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Dior Sauvage vs Prada Luna Rossa Carbon Comparison

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For today’s head to head cologne comparison, I am going to do two popular fragrances from higher end European designers: Sauvage by Dior and the flanker fragrance by Prada, Luna Rossa Carbon. Which of these scent’s smells the best? Which one lasts longer? What are the differences? Which one should you buy?

Tale of the Tape: Carbon vs. Sauvage EDT

Luna Rossa Carbon

Notes include: lavender, ambroxan, metallic notes, pepper, patchouli, coal, bergamot

Click here to try: Prada Luna Rossa CARBON for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 ounce

My Original Review: Luna Rossa Carbon

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

Opening

Now, these two scents often get compared to one another and for good reason, they are extremely similar on the surface. For me, the similarity is most obvious when first applying, and up through maybe the one hour mark.

The notes that these two fragrances share are the ambroxan, lavender, pepper, and bergamot at the beginning. Sauvage opens with much more of an ambery scent that is covered by a sharp citrus note.

While, Luna Rossa Carbon has a strong bergamot note, it doesn’t have the same intensity as the Sauvage and the ambroxan isn’t as prominent. There is also a bit of a metallic note to Carbon, as the name would suggest, but it’s not too strong. Mostly, the bergamot fades and you get a soapy emergence of lavender.

Between the two, I think I like Luna Rossa Carbon’s opening a bit more. It still has the freshness and the citrus but it doesn’t come across as sharp or in your face.

Edge: Carbon

Projection

Neither one of these scents are complete monsters in terms of their sillage. However, I think because Sauvage has that sharper citrus, it seems to fill a room more than the more moderate Prada fragrance.

Luna Rossa Carbon isn’t weak, it just seems much more subdued than does the Dior. The lavender has that effect and it is much more prevalent in Carbon.

Sauvage for sure has the edge earlier on in the wear. After that, the gap does close somewhat, but Dior takes this round.

Edge: Sauvage

Longevity

Sauvage gives me 8+ hours of wear, as does Luna Rossa Carbon. Again, Sauvage projects stronger throughout than does Carbon, but the Prada cologne is still present.

Update: A few years following this initial post, I do feel like I get more of a consistent wear from Carbon. It’s been like clockwork, whereas Sauvage, sometimes doesn’t last well on my skin for some reason.

The longevity is still about the same most of the time, just the consistency isn’t always there with Sauvage EDT. Sauvage has more sillage and can last longer, it doesn’t always do it. But, that could just my personal experience.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Both of these fragrances really do deliver value in terms of when you can wear each. They both fit in during pretty much all seasons. You can wear them casually, on a date, at work, or on formal occasions. Neither scent has an advantage here.

These fragrances are daily wears for men of pretty much any age group. I would say I would rather wear Luna Rossa Carbon in a formal situation, but unless that’s an everyday occurrence, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Sauvage is a best seller for a reason, it’s easy to wear and has mass appeal. Carbon replicates this in its own way.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I think for most people, the decision between these two fragrances would come down to the price. I will say, if you can get one significantly cheaper than the other, go with that scent.

These scents can smell extremely similar at times, from a distance, and most people won’t know which you’re actually wearing.

For me, neither of these scents is a personal favorite of mine. However, I’ve been liking Luna Rossa Carbon a bit more, and I think that’ll be my winner. It does have more of a lavender aroma to it than does Sauvage, so, if that’s not your thing go with the Dior.

Update: I originally wrote this comparison a few years ago. Since then, Carbon has become by far the better fragrance, in my mind. I couldn’t stand wearing Sauvage EDT, the last time.

I prefer other Luna Rossa fragrances to Carbon and Sauvage EDP, is way better than the EDT. The eau de parfum version is an amazing scent. Much more balanced and deeper.

Personally, I don’t plan on wearing either Carbon or Sauvage EDT, in the future. But, if I have to pick it’s Carbon without question. It feels more balance to me, less of that opening citrus pop, and a nice subtlety with the lavender and metallic note.

Still, Sauvage sells more bottles than Prada, so I guess most people don’t know about Carbon or choose to ignore it. Also, there’s a ton of smell-a-likes of Sauvage, looking to get a piece of its success…here’s that list Fragrances similar to Sauvage.

