Mod Vanilla vs Vanilla 28

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Mod Vanilla and Vanilla 28 are two very popular inexpensive to mid-range priced perfume options. Obviously, the competition is between that signature note, and these can sometimes be the final perfumes under consideration for a purchase.

But, which of these scents is actually the better buy? Which vanilla fragrance smells better? Lasts longer? I’ve tested each of them and here’s my full breakdown.

Tale of the Tape: Mod Vanilla vs Vanilla 28

Mod Vanilla

Notes include: pink freesia, dark plum, vanilla, musk, praline, cocoa butter, orris butter, jasmine

Click here to try: Mod Vanilla

My full review: Mod Vanilla by Ariana Grande

Vanilla 28 

Notes include: vanilla orchid, tonka bean, brown sugar, amber woods, musk

Click here to try: Vanilla 28 by Kayali

Read my review: Vanilla 28

Opening

Mod Vanilla opens with a collection of lighter notes that will eventually fall into to the background, though they remain well-balanced even on the first sprays.

The pink freesia becomes immediately apparent alongside the notes of fresh musks.

The musk maintains its presence throughout the fragrance’s development, and while I don’t consider Mod overly reliant on this note, it does stand as the most prominent among the three opening accords.

Accompanying these two elements is a subtle plum that introduces an additional tart quality to what is already a notably sweet composition. From the very start, you’ll also detect some of the fragrance’s central aromas.

Vanilla makes its presence known, and is joined by praline and cocoa butter. The praline emerges as a significant component that will define much of this fragrance’s character.

As this opening act transitions, the freesia and plum become considerably softer within the overall blend.

Vanilla 28 launches immediately into its own sweetness. The tonka bean and brown sugar really stand out during this initial stage of wear.

While the vanilla orchid maintains its presence throughout, the fragrance clearly emphasizes those other two notes in the opening.

However, this perfume never becomes overwhelmingly cloying or juvenile in its sweetness. It’s more refined to me, than is Mod. The tonka bean does eventually soften, the vanilla becomes more prominent, and the composition develops some musky undertones as it evolves.

Which is better?

I really do like the opening act of Mod Vanilla a lot. There’s plenty going on, it’s more complex, and simply smells quite good.

However, I prefer how the Kayali fragrance starts out more. The tonka bean, brown sugar, and vanilla are really great in this mix.

Edge: Vanilla 28

Projection

In terms of projection, the Ariana Grande perfume delivers some impressive strength during the initial two hours of wear.

I was genuinely surprised by how effectively it projects and creates a noticeable scent trail behind you. While not overwhelmingly potent, Mod Vanilla does perform well above average in this regard.

Following that two-hour mark, the fragrance settles closer to the skin, though it doesn’t become a true skin scent until around the four to five hour point for me.

The projection with the Kayali perfume remains fairly moderate. You’ll experience about thirty minutes of solid strength with Vanilla 28 creating a pleasant aura around you.

After that point, it settles into a light to moderate range. It’s not completely weak, just not the type to fill an entire room.

The Ariana Grande fragrance definitely takes this category.

Edge: Mod Vanilla

Longevity

The longevity of Mod Vanilla proved surprisingly impressive compared to other Ariana fragrances that have been released.

This fragrance keeps up for over 8 hours on my skin, finally becoming undetectable somewhere between the 8.5 to 9 hour mark. For me, at least.

On my skin, Vanilla 28 lasts somewhere in the 5 to 6 hour range. Again, not particularly impressive, but still acceptable. Performance isn’t where this fragrance truly shines.

Another advantage for Mod.

Edge: Mod Vanilla

Versatility

Regarding the seasons you should wear Mod Vanilla, I like this during winter’s colder months. That being said, it works perfectly well whenever temperatures are moderate. Just avoid high heat and humidity, and this fragrance will be fine.

Vanilla 28 also works best during autumn or winter months. If you live somewhere with cooler spring weather, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to wear it. They’re the same in their seasonal use.

Mod Vanilla is a sugary sweet perfume, so don’t anticipate something suitable for formal occasions or office wear.

Mod appeals to a younger demographic, though some older women would certainly appreciate it as well. Mod has a delicious gourmand quality that feels fun, instead of something that is sexy or seductive. The overall vibe is casual and cozy.

Vanilla 28 works across various situations and does so better than the Ariana scent. It maintains its sweet character while still appealing to different age groups.

While it’s not a formal type of perfume, Vanilla 28 functions well in numerous scenarios on its own. Plus, you could layer it with another Kayali perfume to mix things up.

