Spicebomb Night Vision EDP by Viktor & Rolf

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Spicebomb Night Vision EDT was released in 2019. The brand then quickly followed it, with an eau de parfum version in 2020. I’ve been trying out sample of both for the past few weeks to get a sense of how these colognes perform and whether or not they’re actually worth a buy. Please continue below for my full review of Night Vision EDP.

What does Spicebomb Night Vision Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: black spices, sage, lemon essence, fir balsam 

My Full Review

Spicebomb Night Vision EDP kicks off woodier and with a cooler spiciness than the original or others in this series. I get a bit of lemon essence and red pepper up top to give it some familiarity to the EDT. Though, this one isn’t as sweet to my nose.

The spices here seem to be a black and red pepper blend. But, the clary sage note, is the one that jumps out to me after the opening act begins to fade. It’s fresh and cool but also smoothed out by the woodsy base notes.

The wood is fir, but this is a fir balsam, giving it that sort of benzoin-like smell.

From here, it is a pretty straightforward fragrance. The spiciness fades and it becomes more of an aromatic freshness, which allows for some of the sweetness to peak back through. The woodiness and balsamic base scent sticks around from the duration, while the spice and fresh/sweetness trade places.

The individual notes aren’t too discernable, but the overall scent is pretty consistent thereafter.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The first hour or so of the wear has a fairly strong sillage and this one can project in the 5-7 foot range, with normal sprays. However, it becomes much more moderate as you get an hour in. Not a weak fragrance, but Night Vision EDP isn’t a complete beast. Very serviceable.

On my skin, I get a total of 7-8 hours of wear. Again, it’s worthwhile and pretty good as a whole. Though, don’t expect something that is too far above average with its performance.

Seasonally, Spicebomb Night Vision can fit from autumn through spring. Really, so long as it’s not hot outside, the fragrance is quite wearable. The good news, is that it is more of a nighttime scent, so you will probably also get some use during the summer months.

EDP is one that has a mass appealing smell and a level of sexiness about it. Not really a formal cologne, but one that can go from casual to semi-formal to dates to a night out without problem. Probably skews more to something a younger man would wear.

Overall Impressions of Night Vision EDP

Overall, do I like Night Vision eau de parfum? I do enjoy it somewhat. It grew on me, the more that I wore it during testing, but it never became something that I loved. Though, it certainly has its very good moments.

I like the coolness of the spice, the fir note, and the periods where you have a bit of sweetness. It’s a balanced and easy to wear fragrance, with plenty of appeal. It’s also an upgrade over the EDT version, which really isn’t that great.

Spicebomb Night Vision EDP will get you good, but not amazing performance and a nice aroma. Some may dig the smell more than others. It’s not really groundbreaking, but I do think it’s worth a try.

The main hang up for me, would be the price. If it’s discounted, yes. At full price? It’d have to be one that you would have to be all in on to feel justified. To me, the original Spicebomb and Extreme are both still better than this.

The Scent Intense by Hugo Boss

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The line of Hugo Boss fragrances released under “The Scent” banner, have had many incarnations over the past 5+ years. I’ve reviewed the original EDT on the site, but recently picked up the other offerings to try and complete the collection (I know, I’m late). Today’s entry is going to be of The Scent Intense. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does The Scent Intense by Boss Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, cardamom, maninka fruit, leather, vanilla, lavender, wood

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Hugo Boss describes it: An irresistible fragrance, unforgettable like a savored seduction. Exquisite notes of spicy cardamom, exotic maninka fruit, vanilla and leather unfold over time for an intense experience.

The Scent Intense opens up with a much spicier aroma than does the original. Off the bat, there is a lot of ginger and cardamom. The ginger is amped up from the original The Scent and the cardamom is a newer addition.

It’s a nice change of pace and I do like the intensity of the spice in the opening. The maninka fruit is still present, but it is without its citrus pairing. The Scent Intense is much less of a fruity fragrance, than is the EDT. 

The spicy top sticks around for a while, but Intense will quickly move into its leathery phase. Maninka, lavender, and leather are basically what is around for the middle act. To my nose, the ginger is gone, and the cardamom has weakened significantly.

Finally, the end game will mostly be vanilla and leather, along with the remaining maninka. I do like the combination of these notes, but I actually prefer the spicy opening act, to the vanilla and leather finish.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The Scent Intense does indeed open up with some power and the ability to project itself is actually really nice for a while. However, the overall sillage is pretty moderate, as the intensity drops pretty far once the spices have dissipated.

