1 Million Intense by Paco Rabanne

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1 Million Intense is a fragrance that has been discontinued for a long time now, having a production run after its 2013 release. It’s one that I knew I hadn’t reviewed on the site, didn’t think I’d ever tried out (I really cannot remember), and I had the opportunity to by an old sample as part of a lot.

Better late than never, I’ve been testing out Intense to see what this one is all about. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is this Paco Rabanne, worth tracking down an older bottle?

What does 1 Million Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: saffron, orange, cardamom, rose, black pepper, cinnamon, patchouli, orris, leather, neroli, sandalwood

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describes it: 1 Million takes on a sensual and warm intensity through its new interpretation: a flamboyant burst of ruby mandarin orange laced with spices on a vibrantly masculine base of iris and sandalwood.

Immediately, you can tell that this is a follow up to the original 1 Million. That mandarin orange comes through plenty juicy and sweet, like in that one. The main difference is going to be the initial spicy punch.

Black pepper, cardamom, and saffron all come through. Cinnamon is there too, and it will become the dominant spice out of the bunch.

It’s rougher than the original, much less sweet, and with a bigger rose note. That, however, will reveal itself more later on.

The black pepper and saffron are pretty huge in that opening. The pepper is short lived, but that fresh saffron note sticks around, just in a declining role.

I actually compared aspects of The One Mysterious Night, to another Paco Rabanne flanker, 1 Million Cologne. However, it also applies to Intense with its spice and rose combo. Not to mention, saffron and citrus.

Once we get past that initial intensity, this one settles down into a smoother floral sort of aroma. Neroli and rose begin to take center stage, alongside them are cinnamon and saffron.

As we dry down, it gets closer to the original 1 Million. Leather which becomes apparent in the first hour, will be one of the last notes standing.

With that, will be the rose, a bit of patchouli, and cinnamon sitting on a woody base. It still has that 1 Million ‘bubble gum’ sweetness to it. Just with more depth.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Yes, 1 Million Intense lives up to it’s name. This one has a very strong sillage, can cloud up a room, leave a trail, and projects very well…in the early stages.

After that, it is still going to be strong, just not oppressively so. 4-6 feet from the skin, is about what I get out of this one.

On my skin, it seems to be in that 9.5-11+ hour range. About what I got with the old original bottles of 1 Million. It’s probably not going past 12 hours, but it’s capable of getting up there.

Seasonally, this one is also and autumn and winter wear. This might get ridiculous in the heat and I’d avoid that. But, on a moderate evening, it’s actually still nice. But, I’d stick to a chilly night.

I’ve never considered the original 1 Million to be a versatile scent. It’s always been a casual or nightlife wear for me. Something fun to wear, every so often.

Intense is along those same line, but I think it’s more mature. It’s depth, spiciness, and toned down sweetness will have a greater appeal across age ranges. Still not a formal fragrance, however.

Overall Impressions of 1 Million Intense

Overall, do I like this version of 1 Million? I do. It takes that 1 Million DNA that I like, amps up aspects, and adds others.

The opening is a spicy and intense punch, but I think that they pulled it off well. Maybe not my favorite part, but I like the transition to the next phase once things have calmed down.

The performance is fantastic. Just like how older bottles of the original were, but a touch above that. Loud (at first) and long-lasting. No complaints in that department.

I think that it’s very good, if you’re a 1 Million fan already. Those who aren’t, probably wouldn’t have their minds changed by Intense.

Then, we come to the fact that bottles are very pricey, since it’s been discontinued. I’m not so sure that it’s worth tracking down for probably 99% of people. If you’re a collector or just someone who loves these Paco Rabanne releases, then, you might be an exception.

For everyone else, I wouldn’t bother, unless you see one out in the wild for a reasonable price. It’s a good fragrance, but not an absolute must have.

Goddess EDP by Burberry

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Goddess is one of the newer releases from Burberry, that came out in 2023. It wasn’t a perfume that I had heard much about going into testing, but I bought a sample anyway to check it out. How does this one smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Goddess EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, vanilla, cacao, ginger, vanilla absolute, vanilla caviar

Click here to try: Goddess by Burberry

My Full Review

Here’s how Burberry describes it: Burberry Goddess is a unique gourmand fragrance led by a confident and powerful multi-faceted trio of vanillas. Enriched with a luminous lavender top note, the scent exudes a rich, layered personality that’s instantly memorable.

So, upon spraying this one I’m immediately hit with a wonderful gourmand aroma. Fresh and not overbearingly heavy, however. The ginger does a nice job at breaking up the vanilla dominance.

