4 Perfumes Similar to Myrrh and Tonka

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Jo Malone’s Myrrh and Tonka has become insanely popular since its release. It’s one of those fragrances that has just caught on, through social media and word of mouth. But, with that Jo Malone style, you also get the higher price point. So, I am going to use this page to keep an update list of  the perfumes that I find that have a similar style to, a cheaper price, or have a smell that was inspired by Myrrh and Tonka.

What Perfumes Smell like Myrrh and Tonka by Jo Malone London?

Delightful Inspiration

Myrrhnilla Delight by The Dua Brand– This is the Dua Brand’s inspired take on the Jo Malone formula. If you’re looking for one that comes very close to matching the aroma of the original, this is a perfume to check out.

As Dua puts it, “Myrrh and tonka inevitably mark the smell of this fragrance while accents of lavender and almond provide their aromatic and spicy charm to the blend.”

The formula is pretty simple, so, matching it isn’t too much of a problem. You can usually expect them to get it at least 85% of the way to the original, if not more. With my experience with this brand, it can sometimes lack a bit of the depth, but the opening and middle act is pretty spot on.

As of now they have the full bottle size and the smaller 10 ml travel sprayer available.

High-End Inspiration

Mr. Sillage by Alexandria– This is another one that is ‘inspired by’ the Jo Malone perfume. Though, it is on the pricier side versus the Dua above. Almost to the point, where it’d make sense just to by Myrrh & Tonka instead.

But, Alexandria does produces some great versions of popular perfumes. I haven’t tested this one out in particular, though, I haven’t had any negative experiences with them either.

Again, in this case, I might go with one of the other two ‘inspired by’ fragrances on the list. Though, I’ll leave it here for those who are curious.

Layered Tonka

Mia’s Blend by Be Layered– Be Layered’s Mia’s Blend is another popular choice for those looking for a close interpretation of Myrrh & Tonka.

I haven’t tried this one out, but it’s affordable and the reviews are generally very positive. It seems like the tonka bean goes pretty heavy early on. Sweeter and powdery. Then, the dry down supposedly gives you more of the resinous aspects of myrrh.

They do have a smaller 10 ml size available for $19.99 (as of update), which can make it an easy one to try out.

Soft and Sweet Vanilla

Yves Saint Laurent Manifesto Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3 Ounce
A discontinued YSL release which features notes of lily of the valley, black currant, bergamot, and other green notes. Manifesto is a lovely and soft fragrance  that is both sweet and captivating.

It starts out with the black currant and bergamot, which are both sweet and tart together, and get paired with a creamy vanilla note.

The main difference here is going to be the lack of myrrh, even if this does have a slight amber-like aroma to it at times. So, it’s kind of a similar alternative in style, while not trying to be exactly like the Jo Malone scent. A nice amount of overlap, just never one to one matching.

Manifesto dries down to a green/woody floral, with vanilla and tonka bean sitting on top. This is an attractive daily wear fragrance, that isn’t too loud, but still smells wonderful.

It can be harder to find nowadays, but it might be worth tracking down for some people.

manifesto

Acqua di Gio Profondo vs. Sauvage EDT

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Dior Sauvage has in many ways become as popular as the original Acqua di Gio was back in the late 90s and early 00s. Yes, both are best sellers to this day, but Sauvage is absolutely everywhere just like AdG used to be. Armani has kept the name alive with a series of flanker fragrances, including the great Acqua di Gio Profondo. How does it stack up against Sauvage? Which smells better? Lasts longer?

Tale of the Tape: Profondo vs. Sauvage EDT

Acqua di Gio Profondo

Notes include: mandarin, bergamot, lavender, marine notes, rosemary, cypress, lentisk, patchouli, musk

Click here to try: GIORGIO ARMANI Acqua Di Gio Profondo for Men Eau De Parfum Spray 4.2 Ounces, blue

Read my Review: AdG Profondo

Sauvage EDT

Notes include: Bergamot, Ambroxan, Sichuan Pepper, lavender, pink pepper, and more

Click here to try: Sauvage by Chrisitan Dior Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

Read my review: Sauvage EDT Review

Opening

Acqua di Gio Profondo starts off with its citrus notes in the lead, bergamot and mandarin orange. The bergamot is the more dominant of the two ingredients. It’s a good deal amount like the original AdG. However, it doesn’t have the same floral focus, is more marine, and has a resinous quality.

