dolce & gabbana

The One EDT vs. EDP Comparison

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The One for Men by Dolce & Gabbana is one of the most successful fragrance lines of the past two decades. With that success, comes a whole host of different flanker versions of the original formulation.

They are seemingly endless and have little or a lot to do with the original EDT depending on the edition. But, one that has a ton of overlap with the eau de toilette is The One eau de parfum.

On this page, is my comparison of the original The One EDT launch and the 2015 eau de parfum follow up. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Should you buy?

Tale of the Tape: The One vs. The One Eau de Parfum

The One by D&G

Notes include: grapefruit, basil, coriander, amber, tobacco, ginger, cardamom, orange blossom, and cedar

Click here to try: The One EDT

My Full Review: The One EDT

the one for men review

The One EDP

Notes include: grapefruit, basil, coriander, amber, tobacco, ginger, cardamom, orange blossom, and cedar

Click here to try: The One EDP

My Full Review The One EDP

the one edp review

Opening

The One EDT opens up with its grapefruit and spices being the main focus. The citrus note is pretty short-lived, but with that amber pool, the coriander and basil notes really come on beautifully.

But, ginger and cardamom are also present. Providing further warmth and spice to the opening act of EDT. It’s not a heavy spiciness, rather, a freshness tempered by the citrus, amber, and emerging tobacco note.

Now, EDP is mostly the same as the original.

But, to my nose, there are differences. The grapefruit has a larger role to play early on in the EDP version. Not entirely citrusy or anything, but it is more pronounced.

I’d say most of the spice profile is the same, but I do think that the cardamom has been amped up some, furthering the citrus impression that I get, while still providing some spiced warmth.

Beyond that, the amber and tobacco are just stronger and more potent.

Which opening to I prefer? Again, it’s like 95% the same. But, I do like the added depth of the EDP a bit more, so it takes this category.

Edge: EDP

Projection

The lack of power and staying power is a hallmark of the original The One. If I spray a good amount of EDT, I get 30-45 minutes of a solid scent trail and projection.

5-6 feet from the skin, is about it’s max distance. Thereafter, it’ll be within 2 feet of where you sprayed it.

With EDP, things improve. A little more of a radius at its peak, that’ll give you a nice scent trail and bubble for 2-3.5 hours. After that, it’ll be close to the skin, much like the original.

But, that improved performance is indeed worth it and simply better.

Edge: EDP

Longevity

The other problem with the original The One for Men was with its longevity. When I first tried it back in the day, I was lucky to get to 2 hours on the skin.

If you go heavy with the sprays (which you should with this cologne), you can stretch that time period to 3-4 hours of wear. Still, pretty darn poor.

With EDP, normal sprays nets me about 4-5 hours of wear. With heavy sprays, I can go 6+ hours and up to about 8.

Way better and much more acceptable as a fragrance.

Edge: EDP

Versatility

As far as when and how each should be worn, they’re exactly the same.

Seasonally, autumn and winter, mainly. But, I will still wear them in spring and summer, if it isn’t too hot and humid. Though, it is mostly an indoor only option with air conditioning going.

A nightlife machine, that is sexy and confident.  You can wear them in a variety of situations, appropriate for a wide array of ages, but may not want to go completely formal with it.

Romantic wear, nightlife, casual, and semi-formal.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which fragrance is better? The clear choice is the eau de parfum. The scent itself is overwhelmingly the same, as the original. Plus, the performance is better across the board.

I love the way the original EDT smells, I can pick up those slight differences early on, but it doesn’t change the outcome of this comparison.

Frankly, the performance of The One for Men EDT is too terrible. The price nowadays is fine, but even with heavy sprays, you’d have to apply and re-apply constantly.

Sure, EDP isn’t a powerhouse, but it does give you hours of solid wear before becoming a lighter fragrance. I wear it fairly often and don’t have much in the way of complaints about its performance.

The One Eau de Parfum gives you a deeper and richer fragrance. That amber and tobacco is still awesome and this is a sent that I have come back to recently and will continue to wear into the future.

If you want a The One fragrance, the EDP is the best. There are some other good ones like, u, but EDP still reigns supreme.

