Acqua di Gio Profondo vs Profondo Lights

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Acqua di Gio continues to spawn off flankers, 25 years after the original was released. The latest is the Profondo side of things, with the awesome original, and 2021’s Profondo Lights.

Being a big fan of AdG Profondo, I was excited to be able to try out Lights and see if I had another one to enjoy. Which of these fragrances is better? Which lasts longer? Which should you buy?

Tale of the Tape: AdG Profondo vs. Profondo Lights

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

Profondo Lights

Notes include: cardamom, mandarin, patchouli, cedar, marine accord, vetiver, lavender, cypress, rosemary

Read my full review: Profondo Lights

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.

Profondo Lights goes in a different direction initially. I’ve said that Profondo is a blue fragrance with green-ish qualities, well, Lights reverses that.

It opens up with a bright use of the mandarin, a heavy bit of cardamom, and cypress coming through as the main bout of woody freshness. All of this is sitting on top of the marine accord.

Which is better? I prefer the opening of Profondo versus Profondo Lights. The initial few minutes of Lights, really doesn’t work well on me. It actually reminds me of having a less harsh apple cider vinegar aroma.

That does change and it gets better, but that alone doesn’t let it get to the same level of enjoyment as Profondo.

Edge: Profondo

Projection

Profondo starts out in the stronger sillage camp, but settles fairly quickly into the moderate. It’s got decent projection but isn’t ever super powerful.

Profondo Lights starts out as a moderate, never has the same strength, and sits much closer to the skin for a majority of the wear. Not completely weak, but fairly average overall.

I was actually kind of surprised, since they have such similar formulas, but Lights never hits the same level as the original Profondo.

Edge: Profondo

Longevity

AdG Profondo gives me a consistent 7-8 hours of wear. Admittedly, it’s not amazingly long lasting, but that’s a workday’s worth of wear. It’s solid.

Profondo Lights is again, a step behind. This stuff is gone from my skin in 5-6 hours. Not a complete waste, but it’s outdone by its competitor and Profumo.

Edge: Profondo

Versatility

I don’t really feel that there is much of a difference between these two, in terms of when they can be worn. Seasonally, I’d stick to spring and summer for both. Beyond that, they’re both fine in casual to semi-formal situations.

Easily can be daily wear sorts of fragrances for the right guy. At least, during the warmer parts of the year.

This one is an even split for me, no real advantage to either fragrance.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

This is an easy win for the original Profondo. Lights tries to go in a new direction, does some things well, but ultimately doesn’t really provide too much that is interesting to me.

Profondo Lights opening act is pretty bad. I don’t know if it’s just something with how it works on me, but I actively dislike the start. The blend of the mandarin, cardamom, and cypress just feels off to me.

Although, I like the latter stages, when it settles down…it’s never a love. It becomes more like Profondo, but Lights has a greener and more marine depth to it. One problem that I have with it, is that is has an underlying bitterness to the scent, that I don’t enjoy.

Overall, Profondo Lights isn’t a bad cologne. It ends up being okay, but that’s about it. The performance doesn’t do it any favors either.

Meanwhile, I am a big fan of Acqua di Gio Profondo. Along with Profumo, it is a favorite of mine from the series. It’s smooth, blue, with a great citrus opening and it’s a fragrance that I have loved wearing during the summer.

This isn’t a contest for me, I’d rather wear Profondo over Lights every time. The cardamom doesn’t add much for me and actually throws off the composition, in my opinion, and I’m someone who likes a good cardamom note. Here, it’s all just mehhh.

Update: Profondo Lights is now discontinued. To me, it’s still not worth tracking down and paying a high price for.  So, now, Profondo really is the clear winner.

Winner: Profondo

212 VIP Party Fever for Men by Carolina Herrera

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212 VIP was one of my every once in a while, nighttime favorites. It was a scent that I had to be in the mood for, but it was a fun cologne to wear, when the opportunity arose. It’s flankers have been mostly decent, but I think that Party Fever was my favorite.

I recently bought a decant from eBay, as I hadn’t tried it in a few years and wanted to do a full review before it disappeared forever from the secondary market. This is my write up.

What does 212 VIP Party Fever Smell Like?

Notes included: citrus, apple, tonka bean, vetiver, cannabis, juniper, ginger, geranium, and more

My Full Review

Party Fever opens up with apple, ginger, citrus, and cannabis as the most prominent notes. Honestly, if though it is rather distinct from the original, I do get that very familiar 212 VIP smell…just without the booziness.