It’s not too salty of a marine accord, rather it gives an aquatic impression, versus being a oceanic  scent.

Sauvage also starts off with a bergamot note. This one is much more intense than Profondo. This is joined mainly by the Sichuan pepper, as well as, pink pepper. It is bold and spicy up top. Later, it will be calmed down by lavender and the ever-present ambroxan.

Which is better? I definitely prefer Profondo’s opening act when compared to Sauvage. I find it to be much more enjoyable and well put together.

Edge: Profondo

Projection

Sauvage definitely starts off strong and does a great job at maintaining its sillage, throughout the wear.

Obviously, that’s going to fade with the passage of time. But, it has always been a slower burn with this Dior compared to a lot of other designer colognes.

Profondo isn’t weak, but it never matches the heights that Sauvage does. It starts off fairly strong and can project well, but it will settle into a more moderate scent. In between the original AdG and Profumo, with its strength.

Edge: Sauvage

Longevity

For me, neither of these fragrances can crack double digits in terms of hours on my skin. Profondo will go 7-8 before evaporating. Sauvage EDT will go 7-9.

So, in most cases their even. Though, Sauvage does seem to have an extra hour or so in it from time to time.

I do have to note that some people do get more performance out of Sauvage than I do. I’ve seen other reviews give it 10+ hours of wear. Haven’t really seen the same for Profondo.

Edge: Sauvage

Versatility

They are both very versatile fragrance. Profondo is better suited for wear in spring and summer. As is Sauvage. Sauvage seems more natural in colder weather than the more aquatic Profondo. However, Profondo can stand up better in the higher temperatures.

Neither is a formal wear fragrance. I really don’t see much divergence between them, in this category.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Sauvage EDT has become one of the most popular, if not the most popular, fragrances for men in the world since its release (update: it’s now the best selling in the world for men or women’s perfume).

I do like aspects of it. Though, the more time that I spent wearing it, the less enthralled I was at wearing it. Plus, every men’s cologne release seems to want to copy some part of the Sauvage formula, which gets repetitive.

Frankly, I don’t even enjoy it when I’ve tried it recently. It’s still good, but it was never a great scent. The citrus is great, as is the lavender note.

Though, the ambroxan gets on my nerves. It performs well enough, but has been surpassed by the other Sauvage releases. Namely, EDP and Elixir. Plus, there are plenty of perfumes like Dior Sauvage, due to its immense popularity.

Profondo has quickly become one of my favorite ‘blue’ fragrances. It strikes me as being a better version of the original, but not as dark/smoky as Profumo is.

From start to finish, I think that it smells better than Sauvage does. It’s a step behind with its performance, but not enough to tip the scales.

It’s a great summer wear, that actually thrives when the temperature and humidity rises. I really cannot think of a situation in which I would reach for Sauvage EDT over Profondo. Maybe something based on the time of year, but even then, I’d want something else.

Winner: Profondo

10 Best Smelling Dolce and Gabbana Perfumes

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Here is our list of the top eight perfumes from the Italian design house Dolce & Gabbana. It is kind of tough to narrow down this brand’s fragrances to just a handful because they not only have a ton of options, but also a ton of decent to very good scents.

D&G doesn’t make too many ladies’ perfumes that miss the mark entirely. So, I’ve selected ten of them, which I feel stand out from the pack.

What are the Best D&G Perfumes for Her?

Best New D&G Perfume

The Only One Intense by Dolce & Gabbana Eau De Parfum Spray for Women 3.4 Ounce– Dolce & Gabbana have had a lot of forgettable releases in the recent years. Not necessarily bad, just nothing to write home about.

However, The Only One series has been very nice, especially the 2020 Intense version. Actually, it’s pretty similar in some respects to The One Desire, listed below (that one is more of a sweet gourmand, this is more floral creamy).

Sweet, creamy, white floral notes, with a light citrus/apple start. It’s got plenty of jasmine in there as the main flower. Vanilla, cashmere wood, and coconut give it that milky warm embrace.

Not too heavy and can actually venture into warmer weather. Maybe not the height of summer, but it’s not a bad reach in the spring. Fantastic performer.

