prada

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

Luna Rossa Sport by Prada

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This is the first time that I have gotten to a Prada fragrance on this site.  No particular reason for that but I really wanted to write about this fragrance because it caught my attention. When I saw the name, I must admit that I thought it would be a different type of fragrance profile…you know, something ‘sporty’ or outdoorsy but it was something else all together.

Luckily, it wasn’t a disappointment to smell this Luna Rossa flanker, and whatever my expectations were; they went out the window. With that in mind, please continue reading below for my full take and breakdown of Luna Rossa Sport.

What does Luna Rossa Sport Smell Like?

Notes include: Vanilla, juniper berry, ginger, lavender, and tonka bean

Shop on Amazon: Prada Luna Rossa SPORT Eau de Toilette Spray 3.4 oz

My Full Review

The first thing that I really noticed about this scent was how sweet and clean it was. I really dug the opening of the tonka bean with just an underlying hint of vanilla, which really begins to emerge later.

It’s got an aromatic powdery scent to it, but unlike something such as Joop!, it isn’t accompanied by a heavier spice. It’s a sweeter and more airy scent like Kouros Body (again without the spice) or Eros by Versace (without the heaviness).

Ultimately, it reminds me most of Armani Code Profumo, in how it presents itself, and the two notes it has in common. While the opening is delicious and reminiscent of other fragrances, I think its unique qualities emerge with time.

Beyond the vanilla and tonka bean in the opening, there is also a nice juniper, and a clean ginger spice. These two really contribute to the fresh and mild spicy profile.

This does create a dynamic feeling to this edition of the Luna Rossa line, that the original just didn’t have, with its bright citrus and lavender paring.

The one thing that is very familiar about Luna Rossa Sport, is its use of the lavender note that is prevalent throughout the series. I don’t feel like it’s as heavy as it is in Luna Rossa Carbon, for example, and seems much more subdued by the tonka bean note.

It’s utterly refreshing with a bit of a crisp bite lying underneath, which I guess is the ginger note, at play.

Versatility

Again, this isn’t a sporty scent in the usual sense of the word, I would categorize it as a sexy and versatile fragrance. You could definitely wear this out on a date or to the office or school.

It has an ability to be worn by all ages, but probably best for mid-20s and up. It’s a well put together, ‘sport’ fragrance, and doesn’t have a cheapie youthful aroma.

I actually like it the best during the colder months of the year, it hangs so well in the crisp night air of both autumn and winter. I’d give it a go in the springtime, but summer around here is much to humid.

Luna Rossa Sport is pretty linear and what you get at about 10-15 minutes in, is what you should expect from the cologne thereafter.

Sillage and Longevity

The projection is decent. I don’t find it to have as much sillage as Carbon but around the same amount as the original Luna Rossa. Sport has more depth than the original and can therefore seem heavier than it actually is.

That tonka bean and vanilla creaminess/smoothness can make it have thicker aroma, but the sillage isn’t as powerful as it might lead you to believe.

It’ll be noticeable around 8 feet from the skin, at first, before moving in closer to the 3-4 foot range. That initial burst, is pretty short lived, while being a pretty high peak.

The longevity is more stable, and I can pull 6-7 hours from this one, without a problem. This fragrance, isn’t an absolute workhorse. Though, it does give a solid enough performance to be useful

Overall Impressions of Luna Rossa Sport

Overall, do I like Luna Rossa Sport? Yes, it is quite an underrated fragrance in my mind. I think it gets overlooked because it is so simple and there are so many other Luna Rossa variants out there now, that Sport can get lost in the shuffle.

It is more of a subtle fragrance, that isn’t weak, but doesn’t overpower either. Sport features a crispy freshness and a rush of aromatic clean. I dig it and have absolutely loved wearing it around as of late.

The juniper and tonka bean pairing, isn’t always something that I’m in the mood for. Some days, it can feel annoying. Nonetheless, it really does have an appeal, which keeps bringing me back to this scent.

The whole Luna Rossa line has been great. Eau Sport is another one that really gets no love, but should be checked out.