Winner: The One EDP

The One for Men EDP by D&G

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The One from Dolce & Gabbana is a scent that I’ve loved the smell of for the longest time, but hated the performance. The eau de parfum version is one that I’ve encountered too, but never grabbed a full bottle of. Well, I’ve been revisiting the entire series this year, and finally got my full bottle of The One EDP. How does it smell? Does it last any longer? Is it actually worth a try?

What does The One for Men Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, basil, coriander, amber, tobacco, ginger, cardamom, orange blossom, and cedar

Click here to try: The One EDP

the one edp review

My Full Review

Here’s how D&G describes it: The One for Men Eau de Parfum is part of the iconic world of The One, offering a deeper fragrance experience for the perfume connoisseur. Masculine and magnetic, this highly intense scent is a statement of charisma and sophistication.

Ah, so a lot of this is going to be a rehash of my EDT review, as these two smell extremely similar to one another as expected.

But. there are some slight differences in the early stages, as terms of how it smells.

The grapefruit note here has more of a role to play. It starts out with a stronger burst to my nose than it does in the EDT.

The spices are about the same, with the coriander being stronger than that basil. But, I think a larger part of that grapefruit-like smell comes from a bit more of the cardamom, which can have a citrusy smell.

But, beyond just that grapefruit, the amber and the tobacco come across as more powerful in this blend. It’s deeper and richer.

Again, this is mostly the same, but I do favor the slight EDP alterations a bit more.

As far as the spices, the ginger and basil are still short-lived. With the coriander and cardamom, being bigger players on my skin.

The initial fresh spiciness will begin to pass. The One becomes smoother, warmer, and smokier.

The spices also become more of a combination versus anything distinct in how they present. At this point, it’s a amber and tobacco show with a noticeable cedar, and hints of: spices, smokiness, orange blossom, and a very light citrus.

The final dry down is basically a faint amber and tobacco. Those are the last two standing and part of the reason that this can come across as not being a super powerful cologne.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it’s still a lighter moderate cologne at its peak. Then, it will stick close to the skin and create a 1-2 foot scent bubble.

However, when you beef up the sprays this one can absolutely create a trail for a few hours and project very well off of the skin or clothing. Somewhere in the 5-8 foot range. With the way that I spray it, described below.

The longevity with The One EDP is much better than EDT. This is a fragrance that you’ll have to spray more of versus most others, to get performance. The EDT wasn’t capable of that, but the EDP is.

So, with normal sprays, it lasts on my skin for about 4-5 hours. Not as terrible. Not great.

If I go with heavy spraying, it can go to 6+ hours, with 2-3.5 hours of good sillage. Not much beyond six hours, but some. The rest will stay closer to the skin, but it doesn’t just drop off in the same way the EDT does. Skin scent for the last 2-3 hours.

What’s heavy spraying? Like, 3-4 sprays to each side of the neck. With some more sprays elsewhere, depending on what I’m wearing. Generally, hitting that 10-15 spray range in total.

It might not be something that you can do in every situation that you want to wear a fragrance, but it can be done. Plus, this scent has gotten affordable enough that you can use more without breaking the bank.

Seasonally, still the same with the autumn and winter being the main use case. But, I will still break it out in spring and summer, if it isn’t too hot and humid. Or, if I know that I’m going to be indoors for the night.

A nightlife machine, that is sexy and confident.  You can wear it in a variety of situations, appropriate for a wide array of ages, but may not want to go completely formal with it.

Romantic wear, nightlife, casual, and semi-formal.

Overall Impressions of The One EDP

Overall, do I like The One Eau de Parfum? Yes, I love it. It’s nearly identical to the original EDT, just with better performance. Some slight changes and depth to it.

But, I loved The One EDT and the way that it smelled, so this one is a must have in my collection. Coming back to it in 2022, really recaptured my admiration for this fragrance.

It is the best of The One collection, on the whole. I also like Luminous Night, but EDP is superior to that, as well.

This is one of the mass appealing designer scents that simply knocks it out of the park. Very easy to wear, versatile, and something that consistently grabs attention…even if it is extremely popular.