Dark & Sweet

Dolce & Gabbana Eau de Parfum Spray, The One Desire, 2.5 Ounce
Sexy and sultry, for the woman who commands attention anywhere she goes. It’s not a heavy and obnoxious scent, rather, one that is light and invigorating but memorable.

The One Desire opens with a sweet caramel note to go along with vanilla, white floral notes, and an undercurrent of citrus fruit. The result is a creamy and feminine scent that takes a different direction than does the original The One perfume, which it is based on.

It has a gourmand quality that is delicious and appropriate for colder weather due to its sheer coziness. Notes include: bergamot, mandarin, lychee, lily of the valley, tuberose.

the one desire

Best Selling

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue By Dolce & Gabbana For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz
One of the most popular fragrances for women. Light blue is airy, light, and subtle. Great for casual wear.

From the start, Light Blue is a bright and shimmering perfume with a crisp apple note and tart lemon, providing the top. It’s a very clean scent that loses some of its fruitiness and moves into more of an earthy floral scent as it dries down, the rose note is particularly noticeable.

Notes include: rose, apple, musk and jasmine. Light Blue while not a heavy perfume by any means, has great longevity, and can go all day on one’s skin.  My Review of Light Blue for Women

light blue

Lovely Flanker

Light Blue Italian Love– Light Blue gets a new issuance every year, sometimes with slight alterations, some with major. This is one of the former, but a really great addition to the Light Blue lineup.

Italian Love has a zesty lemon note, with sweeter hints coming through, and less of the apple note than the original above. The musk mallow and sandalwood here give Italian Love a creaminess, especially once that initial citrus burst has faded a bit.

It’s fresh, but not as sharp as the original can be. The woods are there and really come through in the dry down of the scent. Still, it has a light summery feel that simply works well.

Gorgeous Amber Perfume

Velvet Amber Sun– This one is a part of D&G’s more expensive Velvet series of fragrances. I like Amber Sun the best, as it gives me something different and really shows off one of my favorite notes, amber.

This one has a very light ylang-ylang floral note in the opening act, that is subdued by labdanum and vanilla. Fairly sweet early on, with a smoky and light Oriental spice to it. Cinnamon and a bit of coriander.

The incense-like smoke doesn’t dominate the composition. Instead, it gets woodier, warmer, somewhat creamy, with a balsamic resinous touch to wrap things up. The performance is long-lasting, but Velvet Amber Sun can be a tough bottle to track down. For sure, one of Dolce’s best.

Incenso

Velvet Incenso– This one is another of the Velvet lineup and more of a niche interest than something for everyone. Nevertheless, Velvet Incenso is a great perfume.

It’s a blend of resinous notes: amber, labdanum, elemi, benzoin with smoky incense, vanilla, and some cashmere wood. It’s not overly smoky, but has a great sweetness and balsamic embrace that makes Incenso a cozy wear during autumn and winter.

It’s also not completely flat, as it has a slight peppery kick up top and some further spice from a few other notes. Yet, it’s tame and utterly wearable. The incense note is the star, but the balance here is too good, for it to be solely about that. Incenso Review

Fresh Fruity Floral

D&g 3 L’imperatrice Ladies – Edt Spray 3.3 oz– Fresh and sweet from the fruity and floral notes. This is a great everyday casual alternative to a scent like Light Blue.

L’Imperatrice 3 has almost an aquatic feel to it due to the abundance of watermelon and kiwi notes, particularly in the opening hour or so.

These two are also joined by rhubarb, which gives this D&G fragrance, a distinct quality. It’s youthful, bright, and has some underlying floral/musk to give L’Imperatrice some needed depth. Notes include: kiwi, watermelon, musk, pink cyclamen.

3 l'imperatrice

Balanced Daily Wear

Dolce & Gabbana The One By Dolce & Gabbana For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5 Oz /75 Ml.
Classy, feminine, and all around a great smelling perfume for women. The One is much more fruity than is The One Desire. Peach, litchi, plum, and bergamot play support staff to the prominent vanilla note.

This is all wrapped up in a warm amber note, which gives The One a sumptuous baked goods quality.