9 Best Smelling Prada Perfumes for Her

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Prada is a luxury Italian designer with decades of fragrances released under its belt. I’ve already covered the best smelling men’s colognes from the brand, on this site, and so needed to get around to the perfumes for ladies.

There is certainly a lot of options to choose from, I’ve could’ve gone much longer with the list, but instead decided to settle on five that could be considered the tops.

Below, you will find my nine Prada choices, which I will update and replace as time moves on. New scents emerge and older ones become reformulated or discontinued, but these are the current greats.

What are the Best Smelling Ladies Prada Perfumes?

Great Iris Scent

Prada Milano Infusion D’Iris Eau de parfum Spray Women by Prada, 3.4 Ounce– A clean and fresh iris based fragrance, with plenty of bright citrus in support. Orange flower, mandarin, neroli, and cedar create a lovely aroma with a dry down that takes on a soapy quality.

Infusion D’Iris is woody and green to go along with the iris note, which create a soft and airy gem of a perfume. That is, for much of the wear. Infusion D’Iris isn’t really a sweet one. Cedar and incense give this fragrance a different base from many other floral fragrances. Very nice blend with an interesting amount of depth. This is one of the best iris fragrances out there.

Awesome Olfactories Les Mirages Perfume

Soleil au Zenith– I also put this one on the men’s list, since it is such a great unisex offering. Soleil au Zenith is a part of Prada’s expensive Olfactories Les Mirages line of perfumes.

While it is unisex, it does start off more like a ladies’ fragrance, since it’s led by ylang-ylang and peach notes. The base notes are warmer, deeper and richer.

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.

A Good Paradoxe

Paradoxe by Prada– Between this and the Intense version of Paradoxe, I prefer the original a bit more. Mostly because, I think that it has a better middle and dry down than does its flanker.

I will say that I don’t think either of them are spectacular and I’d probably go with some of the others on the list before getting into this line. But, as a fresh and easy to wear daily fragrance, Paradoxe is a good option.

Tangerine and pear are in the opening, but they are more candy-like than naturalistic fruit notes. The main draw early on will be the neroli note. After that? It’s floral focused, I tend to get more of the orange blossom versus anything else.

That is flanked by vanilla, jasmine, benzoin, and musk. It’s the sort of perfume that you’ve smelled before, but it’s one that’ll cover a lot of bases, and is mostly a pleasant and enjoyable experience. Paradoxe review

Most Popular Prada

Prada Prada Candy Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 2.7 Ounce– Prada Candy opens up with a warm, sweet, and somewhat salty caramel note. It is paired with musk and benzoin, the benzoin gives the scent a bit of a vanilla-like scent when put together with the caramel.

It is darker than the usual sweet candy perfumes, of this sort, and the benzoin and musk take more of a leading role as Prada Candy dries down. There is a slight spiciness which gives Prada a bit more than its simplicity would suggest.

A light option for colder weather, with good performance overall. In testing, I got about 6-7 hours from Prada Candy. This fragrance has become a best seller for the brand and has spawned many flanker perfumes using the Candy name. Prada Candy Review

Amber and Patchouli

PRADA AMBER For Women By PRADA Eau De Parfum Spray 2.7 Oz– An amber scent laced with benzoin and patchouli. At times, it is smooth and sweet, with vanilla and honey. Next, it is warm and spicy, with floral and green aromas.

Prada Amber could always come across as being quite strong, at first, before it settled down. Nonetheless, the perfume can stick around for double digit hours, depending on the climate that day.

Quite resinous and warm, not a scent for everybody, but can be amazing for amber lovers. This one got reformulated and I think that it started to have some additional fruity notes versus the original.

Beautiful Floral

Prada La Femme Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce– A clean floral scent that is led by tuberose and frangipani, with a sweet warmth of honey and vanilla. Later, it still has the floral sweetness, but the woody base emerges, along with a bit of powder coming from the iris note.

What is interesting about this one, is that it develops a nice creaminess at points, while having a very light spice which peaks through. Rich, clean, with a really gorgeous floral profile overall.

Simple, yet quite beautiful daily wear, sort of fragrance. The performance isn’t as outstanding as the smell, unfortunately. However, it isn’t completely terrible and will be good enough for most daily uses.