It’s lightly spiced, fresh, and aromatic. I really like the apple note up top with just a touch of citrus in the mix. It does still have a similar effervescent quality to it like the original does. Not the same, gin and vodka blend, but it is uplifting.

After that, the cannabis and geranium become the stars of the show for a while. The base notes come of from the base to give it a woody/herbal type of aroma with that apple note still lingering around.

Yet, it retains its smoothness and a bit of sweetness throughout. The tonka bean does a very good job at moderating Party Fever and keeping it from being too much about the middle act.

For the rest of the wear, I get a fresh mix of cannabis, cedar, geranium blended with that impression of the original 212 VIP.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it’s above average and actually pretty strong initially. It doesn’t come on as strong as the original and never captures that same monstrous projection. However, it doesn’t have that same enveloping thickness, and still does a very nice job.

Longevity for Party Fever is nice, but not amazing. 6-7 hours is what it seems to be capable of on my skin.  That’s not too bad and pretty much what you’ll need for most nightlife situations. Not a complete club beast, but it gets the job done.

Seasonally, I could wear this out during the entire year without issue. Mainly, I plan on using this for nights out during this summer and I could’ve done the same in spring to great effect. That’s when it is at its best.

Party Fever for Men is much more versatile than 212 VIP. The original was really limited to nightlife, as it was so loud and boozy. Party Fever, while being a younger man’s fragrance, can be worn in other casual situations more easily.

Obviously, this isn’t a suit and tie style of scent, but it isn’t entire niche in its use case.

Overall Impressions of 212 VIP Party Fever

Overall, do I like 212 VIP Party Fever? I do enjoy it. It’s a more wearable version of 212 VIP with hints of other fragrances and a few surprises of its own.

The performance is solid, it’s not as beastly as the original was, and the smell is attractive. I like that it’s not too heavy and can be worn in the spring and summertime. I’m going to be wearing this off and on, until my mini sprayer is finished.

Naturally, since it’s been discontinued, bottles have been harder to come by. Is it worth the higher price? For under $100, maybe. If you really like this style of cologne, then you might be able to justify it on your individual needs.

For the mass of people? It’s not a must have. It’s a very good fragrance and a nice wear, but not a must have at any price. If you can still find it for cheap somewhere, it’s worth picking up. Even though, I like this and lost my bottle of 212 VIP, I don’t think I’ll be scooping up one of the last packages of Party Fever.

What fragrances smell like 212 VIP Party Fever?

212 VIP– The 212 VIP DNA is very noticeable in its flanker fragrance. This one is louder, heavier, and more of a club beast. At least, the bottle I had from 2015 was, not sure if it’s been reformulated or not since. It’s not going to give you the same versatility or warmer weather wear, but it can be a good alternative to Party Fever.

La Nuit de L’Homme Eau Electrique– Apple, citrus, geranium, and the base notes almost all overlap between Party Fever and Eau Electrique. However, Electrique is heavier on the tonka bean and vanilla, which gives more thickness and is more suited for colder weather.

Invictus– In terms of the actual smell, Invictus and Party Fever are two pretty distinct fragrances. However, there’s something about their styles, that makes me compare the two. Youthful, sweet aromatic colognes. If you like one, you’ll probably like the other. I prefer Party Fever, though.

Bad Boy Le Parfum– Yes, the cannabis note. No, it’s not the same, but it shares part of the same vibe. Also: citrus, vetiver, and geranium. Bad Boy Le Parfum is spicier and drier than what you get from Party Fever, but presents a nice alternative with a lot less of the fruitiness. My Review

Vodka on the Rocks by Kilian

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Vodka on the Rocks was one of the Kilian scents that I hadn’t tried, but wanted to based on the name alone. I wanted to see exactly how they were going to represent that drink, to make it a compelling fragrance wear. So, I grabbed a vial, as a part of the by Killian samples that I recently purchased. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

Kilian’s Vodka on the Rocks Overview

Notes include: rose, coriander, aldehydes, oakmoss, cardamom, rhubarb, sandalwood, lily of the valley

Click here to try: By Kilian – Vodka on the Rocks – 1.7 fl. Oz – no clutch 

My Full Review

The opening act does give you an impression of vodka. To my nose, it is cold and has a similar aroma, but isn’t a distinctly vodka smell like found in 212 VIP. Really, coriander is the strongest note here in the early stages and supported by the aldehydes, which I suspect give it the spirits-like scent.

