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Versace Eros vs Eros Flame Comparison

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Versace Eros has been one of the most popular men’s fragrances of this decade. It really was only a matter of time before Versace, released a flanker fragrance of it, and did so with the late 2018 release of Eros Flame.

Obviously, I had to get a bottle of Eros Flame to try it out, and also to do a head to head with the original. Which of them smells better? Does Flame have great performance, like the original? Does it come close to or actually surpass Eros?

Tale of the Tape: Eros vs. Flame

Versace Eros

Notes of Eros: mint, green apple, tonka bean, madagascar vanilla, vetiver, Italian lemon

Shop Amazon for: Versace Eros Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My review: Versace Eros

Eros Flame

Notes include: lemon, tangerine, chinotto accord, black pepper, wild mountain rosemary, pepperwood, geranium, rose, cedar, patchouli, vetiver, oak moss, sandalwood, tonka bean, and vanilla

Click here to try: Versace Eros Flame 100ml 3.4Oz Eau de Parfume For Men

My review: Eros Flame

Opening

Versace Eros opens up with a zesty note of lemon that is paired with juicy green apple and a refreshing mint note. It is quite intense and fresh, later to be joined by vanilla, tonka bean, and a bit of vetiver.

The combination of these notes, gives Eros a slight, chocolate-like undertone.

Update: With modern bottles of Eros, I do get more of the lemon note in the mix, than I previously had. It kind of throws the balance off. It’s not as good to me. So, it’s a lot closer to a tie nowadays, versus being a clear cut favorite.

Eros Flame has a very similar opening to the original. However, there are distinct differences. Noticeably, the mint and green apple notes are not there.

Instead, the lemon is joined by tangerine, a chinotto accord, and black pepper for the spice. It also has the vanilla and tonka bean.

Which is better? While I really do like the addition of the tangerine in Eros Flame, as I think that it smells great, I still prefer the original and that awesome mint note.

How it plays off of the lemon and apple, was always intriguing to my nose.

Edge: Eros

Projection

Eros has become very well known for its sillage over the years. It’s always been a fragrance that you could spray a couple of times and be set.

Does Flame match up to that? It does actually.

The first time I sprayed in on my skin, I definitely noticed how strong it could be, and its ability to project was great. I really don’t notice a difference between them.

Update: Newer bottles of Eros don’t seem to have the same power. Flame now has the better performance. That power really came through with the initial Flame bottles. I don’t believe it has lost a step, as of this update.

Edge: Flame

Longevity

Again, these two share so much of that same fragrance DNA, that their performance is near identical for me.

I can get into the double digit total in hours of wear with either of these fragrances. Performance is not an issue for Flame.

Update: Longevity is also not quite as good with newer Eros bottles. So, Flame has a bigger lead here.

Edge: Flame

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are mainly colder weather scents. Springtime is viable for either but I would avoid the high heat and humidity of the summer months.

These are mostly nightlife or casual fragrances, but not bad in more formal settings, if you go light. This is another category, in which they occupy the same space, as to be expected.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

OK, so, are these two the same exact fragrance? No, not really. The distinctions become more pronounced during the dry down periods of each. Yes, the opening for both are quite similar, with only the aforementioned alterations.

Eros Flame is actually a nice change of pace. The dry down of Flame is much more woody with a combo of cedar and sandalwood. Also, rosemary is a prominent part of the composition of Flame.

There is still a ton of overlap in the base notes, but the amount used of each changes. I think that the cedar and geranium are more heavily used in Flame, than in the original.

Plus, there is a very slight rose note, that peaks through at times in Flame; I find it to be a cool touch.

What you get ultimately with Flame? The citrus top led by tangerine with tonka bean and vanilla. This sits on top of a base of cedar, geranium, rosemary, and sandalwood. It reminds you of the original, but still separate enough.

Which is better? I’m still riding with the original most of the time, if I had to pick between the two. I own bottles of each of them and have been going heavy with Flame, as of late, for review purposes. In the future, I will probably alternate between them, when I want to go with an Eros scent.

Update: Yeah, I’ll stick with Eros before Flame. Even with somewhat of a reformulation and weakening of the original it is still better. Flame has great performance, but after the initial citrus burst, it tends to give me a headache. I really started to never want to wear it.