Nonetheless, it is much better than the completely weak EDT version. The longevity also goes for over 7 hours on my skin. It’s not completely beast mode, but very serviceable and useful for most purposes.

 

Seasonally, autumn through springtime like the original. It has a nice versatility, can be worn day or night, by a variety of age ranges and many different scenarios. The Scent Intense does have a sexy aroma, that should allow you to venture into the nightlife with confidence and appeal.

Overall Impressions of Boss The Scent Intense

Do I like this cologne? I do. In terms of smell, I actually do like the original a bit more. However, the performance here is actually pretty good, especially when put head to head with the dreadful performance of that original release.

While I like the leather and vanilla dry down, I wanted more of that initial freshness and spicy warmth that I got with the intense opening act. I enjoyed the cardamom and ginger mix, but it didn’t go on for long enough.

It seems like The Scent Intense is getting difficult to come across these days, since it was released back in 2017. It’s worth trying, if you can find it at a reasonable price.

I don’t think that it’s an amazing fragrance, but it’s very good overall. If one liked the original, this one should have something to offer you.

Spicebomb Night Vision EDT vs EDP

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Spicebomb flankers continued to be put out by Viktor & Rolf, with the Night Vision line being some of the latest examples, in their green bottles. Obviously, if you’re in the market for Night Vision, you’ll need to make a choice between the eau de toilette version and the eau de parfum. In this post, I want to compare them head to head after having tested both, and declare a winner.

Tale of the Tape: Night Vision EDT vs. EDP

Night Vision EDT

Notes include:  grapefruit, sage, black spice complex, geranium, roasted almond accord, tonka bean

Read my Full Review

Click here to try: Spicebomb Night Vision by Viktor & Rolf Eau De Toilette Spray 3 oz

Night Vision Eau de Parfum

Notes include: black spices, sage, lemon essence, fir balsam 

Read my Full Review: Spicebomb Night Vision EDP

Opening

Spicebomb Night Vision has been one that’s been sort of difficult for me to get a take on. This scent sometimes starts out sweeter, then, it’ll be super fresh and have that greenish finish to it. It’s taken me three or four wears to get a hold of this EDT.

The opening is a mix of a light grapefruit, sage, geranium, and what they’re calling a black spice complex. Basically, black pepper, but I think there is some chili pepper in there as well. Though, sometimes I swear I picked up a bit of cumin.

Nonetheless, it’s a herbal fresh spice with aromatic highlights. It will dry down with more of a smooth tonka bean and just a pinch of almond, if I really focus in. On my skin, I get a whole lot of sage and geranium, which seems to be a bit different from what other folks are picking up.

Meanwhile, Spicebomb EDP opens up with a cooler and woodier freshness, rather than a warmer spice. You do get a nice lemon essence, some red pepper, but it’s overall less sweet when compared to the EDT. 

The fir and maybe some light benzoin give this a fresh and balsamic aroma, but when I move away from the skin, it can hang in the air as a fresh sweetness.

Which is better? Between the two, I have to give the opening act to the eau de parfum. I’ve enjoyed it each time that I’ve worn it and the EDT has been confusing, as to how I feel about it, in the early stages.

I like the cold freshness, the fir note, and enough sweetness to keep it intriguing.

Edge: EDP 

Projection

Neither of the Night Vision fragrances, really brings that punch that other Spicebomb colognes are known for. Night Vision EDT is a light to moderate fragrance. It’s got a decent projection for an hour or two, then it’ll be much more of a skin scent.

The EDP starts out pretty strong, but will transition into a moderate sort of scent. In any case, Night Visioin EDP hits a higher high and stays elevated for longer with its sillage. It’s actually stronger than you think it is, with a few sprays, but not a monster.

Edge: EDP

Longevity

The EDT will last around 5 hours on me, before it fades away. Seriously, the longevity is pretty disappointing, even if you enjoy how it smells.

EDP isn’t that great, but it’ll hang around for 7-8 hours. The last few hours, it will be a skin scent, but it is still there. 

Great performance? No, but there is a clear winner in this category.

Edge: EDP

 

 

Versatility

Being two types of the same fragrance, they basically occupy the same space. Don’t wear them during the height of summer. Stick more to the nightlife. Not really a mature wear or one for formal occasions.

Each of them is attractive and has a certain sexiness to it. Should easily draw complements and have a level of mass appeal. 

