Acqua di Gio Profondo Parfum by Armani

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Profondo Parfum was the Acqua di Gio flanker release for 2024. It is the third entry into the Profondo series, but how does it actually stack up?

I bought a sample of it and the original AdG Profondo EDP to see if there were major differences to take note of. How does this one smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

AdG Profondo Parfum Overview

Notes include: lemon essence, bergamot, marine notes, mimosa (everlasting essence), patchouli, cistus, mineral accord, ambergris

Click here to try: Profondo Parfum

My Full Review

The opening of Acqua di Gio Profondo Parfum is in many ways like the original EDP. The distinctions between these two fragrances become a lot more noticeable during the dry down.

But, early on it’s a familiar scent.

Profondo Parfum is a bit sweeter in the opening and less tart. It uses more of the mandarin orange note, without the bergamot playing as large of a role.

So, it’s closer to Acqua di Gio EDP, in that regard. That one had that really powerful mandarin orange in it.

Armani lists the bergamot and a lemon essence, but it still comes across basically like mandarin. The two fragrances are quite a lot alike.

The resinous aroma that I get with EDP isn’t here early on and I do get more of the marine influence. Sort of salty, less woody, but overall a lot of the same things going on here.

The dry down is where some more differences become apparent. This is the stage where you might have a preference for one versus the other.

Profondo Parfum has more of an amber finish with a mineral accord coming through, as well. I don’t find it to be overwhelming, but it is a change of pace from the wood in the EDP.

It has a denser aroma, it’s a darker and somewhat oceanic feeling, as some of the citrus influence has burned off. The amber becomes quite noticeable and is all tied together with patchouli and metallic hints.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Profondo Parfum starts off strong within that first 30-60 minute window. Not massive mind you, but it will certainly project well and make itself known.

After that, it will moderate and still have a nice ability to leave a scent trail. However, I didn’t notice a real difference in how powerful this one is versus what I get with EDP. To me, it performs the same in this regard.

Now, the longevity is slightly better with Parfum. I get around 9 hours more or less from this cologne. So, an extra 60-90 minutes of wear versus the original AdG Profondo.

Seasonally, it’s spring and summer just like the majority of the Acqua di Gio lineup. There’s no real change in that regard.

If you’ve had one of these colognes, you know that they’re versatile daily wears. Not super formal, but are going to fit in easily, be well liked, and non-offensive. It can be worn by any age group, etc.

It’s another mass appealing blue-ish and amber fragrance. A well done example of it, but there’s nothing all that new going on here.

Overall Impressions of Profondo Parfum

Overall, do I like Profondo Parfum? Yes, but I don’t really see a point to having it.

The changes between this and the eau de parfum are there, but I don’t think the higher price tag is justified. It’s sweeter, less woody, and has more of an oceanic influence to my nose. Later it’s amber, with metallic and greenish hints.

However, the performance isn’t much better than what you get with the original. As such, I’m just sort of like, why bother? There is enough distinction to tell the difference, but not enough to really give this one a go, unless I can snag it for cheaper.

It’s certainly better than Profondo Lights, which is probably my least favorite Acqua di Gio or close to it.

Is it better than Profondo EDP? Probably not. I still prefer that formulation to this, but this also isn’t too bad. A bit lower rating for sure, but I don’t particularly have a need for this fragrance.

There’s plenty to enjoy here if you already like Profondo. If it ends up getting deeply discounted, you can probably grab a bottle and perhaps get a bit more longevity than the original.

Smoking Hot by Kilian

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Smoking Hot is a 2023 release from Kilian, under the banner of their ‘Smokes’ collection of fragrances. I had tried and enjoyed this one before, but saw a travel sprayer during the Black Friday sales, and decided to give it a more thorough testing.

It is a perfume that has started to gain some more attention as of late, but how does it actually smell? Is it a long-lasting fragrance? Is it even worth a try at all?

Kilian Smoking Hot Overview

Notes include: apple hookah flavor, cinnamon bark, moss, Bourbon vanilla, tobacco absolute, Orcanox

Click here to try: Smoking Hot from Bloomingdale’s

My Full Review

Here’s how Kilian describes it: At night, there are no rules but one: just be Smoking Hot! KILIAN PARIS newest smoky fragrance is a truly caramelized delight. Evoking everything from European clubs to Eastern hookah lounges, Smoking Hot redefines what a smokey scent is today, going almost where it’s too hot to handle

Smoking Hot begins with an apple and cinnamon blend being quite prominent.  It smells  to me, like Apple Brandy on the rocks, just swapping out that brandy note for a smoky shisha.

