prada

Candy Gloss by Prada

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Candy Gloss is a 2018 flanker of the original and quite popular Prada Candy. This perfume probably never got the same level of attention as some of the others in the series, but was that actually justified? Or is Gloss actually a hidden gem of a fragrance? I bought a sample and tested it out, to see how this Prada perfume smells and performs.

What does Prada Candy Gloss Smell Like?

Notes include: cherry, cassis, peach, rose, orange blossom, vanilla, almond, benzoin, heliotrope, musk

Click here to try: Candy Gloss from Amazon

My Full Review

Here’s how Prada describes it: Juicy, sparkling and intensely joyful: Candy Gloss is a sensual sorbet, sweet as acid cherry and solar as the orange blossom. A fruity bouquet with hints of rose and musk.

The opening is indeed sparkling, with a mix of cherry and tart fruity notes. The cherry is the star and it provides a sour type of cherry aroma in the early stage. Then, it will become more of your standard cherry smell.

In support, is the cassis and a touch of peach. Greenish, sort of tart and sour between them. I have to say, however, the combination works very well. I really enjoy the opening act.

It’ll become sweeter, powdery, creamy, and some almond bitterness. Yes, it has elements of Lost Cherry by Tom Ford. A less boozy and more playful perfume than that one.

The cherry will stick around for the duration, but it will share power. Gloss gets its floral influence, with some rose and orange blossom. Neither of which is massive, but they are present.

The heliotrope and the vanilla come through and further dampen that initial fruitiness. The middle act, is like a sweet cherry floral, with less of the cassis. This is when it has the most powdery aroma. Though, it’s never a total powder bomb.

A musky, amber, floral with cherry is how Candy Gloss ends up. Actually quite pleasant somewhat fuzzy and creamy on the edges. Sweet, and at times, I still catch a slight rose note in the mix.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The opening act is fairly bold and does have a good reach, at least for me. That projection level isn’t sustained for too long and it will become pretty middle of the road, and finally, intimate for the rest of the way.

It’s sweet, has some heaviness, and can feel a bit cloying at times too.

The longevity here, isn’t great. Not the worst, that I’ve come across, but Candy Gloss is definitely pretty mediocre. Somewhere in the 4-6 hour range, on the skin. It’s lucky to reach six hours and that back half is basically a skin scent.

Seasonally, this does have a good range of wear opportunities. It’s got enough substance to do well in the autumn and winter months. Yet, Gloss isn’t so heavy as to excluded from warmer weather wear.

Maybe not for the height of the summer, but I could for sure see this fragrance getting used in the springtime.

It’s not a formal fragrance, but not completely juvenile either. It’s attractive and has some style to it. Though, I’d say it’s mainly going to be a perfume for casual use, potentially a daily wear for those who really like cherry.

Overall Impressions of Candy Gloss

Overall, do I like this perfume? Yes, I do. It’s not incredible, but I think it’s an enjoyable cherry fragrances, and a tad better than the original Prada Candy.

The opening act is my favorite part. It’s when the perfume really seems to live up to the Candy name and gives you the boldest presentation of the cherry note. The back half, actually is a bit more of a make up sort of aroma, I guess lip gloss or even sort of a lipstick vibe.

It’s still nice and I like the scent on the whole.

The performance here, isn’t too great. I do wish that this perfume was beefed up beyond what is presented.

From the current prices that I’ve seen online (under $50 as of update), it does feel like one that’s a good enough deal to pick up. Mainly, if it actually sounds like something you’d love. I don’t think this is ever going to have a universal appeal.

From what I can tell, Candy Gloss did get discontinued by Prada. So, if you’re in the market for a bottle, this is probably your best chance to get one at a reasonable price.

8 Best Smelling Prada Colognes for Men

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Prada is an Italian design house which has been around for decades and has made a huge impact within the world of fashion. It features a really great menswear line but also has some signature scents for guys up its sleeves as well. For this post, I want to explore eight scents from Prada which I consider to be their best that they have released thus far.

Key Takeaways

Here is a quick list for those in a hurry. I go into much more detail on each of these and the others below.

What are the Top Prada Perfumes for Him?

Top Sporty Cologne

Prada Luna Rossa SPORT Eau de Toilette Spray 3.4 oz– Luna Rossa Sport is a simple fragrance and is a flanker of the original Luna Rossa, that is listed towards the bottom of the page. While it is a simple and fairly linear wear, Sport, is super fresh and smells really great.

It opens up with a blend of vanilla and tonka bean, which creates a sort of powdery aromatic aroma, with sweetness provided in part by a nice juniper berry note.

