Black Opium vs Prada Candy Perfume Comparison

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So, here we are, back with another round of perfume comparisons. Today, we have two sweet and popular designers scents for women: Black Opium EDP by Yves Saint Laurent vs. Prada Candy. Now, both of these are the eau de parfum versions of each respective scents. Which of these two gourmand perfumes smells the best? Which gives a better performance? Please continue below for my full take of them head to head.

Tale of the Tape: Black Opium vs. Candy

Black Opium

black opium perfume review

Notes include: coffee, vanilla, patchouli, pink pepper, orange blossom, cedar

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, Black Opium, 3 Ounce

Read my original review: Black Opium

Prada Candy

Notes include: caramel, musk, and benzoin

Click here to try: Prada Prada Candy Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 2.7 Ounce

Read my original review: Prada Candy

Opening

The opening of Black Opium is probably when it’s at its worst. It’s messy and has a lot going on. Orange blossom, vanilla, and cedar among other notes are heavily present and intense. The YSL scent just takes about ten minutes to work itself out before the perfume really gets going.

After that, we get a still super sweet fragrance, but the vanilla and emergent coffee pair up to straighten out the composition.

Meanwhile, Prada Candy, is also sweet just darker. It doesn’t have the intensity and swaps in caramel to be paired with benzoin and some musk.

I love the benzoin note here and it strikes me as being sort of like a more feminine version of Body Kouros, which is actually a Yves Saint Laurent cologne.

Between the two? I prefer the start to Prada Candy. Black Opium gets better, just the opening struggles for a bit. It’s kind of messy and I think some of the later flankers to Black Opium got it better, in this regard.

Edge: Candy

Projection

Black Opium is very strong perfume. A couple sprays should do it for just about any occasion and any more than that just won’t be necessary. Prada Candy is much more of a light to moderate scent and cannot compete with the sillage of Black Opium.

It’s probably a good thing for Candy, as if it were strong, it’d start to get annoying. Nonetheless, the stronger of the two is the YSL fragrance.

Edge: Black Opium

Longevity

I get about 6-7 hours from Prada Candy, on my skin. That’s solid and could be useful in a variety of scenarios. Still, it’s nothing that’s amazing or of great value versus the Prada price point.

However, Black Opium is an all day wear. I got double digit hours out of that perfume with no trouble at all. Performance wise, the YSL is dominant. Some later Black Opium flankers didn’t seem to ever reach this same level.

As far as I’ve experienced with the original, it hasn’t gotten noticeably weaker over the years.

Prada is serviceable, but Black Opium gets you plenty of bang for your buck.

Edge: Black Opium

Versatility

Both of these perfumes are cold weather wears. Both can be worn casually or at work. Plus, have enough sexiness to be worn out at night. Perhaps, Prada Candy is a bit safer for work because it isn’t as loud, but that’s really the only edge I see.

Either is a nice and sweet selection that can be a easy reach when the temperatures start to drop.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, the both of these perfumes are of the sweet, gourmand, and cold weather variety. Prada Candy is fairly linear and moderate in its presentation and performance.

You get the sweet and salty caramel and then later, more of benzoin and musk. There is also a dash of powder in there for good measure.

Black Opium EDP is a bold fragrance that isn’t dark like the name would suggest. It’s really sweet with vanilla and coffee.

Add to that, a warm pink pepper note, and the ever present orange blossom note. It has more of a rich and cozy feeling than does Candy, while also being more complex and ultimately more interesting.

Which is better? I’d go with Black Opium. For most ladies, it will be the better bet. Now, if you want something subtler, Candy might be the way to go.

However, Black Opium gives a better performance and outside of the opening 10 minutes of confusion, it smells nicer than does Prada Candy.

Winner: Black Opium

7 Best Smelling John Varvatos Colognes

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I think that John Varvatos makes some pretty good and masculines colognes overall. Two of these scents, I have reviewed here on the site thus far (Artisan and Artisan Aqua), and while both were very pleasant fragrances for men…they both had some longevity issue which made it hard to enjoy.