If you liked the original, you’ll probably be into Flame as well. If you hate Eros, this one isn’t going to win you over.

Do you need a bottle of each? Probably not.

I don’t believe Flame does anything to surpass the original, but is a solid addition to the line, that can give you a bit of a different feel.

Winner: Versace Eros

Versace Eros vs Pour Homme Cologne Comparison

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Here is my latest installment of cologne comparisons on this website. Today, we have another battle of Versace scents between, Eros and Versace Pour Homme. I have already reviewed both of these fragrances individually and now will break down each for those trying to decide between these colognes.

I want to give an overview on how each one smells, how it performs, when it can be worn, and which scent is better overall. So, let’s get into Eros vs Versace Pour Homme.

Tale of the Tape: Eros vs. Versace Pour Homme

Versace Eros

Notes of Eros: mint, green apple, tonka bean, madagascar vanilla, vetiver

Read my Eros review

Shop Amazon for: Versace Eros Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

Versace Pour Homme

Notes of Pour Homme: bergamot, bitter orange leaves, geranium, sage, oud wood, mineral amber, tonka bean, musk

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Read my Versace Pour Homme Review

Click Here to try: Versace Pour Homme by Versace for Men – 3.4 Ounce EDT Spray

Opening

Versace Pour Homme is really intense up front. The bergamot and bitter orange really pack a wallop from the very start. It’s honestly too much for me.

I do think that Pour Homme gets better, thereafter. I’ve just never been a fan of the opening act.

Eros, is also strong out of the gate but it feels much more well done than Pour Homme. Versace does calm down minutes after spraying but it definitely goes hard and it isn’t amazing enough to compensate.

Newer bottles of Eros seem to go harder with the lemon than the original. To me, there used to be a greater use of the tonka bean, vanilla, and mint up top. Still, I prefer Eros over Pour Homme.

Edge: Eros

Projection

After the opening, Pour Homme calms down into something more on the moderate side of things. It still projects itself better than most colognes, though.

Eros is a beast in this regard, I cap myself at two sprays when I wear it because more than that and it just seems overbearing.

Eros has lost a step, over the years, but it still has an edge.

Edge: Eros

Longevity

Again, I’ve always gotten good wear out of Eros, and it usually lasts for a long time (update: now, it’s like 8 hours).  Pour Homme, is good for 6-7 hours, and then fades out.

Versace Pour Homme isn’t as heavy of a scent as Eros, so I would expect it to not live up to it in this department. Although, it does still perform quite well.

Update: Eros doesn’t last as long as it used to, but will still get a few hours more than its competitor.

Edge: Eros

Versatility

Here’s where it gets more competitive. Eros isn’t an office wear in my opinion, in fact, it is best in the colder weather and more geared to romantic wear. Although, it could be still pulled off casually when applied lightly.

Versace Pour Homme, could be worn in lots of situations and works in pretty much every season. It’s a citrus cologne that can totally be worn in spring/summer and still feel right at home in winter.

Edge: Versace Pour Homme

Overall Scent

I really like Eros, as a smooth and complex gourmand type of fragrance. Yes, it is loud and heavy but there is definitely something quite appealing about its rich blend of mint, vanilla, tonka, and green apple.

Versace Pour Homme, is a pretty good citrus based cologne. It feels a lot like Eau Fraiche but I think that one is better. I also like Dreamer from Versace, better than Pour Homme.

Update: I’m changing my decision on this one. Over the years, Eros has been diminished in a lot of ways performance wise. Add to that, the scent itself has changed somewhat, as has my enjoyment.

Heck, even the aforementioned Dreamer is a newer formula.

Factoring in all of that, I’ve also come to like Versace Pour Homme, a bit more than I used to. I used to really love wearing Eros. Now, I can do without. Still, not a massive Pour Homme fan, but I’ll give it the nod here.

Winner: Versace Pour Homme

Versace Pour Femme (Signature) EDP

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Versace Pour Femme (aka Versace Signature) was released back in 2007, by the brand. I had yet to do a review of this perfume, on the site, so I grabbed a sample to do some testing. In this post, I’m going to share my thoughts about what works or what doesn’t. How does it perform? Does Versace Signature smell good at all? Is it worth a try?