As it dries down, this perfume has a woody powdery aroma that smells delightful. Notes include: plum, vetiver bergamot, fruity floral, Madonna lily, muguet, lychee, jasmine, vanilla.

dolce_gabbana_the_one_for_women

Best Winter D&G Perfume

Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme Intense Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 oz
Warm and complex scent that was released in 2012.  It’s a dynamic blend of exotic notes that give confident women the chance to stand out.

It’s another sweet gourmand type of fragrance with marshmallow being the main attraction this time. However, it’s not just about the sugary sweetness as Pour Femme Intense has a bouquet of floral notes from tuberose to neroli to orange blossom.

All of this sits on top of a sandalwood base which gives it a smooth woody aroma in the background. Notes include: green mandarin, neroli, tuberose, orange blossom, sweet marshmallow.

dolce pour femme intense

Best Light Blue?

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense For Women Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3 oz– Yes, the flanker for the original Light Blue, needs to be on the list. It is at least the equal to its predecessor, and for many, it is the superior of the two.

The citrus top of lemon is really great and it is joined by the usual crisp apple note. Intense is fresh, clean, and sparkles with its bright personality. The musk is light and it features the same amberwood in the base, as the men’s version does.

Light Blue Eau Intense feels more ‘aquatic’ than the original, even without over marine notes, similar but with a bit more bite. Not really for those who don’t like citrus, that can feel ‘sharp’, at times.

It doesn’t have that rose note of the original, which is the main difference, but does include more jasmine. Light Blue Eau Intense Review

Alright, that’s going to do it for the current version of this list. I will come back and update it, every so often, when a new release from D&G is worthy of being included. As for now, these options should get you started, toward finding a great Dolce perfume to wear.

13 Best Chanel Perfumes for Her

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Chanel is a luxury brand that has been around for over 100 years now and it’s still going strong. It is not only famous for its designer fashions on the runway but also in the fragrance department.

This French luxury brand has seemingly countless classic and super famous scents that have defined entire decades. For this post, I have selected thirteen Chanel perfumes, which I consider to be the best smelling of the bunch.

Of course, with such a limitation (yes, it still is ‘limited’ in scope), there’s always going to be scents that I’ve missed. There are too many Chanel fragrance variations, discontinued perfumes, and such that it is almost impossible to give a complete account.

However, this is certainly a good place to start, with the modern versions at least. Here is my men’s list of the best Chanel for Him.

What are the Best Smelling Chanel Perfumes for Women?

Musky Floral

Chance By Chanel 3.4 oz Eau De Parfum Spray For Women– Chance comes in both an EDT and EDP version created by perfumer Jacques Polge. The EDP is the one that is linked, however, both of these options are obviously very similar. The EDP is very floral with notes of vanilla, iris, and jasmine leading the way.

It also is more subdued and cleaner than the EDT version, as the patchouli isn’t as much of a pure standout.

Chance gives you some floral sweetness and warm spice with the pink pepper, patchouli, and musk notes giving it some greater depth. Musk, vanilla, and the jasmine come to be the main players of Chance and together form something that is refined and moderate in its sillage.

However, during the dry down the patchouli does become more of a factor, and pairs surprisingly well with that soft jasmine. Chance has very nice performance and the ability to last for a standard workday or most other normal occasions. Chance EDP Review

Top Winter Fragrance

Chanel COCO Eau De Parfum Vaporisateur Spray 3.4 OZ / 100 ml– Coco is another fragrance with a lot of warmth and spice to its scent. This perfume is best served in the crisp and cold months of fall and winter.

Notes include coriander, rose, sandalwood, tonka bean, peach, amber, and cloves. Coco is bold, enveloping, and lasts forever and ever (especially the vintage bottles).

The floral (jasmine, rose, ylang ylang) and orange notes give it a subtle sweetness that isn’t the usual perfume blast of ‘loud’ smelling fruits or sugary candy. Rose and cloves are wrapped in the warm embrace of amber, which radiates beauty.

Coco is a rich and complex fragrance that defines class and has done so since the 1980s. May not be the best choice for younger ladies, though, some could still pull it off.

Coco eau de parfum is one of this brand’s offerings, that exudes the term luxury, and is probably something that most folks associate with Chanel. Yes, this stuff is powerful, spicy, and can be too much for some people.

However, it is an absolute classic with fantastic sandalwood, and an all day and into the night longevity. Grab a bottle and wear it dressed up.