For this post, I want to select seven other scents from the Varvatos collection, which I consider to be the best overall (in terms of smell and longevity).

What are the Best Smelling Varvatos Colognes?

Best Overall Varvatos Cologne

Vintage– Warm, fresh, and incredibly smooth. Vintage is a masculine scent that grabs attention in an understated way. Notes include: tobacco, suede, tonka bean, jasmine, rhubarb, absinthe, and others.

The opening act is pretty powerful and ‘in your face’. Fir and a blend of spices announces that Vintage has arrived. Much like the other scents, on this list, it will settle down into something that is more palatable and great.

I love tonka bean, as a note, which gets flanked by that suede note and rich cured tobacco. As it dries down, I feel that it gets sweeter and the light citrus and rhubarb touches become a great deal more noticeable. Up top, those notes get lost in the fray, on my skin.

Performance is decent, but not anything that special. Nonetheless, this is probably the best smelling of the Varvatos colognes, or at least top 2-3.

vintage

Best Artisan Cologne

Artisan Pure– Pure is in my mind, the second best fragrance from the Artisan line. However, Black doesn’t seem to be around much anymore, so I’m putting this one on the list (Artisan Black is still below). 

Pure has the usual Artisan citrus flare, but pairs it with some nice herbal notes like thyme and petitgrain, to give it a slightly different touch. Pure is a very fresh citrus scent, full of rich green undertones, and a bit of a floral finish.

I like the smell of many of the other Artisan scents. This one, has better performance, and stands out with its unique aroma versus some of the other options. 

Hard to Find Artisan

Artisan Black-A citrus blend with supporting notes of ginger and some floral. This is a scent for the warmer months for guys who enjoy a sweet citric fragrance in the summertime.

I think that this one has now been discontinued. I haven’t seen any bottles of Artisan Black for a while. I’m going to leave it on the list, because you can probably hunt one down online, and I think that this was the best scent from the Artisan lineup. I’m also adding Artisan Pure to the list, as a sort of replacement.

black

Most Popular Varvatos

John Varvatos– A woodsy and leathery affair at first that emerges into a fragrance that has a certain sweetness to it present by the fruit notes. The initial start of the cologne is a mix of the leather and wood notes, like tamarind and fir.

Then, you get the fruity notes, mainly dates. Between the dates and wood, John Varvatos for Men has a unique yet familiar scent. Dates, vanilla, amber, and caramel give this one a sweetness to play off the spice and woody ingredients.

In the later stages, most of the sweeter notes fade away and you’re left with: amber, leather, and woods. The performance is pretty mediocre, so, I’d only pick it up for cheap (some other best cheap colognes for men). However, the smell is really attractive and a joy to wear. John Varvatos Review

jv

Dark and Spicy Cologne

Dark Rebel– Dark Rebel is a masculine and spicy scent, with many similarities to Man in Black by Bvlgari. It starts out with rum, tobacco, and pepper. The pepper note is pretty intense within that first 10 minute window, but settles thereafter. 

I like Rebel, once that spice has burned itself off. Vanilla, tobacco, with some underlying rum give it a sweet smoothness; that I find very enjoyable. Still further: leather, herbs, and woods emerge to give the fragrance an interesting finish.

Note: Dark Rebel Rider, probably has the better smelling opening act versus this one. However, the performance of that scent is atrocious. So, it didn’t make the cut.

Now, the performance here, isn’t great. Many John Varvatos scents (particularly the Artisan line), don’t last very long. Though, I wanted to give this one a spot because it does smell good. Another one that could be worth picking up for winter wear, if the price is right. Dark Rebel Full Review

Underrated Varvatos Scent

Star USA– Juniper berries, citron, woods, and ginger are the main stars of this moderate scent. It is woodsy and slightly spicy and kind of linear but not bad overall.

In fact, the aroma was always the highlight, even when the performance lagged. Star USA gives you that amazing citrus clean, pairs it with ginger, and finishes with a blend of woods. Together, it is super fresh and attractive.