Great Candy Flanker

Prada Candy Florale Eau De Toilette Spray, 2.7 Ounce– A flanker fragrance to the original Prada Candy, Florale, takes the basic formulation of that scent and adds peony for a floral kick. Also, limoncello sorbet, is brought in for that smooth and bright citrus smell which plays very nicely on a subdued caramel.

This version is light, but turns much more into a floral based scent rather than the caramel and benzoin, of the original. It’s still an overall simple perfume, with a soapy quality, but very attractive for a spring/summer wear.

The benzoin and musk doesn’t play as big of a role in Candy Florale. As such, it has less of that candy-like feeling. It still has enough sweetness and an added crisp aroma from the sorbet.

One or the Other Olfactories

Heat Wave and Pink Flamingos– These two perfumes, I couldn’t decide between, and both are expensive and difficult to find outside of directly from Prada itself. I wanted to include at least one scent from the Olfactories line, but you’ll get two instead.

Heat Wave is actually a sweet floral fragrance packed with a blend of ylang-ylang and jasmine notes. As Prada describes it, “Heat Wave is an exotic holiday, a voyage to an island at night…”

It also has tuberose, as another floral note, and a somewhat tropical feel. Vanilla, coconut, and citrus add to the sweeter profile.

Meanwhile, Pink Flamingos is an interesting and bubbly summer scent. Citrus, cherry, and floral notes like iris. Really fruity up top, settles into a sugary fruity floral with the iris being joined by a light rose note.

Flamingos is powdery clean and sweet, with a effervescent summer aura. Probably not for everyone, but a fairly unique and upbeat experience.

Luna Rossa Carbon by Prada

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In this review, I have one of the flanker fragrances from Prada’s Luna Rossa line, named: Carbon. In this post, I am going to relay my thoughts about this particular cologne after wearing around. How does it smell? How does it perform? When should it be worn? Is it even worth a purchase?

What does Luna Rossa Carbon Smell Like?

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 Full Wear Review

All right, so, Luna Rossa Carbon gets compared a lot to Sauvage by Dior. While I get, the comparison, and there are a lot of similarities…the two are still distinct from one another. I’ll do a whole break down in another post, but for now, I just want to focus on Carbon. (Carbon vs. Sauvage)

The opening of Luna Rossa Carbon features that Sauvage-like ambroxan, pepper, bergamot, and lavender. I suppose there is a slight metallic note to the opening, but nothing like that found in something such as Hugo Red.

The bergamot strikes me as the strongest top note at first, but it fades into the background within 5 minutes. Though, it does provide a nice citrus support throughout.

I really do like the citrus and the way that it plays off of the pepper and the metallic. The mix is just better for me, than it is in Sauvage.

After the initial wave, I get the feeling of an earthy kind of soap or shaving cream. The lavender note is the main attraction here and it really starts to show up as the fragrance moves along in its life cycle.

If you’re someone who really enjoys the smells of lavender, this cologne is probably as good as it gets. At least, in a mainstream fragrance, that doesn’t extract that note in isolation.

Luna Rossa Carbon is pretty linear throughout the wear but not entirely. The lavender is a constant but different notes sort of dance around in the background of it.

At times, I get a breakthrough of patchouli. Then, more ambroxan. Then, the pepper. There is also times when it becomes difficult to distinguish between the ingredients and it does produce an aroma that brings to mind a metal…like carbon.

That coal/metallic note is kind of a weird addition, but it isn’t that heavy, and actually feels like it’s a solid fit within the composition.

Sillage, How Long Does it Last, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s not crazy loud, but it performs well. I’d say on the upper end of moderate. With a few sprays, you’ll be fine. It can be strong in the first 30 minutes or so, as such, you may need to give it a bit of time to settle if you’re really putting on the sprays.

While Luna Rossa Carbon, is not a projection beast, it does sit on my skin for a long, long time. I catch whiffs into the evening after an early morning application.

Depending on the circumstances, I’d say in the 7-11 hour range. That’s after I’ve been coming back to it, over the past few years. Very nice performance, not crazy, but solid all around.

What I really like about Carbon, is just how versatile it is. It is understated enough to be safe for work or casual wear. It’s mature enough for formal wear.

