Uomo Intense by Valentino

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In this review, I am going to take a closer look at the flanker release to Valentino’s Uomo, called, Uomo Intense. I have give it a few wears now and want to share my thoughts and experiences with it. I will cover what’s in it, how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worthwhile to try out.

What does Valentino Uomo Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: sage, iris, vanilla, leather, tonka bean, mandarin

Click here to try: Valentino Uomo Intense by Valentino EDP for Men, 3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Review

The opening of Uomo Intense is like a more leather heavy version of Dior Homme. It is darker, the iris isn’t as fresh as in that Dior, and there isn’t the sweet cacao note in there.

It is interesting, the Valentino Uomo colognes are so similar to the Dior Homme line, but Uomo Intense didn’t manage to retain the amazing start of the original or go with a Dior Intense opening.

So, the opening 10 minutes or so, it strikes me as a worse version of Dior Homme. However, it does begin to shift into its own thing, thereafter. There is plenty of leather but the vanilla not and a bit of mandarin orange peak through, and give it a different take.

During this stage, Uomo Intense, is really dominated by leather and vanilla. The iris is still there, but it isn’t a strong, as it later becomes.

As it dries down further, the iris emerges fully, and the powdery element comes in. It’s not a super baby powder smell or anything, but that natural iris aroma. With that is a creamy sweet vanilla/tonka bean combo, as the secondary layer.

Then, the final layer is that dark leather note, with sage. Kind of weird how I didn’t even get a bit of sage with my nose, until way later into this wear. This later part of the wear, is much more like Dior Intense than the original Dior Homme. It’s like Valentino made some hybrid of those two colognes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s really not that strong. The sillage isn’t weak in my mind, but it doesn’t hit the same level, as either of the Dior scents. It might be right around the original Uomo’s strength. Possibly, a bit greater reach off of the skin, just not by much.

Longevity is about 6-8 hours, depending on the day. Not terribly amazing, but it doesn’t quit on you, too early. Again, the Dior fragrances just perform better. Still, I find it to be perfectly usable and nothing really to complain about.

Seasonally, it works in anything other than hot and humid weather. Mostly, I like it as an autumn and winter wear, Uomo Intense is very nice in the cold air. It’s a more mature fragrance, can be worn to the office or for a night out, but doesn’t have too much of a casual vibe.

It’d probably be best worn by men in their mid-20s or up. Smells very nice, fresh, and attractive but not really a super ‘sexy’ cologne. Though, I’ve worn it out at night and it held up well.

Overall Impressions of Uomo Intense

Overall, do I like Uomo Intense. I really do enjoy it. The vanilla and leather are a really great combination within this fragrance. This is a really smooth and well put together fragrance.

On the other hand, I like the original Uomo, better. The opening of that is just amazing to me. I also wear Dior Homme, so I have no place for something, which smells like a slightly different mix of that and Dior Intense.

Plus, the opening of Dior Intense is the part that I like over Dior Homme the most, and it doesn’t exist in Uomo Intense. It is a great fragrance, it’s just that I’d put it fourth out of those colognes, personally.

As such, there’s really no need for me to own it, since it doesn’t do anything special. Very good cologne, without a spot of its own.

The dry down is probably my favorite part, when it really begins to show off the iris note. For some, this might be preferable to at least one or the other fragrances, I mentioned. Especially now, that you can’t find bottles of the old Dior Homme easily. I’d still go with Uomo EDT or Dior Intense, but check this out too, before it completely disappears from market.

7 Fragrances Similar to Mon Paris

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Mon Paris has been a fun and popular fragrance from YSL, with its blend of fruits and floral notes. A classic combination to be sure, but it’s sweetness and depth has made it a perfume with plenty of mass appeal. But, what if you’re looking for something similar, less expensive, or along the same lines as Mon Paris? This page will be dedicated to my running list of scents that are alike.

What Fragrances Smell Similar to Mon Paris by YSL?

She is Mine by La Rive– She is Mine comes within striking distance of the aroma of Mon Paris, at a much cheaper price point, but not exactly.

The berries, pear, and general fruitiness of the YSL is all there. However, this one doesn’t have the same floral or musk levels as found in our target. Plus, the vanilla note is pretty prominent here.

The sweetness is ramped up here it seems, just less depth, and overall staying power from this La Rive. Not exactly the same, but this one does a pretty good impression versus what you pay for it.

Ciao by Vince Camuto– Ciao isn’t among my personal favorite Camuto scents, but it does give us much of what we’re looking for in comparison to Mon Paris. Not to say that it’s a bad perfume, it certainly does have its charm.