Beyond that, ginger adds a lightly fresh spice, and there is the lavender note that is ubiquitous in the Luna Rossa series. Refreshing and crisp.

This one stays pretty tonka and vanilla heavy, with lavender and that juniper note flanking it. Sometimes, this is my absolute favorite Prada scent to wear, but then I get tired of it. It’s great, but not something I want to wear all of the time. I reviewed it here.

Best L’Homme Cologne

Prada L’homme Intense Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– I’m going to go with Prada L’Homme Intense before the original. Mainly, I like the darker aroma of this one, and the fact that I can get 9 hours of wear on my skin.

It has the powdery iris note of the original, amber, and a healthy dose of leather, in the opening.

Later on, there is a subtle base of patchouli and sandalwood, which add to the overall enjoyment and aren’t a distraction. The dry down is mainly iris and tonka bean, with the leather and amber, playing support roles.

It’s super rich and fits beautifully in the colder weather of autumn and winter. I think that Intense is the best of the L’Homme line from this brand.  L’Homme Intense Review

Top Prada Olfactories Les Mirages

Soleil au Zenith– I also liked Dark Light from this series (that’s more vanilla and amber). However, Soleil au Zenith is also an amazing perfume from this more expensive Prada line (these are going to run around $300).

Zenith does open up much closer to a traditional ladies’ fragrance, versus being purely unisex. Ylang-ylang and peach are the top notes, but will ultimately give way to is deep and rich base of ingredients.

The peach gets wrapped up with vanilla and sandalwood. You have spices including cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg becoming more prominent as it wears on. It becomes a softer warmer spice with powdery flourishes. To me, the ylang-ylang all but disappears.

Floral Unisex Perfume

Prada Amber Pour Homme by Prada for Men – 3.4 oz EDT Spray -This one is clean and soapy with bits of leather and lavender. A good fresh scent with solid performance. Honestly, it’s my least favorite on the list, personally.

I know a lot of people have said that this is among the absolute best, so, I include it for the sake of giving it a fair shake.

It does smell good, but it gets way too floral and soapy. for my taste. Has more of a unisex vibe, but it is a well put together, and classy scent overall. Amber Pour Homme is a mature or professional fragrance. You’re going to have to dig amber-laden floral scents.

Best Summer Fragrance

Prada Luna Rossa Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– I don’t usually care for bitter orange notes like in Terre d’Hermes (which I hate), but it quite simply works in Luna Rossa, and is by no means overpowering.

Plus, the citrus is only the main attraction at first. Then, there is an emergence of mint and lavender. What a great little scent. It is a bright citrus aroma with a cool demeanor thanks to the spearmint and calming lavender note.

The dry down does have a slight powdery/soapy feel, but it isn’t that much, and way less than what is in some of the others. This is super fresh and my main alternative to wearing Luna Rossa Sport, from the Prada line. The spearmint is utterly perfect.  Luna Rossa Full Review

Another High End Option

Cargo de Nuit– A lot of the Olfactories line of scents, get way too girly and not truly something that would be unisex. Cargo goes a bit more masculine with how it comes across, it smells great, and performs like a beast.

Again, this is one you can expect to spend $300 for. You’ll also have to source it from Prada, most likely. Saks has it sometimes or eBay.

Ambrette and tonka bean are the main attraction here, after an opening of aldehydes and musk. A very nice mix of sweet and spicy with a smooth muskiness to it. Prada says that, “Inspired by the mystery of a night voyage in the ocean”…Sure, why not? Not really what it makes me think of.

It dries down woodier, with a creaminess, and a cozy warmth. Cargo de Nuit isn’t going to be one that everyone will want, but is a great option for a more niche collector.

Top Powdery Fragrance

Prada Lhomme Prada Leau for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– L’Homme L’eau is another flanker to Prada L’Homme. It doesn’t have as much of the iris note, as the original does, but does have a stronger wood base.

It opens up with the wood, neroli, and iris notes. So, yes, this falls in the masculine floral category of colognes.

L’Homme L’eau is a very clean sort of scent, with a heightened baby powder kind of smell, when compared with the original. It starts off with strong sillage, but mellows out over time, and hangs in the air.

This is the kind of scent that you can wear formally or to the office, since it is inoffensive, and you get decent performance.  L’Homme Eau Review

Great Fresh Scent for Spring/Summer

Prada Luna Rossa Eau Sport Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 2.5 Ounce– Eau Sport isn’t just a slightly different fragrance from Luna Rossa Sport, it is actually a different fragrance almost entirely.

This one opens up with citron, bergamot, and ginger. It is very fresh and captivating. Yes, it has that usual lavender from the Luna Rossa line, but this one reminds me of the old Dior Homme Sport just swapping the iris for lavender.

