Valentino Uomo Born In Roma Intense
Eau de Parfum, Valentino (2023)

It opens with a sweet vanilla scent and florals. Then comes the heart of the scent with lavender. Honestly, this is one of the best fragrances around nowadays. I get compliments all the time whether I’m going to work or whether going to the beach. It feels fruity but overwhelming because of the vanilla present in the fragrance. I highly recommend it.

I'm a woman, but I'm really impressed by this. Not the first time I've preferred a "men's" selection, and it surely won't be the last. Things for men are becoming sweeter, and the aromatics+vanilla/tonka thing happening lately is just splendid IMO. I like them on guys, I like them on women, I like them on me...it's a style of modern fragrance that I approve of. Because, they're not cloying if they contain enough herbal notes, and this one does.

On my skin, this is gorgeous. A little tomboyish, but still sweet. It's loud, but casual. Unapologetic, but approachable nonetheless. The lavender isn't necessarily realistic (I've said before I'm a lavender snob, and I'm surrounded by it where I live...can't help it), but it isn't too sharp, astringent or fakey/laundry either. It's soapy.

This is reminiscent of Mon Guerlain, but it's her younger punk brother. He's a little less refined, but he's more extroverted and energetic. There's an earthy undertone as well, giving this fragrance a truly decent base and drydown. And truly...this (I didn't plan to review this now, but it's a welcome coincidence) feels exactly like this time of the year. Late February, with spring just emerging on the horizon (maybe some things are budding slightly). We still need some warmth, and we have it in the vanilla, but aromatics with some heft suit the chilly air. This fragrance smells *hopeful* and optimistic.

This review is focused on two fragrances from the great roman fashion maison, namely Valentino Uomo Born in Roma Intense (2023) and Valentino Roma Intense (2021). Born in Roma Intense is an oriental freshly vanillic powdery fragrance with vague musky elements and a stout lavender's presence throughout. It was launched in the 2023 and strikes for its well performing and effective simplicity. Born In Roma intense is a quite modern and minimalistic fragrance everything revolving around an accord of warm powdery musky vanilla and fresh aromatic lavender. This juxtaposition is surprising, modern, musky and sophisticated. I see this kind of bubblegummy vibe somewhere they talk about, especially on the final stage of the olfactory evolution. Lavender, as joined to smooth vetiver, tempers the vanillic sweetness and provides a more restrained cool drier touch. The final effect is delicate, enjoyable, vaguely rubbery-cosmetical and kind poudrée. Valentino Uomo Intense 2021 smells as an ideal blend of the "original" Valentino Uomo (2014) with the great and enigmatic Dior Homme Parfum (2014).
Valentino Uomo Intense was launched in 2021 and is a darkly leathery powdery nutty fragrance with heady patchouli, leather and tonka beans. The former elements (with a slightly resinous touch) provide a quite dark and elusive aura. The opening is super appealing with a slightly fresh, spicy orangy and aromatic blast quite inebriating and rich. I detect by soon spicy orange, aromatics and elements of woody/tonkinian nuttiness combined with powdery iris and dark leather-vanilla. The aroma is dark, masculine, leathery and velvety (iris is silky and smooth with a well calibrated vanilla, never over the boundaries). While buttery iris and vanilla go to create a quite silky warm and kind of "cosmetical" modern urban aura the leather is the main restrained element on the base notes while tonkinian patchouli utterly darkens the final accord providing substance, woodiness and a slightly chocolatey nutty twist. Valentino Uomo Intense is a modern iris-leather-patchouli accord entering the same clan as Dior Homme Parfum and Vivant L'Homme 2022. It is "couture", urban, glamour and sophisticated, due for a cold saturday night out in a club or for cozy moments in a romantic restaurant. Performances are frankly not particularly satisfactory on my skin though basically (barely) on the average. Nice bottle and good quality-price ratio.

Valentino Uomo Born In Roma Intense is powdery, sweet, with clean laundry musks, and a dry woody base. Very modern and crowd-pleasing without being boring or overdone. Similar in style to a YSL La Nuit EdP. Safe blind buy if you like that scent. I will warn there is something slightly animalic in the base drydown, so that could appeal to some but not others. It does keep it interesting as it develops.

It’s slightly dense and thick, so cooler weather seems best, and use less sprays if you want to wear it to work.

It should be good for going out and getting noticed. Has very good projection with only a few sprays.