Winner: Carbon

Miss Dior Le Parfum EDP by Christian Dior

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I’m sort of working my way through the Miss Dior line of fragrances that Christian Dior has been releasing over the years. I’ve already done one on Blooming Bouquet and have another one in the works.

However, today I want to focus my attention of Miss Dior Le Parfum. The EDP flanker was released in 2012. How does it smell? Does it actually perform? When can it be worn? Is it worth a try? Please continue below for my full wear take on Le Parfum.

What does Miss Dior Le Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: amber, vanilla, mandarin, Turkish rose, and patchouli

Click here to try: Christian Dior Miss Dior Le Parfum Spray for Women, 1.35 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Miss Dior Le Parfum is just about the only time during the wear in which the mandarin orange note is truly prominent. You get that familiar citrus aroma sitting on top of a warm amber and a spicy patchouli note.

There is a beautiful almost sparkling quality to this fragrance. The sample card that came with the spray vial calls this scent, “Oriental Chypre Elegance”.

As it moves on, what you smell is pretty much what you get. The mandarin note gets toned down and the vanilla note emerges in it’s place. There is a rose note that you can detect if you try, but it has been subdued in the composition.

Le Parfum is very well blended and has a semi-sweet aroma thanks to the vanilla and citrus but ultimately it is a deep amber fragrance with smooth floral vanilla and that kick from the patchouli. The whole thing has a rich and enveloping sensation while wearing it.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I never felt like Miss Dior Le Parfum was a heavy fragrance. Sure, it has a ‘thick’ aroma, but the sillage wasn’t super overpowering. It’s more moderate to strong and quiets down into a creamier scent during the dry down period.

It’s longevity was actually good on my skin, about 7-9 hours of total wear, with maybe six of a full punch to it.  Certainly not an elite performer, but still gives you plenty to work with.

Seasonally, this Dior eau de parfum, is all about the autumn and winter. It’s got way too much warmth, creaminess, and spice to be built for the high heat of summertime.

One advantage it does have within that seasonal limitedness, is how versatile it is. Le Parfum could be worn at work or school. It can be worn casually.

Plus, it has enough appeal and attractiveness to be utilized during the night. Actually, I’d prefer it at night.  I find it to be pretty sexy and would love smelling it on a woman, that I was dating.

Overall Impressions of Miss Dior Le Parfum

Overall, do I like Miss Dior Le Parfum? Yes, it’s simple but potent. The mixture of vanilla, patchouli, and amber is satisfying and has a dark richness. On the performance end, it projects well and lasts for a solid amount of time after application.

Le Parfum not only smells good but has a versatile quality, which could make it someone’s go to scent during the colder months of the year.

Update: I don’t see this for sale anymore on Dior’s website, so, I don’t know if it has been discontinued or not at this point. But, a lot of these Miss Dior scents and other lines by Dior get reformulated into something new, under the same name. So, if it comes back around, it might be different from these notes.

Miss Dior (Cherie) EDP by Christian Dior

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I’ve already done a few review of the various Miss Dior flankers on this site and will have another one upcoming in the next few weeks. However, until now I haven’t done one on the main eau de parfum version of Miss Dior.

The naming is all a big mess, but this review will be on the 2017 version, which is the latest one as of writing. In this post, I will cover: how it smells, what’s in it, how it performs, and if Miss Dior EDP is even worth a look.

What does Miss Dior (Cherie) Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, blood orange, patchouli, mandarin orange, rose, rosewood, pink pepper

Click here to try: Christian Dior Miss Dior, 50ml/1.7 oz.

My Full Review

As if there weren’t already 80 million different Miss Dior fragrance to lead one to a state of confusion, the Miss Dior Eau de Parfum is a renamed and reformulated version of the previously released, Miss Dior Cherie.

That was 2012, then, Dior reformulated that version for the 2017 version of Miss Dior Eau de Parfum.

Anyway, let’s see how Dior describes this fragrance: The beauty of a Grasse Rose wrapped in a ribbon of fresh notes and woven with a lively Rosewood. The modern and confident femininity of a sensual floral. 

The opening of the 2017 Miss Dior presents my nose with an offering of citrus fruits, patchouli, and rose. The citrus and patchouli are actually more dominant than the rose, at this stage, and I think that they play off of one another extremely well.

I’m not a huge patchouli fan, but it is well done in this perfume. The citrus smells like a blend of orange and lemon, with the lemon aspect being just a dash of that juice.

