Reviews of Le Mâle Essence de Parfum by Jean Paul Gaultier
Slightly sweet leather with a supporting cast of notes that seem to blend just right. This may be a future purchase. 7.5/10
It’s fucking brilliant, got myself a back up bottle. The only other back up I have is Dior Homme. I rate it as highly. TS1
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I heard it's getting discontinued. I then got myself a sample to see how it is. I did try it in a mall and wasn't blown away but couldn't really remember what it smelled like. This time over, same feeling. It's nothing like Le Male except for being a freshie as well.
Sour citrus opening. The overall drydown combo you get is a mix of mint-cardamom-lavender and likely the costus adding a funky twist to that. Just looked it up and it's a sort of thistle. The essential oil of it apparently smells violet like but: "changes to a more unpleasant goat-like smell as it ages". From its current Wiki-page.
I don't get goat but it is a rather weird smelling violet all in all. There is also a powdery note that I recognize as evernyl, the leather note. Which is a nice touch to me.
Anyway, this one's so so.
Sour citrus opening. The overall drydown combo you get is a mix of mint-cardamom-lavender and likely the costus adding a funky twist to that. Just looked it up and it's a sort of thistle. The essential oil of it apparently smells violet like but: "changes to a more unpleasant goat-like smell as it ages". From its current Wiki-page.
I don't get goat but it is a rather weird smelling violet all in all. There is also a powdery note that I recognize as evernyl, the leather note. Which is a nice touch to me.
Anyway, this one's so so.
ssence (sometimes referred to as "Gaultier Premium Cologne) is of the warm/spicy/sweet variety a la Spicebomb, Bulgari Man in Black, CH Men, La Nuit, etc. It's mostly a blend of cardamom, cinnamon, tonka, some vanilla, lavender, and leather. What's nice about it is that all the notes are doled out in the proper proportions. It's well-balanced and nothing seems to dominate to the point where it becomes overbearing or annoying, and it doesn't feel like anything's missing either. The addition of costus to the composition has worked well here, adding a nice musky warmth underneath everything, which makes the fragrance sit well, blending it with the body's natural heat and creating a very cozy kind of "second skin." What Le Male Essence reminds me of most is a blend of two Parfums de Marly scents, Habdan and Layton. While Habdan is the darker of the two, possessing a sort of leathery myrrh made sweet through the addition of caramel, Layton relies on cardamom and lavender to generate its spicy heart, which is also a central accord in Essence. So while LME isn't wildly original, it's original enough for the mainstream market and actually smells really good, especially up close. And up-close is how you'll have to smell it because unfortunately Essence doesn't project more than a few inches off the body. That's my one serious gripe with this one--its performance is significantly lacking. Anyone expecting to wear this and have others notice it will surely be let down, as it seems designed (whether intentional or not) for intimate situations only. Personally, I'd like to see its projection beefed up quite a bit. While I generally don't complain about projection, its reservedness in this case feels like more of a mistake or the effect of cutting corners rather than any kind of intentionally calibrated subtlety. Longevity is nothing great either, clocking in around 4 to 5 hours. Overall, I'm giving Le Male Essence a neutral because of its below average performance, though it smells nice for the most part. So definitely sample it first if that concerns you.
EDIT: I just read another review where the reviewer said this smells like Carven Homme. That nails it! A big part of Essence reminded me exactly of something else and I couldn't put my finger on it. Carven Homme it is.
EDIT: I just read another review where the reviewer said this smells like Carven Homme. That nails it! A big part of Essence reminded me exactly of something else and I couldn't put my finger on it. Carven Homme it is.
I get a fragrance that has a bit much oily-leather in the beginning for me but then calms down to a sophisticated, sexy cardamom scent in the drydown. Good for date nights.
Good projection to start with but then it goes to skin scent if not sprayed enough. Wear on clothes to increase performance.
Average longevity.
Good projection to start with but then it goes to skin scent if not sprayed enough. Wear on clothes to increase performance.
Average longevity.
Pretty disappointing with this. The best thing I have to say about this is the bottle looks nice. The perfume is forgettable and very boring and plain to me. Very average in performance and would not buy. I prefer the original le male over this any day of the week.
Le Mâle Essence de Parfum feels like a refined retake of the original Le Mâle, without being overdone and too loud like the Ultra Male edition. It is wearable both for formal and everyday casual, although - like Ultra Male - overapplication is not recommended.
As several reviewers have opined, there is a woody dimension present here that reminds me of what Gucci Pour Homme II and Givenchy Pi Air do, incorporating a cedar quality that I really can get into. It elevates that legendary vanilla mint sweetness of the original Le Mâle to a sophisticated direction, which is greatly hinted at by the design of that gorgeous clear bottle!
Not sure where one can go to get a test spritz of this scent nowadays, but if you're able, go and spray some on your wrists and see how it relates to you. Else, if you're up to it, get a sample online and see for yourself how JPG's creation is.
As several reviewers have opined, there is a woody dimension present here that reminds me of what Gucci Pour Homme II and Givenchy Pi Air do, incorporating a cedar quality that I really can get into. It elevates that legendary vanilla mint sweetness of the original Le Mâle to a sophisticated direction, which is greatly hinted at by the design of that gorgeous clear bottle!