Ginger and a cacao note add a great mix to the aroma early. Goddess feels cold with a lightness that I enjoy. I’ve seen this get compared to Mon Guerlain, but they’re are not the same, while having a similar style.

I mean, in the dry down, both are all about that lavender and vanilla. Still, smell differently. But, this one  also doesn’t have jasmine, tonka bean, or patchouli. Cacao and tonka bean, play a similar role…but aren’t exactly the same and don’t have the same aroma.

The lavender also begins to show itself early on. It’s really tamed by all of the vanilla. I was worried that this might take a Libre path, with the lavender, but the note is balanced quite well in Goddess.

It’s interesting that there are three types of vanilla in this perfume. Can I tell them apart? I mean, not really. The ginger burns off and the middle is more about the lavender and vanilla pairing.

The very tail end of the perfume is a vanilla-centric scent. Though, it feels like a standard creamy vanilla note. So, I’m not getting any real distinction between the types.

Burberry Goddess isn’t very complicated and there isn’t really any development here, after this point.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Goddess is not a massive projector or one that is super heavy. You’ll get an intimate scent bubble for most of the wear a decent radius of reach in the early goings.

It’s not weak, solidly moderate, until the last few hours of wear when it becomes a skin scent.

The longevity is somewhere in the range of average. For me, it was 6-6.5 hours of total wear from this Burberry. It’s okay, not great.

On clothing, you will get 3+ more hours, but it doesn’t seem to want to stick to skin. My skin, isn’t the type that ‘eats up’ fragrances either. I routinely get 10+ hours from other scents.

Seasonally, I do think that this fragrance isn’t too heavy or cloying, that it gets stuck solely in the autumn or winter. On a moderately warm spring day, I think that Goddess would hold up just fine.

I would skip out on wearing this in the heat, though.

It’s strength is with its versatility. It isn’t hyper sweet or too bold, so, it’s safe for most occasions. It’s attractive enough for the nightlife, even if you might want to go with something more dynamic.

It’s attractive and somewhat sexy, so, you could spray it before a date as well. Goddess isn’t the most formal fragrance, maybe have something else for really ‘dressy’ situations.

It also works for a wide age range. Not too mature for the younger set, but not too juvenile for older women either.

Overall Impressions of Goddess EDP

Overall, do I like Goddess by Burberry? I do like it. It’s not anything that’s crazy unique or complicated, but it is a mainstream perfume that is going to do well and have plenty of fans.

The name doesn’t really fit, what the actual scent is. You might expect something bolder, sexier, etc. Not to say this is a bad perfume, it certainly isn’t.

I like the opening and how it keeps things fresh and light. Not a heavy or overbearing use of the vanilla and lavender, just quite pleasant to spray on.

It’s not a great performer, though. For me, it’s okay, pretty standard issue. On skin, it’s probably not going to go past six hours for most people.

But, if that’s not too much of a problem for you, Goddess is worth trying out. Maybe test it in store or wait for the price to hit discount levels, over the next year or so.

If you’re not a vanilla and/or lavender fan, I don’t think there’s anything here that would change your mind. As such, you can also probably skip this initial Goddess release.

Prada Paradoxe vs YSL Libre

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Libre and Paradoxe are two perfume series which have gained popularity over the past handful of years or so. Paradoxe is the newer of the two, having only spawned one other flanker, as of writing. Libre is a bit deeper in the game, with a few more scents released under its belt.

Since these two are so popular, I wanted to do a direct comparison posts of the original releases of each. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy, Libre or Paradoxe?

Tale of the Tape: Paradoxe vs. Libre

Paradoxe

Notes include: neroli, pear, tangerine, bergamot, orange blossom, white musk, jasmine, vanilla, amber, benzoin

Click here to try: Paradoxe by Prada

Libre EDP

Notes include: lavender, white musks, orange flower, vanilla, orchid

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau De Parfum Spray for Women 90ml/3oz, clear

Read my review: Libre EDP

Opening

Libre kicks of with a strong burst of the orange blossom (maybe some additional citrus fruit spritzed in) and the lavender, which will only grown more powerful. It’s soapy, somewhat musky, and has a definite creaminess throughout.

The main change that I get during the rest of the wear is the lavender becoming dominant and the musk coming out more. Very little orchid when compared to Intense and the vanilla isn’t a front and center.

Paradoxe opens up sweet, fruity, and luminous. The neroli is going to be a major factor in that first half of the hour, as the floral note.