Eau Sport quickly became one of my favorite Prada scents and a very enjoyable one for the summer. Not too complex, with some light amber and cedar in the base. However, it smells great and give a nice performance. Luna Ross Eau Sport Review

Honorable Mentions

Luna Rossa Black– Black was probably the most unknown fragrance from the Luna Rossa line. Though, that’s changed recently. Actually, it’s got lots of overlap with Cargo de Nuit…just not the same level of scent.

It’s different, really good, and has fantastic performance. Pretty simple presentation, as well.

My main problem with this fragrance, is with how it opens. Patchouli, bergamot, angelica…it doesn’t come together all that wonderfully. However, Luna Rossa Black surprised me during the dry down. Amber and tonka bean combine to make it sweet, smooth, and warm.

Is it incredible? No, but I love the use of that familiar Prada amber note, and tonka bean is among my favorite note. If you can get a good price, it’s a darker sweet scent for the winter.

Luna Rossa Carbon– I like wearing Carbon occasionally. It often gets compared to Dior Sauvage EDT, but, I think that this Prada version is better.

It opens up with a strong bergamot, ambroxan, pepper, and lavender. The lavender will really come into its own later, and take over the scent. It has good longevity and sillage.

Not my favorite scent, but I thought that I’d list it here, as another option. It’s certainly popular and has its fans.

Black Opium vs Prada Candy Perfume Comparison

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

Tale of the Tape: Black Opium vs. Candy

Black Opium

black opium perfume review

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

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

Read my original review: Black Opium

Prada Candy

Notes include: caramel, musk, and benzoin

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

Read my original review: Prada Candy

Opening

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

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

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

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

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

Edge: Candy

Projection

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

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

Edge: Black Opium

Longevity

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

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

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

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

Edge: Black Opium

Versatility

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

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

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

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

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

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

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

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

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

Winner: Black Opium

Prada Paradoxe vs Candy Comparison

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Prada has multiple popular lines of perfumes available. It’s great if you can get all of the ones that you want, but for many of us, decisions need to be made. Paradoxe and Candy are two of the best sellers for this designer. In this post, I want to compare them and try to break down for you which will be the better option to buy. Which lasts longer? Which is ultimately the top fragrance.

Tale of the Tape: Prada Candy vs. Paradoxe

Prada Candy

Notes include: caramel, musk, and benzoin

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

Read my original review: Prada Candy

Paradoxe

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

Click here to try: Paradoxe by Prada

Opening

Prada Candy, sweet with a darker aroma to it. It doesn’t have the intensity and swaps in caramel to be paired with benzoin and some musk. Very pleasant with that familiar sweetness and the fuzzy benzoin.

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

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

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? I’d have to go with Paradoxe. The simplicity of Prada Candy is nice enough, but the depth, sweetness, and variety of notes really gets me involved with Paradoxe.

Edge: Paradoxe

Projection

To me, Candy was always a lighter moderate fragrance, that I never felt needed to be heavy, create a massive scent trail, or totally project itself across the room. It’s just not in its character, nor would it be too pleasant.

It’s lighter qualities really makes it more enjoyable, in my mind at least.

However, if we’re comparing the two, Paradoxe has a much stronger scent and greater ability to project. It’s much more substantial than its compatriot. It starts off strong, then, is slightly above average the rest of the way.

Edge: Paradoxe

Longevity

Candy is a scent that has slighty better than average performance, on skin. But, not much above middle of the road. For me, I always got about 6-7 hours of wear out of Candy during my testing of it.

Now, Paradoxe, was significantly better than Candy. Though, not elite in its own right. It seemed to at least hit around 8.5 hours for me and could go up to 10 hours.

Pretty darn good and definitely gives you some value for Prada prices. Paradoxe takes this category.

Edge: Paradoxe

Versatility

Both of these fragrance are at their best in autumn and winter. I think that Paradoxe can venture further into the springtime versus Candy.

Paradoxe is the better daily wear. Though, it’s not much of a pick for the nightlife or romantic wear. Though I don’t think Candy is super sexy or anything, its fun and flirtier vibe will work better at Night.

Candy can also work in the daytime due to its lightness, but it isn’t the most formal scent ever.

I think Paradoxe has a bit of an edge here, due to its daytime use case. It’ll fit in more places, cover more bases, and has a greater use in the warmer weather than Candy.

Edge: Paradoxe

Overall Scent

Overall, which is the better perfume? It’s a pretty easy win for Paradoxe, in my book. I’m not even a super fan of this perfume, but it does just about everything better across the board than does Candy.