Plus, it is really damn attractive or even sexy enough to wear on nights out at the club. Also, it doesn’t feel restricted to any particular season for me. Personally, I have enjoyed wearing it in more moderate or warmer temperatures. That’s when Carbon feels like it is at its best.

Overall Impression of Luna Rossa Carbon

Overall, do I recommend Carbon? Yes, it’s quite nice. I’m not sure how much of a spot it’ll have in my personal rotation, as I’m not always in the mood to smell lavender. However, it does everything very well, and still manages to be an attractive cologne.

I’ve got a whole mini sprayer, so, I’ll probably be spending plenty of time with it, in the future. Update: Carbon has become one that I now wear sporadically, but I’ve come to enjoy it more and more.

It’s still not a favorite of mine, but it does have strengths that I appreciate. I like the metallic edge, the citrus opening, and the lavender now feels fresher to my nose. To me, it’s better than Sauvage EDT, and a great easy wear especially in spring or summertime.

Prada L’Homme EDT

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Prada has a ton of different fragrances on the market. They can often be confusing, as each release seems to get a bunch of different flankers with similar names. Today, I want to focus on one scent in particular, Prada L’Homme EDT. The original blend that started off the L’Homme line of perfumes. How does this men’s cologne smell? What are the notes? Does it perform? Is it versatile? Is this even worth a try?

What does Prada L’Homme EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: iris, amber, geranium, patchouli, neroli, violet, pepper, cedar

Click here to try: Prada L’Homme Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Prada L’Homme immediately hits my nose with an iris note, a super freshness, and other warm powdery floral ingredients. It seems to have plenty of similarities with Dior Homme Eau, but definitely isn’t exactly the same as that fragrance. For one, it lacks that cacao, leather, and bergamot top notes.

They just happen to share a dominant iris, which isn’t the most common of ingredients in men’s colognes. I think that the iris pairs very well with the neroli and violet notes, all of which is swimming in the usual Prada amber.

The composition is somewhat sweet, but there aren’t any fruity or candied elements in here, just a light floral sweetness.

L’Homme is a rather simple cologne, but has a solid base of cedar, light pepper, and a bit of patchouli to make things less feminized. Even though, this could absolutely pass as a unisex scent.

As I wrote, this cologne is pretty straightforward. You do get different stretches of time where the neroli, violet, or geranium is more intense but none of these ever overtake the beautiful iris or amber note.

The base is just the base and doesn’t interfere too much into the main soapy/powder clean attraction.

This isn’t as powdery as some of the flankers in this series, but it is a very good and balanced blend of notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Prada L’Homme is a moderate fragrance with an airiness. I don’t even notice that I’m wearing it at times, but it’s not weak. I’d say moderate for the first 2/3 of the wear and then it turns light. Don’t expect some bomb of a perfume, it’s about subtlety with this one.

Longevity wise, I get about 6-7 hours on my skin, not amazing but quite serviceable. I do wish that L’Homme had an extra bit of power.

That would make it truly elite in my book. At least, in terms of this style of fragrance.

What is great about this scent is its versatility. It can be worn year round pretty much. Can go casual, but it works completely in a business setting, and is non-offensive.

You can wear it on a date, but it is pretty low key, and not as much sexy as it is clean and elegant.

Definitely pleasant to be around, but might not have the power to draw people in. Teens and younger men, would probably want to opt for something else, maybe a bit more dynamic than this. If you want another Prada, try out the Luna Rossa line of colognes.

Overall Impressions of L’Homme EDT

Overall, do I like Prada L’Homme? Yes, I think that it’s an excellent fragrance. The longevity and projection isn’t amazing, but the smell is simple yet great. This Prada L’Homme line shares a lot of similarities with the Dior Homme lineup, but each has its own unique scent.

I like the aroma. I do with that there was more power behind it. The iris note is fantastic, as is the amber, that is so often used by the brand. Fresh and a bit sweet, with very minor development, but some good floral highlights coming through.

Personally, I don’t need a bottle of this, since a full bottle of Dior Homme already fills this role in my collection. However, for a guy that is looking for something understated for work or for more dressed up events, this is simply an awesome option.