Finishes very dry and clean. Wish it would have had more power, overall. Discontinued, but there are cheap bottles floating around in some places.

star

Newer Varvatos

XX Artisan Teal– I had tried XX Indigo and it wasn’t anything too great. However, the Teal edition of the XX series, is actually quite good. Surprisingly, the performance isn’t bad, unlike some of the other Artisan releases.

This one has a blue-ish marine aroma. Not fully immersed in sea notes, but there is a salty aquatic element to it. A mix of lemon and rosemary spice up top. All together I thought it might have an Acqua di Gio scent. Nope, close in style, though.

The blue/aquatic vibe and the pink pepper remind me somewhat of Living Stromboli from the Light Blue series. But, this is different. Muskier with more depth.

The dry down fully lets you enjoy the saltier aspect of this cologne along with the driftwood base note. Lasts six, maybe 7 hours. Not amazing performance, but worth picking up at the right price.

Original Vetiver by Creed

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Another day, another review. This time, I’ve been trying out a sample vial of Original Vetiver by Creed. Creed has some nice fragrances for guys, but I’ve also been disappointed or underwhelmed by some of their releases, that I thought were really bland. Sure, I can still appreciated the quality craftsmanship of each scent, but at that price if it doesn’t smell good…what the hell is the point? Does Original Vetiver fall into the same trap?

What does Original Vetiver Smell Like?

Notes include: vetiver, ginger, bergamot, sandalwood, musk, iris, ambergris, mandarin

Click here to try: Creed Creed Original Vetiver Men Millesime Spray, 4 Ounce

My Full Review of Original Vetiver

Obviously, the main attraction here is the vetiver note. However, upon the initial opening the citrus pair of bergamot and mandarin are very prevalent and work well with the soft spicy undertones of the ginger.

While I do enjoy vetiver in many different colognes, I was unsure about how I would feel about it being a dominant force in a fragrance, but I have to say that Creed did a great job at making it work.

Original Vetiver has a ‘green’ quality to it, that is almost reminiscent of a mint note. While there is not actual mint in this scent to my knowledge, Vetiver, does create that illusion at times when I’m smelling it on my skin.

Ultimately, the citrus and the minty illusion fall by the wayside and the vetiver takes center stage and never releases its grip. It’s such an utterly clean and invigorating scent, that seems to give you a slight energy boost when inhaled.

It’s quite a classic composition in this sense, once it’s settled, Original Vetiver is a fairly linear scent. That’s fine by me, as the soapiness of the fragrance, is crisp and masculine.

I enjoy how it subtly lingers throughout the day but I will say that it strikes me as an ‘old time’ fragrance, like something that was worn by men decades ago, which may limit its appeal with some guys.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s not overly strong but I never felt it to be weak, either. You’ll know that Original Vetiver is there, though, it isn’t going to overwhelm. It’s on the upper end of moderate, in my mind.

This fragrance has very good longevity and I get a full day’s wear out of it. Most all, Creed scents will give you this type of performance, as they are typically so well crafted. At least 8 hours, is pretty standard with this one, and can go over 10.

Seasonally, I would wear this at any time except for the height of summer. It doesn’t strike me as having a summery vibe and I’m not particularly convinced that it would perform well with heat and high humidity.

Original Vetiver is also a business or business casual kind of fragrance. Not something that would be worn out to a club or perhaps not even a date (but it won’t totally be out of place in that instance).

Overall Impressions of Original Vetiver

Overall, would I recommend Original Vetiver? Yes, provided you’re a fan of vetiver, want a ‘classic’ clean/soapy fragrance, and prefer subtlety over extreme power.

Original Vetiver is very attractive on the whole with a green and masculine aroma that could find a place as a daily wear for a lot of guys.

The performance here is good and this is an example of a great vetiver cologne. Yes, it is on the expensive side of things, but it is worth it for those who want a classic kind of cologne.

Personally, it’s not something that I’d want to wear all of the time. But, as far as vetiver focused scents go, this has been among my favorites for a while now. I will say, the price has been getting pretty crazy for what you get in return. So, Original Vetiver is probably a try out before you buy fragrance nowadays.