Edge: Vanilla 28

Overall Scent

So, overall which of these fragrances do I actually prefer?

Mod Vanilla is a solid release, though it doesn’t rank as my favorite Ariana Grande perfume or come close to the top of my list.

It shares some similarities with Cloud and isn’t particularly unique, in terms of how it smells.

If you already own and enjoy Cloud, you probably won’t need to add this one to your collection. While they are different fragrances ultimately, they cover much of the same territory.

I like the opening act of Mod Vanilla and the performance is much better than I expected. Really, could be a consideration when compared to the Kayali.

Yet, I prefer Vanilla 28 to Mod. I’m really drawn to the brown sugar note that it has.

Yes, it can be overly sweet or lack sophistication, but I think it works here, and isn’t a potentially cloying as Mod vanilla.

The performance sits in the middle range and trails it’s competitor. If you plan to wear this as a standalone fragrance rather than layering it with others, keep this in mind.

While it wasn’t completely disappointing in that aspect, Vanilla 28 isn’t a long-lasting powerhouse.

Overall, though, I think that Vanilla 28 just smells better and has a better vanilla note. So, it gets the win.

Winner: Vanilla 28

Le Beau Paradise Garden vs. Le Male Elixir

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Le Male from JPG has been a long-running and massively successful line for the brand. Le Beau, is the more recent line of colognes that they’ve released and has also ridden a wave of popularity.

Two of the scents from Gaultier, Elixir and Paradise Garden, have been recent standouts for them. Even if they’re not exactly similar smelling fragrances, they are options that people sometimes decide between.

So, which one smells better? Lasts longer? Is the one that you should buy?

Tale of the Tape: Le Beau Paradise Garden vs. Le Male Elixir

Le Male Elixir

Notes include: mint, honey, lavender, tonka bean, benzoin, tobacco, vanilla

Click here to try: Le Male Elixir at Amazon

Read my review: Elixir

Le Beau Paradise Garden

Notes include: mint, ginger, fig, coconut water, salt, tonka bean, sandalwood

Click here to try: Paradise Garden

Read my full review: Le Beau Paradise Garden

Opening

Elixir makes a bold first impression with its mint note, delivering a cooling fresh spiciness right from the start. This distinctive opening blends seamlessly with the signature Le Male lavender accord.

The tonka bean emerges as another key player in the early stages. While Elixir features a vanilla note that intensifies throughout the wear, the tonka creates a sweet, syrupy character when combined with honey and the fuzzy warmth of benzoin.

Meanwhile, Paradise Garden introduces itself through an interesting blend of sweetness, freshness, mint, and subtle aquatic undertones.

A greener character develops as the fig note asserts itself, complementing the coconut beautifully, while a pronounced ginger note makes itself known early on after spraying. The fig brings both sweetness and verdant freshness to the composition.

Paradise features a distinct coconut water element, though a certain creaminess remains present throughout. This is all supported by a base of sandalwood, fig, and tonka bean, which further enhances the creamy quality.

The sandalwood will become increasingly prominent in the dry down phase.

Which do I like more? It’s close, but I’ve been liking the mint, coconut water, and fig mix of Paradise Garden a lot lately. So, it gets the edge.

Edge: Paradise Garden

Projection

Paradise Garden isn’t too heavy of a fragrance, but it does project itself quite well and leaves a scent trail in its wake. It doesn’t have that same thickness, but you’ll know that it is there.

With Elixir, it starts off really strong, more of a cloud-like envelopment before it finally moderates.

Elixir is really strong stuff and it takes this performance category.

Edge: Elixir

Longevity

With Paradise Garden, I’ve been getting 8-9 hours of wear out of it. That actually is pretty great for a scent that you’re mainly going to be wearing in the summer.

However, it falls a bit short compared to what I get with Le Male Elixir which will hang around for up to 10.5 hours or so, on my skin.

The Le Male entry takes this category.

Edge: Elixir

Versatility

Elixir is pretty bold with its sweetness, it’s crafted for colder days and has a youthful energy that is good for nightlife. I’ve also worn it in a more temperate climate and Elixir was fine. Most guys won’t be wearing this to the office or some kind of formal black-tie events.

Paradise Garden falls squarely into that relaxed, summertime cologne territory. It’s tropical coconut aroma is built for daytime wear mostly.

Though, I could see wearing this on a warmer night out, at a bar or something. 

Neither fragrance really ventures into formal territory. They’re casual scents that’ll resonate more with younger guys definitely not something you’d rock at work. These are pretty even here, but I might give a very slight edge to Elixir

Edge: Elixir

Overall Scent

This is honestly a pretty close race between these two, but I think that Paradise Garden is slightly better. If I were to include Elixir Absolu, I’d pick that one over both of these options.

