dolce and gabbana

Devotion Intense Pour Femme by D&G

by

Devotion Intense is the first follow up in the newer Devotion series by Dolce & Gabbana. This Intense version obviously has a lot of similarities to the eau de parfum, but what about it makes the perfume different and how does it stack up in comparison?

I recently grabbed samples of both of these fragrances in order to test out and review each. What does Devotion Intense smell like? How long does it last? Is it ultimately worth a try?

Devotion Intense Pour Femme Review

Notes include: hazelnut, orange blossom, vanilla

Click here to try: Devotion Intense

My Take

The opening does still share some of the brightness of the original and the citrus, but it’s toned way down. In place of the rummy sort of glaze aroma you get a hazelnut note, giving this a really nice almost roasted nuttiness.

It’s a bit denser, though, still not completely heavy or thick with how it sits on the skin. The orange blossom is also very prominent in comparison to the Devotion EDP, especially at this entry stage.

So, if you take the original formulation ramp up the vanilla and orange blossom while reducing everything else, you get this…with added hazelnut. Earthy, smooth, and again that toasty sort of smell coming off of it. Less like a lemony cake.

Pretty much the same thing throughout the entire wear. Though, its basically just a mixture of the hazelnut, vanilla, and orange blossom. The rest of the original’s DNA seems to fade almost entirely for me.

The ultimate dry down is a very vanilla dominant fragrance with nutty touches and I guess some vague hints of the orange blossom still hanging about.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Devotion Intense is somewhat thicker and heavier feeling than its predecessor. Again though, it  doesn’t actually bog you down or feel completely cloying when you’re wear it.

The projection is actually better, strong without being overwhelming, and not a fragrance that is going to dominate a room with a normal amount of sprays. However, it is still well above average with its reach and scent trail creation.

The longevity here is also a bit better than the EDP. Not by a whole lot, but 9 hours seems to be a comfortable floor for what to expect with Devotion Intense. Maybe a bit further into the 10-ish hour range, but not much beyond that for a peak.

Seasonally, this one is autumn through early springtime. Neither of the first two Devotion releases are built for the warmer weather specifically, but I think that the EDP holds up better than Devotion Intense.

Like EDP, this could be a daily wear for some people. For those who enjoy mainstream designer gourmand scents, Devotion Intense can fit the bill very well.

It’s not a formal fragrance and is more of a cozy kind of wear versus being some kind of sexy club beast. I think it’s put together more maturely than is the EDP. The hazelnut versus the candied citrus, gives it that vibe. Yet, this one still isn’t a formal wear.

Overall Impressions of Devotion Intense

Overall, do I like Devotion Intense? I do. But, I also really enjoyed the original. I think this one is a bit better. If the lemon note in Devotion EDP was too bothersome for you (but you liked the rest), this one should work quite well.

It’s really pretty close in terms of the style, just remixed somewhat. So, I’m not greatly favoring this option versus the original, it’s more of a slight lean towards it.

I do like the glaze effect that it has here in the opening. Sure, not as much of the citrus and it is a darker formula, but it works well. The hazelnut is really most prominent in the front half of the wear, before it turns into a vanilla and orange blossom dominant scent.

As such, comparing this and the Eau de Parfum version, is really going to come down to your preference of style. Sometimes these flanker fragrances are either way worse or way better than their original, this one is more refined, but mostly just an alteration moving away from the candied citrus.

Nonetheless, I like what Dolce & Gabbana are doing with this series. Very mass appealing and crowd pleasing sort of scents, but one of the better current options in this style category.

Devotion Pour Femme by D&G

by

Devotion Pour Femme is the first release in what will seemingly be a further long-running series of scents from Dolce & Gabbana. This one came out back in 2023, but I recently received samples of both it, the men’s edition, and the Intense version of this perfume.

So, what does Devotion eau de parfum smell like? Does it last long? Is this D&G perfume actually worth a try?

Devotion EDP Pour Femme Review

Notes include: candied citrus, orange blossom, rum, pana cotta, vanilla

Click here to try: Devotion EDP

My Take

Devotion EDP opens with a sugary candied lemon note, which sits like a glaze mixed with rum on top of a warm cake. 