But, on me, that quickly shifts more into the orange blossom’s direction, as we enter the middle act.

The fruitiness comes across more like an artificial candy versus a pure natural fruit. Some sparkling pear is in the mix, but lots of citrus influence (tangerine is the most powerful fruit, early) for the start of Paradoxe.

This will become more floral after the opening burst. Again, for me I get more orange blossom, even versus the jasmine. Neroli still has a presence, but the orange blossom is stronger at this point.

Which do I prefer? To me, I’ll go with Paradoxe. Both have strong uses of orange blossom, but I like the pairing of that floral note with the fruits of the Prada. It’s more pleasant than what I get with the YSL.

Not a massive preference for Paradoxe, but it does have the edge here.

Edge: Paradoxe

Projection

Libre has a strong opening, for a mainstream designer perfume. Not super heavy, but plenty of substance and a wide radius, in which it will be smelled. The rest of the wear, is on the stronger side of what can be considered moderate.

Paradoxe opens up a notch below Libre and stays firmly in the moderate camp the rest of the way.

Still, Libre has the higher highs and is stronger for much of the duration. Until those last few hours, where these two are about equal.

Edge: Libre

Longevity

With Libre EDP, I’ve always gotten 8-9 hours during testing, pretty much without fail. That version of the perfume doesn’t seem to go beyond that, but also not below it either.

Paradoxe is close to the same, but has a slightly higher ceiling than the YSL. I get 8.5-10 hours with Paradoxe, on skin.

It’s not by a massive margin, but the Prada takes the win here. Yes, Libre is stronger with its projection, but Paradoxe keeps on just a bit longer.

Edge: Paradoxe

Versatility

Both of these are very versatile daily wear sorts of fragrances. I don’t either of them would be the top choice for nightlife or date night use.

Seasonally, Libre fits in better for cooler autumn and winter. It can venture into the spring as well. Paradoxe isn’t built for the heat, but it performs deeper into the warmer season.

Maybe the advantage comes with Libre, the lack of sweeter notes, and it’s ability to fit into more semi-formal/office wear situations. Other than that, they’re about equal.

Edge: Libre (slightly)

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two fragrances do I prefer?

I’m not a massive fan of either of these fragrances. Each of them is fine. I prefer Libre Intense, to the original, and Paradoxe never struck me as amazing.

However, between these two, I’m going with Paradoxe.

Libre is nice enough. It’s much more of a floral focused scent. The dry down is going to be about the lavender note, with orange blossom at its side. Some vanilla, musk, etc. If you’re a lavender fan, you should consider it.

Paradoxe’s opening I’ve already explained, but the balance in the dry down makes me want to choose it versus the YSL. It pairs the orange blossom with jasmine. Clean and somewhat soapy. But, you still get some of the sweetness from earlier, and the vanilla/amber base.

The performances are close enough, to be somewhat equal, and sort of cancels out any other advantage.

Winner: Paradoxe

Tobacco Oud by Tom Ford

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In this edition of the never-ending fragrance reviews on this site, we have yet another entry from Tom Ford. This one is entitled, Tobacco Oud, which should be a giveaway as to what type of scent you can expect. It was released in 2013. In this post, I will cover my experiences with Tobacco Oud, and determine whether or not it is worth a try.

What does Tobacco Oud Smell Like?

Notes include: tobacco, oud, amber, whiskey, vanilla, cinnamon, benzoin, patchouli, sandalwood, coriander, cedar, incense

Click here to try: Tom Ford Private Blend Tobacco Oud Eau De Parfum Spray 100ml/3.4oz

My Full Review

Tobacco Oud opens up with very prominent oud that is soaked in whiskey and quite resinous. The tobacco strikes my nose as being pipe tobacco, already cured with some spicy coriander and cinnamon peaking through.

The opening isn’t the best part of this Tom Ford, as it is more about the whiskey and oud over the tobacco notes. It’s smoky and a bit dirty with patchouli. I do like a good whiskey note, and this gets better, but I’m really not all that enthralled with this opening act.

As it dries down, the incense and warm resinous qualities (including benzoin) begin to be more prominent, and the oud less so. Also, the tobacco rises to the top of the heap, this is when I start to enjoy Tobacco Oud much more.

It’s a spicy oriental flavor surrounding the tobacco and the still present boozy quality of the whiskey note. Benzoin is one of my favorite resinous or balsamic notes, with the added incense smoke, you do get a whiskey cigar sort of aroma here.

