still paying Chanel prices for the opportunity to do so. If that sounds like what you’re in the market for, it does smell wonderful. If you’re not, then, really go with one of the other Coco Mademoiselle options.

Acqua di Gio Absolu vs Dylan Blue Comparison

by

In today’s comparison, we have a head to head match up between a Versace fragrance and one by Giorgio Armani: Dylan Blue vs. Acqua di Gio Absolu. Now, both of these men’s colognes have become fairly popular over the past few years, but which stands out the most? Which has the better performance? Versatility? Which one simply smells the best?

Tale of the Tape: AdG Absolu vs. Dylan Blue

Dylan Blue

Notes include: black pepper, violet leaf, grapefruit, bergamot, tonka bean, ambrox, fig leaf

Click here to try: VERSACE Pour Homme Sealed Dylan Blue Eau de Toilette, 3.4 Ounce

Read my full review: Dylan Blue

Acqua di Gio Absolu

Notes include: patchouli, marine notes, labdanum, tonka bean, wood, bergamot, grapefruit, lavender, rosemary, apple, pear

Click here to try: Acqua di Giò Absolu Eau de Parfum Spray 4.2 fl oz Men

Read my full review here: Acqua di Gio Absolu

Opening

AdG Absolu opens with the citrus notes of bergamot and grapefruit, apple, wood, sea water, and tonka bean. It’s very fresh and aquatic with the woody notes providing a solid base for the other notes to play off of. It then, develops a warm and resinous smell due to the labadanum.

Meanwhile, Dylan Blue also starts off with the bergamot and grapefruit citrus combination. It’s also aquatic but opts for a black pepper note to spice the composition up some. More citrus than aquatic and with a does of ambroxan.

Which is better? I like complexity of AdG Absolu and how it develops, hitting many different notes, and doing it all very well. Dylan Blue isn’t bad, but kind of simple and very similar to so many other colognes.

Edge: Absolu

Projection

The sillage of both of these scents starts out pretty strong for the first hour. Then, both of them settle down into something that is much more moderate. After wearing both multiple times, I really don’t notice a distinct difference between how powerful and how much each projects.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Dylan Blue has consistently gotten me 5-6 hours of wear on my skin. No matter how many times I’ve worn it, it’s the same results. Meanwhile, AdG Absolu will go for about 8 hours. Neither is an insane length of time, but the Armani takes this category.

Edge: Absolu

Versatility

One thing that both of these fragrances excel at is in how versatile they are. Yes, they are both best in spring and summertime, but can easily make the transition to the rest of the year without issue.

They can be worn casually or for evenings out or at work. There isn’t an advantage in this for either one.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I do like Dylan Blue, I even have a little mini bottle that I use from time to time, and it has grown on me more with passing time. The citrus and ambroxan notes are enjoyable, the fig leaf is a nice added touch, and overall its quite fresh and pleasant to wear.

However, it can also be kind of boring and a bit linear. There is some overlap with AdG Absolu, but Dylan Blue is ultimately simpler, and doesn’t have quite as good as smell.

Absolu, not only has similarities between itself and Dylan Blue, but also with Invictus Aqua. The thing is, it is superior in both aroma and performance to both. It takes a citrus and aquatic base and adds resinous and earth qualities to it.

The patchouli lends itself perfectly, not being too heavy, while there is a delightful amber permeating the whole things. It’s not my favorite fragrance by any stretch, but it does what it does, at a high level. It’s a solid choice for guys in their 20s.

I will say, that Absolu has more of a marine aroma than does Dylan Blue, and usually costs more. So, if those factor in, you might consider going with the Versace.

Winner: Acqua di Gio Absolu

Nisean by Parfums De Marly

by

After this review of Nisean, I think that I have only two more write ups to do of my Parfums de Marly sample collection. This is a sample that I had to spend some more time with in order to really appreciate and see how the cologne developed before jotting down my thoughts about Nisean below. As usual, I am going to cover how it smells, performs, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Nisean by PdM Smell Like?