I’m particularly drawn to Elixir’s opening notes and how honey and tobacco enhance the Le Male line. It delivers a sweet, warm, spicy, rich, bold experience that’s genuinely fun to wear.

That said, Le Beau Paradise Garden wins my vote as the better JPG fragrance. The opening is a tad better and I have a slight preference for the entirety overall. You don’t have to give up much performance either.

It strikes an excellent balance with impressive longevity, a gorgeous tropical character, and an overall pleasantness that makes it wonderfully wearable. I’ve been enjoying spraying it on warmer days, since I bought it.

Neither of these would be my daily wear, but they are fun colognes that I will finish out the bottles of, at some point.

Winner: Paradise Garden

Born in Roma Intense vs Coral Fantasy

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Born in Roma is a popular series for Valentino, both on the men’s and women’s sides of the roster. Uomo Born in Roma has spawned off some well-liked colognes, two of which are: Intense and Coral Fantasy.

But, which of these two scents is better? In terms of how each smells and performs. I’ve worn and reviewed both Valentino options and will break things down in this post.

Tale of the Tape: Born in Roma Intense vs Coral Fantasy

Uomo Born in Roma Intense

Notes include: vanilla, amber, lavender, vetiver

Click here to try: Born in Roma Intense

Read my review: Intense

Coral Fantasy

Notes include: red apple, tobacco, patchouli, sage, geranium

Click here to try: Uomo Coral Fantasy

Read my review: Coral

roma coral fantasy review

Opening

Uomo Born in Roma Intense delivers some sweetness up front, but certainly doesn’t reach the same levels as the original release in this series.

The lavender plays a major part here, actually tempering the sweetness in this iteration.

Those mineral notes? Completely absent. I personally wasn’t a fan of them in the original, so I’m quite happy they’ve been eliminated.

Intense follows a distinctly different path than the EDT version. After that initial sweetness dissipates, it’s predominantly a lavender and vanilla experience.

Coral Fantasy begins with a sharp and succulent red apple note, which is flanked by cardamom with other spices in more subtle supporting roles.

Sage and some citrusy bergamot complete the opening profile. That bergamot pads out the red apple nicely. In the later stages, a freshness emerges through geranium, clean lavender, and tobacco.

Which is better?

It’s a close call for me. I do like what Coral Fantasy brings at the very start. It’s interesting, but I like the smell of Intense more in this part of the wear.

Edge: Intense

Projection

Born in Roma Intense delivers a powerful opening act, quite substantial, with a great projection . Particularly during those initial one to two hours.

No complaints regarding this aspect of the cologne. It’s definitely noticeable and leaves a pleasant scent trail behind you, for the rest of the wear.

Coral Fantasy is a more moderate fragrance overall. It doesn’t achieve the same reach as Intense or even the EDT, though it also starts reasonably strong. It’s also just not as heavy of a scent as is Intense.

Edge: Intense

Longevity

For much of my wearing experience, it remained primarily a skin scent. Roma Intense endured about 8.5-9 hours on my skin.

In my estimation, it wasn’t significantly superior to the original Born in Roma EDT regarding longevity. It’s certainly respectable, just not top-tier performance.

Coral Fantasy tends to persist in that 6-7 hour territory. Perhaps slightly longer, but I still consider it a step down compared to Roma EDT.

Edge: Intense

Versatility

Seasonally, both of these are best from autumn through the spring. Neither is built for hotter weather, but can do just fine when things are temperate.

They’re both quite versatile in their use cases. Can be worn by any age group, though, these aren’t very formal fragrances. Day or night wear for each of them is fine.

No real separation in this category.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I prefer?

I really do like the opening performance of Roma Intense quite a lot. It’s not perfect, but it is one that grabs my attention

Plus, this represents the peak of my enjoyment. The latter parts of Born in Roma Intense smells good enough, but strikes me as fairly uninspiring.

There’s nothing particularly thrilling  with it. Intense is merely a lavender and vetiver combination with lingering vanilla and amber emerging from the base.

Nevertheless, it remains a pleasant cologne with solid performance and deserves the win, when compared to Coral.

With Born in Roma Coral Fantasy, I was excited to try it out upon its release. Ultimately, it wasn’t as good as I had hoped for. The apple note is good and is the highlight of the fragrance, but I was expecting more

It was above average with decent performance.