I don’t really see a distinction in this category.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, which Spicebomb Night Vision is the better scent?

The EDT is one that I sort of like, but I’m mostly indifferent to. I don’t think that it’s a bad smelling fragrance, it just doesn’t really have that much appeal. Plus, the performance isn’t all that great. It grew on me, the more that I wore it, but didn’t gain that many points in its favor.

I like the spice blend, particularly the sage and geranium. The tonka bean dry down is just okay. There are better examples out there.

Night Vision Eau de Parfum is actually enjoyable to wear. It also grew on me, but by the end of testing it out, I was digging it. The cool freshness, fir woodiness, and the sweetness that comes and goes is overall well done.

Plus, the performance is way better, especially for Viktor & Rolf prices. Yet, it’s still not my favorite of the Spicebomb line. It’s a good scent, that should have many fans. Is it a must have? Not really. It’s a worthwhile cologne to try out though and is better than the original EDT.

Winner: Night Vision EDP

Spicebomb vs. Spicebomb Extreme Comparison

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Spicebomb is a long-time favorite of fragrance fans. It always delivered a great experience and a nice masculine smell. As such, anytime a flanker is released, people will love to give it a go to see if Viktor & Rolf have improved upon the formula. Spicebomb Extreme is once such flanker cologne that the brand has released. How does it smell? Which is better? Which lasts longer?

Tale of the Tape: Spicebomb vs. Spicebomb Extreme

Spicebomb Extreme

Notes include: tobacco, cumin, cinnamon, saffron, vanilla, bourbon

Click here to try: Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Extreme Eau De Parfum Spray 50ml/1.7oz

Read my Full Review: Spicebomb Extreme

spicebomb extreme edp

Spicebomb

Notes include: cinnamon, saffron, bergamot, pink pepper, pimento berries, white leather, tobacco, grapefruit, vetiver

Click here to try: Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.04 Ounce

Read my review: Spicebomb EDT

Opening

Spicebomb starts out as the name implies, with its spices out in full force. However, there is also a light citrus blend up top of grapefruit and bergamot. It’s more noticeable after the initial spray, but it does stick around for a while.

The cinnamon is the leader, a bit of pink pepper, and some underlying saffron,. After a few minutes, you will start to pick up hints of the tobacco and leather.

Spicebomb Extreme actually starts out much sweeter. The tobacco is the main attraction here, with vanilla and lavender. The spice is there, but secondary, and led by the same cinnamon and the additional cumin.

Which do I like better between the two? It’s awfully close in my opinion. However, I think I like the sweet/spice blend of Extreme somewhat more than the spicier original. Both are really great, though, I’ll give the edge to the flanker.

Edge: Extreme

Projection

As I recall, older bottles of Spicebomb used to have pretty heavy sillage. You could spray and the projection was really good, though, short of being elite. Now, it’s more moderate. Though, I still get a nice wear from this latest batch. Any rumors of its full decline have been greatly exaggerated.

Spicebomb Extreme is the stronger and better projecting of the two. It also is more consistent in its power for a longer duration. Extreme also isn’t the elite of the elite, with its sillage, but it doesn’t disappoint.

Edge: Extreme

Longevity

This latest sample of Spicebomb will go for 6-7 hours on my skin. The last hour or two, it’s pretty much a skin scent. The performance isn’t bad, just not as good as it used to be. Still very usable.

Spicebomb Extreme can go anywhere from 10-13 hours, depending on the day, skin, and climate conditions. It really is an awesome performing scent, especially for a more mainstream designer cologne.

Extreme takes this one, easily.

Edge: Extreme

Versatility

Both scents do have plenty of similarities. Seasonally, I’d stick to the autumn and winter for both of them.

For either, I’d generally wear both casually or for a night out versus any sort of a formal event. I don’t really see much of a distinction between them, in terms of how versatile each is.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Despite how the categories have shaken out thus far, this is actually a tough call for me, as I really like each of these Viktor & Rolf fragrances.

The original Spicebomb is always an enjoyable wear. It has a lot of overlap with another favorite of mine, Man in Black, so it’s an easy one to love. Yes, newer bottles have lost a step, but it’s really not as dire in my experience, as some have said.

The longevity is still pretty good and it can project itself moderately well. It’s just not an absolute beast.

Spicebomb Extreme is a beast. The performance is among the best, in terms of how long it will last on my skin. It also develops differently, with a greater emphasis on tobacco and sweetness, versus just being a spicy monster.

