Invictus Intense vs. Invictus Legend Comparison

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The Invictus line from Paco Rabanne just keeps churning out new editions. The latest, is Invictus Legend, which came out in 2019. It is most often compared to Intense, but which of these scents smells the best? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy overall? Legend vs. Intense?

Tale of the Tape: Legend vs Intense

Invictus Intense

Notes include: orange blossom, black pepper, malt accord, wood, black amber, ambergris

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne Invictus Intense Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.4oz

My Invictus Intense Review

Invictus Legend

Notes include: grapefruit, amber, geranium, metal, mead accord, guaiac wood, laurel, sea salt, bay leaf

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne Invictus Legend eau de parfum for men 3.4 Fl Oz

Read my Review: Invictus Legend

Opening

Invictus Legend starts things off with almost a tropical sort of feel. It is a blend of lemon and grapefruit, with heavy aquatic notes and amber. The bay leaf, that is found in the Invictus line, is pretty faint in Legend.

Meanwhile, Intense begins with amber and a salty marine note. It seems more like salty breeze than anything oceanic. Then, the orange blossom note comes in, along with the boozy malted accord.

Which is better? It’s a really close call, but I think I still prefer Intense, over the newest release. I really dig the boozy and amber mix, it feels distinct, and darker than the other Invictus scents.

Edge: Intense

Projection

With the name Intense, you’d expect this one to be pretty clear cut. However, while Invictus Intense is fairly strong, the sillage isn’t crazy. In fact, I would say that Legend actually projects better than Intense.

It isn’t by much, but Legend will radiate off of my skin, by a few extra feet at its peak strength. Neither of them, is weak, however.

Edge: Legend

Longevity

With Legend, I can get 7-8 hours of wear out of that fragrance. It’s really good and will handle most purposes. Again though, Legend beats it out. I get 8-10 hours of wear, on my skin. Legend gets the edge.

Edge: Legend

Versatility

In terms of when you can wear each of these fragrances, they are about the same, excluding climate. Legend will work better in the heat, while Intense, isn’t really built for the height of summer.

Other than that, they are both pretty youthful scents. Better for casual wear, school, or nightlife. Not really professional sorts of fragrances. Legend gets a slight edge.

Edge: Legend (slightly)

Overall Scent

After trying out Invictus Legend, I found it to have many positive qualities. I especially love the citrus, toned down bay leaf, and greater use of amber than the original Invictus.

To me, Legend acts sort of as a midway point, between the original and Intense. It’s got great performance, aquatic elements, and a fresh aroma.

However, if I’m choosing which to wear, I’m still riding with Intense. I love the depth of this fragrance. I enjoy the booziness and amber, the sweetness, and woody base. I think it smells better.

If you liked the original or Invictus Aqua more, you might want to go with Legend. But out of these two, Intense is still number one. Though, I’d probably pick Legend as my second option.

Winner: Intense

Jimmy Choo EDP by Jimmy Choo

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Well, it’s about time that I do a review of a Jimmy Choo fragrance for women, after doing write-ups on the men’s side of things. Might as well start with the original release from the brand, Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum, released in 2011.

I grabbed a sample some time ago to give it a run through. It’s seemingly always among the top sellers, nowadays, but is it actually any good? How does it smell? How’s the performance? Is it worth a try?

What does Jimmy Choo EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: patchouli, orchid, pear, orange, toffee caramel

Click here to try: JIMMY CHOO Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.0 Fl Oz

My Full Review

Before we get into my review of this perfume, let’s see what the brand has to say about it: A glamorous fragrance for women with a sense of fashion and a taste for luxury. The first Jimmy Choo fragrance envelops the woman with the sensuality and the essence of the brand through a Fruity Chypre perfume. An irresistible object of desire. 

Jimmy Choo EDP opens up with a mix of fruit and a very strong patchouli note. On the fruity side of things, I get the pear note with a bit of orange, sitting in a sea of patchouli. There is also the orchid note, hanging out on the periphery.

Right away, you’re going to need to be a patchouli fan, to be able to like this. That note settles down, later on, but it is intense with the opening act of fruit notes.

It’s a pretty aroma, while also having a sexy quality to it. Fashionable and well put together, sort of how there marketing has described this perfume to be.