Note: You could pick up something like the Dua Brand’s ‘inspired by’ version: Rome in Coral Fantasy to go along with a bottle of Roma Intense, if you really can’t decide between these two.

So, with either of these colognes, I think that they are likeable. It’s just that neither is all that great. However, Born in Roma Intense is my favorite thus far from this Valentino series and it gets the win here.

Winner: Intense

Pacific Chill vs Imagination

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Louis Vuitton has had a bunch of releases in the past five years. Two of those, which have enjoyed major success and popularity are: Pacific Chill and Imagination.

Chill seemed to get off to a slower start, but has apparently become quite talked about on social media since its release. So, since these are both well-loved fragrances, which one is better?

In this post, I compare each of these LV perfumes, after I’ve tested each of them out. Which lasts longer? Which is the one to buy?

Tale of the Tape: Pacific Chill vs Imagination

Pacific Chill

Notes include: blackcurrant, lemon, orange, ambrette, cedar, coriander, basil, carrot seeds, peppermint

Read my review: Pacific Chill by Louis Vuitton

Imagination

Notes include: citron, orange, bergamot, cinnamon, black tea, guaiac wood, ambroxan, neroli, ginger

Read my review: Imagination

Opening

Pacific Chill starts with a cold, sharp, and extremely fresh opening. Citrus notes take the lead, but it quickly reveals a prominent green element. Peppermint, coriander, and basil shake things up, creating an interesting first impression.

On me, peppermint dominates among these three notes, with the others playing supporting roles in the background. This balance shifts over time as the basil emerges more prominently, eventually replacing that minty aspect.

Blackcurrant enhances the sweet-tart personality that Chill projects and is quit strong for a while..

But, both mint and blackcurrant recede. Pacific Chill evolves into a citrus and basil-focused fragrance. On my skin, the orange and citron stand out distinctly, accompanied by an apricot-like aroma that comes on.

With Imagination, citron, bergamot, and orange. The citron eventually emerges as the dominant citrus note, but initially they’re fairly balanced. Orange reaches its peak immediately after spraying, but soon yields to the other two.

That orange and citron combination is great. There’s a lovely juiciness that evolves as the cologne dries down. The citron grows increasingly prominent as well. Also, a light guaiac wood smokiness.

Ambroxan is detectable from the beginning, outlasting other notes while subtly lingering beneath everything else.

Finally, there is black tea with neroli. The neroli adds additional spice and orange character, but this fades alongside the primary orange fruit note. There’s a fresh spiciness from ginger and just a hint of cinnamon. I don’t detect much of either, personally.

Which is better?

I really do like how Pacific Chill starts out. There’s plenty going on there. However, I like the citrus and tea that I get from Imagination in the beginning, a bit more than that.

Edge: Imagination

Projection

Both of these fragrances start off with a strong projection, while not feeling overly heavy, as warm weather scents.

After that, they moderate, while still being noticeable throughout the wear. Neither is a beast, nor are they weak at all.

I don’t notice a difference between them, here.

Edge: Push

Longevity

However, in terms of the longevity, Imagination actually has an advantage versus its Louis Vuitton companion. Not by a lot, but it was more consistent during testing.

With Pacific Chill, it hung around for about 7.5 hours, on my skin. It could probably go a bit further, but that’s all I got from it.

With Imagination, it usually fell in the 8-9 hour range. But, there are times, where it is still hanging around at about 9.5 hours into things.

Slightly favoring Imagination in this category.

Edge: Imagination

Versatility

Seasonally, both of these belong entirely to spring and summertime. Absolutely warm weather fragrances

Pacific Chill qualifies as unisex, but I’d argue it leans more toward the feminine side. It doesn’t completely cross that boundary, but its fruity shampoo qualities certainly push it in that direction.

With Imagination, it’s a men’s fragrance. Though, one that could be worn by anyone for the most part. Pacific is the more universal of the two in terms of who’d wear it.

Chill also presents as considerably more youthful than other LV summer offerings. Not quite a mature fragrance – more like a sophisticated teenager’s perfume.

I think Imagination smells more refined and has a more put together vibe for daily wear during the warmer months than does Pacific Chill.

That one fits daytime casual wear best. It won’t serve you too well for nightlife or even formal summer occasions.

I’m giving the edge to Imagination.

Edge: Imagination

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two Louis Vuitton fragrances do I like more?

With Pacific Chill, I do really enjoy the unique opening act, and how all of those notes interact. I think of it as a cold and refreshing summertime drink. This got me interested when I initially tried it out for the first, almost two years ago now.