Initially, the lemon will be the strongest note in the mix, but it does calm down into something that highlights the blend. We have orange blossom as a flower here, but there also seems to be a separate orange note too. Just a zest or peel of orange.

Up top, things are bright and a bit spiced. It does have a slight juicy quality, but again, this is more of a candied or artificial lemon aroma. 

This Dolce & Gabbana perfume is a sweet gourmand and one which isn’t overly complicated. However, there are a few phases.

The next is the blended lemon cake with orange blossom. The spice fades and the vanilla really starts to move in. Paired with the orange blossom and pana cotta, the vanilla sometimes smells powdery, and creates a ‘fluffy’ near marshmallow kind of effect.

The final dry down is mostly a lemony vanilla, with the remnants of the other notes playing the background and keeping the warmer aspects of this fragrance alive.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

While this is a gourmand scent, it isn’t too heavy and actually does have a good deal of freshness to it. It’s light enough, that it never felt cloying to me, but it does also have the projection power to make it never feel weak.

The longevity is also pretty good, just not elite. It will last somewhere around 9 hours or so, on my skin. You get plenty of time with it, but it wasn’t a double digit hours long wear for me.

Seasonally, this one is good to go from autumn through the springtime. I’d probably only avoid wearing it on the hottest days of the year. Outside of that, Devotion will almost certainly work well and without much issue.

This could be a daily wear for some people. For those who love these sorts of delicious and mainstream gourmand scents, this is a good example of that type and very likeable.

It’s not a formal fragrance and is more of a cozy kind of wear versus being some kind of sexy club beast. More delectable versus being sultry and attention grabbing. For most casual or daily wear situations, Devotion EDP probably isn’t going to be too out of place.

Overall Impressions of Devotion Pour Femme

Overall, do I like Devotion EDP? I do. To be fair, I have always enjoyed gourmands, especially scents that have a lemon note mixed with some kind of baked good vibe.

With the lemon note, a lot of people will say that it smells like ‘cleaner’, no matter what perfume that it’s in. I don’t think that’s the case here at all. But, maybe you go with Devotion Intense instead, the citrus influence isn’t as much in that one.

I think that this one gets associated with Burberry Goddess, also. I think I slightly prefer Devotion, but it’s not a strong preference, either way. That has a heavier vanilla influence, even if both of them, greatly rely on that note.

The performance is good for this sort of scent, just nothing amazing. It’s one that can easily slot into a fragrance rotation, because if you like the way it smells, there will be plenty of opportunities to wear it.  Very much a crowd pleaser.

Is it anything too groundbreaking? No, not really. It’s pleasant and has an easy to wear sweet aroma. If that sounds like your type, check this one out. If not, you basically already know what to expect with this one, and can look elsewhere for a perfume.

Devotion Pour Homme by D&G

by

Devotion is a newer series for both men and women by D&G. The women’s side of things got a head start, before Devotion Pour Homme was released in 2025. I recently bought a sample of this cologne to test it out and see what it’s all about.

What does it smell like? Does Devotion Homme last long? Is this Dolce & Gabbana fragrance worth a try?

Devotion Pour Homme Overview

Notes include: lemon, coffee, patchouli

Click here to try: Devotion Homme at Sephora

My Full Review

Here’s how they describe it: Dolce & Gabbana Devotion For Men Eau de Parfum celebrates unwavering and unconditional devotion, the power of love, and the joy of life. The fragrance, anchored by the timeless Sacred Heart, reflects the essence of a determined man, confidently guided by his instincts.

The opening is a warm roasted coffee note sitting underneath a giant squeeze of lemon juice. The lemon is pretty intense for a few minutes, before fading behind the coffee.

This isn’t really a coffee bean sort of smell or the grounds, this is like a literal interpretation of what a cup of coffee smells like. It’s spiced and given that citrus enhancement, but that’s what is here with this D&G cologne.

So, if you’re not into that, you probably won’t enjoy Devotion. At least the opening act.

A little bit further along, you start to get more of the patchouli note. Even that, isn’t enough to unseat the coffee from being the main focus of this scent.