Les Eaux de Chanel Pick

Paris-Venise by Chanel– This is going to be my pick from the Les Eaux de Chanel line of scents, at least for women. Paris-Venise gives you that familiar Chanel feeling, while being completely unique in its presentation. Other options like Paris-Biarritz, are a bit too close to smelling like Chance.

Venise is headed up by notes of neroli, vanilla, and tonka bean. With that is a nice citrus accord, added to powdery iris and violet, giving Paris-Venise a great freshness that can safely be worn into the summertime.

The citrus, iris, and ylang-ylang (plus other floral notes) are most prominent in the opening act. Then, the dry down features the softer powdery/creamy base notes that really help to set this one apart.

Plus, nice hints of white musk. Complex, while being totally light and easy to wear. Great! Venise Review

Other Les Eaux de Chanel Option

Paris-Deauville by Chanel– I’ve been spending a lot of time with samples of the Les Eaux de Chanel line lately, and Paris-Deauville, has quickly become a favorite.

It’s a summery citrus with lime and the mandarin orange note from Coco Mademoiselle. But, it changes things up with a wonderful basil freshness, light patchouli, and some green notes.

The lime and mandarin are fairly equal early on. That will shift more towards the lime which gets paired with the basil. Mandarin orange and lemon sit underneath that. It’s very uplifting and reminiscent of a summer’s day.

I get about 7 hours of solid wear out of it with a nice bit of projection. Paris-Deauville is a unisex scent, that gives you a lovely and pretty unique, albeit simple profile. Deauville Review

The Classic Chanel Scent

Chanel No.5 for Women – A standard classic within ladies fragrances. I mean, is this ever not going to be a best seller? Elegant, feminine, iconic and all stored within that famous bottle.

Floral and woodsy upon the drydown and it can be a bit repulsive to some at first (or not work at all for their body chemistry). However, when it works and has had some time to develop on the skin, it is beautiful. Personally, I’ve never experienced that, an old school vibe for sure but an outstanding floral scent.

There are a few different versions of No.5 and it of course has undergone slight reformulations over the many decades since its release, so this all can have an impact as to exactly what perfume you get. The Parfum is the original release created by Ernest Beaux 100 years ago.

The Other Classic Coco Option

No.22 EDP Les Exclusifs de Chanel– The formula for this one dates back to 1922 with Coco Chanel and Ernest Beaux. You could also go with No.19, which is probably more popular, but No.22 is the better perfume.

This is the EDP ‘Les Exclusifs’ version. A bit less expensive, but still has great performance.

This one is focused on tuberose but is blended with an array of floral notes and a cooling and refreshing addition of aldehydes up top. At first, 22 has a greenish sort of feeling. Then, the usual cohort of jasmine/ylang-ylang/rose that Chanel is famous for comes in.

22 does have powdery qualities like No. 5, but much less so, with some sweetness also coming from the base. Not too heavy or ‘old lady-ish’, despite its older formulation. No. 22 still comes across as a stylish and modern luxury perfume.

A Lion of Chanel

Le Lion de Chanel– The more that I tested this one out, the more that I liked Le Lion de Chanel. It’s not my favorite, nor one that I’d want to wear all of the time. But, I do think that this perfume is worthy of a spot on the list.

It opens up with labdanum, amber, and a nice burst of citrus. The first two give this one a warmth and smokiness, that contrasts well with the bergamot and lemon.

It will go from juicy to drier and earthy. It’s got a solid dose of patchouli and almost a leathery quality with how all of the notes come together. Musk, amber, patchouli, smoke. It’s an interesting fragrance to wear. Not for everyone, but a nice change of pace from pure floral perfumes. Le Lion de Chanel Review

Most Popular Chanel Perfume

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau De Parfum spray For Women 3.4 OZ.– The current popular star of the Chanel lineup and one that enjoys more of a universal appeal and can be more broadly worn than some of the other options on the list.

Coco Mademoiselle is sweeter blend of citrus and floral notes that has enjoyed immense popularity since its release. It has an aura of femininity with a strong heart of patchouli and musk.

Mademoiselle features some bright and clean citrus top notes and floral notes led by rose and jasmine. The patchouli is the main attraction in this one, however, it is tempered by the sweeter notes including vanilla.