Candy is a fine perfume. I enjoy its scent, but I’m never completely blown away by it.  The sweet and salty caramel is nice, the benzoin fuzzy and somewhat powdery aroma is attractive too.

For some people, it can be a good pick up with a simple and straightforward wear.

The opening of Paradoxe is interesting and their are layers that I enjoy. The latter stages are balanced with the orange blossom and jasmine notes. It’s slightly soapy and quite clean, with the sweetness and vanilla still having its say.

The performance is better and most people seem to like it overall versus what you get with Candy. Paradoxe takes this matchup.

Winner: Paradoxe

Prada Paradoxe vs. Intense Comparison

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Prada released Paradoxe in 2022 and it has already become one of the more popular fragrances out there. Obviously, they were going to follow it up with subsequent flanker releases. The first being, 2023’s Paradoxe Intense. I suspect more will be following. However, until then, I want to do a comparison post between these first two. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the right one to buy?

Tale of the Tape: Paradoxe vs. Paradoxe Intense

Paradoxe

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

Click here to try: Paradoxe by Prada

My review: Paradoxe EDP

Paradoxe Intense

Notes include: pear, neroli, bergamot,  jasmine, moss, ambrofix, vanilla

Click here to try: Paradoxe Intense by Prada

Opening

Paradoxe opens up sweet, fruity, and bright. The neroli is going to be a major factor in that first 20-30 minutes, 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 a candy flavoring versus a pure natural fruit. Some sparkling pear is in the mix, but lots of citrus influence (tangerine is the strongest fruit, early) for the opening of the original 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.

With Intense, you get a bit of a different start. It is still sweet, but it lacks the tangerine and orange blossom aspect. More neroli, with a balance between the pear and bergamot.

The other very noticeable differences are the jasmine and the moss note. The fruitiness is toned down, but between that and the moss, I do enjoy this initial fresh quality versus the candy fruitiness of the first Paradoxe.

It’s clean and you have hints of the substantial amber accord already popping up.

Which is better? It’s a close call. While I enjoy the orange blossom and the sweetness of the original, I have tended to favor the opening of Intense during testing.

It’s simpler and I enjoy the light fruit notes with the neroli, jasmine, and moss. All together, that smells quite nice.

Edge: Intense

Projection

I don’t find either of these fragrances to be particularly massive with how they project, hang in the air, etc. I’d say that each is well above average in the first hours.

Then, they’ll be more moderate. Noticeable to you, just not screaming for attention from anyone who’s not very close.

Between them, Intense does have a bit more power behind it. Not much more, but it is noticeably stronger, when I spray it on a shirt sitting across the room from me.

Edge: Intense

Longevity

The performance of each of these perfumes is great. Paradoxe seems to have a wide range of outcomes, in terms of hours that it lasts on skin.

For me it’s like 8.5-10 hours of wear before it completely goes away. The last 3-4 hours are just a slight musk, floral, and some amber. But, it is still there.

With Intense, it can go 11 hours and maybe a little past that. But, it hit double digit hours, each time that I used it. So, maybe an extra hour or two on the skin. That moss really hangs around.

Edge: Intense

Versatility

Not much difference here. They cover similar use cases, which is fairly vast, as both are solid daily wear options for a lot of people.

Seasonally, Intense is better in the winter. Paradoxe is better in the summer. However, neither are built specifically for those seasons. Slightly cool temperatures to slightly warm, is the sweet spot for each.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, overall which Paradoxe fragrance do I prefer between these first two entries of the series?

To start, I don’t think either is amazing. But, I find them both enjoyable and above average across the board.

While I do slightly prefer the opening of Paradoxe Intense, I’m going to have to go with the original, based on the whole experience.

The Intense opening isn’t a massive difference, but I think that Paradoxe smells better in the middle and dry down periods, than its flanker.

Intense goes mossy, jasmine, amber, with some vanilla to finish things off. Clean, kind of soapy, with that moss and amber really coming through. Actually, its the ambrofix, a lot have brands have been using which adds a further woody aroma to the scent.

Paradoxe Intense sort of reminds me of a Cartier release, during the back half of the wear. Like, one of the La Panthere perfumes (not as good), can’t remember which specifically though.

Meanwhile, Paradoxe dries down with more of a balance than that very sweet opening. It’s soapy, but goes with orange blossom, as its floral centerpiece. Though, more of that jasmine will come into play.

It’s fresh with it’s light musk note, still has some sweetness, less of the amber and vanilla (still present, though). I just like the orange blossom more than the jasmine note. And fruity sweetness to the moss.

There isn’t a large gap between them. If you don’t like sweet, you might consider going with Intense and it’s stronger performance. But, how everything plays out, I like the original.

Winner: Paradoxe