The top is fruity sweet, then, the toffee note comes in to give it a warmer sweetness. At that point, the orange note is basically gone, and it’s all about the pear and toffee.

From there, the pear and caramel toffee switch places. The toffee becomes the stronger note, with the patchouli, and I even start to get more of the orchid. The pear hangs around, but isn’t the main attraction, any longer.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatilty

Sillage wise, I’d say this one projects pretty heavily at first, and stays fairly strong thereafter. Once you get past the first 15-20 minutes, Jimmy Choo EDP, no longer has any real ability to be overwhelming unless you went crazy with sprays.

It’s still got power after that, but it just isn’t a complete bomb, like it can be at first.

The longevity here is really good. On my skin, I can still detect it over 8 hours later. Is it a super performer? No, but it doesn’t quit in the middle of the day, and can make it for a full normal work schedule.

It’s a very versatile scent. I wouldn’t really classify it as being stuck in one season or another. Maybe not the best, in the height of summer, but good otherwise. That toffee and patchouli combo might be tough to pull off, during that part of the year.

You can wear this casually, dressed up, to the office, or for a night on the town. It’s a good all around wear. It’s attractive and has some definite sex appeal with its edible qualities.

Overall Impression of Jimmy Choo EDP

Do I like this perfume? Yes, I do. The opening isn’t my favorite, a little to much patchouli, but the dry down is great. That toffee, patchouli, and pear combination that hangs around for a few hours is near perfect together.

It’s a fragrance that does everything well, while not doing anything too incredible. However, as a daily wear it has its fans, and can absolutely find a spot in one’s rotation.

It does have sort of a Flowerbomb kind of style, but not the same weightings of each type of note found in these fragrances. But, if you enjoy that Viktor & Rolf perfume, this will probably appeal to you, also.

You get a solid performance, smell, and plenty of opportunity to wear it. It’s been around for near a decade, but Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum is still stylish, and attractive. If you find it at a discount, you can get a ton of value from this one. Even at full price, I’d say it’s well worth a try.

Dior Homme (2011) by Christian Dior

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Somehow, I’ve never gotten around to reviewing the Dior Homme line (other than Sport), up to this time on the website. Since I didn’t have a bottle of this stuff anymore and it’s been a while, I had to get myself a sample vial, and put it through its paces once again. In this post, I’ll cover what’s its notes are, how it smells, performs, and whether or not it is worth a buy.

What does Dior Homme Smell Like?

Notes include: vetiver, iris, cacao, bergamot, amber, leather, sage, and lavender

Click here to try: Dior Homme By Christian Dior For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

My Full Review

Note: Dior has updated Dior Homme with a new formula, that I have yet to try, but will smell quite different. It apparently doesn’t have the iris note. In this post, I am reviewing the last formulation, which was a sort of reformulation itself...Dior does these things. So, note that if you’re buying from the major retailers going into 2020, you’re going to be getting something different than what I’m describing here. I will do a separate review for the new release, when I get to test it out.

I am updating this review, a few years after the fact. Why? I needed to expand upon this fragrance and what it is. I purchased a bottle in the largest size, after my initial review, and it became my go-to scent outside of testing things for this site.

The opening of Dior Homme is a clean rush of iris, that has sort of a unisex quality to it.  However, there is this underlying cacao note that gives it a certain sweetness and helps to further the powdery aroma.

The cacao will get a bit stronger, later, but does make an early appearance. Dior Homme is very smooth and floral, especially once the lavender note begins its ascent.

What I think is unique about this fragrance is its use of bergamot. Obviously, lots of male scents use this notes, but here it is so damn subtle and just about perfect in how it comes across. It’s just a peak of citrus popping off of the floral/leather/cacao notes, which gives it this zesty freshness.

It is an interesting contrast, between the light juiciness of the bergamot, and the underlying dryness coming from various notes like sage and vetiver. The sage is only noticeable to me, for a brief period of time.

I’ve smelled it as a more intense note in other men’s fragrances, but it has never had that much power in this composition.

To me the cacao isn’t as noticeable as it is in Dior Homme Intense, but it does give off that sweetness, and I think it’s the leather that’s holding it back somewhat. Then, there is the vetiver, which has the woodsy sharpness that seems to tie things together.

