Bleu de Chanel Parfum vs. Dior Sauvage EDP

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In this entry of the men’s fragrance comparisons, we are going to take a closer look at two very popular fragrance names: Bleu de Chanel vs. Sauvage. Naturally, each of these fragrances has three flanker scents, two of which I am going to compare today. I selected Sauvage EDP, as I think that it is the best of the Sauvage lineup.

If you want Sauvage Parfum, there is my review, of that scent. How does Sauvage EDP compare versus Bleu de Chanel Parfum? Which has the better performance? Which smells better? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape

Sauvage EDP

Notes include: nutmeg, bergamot, ambroxan, vanilla absolute, lavender, Sichuan pepper, anise

Click here to try: Sauvage by Dior Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml

Read my original review: Sauvage EDP

Bleu de Chanel Parfum

Notes include: sandalwood, cedar, lemon, lavender, mint, bergamot, tonka bean, amber, geranium

Click here to try: BLEU DE C H A N E L PARFUM, 3.4 oz./ 100 mL

Read my Review: Bleu de Chanel Parfum

Opening

Bleu de Chanel Parfum opens up with the usual BdC citrus notes: lemon, bergamot, and lime. However, in this version, the citrus isn’t as sharp and is tempered by the woody notes.

The wood notes of sandalwood and cedar, are ever present during the wear, but the opening also has a fresh mint note. A bit later, the lavender starts to emerge. It’s citrus, fresh, woody, and a bit herbal.

It’s very similar to the others in the series, just with a different weighting of the ingredients and more woodiness.

Sauvage EDP comes with the usual ambroxan note, a smoky vanilla note, and lavender. It’s warm, clean, and has a lot less of the lavender than the original Sauvage. The bergamot, up top is lighter, and then you get spicy pepper later on in the wear.

But, that Sichuan pepper will share duties with both anise and nutmeg, which allows it to come across less harsh and more balanced than EDT.

Which is better? I really enjoy both of them and how they start off, for different reasons. In the end, I think I prefer the Chanel fragrance, a bit more. I love its depth and complexity. It is refined and smells really nice, up top.

Edge: BdC Parfum 

Projection

Bleu de Chanel Parfum starts off with a pretty strong sillage, in the opening act. Then, it tempers down, by quite a bit. It’s noticeable but not super powerful from far away.

When it transitions to its more woody phase, that’s when it doesn’t leave the same scent trail or project off of the skin to the same extent.

Overall, Parfum is pretty moderate once that initial citrus blast has faded away a bit.

Sauvage EDP is a beast. For me, it is a complete powerhouse, and easily outdoes the sillage of Bleu. It definitely has a greater strength than the original Sauvage, also.

Not only that, it sustains itself at a higher level for longer before it actually moderates. The Sauvage uses heavier notes, so it’s not really too much of a surprise that it takes this category.

Edge: Sauvage EDP

Longevity

When it comes to performance, neither of these fragrances, will let you down. Both of them, will go for over 10 hours, on my skin.

Yes, Sauvage is more powerful, but the length of time worn overall is equal with Bleu. Sauvage EDP might have a slight edge here, as I can sometimes get more wear out of it, but I’m going to call this a tie.

Parfum is lighter than Sauvage EDP, but it sticks around well.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Again, these two are on about the same wavelength, in terms of when they can be worn. I’d probably avoid each, on the absolute hottest days of summer, but they are good at other times. Maybe the citrus of the Chanel gives it a slightly better use case in the warmer months.

Both of them, are best in the autumn/winter. They can be worn at the office, casually, or for a night out. No trouble with either.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

For me, this is a pretty close call. I don’t think the original Sauvage EDT, can stand up to the Bleu lineup, but the EDP has that ability. Dior took what was great about Sauvage and made it better, and also, took away the more unpleasant aspects of it.

I love the ambroxan and vanilla. The smokiness and the emergence of the more varied spice, in the EDP, as it’s no longer just about Sichuan pepper. You also get anise and nutmeg. The performance is also enhanced and is outstanding, overall.