Finally, the fragrance finally dries down into something that is ultimately woody and with more sweetness. The smoky quality subsides a lot and the tobacco fades, but it smells sweet and warm on the skin.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I would say that Tobacco Oud projects itself very well for the first hour or so of wear. After that, I find that the sillage is toward the moderate end of things, not too intense but certainly not weak.

With the longevity, Tobacco Oud is a great performer, and will go over 10 hours without issue. It’s essentially like other Tom Ford fragrances of this ilk. It’s going to stick around and give you a completely developed run on your skin.

Seasonally, Tobacco Oud is an autumn/winter wear. The warmth, spices, etc. aren’t going to be too great in the heat, but do perform quite well in the cold. It’s not a casual sort of fragrance at all.

While, this is technically a unisex scent, it is actually heavily masculine to my nose. I wouldn’t want to smell this on a girlfriend ever. It’s more refined and niche, but I wouldn’t call it a sexy fragrance, somewhat attractive but that’s it.

Yet, it’s one that you can wear dressed up on a night out and with the crisp and colder air of the winter, it can absolutely stand out.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Tobacco Oud

Overall, do I like Tobacco Oud? I like aspects of it. The opening is my least favorite part, but I like the dry down more. Still, it’s never been a fragrance that is a personal favorite of mine. Whiskey, tobacco, and benzoin are highlights but not enough to truly sell me on Tobacco Oud.

Personally, I like Tobacco Oud Intense more. Even if, neither are really my style. 

This scent has strong Middle Eastern/Oriental aroma to it, I think that every high-end designer has their version of this vibe. Other people seem to like this more than I do, at least that seems to be the take online.

The performance is also very good, so, you at least get bang for your buck. It just is a niche sort of scent, it will appeal to a certain type of fragrance lover, but probably not something that the masses will adopt.

You’re going to have to be a fan of resinous, incense smoke, tobacco, oud, and herbal spices. If that’s your thing, than this is your fragrance. For me, it’s above average, but I’ve never clamored to want to wear this particular Tom Ford.

9 Best Jasmine Scented Perfumes for Women

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Jasmine is one of the most popular ingredients, in all of women’s perfumes. In fact, its present in a majority of ladies’ fragrances, on the market. Its use is absolutely insane in terms of scale. However, most of the perfumes, have a light touch of the floral note.

In this post, I want to take a closer look, and present some options for those women who are looking for a jasmine scented perfume where it is dominant. In the end, I have selected 9 scents which, give their own unique take on utilizing this note.

What are the Top Jasmine Fragrances for Her?

Designer Jasmine

Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge eau de parfum for women 1.7 oz– Jasmin Rouge opens up with a very nice blend of citrus, with spice provided by a pretty distinct cinnamon, and ginger note.

Obviously, this is surrounding the main attraction of jasmine, along with some other lighter floral ingredients such as neroli.

It has a very pleasant aroma, especially with the great bergamot note, at the top. After that initial layer quiets, the spices become more pronounced, but are continually rounded out by the floral notes, amber, and later woods.

The jasmine here is awesome and it never gets overshadowed by the other notes in the composition. Jasmin Rouge has really solid performance and at times a somewhat sweet profile. My Full Review

And Fruit

Jasmin des Anges by Dior– As a part of Dior’s Privee collection, Jasmin des Anges isn’t going to come cheap. The best alternative that’s somewhat similar is the Michael Kors perfume listed below.

However, the jasmine note in this one is great. It is flanked and balanced by apricot, bergamot, and osmanthus notes. A good amount of sweetness between the white floral note and the fruits.

The initial blend is a mix of our target and the citrus brightness of a fairly light bergamot. It takes on more of a peach quality with the apricot and even the osmanthus to some extent.

Fresh, fruity, soft. Yet, Jasmin des Anges is still well put together and doesn’t come across as childish.

Awesome Jasmine Perfume

JO MALONE LONDON Jasmine Sambac & Marigold Cologne Intense 100 ml.– This is a warm blend of the two obvious notes, jasmine and marigold, along with an additional ylang-ylang to complete the bouquet. Although, that note isn’t nearly as strong as the other two.

The marigold is strongest in the beginning of the wear and the jasmine will emerge to take over the composition. It is a very powerful use of that note, with a deep and rich aroma.

Beyond that, the ylang-ylang and honey note gives Jasmine Sambac & Marigold, a creaminess while not being too heavy.

It is interesting in that this is more of a cooler to mild weather wear. Not going to be much of a summertime jasmine perfume. Though, one should easily get plenty of use from this Jo Malone scent.