It’s nice and fresh with a spiciness sitting underneath that chilled feeling. This goes on for some time before, this Kilian fragrance shifts a bit.

The middle of the wear is fairly soapy with that rose note poking through. The rose here, really reminds me of the one in Toy Boy, but that’s a better fragrance overall than this one. Not as prominent and Vodka also puts forth a lily of the valley note.

Finally, the scent really takes on a close approximation of A&F Fierce. There are so many overlaps in the notes, especially the mossy base, and the floral notes. Vodka on the Rocks ends up smelling like a fresh soapy rose/vodka scent, that’s sitting on top of a base spray of Fierce.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it is above average but not beastly. It seems to project itself to around 6 feet from the skin or a t-shirt, at it’s peak. I actually spilled too much on me, during one of my tests, but it wasn’t close to being unbearable of something that I needed to scrub.

The longevity is also good. At over 8 hours and can probably hang around for 9. Not a superstar performer, though, it is very solid.

Seasonally, I’d want to wear this autumn through springtime. It’d be best in colder to moderate temperatures. I’d just stay away from the high heat with this one.

While it does have that vodka impression, it isn’t as boozy as you might think. It’s safe to wear for almost any occasion, since it has that clean soapy sort of freshness. The versatility is probably Vodka on the Rock’s greatest strength.

Overall Impressions of Vodka on the Rocks

Overall, do I like this scent? I do like it, but it isn’t anything special either. For close to $200 per bottle, I would expect something a little less commonplace than this, like they managed to pull off with the beautiful Angels’ Share…which is a great boozy scent.

It does manage to get the chilled vodka aroma done pretty well and it is pleasant to wear all around. Vodka on the Rocks isn’t a bad fragrance, it does everything well, but it never wowed me at all. 

You might consider this, if you liked older bottles of Fierce, as this captures quite a bit of that style…just not exactly. The performance is also better than the modern bottles of that A&F.

Vodka on the Rocks is fine, just fine. By Kilian has so many other options better than this one, that it becomes kind of pointless to me.

What Fragrances Smell Similar to Vodka on the Rocks?

Abercrombie Fierce is the main one. Not exact, but the dry down is pretty close. They share the rose and lily of the valley notes, but Vodka on the Rocks is more floral and soapy than Fierce is. 

Montblanc Legend might be another option, since it has a close replication of Fierce. But, I’d say that Vodka on the Rocks is further away from that scent.

Both of these colognes are cheaper than Vodka on the Rocks, which really doesn’t do enough to justify the higher price.

Nirvana White by Elizabeth and James

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Nirvana White is one of the offerings from the Elizabeth and James line, which I’m pretty sure is being done away with. I’ve been familiar with this perfume for years now, but never did a full proper review. But, since I have a sample laying around, I figured that it was finally time. What does Nirvana White smell like? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Nirvana White Smell Like?

Notes include: peony, muguet, musk

Click here to try: Elizabeth & James Nirvana White Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.0 Ounce

My Full Review

Nirvana White is another one of my favorites from the Nirvana collection. Though, it’s probably the most feminine out of the ones that I enjoy, being a peony dominant perfume.

Peony is the leader from the get go, but early on the muguet (lily of the valley), makes its presence known. The opening is a mix between white and greenish aromas, smooth, a bit water, and a hint of sweetness.

That’s what you get for the opening. Once it develops further, the lily of the valley is pretty much gone and this is a peony and musk scent. Not too complicated by very nicely put together and very fresh.

So, it’s peony and musk for the rest of the way until it just fades completely from the skin. Super simple and straightforward, but effective.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Nirvana White is pretty middle of the road. It will project nicely from the skin for the first half of the wear, before settling into more of skin scent. There’s not too much risk of taking over a room with the scent, but you really don’t need to overspray, as any floral can be too much.

White will last for just over 7 hours on my skin. Very solid, just not anything amazing. But for the price that this usually sells at, I don’t really have any complaints.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summertime wear. Very floral and fresh and will fit in perfectly for the warmer months. It’s more of a daily wear or casual perfume versus anything sexy or a nightlife beast.

That being said, within those confines it’s pretty safe to wear in a multitude of situations, so long as you don’t go crazy with the sprays.

Overall Impressions of Nirvana White

Overall, do I like this perfume? I do. It’s a tad too womanly for me to wear as a man, but I liked smelling it during testing. I’m not a super peony fan, but it is enjoyable and Nirvana White is a nice example of it.

