Mont Blanc Legend EDT vs EDP

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Legend from Mont Blanc is still being used to inspire new flankers for the brand. The latest is an eau de parfum version of the famous Legend formula. I recently got a hold of a sample of Legend EDP to test it out and wanted to do another comparison post, with the original. Which of these is better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Mont Blanc Legend vs. Legend Eau de Parfum

Mont Blanc Legend

Notes include: Bergamot, Pineapple Leaf, Sandalwood, Apple, rose, oak moss, lemon verbena, geranium, lavender,  And Tonka Bean

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Legend Eau de Toilette 3.3 fl.oz.

Read my review: Mont Blanc Legend

Legend EDP

Notes include: violet leaf, leather, jasmine, moss, bergamot, woods

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Legend eau de parfum 3.3 fl oz, 3.3 fl. oz.

Read my full review: Legend EDP

Opening

Legend opens with a blend of pineapple, bergamot, and apple. It is clean, but doesn’t have the same type of sharpness, as it is calmed by lavender and tonka bean. It also has a dry underlying aroma from the base, that will become more prominent later on.

Legend eau de parfum starts off with a pretty strong violet leaf note, some bergamot, and leather. It’s fresh and somewhat green, with what I’m guessing is their synthetic oakmoss substitute. There’s really not much going on here, it feels pretty flat.

Which is better? I’m not a huge fan of the original Legend, but I like the opening act more so than the EDP. It has way more personality. The EDP just sits there as a giant dose of violet leaf on my skin, with some additional notes lurking around, but not really standing out.

Edge: Legend

Projection

I’d say that both of these are moderate. I know EDP has the higher concentration, but it doesn’t feel any stronger when I compare it to the original. The sillage is about the same at its peak. Maybe EDP goes a little longer with its strength, but that’s about it. 

Not giving it an edge.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Legend EDT gives me 5-6 hours of solid wear. During testing, I’ve gotten between 6.5-8 hours of wear from the EDP version. Neither one is going to give a marathon type of wear, but the EDP has the clear edge here.

Edge: EDP

 

 

Versatility

Mont Blanc Legend is a very versatile scent and that’s definitely one of its strengths. It can be worn year round and fits in, within all environments. It is attractive enough for dates, can go out for an evening, but doesn’t have that massive club beast persona.

Legend EDP is about the same. The violet leaf and leather doesn’t really change when it can be worn compared to the EDT version. The leather isn’t that intense and the violet leaf works pretty much year round.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Legend EDP is a similar take on the original, but with some slight differences. Less of the top fruity notes, upping the violet leaf, and a leather/woody base coming through. The opening act isn’t all that great, but the dry down gets better for me.

I wish the leather was given more of a role versus the violet leaf. That would have given it more distinction and a bit more personality than it has. The performance is solid, just not incredible.

Honestly, the fragrance strikes me as just fine. If you liked the original, you’ll probably like the eau de parfum, even if you don’t necessarily need a bottle for yourself.

Between these two? I’d rather wear the EDT. Again, I’m not even much of a fan of Legend, but it at least has some more personality. The EDP is closer to A&F Fierce or Egoiste Platinum, than is the EDT, but isn’t as good as either of those fragrances.

There’s nothing all that new with the eau de parfum, to make it a must have versus the original. I don’t think it smells any better and the performance, isn’t that much better.

Winner: Legend EDT

3 Perfumes Similar to Chance Eau Fraiche

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The Chance line from Chanel is very popular. These perfume do offer something a bit different from one another, so, if you want them all the costs can get somewhat out of hand.

Chance Eau Fraiche is a great option for the summertime and if you want a comparable aroma or  just something similar for cheaper there are alternative options out there. For me, I haven’t found the exact same thing, but there are similar fragrance choices to be had.

What Perfumes Smell Similar to Chance Eau Fraiche?

Pretty Close Designer 

Versace Versense By Gianni Versace For Women Edt Spray 3.4 Oz– Versense by Versace is a pretty popular scent with the type of citrus and woody aroma we’re looking for. The opening notes are dominated by bergamot and mandarin, while it gets later support from cedar and fig.

It has a very similar aroma to Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche and Light Blue Pour Femme. Though, it leans more towards Eau Fraiche than it does the D&G.

The floral notes in this one share the jasmine, much like our target, but you also get a good amount of lily and some narcissus blended in also. Is it a complete match? No, but Versense gives you a more affordable option that covers many of the same bases.

Light Blue Plus Eau Fraiche

Bond No. 9 The Scent Of Peace Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Fluid Ounce– The Scent of Peace isn’t exactly the same Fraiche, but it does share some similarities in its presentation. Also, it quite often gets compared to D&G Light Blue, sort of splitting the difference between these two scents.

What it has in common with the Chanel, is the grapefruit, cedar, and musk notes. Also, the floral heart gives it a similar structure. The Scent of Peace is much more of a fruity-floral, as the black currant and grapefruit are quite strong and the cedar note is amped up for woody freshness.

In exchange for the jasmine and hyacinth, you get lily of the valley, with not as much floral punch as Chance Eau Fraiche. While it’s not the same, that citrus and cedar combo bring it quite close to what we’re looking for. Nonetheless, it is another great option with a fairly similar structure, albeit taking another path. The Scent of Peace Review

Similar Perfume With Rose

Chloe L’Eau De Chloe Eau De Toilette Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce – This one has a similar structure to Eau Fraiche, but takes things in a slightly different direction  L’Eau de Chloe is a fresh floral scent that is great for the summertime.

Citron, patchouli, rose petals are pretty key players here and there is some spiciness underneath the fruity and floral notes. At least, more so than our Chanel comp.

The main difference is going to be the rose note. It’s not a heavy rose, nor does it overwhelm the composition, but it does take the lead. You get a great citrus lemon, grapefruit, and peach mix. Then, comes the spiciness and woody notes which takes it to another level.

This is one of the better modern fragrances by Chloe. The woody freshness isn’t as intense, but it’s one that I think can fit the bill.

l'eau

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