Dior Sauvage vs 1 Million Cologne Comparison

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In this edition of my head to head cologne comparisons, I’m going to pit Sauvage by Christian Dior versus 1 Million by Paco Rabanne. People seem to want to know which of these colognes is better, even though they are very different from one another.

However, I’m going to try to make the comparison between the two to find out which one smells and performs better, and declare an ultimate winner.

Tale of the Tape: 1 Million vs. Sauvage EDT

Sauvage

Notes of Sauvage: bergamot, ambroxan, lavender, pepper, wood notes

Click here to try: Christian Dior Sauvage for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Original Sauvage Review

1 Million

Notes include: grapefruit, blood orange, rose, mint, cinnamon, amber, leather, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

Read my original review: 1 Million  Review

Opening

The opening of Sauvage gives off an aroma of amber, pepper, and the sharp bergamot note. There is a bit of spice to it but I do get a lot of the ambroxan. It’s nice and dries down to a clean/soapy scent with some slightly spice wood notes and the ever present bergamot.

Meanwhile, 1 Million starts off with an aroma that is similar to grape flavored bubblegum, which not everyone likes, but it does eventually settle down into something more leathery and slightly spicy than that candy-like sweetness.

Update: To my nose, the spiciness of cinnamon and mint come on more strongly, as well as the leather. Especially with newer bottles. 1 Million is still sweet, but don’t feel as much so as I remember.

The more time that has passed the less I actually like Sauvage EDT. It’s still got a sharp opening, which is alright, but it does get better than the initial start.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

Sauvage is a pretty strong cologne and can be loud at times. However, it pales in comparison to the strength of 1 Million. 1 Million is a nightlife kind of scent and has pretty much reached a classic status in that space, based mostly off of its performance.

Update: The newer bottles of 1 Million don’t have the same power that they used to. This used to be an easy win, but now, I’d say this two are about equal in the sillage.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Again, Sauvage is very solid, I usually get 6-8 hours of wear.

1 Million is somewhere in the double digits in terms of the number of hours it will keep going for. The Dior is good, 1 Million is amazing in this regard.

Update: 1 Million still is good, but no longer insane with how long it lasts. For me, the latest batches still slightly outperform Sauvage. It will be in that 8 or 9 hour range.

Edge: 1 Million

Versatility

OK, so, this is where I think Sauvage can have an edge against 1 Million. Sauvage is mostly a spring/summer wear, in my opinion, but it can also work fairly well during the rest of the year.

It is also probably more acceptable for office/school wear but can make the transition to the nightlife.

1 Million is mostly a cold weather scent for me.  If used lightly, it can be worn in formal or casual situations, but this fragrance really shines in the nightlife. This can give it a limited usability for a lot of guys.

Sauvage has the edge, there’s just more opportunity to wear it.

Edge: Sauvage

Overall Scent

Bottom line, I like the way 1 Million smells more than I do Sauvage. I think that it is a much more interesting scent and has a complexity during its dry down that makes me want to wear it again.

However, it’s not always appropriate to wear, while Sauvage has much more use as an everyday cologne.

Now, 1 Million’s scent isn’t far and away better than Sauvage, but I do give it the edge. Personally, I would take 1 Million Prive, over either of these scents…and there would be no hesitation.

If you’re dead set about choosing one of these two fragrances, consider whether you’d rather have a sweet fragrance or something that is bright and clean. Do you need a daily wear or are you looking for something to bring out for certain occasions?

These are two very different scents and have almost nothing in common aside from their immense popularity. I’d rather wear 1 Million, so I’d give it the slight edge, based on it’s scent and performance.

Update: So, with the performance, 1 Million isn’t quite what it once was. However, I still enjoy wearing it. Again, the more time with Sauvage, the less I enjoyed it. I know, it’s a bestseller, but the EDT is very overrated.

Sauvage EDP is great, though. Sauvage Elixir, also. If you want a Sauvage go with them. If you want a 1 Million besides EDT, go with Elixir.

Winner: 1 Million 

Dylan Blue vs Acqua Di Gio Profumo Cologne Comparison

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In this post, I’m going to do another head to head comparison between two popular fragrances that have been released in the past few years. One is, Acqua Di Gio Profumo. The other, Dylan Blue by Versace. Now, ADG Profumo is obviously a flanker fragrance of the orignial Acqua Di Gio, while Dylan Blue is its own stand-alone entity. How do these two scents stack up? Which one smells better? Which has better performance?