In terms of smell, I might give a slight edge to Extreme. Though, it’s close.

Performance is an easy win for Extreme, also. So, it’s going to be the overall winner here. But, bottles of Spicebomb can be found for much cheaper, if that’s a big factor for you…go with Spicebomb.

If the cost doesn’t matter, Spicebomb Extreme is the better bet.

Winner: Spicebomb Extreme

Soleil Neige vs. Soleil Blanc Perfume Comparison

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Soleil Blanc’s success as a fragrance has now spawned a series of ‘Soleil’ perfumes from Tom Ford. One of them, Soleil Neige, is supposed to duplicate the impression of sun against fallen snow. Both of these scents are popular, but which is the one that smells better? Which has the best performance? Which is the greater Tom Ford fragrance?

Tale of the Tape: Soleil Blanc vs Soleil Neige

Soleil Blanc

Notes include: coconut, bergamot, pink pepper, ylang ylang, cardamom, pistachio, jasmine, tonka bean, amber, benzoin, tuberose

Click here to try: Tom Ford Private Blend Soleil Blanc Eau De Parfum Spray for Unisex 3.4 Oz / 100ml

Read my review: Soleil Blanc

Soleil Neige

Notes include: bergamot, benzoin, jasmine, orange blossom, lemon, and musk

Click here to try: TOM FORD Private Blend Soleil Neige Eau De Parfum 1.7 oz / 50 ml Spray

Read my review: Soleil Neige

Opening

Soleil Blanc kicks off with bergamot and coconut as the top notes, which give it a beachy tropical feeling. But, that is overtaken by the floral notes led by tuberose and the spice from notes like cardamom.

Blanc is a somewhat spicy tropical floral at first, that will become much creamier as the wear moves along.

Meanwhile, Soleil Neige gives you that snowy impression as the name suggests. It also starts off with citrus, this time blended with a very nice jasmine note. It smells warm/creamy up close, but colder and powdery the more that I move away from it.

It’s an interesting dynamic and the jasmine is flanked by an orange blossom note.

Which is better? I like Blanc. However, Neige has the better start, in my opinion. I love the citrus top and how you do get that cooling and fresh sensation from the scent.

Edge: Neige

Projection

Soleil Blanc doesn’t have huge sillage, it’s more of a moderate. But, it is very consistent on my skin for the duration of the wear. Not a beast, but solid.

Neige starts out fairly moderate, but quickly becomes more of a light and airy kind of perfume. It doesn’t have that same consistency as Blanc. Nor do I think that it reaches the same level at its absolute peak.

Edge: Blanc

Longevity

I get really great performance out of Blanc, as it always lasts for more than 10 hours on my skin. It doesn’t have that insane projecting ability, but it gives you your money’s worth by sticking around.

Soleil Neige is an airy kind of fragrance, but it does keep around for about 7 hours. Yes, most of that will be very close to the skin, but it’s still there.

This is an easy win for Blanc, though.

Edge: Blanc

Versatility

Seasonally, both work great in the spring and summer months. But, I think Neige works better year round versus Blanc.

Neige is also more of a unisex scent. They technically both are, just more men would be comfortable wearing Neige versus Blanc. Blanc is a much stronger floral.

Blanc is a more mature scent. It can work better in more environments. Is more appropriate in an office environment, etc. Neither is super formal, but Soleil Blanc does a better job at coming close.

It’s better strength could also allow Blanc to be a better nightlife or romantic wear option. Again, wouldn’t say that it’s main focus would be those occasions.

I’m not sure which one has the edge here, it’ll mostly come down to you as an individual.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I like the way that both of these fragrances smell. They each are worthwhile to try out from the Tom Ford collection.

Soleil Neige is an interesting and mostly unique sort of fragrance. The aldehydes, citrus, and jasmine create a nice contrast of cold and warm. Plus, powder and creaminess. It early on has a lime blossom sort of aroma, then, takes on a vanilla creaminess later in the wear.

The main issue, is that, the performance isn’t great. It’s not completely worthless, but it is a lighter fragrance.

Soleil Blanc starts off as tropical and somewhat spicy. However, the spice becomes a background player and you get a nice suntan lotion-like floral perfume. It has enjoyable tropical elements and gets better as it wears on.

As a man, Neige fits more in line with my style. However, Blanc is the better scent overall. It has much better performance and will probably appeal to more people.

In terms of smell, they are pretty close. Overall, Soleil Blanc just gives you more.

Winner: Soleil Blanc