After 10-15 minutes of wear, the citrus aroma recedes, and rose begins to take the lead. From here on out, it is rose and patchouli, but even with that being the case there is a level of sweetness that is present in Miss Dior.

It’s that mix of the floral notes, sparkling citrus still lingering, warm spice of pink pepper, and the smooth rosewood keeping it all together.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this projects decently, but it’s not very loud at all. I’d call it a softer moderate perfume. However, the longevity is good, and it hung around on my skin for around 8 hours. Not a super beast, but really good enough for most any occasion.

Seasonally, this incarnation of Miss Dior seems to be a cold to moderate weather scent. So, pretty much any time besides the height of summer. In the extreme heat, it would probably fall apart quite a bit, despite any citrus notes.

It is very pretty but not really sexy, more of something that could be worn daily for a mature woman or for a more formal event. Not that it’s overly ‘serious’ or anything, just has that touch of elegance.

Overall Impressions of Miss Dior EDP 2017

Overall, do I like the 2017 version of Miss Dior EDP? I do. I’m not blown away by it, but I actually enjoy the scent quite a lot. It is fresh, citrus/floral, with a bit of sweet and spice to round it out. The rosewood note is the anchor and was a nice touch to the composition.

This Christian Dior fragrance should have plenty of fans, as long as they don’t reformulate it once again,  while keeping the same name…which is stupid.

Dior Homme (2011) by Christian Dior

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Somehow, I’ve never gotten around to reviewing the Dior Homme line (other than Sport), up to this time on the website. Since I didn’t have a bottle of this stuff anymore and it’s been a while, I had to get myself a sample vial, and put it through its paces once again. In this post, I’ll cover what’s its notes are, how it smells, performs, and whether or not it is worth a buy.

What does Dior Homme Smell Like?

Notes include: vetiver, iris, cacao, bergamot, amber, leather, sage, and lavender

Click here to try: Dior Homme By Christian Dior For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

My Full Review

Note: Dior has updated Dior Homme with a new formula, that I have yet to try, but will smell quite different. It apparently doesn’t have the iris note. In this post, I am reviewing the last formulation, which was a sort of reformulation itself...Dior does these things. So, note that if you’re buying from the major retailers going into 2020, you’re going to be getting something different than what I’m describing here. I will do a separate review for the new release, when I get to test it out.

I am updating this review, a few years after the fact. Why? I needed to expand upon this fragrance and what it is. I purchased a bottle in the largest size, after my initial review, and it became my go-to scent outside of testing things for this site.

The opening of Dior Homme is a clean rush of iris, that has sort of a unisex quality to it.  However, there is this underlying cacao note that gives it a certain sweetness and helps to further the powdery aroma.

The cacao will get a bit stronger, later, but does make an early appearance. Dior Homme is very smooth and floral, especially once the lavender note begins its ascent.

What I think is unique about this fragrance is its use of bergamot. Obviously, lots of male scents use this notes, but here it is so damn subtle and just about perfect in how it comes across. It’s just a peak of citrus popping off of the floral/leather/cacao notes, which gives it this zesty freshness.

It is an interesting contrast, between the light juiciness of the bergamot, and the underlying dryness coming from various notes like sage and vetiver. The sage is only noticeable to me, for a brief period of time.

I’ve smelled it as a more intense note in other men’s fragrances, but it has never had that much power in this composition.

To me the cacao isn’t as noticeable as it is in Dior Homme Intense, but it does give off that sweetness, and I think it’s the leather that’s holding it back somewhat. Then, there is the vetiver, which has the woodsy sharpness that seems to tie things together.

What I’m ultimately left with is a smooth and fresh blend of mostly the iris and leather. The cacao and lavender, as a secondary pairing. Some amber, with whatever’s left of the other notes. It hits my nose with such a cooling sensation. Like, a really dry cold breath of fresh air.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I’d call it a softer fragrance. Not super weak but more toward the moderate end of the scale. It’s not an overwhelming beast, but does have a nice perimeter around your person.

The longevity lasts me from anywhere to 5-7 hours, depending on the circumstance, and it can hang around on the skin for longer than that…but that’s when it’s noticeable.

Update: with the full bottle and its powerful sprayer, the longevity is a bit better than 5-7 hours. Now, I’d say it’ll give me 8 hours, pretty regularly. 9 with good climate conditions.