Tale of the Tape

Dylan Blue

Notes include: black pepper, violet leaf, grapefruit, bergamot, tonka bean, ambrox, fig leaf

Click here to try: VERSACE Pour Homme Sealed Dylan Blue Eau de Toilette, 3.4 Ounce

Read my Full Review of Dylan Blue

Acqua Di Gio Profumo

Notes include: bergamot, sage, patchouli, incense, and marine notes

Click here to try: Giorgio Armani Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Profumo 75ml (2.5oz) Parfum Vapo., 2.5 Fluid Ounce

Read my Full ADG Profumo Review

Opening

ADG Profumo has a lot of similarities to the original ADG but is much darker, marine, and spicier. The bergamot note is the main player as far as the summery citrus notes go. Dylan Blue starts out quite similar to Profumo but much lighter and seemingly less intense.

The incense note in Profumo gives it that smoky aroma and puts more of an edge on the spice, while the pepper note in Dylan Blue is much more subdued.

I think ADG Profumo has more character and smells distinct. Dylan Blue starts out quite like Profumo and then morphs into a Sauvage-like scent, it doesn’t seem to have an identity of its own. The one thing that I do think that gives it a boost, is the fig leaf note. That is prominent in the begining and is my favorite aspect of Dylan Blue.

Edge: Profumo

Projection

Dylan Blue is a good starter, not overly powerful, but you’ll know that it’s there. However, at around an hour or so, it gets weaker and settles into something definitively average.

Meanwhile, ADG isn’t a beast, by any means, but it is really good in this regard. The fragrance performs well, sticks around, and doesn’t nosedive into some weakened state.

Edge: Profumo

Longevity

Dylan Blue gives me 5-6 hours worth of performance, which isn’t bad. Profumo usually will go 7-9 hours depending on the weather or other circumstances.

Edge: Profumo

Versatility

Here’s where I think Dylan Blue has an edge. While Profumo can be used on many occasions, it strikes more of a summery vibe. It can be worn in the cold but it just doesn’t have the same appeal, in my opinion.

Dylan Blue is more of a spring/summer scent that can be worn casually, at school/work, and out on a date. It’s similarities with Sauvage make it more of a crowd pleaser, especially for the under 25 year old set of guys.

Edge: Dylan Blue

Overall Scent

Dylan Blue has struck me as plain generic, ever since I first sampled it at an airport. I bought a mini bottle, just to make sure I wasn’t mistaken, and my opinion didn’t change all that much. I like it, I think that it’s pleasant, and will work for plenty of guys. It’s grown on me a bit, but I don’t love it.

Acqua Di Gio Profumo is an enhanced version of the original. It’s bold, spicy, smoky while retaining a citrus/aquatic character. It’s not my favorite scent either, but it is so much more interesting to me.  It has better performance than Dylan Blue and is more unique.

If you want a citrus/aquatic that is softer and not as dark, go with Dylan Blue. If you liked the original ADG and want something more mature, go with Profumo. I’ll take the latter.

Winner: Profumo

Polo Red vs Polo Red Rush Comparison

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For this cologne comparison, I am going to take a closer look at two men’s fragrances from the Ralph Lauren lineup, Polo Red vs. Polo Red Rush. Which scent does it better? The original or one of its many follow up flankers. Which has the edge in performance? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape

Polo Red

Notes include: grapefruit, italian lemon, cranberry, saffron, sage

Click here to try: POLO RED by Ralph Lauren, 4.2 Fl Oz

Read my full review: Polo Red

Polo Red Rush

Notes include: mandarin, grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, saffron, orange flower, spearmint, red apple, lavender, red coffee, cedar, musk

Click here to try: Polo Red Rush by Ralph Lauren EDT Spray 4.2 Oz.

Read my review: Polo Red Rush

Opening

The opening of the original Polo Red is a whole lot of cranberry, citrus, and some saffron. It is very warm and hyper-sweet, the cranberry note is tart, but overall I find it intriguing and enjoyable when I’m in the mood for such a scent.

It can hit the nose pretty hard, but it’s a nice experience to spray on when in the mood.

Rush opens in a similar manner, but instead takes grapefruit, mandarin, pineapple, and apple. This produces a similar sharp/tart opening to how Polo Red does it. After 10 minutes or so, Rush comes into its own with spearmint, and musk. It becomes much more of a greenish scent and less like the original.