Which is good, because the brandy is a note that becomes too bothersome to my nose, after a while. So, I really like what I get here with Smoking Hot instead.

It’s fruity, sweet, smoky, a tad spicy, and fresh. The cinnamon note isn’t as powerful in Smoking Hot, as it is in Angels’ Share, for example.

I was wearing this one again, recently, and kept getting this sweetish/spicy smell in the mix that I couldn’t immediately identify. I had to look up the notes again, to see that it was licorice. Not too much, but it’s fairly prominent underneath during the start of this one.

Plus, you do get some moss and a faint clary sage note, adding a lighter and somewhat greenish dimension to this scent. This is a good change up that adds a lighter fresher clean to it, along with that crisp apple note.

The smokiness does tone down, as will the apple note. The transition is still utilizing that mossy accord, the cinnamon, and the purer tobacco note comes through as more of a standalone.

Vanilla, will come on and stick around for the rest of the way. It is joined by Orcanox, which is another synthetic amber or ambergris note. Those two are with the tobacco and some touches of light spice.

Not a super complex perfume, but it’s still delightful in the fairly linear development.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one isn’t too heavy of a fragrance that bogs down on you. However, it is powerful with its projection, initially. This Kilian perfume is one that will absolutely be noticeable for most of the wear and gives you a long reach up front.

Though, I think it moderates nicely, as the fragrance transitions into the second act.

As far as how long it lasts, Smoking Hot will go 10-13 hours, on my skin. Very good performance, even if it isn’t the farthest reaching perfume out there.

No real complaints about this aspect of the scent. Sure, it’s an expensive fragrance, but it actually delivers what you’d want when dropping that much money.

Seasonally, this one is autumn through early spring. Maybe a bit deeper into springtime, depending on your local climate. That moss and apple freshness give this one enough lightness to work well even a past room temperature. Just skip the summer.

The versatility here, is obviously a weakness. It’s a fruity and spicy hookah aroma, not exactly what you might want to smell like on every occasion.

Nights out seems like the best bet. I’ve been using my travel sprayer a lot for that. Also, just around the house, for my personal enjoyment. I’ve still worn it out during the daytime.

I’ve gotten positive comments about this one and it’s pretty easy to like. Probably not best to wear it to the office, however.

On the plus, side it is a unisex fragrance, so the potential audience for this is wide, even if the use cases are pretty limited.

Overall Impressions of Smoking Hot

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, it’s one of my favorite perfumes from Kilian. Not perfect, but a very enjoyable one to wear.

I like the smoky hookah accord here versus what you usually get with more of a straightforward tobacco note. The fruity sweetness of the apple, the spice, and the warmer dry down are all great.

Early on, it has more freshness and the moss note is apparent in the transition. But, it will become a warm tobacco with less smoke, vanilla, and some spice.

The cinnamon and apple combination isn’t like what you get with Oajan, Angels’ Share, or even the old 1 Million Prive. Again, it’s closest comp to me is Apple Brandy on the Rocks and that’s still a way’s away.

They share apple, vanilla, ambroxan, and moss. I guess you could say the rum note, has a cinnamon spice to it as well, in that fragrance. Swap out the booze for hookah and it’s closer.

Now, is this one worth a buy? Possibly. It is expensive and might not have much opportunity to be worn, depending on your lifestyle.

It’s a great perfume. It’s also a perfume that you’d probably want to test out with a sample of it, before buying. Not that it’s a challenging scent to wear, but hookah smoke, isn’t a formal type of smell.

Le Beau Paradise Garden by JPG

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Gaultier’s Le Beau series seems like it’s going to be marching on well into the future. I recently bought the 2025 release, Flower Edition, and picked up a bottle of 2024’s Paradise Garden at the same time.