What does Versace Signature Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: guava, lilac, jasmine, lotus, orchid, azaleas, wisteria, musk, cedar, vetiver

Click here to try: Versace Signature by Gianni Versace For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4-Ounces

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Versace Pour Femme is fairly balanced between the floral notes and the guava fruit, which keeps this one from going into full bouquet mode. I immediately get a lot of lilac, jasmine, and what I suppose it wisteria.

I’m not too familiar with that flower’s aroma, but that’s my guess as to what that scent is. Nonetheless, the wisteria isn’t sticking around much, from what I can tell.

I really like the guava inclusion here, it plays very well off of the light dewy floral notes, and adds a great tropical sweetness. That, with a small part of black currant, makes Signature a really refreshing kind of wear.

A few minutes in, the lilac, is the dominant note for me. It stays that way for the rest of the wear, but lotus is also coming in, along with the jasmine. Floral, watery, with a great fresh cleanliness. 

Versace Signature is just a very pretty fragrance, overall. I’m really drawn to how balanced and fresh, this whole composition smells.

This is a fairly simple perfume, however, the base notes in the dry down do add some depth. Fresh cedarwood, vetiver, and musk. The vetiver and musk are fairly light. Though, I do pick up on a decent amount of cedar, later on in the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage isn’t super powerful. It is a lighter sort of fragrance, but don’t mistake that for being weak. It’s just not a bomb, which is a good thing, as this excels as a daily wear perfume.

The longevity is good, and seems to be in that, 6-8 hour range. Not spectacular, but great for most purposes. Really, unless you absolutely have to have a bomb that goes double digit hours, it isn’t going to be an issue.

Seasonally, you can wear this anytime. I happen to think that it smells amazing in the spring and summer months. The fresh floral notes, don’t have that ‘green’ quality to them, and the guava is the star of the show.

That note, really holds everything together, and gives this perfume life. When I first tested out this fragrance, Versace Pour Femme was really great hanging around in the warm air of the outdoors. 

Versace Signature will work as a casual or slightly more formal perfume. It’s not really ‘sexy’, but it is definitely attractive, and a joy to smell. It’s not going to feel out of place, using it while dressed up, but it also isn’t a stuffy or overtly formal type of wear.

Overall Impressions of Versace Pour Femme

Overall, do I like Versace Pour Femme? Yep. This is a great choice for those wanting a floral dominant, daily wear fragrance. The guava sets the tone and makes this much more enjoyable.

The lilac, lotus, jasmine combination (along with lighter flowers) is really quite fresh and dynamic, when paired together. The performance is also good. It’s not a really unique or bold scent, but it does what it was designed to do very well. It’s a pretty safe blind buy.

I enjoy the pairing of the floral notes and the watery (semi-aquatic) aspects of this scent. For an easy to reach for daily wear, this is one of the best from the more popular designers. 

Update: This perfume has been discontinued and is getting more difficult to source an affordable bottle. So, unless it was already one that you loved or you’re a collector, it’s not likely worth it to pay up for Versace Pour Femme.

Nice perfume, though. This stuff had a uniqueness among the mainstream designer fragrances of the time and even up to today. Not something completely out of left field, but it had its particular nuances that made it distinct.

8 Fragrances Similar to Versace Bright Crystal

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Bright Crystal by Versace has remained a best selling ladies’ fragrance, since its initial release. People seem to really enjoy this scent, for its clean mix of yuzu and peony, and versatile style. As such, folks want to try to capture a similar experience with other perfumes.

In this post, I aim to give you the options to do so. Now, for this scent in particular, I haven’t found any cheaper exact aromas like that of Bright Crystal. Update: I have now found and added some to the list. However, I do have fragrances that share a similar aroma, or common sensibility with the Versace scent.

What Perfumes Smell Like Bright Crystal by Versace?

Inspired By

Fruity Magnolia by Dossier– So, as far as perfumes go that try to closely replicate the aroma that you get with our Versace target, Fruity Magnolia from Dossier seems to be the best bet.