It begins to be more of a coffee and woody/woodsy sort of aroma. Note sure which wood note is here, but there’s something underneath the patchouli and coffee. Things are still somewhat spicy, but this just seems more like a warm aroma. The lemon is pretty much just a sparkle now.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The opening spray does have some decent power behind it. It’s not a super heavy coffee blend or anything, but it’s got some reach in that first hour or so.

After that, this Dolce & Gabbana cologne will have a moderate projection, that trends fairly quickly to the lighter end of things.

On my skin, Devotion Pour Homme sticks around for about 7 hours. Nothing amazing with the performance here, but solid enough.

Seasonally, this is an autumn through springtime wear. So long as it’s not too hot or humid out, Devotion should be able to work.

This would be a good fragrance for younger guys, as far as daily wears go. It’s not formal or something that most would wear to the office. Nightlife, would be good. It’s not a massive projector, but its gourmand qualities are attractive.

Overall Impressions of Devotion

Overall, do I like Devotion? I do like it somewhat. I’m not sure what the hate this has gotten is all about, it’s a pretty good fragrance, not amazing but likeable. I guess this is more of a love/hate cologne for a lot of people.

The opening spray isn’t too amazing, but I do think that once the strength of the lemon wears off a bit, it’s an enjoyable enough scent. Just sort of harsh to kick things off. I like the coffee and the slight spiciness of the mix. It does smell like a cup of joe. Then, it softens into something else.

Again, I’m not in love with this one, and won’t be buying a bottle for myself. But, for the time that I’ve had it on, there is enough to like here.

When compared to the other D&G sample that I received, Light Blue Capri in Love, I think that it is a bit better than is Devotion.

If you’re interested I would for sure try to get this when it’s discounted, because I don’t think it’s too worthwhile at retail prices.

Light Blue Capri in Love Pour Homme by D&G

by

Light Blue is the line that keeps right on going for Dolce & Gabbana, on both the men’s and women’s side of things. 2025’s release is Capri in Love Pour Homme. I recently bought a sample vial of this new cologne to test it out.

How does Capri in Love smell? Does it last long? Is this Light Blue worth a try?

Capri in Love (Men’s) Overview

Notes include: fig, black pepper, patchouli

Click here to try: Light Blue Capri in Love Homme

My Full Review

Here’s how D&G describes it: A dive into the salty sea breeze and golden light of Capri.
Intriguing and enveloping, Light Blue Capri In Love Pour Homme Eau de Parfum opens with the spicy note of Black Pepper. At its heart lies the vibrant and green soul of Capri Green Fig, while Patchouli lends a deep and magnetic elegance, encapsulating the Mediterranean island’s allure.

So, there are only three listed notes here. But, looking at the ingredients there is a light citrus note up top that I’m smelling, which pairs up with the opening spice of the black pepper.

From the jump, you can tell that this one isn’t going to be too heavy and it will have a freshness that is great for the summertime. Very reminiscent of Kenzo fragrances and Paradise Garden (if you stripped it of mint and coconut).

Love in Capri is definitely a departure from the rest of the series. Dolce & Gabbana have done some really different takes on the Light Blue name, like, Vulcano and Stromboli.

Clean, spicy, slightly sweet, and a greenish base is how this Light Blue edition starts out.

Then, it really become fig dominant for the rest of the wear. If you don’t like fig, you’re not going to enjoy this. For me, this is something that I do think I’d enjoy, at least somewhat. A good fig mix for summer, isn’t usually something that the mainstream designers do.

Anyway, it’s basically just fig and a light patchouli the rest of the way. There are some woody undertones popping out as well. A pretty simple use of notes for the warmer months of the year.

But, I do think that this one shines once that black pepper starts to fall off. The green fruitiness of the fig works well.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This sillage here is a lighter moderate. It’s not weak, it’s just not going to be a heavy thick cloud of scent. Nor should it be. It’s light, clean, and somewhat refreshing. Though, the reach it has with it’s projection is good.

On my skin, this one lasts somewhere in the 6-7 hour range. That’s about what I expect from these D&G Light Blue releases, this edition is par the course.