Notes include: patchouli, incense, cedar, rose, saffron, labdanum, lime, grapefruit, and more

Click here to try: PARFUMS DE MARLY NISEAN 125ML EDP SPRAY

My Full Review

Nisean is not one of the more well known or appreciated fragrances from Parfums de Marly. I don’t know why, maybe it’s because it’s name looks like a Japanese car manufacturer.

Anyhow, here is how the cologne sample card describes it: “A beautiful dark wood, hyper textured (majestic patchouli) illuminated by a distinguishable incense note, having the effect of a sacred nectar warming both the heart and the body.”

Sure, ok. I definitely pick up on the dark wood, which I’m guessing is the cedar. Nisean is dry and warm with the amber and the familiar smokiness of the incense note. The saffron is there but it isn’t as intense to my nose, as it was in Godolphin (which I prefer to Nisean).

However, I think that the saffron still plays very nicely off of the patchouli.

During the dry down, there is an element of sweetness (not candy-like) that emerges from within Nisean. Like a dried fruit sweetness, from the grapefruit/lime citrus combination, and a floral sweetness provided by rose.

It stays very warm and woody but there is that citric quality that just feels like it is soaking into the cedar wood. From there, I get a bit of a pepper spice and a warm/sticky amber note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Nisean is toward the upper moderate end of the spectrum. Not a monster, but it is solid, and you’ll know that it is there. On the other hand, the longevity is awesome.

Like almost every other Parfums de Marly cologne, this one is hitting the double digit hour mark, without trouble. I tend to lose track of these workhorses, but I’d say somewhere in the 12-13 hour range, on my skin.

Wear wise, I’d put this in the fall and winter seasonal category. It’s a mature scent, not ‘old man’, but a guy in his late 20s and up who has his stuff together.

Nisean can be worn semi-casual to dressed up and is best in that space or as an office scent. It’s not something for the night club scene by any stretch.

Overall Impressions of Nisean

Overall, do I like Nisean? Yes, I like it. I feel like it’s probably the sixth or seventh best of this company’s line of colognes. That’s saying something about the depth of options here, as this is by no means an average fragrance.

It’s a very dry woody fragrance with patchouli, incense, and amber warmth as its base.

From there, you’ll get some bit players such as the citrus notes chipping in. It smells good but it isn’t amazing, in my opinion. Though, it is a great performer. It’s a very solid fragrance and could earn a spot in a man’s rotation, but it wouldn’t be my number one option.

Acqua di Gio vs Absolu Cologne Comparison

by

For this entry into the men’s fragrance comparisons, I want to do one between the always popular, Acqua di Gio vs. Acqua di Gio Absolu. Absolu is one of its more recent flanker colognes, released by Giorgio Armani. However, does the newer scent, outdo the original? Or does it pale in comparison? Which smells best? Lasts longer? Is the better option?

Tale of the Tape

Acqua di Gio

Notes include: bergamot, tangerine, neroli, jasmine, rosemary, patchouli, rock rose, hyacinth, persimmon, marine notes

Click here to try: Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my review: Acqua di Gio 

Acqua di Gio Absolu

Notes include: patchouli, marine notes, labdanum, tonka bean, wood, bergamot, grapefruit, lavender, rosemary, apple, pear

Click here to try: Acqua di Giò Absolu Eau de Parfum Spray 4.2 fl oz Men

Read my full review here: Acqua di Gio Absolu

Opening

Acqua di Gio opens up with that now classic tangerine and bergamot pairing, to go along with a sea breeze note, and late jasmine undertones. Clean and fresh aquatic with enough energy to play off of the citrus notes.

Absolu puts together grapefruit and bergamot, as the citrus notes here. It of course has a strong marine note, but also includes apple, and a very noticeable tonka bean. All of this on top of a woody base.

Which is better? While Absolu gets credit for being more complex and interesting, I don’t think that it smells better than the original, at the start. It’s very nice, but the simplicity of AdG, has a lot of appeal.

Edge: AdG

Projection

In terms of sillage, both of the scents end up as the same kind of moderate projecting fragrance. However, for the first two hours of the wear, Absolu feels stronger to me. It’s not a big difference, but was noticeable.