It has extremely good sillage (a few sprays will do) and also provides all day longevity. Coco Mademoiselle has spawned a bunch of its own flanker fragrances, which are also great, but the original still takes the cake. Read my Full Review

Best Light Summer Scent

Chanel Chance Tendre Eau de Toilette Spray For Women 1.7 OZ./ 50 ml.– Bright, fresh, and girly. Chanel Chance Eau Tendre has a citrus base of grapefruit and quince to go along with sweet floral notes. This is probably the most popular of the Chance flanker fragrances by Chanel.

It’s mostly a floral fragrance that is highlighted by citrus notes to give it more balance. Iris, jasmine, and hyancith are a part of the floral bouquet.

Chance Eau Tendre is a much lighter fragrance than anything else on the list, but that light airy aroma, doesn’t mean that it lacks staying power. It’s just not a heavy bomb, but one that is a great option for everyday wear.

It is still very crisp, due to the citrus top notes, but it doesn’t have that usual sharpness that grapefruit can cause. Eau Tendre is very smooth with a dry down period that can be somewhat powdery (iris) and with a healthy dose of musk. Again, it’s not a heavy fragrance, so the musk isn’t going to be an unbearable mess.

Most Underrated Chanel

Chanel – Allure Eau De Parfum Spray for Women 3.4 FL OZ– Chanel’s Allure has a slightly exotic and oriental vibe to it. Smooth vanilla pairs with peach, orange, and bergamot. A very clean and sexy fragrance that lasts a long time and draws complements.

This is another case, where the EDP and EDT versions are similar but different. The Allure EDP has more vanilla and a warmer vibe (plenty of amber) than the EDT, which gives off more of the bergamot and orange notes with May rose in the florals (it’s also lighter). Either version one selects, you will received a beautiful and sensuous fragrance, under the Allure banner.

Allure EDP opens up with a nectar aroma of peach and then a lighter touch of the citrus notes. The fragrance is warm and sweet from the start, with the vanilla coming in early for a supporting role.

Then, as it dries down, you get more of the floral heart notes like jasmine, peony, and magnolia with touches of base notes like vetiver. Still, the peach and citrus, are the dominant factors in this scent. The whole thing comes together as creamy, smooth, and wonderfully enveloping.

The Best Gabrielle

Gabrielle Essence by Chanel Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 oz / 100 ml (Women)– The original Chanel Gabrielle was pretty good, but it didn’t really reach the top of the list. Essence is a much better fragrance, which blends classic elements with enough modern touches to be enjoyable.

Tuberose, ylang-ylang, orange blossom and other white floral notes eventually combine to be the main focus of this fragrance. However, it opens up with citrus and some juicy/tart berry notes, that are truly delicious. There is a peach note and overall sparkling quality up top.

The performance is decent, but not an elite scent by any means, in that regard. It does smell very nice and has a great deal of versatility. Gabrielle Essence Review

Unisex Floral Woods

Bois des Iles by Chanel– Bois des Iles is definitely less ‘girly’ than many of the other entries on the list, but is still an utterly fantastic fragrance. It features a spicy top (coriander) and awesome sandalwood accord with milky, powdery, and creamy highlights.

The floral notes here are secondary, but present. Aldehydes are the other star of the show, along with the sandalwood. Orris lends the powdery touch and is joined by ylang-ylang.

It settles down into a woodsy and amber-laden perfume, with a warmth that is great on an autumn or winter’s day. This one is something different, but well worth a try, if you’re into woody parfums.

Spice, Sweet, Beauty

Coromandel by Chanel– Coromandel is a scent that I’ve been getting into more lately. There are different variations of this scent: Parfum, EDP, and les Exclusifs. Each is going to give you a slightly different formulation and intensity.

Though, I’m pretty sure les Exclusifs and the older bottles of EDP are the same, at least they smell that way.

Each of them, features an awesome patchouli note, with a warm mix of amber/balsamic/oriental notes (benzoin, frankincense), and a gourmand finish…usually the white chocolate will come through the most. Spicy and warm, especially early on.