Seasonally, obviously we’re going spring and summer with this one. That’s what it’s built for.

Within that, though, I think that Capri in Love has plenty of use cases. It can be a daily wear, something casual, or even venture into the nightlife if need be.

Also, this is one that can be worn by any age group. Capri in Love is a well balanced summer cologne.

Overall Impressions of Capri in Love

Overall, do I like Capri in Love? So far, I do kind of like it. I’m not blown away by it, but for what it is, I think this Light Blue edition is nice.

It’s not too complicated of a fragrance and is fairly linear once that fig note kicks fully into gear. If you enjoy the Kenzo scents, K by D&G, etc.; you’ll probably like this one at least somewhat too.

If you’re a fan of the usual Light Blue citrus heavy colognes, this one might not be worth your while.

Either way, I don’t think it’s a great scent. Probably too high priced, at the initial release, but if you want an enjoyable change of pace for the summertime, this can do nicely.

Performance is mid, as usual with the Light Blue fragrances. Yet, it does enough to make it useful.

If you want a simple designer fig cologne, this is a good option. If it doesn’t sound appealing to you, I don’t think it’s going to shock or change your mind, if you try Love in Capri out.

Ranking The One Colognes by D&G

by

The One from Dolce & Gabbana is a line of fragrances that keeps chugging along and releasing new flanker scents. I recently revisited these colognes and also tried the one’s that I hadn’t gotten to yet, in order to do reviews for the site.

I figured that I should also create a ranking list of the best The One colognes for men, as a more accessible guide on the topic. So, here that is.

Ranking My Favorite Dolce & Gabbana The One Colognes

The Best

The One EDP– After going back over this entire lineup, the number one option is still The One Eau de Parfum. Taking everything great about the original EDT and adding depth and better performance. 

I grabbed a new bottle for myself, after years of not having any in my collection, just based on re-testing the EDT version.

I personally pick up more grapefruit in the early stages of EDP. That amber and tobacco combination is beefed up and is so fantastic when it hangs in the air. 

You do still need to go heavy on the sprays for this one to perform. With my bottle, I can get 6+ hours and sometimes around 8 with a good amount of spraying. Still not amazing, but it’s what you’ll probably need to do, if you really want to enjoy The One. The One EDP Review

the one edp review

Sweet, Warm, Fruity

The One Luminous Night– For some, this is the best of the entire line. I still think that it’s a notch below EDP, but I also have a bottle currently being shipped to me, since I got a decent price finally.

One thing is for sure, Luminous Night is the best of the limited edition Night colognes that has been released thus far. Update: If you can’t find this, Dua has their inspired take on this cologne.

The opening is a contrast between colder and fresh notes (basil and sage) versus the warmer sweeter notes, highlighted by its signature use of dates.

The fragrance will get warmer, sweet but not overly so. Amber, incense, and woods will round Luminous Night out and creates a fantastic cologne. Nice performance, not a complete beast, though. Luminous Night Review

Update: With my full bottle of this stuff. It can be hit or miss, as to how much I enjoy it. Sometimes, it seems completely like a sage and basil dominant fragrance. Other times, you get a more balanced use of the dates. 

It’s great on occasion, but not something that I want to wear on a daily basis, even in winter. Which, is when it is at its best. Still, a cologne that I’m glad I picked up when I could.

The Original Release

The One EDT– With the original, I will always love how this smells. But, the performance is bad. So, just get the EDP, since it’s basically  the same (more or less).

The EDT will get the third spot, but it wouldn’t be the one to buy, unless you really want to spray the heck out of yourself daily.

Revisiting this original version was great. That light grapefruit note, basil, and the warm amber tying everything together. It’ll only stick for 3-4 hours, if sprayed a lot in the same place, and that’s the main gripe. 

Again, just get the EDP and maybe one of the others that you like. The One for Men Review

the one for men review

Best of the Second Tier Options

The One EDP Intense– This one sort of gets overlooked, as it is the Intense version of the EDP, and doesn’t nearly hit the same level of enjoyment. However, I think that it is actually underrated, and is definitely in the top half of The One releases.