Which is better? I think Red does a better job with the fruity opening and Rush seems like a simple imitation, that doesn’t quite hit the same note. I do like Rush, when the mint comes into play more, but I still enjoy the original more.

Edge: Red

Projection

Polo Red has always started out strong for me and then faded into something that is light to moderate, staying power was never its forte, but the sillage did have a big opening.

Red Rush is of similar strength ultimately to that of Red, but I think that the original starts off stronger, and that peak is never really matched by Rush.

Edge: Red

Longevity

Neither of these scents has great longevity. Depending on how much I apply, I can get 4-6 hours from Red. Rush gets about six hours also. There doesn’t seem to be a clear edge in this category. I usually have to spray more of either, to get fairly basic

Edge: Push

Versatility

Seasonally, both of these colognes can be worn pretty much any time, but I like them in the spring/summer mostly. Both are mostly casual fragrances, that can be worn at work, or formally. Neither is super ‘sexy’ but both are pleasant and attractive. They serve the same role essentially, not surprising considering they share a name.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

To me, I still think that the original Polo Red is better than this particular flanker. I appreciate that Red Rush added some new things to the Red name, but it also shares many similarities with the original, and doesn’t exactly improve on any of them.

I’m not too sure of its purpose. Red Rush is enjoyable to some extent, but doesn’t do anything all that well.

The original Polo Red, while it has so-so performance, does feature a unique cranberry note that isn’t found in too many men’s fragrances.

I do think that the other Red flanker fragrances improved upon the original, but Rush is a step backwards and doesn’t offer much that is worthwhile for the price. Maybe by now, it has been put on clearance at some stores. If it’s super cheap, I wouldn’t be opposed, but I’d still pick the original.

Winner: Polo Red

Mr. Burberry vs Dior Sauvage Cologne Comparison

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For this comparison, I want to breakdown two very popular eau de toilette scents for men: Sauvage by Christian Dior vs. Mr. Burberry. Which one of these colognes is the better bet for most guys to try out? I am only comparing the EDT versions of these fragrances (which are the best sellers) and not the EDP’s, so keep that in mind. As usual, I will cover what’s inside, how each smells, performs, which is more versatile, and which is ultimately the winner.

Tale of the Tape

Sauvage

Notes of Sauvage: bergamot, ambroxan, lavender, pepper, wood notes

Click here to try: Christian Dior Sauvage for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Original Sauvage Review

Mr. Burberry

Notes include: tarragon, cedar, birch leaf, grapefruit, cardamom, sandalwood, vetiver

Click here to try: BURBERRY Mr Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce

Read my original review: Mr. Burberry EDT

Opening

Sauvage opens up with a bold and rather sharp bergamot note that is joined by calming lavender and a peppery kick. Within about 20 minutes, the warm smoothness of the ambroxan, takes the edge off of the pepper and the citrus notes settles down as well.

Mr. Burberry also opens up with a citrus note, this time, it is grapefruit. That is blended with woody notes, sandalwood and cedar, to create a subtle and super smooth aroma. There is also a cooling sensation from mint, that is brought in but isn’t too heavy. It’s quite clean and crisp. Plus, has an herbal undertone that emerges more later in the wear.

Which is better? Well, I’m not in love with either. Sauvage seems somewhat harsh to my nose at first but it settles down. Meanwhile, Mr. Burberry is pleasant, but isn’t all that interesting. Sauvage definitely captures my attention more and just has a better smell.

Edge: Sauvage 

Projection

I’ve always felt that the Dior fragrance was on the upper end of the moderate scale in terms of sillage and at times it can definitely be quite strong. With Sauvage, if you spray too much, it does have the ability to consume a room.

Mr. Burberry doesn’t do that. It is moderate and really completely average in how it projects off of my skin, definitely not as strong as Sauvage. I actually wish that the Mr. Burberry fragrances had more power, I don’t find either of them to be great.

Edge: Sauvage 

Longevity

For me, they are almost the same in terms how long they last, but Sauvage is just a little bit better. I get 5-7 hours from Mr. Burberry. Sauvage is usually 6-7. However, plenty of folks say they get all day wear from Sauvage, so it’s got the edge versus Mr. Burberry.

Sauvage EDT isn’t great but it’s a winner, in comparison. Sauvage Parfum and EDP are much better in this regard.