Seasonally, I wear this mainly in autumn and winter. The springtime is great too, but I generally stay away from the heat of summer.

The high humidity can make it a bit messy. We’ve had a week of temperatures of 50-75 degrees Fahrenheit, and Dior Homme, fits in beautifully.

In terms of its versatility, Dior Homme is on the dressy casual to fully dressed up end of things. Though, I would honestly have no problem wearing this anytime, it does have that air of class, maturity, and refinement.

So, yeah, you could wear this casually or out on a date. It does have a sexy quality and women enjoy smelling it.

The reaction that you get will largely depend on how that person, deals with the iris note. Some don’t like the powdery or ‘make up bag’ sort of smell. Though, the leather and other notes, do prevent this from being a female scent…for me at least.

I’ve never once gotten a negative reaction from wearing Dior Homme, but I have gotten a ton of positive reactions. It’s not necessarily the most complemented, but it does draw them.

Overall Impression of Dior Homme

Overall, would I recommend Dior Homme? Of course. It’s probably a classic, at this point in time. It’s such a well balanced scent that has a interesting and unique aroma, that can be appreciated by anyone, and not just those who are really into niche fragrances. This is great juice.

I’m kind of sad that they’re reformulating this cologne. I still have plenty left, but I guess I may need to buy another back up bottle, unless the new version just blows me away.

Dior Homme is a modern fragrance, that is extremely well put together. It has been emulated by other colognes, over the years, but this remains my favorite use of the iris note. I love this scent, it’s basically my signature wear, if I can have one outside of my commitments to this site.

J’adore in Joy by Christian Dior

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It’s been a while since I’ve done a ladies’ perfume review, for a Christian Dior scent, so why not start now? Today’s entry is a 2017 release, a flanker fragrance to the J’adore line called, J’adore in Joy. What does this scent smell like? How does it perform? Is this a worthy addition to the best-selling J’adore name?

What does J’adore in Joy Smell Like?

Notes include: peach, ylang-ylang, jasmine, fleur de sel, neroli, tuberose

Click here to try: Dior J’adore In Joy Eau De Toilette Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

Before we get into my thoughts on this perfume, let’s see what the brand has to say about it: A solar floral with a unique fruity and salty trail. Essence of ylang-ylang from Madagascar, transformed in Grasse, and jasmine sambac are brightened with a refreshing Fleur de Sel note and bursting with juicy peach.

J’adore in Joy opens up with a salt note that gets paired with the ylang-ylang. The peach will be more prominent later on, but at first I get a salty flower blend with an underlying fruity sweetness.

It’s a rather unique aroma, that I haven’t really come across before in a perfume. Yes, I’ve had other salty fragrance, but those were oceanic in their character. This Dior perfume, is not that at all.

A few minute in, the floral combination is of jasmine and ylang-ylang, still salty. These notes together, give off a scent that is similar to a musk. However, the peach is growing in strength, but never comes across like you’d usually associate this ingredient.

J’adore in Joy has a cool, relaxed vibe, while also feeling like being in the sunshine. The fragrance is almost completely linear on my skin, but I still find it to be intriguing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

It’s not too loud of a perfume. I can spray it on a shirt, put it about 3-5 feet away, and detect it. Outside of that, it’s won’t make it past that after 30 minutes or so. Not a bad thing, just don’t expect a complete beast with this one.

The longevity is also solid. I could get 6-8 hours from this one. Not spectacular, but worthwhile for this sort of fragrance.

Seasonally, I guess it’s better in warmer weather, but it doesn’t feel out of place in the winter. I feel like this one should be worn outdoors, or it at least, puts out that vibe.

However, you could obviously wear this to the office, semi-formally to formal, or just around casually. It is an elegant perfume, just not a stuffy one. Clean and refined, not a party time fragrance.

Overall Impression of J’adore In Joy

Do I like this perfume? Somewhat. I’m not crazy about it, but it does get points for being interesting, and not smelling bad.

The salt note is a nice addition, to a usual formula. With the floral notes, it can come across like musk, but I do get a distinct saltiness. Ylang-ylang, jasmine, peach, and salt. If that sounds nice, this will be something that you’ll want to try.

Personally, I don’t find it to be great. Overall, it is a good perfume. Pleasant enough and well put together.