This opens up with a cooler blend of spice and woods. Sage, cypress, and cardamom are all apparent from the opening. A nice amount of spice, but this is a woodier version of the formulation, much like Royal Night (listed below). 

Neroli and cardamom have their moments, but this one actually has a leather note which will come to lead things and a resinous labdanum note, instead of just being the usual amber. The One Intense Review

A Spring/Summer Remix

The One for Men Grey– Grey often gets a bad wrap when compared to some of the others that I have placed below it. While I don’t think that it’s spectacular, The One Grey is marginally better than the others and changes up The One formulation.

What’s the deal with Grey? Well, it’s basically a summertime version of the original formula. The grapefruit in the original is given a large role, the fragrance is lighter and fresher, with much less of that tobacco and amber.

The opening goes bold with an array of spices, complementing the citrus. I get a lot of the basil, but there’s also: cardamom, sage, and coriander. All given more prominence in this when compared to EDT or EDP. 

The vetiver, lavender, and tobacco come out more later on in the wear. It’s clean and an easy one to wear on the warmer days of the year. The One Grey Review

Bold Spice, Dry Wood

The One Royal Night– I actually thought ahead of trying both of them, that I might prefer Royal Night to Luminous Night. But, that wasn’t the case. This is pretty good, but ultimately not a must have for me. A missed opportunity for something great.

Royal Night goes heavy with the spices up front. It goes with the usual cardamom and basil notes, just really amped up, and adds nutmeg. I like it, the spice is dynamic and pretty captivating.

Actually, the cardamom, basil, and nutmeg is a preferable spice mix for me versus the sage and basil of Luminous Night.

Yet, that part is short-lived. The cardamom and cedar notes have there phase, also. However, the dry down is pretty boring with just amber and woods. Super dry and while it doesn’t smell bad or anything, kind of loses its steam, as Royal Night progresses. Royal Night Review

royal night review

Peppery Vanilla and Lavender

The One Gentleman- The One Gentleman is another fragrance from this line, that I thought I would like more than I actually did. 

This one has a spicy punch early on. The usual cardamom from the rest of the lineup, along with a bigger dose of pepper. It kind of contrasts with the sweetness and creaminess of the vanilla note, but I sort of like how this starts off.

Then, it’ll dry down into more of a vanilla and lavender combination with only lighter bits of spice popping through. It’s got too much freshness and sweetness for me. It gets annoying to wear after a while.

I don’t totally hate The One Gentleman, but it’s not one that I’d really ever reach for either. The One Gentleman Review

Best Performer, Not a Great Scent

The One Mysterious Night– Mysterious Night will be near the top for some people. For me, it’s near the absolute bottom. But, in terms of performance this one is loud and lasts for ages, unlike some of the others.

I bought a travel sprayer decant of this and wore it a few times, before having enough of it.

The main trifecta here is rose, oud, and saffron. I personally love saffron as a note, but have grown to almost hate the repetitive combination of oud and rose, that has become a signature of every high-end designer.

But, if you like those notes, here is an affordable option that is actually blended well. I just cannot get into it. Mysterious Night review

 

Blood Orange Freshness

The One Gold for Men– I actually would personally rather wear this than Mysterious Night, but I can’t really say that it is a great cologne. I don’t want bottles of either, but Gold isn’t all that bad.

This is a heavier use of citrus than even Grey. Along with, aromatic spices. Here you get a strong blood orange, clary sage, and cardamom. Ginger, however, is the strongest of the spicy notes.

That will fade, then you get an earthiness and cold freshness with geranium. Not a complicated fragrance. It has its enjoyable moments, but not really worthwhile Very similar style to Legend Red by Montblanc, but also not as good as that one. The One Gold Review

Last Place

The One Sport- This version came out over a decade ago, following up the success of The One EDT. It’s by far the worst in the series and one that you probably won’t come across in the wild nowadays.

If you merged the bad performance of the EDT with a bland fragrance, you essentially get Sport. It actually reminded me of the old Deep Energy by Adidas, the difference being that fragrance used to cost under $10, while you paid D&G prices for this. The One Sport Review