I’d encountered this one before, but wanted to finally give it an in-depth review after plenty of testing. How does this one smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

Paradise Garden Overview

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

Click here to try: Paradise Garden

My Full Review

Before I begin, here’s how Gaultier describes it: A sumptuous paradise of exotic creatures, like a lush Eden… it is here that Le Beau Paradise Garden can be found. Burning with passion, the original man displays a true sense of style with his embellished sculpted torso. Inspired by the 2010-2011 Fall/Winter ready-to-wear collection. The enticing tropical-green bottle and woody, heavenly fragrance are particularly noteworthy. Let yourself be carried away on this euphoric odyssey… simply irresistible.

Before trying this one out, I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d actually like this formula. Too much coconut, can get on my nerves. Le Beau Le Parfum, while a nice fragrance was too heavy with it to make me personally want to wear it more often.

On the other hand, I am a fan of ginger, mint, and fig. Luckily, the coconut here is a lighter coconut water, and isn’t overwhelming at all.

The opening is a mix sweetness, freshness, a cooling spice, and an aquatic tinge to it all. It’s got a greenish aroma from the fig, that pairs well with that coconut, and I personally get a substantial dose of the ginger note.

The fig is more of the fruit rather than the leaf, but it seems like you get a blend of both parts. Sweet and green.

Salt? Not too much that I can pick up.

While the coconut is a more watery type, there is still some creaminess to the mix. Some nice support from sandalwood, fig, and tonka bean, see to that. I get more of the sandalwood in the dry down period.

In this early stage, the cologne does live up to the ‘Paradise Garden’ moniker. Quite lush and it hits with a layered aroma.

The scent will simplify as we move forward. It’s still got a fruity and watery aroma, but this takes on a grassier and woodier finish, on my skin. It’s a mix of the fig, coconut, and sandalwood the rest of the way.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one isn’t a heavy fragrance, but it does have good projection for what this is. It’s a lighter cologne for spring and summertime. So, when you compare it to others in that style, Paradise Garden really shines.

However, I don’t find it to be a complete beast with its reach. I can spray Le Male Elixir or Ultra Male also by Gaultier and they’ll be detectable easily in another room. This doesn’t have that reach, nor should it. Overall very solid projection with a lighter moderate sillage.

The longevity here is really good. I’ll call it over 8 hours, maybe it reaches 9. A step ahead of the newer Le Beau Flower Edition, but not quite the same level as Le Beau Le Parfum.

I’m not sure why I’d need this type of scent to extend into the double digit hour range on skin, if it were capable. For me, no real complaints with the performance aspect of this cologne.

Seasonally, again, this is a spring and summertime wear. It’s been warm for February thus far, so, I’ve gotten to wear Paradise Garden outside a few times. It hangs in the air around you beautifully, with enough power to enjoy without getting overpowered.

I don’t think this would be terrible at all in milder temperatures either. Just seems like it’s at its peak when things heat up.

This is more of a youthful fragrance, so, don’t expect something that’s buttoned up or a formal sort of wear. If you’re younger, you can wear it to school. If you’re older, this isn’t a daily wear office scent.

Personally, I’m going to be wearing it casually on warmer days, trips to the coast, things like that. Sometimes, I’ll probably break it out at night. For most people, this isn’t going to serve as a main signature scent.

Overall Impressions of Le Beau Paradise Garden

Overall, do I like Paradise Garden? Yes, to me, it is currently the best of the Le Beau lineup. This extended testing with it won me over.

I’ve enjoyed wearing Flower Edition also, but this one is the better fragrance across the board. Plus, it’s one that’s actually currently available in multiple sizes.

I bought the 2.5 ounce (75mL) bottle and I feel like that’ll be more than enough to last a good long while. Not sure that I’ll ever finish Flower Edition in the 4.2 ounce size.

As a warm weather wear, this checks a lot of boxes. Good balance between the notes, better performance than a lot of fragrances, a laid back tropical vibe, and is just has a great smell overall.

I’m glad that I have another pleasant cologne to wear during the summer and isn’t just a citrus bomb. A good tropical coconut fragrance, that’s better than the old Eternity Now by CK.

This isn’t going to be worthwhile for everyone though. It’s a scent that will have more of a mass appeal, but doesn’t quite fit in enough places for people to justify a purchase of Paradise Green.

Le Beau Flower Edition by Gaultier

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Le Beau has become another popular line from JPG outside of the Le Male series of fragrances. 2025 sees the release of Le Beau Flower Edition from the designer, but how does this Gaultier cologne stack up?