1 Million vs 1 Million Lucky Paco Rabanne Comparison

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There apparently was a 1 Million flanker fragrance release, that I was not aware of, and that is: Lucky. I reviewed it the other day and enjoy it, but how does it stand when compared to the original 1 Million by Paco Rabanne? In this post, I am going to do another comparison to see which one I would choose and why.

Tale of the Tape: Lucky vs 1 Million

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 Cologne Review

1 Million Lucky

Notes include: hazelnut, cedar, green plum, patchouli, grapefruit, amber, and more

Click here to try: 1 Million Lucky by Paco Rabanne Eau de Toilette Spray 100ml

Read my original review: 1 Million Lucky

Opening

The opening of 1 Million is very famous and familiar to many people by this point. It has an ultra sugary sweet aroma that is likened to grape bubble gum. When you pay closer attention you can pick up cinnamon, rose, and the leather notes.

Newer bottles feel warmer and even spicier than I recall, the original batches. Maybe, it’s a trick of my memory?

1 Million Lucky opens with fresh woods and fruits such as plum. Warm wood covered by amber and a rich hazelnut. It’s sweet and cream without much of any spice to it.

Which one do I prefer? I mean, there is some similarity between them. However, I like the heightened cedar element within Lucky, so I’ll give it the nod.

That’s saying something, because I really do like wearing the original 1 Million. However, the opening act, isn’t my favorite aspect of that fragrance. The newcomer has an edge, with its uniqueness.

Edge: Lucky

Projection

The original 1 Million has huge sillage and for a while it seemed like Lucky would match it. However, while Lucky can start out strong, it never reaches the same highs as 1 Million does. Nor does it have the consistency.

This is even with 1 Million, not having the same crazy projecting power, that it used to. Don’t get me wrong, it still has monster sillage, just a step below its origins. Nevertheless, it can still outplay Lucky.

Update: Nowadays, it’s closer to even. I’d still put the original ahead of what I get with Lucky, based on the back half of the wear, it seems to stick around better.

Edge: 1 Million

Longevity

Lucky is a 6-8 hour fragrance for me. 1 Million lasts seemingly forever. The original has the edge here without a doubt. I always get 10+ hours of wear from it.

I’ve heard that other folks don’t get the same staying power with 1 Million, but it’s still a performer for me. Anyways, it does have significantly better performance that 1 Million Lucky.

Update: With my newer bottle of 1 Million, it’s around 8 hours of wear. So, it hits the upper end of what I got with Lucky. Still a slight edge with 1 Million, for consistency, but this is a lot more even than what it was.

Edge: 1 Million

Versatility

Is Lucky a versatile fragrance? Yes, I think that this is the aspect where it has the original definitely beat. Since it is much more understated, Lucky can be worn during your everyday life, while also still serving as a club scent.

The original 1 Million could be kind of loud for everyday wear. I’ve personally done it, but it is really a nightlife scent, at its heart. I actually like wearing it casually, like buying smaller bottles, and just hanging out with 1 Million on.

Both colognes, are mainly for younger guys. Lucky, in particular, has a very youthful vibe. It might be the better bet for a teenager.

Edge: Lucky

Overall Scent

I’m tempted to go with the newer scent, as the original 1 Million has been being used by a ton of people for about 20 years now. However, I can’t say that I definitely like Lucky better than the older Paco Rabanne fragrance.

It does smell good, has an overlap with the original. The plum, hazelnut, and woody base were interesting additions but I still think the original is better. Even if, I don’t wear it all that often anymore.

Lucky is a good scent and I’ll probably wear my mini bottle some over the next month. I don’t want to say it’s bad, but I’m putting it at number 3 in terms of 1 Million and it’s spin offs. Prive is my number 1, still.

The original 1 Million, will always bring about fond memories for me, and is one I enjoy coming back to. It’s not the nostalgia clouding my mind, though. It actually is the better scent here.

However, for some guys (especially the younger crowd), Lucky can be a great fragrance for them to pick up. The honey and plum notes and nuttiness is still rather unique and has a certain amount of charm to it.