This is another one that is in the same ballpark as Mon Paris, while for sure not being an exact match. Here, you get a mass of berries to kick things off. To me, the YSL has a mix of berries and pear up top, that is reminiscent of what you find here.

Ciao is sweet and jammy, more so than our target fragrance. Peony and rose are coming along to aid in the similarities, but in the early stages the lily and passionflower give the Camuto its real distinction.

It’s nice enough, solid performance, and a closely related to style to what we’re looking for. Worth a try, if you can get it for cheap.

212 Heroes Forever Young– The fruitiness is basically what you get with Mon Paris, the biggest difference will be in the floral accord. 212 Heroes Forever also lacks that pear note, that hits early in the YSL.

Forever moves away from the rose, peony, and datura found in Mon Paris. It does have the same jasmine note, just occupying a much bigger place in the composition than our target scent.

A fruity clean white floral fragrance with some added orange blossom and light woods. I like its freshness and while not a one to one match with Mon Paris, Forever gives you plenty to like with a similar style.

Pink Me Up by Atelier des Ors– Pink Me Up is a nice little fragrance, that has Mon Paris Intensement similarities.

However, the champagne note in Pink, sets it apart from either of the YSL perfumes. The notes are different, but the structure is very much alike. Here blackberry and champagne early on, with the rose (like Intensement) playing more of a role, as it dries down.

Towards the end, both fragrances are sweet, musky, rose-dominated floral blends. Not exactly the same, but liking one, will likely mean that the other would work for you as well. This is sweeter and more dynamic than Intensement.

Note that Pink is much more expensive and you pretty much need to order it online. So, not going to be one for those on a tighter budget.

Coach Coach New York, 1 Fl Oz– Coach EDP is one that has a very close fruity and floral profile similar to Mon Paris, but it also does things quite enough differently to be distinct.

This one features notes of pear and raspberry, going less floral, but still including notes such as rose.

The raspberry here is very dominant early, giving it a sweet aroma, with a smooth suede note included. In the dry down, it is a slightly fruity mix with a lot of clean-ish smelling flowers. At this stage, it is more about the pear with a bit of a powdery aroma from the floral notes.

Performance wise, Coach EDP is solid with 7-8 hours of wear and a good ability to project, without the sillage being too massive.

Valentina Pink by Valentino– Valentina Pink is another one using berries and roses to create a closely related style to Mon Paris. This one, goes with blackberry like some others on the list, but the strawberry will be the biggest factor in the mix.

The rose is heavier with this perfume, also. While it has the same peony and musk notes, they don’t seem to have the same level as Mon Paris. It’s sweeter (praline), has a more linear use of the floral notes, and a powdery quality to it.

Pink isn’t my favorite on the list, but it could also work quite well for someone who wants a perfume of this type, with nice performance.

Kate Spade New York– Kate Spade New York is highlighted early on by a strawberry note that is paired with a citrusy mix. It’s bright, fresh, and somewhat naturalistic fruity notes versus something that is synthetic sugary.

A bit sweet, a bit tart in the beginning stages. Then, some greenish notes and the rose essence will come through. The rose really isn’t heavy in this perfume, it’s there, just never punching you in the face with its presence.

The strawberry retains its hold for the duration, along with some cashmeran wood, floral notes, and the ambroxan note.

This isn’t one that’s an exact replica of the Mon Paris formula, but this perfume will give you a lot of the same style if you’re a fan of Mon Paris. Kate Spade New York review

Alien Flora Futura by Mugler

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Alien has been such a popular fragrance for so long, that it will seemingly never stop spinning off new flanker options based on that original concept. One of the latest perfumes from Mugler, is Alien Flora Futura, which I recently grabbed a sample of and tried out. How does it smell? How long does it last? When should it be worn? Continue below for my full take on this perfume.

What does Flora Futura Smell Like?

Notes include: orange, jasmine, white amber

Click here to try: Thierry Mugler Alien Flora Futura for Women Eau de Toilette Spray, 2.0 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Before I get into my thoughts about this fragrance, let’s see how Mugler describes it: Extraordinary flowers blossom at the heart of an addictive and fresh Eau de Toilette. Alien Flora Futura, a futuristic flower.

Alien Flora Futura celebrates the beauty of otherness: the beauty of being yourself, being different, being original. But also the beauty of hope. A hope and a uniqueness that are embodied in a desert flower. A flower of the future that blooms in a world of light.

Also to update this post, apparently this has two formulations with different notes. The other one sounds pretty interesting with night blooming cereus flowers and buddha wood. That’s not the sample that I got and the review is based on the notes I wrote above.