If I had to choose between these two, I would ultimately pick Bleu de Chanel Parfum. It is refined, smooth, and the sandalwood note is utterly perfect.

Parfum is warm, deep, and dark. You get a great blend of wood, with a zesty citrus profile. It’s dry, fresh, with an herbal/mint aroma up top. Not as strong as Sauvage, but a bit better.

Bleu Parfum is a more low key fragrance to wear, overall. As such, if you want something with some boldness and that Sauvage style of fragrance, go with that. I still think it’s a really good choice.

Honestly, if I had to rank Sauvage and Bleu de Chanel fragrances, my top 3 is: 1. BdC EDP 2. BdC Parfum 3. Sauvage EDP.

So, I’d actually go with Bleu de Chanel EDP, which is similar enough to Parfum. However, you get more of the citrus notes. But, in this head to head, the winner is Parfum.

You might consider getting the Chanel and one of the attempted dupes of Dior Sauvage for cheap. That way, two bottles for not that much more than one. I don’t think any of the attempted knockoffs of Bleu de Chanel have really nailed the essence of Parfum, as of yet.

Winner: Bleu de Chanel Parfum

Fame by Paco Rabanne

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Fame is a sample that I got from Paco Rabanne, when I ordered 1 Million Royal. It’d been a while since I have put out a new review from their women’s line, so, I was interested to see what this one was all about. It was released in 2022. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is Fame worth a buy?

What does Fame by Paco Rabanne Smell like?

Notes include: mango, jasmine, incense, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Fame EDP

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describes it: Fame pays tribute to a new era of femininity. Playful. Sensual. Empowered. The quintessence of avant-garde luxury…

So, with the opening of this fragrance, the main comparison that I can make is Alien Goddess. They’re not the same, though they have some of the same notes, It’s really about a similar style to one another in the beginning. That’s the sort of perfume that we’re working with here.

Personally, I like Goddess more after testing Fame out.

The similarities extend to the tropical feeling that each perfume provides. However, with the Paco Rabanne that vibe comes from a mango note, with perhaps a touch of sour bergamot. The coconut water isn’t here and after the start, the comparison is essentially over.

Actually, when I saw that this one was going to be a mango and vanilla-centered fragrance, I thought of Cruz del Sur II. Nope. That’s a much juicier mango note, a sharper sourness, and very milky finish.

With Fame, the mango feels more subdued and part of the mix. I do think that it is pretty and sets a nice tone at the start. But, a lot of the beachy or tropical feeling doesn’t stick around all that long.

The mango is quickly wrapped up in the jasmine, light incense, and vanilla which will grow stronger.

After 15-20 minutes, the jasmine note is totally in the top spot. Kind of fresh, with the fruity sweetness still lurking in the back. The mango does take an hour or two to really burn off, on my skin at least.

Jasmine, mango, vanilla that will shift more into a creamy jasmine with sweetness and a little bit of sandalwood. Nothing all that complex. The end is basically jasmine and vanilla with a vague hint of the former tropical smell.

It’s nice and never gave me any strange smells in the dry down. But, pretty basic stuff.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is moderate for an hour or so, before turning lighter. It wasn’t a skin scent until deep into the wear, though.

With full bottle sprays, you’d get a nice scent trail going. Spraying this on clothes, I was able to pick Fame up from the 4-7 foot range, but not much beyond that.

On my skin, Fame stuck around for 6-6.5 hours. Really, not all that great. I certainly would expect a few hours more, if I were paying full price for a bottle.

Seasonally, the tropical and floral aroma of this works well in the spring and summer time. It’s not a heavy scent, even with the vanilla creaminess, I never thought it was cloying or getting me bogged down in a cloud of sugary sweetness.

It’s more of a pretty daytime wear. Not a formal fragrance, but it could work for just about anything else you’d want to wear it for during the warmest days. It’s attractive without being super sexy, a romantic, or nightlife wear.