Then, the back half isn’t as good. It’s more of a fruity shampoo sort of scent. Not bad, but reminded me of Garnier Fructis (I think that’s the one, anyway).

Frankly, I don’t think it’s better than Imagination. In terms of which I’d rather wear, I’d pick that over Pacific Chill almost every time, unless I wasn’t in the mood for it.

I ended up buying the Dua Brand interpretation of Imagination called #Imagine and wore that for most of the summer one year. They have a Pacific Chill-inspired perfume too. So, if you wanted something very similar to each of them for cheap, there you go.

As far as the Louis Vuitton originals go, I’m picking Imagination.

Winner: Imagination

imagination dupe

Born in Roma Intense vs Stronger with You Intensely

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Uomo Born in Roma and Stronger with You are two of the most popular mainstream designer lines, in the men’s fragrance space currently. And the Intense versions of each, are particularly sought after.

Today, I want to compare them: Uomo Born in Roma Intense vs SWY Intensely. I’ve worn both, tested them out, and now it’s time to choose between them. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the best one to buy?

 

Tale of the Tape: Born in Roma Intense vs. SWY Intensely

Uomo Born in Roma Intense

Notes include: vanilla, amber, lavender, vetiver

Click here to try: Born in Roma Intense

Read my review: Intense

Stronger With You Intensely

Notes include: pink pepper, cinnamon, toffee, lavender, sage, suede, amber, violet, vetiver

Click here to try: Intensely

My Full Review: Stronger with You Intensely

Opening

Stronger With You Intensely kicks off with its spiciness too, though here it’s warmer and doesn’t stick around as long as in the original. The pink pepper now takes center stage, with cinnamon and sage joining the mix.

I notice Intensely’s sweetness emerges earlier. That toffee accord mingling with cinnamon and caramel notes really gives Intensely a more lively character.

Uomo Born in Roma Intense still offers some sweetness in its opening, but definitely not matching the same level as found in its original release in the series. The lavender actually tones it down, playing a significant role in this version.

Those mineral notes? Gone completely. I honestly wasn’t fond of them in the original, so I’m pleased they’ve been left out.

Intense develops quite differently than its predecessor. Once that initial sweetness fades away, it’s primarily about the lavender and vanilla

Which do I prefer? I do like the way Roma Intense starts off. It’s balanced with the sweetness and improved over the original, but I think the Armani has this one.

There’s a more dynamic aroma, the spice is great, and I like how it plays off of the sweeter notes.

Edge: Intensely

Projection

Born in Roma Intense is a strong perfume, fairly heavy, with a good ability to project itself. Especially, in that first hour or two. No real issue with this aspect of the cologne, you’ll notice it and it will leave a nice scent trail.

Stronger with You Intensely, is the more powerful of the two, however. It reaches further and maintains its strength for deeper into the wear than does the Valentino.

Both are good, but Intensely is great.

 

Edge: SWY Intensely

Longevity

Roma Intense lasted 8.5-9 hours or so, on my skin. For me, it wasn’t that much better than the original Born in Roma EDT, in terms of performance. It’s solid for sure, just not elite.

Stronger with You Intensely is an excellent performer for a mainstream designer fragrance. I get 11-12 hours of wear from it, before it finally evaporates completely.

A pretty easy win for the Emporio Armani scent.

Edge: SWY Intensely

Versatility

Both of these are seasonally at their best from autumn through early spring. I think that Roma Intense might be able to pull off warmer weather better than can the SWY option.

While neither is a formal fragrance, the dry down of Roma Intense doesn’t have the sweetness and bolder facets that Intensely does. Both can fit in during the nightlife, but I think that the Born in Roma option has the advantage in this category.

 

Edge: Roma Intense

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I prefer?

While I do like the opening act of Roma Intense quite a lot, it still falls short of the Armani. Also, it’s the peak of my enjoyment. The back half of Born in Roma Intense smells fine enough, but is just rather boring to me. 

There’s nothing too exciting, just a lavender and vetiver blend with some remaining vanilla and amber coming from the base. Still a nice cologne with a good performance and worth checking out.

When I compare it to SWY Intensely, there’s not much of a question in my mind as to which of them I like more. Plus, the better performance of the Emporio Armani makes the choice even easier. 

Toffee, vanilla, and suede with periods of spice and lavender. Very nice, without the same chestnut note reliance as the rest of the series. I also like how the vanilla is blended in this edition. 

As of now, however, I do think that Born in Roma Intense is the best of that Valentino series. It’s the one that I would go with, if I were in the market for a cologne from that line.

 

Winner: Stronger with You Intensely