What I’m ultimately left with is a smooth and fresh blend of mostly the iris and leather. The cacao and lavender, as a secondary pairing. Some amber, with whatever’s left of the other notes. It hits my nose with such a cooling sensation. Like, a really dry cold breath of fresh air.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I’d call it a softer fragrance. Not super weak but more toward the moderate end of the scale. It’s not an overwhelming beast, but does have a nice perimeter around your person.

The longevity lasts me from anywhere to 5-7 hours, depending on the circumstance, and it can hang around on the skin for longer than that…but that’s when it’s noticeable.

Update: with the full bottle and its powerful sprayer, the longevity is a bit better than 5-7 hours. Now, I’d say it’ll give me 8 hours, pretty regularly. 9 with good climate conditions.

Seasonally, I wear this mainly in autumn and winter. The springtime is great too, but I generally stay away from the heat of summer.

The high humidity can make it a bit messy. We’ve had a week of temperatures of 50-75 degrees Fahrenheit, and Dior Homme, fits in beautifully.

In terms of its versatility, Dior Homme is on the dressy casual to fully dressed up end of things. Though, I would honestly have no problem wearing this anytime, it does have that air of class, maturity, and refinement.

So, yeah, you could wear this casually or out on a date. It does have a sexy quality and women enjoy smelling it.

The reaction that you get will largely depend on how that person, deals with the iris note. Some don’t like the powdery or ‘make up bag’ sort of smell. Though, the leather and other notes, do prevent this from being a female scent…for me at least.

I’ve never once gotten a negative reaction from wearing Dior Homme, but I have gotten a ton of positive reactions. It’s not necessarily the most complemented, but it does draw them.

Overall Impression of Dior Homme

Overall, would I recommend Dior Homme? Of course. It’s probably a classic, at this point in time. It’s such a well balanced scent that has a interesting and unique aroma, that can be appreciated by anyone, and not just those who are really into niche fragrances. This is great juice.

I’m kind of sad that they’re reformulating this cologne. I still have plenty left, but I guess I may need to buy another back up bottle, unless the new version just blows me away.

Dior Homme is a modern fragrance, that is extremely well put together. It has been emulated by other colognes, over the years, but this remains my favorite use of the iris note. I love this scent, it’s basically my signature wear, if I can have one outside of my commitments to this site.

Bleu de Chanel vs La Nuit Comparison

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Over the past decade or so, La Nuit de L’Homme and Bleu de Chanel, have been two best sellers from two powerhouse French brands. YSL and Chanel are legendary. They have a ton of amazing creations, under their belts. But which of these colognes, smells the best? Bleu vs. La Nuit? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: La Nuit vs BdC

La Nuit

Notes include: cardamom, bergamot, vetiver, lavender, cedar

Try it out: Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’homme Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3-Ounce

Read my review: La Nuit de l’Homme

Bleu de Chanel EDT

Notes include: lemon, grapefruit, ginger, mint, pink pepper, incense, cedar, vetiver, patchouli, jasmine, and more

Click here to try: Bleu De_Chanel for Men Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4oz NEW in BOX 

Opening

Bleu de Chanel EDT starts off with lemon and grapefruit, providing the citrus blast that it is well known for. With that you get a fresh ginger spice, that is flanked by incense, pink pepper, and mint. The spices are stronger than any smokiness, at first.

La Nuit de L’Homme also starts off with a rather spicy citrus blend. This time, it’s a sharp bergamot note, paired with a spicy cardamom. It is warm and fresh, more so than spicy, and this is especially true once the lavender really begins to emerge.

I really do like how each of these fragrances begins. In the past, I think that I would have fluctuated between which one I believe to have the better start. Now? I’m pretty firmly in the Bleu de Chanel camp. It is more interesting and the aroma is slightly better.

Edge: Bleu

Projection

La Nuit by YSL starts off as a fairly moderate fragrance, with its sillage. It won’t take over a room, by any means, but it’s decent up top. After a few hours, it sits close to the skin.

Bleu de Chanel opens up stronger than La Nuit and stays close to that strength for most of the wear. Definitely has better sillage than, La Nuit.