You could, but there are better options than Fame.

Overall Impressions of Fame EDP

Overall, do I like Fame? Yes, it’s a nice enough fragrance, that should have some mass appeal. I like it more with some distance. Like, if I press my nose to the skin where I sprayed, this one feels messy. Put some space in between and it is a pretty floral with a sweet creaminess.

I do wish the mango note would’ve gotten some more time to shine on its own. It kind of gets consumed by the vanilla and jasmine. Still works well, I just was expecting more from that note.

Fame EDP isn’t all that complicated. If you like jasmine and vanilla as a combination, this one should be a nice pick up, as that’s a lot of the dry down. It’s good for the warmer days, has some versatility, and is basically pleasant.

I don’t think it hits the ‘avant-garde luxury’, that the ad copy was talking about. Plus, the performance could be better.

I think that Fame is at least worth a try. Maybe not a blind buy at full price, but with a solid discount, it probably wouldn’t be a complete disappointment. Fame didn’t break any new ground for me, but it is a perfume that I found enjoyable for the most part.

A Midnight Stroll by Gucci

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Gucci, like other luxury brands in this space, has their regular popular fragrance line and a higher end niche options. For Gucci, The Alchemist’s Garden, is where they stash their most unique offerings. I recently received a sample of A Midnight Stroll, from this line, in order to test it out and see what this perfume is all about. How did it do? Is it worth a buy?

What does A Midnight Stroll Smell Like?

Notes include: incense, cade wood, cypress

Click here to try: A Midnight Stroll by Gucci

My Full Review

Here’s how Gucci describes it: An Incense-scented fragrance celebrating the allure of the night.

A Midnight Stroll opens up with a really unique aroma. The key here, I think, is the cade oil. Essentially, juniper and its resin distilled into an oil form. What does this smell like? Mostly, it’s a tar-like aroma with hints of leather and even some rubber.

Weird. Not bad, though.

The incense note itself, is actually toned down early on. To me, the smokiness doesn’t really come through all that much in the opening act. That will change, later.

The other aspect of this is the fresh woodiness of the cypress note. It definitely sits behind the cade oil, but there is a good amount of cypress kicking things off. Sort of smells like a cypress tree that’s been covered in this tar substance. Very resinous and balsamic.

As it dries down, the cypress is the note that fades the most on my skin. The overwhelming dominance of the tar and rubber aroma will also lose its grip. At this point, it becomes more of a straightforward incense and cade oil blend.

The only really difference in the dry down, is the continuing shift towards the incense note, in terms of strength.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

A Midnight Stroll is not a powerhouse. Even early on, it’s pretty moderate with its projection and any scent trail that it’s going to leave behind. Now, I’m sure with a full bottle, you can spray enough to boost its profile.

However, it’s still pretty middle of the road for much of the wear. In the back half, it’s actually a pretty light fragrance.

The longevity was right about six hours. At that point, I pretty much had to press my nose up against my skin in order to smell it. But, it was still there. Pretty standard issue and not going to go above and beyond.

Seasonally, I’d only want to wear this in autumn or winter. A Midnight Stroll is best left for the cold. It is July here, currently. I stepped outside with this on, in the summer’s heat and it was just kind of strange and out of place. This Gucci didn’t adapt well.

While this is listed as unisex, it is a perfume that leans very much into the masculine end of the spectrum.

I guess you could wear this in the evening, as the name suggests. Not very formal, but not a complete party scent either. I’m not sure where or when to try it, exactly.

Overall Impressions of A Midnight Stroll

Overall, do I like A Midnight Stroll? It’s decent. This is very much a niche scent and is going to have a limited audience who will actually appreciate it. Still, even among incense-based fragrances, this isn’t all that amazing.

I’d much rather wear something like Encens Satin. Though, this one does come across as being much more unique with its tarry leather aroma. For me, that’s not enough to want a full bottle of this Alchemist’s Garden release. Especially, at the near $400 price point.