I purchased a bottle to test it out to see how it performs. What does it smell like? How long does it last?

Le Beau Flower Edition Overview

Notes include: kumquat, lemon, violet leaf, tonka bean, cashmeran, patchouli

My Full Review

Here’s how Gaultier describes it: Enthralled by surrealistic nature, he lets his waking senses guide him and succumbs to the call of flowers. It’s the perfect symbiotic relationship! His sculpted body leaves no sensuality behind, the flower on his shoulder an irresistibly delectable invitation. In the presence of his intoxicating scent, a woody atmosphere shrouded in mystery begins to stir. Violet leaf, beguiling cashmeran, and mischievous tonka bean come together in a provocative, enticing trail.

Le Beau Flower Edition starts off being sweet, fruity, green, and fresh. I was hesitant about this one when I saw that it had a violet or violet leaf note. It’s really not my favorite floral note. But, I bought it anyway.

Though, it’s not what I was expecting. Here, it is a violet much more along the lines of what is in Boss Bottled Night versus a Dior Fahrenheit violet leaf. Not nearly as prominent or heavy by any means, but the scent is really sparking memories of that Hugo Boss cologne.

Maybe this is violet and violet leaf, with the former getting a heavier weighting than the latter.

This, along with the kumquat and slight lemon pairing up top is surprisingly good. It is in place of the coconut note, found in other Le Beau releases. 

Kumquat is a note that’s not used to often, but I don’t think either this or the violet takes over completely in this early stage.

It’s got a good balance going on between them, especially compared to another Kumquat freshie like the old, Gucci Guilty Love 2020 (which I liked, but this Gaultier is much better). 

I did think that this one might be a lot fresher than it is. It’s there for sure, but once the kumquat starts to fade, there is a somewhat musky/greenish transition, before it settles into a violet led ending. 

This is really the only time I notice any patchouli coming through, but more cashmeran to my nose.

The violet is paired with tonka bean and some of the remaining cashmeran. This dry down isn’t very fruity at all, still a bit sweet, with more of a powdery finish. It’s a really light perfume here, but I’m still catching whiffs of it.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is lighter. It opens up with a nice ability to project itself, but this isn’t a heavy feeling fragrance at all. That opening is pretty short lived and this will live its life fairly close to the skin.

It’s not a complete skin scent, you will notice it hanging around well in the air, but it just never punches you in the face with it.

While it’s not a super powerful fragrance, Flower Edition does stick around quite well on my skin. Not going to be elite, but I get just over 7 hours of wear from it.

Seasonally, this is spring and summertime all the way. The violet, tonka bean, and cashmeran dominate the late stages but they’re not heavy enough to sway Flower Edition into being one to spray on during the colder months. 

It’s February as I’m writing this initial review, so, I don’t expect that I’ll use this one too much over the next few months.

It doesn’t have extreme versatility, going to be more of a casual daytime wear for that part of the year. It’ll actually work well for a wide age range, however. Doesn’t feel too youthful to me, but it does lean more unisex.

This isn’t a hypermasculine floral scent, by any means. Not drifting close to Fahrenheit at all. 

Overall Impressions of Le Beau Flower Edition

Overall, do I like Flower Edition? Yes, I do like how it smells. The opening act is my favorite part, but I like the powdery, somewhat sweet, and slight musky feeling dry down too. 

This Le Beau isn’t a fragrance that develops all that much, but it is a perfume that is solid all around. Maybe, you’d want it to be somewhat stronger, but I think that it’ll be a nice one to spray on once it gets hotter out.

The big plastic flower on the bottle feels like it’s in the way sometimes, doesn’t look great, but I’m not so bothered with it.

The downside is that it costs over $140, at release. Plus, it was only available in the 4.2 ounce (125 mL) size on the designer’s website. Not sure if this is going to change at some point or if this is just a very limited run by Gaultier. Currently says it’s an online exclusive.

As such, we’ll see if it ends up at the discounters. For the bottle size, the price isn’t egregious, but it would’ve been nice to have a few options.

Is this a must have? No. So, don’t stress if you don’t ever find a cheaper bottle of Flower Edition. Very solid release from Gaultier, though.

I got this and a bottle of Paradise Garden. I slightly prefer that one to Flower Edition. For me, it’s a lot closer race between them than I think it will be for other people. 