Not sure where one can go to get a test spritz of this scent nowadays, but if you're able, go and spray some on your wrists and see how it relates to you. Else, if you're up to it, get a sample online and see for yourself how JPG's creation is.
had high hopes but its just not good in performance or sillage.CH men prive is a better buy and a similar smell but the winner here.too bad.The bottle is cool and for a parfum its just not that great.
This is another one for the bottle gottahaveits collectors and such.
I wanted to rate this neutral because the juice is not what it could have been. It's a VERY safe interpretation of the original that is so muted and neutered you will struggle to find the connection.
With a bottle so in your face an profound (it is about 25% larger than the same size of the original juice) I would have bet on Jean Paul releasing a juice that's out of this world.
Saving grace: sometimes you just want a grown up juice and that is what this is. So thumbs up it is.
I wanted to rate this neutral because the juice is not what it could have been. It's a VERY safe interpretation of the original that is so muted and neutered you will struggle to find the connection.
With a bottle so in your face an profound (it is about 25% larger than the same size of the original juice) I would have bet on Jean Paul releasing a juice that's out of this world.
Saving grace: sometimes you just want a grown up juice and that is what this is. So thumbs up it is.
An excellent sweet take on leather that is accented by some sort of nice paper-money note. Opens with the designer-standard, pleasant lavender and cardamom but unlike many designers with that standard opening, the drydown continues to deliver.
Great fragrance. After growing tired of the original Le Male, this has reignited my love for fragrances from the Jean Paul Gualtier house. Although the resemblance to the original Le Male is small, the scent is a modern twist on what the original should smell like. For some reason it gives me a slight resemblance to La Nuit de l'homme, so if you love that fragrance - as I do - the chances are you will love this one too. 10/10.
Thumbs up deserved for bottle alone!
I must admit I bought it (blind) just because of the bottle. To my surprise, the scent isn't bad at all!
To me, this smells like a mixture of Carven Homme and a bit of Le Male. The "Le Male" smell fades after the opening and it stays spicy/woody like Carven Homme, but less powdery.
3.5/5
I must admit I bought it (blind) just because of the bottle. To my surprise, the scent isn't bad at all!
To me, this smells like a mixture of Carven Homme and a bit of Le Male. The "Le Male" smell fades after the opening and it stays spicy/woody like Carven Homme, but less powdery.
3.5/5
Cheeky. Quite cheeky and not all that bad. Good fragrance, but wrong marketing.
Cheeky is that they mixed a lot of old and new here. There's a pinch of Fahrenheit and Fahrenheit Absolute here, then there's a bit of Gucci PH I, and then a bit of modern spicy like YSL La Nuit de L'Homme etc. But where's Le Male? Nowhere. Name and bottle, that's it.
Had they done what they avoid for years, that is making the new line, whole idea would've been much more positive.
This type of scent belongs into a more classic bottle, darker yet warmer colour tones and not in the Le Male, blue coloured torso.
Original is original and that's that. This is a bit of synthetic, more or less sweet revitalisation of old and new poured into yet another torso among many torsos in the past 21 years of this brand.
Regardless of anything, that is my critique included, I really, really dig this stuff. Would I buy a bottle and spray myself a lot with it? No. Maybe a decant would be enough for me.
I'll rate it positively because it did hit some spot in me, stroke a chord for some reason.
Originality 6/10 - why high 6? Because it manages to resurrect some old frags to a certain degree, yet give it all some distinct, albeit synthetic and sweet character.
Scent 7/10 - I really dig it after all
Longevity 8/10
Projection 7/10
____________________
28/40=70%
Cheeky is that they mixed a lot of old and new here. There's a pinch of Fahrenheit and Fahrenheit Absolute here, then there's a bit of Gucci PH I, and then a bit of modern spicy like YSL La Nuit de L'Homme etc. But where's Le Male? Nowhere. Name and bottle, that's it.
Had they done what they avoid for years, that is making the new line, whole idea would've been much more positive.
This type of scent belongs into a more classic bottle, darker yet warmer colour tones and not in the Le Male, blue coloured torso.
Original is original and that's that. This is a bit of synthetic, more or less sweet revitalisation of old and new poured into yet another torso among many torsos in the past 21 years of this brand.
Regardless of anything, that is my critique included, I really, really dig this stuff. Would I buy a bottle and spray myself a lot with it? No. Maybe a decant would be enough for me.
I'll rate it positively because it did hit some spot in me, stroke a chord for some reason.
Originality 6/10 - why high 6? Because it manages to resurrect some old frags to a certain degree, yet give it all some distinct, albeit synthetic and sweet character.
Scent 7/10 - I really dig it after all
Longevity 8/10
Projection 7/10
____________________
28/40=70%
Very strong and obnoxious. I had a bad review but after a few wears I must change from thumbs down to thumbs up. If you like strong, very strong longetivity and sillage, buy this. If you like Armani Code Profumo, this is the same but smells more pleasant. Do not listen to people that say this is not strong. It's really almost as wearing a fragrance oil. Strongest frag I have smelled in many years. Better than 1 million prive and Armani Code Profumo.
Nice fragrance but full of aromachemicals so one minute you can smell yourself but can't the next; those around might smell you but prefer to be the interested party.
I shall stick to the original...
I shall stick to the original...