Le Male vs. Ultra Male (2023) – Which is Better?
Le Male vs. Ultra Male.
The two most popular fragrances from the brand.
This review will compare Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male and Ultra Male. I will detail their smell, performance, and anything else you need to know. At the end, I will break them down and let you know which is best for you.
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Table of Contents
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male
The opening is led by a hefty dose of aromatics. The most prominent are floral lavender and spicy mint. Other green aromatics and herbals are in the background, but neither is prominent enough to be distinguishable. All opening notes are supported by a warm vanilla depth peaking up from the base.
In the mid, there is a transition. The intensity of the aromatics is replaced by warm and spicy cardamom. This is an excellent addition to the vanilla, amplifying its warmth. The vanilla never gets too sweet but does have a decent powdery accent.
It’s not until a few hours into the wear when the dry down starts. I smell amber, amplifying the warmth of the fragrance and a more prominent woody base. The aromatics have faded at this point.
The base is the better part of the fragrance and garners more attention. The overarching emphasis is warmth throughout the entire scent. The rest of the wear is a prominent vanilla and wood duo with spice and ambery nuances in the background.
Le Male lasts eight hours on the skin with above-average projection. It has a solid projection of an arm’s length or more for the first four hours. After this period, it slowly recedes but never becomes a skin scent.
This is fall, winter, and early spring wear. As for occasions, it is best for going out and casual events. It needs room to air out.
Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male
The opening is led by a prominent pair of sweet and fruity pear with a charming dose of vanilla. In the background, cinnamon and mint spice are present with a fleeting hint of citrus. The overarching emphasis in the opening is candy-like sweetness.
The scent gets warmer and smoother as the wear continues, retaining all previous notes. Pear is the focal point for the first 10-15 minutes, with vanilla a close second behind, then all other notes.
The mid adds a heavy dose of lavender that pairs equally with pear. The vanilla note remains present, playing second fiddle in the background. The main idea is still intense sweetness, but the lavender added a fresher faucet.
The dry-down finishes with the addition of warm amber. The rest of the wear is super fresh and sweet. There is vanilla, lavender, pear, amber, and lingering spices.
The longevity is in the ten-hour range with decent projection. The first three to four hours push out an arm’s length or more. After this period, it recedes to a mild ambiance for the rest of the wear. This is fall and winter, great for going out and dates.
Comparison
Smell
There is a major difference and similarity in the opening. Le Male is significantly fresher and more aromatic with a vanilla backbone. Ultra Male is significantly sweeter with a vanilla backbone. They have spice differences and a few others, but these two are the most noticeable.
The mid of each fragrance is similar. Ultra Male becomes warmer and smoother as it develops. Le Male maintains the opening accords more linearly. The biggest difference in the dry down is Ultra Male’s heavier use of amber.
Performance and Versatility
Ultra Male is a slightly better performer, but both will last an entire workday and always remain present. Their biggest differences come from Ultra Male’s more seductive and date-night geared scent, whereas Le Male heads in the more casual direction.
Final Words
Ultra Male and Le Male have similarities but offer different scent profiles. This leads to the final burning question: is Ultra Male or Le Male better? Ultra Male.
When I think of a vanilla-dominant fragrance, I think of one meant to attract attention. With this idea in mind, Ultra Male better fits that stereotype. It is also a slightly better performer.
Does this make Le Male a bad fragrance? Definitely not. It is actually more seasonally versatile than Ultra Male. However, when I think of this genre of fragrances, Ultra Male comes to mind.
After you try Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male or Ultra Male, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.