The performance is improved to where 6-8+ hours is possible to achieve with more sprays. Really, I got mine 100ml (3.3 ounce) bottle for around $70 and you could probably get a 5 oz for around the same price on sale. Maybe, $80-90.

So, that’s affordable enough to use this one with more sprays than it otherwise might take with other colognes. But, the smell is worth it. The EDT no longer is, but Eau de Parfum absolutely is.

The One EDP can be a bedrock fragrance for a lot of guys who don’t want or need a huge collection. Maybe grab another cologne for the summer or one for daytime use, and you’d be set.

The One for Men EDP Intense by D&G

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The One series has been a massively successful line for Dolce & Gabbana, in both men’s and women’s fragrances. 2020, saw the release of this flanker, The One for Men Eau de Parfum Intense. An intense version of the EDP edition of The One for Men. Yes, the name’s get confusing. I grabbed a sample to test out and see how this newer release compares and if it is worth a try.

What does The One for Men EDP Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: cardamom, neroli, cypress, clary sage, benzoin, cashmeran, leather, labdanum, patchouli

Click here to try: The One EDP Intense

one edp intense review

My Full Review

Here’s how D&G describes it:  The One For Men Eau de Parfum Intense, finds its magnetic appeal in a daring fusion of opposites. Intensely masculine, fascinating yet authentic, it is a scent of extremes – warm neroli golden facets with deep black leather in an enigmatic expression of olfactory chiaroscuro.

The One EDP Intense opens up with a pretty unique mix of spice, woods, and floral. It’s definitely fresh and has a much cooler aroma than that of the original warmth found in The One EDT.

Cardamom, sage, and cypress are pretty heavy after the initial spray. I have to say, I really like the opening here. The neroli, leather, and more resinous notes aren’t yet fully apparent; but, you can pick them up in the background.

While it matches the spiciness of the original The One fragrances, this one goes in a much woodier direction. That cypress note stands out on my skin. While it will weaken, as things move along, it stay around for the duration.

Actually while this has a unique sort of aroma, this has a lot of overlap with L’Homme Ideal L’Intense by Guerlain, which I have a full bottle of. In fact, I may prefer this D&G cologne to that one. Nonetheless, they share: leather, labdanum, cardamom, and patchouli. Not the same smokiness, though.

Ultimately different scents, but with a similar style and notes to one another.

Cardamom and neroli will start to muscle out the cypress. The neroli has its moment to shine, but will fade, on my skin at least. At this point, The One EDP Intense is a fresh and spicy cologne with an earthy/resinous/woodsy quality.

A bit further, the leather will really come in more. It never overwhelms the rest of the composition but that smoothness will keep this one from becoming too dirty. The benzoin and labdanum outweigh the patchouli.

This supplies the amber and resinous quality, which will most resemble the original The One EDT. This is much more resinous, medicinal, and animalistic than the sweeter amber of the original, but plays about the same role in terms of its presence.

The leather, is a lighter player versus the tobacco in the EDT.

At the end, I get an ambery cardamom with woods/leather and the remnants of the rest of the neroli. Not as spicy, as the beginning and to me, the patchouli never really comes across as being that heavy in the mix.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, I don’t find this to be massive, even for an ‘Intense EDP’. I’d say it’s probably above average at its peak, and pretty moderate thereafter. Better than the original for sure, I just don’t think it really will bomb out a room.

This seems to hit the 5.5-7 hour range, on the skin. Again, an improvement and decent. Just not going to be a marathon runner, by any means. I think it provides a decent value, EDP Intense just doesn’t go above and beyond.

Seasonally, autumn through the very early part of spring. This is best for chilly to colder temperatures, but wouldn’t be bad in something more moderate. Just avoid the heat and put it away during the summer.

It does indeed have an appealing and dark sexiness about it. I personally think the EDT smells more attractive, but this would be nice as a nightlife scent.

It’s a bit more dense, masculine, and dirtier than some of the others in the series. But, that earthiness is a fraction of its personality.

Overall Impressions of The One EDP Intense

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, it takes a different direction than the original The One or even the EDP version, but it still has its own appeal within that uniqueness. I don’t enjoy the smell as much, as the EDT version, but this is still quite a nice wear.