Others on the list are going to produce a similar style and some overlapping note. This one, is made to try get the Bright Crystal experience beat for beat.

I haven’t tried this one out personally, but I have tried others out from Dossier and they lived up to my expectations. Bright Crystal isn’t a very complicated formula to match and the reviews seem positive. If you want a cheaper alternative, this is going to be the one, for under $30 currently (as of last update).

Inspired by the Other Bright Crystal

Absolute Crystal Glow by Dua– This one from Dua isn’t inspired by the original Bright Crystal, rather, it tries for a resemblance to Absolu (listed below).

The pomegranate and yuzu opening is going to be there, with what I hope is the same boldness that you get with Absolu.

This is another of these designer inspired options that I haven’t tried out. The Dua Brand is a company that I’ve bought like 10 other fragrances from and they’ve all been of great quality. Plus, close in matching what the original designer fragrance smells like. Affordable and worth a try.

The Other Bright Crystal

Versace Bright Crystal Absolu Eau de Perfume Spray, 3.0 Ounce– Obviously, the flanker fragrance, is going to have lots of similarities to the original Bright Crystal. However, Absolu, has a stronger presence and the strength of the fruit notes have been enhanced.

It’s sweeter and has somewhat less peony than the original does, but with bolder sillage and has better longevity. This can be a good option for those, who are looking for a greater performing version of Bright Crystal.

Discontinued Dior 

DIOR ADDICT 2 by Christian Dior EDT SPRAY 1.7 OZ for WOMEN– Addict 2 is probably the most similar of any fragrance, outside of Absolu, to our target. Not an exact match, but pretty darn close. The main difference, is the lack of peony.

However, it replaces that with freesia and lotus. You get pomegranate and citrus, just tweaked, from Bright Crystal. For instance, there is a strong pineapple note, in Addict 2.

This one has been discontinued, so, it’s getting tough to find bottles and it can be expensive. Honestly, it’d just be better to stick with the Versace.

Similar Style from Gucci

GUCCI ENVY ME Perfume By GUCCI For WOMEN– Envy Me is an older fragrance, that you can still find bottles of online. This Gucci perfume isn’t a one to one or note for note scent, but it does share some of the same ingredients, and overall structure as Bright Crystal.

In here, you get pineapple, litchi, and mango; instead of the lemon. But, you get a strong peony and some pomegranate, thrown in also. Envy Me is a fun scent, with the fruity/floral composition, just not the same citrus led aroma.

Lighter and Fruitier

Bŭrberry Brit Sheer For Women 1.6 fl. Oz Eau de Toilette– Brit Sheer really does deliver a similar style to Bright Crystal. It’s close to it, but much fruitier at the top, softer, and dries down with the peony being dominant.

Bright Crystal is probably more balanced than this one, while, you get front-loaded with much of the citrus notes here. Sheer is an easy to wear perfume that is clean, won’t overpower, and gives you a nice floral/musk dry down.

More Floral and Woody

Chloe New for Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5-Ounces– This is one has some overlap and brings a similar experience. A nice, moderate scent by Chloe. New is a complex and feminine scent that isn’t too bold but will add a bit of warmth and class to any woman.

Notes include: Magnolia, rose, lily of the valley cedar wood base, amber. The rose is the most prominent of the floral notes, with a somewhat powdery aroma, and the addition of a very solid peony.

Chloe EDP has a nice woodiness in the dry down, that helps to give it a more solid base, and the performance on this one is pretty outstanding. Its sillage can be powerful and will go the full day.

Similar Style, Differing Notes

Very Irresistible By Givenchy For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Ounces A deliciously seductive fragrance by Givenchy. It blends rose and peony among other notes, to create a long-lasting and beautiful affair, which adds a bit of spice to the floral notes.

It opens with the rose note and anise, which provides the fresh spice complement, to the floral aroma. As it dries down, the peony comes into its own, and takes Very Irresistible away from being more of a pure rose fragrance.