Upon spraying Flora Futura, I immediately pick up on citrus, a greenish aroma, and jasmine. The citrus does have an orange note (maybe orange blossom?), but it smells like there is a bit of lemon here also. I like it, it’s a pretty aroma, that does bring on memories of the original Alien.

The main differences between them, from what I can remember are: the jasmine is toned down here and so is the general power of the fragrance. Flora Futura should be a lot more tolerable for the average person versus the original Alien.

This one does have a bright sort of disposition. Quite upbeat and pleasant. Once the initial wave of citrus passes, there is more of the greenish smell and some watery elements. Like a cut flower stem floating in a vase. Some other unlisted floral note that isn’t jasmine.

As it dries down, amber and sandalwood really start to come through.  At this point, what you smell is what you get. Jasmine, amber, sandalwood, and whatever is left over of the opening citrus notes. Mostly, a light and somewhat creamy white floral fragrance.

Not very complicated or a journey with many twists and turns, but one that is nice to go on.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage with this one is pretty light to moderate. There are a lot of super loud and powerful fragrances by Mugler, but Flora Futura isn’t one of them. Not that it is weak, but I never felt as if this perfume would take over the room. A lighter and sheer sort of floral.

The longevity is decent, but not spectacular. 6-7.5 hours it’s lasted on my skin during testing. The last few hours being a skin scent. Not great, but again, this isn’t a heavy kind of fragrance.

Seasonally, Flora Futura is a spring and summer fragrance all the way. It thrives in warmer temperatures.

This could be worn casually in the daytime, to work, or any other daytime event. It is an attractive fragrance, but not bold enough for the nightlife. As a man, I do find it to be a pretty sort of scent, but wouldn’t really call it sexy.

Overall Impressions of Alien Flora Futura

Do I like this perfume? Yes, I do. It’s not an amazing fragrance, but I actually enjoyed the scent a lot. This can be a great option for those who want a lighter warm weather version of Alien. Alternatively, those who think the original is too much, may find this more to their liking.

Mostly this version is a jasmine affair. Somewhat unique and citrusy top, but full of white flowers, amber, and wood in the base.

It’s a clean, lively, and simple fragrance. The performance isn’t going to be great, but it is certainly passable in my book. Just don’t go into this thinking that Flora Futura is going to be a powerhouse.

This is a nice addition to the Alien lineup. I’m not sure if they made a futuristic floral, whatever that was supposed to mean (must be the other formulation). I do also dig Alien Fusion and Alien Goddess to about the same degree as this one. There are many more creative Mugler perfumes beyond what this accomplishes, but still very nice.

Update: I think that this one is now discontinued. Bottles are still around somewhat, though.

Shalimar EDT by Guerlain

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Shalimar EDT is a flanker of a different concentration to the original Eau de Parfum. Lots of similarities, but how does it differ? What does the EDT version smell like and is it actually worthwhile to try? I grabbed a sample recently to test it out for a full site review and share my thoughts below.

What does Shalimar EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, iris, jasmine, rose, vanilla, tonka bean

Click here to try: Shalimar EDT

My Full Review

Here’s how Guerlain describes it: A vibrant contrast between the fresh flight of citrus and the bewitching sensuality of both vanilla and powdery notes. Shalimar, let you senses take over…

Shalimar EDT opens with a strong use of the bergamot note up top. Obviously, it’s quite similar to the eau de parfum version. However, this one has a spicier kick early on versus the smokier aroma I get with EDP.

It also has some leathery facets to the aroma, courtesy of the tonka bean and vanilla, but less so than EDP. The bergamot here calms way down, on my skin, and this shifts more towards a powdery floral fragrance.

The iris, leads the way, and it seems like any rose and jasmine sort of just blend together into a more generic floral accord.

It becomes powdery, fresh, sweet, warm, with a light dynamic citrus still lingering. Mostly going to be all about that iris and vanilla combination, though.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Another difference with the EDP, is with the performance. Shalimar EDT isn’t a weak scent, but there’s a noticeable step down versus the original.

Still, that first hour or two is plenty strong. It isn’t a complete bomb that’s going to reach across of the room. After that, this one will be much more mild. Noticeable, but not popping hugely off of the skin.

The longevity is pretty good, just not great. For me, Shalimar EDT will last somewhere in the 6-6.5 hour range max. That is one drawback, with the EDT, it’s not a great performer by any stretch.

Seasonally, you’re more likely to get to use this one in the autumn and wintertime. Though, I think that it’d be just fine during the spring months too. Summer, is too hot and humid in most places for this to be very useful.

Within this timeframe, Shalimar can be used as a daily wear, casual, and pretty much whenever else you’d want to wear it. Not really a party perfume but it is attractive scent that is clean and non-offensive. Very versatile scent.