Also, the performance blows the EDT version out of the water, even while not being a beast mode fragrance itself. That 5-7 hours, will net you probably around 4 with solid sillage, and go closer to the skin until it evaporates entirely.

I like the freshness, earthiness, and somewhat bitter opening act. It’s smooth and fresh, but doesn’t have the same warmth and ambery sweetness at the EDT.

Cypress, sage, benzoin, and the leather are the highlights for me. Is that enough to make it a must have? No.

But, The One EDP Intense is worthy of a try. For some, this will be the among the best of the series, while others may enjoy the formulations which closely mimic the original.

The One for Men by Dolce & Gabbana

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The One EDT was literally one of the first fragrances I bought to review when I started this site back in 2013. If I actually ever posted my review, it has since been deleted, as the performance of this cologne was so bad that I felt it to be useless to post.

Well, fast forward to today, I wanted to dive into this whole D&G collection and start off by revisiting this 2008 release that has been mega-popular ever since. I always loved the smell, it just lasted for less than an hour on my skin, at the time. Has that changed? What are my thoughts now after nearly a decade of avoidance? Please continue below for my full take.

What does The One for Men Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, basil, coriander, amber, tobacco, ginger, cardamom, orange blossom, and cedar

Click here to try: The One EDT

the one for men review

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, here’s how D&G describes it: Dolce & Gabbana The One for Men is an elegant, sensual perfume that is decidedly modern but also a unique, timeless classic. It is the natural, masculine version of Dolce & Gabbana The One. An Oriental Spicy perfume which is developed from the harmony of Tobacco notes and refined spices.

The One EDT opens up fresh with its grapefruit and array of spices taking center stage.  The grapefruit here is more along the lines of the older versions of the brand’s Light Blue fragrances, instead of the realistic one used in Light Blue Forever.

The spices early on are a mix, but you can pick out a few. The coriander is stronger than that basil note, but even that has its run during the initial spray.

It’s a warm oriental sort of spice, sitting on that base sea of amber, and given a pop by the fairly short-lived citrus note. Basil and ginger are two of my favorite and underutilized spices in fragrances…and both are the first to fade away.

Coriander and cardamom are really the one’s which show up on my skin. With the latter, adding a bit more of a citrus like impression with grapefruit and the white floral orange blossom heart.

The initial fresh spiciness will begin to take a back seat. The One becomes smoother and smokier with how it presents itself. Just a light smokiness, rather than heavy incense or anything like that.

The spices also become more of a combination versus anything distinct in how they present. At this point, it’s a amber and tobacco show with a noticeable cedar, and hints of: spices, smokiness, orange blossom, and a very light citrus.

The final dry down is basically a faint amber and tobacco without much else. Still smells nice, you just need to press your nose to it. Spicy and fresh gives way to a still warm and somewhat sweet scent.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, that initial 30-45 minutes or so is pretty solid. Even with 4-5 sprays from sample vials, I still got a good trail going from either skin or clothing.

It probably peaks at the 5-6 foot range off of the skin. After that, you’re going to be looking at something that sits within 1-2 feet. That draw down is really fast from being noticeable to if not a skin scent, close to it.

So, I also tested The One out side by side with a fragrance of a similar style, Noir Extreme by Tom Ford. 5 sprays on the one sample vial versus 2 sprays of a Noir Extreme vial. An hour or so in, the Tom Ford has a much more noticeable presence.

Seasonally, the warmth and spices is built for the autumn and winter months. I would avoid the hotter weather and humidity. Cold to moderate temperatures is where The One for Men smells absolutely divine.

It is a versatile fragrance. It is a sexy and attractive date night or nightlife wear. Though, it’s not offensive or completely out of place during the day. The tobacco note, might not always be appropriate, but it also might not be strong enough to really matter.

It is an interesting fragrance, as it does have a level of maturity to it. While also being dynamic and not at all stuffy. Younger guys and a lot of teenagers, really wouldn’t have an issue using this cologne.

Overall Impressions of The One EDT

Overall, do I like The One for Men? The smell, I still adore. The performance…still pretty bad. Though, not as terrible as I remember.