That opening act is interesting. It’s such a weird blend of leather, wood, amber, tar, rubber, and smoke. There’s nothing that I can think of that smells just like A Midnight Stroll. Even so, the aroma itself, isn’t anything that’s a must have for probably 99% of people.

If you’re really interested in this one, I’d track down a sample first. Then decide if it’s worth spending all of that money for it. You might be in that niche group who will be in love with A Midnight Stroll or be like me and just think that it’s okay.

Drakkar Essence by Guy Laroche

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Keeping up with my recent burst of fragrance reviews, it is time to turn my attention to an offering from Guy Laroche. I saw a bottle of this while shopping in Target and noticed Cam Newton on the cardboard display (update: this original review was back when Target still sold fragrances).

I’m not that big a fan of Drakkar Noir (just a personal taste…many people love it), although I appreciate its impact in the fragrance world and how big it was in the 1980s.

It just never excited me all that much. However, I figured that I’d give Drakkar Essence a try and see if I liked it. How does Essence stack up? Is it worth a purchase?

What does Drakkar Essence Smell Like?

Notes include: mint, musk, lavender, grapefruit, tonka bean, woods

Click here to try: Guy Laroche Drakkar Essence Eau de Toilette Splash, 3.4 Ounce 

My Full Review

It’s kind of funny that I tried out Drakkar Essence at about the same time that I tested out The Essence by David Beckham. Not only did these two scents share the same name but also lavender and grapefruit are ingredients in both.

So, even before I knew the contents of Drakkar, I was struck by how much both of these colognes resemble one another. The difference comes in where the Beckham scent is more citrus/aquatic, Drakkar Essence is kept warm and mildly spicy by the musk and mint, though still retaining an aquatic feel.

I actually don’t detect that much of a mint influence, it’s definitely there, but I get mostly the grapefruit and musk notes. I do like this cologne, even if it isn’t terribly unique or anything.

The opening does seem to stray more toward the grapefruit end of things, with that mint and sage freshness, sitting underneath that.

Another fragrance, I’ll have to talk about in regards to Essence, is Drakkar Noir. This new release has very little do to with the 1980s classic from Guy Laroche. Lavender, mint, and wood is about it. They don’t smell alike in the slightest, though.

Essence is completely enjoyable after a few minutes when it has had some time to settle on the skin.  It becomes a smooth and fresh scent highlighted by the emergence of the lavender note to go along the other aforementioned notes.

In the end, the mint begins to peak out a bit more, lavender and musk flank it, and there is the remnants of the citrus. Not very complex. Smooth and spicier in the dry down.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it starts off rather strong before settling into a moderate fragrance. I got pretty good longevity out of Drakkar Essence also. I took a shower and scrubbed with body wash and could still pick some up on my skin. So yeah, no problems there.

Coming back to this scent for a second time, I found that it lasted on my skin for about 7 hours. That’s good enough, for most wears. Not a total workhorse, but very serviceable.

Seasonally, this will absolutely work anytime. I will give it lots of points for its versatility. It holds up well in the warmer weather and doesn’t feel out of place in the wintertime.

Drakkar Essence can be used as a daily wear or even a subtle nighttime fragrance. It’s simplicity and low key vibe, make it an ideal choice for an all-around type of cologne. It’s by no means amazing, but its usefulness and performance are indeed, its strengths.

Overall Impression of Drakkar Essence

Overall, is Essence worth a purchase? I like it. It’s pleasant. However, it doesn’t really stand out to me. I guess it’s a buy because it is a nice fragrance and not very expensive. Drakkar Essence isn’t a scent which will blow you away but it is quite serviceable and sometimes that’s all you need.

The grapefruit, musk, and minty opening is solid. I actually like the latter stages with the lavender, mint, and musk coming through more.

This isn’t a bad buy if you want something simple and straightforward. I’ve seen bottles for super cheap, as of late, so it may well be worth trying out for some guys.