This one will last a full 8 hours, isn’t a sillage beast, and works very well in the spring/summer months. Nice ,can give off a similar vibe, and inhabits the same sort of style.  Full Review

Bright Crystal EDT by Versace

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In an effort to satisfy a larger percentage of this site’s demographics, I thought that I’d begin to do more reviews of women’s perfumes. As a man, it can feel a bit out of place wearing something that is so overtly feminine, but some of these fragrances are just so pleasant that it works out in the end.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at a scent from the house of Versace, Bright Crystal. This one was released back in 2006 and has been a massive seller ever since. I want to explore what makes up this perfumes, how it performs, how it smells, and whether or not it is worth getting a bottle. Please continue reading below for my full impressions.

What does Versace Bright Crystal Smell Like?

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Notes include: yuzo, peony, pomegranate, musk, magnolia, iced accord, lotus, amber

Click Here to try Bright Crystal: Versace Bright Crystal Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 3 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The initial opening of Bright Crystal is a blast of juicy pomegranate, a citrus scent provided by the yuzo, and a heart of floral notes which provides it with balance. I totally get why the word ‘bright’ was added to the name because this perfume does have a very pleasant and upbeat kind of feel to it.

Yuzo has a similar, albeit distinct aroma from other citrus fruits, and pomegranate is almost always a pleasure to smell in perfumes.

Versace did a great job at not letting it become too floral or too fruity and instead let the juicy/aquatic elements gradually fade a bit into the background to provide Bright Crystal with that extra bit of something that makes it so attractive.

The top of the composition is tart while being juicy, while there is a watery-like smell that sits underneath it all. Then, the floral notes begin to emerge, and take away some of that tartness.

Out of the floral notes, I can detect the peony, most distinctly. The lotus note is also present but doesn’t come through as strong for me and the magnolia, I don’t really pick up at all. Maybe that’s just me?

As Bright Crystal wore on my skin, I became more and more attracted to this scent. Frankly, I think its beautiful and never gets bogged down by being too complex.

The latter stages of this Versace EDT, consist mostly of peony and yuzo, to my nose. Outside of that, it is the watery lotus flower, and a light bit of wood in the base. The wood doesn’t draw much attention, but I can pick it up, if I focus in.

Sillage and Longevity. How Does it Perform? When Can it Be Worn?

Projection wise, it is a soft to moderate scent. It isn’t weak but it isn’t going to choke people out either, with its sillage. Initially, it will project somewhere around 6 feet from the skin or thereabouts. After that, it’ll be 3-4.

However, while it isn’t a heavy scent, it does last all day. In my testing of Bright Crystal, I got over 8 hours out of it and close to 10. The performance for an EDT, is very good, especially one with citrus as a main draw.

 

This perfume could honestly be used on just about any occasion, I wouldn’t say it’s a ‘sexy’ fragrance, but it is very attractive and I wouldn’t mind smelling this on a woman at all. Update: Yeah, this is one that I’ve really come to enjoy over the years. However, it is better suited for daily wear, and isn’t a bold nightlife type of scent.

It’s brightness and fruity/floral scent, make Bright Crystal an ideal fragrance for the warmer days of the year. Yes, it’s fine in the cold of winter, but feels right at home in spring/summer.

Overall Scent. Does Versace Bright Crystal Smell Good?

Overall, Bright Crystal is a fantastic option for women who want something that is light, elegant, and pretty. I enjoy this Versace offering much more than Versus, which I actually liked and I think that it has a much more ‘universal’ appeal than some of the other fragrances on the market.

I would rate Bright Crystal as a buy and its straightforward simplicity is one of its best attributes.

While the opening act, can be pretty tart, I do love the yuzo and pomegranate combination. It’s juicy and delicious. The performance here is really good and I like how it doesn’t just become a bouquet of flowers.

The peony and yuzo form a solid dynamic duo, which sticks around for the rest of the wear. It’s still a best seller, and for good reason, Bright Crystal is a wonderful perfume.

Update: Coming back to this one years later, Bright Crystal is probably among my favorite mainstream designer women’s perfumes to smell. It has always done everything well, from that opening act to the use of peony to the performance.

It’s just a perfume that fits in so many places and is extremely easy to like. Nowadays, it feels like more of a capture of that late 2000s era with so many other perfumes that fell by the wayside like Dior Addict 2. Bright Crystal is still going, still super clean, and a great daily wear pick up.