It’s a bit dewy and green in the opening act, but mostly sticking to the pink/white floral aroma. Then, the musk comes in and the muguet fades out. There’s a definite fresh crispness to this simple composition, which helps make this Elizabeth and James perfume quite wearable.

The performance is good, just not insane or anything. You do get your money’s worth from this. If you like peony or easy to wear musky floral perfumes, Nirvana White is a very nice pick up.

It is being discontinued along with the others from this label, so get a bottle now, if you really want to give it a try.

No.5 L’eau EDT by Chanel

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Chanel No.5 is the most well-known fragrance on the planet. As such, its Chanel’s bread and butter and really helped to build the company into what it is today, and it offers multiple versions/flankers to try to maximize sales.

No.5 L’eau was brought out in 2016, as a lighter and somewhat more wearable for a general audience option, versus the higher concentrate and more expensive original. How does it smell? Perform? Is it worth a try?

Please continue below for my full take and give your own score of L’eau in the comments.

What does No.5 L’eau Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, mandarin orange, orange, aldehydes, rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, musk, cedar

Click here to try: No. 5 L’Eau by Chanel Eau de Toilette Spray 200ml

My Full Review

The opening of L’eau really gives you those familiar Chanel aldehydes. The usual cool, fresh, and memorable aroma is where you’re going to be most reminded of the parfum version of the No.5 namesake.

However, what really separates No.5 L’eau is the citrus notes that are strong and present throughout. At first, I get a heavier weighting towards the lemon note. Then, as things progress, the mandarin orange and more generic orange note take on a larger role.

As the citrus shifts, the floral notes emerge for a while, but never take on a dominant role within the composition. I actually get more of the ylang-ylang than jasmine and there’s a very light rose for a short while.

What the floral notes do, is to combine with the freshness of the cedar and musk to create its more soapy like qualities. Add to that, No.5 L’eau does have a somewhat powdery aroma for a period with how the notes come together…a light orris root is in here, apparently.

I like it once that tug of war is settled and I get a fresh citrus and soapy fragrance. No.5 L’eau comes across as more of a balanced scent at this point and is an enjoyable wear. Not the most complex perfume, but there is some depth here, while being a lighter warm weather perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, No.5 L’eau is a light to moderate scent. That’s what it’s designed to be, so don’t expect an absolute bomb. That being said, for this style of perfume, the performance isn’t too bad at all on my skin.

I can get detect wearing it for pretty much the entire wear, without having to press my nose right up against where I sprayed. On a t-shirt, I can get a whiff of L’eau from 4-6 feet away, at its peak. Again, not crazy projection, and it’s more airy than heavy.

The longevity is okay for most purposes. 5-6 hours is about what I get. My skin is pretty good at not completely eating up fragrances, so your experience may vary for the worse or maybe the better. Nonetheless, it’d be nice if it could go a full workday at this price point.

Seasonally, spring and summer. It’s actually a great option for the hottest weather because it can hold up and thrive under those conditions.

No.5 L’eau is much more of a daytime sort of wear versus a seductive nighttime scent. Though, within those confines is a very versatile fragrance that’s safe to wear for almost any occasion.

Also, this can be an appealing No. 5 perfume for the younger crowd, who may not yet appreciate or enjoy wearing the original formula.

Overall Impressions of No.5 L’eau

Do I like this scent? I like it well enough, but it doesn’t strike me as amazing. I still prefer the EDP and Parfum versions of Chanel No.5 versus L’eau. The rating score below, is going to be dinged due to the performance, but the aroma itself is fairly nice.

I like the opening blend of citrus and the aldehydes. Also, the final dry down when things are fully settled smells good. There is a period where the citrus, cedar, musk, and aldehydes can feel too sharp. Like, it’s a mix of powder and soapy aromas, and that’s my least favorite part.

The floral notes are light here and give you the usual Chanel jasmine and ylang-ylang affair. Pretty standard issue, like found in Gabrielle and others from this designer.

Is it actually worth getting a bottle? I wouldn’t say that No.5 L’eau is a must have for most folks. Probably, No.5 fans who want a better summertime option or those who just want a lighter more youthful version.

For anyone else, it’s worth trying, but not necessarily one that you want to blind buy. Mainly, due to the fact you’d probably want to see how well it performs on your skin. The scent itself? Pretty safe and will appeal to a wide swath of the population, just give it a test beforehand.