Citrus and Jasmine

Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir L’eau Exquise Eau de Toilette Spray for Women 2.5 oz– From the Bvlgari line, you could go with Mon Jasmin Noir or Jasmin Noir or L’eau Exquise, which I’ve linked above.

I am combining all of them into one entry, because each brings something to the table, in uniquely presenting a jasmine note.

L’eau Exquise is a cirus/tea blend with jasmine, quite nice, but much more citrusy. This is a great fragrance for the summer months, as it strikes the right balance between pomelo/grapefruit and the other naturalistic notes.

L’Eau Exquise does a wonderful job withstanding humidity and the higher temperatures.

Update: Exquise has been discontinued and the remaining bottles are priced way too high. Try one of the other Jasmin Noir scents instead.

Newer Entry

Jasmine Musc by Narciso Rodriguez– This is a very nice jasmine focused perfume from Narciso Rodriguez that was released not too long ago.

Jasmine Musc, actually starts out with more of a blend between our target, tuberose, and ylang-ylang. That initial tuberose influence can lead to that sweeter ‘bubble gum’ sort of effect.

However, the jasmine will be the note that sticks around and grows in strength out of the floral notes.

The musky aspect is actually kind of balanced with the vanilla note. The latter stages is a somewhat powdery blend of those two ingredients with the jasmine having the spotlight. Still, unless you want a massive musk note, this is really great stuff.

Simple Floral Blend

Aerin Ikat Jasmine Rollerball– Ikat Jasmine is a fresh and clean jasmine, which is flanked by a few other white floral notes, and a creamy sandalwood undertone. The dry down with the jasmine and sandalwood, really pairing together, is a highlight.

This one is much softer and doesn’t have the spice of something like Jasmin Rouge or the citrus of some of the Bvlgari’s,

Ikat, is a rather simple floral but one which delivers a beautiful jasmine note. This Aerin Lauder perfume flies under the radar, but really gives a fine example of our target ingredient.

Natural Feminine Jasmine

Acqua Di Parma Eau de Parfum Spray, Gelsomino Nobile, 3.4 Ounce– It opens up with a pretty strong tuberose, before the jasmine takes over later on. That tuberose is joined by a light citrus fruit and orange blossom, with just a bit of pink pepper in there, as well.

The sillage of Gelsomino Nobile, isn’t particularly strong, but it does stick around well enough, as a much lighter fragrance. The perfume is lovely, but the strength could have been boosted up a bit more than that.

It finishes off with a earthier sort of blend, with the citrus notes fading into the background. It does have a great deal of freshness, with that cedar note holding down the base. Very good jasmine, that brings a more floral weighted aroma, than the citrus in something like the Bvlgari listed above.

Best Overall Jasmine Note

Serge Lutens A La Nuit Eau De Parfum Spray 50ml/1.69oz– A La Nuit is a simple yet interesting scent, with a fantastic jasmine note. It also features honey and benzoin, as the other two main aromas.

The honey adds a light sweetness to the perfume, but it isn’t a thick and heavy sort of honey note.

The jasmine is fairly green but quite naturalistic and probably one of the top examples of that note, on the list. As it dries down, this Serge Lutens, becomes much more floral dominated but still a light fragrance.

At times, it is sweet. Then, it becomes greenish, like a field of jasmine, coming after the rain. A La Nuit is a blend of different types of jasmine, but it comes together, oh so well. Can be harder to track down, but there are bottles available.

Blended Mass Appeal

Michael Kors Glam Jasmine Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Glam Jasmine starts off more as a generic white floral fragrance, with a black currant note, lurking in the background with its tart juiciness.

As you move on in the wear, the jasmine note fully emerges from the pack and asserts itself. This is clean and easy to wear, not the most amazing fragrance ever, but a nice jasmine for daily wear. Plus, not a bad price.

This Michael Kors scent does have a very positive and upbeat sort of vibe. It’s probably sweeter than any other entry on the list, but I like the jasmine here.

Inexpensive Pure Jasmine Fragrance

Jasmine Cologne Spray Women by Demeter, 4 Ounce– So, Demeter puts out these fragrances based on one note in particular, which can be hit or miss. The jasmine is actually one of the better fragrances that they have.

This is a great and surprisingly natural smelling jasmine note. The sillage and longevity are decent, but the price for a bottle, is a steal based on the scent you get in return.

There you have it. The list of the best smelling jasmine fragrances for her. I will come back and update this list as needed, but this should be enough to get anyone started, and finding a great perfume to wear.