Edge: Sauvage

Versatility

There’s no real separation between these two fragrances in this category. Both of them are highly versatile and can be worn in a wide variety of situations and climates. That is one of the main selling points of each, is that, they aren’t limited to one specific time of year or situation.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Mr. Burberry is a pleasant scent to wear. It is low key and has a nice freshness from the grapefruit, woods, and herbal blend. It is a solid everyday wear and a totally non-offensive fragrance. I like it, but it never interested me, whenever I wore it. The whole thing felt rather flat and uninspired. I always wanted to wear something else before reaching for this.

I’m also no Sauvage fan boy, as I’ve made that clear in other posts. However, I do like it more than Mr. Burberry, and would prefer to wear it between the two of them. I think the overall fragrance smells better, has more energy, better performance, etc.

If it came solely down to price, I might pick Mr. Burberry, if I could get a better deal. But even that’s not a guarantee. Sauvage is the winner in this contest. If you want something that smells quite similar to Sauvage, that can usually be purchased for cheaper, try Luna Rossa Carbon.

I think Sauvage EDP is better than either. Mr. Burberry EDP smells good, but the performance is bad. So, I’d go with any of the Dior offerings before Mr. Burberry.

Winner: Dior Sauvage

Dark Rebel by John Varvatos

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Another sample that I’ve had lying around the house, is a 2015 release from John Varvatos: Dark Rebel. Both the name and the description of the fragrance interested me, which made me think that is one I’d definitely want to try out.

After wearing it for a while, does Dark Rebel actually meet expectations? What does this cologne smell like? How does it perform? is it worth a buy?

What does Dark Rebel Smell Like?

Notes include: tobacco, rum, fir, leather, vanilla, black pepper, cardamom, sugar cane, sage, nutmeg

Click here to try: John Varvatos Dark Rebel Eau de Toilette Spray, 4.2 fl. Oz. mens cologne

My Full Wear Review

Before we get started into my review, let’s see how John Varvatos describes Dark Rebel: is a blend of sweet tobacco leaves, intoxicating spirits, and warm sensual woods.

The opening of Dark Rebel is a harsh blast of pepper, rum, and tobacco. Immediately, this cologne brings to mind, Man in Black by Bvlgari; in terms of how it smells. These two colognes have extremely similar ingredients, however, the arrangement and intensity of their commonalities are different. You get a similar smell, just with a different blend.

Dark Rebel has that intense black pepper smell for about ten minutes at the start versus Man in Black having a boozier and less intense cinnamon from the jump. Both have rum and leather, but Dark Rebel has a greater use of tobacco throughout.

Anyway, after about ten minutes, you begin to get deeper into the composition of this John Varvatos scent. I start to get way more sweet tobacco and a slight sugary vanilla, after the pepper has been pushed out. It smells much better to me, at this point versus the hyper-peppery opening.

Even further along, the fragrance is mostly composed of the leather and tobacco and the slight spiced rum. But, there is also an added woody and herbal element.

Fir, sage, and cardamom are playing in the background and giving Dark Rebel a smooth outdoorsy appeal.

I really enjoy the way that this smells. Obviously, it overlaps so much with another fragrance that I own, but it’s unique spots are still enjoyable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on this is moderate. The first ten minutes are strong, then a few hours at moderate, and finally it is light for the remainder of the wear. It really tapers off rather quickly.

In total, I get about four hours from it, before it is too faint for me to notice. The performance is pretty disappointing, as I have even sprayed this on a shirt, that is a few feet away from me and hours after…I don’t even catch whiffs.

Seasonally, strictly cold weather, just like Man in Black. It can be worn casually or on a night out. Obviously, the style is that leather jacket clad man, who is stylish without giving it much effort.

It’s a sexy fragrance and one that women will probably enjoy, as they have done so while I’ve worn the Bvlgari out for the past year plus.

It’s light enough to wear on other occasions, so, I wouldn’t expect it to offend anyone. It really depends if you can personally get any performance out of Dark Rebel

Overall Impressions of Dark Rebel

Overall, do I like Dark Rebel by John Varvatos? I mean, I do like it. However, I don’t like it as much as I like Man in Black.

That one just has a better overall composition, in my mind, and also has better performance (though, it isn’t great either).

So, ultimately, I have no need for Dark Rebel because it fits the same mold as another scent I already use. If you want more tobacco, leather, and wood rather than the heavier rum, leather, and spices found in Man in Black; then, this might be the better option.

There’s still tons of overlap, so, the cheaper option might decide between them.

I think that this may have been discontinued, as such it probably won’t be cheap for very long, in the online stores.