I mean 3-4 hours is absolutely not great. Especially when the projection is so light a few hours in. This is in contrast to my memory of it not lasting an hour previously.

The One features some of my favorite notes and a style, which I really enjoy. Ginger, basil, cardamom. Orange blossom is among my favorite floral notes. Amber is great. Plus, a very nice rich tobacco note for this sort of mainstream cologne.

The problem is, when all combined together…these notes don’t hold up in an EDT concentration.

As such, is it a buy? I mean, maybe. I would try to get a huge discount. Probably putting on some unscented lotion on my skin before spraying, to aid longevity. Also, I’d spray it heavily each time using.

The One EDT is an amazing smelling and mass appealing fragrance. Performance for most folks, just isn’t great. Really, among the best sellers in this category, it smells better than the vast majority.

La Nuit de l’Homme vs The One EDT

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La Nuit de L’homme from Yves Saint Laurent and The One by D&G have both been best sellers for over a decade now. They often can get compared to one another since they do have some overlap in notes, while actually being pretty distinctly different fragrances with how they smell. But, while also sharing a similar use case. So, which of these men’s fragrances is better?

Tale of the Tape: La Nuit vs. The One EDT

La Nuit

Notes include: cardamom, bergamot, vetiver, lavender, cedar

Try it out: Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit De L’homme Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.3-Ounce

Read my review: La Nuit de l’Homme

The One by D&G

Notes include: grapefruit, ginger, basil, coriander, amber, tobacco, orange blossom, and more

Click here to try: THE ONE By DOLCE & GABBANA; EDT SPRAY 5 Ounce

Opening

La Nuit opens up with lots of cardamom and a citrus bergamot note, in the beginning. It is fresh, warm, and has that light addition of bergamot. Then, the lavender really begins to come into its own, sometime thereafter. It is a really captivating start, that gives you a nice bit of spice before settling down.

It does later become a bit more powdery and fresh, but above is what I get from the opener.

The One, meanwhile, gives me a bit less noticeable citrus (grapefruit) versus the bergamot in Nuit. Also, the cardamom feels less intense early on, and I get more of a blend with the ginger and light basil note.

The One is warm and has an amazing amber note with hints of the orange blossom giving it a floral touch. Personally, I prefer orange blossom to lavender.

Which is better? I’ve always loved how The One starts off. I enjoy La Nuit also, but with my personal bottle, my favorite part has been the dry down recently.

Edge: The One

Projection

Neither one of these has a monster projection. The sillage of La Nuit is fairly middle of the road for a few hours and then becomes light and finally a skin scent.

The One starts off nicely but really quickly fades, on my skin. It may have better performance for others, but the D&G has never really mustered much of anything for me.

Edge: La Nuit

Longevity

La Nuit used to get 6-8 hours of wear for me. The 2021 batch that I bought is more along the lines of 4-5…6 if I really spray the hell out of it. It’s for sure lost a step.

Again, The One has always had terrible performance on my skin. I might get 2 hours out of it, if I go heavy. With normal sprays, 1.

It may react differently for you, but I wouldn’t expect it to be better than the YSL, even at its peak.

Edge: La Nuit

Versatility

Both The One and La Nuit are best worn in fall/winter, but can venture into more mild temperatures, without issue.

Their versatility as popular signature scents is one of the greatest strengths that these colognes both share. Both lean more towards being nighttime wears, but honestly, neither is out of place in the daytime either.

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

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Between these two fragrances, which do I prefer?

If we’re going just based on smell alone, I like The One EDT better. It’s got a warmth, lightness, and sweet almost boozy quality about it that I’ve always loved. The downside, is that it just doesn’t work on my skin for whatever reason.

But, if it does work on yours…you should probably go with that.

However, based on smell and performance in conjunction, La Nuit wins this round. It’s not a superstar with how it lasts, but it smells really great and isn’t that far behind the Dolce cologne in terms of enjoyment.

You’re going to be getting plenty of the spicy cardamom, a general freshness, and light powdery finish. So, The One may be more appealing, if that doesn’t sound all that great to you.

Winner: La Nuit