Overall Impressions of Shalimar EDT

Overall, is this one worth it? Absolutely. Shalimar is one of my personal favorite classic perfumes and the EDT is a great representation, with some of it’s own unique touches.

However, I do still prefer the original to this, and I think that Parfum Initial is about neck and neck with Shalimar EDT.

With EDT, I enjoy the bergamot and spicy top a lot. You get a nice amount of time with the citrus note and some more dynamism when compared to the EDP. Powdery and sweet with the iris and vanilla finish. It’s enjoyable as well, just not to the same level as the totality of EDP.

It might not be different enough for some people to warrant having a bottle of both. In that case, I’d definitely go with the Eau de Parfum first. But, if you want a somewhat gentler finish (less smoke and leathery aroma) with plenty of powder, then the EDT might be a good bet as your first option.

Alien Man by Mugler

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Alien Man was released in 2018, named after the long-running and popular ladies’ Alien line of perfumes. It’s kind of surprising that they waited literal decades after the women’s fragrances had been released to put out a men’s counterpart, but whatever. I recently grabbed a sample of the stuff, to put it through its paces, and see if I liked it. 

What does Alien Man Smell Like?

Notes include: anise, dill, leather, mint, lavender, pepper, thyme, lemon, vanilla, amber, and more

Click here to try: Thierry Mugler Alien Man, 3.4 Oz, Multi color

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Mugler describes this one: Alien Man EDT, a vibration of aromatic freshness, mysterious woody and sensual leather notes.

So, the Alien name becomes quite clear from the jump, because this one does smell pretty different. I think that it dries down fairly conventional, but it does start out with a weird sort of blend, that I’m not sure how to feel about.

First, there is a blend of smoky woods and the ever-present leather. However, along with that is a dill note and also thyme. Oh, also a cooling mint and fresh anise. Yes, indeed the dill does give it a slight pickle juice aroma. It’s not too noticeable on my skin, but it is there. Kinda strange.

Thyme and dill aren’t included in too many fragrances out there, even the women’s Alien went with being a jasmine bomb, and not venturing into odd notes. 

Alien Man is at least interesting. You get cool herbal freshness, sweetness (dare I say powdery), smokiness, and the usual leather and woods. Plenty of depth and the notes don’t always stand out individually.

I won’t say that it smells like Drakkar Noir or Passion by Elizabeth Taylor, but at times it definitely has that same kind of style. That classic style sitting underneath a different sort of opening act.

The middle will be a transition, loss of the dill and thyme influence, more of the herbal cool freshness. That will lead the way to the woods and leather’s growing influence.

The final dry down to my nose, is a fresh blend of woods (with surprisingly less smoke than it had before), with leather, herbal notes, and an amber/vanilla thickness. It’s deep and dark with its presentation.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is somewhat strong, though, I’d say that it’s in the upper range of moderate. It does have a thick/heavy kind of aroma and can be over-sprayed. Though, with a few sprays, it’s very tolerable. 

That opening can come off as kind of aggressive. I don’t think that it is massive or a slap you across the room sort of cologne. However, with the early note structure it does ‘feel’ stronger than it actually is.

The longevity is excellent. On my skin, this stuff can go 9-10.5 hours while holding on to much of its power. Mugler definitely comes out with some unique fragrances, but they are usually always awesome performers.

Seasonally, I’d stick to autumn and winter with this one. It’d be a mess in the heat of summer. Especially, that start. It really needs the crisp and cold air to be fully appreciated.

To me, this has a classic sort of smell, and can totally be worn at the office. That initial period of time, provides the futuristic aroma, before falling back into a leathery aromatic/barbershop scent. It fits well for all age ranges, really.

Alien Man is an anytime kind of fragrance, during those cooler months. Maybe go with something else for romantic or nightlife, but it can sort of fit in anywhere.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Alien Man

Overall do I like this fragrance? Not too much, but I don’t hate it either. I gave it several tries and I can appreciate aspects of it, just not the entire thing.

The opening is pretty strange to smell on my skin. Then, the smoky woods come in, with leather, and some sweet vanilla. When that happens, it feels a lot more familiar, while still maintaining some level of uniqueness.

It’s just an okay smell to me, overall. The dry down is basically a modern take on an old-school style that’s been done a thousand times. It’s fine, I like it enough to wear on occasion, but not for a full bottle. 

The performance and the uniqueness are all pretty top notch. That’s to be expected with pretty much all Mugler fragrances. They provide you at least something different and are bold with how they come across.

As such, if you dig the scent itself, it does present a very nice buying opportunity. I don’t fall into that camp, personally, but plenty of you very well may.