1 Million vs 1 Million Royal

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1 Million has been a staple men’s fragrance from Paco Rabanne for a long time now. The original eau de toilette formulation has spun off many flankers under this banner, including the commercially successful 1 Million Royal.

But, the question is, how do these colognes compare? Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: 1 Million vs. Royal

1 Million

Notes include: Mint, Grapefruit, Rose, Patchouli, Amber, Cinnamon, White woods, Blond leather, Blood orange, Spice notes

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million By Paco Rabanne For Men Edt Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read my Full Review: 1 Million by Paco Rabanne

Royal

Notes include: mandarin orange, bergamot, cardamom, lavender, violet leaf, cedar, sage, benzoin, patchouli

Buy from Amazon: Royal

Read my full review: 1 Million Royal

Opening

1 Million EDT opens up with a blend of leather, rose, and its citrus notes (orange and grapefruit). This combination gives the fragrance a sort of  grape bubblegum like aroma.

It’s sweet and warm, with an ever increasing spice coming from mostly cinnamon, but also a cooling mint.

All of this is surrounded by the embraced of an amber note, helping to give 1 Million some of its boldness and thickness.

1 Million Royal opens up with a blend of notes vying for your attention. The mandarin orange and bergamot citrus are sitting on top of the mix, giving this an initial lightness and brightness.

Underneath, the warm spiciness of the cardamom and benzoin notes are already coming through. Royal will have more of a cardamom spice versus other notes here, but early I get a decent amount of sage and a touch of patchouli.

The latter, is only noticeably if I really focus and basically press my nose up against where I sprayed.

As we move along, the spiciness will tone down. I start to get a greater ratio of the lavender versus the cardamom and the benzoin will also begin to claim the top spot.

Which do I like more? While Royal has a very good opening act, that I enjoy greatly. I still prefer what the original Paco Rabanne 1 Million brings to the table.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

1 Million EDT used to be quite a strong fragrance. If we were talking about older bottles, it’d take this category for sure. Now, it’s still got a strong start, but moderates much more quickly than in the past.

Royal isn’t a heavy fragrance. Though, it has a lot more power than you think that it does. It’s kind of diffuse and the cloud that it creates around you is much more like a mist for most of the wear.

I’d say at its peak, Royal is probably a 5-8 foot radius cologne, in terms of its projection. After that, it’s going to spend a ton of time in that 3-4 foot range. Not bearing down on you, but I’ve noticed it hanging around without having to press my nose to my skin.

Which packs more punch? Nowadays, these two are about even with what they provide. 1 Million EDT feels a bit heavier, but it doesn’t project itself any further in my experience with each.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Older bottles of 1 Million would last well past 10 hours on my skin. With my latest bottle, that number sits closer to 8. It’s taken a step back for sure with its performance.

Royal, on the other hand, gets me about 8-8.5 hours of wear. Has never been a super long lasting cologne, but it matches what I get with the EDT.

In this category, I’ll call it an even match.

Edge: Push

Versatility

So, neither of these fragrances are going to be an office wear scent or something for formal occasions. Pretty much casual scenarios, nightlife, etc.

Each feels more appropriate in autumn and winter. However, they can also been worn at night in the spring, if it’s not too hot or humid out.

Both of them trends younger, but neither is completely juvenile. Both have more of a fun and mass appealing style versus being anything too refined or serious.

I don’t really see a distinction in this category either.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two colognes do I prefer?

It’s a very even match in terms of how each fragrance performs. But, which one of them smells better?

With Royal, I do like the change of pace. I like the warmth and spiciness that it provides, while still having some of the citrus notes and the benzoin in the dry down period.

I go back and forth between preferring 1 Million Elixir and Royal. Those are my 2nd and third favorites from the line, based on what’s available right now.

However, I still like the EDT a bit more than those two. Prive was my favorite, but now, 1 Million EDT is still the one that I’d go with.

I enjoy the opening act with the leather and citrus a bit more than the start of Royal. With the newer cologne, the opening is my favorite part of it, but it’s still not as good as 1 Million. Plus, the original is better in the dry down.

It doesn’t have the same power that it once did, but it is the more interesting fragrance for the entirety of the wear. Royal has a great start, but the rest of it isn’t nearly as good.

So, I’m picking the original 1 Million here.

Edge: 1 Million