Edge: Bleu

Longevity

La Nuit will go for 6-8 hours, on my skin. Generally, closer to six. Though, I have read, newer bottles may not have the same power as before. I cannot really comment on that. Bleu will go for 5-7 hours. Overall, it’s kind of a push.

Edge: Push

Versatility

La Nuit is a very versatile fragrance, just outside of the hottest temperatures. It can go from office, to night out, to casual daily wear. Best in the autumn and winter, however.

Bleu de Chanel, can also hit all of those same functions. What it can also do, is be worn in the heat. It can pretty much be worn year round. That gives Bleu, the edge.

Edge: Bleu

Overall Scent

La Nuit is pretty much a classic. The lavender and cardamom pairing, is simple yet delightful. It has such a fresh and sensuous smell, with a great cedar and vetiver base. I would have no problem wearing this scent, as it is a very good wear.

That being said, I think Bleu de Chanel EDT, is better. I like the citrus notes, the smoky incense, and the light spices from ginger and mint.

It’s fresh and insanely versatile. Neither of these are crazy good performers, but Bleu has the better power.

Again, I could wear either of these, but I think Bleu is just a cut above La Nuit in this match. You could grab something like each now, since there are a ton of colognes inspired by Bleu de Chanel.

Winner: Bleu de Chanel

Weekend for Women by Burberry

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I never really liked the men’s version of Weekend by Burberry, as it was pretty bad all around. However, the women’s version was always much more pleasant and attractive, in my opinion. I recently grabbed a sample, with my latest batch, and wanted to finally give this one a full review. How does Weekend perform? How does it smell? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Weekend for Women Smell Like?

Notes include: nectarine, mandarin, iris, sandalwood, peach blossom, hyacinth, rose hip, musk, cyclamen

Click here to try: Burberry Weekend Eau De Parfum for Women, 1 Fl Oz

My Full Wear Review

Burberry Weekend opens up with a light, sweet nectarine and peach blossom. Right away, however, I notice that this is going to be much more of a floral fragrance than a fruity one.

The hyacinth is quite present immediately and will hang around for the duration of the wear. The composition smells very clean and has a powdery/musk blend to it, as well. I’m thinking clean, like fresh laundry, sort of smell.

Hyacinth, iris, and peach blossom are the main flower petals that I get from this. The rest of them, don’t seem very distinct to my nose, but really well-blended together in this Burberry fragrance.

As it moves on further, it is less like a soapy fresh smell, and feels like being in a flower garden. Sitting outdoors, eating nectarines, with the flowers in full bloom. I like this part of the wear, much more, as it feels closer to a natural aroma. 

Finally, what I’m left with is: nectarine, peach blossom, musk, florals, and wood. Sandalwood with a touch of cedar, give it added freshness and balance. Relaxing flower garden, with nectarine, and wood. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This projects itself moderately. I’d say, somewhere in the 4-6 feet range, around the wearer. Not a complete bomb, by any means, but decent. It does have a lighter airy kind of aroma, not a heavier imposing one.

The longevity is great, not elite, but it’ll go for a long while. I got about 9 hours, from Burberry Weekend, before it disappeared. Definitely good enough for the standard workday.

Weekend, as the name suggests, has a casual and chill vibe. It is best worn during the spring or summertime, when the weather is warm, and sun is shining. It could absolutely be a daily wear to the office, also, as it isn’t going to be one that offends. 

It is a pretty and clean fragrance, rather than, a sexy one. It’s attractive enough to get complements, though. An easy perfume to have in the rotation for the warmer months of the year, that can cover a lot of bases.

 

 

Overall Impression of Burberry Weekend for Women

Do I like this Burberry scent? I do like Weekend for Women. If it didn’t have the nectarine, it’d probably be too much of a flower garden scent for my taste, but it’s great here.

The middle act and the dry down are lovely. The peach blossom and nectarine pair well with the other notes to give this perfume a naturalistic and pleasant aroma.

The performance is very good, it has a sunny personality, and gives you a clean wear. Is it super exciting? No. Not completely original, either, but it does deliver a versatile and rather beautiful smell. 

This is a nice option for those who want a low-key daily wear, or something to put on, when just hanging out. 

Update: This does seem to be the same scent as before, but the current bottle has been changed from the original. As of now, Burberry is still selling Weekend.