The Exclusifs or EDP (whichever is available) tend to be a sweeter formulation with more of an emphasis on the vanilla and white chocolate touches. Meanwhile, the Parfum version feels woodier and denser than the others. Coromandel Review

Le Male Elixir vs Ultra Male Comparison

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Le Male is a series from Jean Paul Gaultier that has been going on strong for nearly 30 years, at this point. Every year or so, we get ourselves a new take on the name. In 2023, that new edition is Le Male Elixir. But, how does it compare to another classic from the series, Ultra Male. Both are two of the bolder, warmer, and sweeter colognes…but which is actually better?

Tale of the Tape: Ultra Male vs Le Male Elixir

Ultra Male

Notes include: vanilla, pear, amber, woods, cinnamon, cumin, sage, lavender, mint

Click here to try: Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male for Men Intense Spray, Eau de Toilette, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original review: Ultra Male Review

Le Male Elixir

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

Click here to try: Le Male Elixir at Macy’s

Read my review: Elixir

Opening

Elixir actually kicks things off with its mint note out in full force, giving it a cooling fresh spiciness. This is joined by the usual Le Male lavender note.

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.

Ultra Male is noticeably absent of the same powdery quality of the original Le Male and has a sugary sweetness like Elixir. But, with an added pear note.

What it does have is a burst of initial spice, mainly from the cinnamon note.  Pear, vanilla, and light citrus round it out and give it an aroma akin to bubble gum.

Which is better? I do like Ultra Male’s start a lot, I feel that it’s been overtaken by what I get with Le Male Elixir. Elixir has an initial coolness, that gets warmer, has great sweetness while being fresh, and you get the early hints of that honey.

Edge: Elixir

Projection

Elixir is definitely a powerfully projecting cologne that will leave a scent trail behind you and a warm sweet embrace around you.

It has that bold start, that will moderate as it dries down. Though, it is a steady decline rather than a sharp drop off.

Ultra Male also comes out with more of a bang before settling down into that upper moderate range. Ultra Male actually has a rather large projection radius at first, but quiets into a moderate.

Between the two, Ultra Male still has an edge. It has been the boldest release from Le Male for years now and that remains the case. I will say, I do have a bottle of Ultra Male from its initial release, so that what I am basing it off of. I haven’t heard anything about it being weakened, however.

Edge: Ultra Male

Longevity

Ultra Male always has gotten me at least 8 hours of wear. That’s baseline and it routinely goes over 10 hours, with 12 not being unheard of.  But, more likely in that 9-10 hour range.

Elixir is pretty close, but a notch below. 8-10.5 hours seems to be its range, thus far, while often falling right at 9 hours in total.

Both are long lasting designers scents. Though, Ultra Male still holds the crown as the boldest and best performing of this JPG line.

Edge: Ultra Male

Versatility

The versatility isn’t the strength of either scent. Being bold, sweet, and built for colder weather doesn’t lend itself particularly well for daily wear. At least for most guys.

Both of these skew towards the younger crowd. Playful and attention grabbing nightlife fragrances, without much subtlety or formality.

They’re about equal in terms of climate. Colder to moderate temperatures. In the heat, they melt.

I think that Elixir could be used better in casual daily situations and has a sweet/warm cozy vibe, that can lend itself to a couple of sprays, and not stick out like crazy. So, not a bad option for school, if you go light.

Not much difference, but Elixir has some more usability in more situations.

Edge: Elixir

Overall Scent

Overall, which fragrance do I prefer? It’s a close call either way. Ultra Male has the edge performance wise, but Elixir has depth and a bit more versatility.

Ultra Male gives you a nice sweet and spicy mix. The pear and cinnamon pairing together, with some of the familiar Le Male DNA, was something that really grabbed my attention back when it was released.

What really grabbed my attention, was how powerful it was. I can often spray it in one room of my house and smell the cologne hours later, in another. Not faintly, either, mind you.

For years, I considered Ultra Male to be the best smelling from the series. Though, as the years moved on, I started liking the original and even Le Parfum, slightly more.

Now, Elixir has taken a higher spot on the list. Based on the aroma alone, it might be my favorite, but I still think the original is the most wearable on a regular basis.

Elixir just has a great sweetness. I like the honey and light tobacco notes that come through. The vanilla and tonka bean only add to the sweet, sometimes syrupy glaze. Yes, it can be cloying at times, but so can Ultra Male.

To me, Elixir has the edge versus Ultra Male nowadays. Not by a wide margin, but it wins.

Winner: Le Male Elixir