Update: Everything about it is decent. Coming back to this one years later, I did get a bit more sage in the opening, this time around. Not around very long, but nice. Really, grapefruit and mint really kick early. It’s a bit better than I remember, just not anything that draws me in entirely.

Fresh, musky, lavender in the dry down. Bright and energetic in that opening, more of a clean and almost soapy finish to it. If under $30, it’s a fair option. Assuming, you have a strict budget and cannot go higher.

Le Male Terrible by Jean Paul Gaultier

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Today, we have review of another Jean Paul Gautier flanker fragrance: Le Male Terrible. This take on the 1990s classic cologne, Le Male, was released in 2010. I have tested it out and will present, how it smells, what are the notes, how it performs, when it can be worn, and if it is actually worth a buy.

What does Le Male Terrible Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, grapefruit, amber, lavender, pink pepper, vetiver

Click here to try: Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Terrible Eau De Toilette Extreme Spray, 2.5 Ounce

My Full Review

So, the opening of Le Male Terrible is very similar to the original Le Male. Immediately, you get the vanilla and lavender notes, and it conjures up thoughts of the first release in this series. However, the mint note is noticeably missing and instead you get a mix of grapefruit and pink pepper, in Terrible.

The pink pepper and grapefruit provide a warm and bright aroma in contrast to the cold/fresh/spicy element that the mint note would provide (I actually think that there is an unlisted bit of mint in here, just not as much).

It seems more subdued and smoother than the original. It also lacks cardamom and cinnamon, which makes it even less spicy. It does have a bit of a fresh kick from the pink pepper and later vetiver, but it’s not a particularly spicy scent.

As it dries down, the vetiver comes out some more and adds a certain dry freshness to the composition of this Gaultier (best colognes). Mostly, though, I get amber, lavender, pink pepper, and the vanilla note for the rest of the way.

The amber is the base and the rest of the notes play within its confines. The strongest notes for the dry down are going to be the lavender and vanilla.

This one leans much more toward vanilla than lavender, which is a reversal of the original Le Male.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Le Male Terrible, isn’t too heavy. The sillage is more moderate, probably not as strong as the original, and definitely not as intense as Ultra Male. Overall, it will be noticed, but won’t overpower.

It can seem much lighter than it actually is, as I will catch whiffs of it randomly throughout the day, which I cannot say the same for with a lot of actually ‘weak’ colognes.

 

I’d put the longevity to about 6-7 hours, on my skin. It’s pretty much in line with the current bottles of the original. Not bad, but not elite in the slightest.

Seasonally, yes, it fits in with the cold weather predecessor of the Le Male lineup. However, it also has an ability to fit in during most of the rest of the year. Perhaps, Terrible wouldn’t be the best choice for the hottest and most humid days of summer, but it’s fine any other time.

It’s a versatile fragrance, that can be worn casually, at school/work, or for a night out. It’s not overwhelming, so it’s a safe bet pretty much anywhere you’d like to wear Le Male Terrible to.

Overall Impressions of Le Male Terrible

Overall, do I like Le Male Terrible? Yes, it’s a nice fragrance, that I’d put on par or close to it with the original Le Male. It’s not as good as Ultra Male, but it’s a really solid choice.

I do believe it has been discontinued, but you can still pick up bottles online. It is a fresh and straightforward take on the familiar original cologne, it performs well enough, and has good versatility.

The best scent on the market? No, but a nice option for everyday wear. It doesn’t do anything spectacularly well, but it is an enjoyable cologne to wear.

Update: Coming back to this one, Terrible really was one of the better releases from the Le Male series thus far. That’s not too surprising since it took so many cues from the original, but changed enough to give it a personality of its own. 

It’s possibly top 5 in the series. I’d include Airlines in that mix, Le Parfum, and I have yet to get a hold of Elixir (but it’s getting great reviews thus far. If not fifth, then, at worst a few places back. 

As of this update, it’s still around. But, it is getting scarce more than a decade after its release. Still don’t consider it a must have, so, I wouldn’t reach too high on the price.