Edge: Absolu

Longevity

The original Acqua di Gio, seems to always give me the same consistent 6-7 hours of wear, before it evaporates. Absolu? It gets me to the 8 hour mark, which isn’t dramatically better, but is a notch above.

Edge: Absolu

Versatility

These colognes obviously are going to share a lot of overlap. When they should be worn is definitely, one of those shared areas. Each is mostly a spring/summer wear, that can be worn year round, if need be. They can fit in a wide variety of situations and are attractive enough to be worn on dates, for younger guys. No real advantage here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Absolu is a nice fragrance. I like the citrus and marine notes, that mimic the original, but the addition of amber, wood, and tonka bean give it a sweeter and earthier profile. It also has slightly better performance than the original.

However, I still prefer the overall smell of Acqua di Gio versus Absolu. Yes, I’ve smelled it a million times, but it’s just a better wear for me. The blend of citrus notes and floral, sitting in an aquatic environment, is still great over 20 years later.

AdG Profumo, is actually the best of these Armani colognes, in my opinion. Second, is the original, and that’s not much better than Absolu. It is a little bit better, though. Absolu is still a solid wear and worthy of consideration, it gets compared to Invictus Aqua, but gets the nod versus that one.

Winner: Acqua di Gio

Angel Nova vs Muse Perfume Comparison

by

Angel has been a best seller for decades now. Over that time span, Mugler has released a bunch of flankers under that banner. Two of the more recent popular entries, have been Angel Muse and Nova. As such, it will often come down to these two, when women are deciding which Angel perfume to buy. In this post, I will compare and contrast these fragrances, before declaring an ultimate winner between them.

Tale of the Tape: Muse vs. Nova

Angel Nova

Notes include: litchi, raspberry, benzoin, Damask rose, akigala wood

Read my full review: Angel Nova

Angel Muse

Notes include: patchouli, vetiver, hazelnut cream, pink pepper, wood

Click here to try: Thierry Mugler Angel Muse Eau de Parfum spray, 1.0 oz

Read my review: Angel Muse EDP

Opening

Angel Nova starts off with a burst of juicy fruit led by the raspberry note. There is also litchi and a slightly tropical aroma, that smells like mango, to my nose. It’s actually a sweet and slightly sour blend, but has a great intensity to it.

Meanwhile, Muse starts off with a sugary sweet blend of patchouli, hazelnut cream, and a bright grapefruit citrus note. It’s warm, a bit earthy, and has the nice creamy sweetness.

Which is better? I do really like Nova. That semi-tropical raspberry bomb, is pretty darn good. However, I prefer Muse. Muse is a bit more traditional, but it really smells wonderful and I preferred it to Nova’s start.

Edge: Muse

Projection

To me, Nova had two phases. First, it’s loud opening act, where the sillage is quite strong. Then, it settles more moderate. Meanwhile, Muse is pretty moderate throughout. Though, probably the upper range of what could be considered moderate.

Nova definitely reaches a higher level of power overall.

Edge: Nova

Longevity

Nova and Muse both have really good performance and will hang on the skin for a long while. With Nova, it was 9 to 11 hours. With Muse, it was 8 to 10 hours.

So, not a huge gap between them, but Nova still has a clear edge here.

Edge: Nova

Versatility

Nova skews toward a younger audience and is best in the spring and summer months. It’s also more casual than Muse.

Muse isn’t a warm weather fragrance and should be worn during autumn and winter. I think that it will appeal to a wider age range and can fit into the nightlife or more formal occasions better than Nova can.

Edge: Muse

Overall Scent

I personally enjoyed Nova during testing. The opening act, where it is a fruity bomb was great. But, not everyone is going to like it. It does have some more depth, a bit of spiciness, and notes like benzoin to add more depth.

Nova is a very nice perfume and will give you great performance.

However, I prefer Angel Muse more so than its newer counterpart. It’s warm, sweet, and dry with a nice vetiver note in the base. It also has a creamy sweet aroma mix of hazelnut and cocoa, which comes together extremely well.

No, it’s not as powerful as Nova, but it’s close enough. Plus, it smells better and can be worn in more scenarios. For most folks out there, Muse will be the one to go with.

Winner: Angel Muse