Winner: 1 Million

Gucci Guilty vs. Acqua di Gio

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In this edition of the head to head men’s fragrances match up, we have two popular choices from Italian designers, Acqua di Gio vs. Gucci Guilty. Which of these scents ultimately smells the best? Performs better? Is the top buy? I have worn each around, reviewed them (linked below), and now will compare each in a variety of categories to select the best.

Tale of the Tape: AdG vs. Gucci Guilty

Acqua di Gio

Notes include: bergamot, tangerine, neroli, jasmine, rosemary, patchouli, rock rose, hyacinth, persimmon, marine notes

Click here to try: Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my review: Acqua di Gio 

Gucci Guilty

Notes include: lemon, orange blossom, lavender, patchouli, cedar, pink pepper, neroli

Click here to try: Guilty By Gucci EDT spray for Men, 3 Ounce

Read my original review: Gucci Guilty

Opening

Gucci Guilty starts off with a strong blast of citrus from the lemon note, that is flanked by warm amber, and calming lavender. It smooth and fresh with a bit of spice lurking underneath the surface. Guilty has a floral tinge from the orange blossom and neroli, with a cedar base. Very nice.

Acqua di Gio opens up with a blend of citrus notes of bergamot and tangerine. These notes are accompanied by marine notes, which gives this fragrance its aquatic aroma, and some jasmine undertones.

As it moves along, it will develop more of its aquatic elements and slight smokiness. Guilty stays with its bright and warm disposition. I have always loved that sea breeze accord and the way that it plays off of the citrus.

Which do I prefer? I actually like the way that Gucci Guilty starts off, better than, Acqua di Gio. The lemon note is great, it’s soaked in amber, with a nice lavender coming through. It’s simple and effective.

Yes, AdG has a lot going for it, and this is a close contest. But, that start from Guilty has something special about it to me. Not a massive edge, but the Gucci takes this one.

Edge: Guilty

Projection

At the start, both of these fragrances have pretty similar sillage, that could be characterized as in the moderate range. You notice it, but not overpower a room.

Guilty, however, lightens up quicker than does the Armani. It becomes more light and airy, a few hours in.

If we were talking about the original formulations of each, AdG would take this one pretty easily. Even in there latest states, the edge for Acqua is pretty apparent.

Edge: Acqua di Gio

Longevity

Wearing Gucci Guilty, I only seem to ever get 5-6 hours of wear, from it. Pretty average, not spectacular. Acqua di Gio is somewhat better, clocking in at 6-7 hours, on my skin. Not a massive difference, but it’s noticeable.

AdG used to be even better, than its current incarnation. Nonetheless, it can still outdo the original Gucci Guilty, with its performance.

Edge: Acqua di Gio

Versatility

Each of these fragrances, is extremely versatile in its uses. Both mainly fit in during the spring/summer months, but can easily be worn year round without problem.

Neither is a formal fragrance, but they’re also not only for teenagers. They can appeal to a very wide audience, which explains the massive sales success of each over the decades.

They are also both safe to wear to class or the office, casually, or even out on a date. There’s not really an edge in this category.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

This is a pretty close call between these competitors. I really like Acqua di Gio and it is a classic, at this point in time. It’s got a great citrus marine profile, with supporting floral and wood notes. It also has better performance than does Gucci Guilty.

I like how Guilty smells. I prefer how it starts out, with the great lemon, floral, and amber notes. It’s very simple and straightforward, but that orange blossom and lavender, plays very well off of the citrus. Clean and bright.

However, I still think the Acqua di Gio is the better fragrance. The dry down period of Acqua di Gio and the better performance, gives it the edge, in my opinion. Is it miles better?

No, but it is the more interesting fragrance. Guilty is a pretty basic scent. It is unique in how it presents itself, but not much depth there. I think that I’d pick Guilty Black and probably Intense over it, but not the original Guilty.

Even then, that’s not a sure thing, as I really do like AdG and it can still be a signature daily wear for a lot of people.

Winner: Acqua di Gio