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Signature Work Scents, Part 1 - L'Homme Prada by Prada

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The questions one must ask are what do I look for in a work fragrance? What is it that makes a particular scent work friendly versus seductive for attracting the ladies? Should the cologne I wear be attention grabbing or unassuming? What are the qualities to look for in a fragrance for work?

Personally, I prefer fresh, clean, soapy, or mass appealing fragrances that are either understated and close to the skin or will assuredly grab positive attention. I tend to avoid frags that are eyebrow-raising-ly musky, spicy, or niche with too much sillage and in your face projection.

A good work fragrance will sometimes lend itself better to business casual and formal business attire while others will work fine for blue-collar work or manual labor. Technically you could wear any mass appealing fragrance to work and it will do fine, like say a Dior Sauvage, Chanel Bleu De Chanel, Allure Homme Sport, Boss Bottled, or Versace Dylan Blue. However, what sets a true work fragrance apart is that it has a certain level of maturity, cleanliness, and class that embodies what it means to be professional.

So with that in mind, for this first Take in this series, I will be covering a great daytime clean office fragrance with a soft sophisticated edge, L'Homme Prada by Prada.

Signature Work Scents, Part 1 - L'Homme Prada by Prada

NOTES

Notes are listed from top notes to base notes in order:

Iris,
Amber,
Neroli,
Geranium,
Patchouli

The notes here noticeably limited, but are accurate. It is an iris and geranium dominated fragrance laid over a foundation of amber and patchouli.

INFORMATION/BACKGROUND

L'Homme Prada EDT comes in two main sizes:

50ml (1.7oz) ~$78USD

100ml (3.4oz) ~$98USD

Grey market sites like www.fragrancenet.com only have this frag for a few dollars cheaper than the big name department stores (as of this writing). This fragrance only comes in EDT, however, there is an intense version that is an EDP. The intense version adds tobacco and tonka bean while amplifying the patchouli and iris notes (more of a night time fragrance).

The scent was launched in 2016 and the fragrance was created by perfumer Daniela Andrier.

The Prada website describes the fragrance as follows:

The instinctive, human, highly crafted and boundlessly imaginative approach that Prada ascribes to the making of fragrance is everywhere present in the ‘olfactory maps’ for both La Femme Prada and L’Homme Prada. Designed to take the wearer on a voyage through place, memory and time, somehow there appears a sensual meeting point for these distinct female and male fragrances to consummate an aesthetic relationship through experimentation and tradition.

L’Homme Prada is a fragrance of pairs, of doubles, of juxtapositions and layers. The classic codes of the male Fougère are all present in Neroli, Geranium and Patchouli. Yet the interchangeable male/female Prada signatures are present, too, in the shape of Iris and Amber, the principal elements. It is a mix that is both airy and yet purposefully, highly sensual.

I absolutely love this presentation. The bottle is a very chic designed clear glass bottle with a leathery textured backing. On the inside of the backing, it is reflective, giving it the look of liquid mercury. The cap made of a silver colored plastic that snaps on quite nicely and the sprayer is phenomenal.

Signature Work Scents, Part 1 - L'Homme Prada by Prada

SCENT/SITUATION

The iris and geranium reign supreme in this fragrance. It does give it a very soft floral aspect, but the other notes prevent it from becoming too feminine. These florals are not strong or flowery as the ones used in lady's perfumes like lily, gardenia, peony, orchid, tulip, and the like. Iris is known for being "lipsticky" or smells like a cosmetic bag, but in this case, it is far more powdery and light. The mix between the iris and geranium provides this scent with its soapy fresh appeal. The amber and patchouli are what ties this all together and gives it this sweet masculine foundation. The neroli is very vaguely present, offering up a slightly sour citrus zest.

I get images of confectioners sugar dusted on top of a funnel cake one moment and the next it smells like fresh zesty soap bubbles. Then it dawned on me; this really reminds me of a floral macaron, although I don't know of any iris and geranium flavored macarons.

Signature Work Scents, Part 1 - L'Homme Prada by Prada

Not that this is a bad thing. It smells so fresh and clean, airy and ethereal, floral but in a sophisticated and manly way. There is this endearing quality to this scent, like slowly letting a smile develop on your face when you see a woman who you positively adore and seeing that twinkle in her eye, giving her a hug, and then a quick peck. Of course, I don't condone that at work (haha!), but It just feels genuinely good to wear this.

I feel any man could pull this one off except for maybe the most rough-and-tumble. I wouldn't suggest it to a man who likes to wear his beards long or gets dirty at the job site. This is more for office work, 21 years or older, and no older than 45. Some consider this "metrosexual", but I don't get that. A sharp dressed or business casual professional could pull this off just as well as a creative hipster who drinks soy lattes while writing an article for a popular blog. Well...maybe it does have a hint of that GQ vibe going on, but is that necessarily a bad thing?

Signature Work Scents, Part 1 - L'Homme Prada by Prada

I consider it a work fragrance because it is so light, fresh, and clean and there are far more attention-grabbing scents out there for dates, nights out, casual, or special and formal occasions.

Due to the performance, I would say this is better suited for the warmer months...

PERFORMANCE

This is one of the major reasons why I delegate this to the office. The scent is not overpowering in the slightest and that is due to how poorly it projects. It lasts for quite a while, at around 6 hours or so, but only as a skin scent. Even after a few sprays, someone will have to be within a two or three feet to even smell you. This is great for the office where you don't want to be too loud and obnoxious with your scent but still, want to smell fresh and clean with a touch of class. You could spray this 6 to 8 times and still not choke people out. As always, if you use this during the hotter months, it will project a bit further and you can probably be a little bit more sparing with the sprays.

RESOURCES

https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Prada/Prada-L-Homme-39029.html

http://www.basenotes.net/ID26149915.html

VIDEOS

FragBoy Stewie Review

Smelling Great Fragrance Review

THOUGHTS/REVIEW

As the reviewers point out, the iris note really keeps this one from being unique with other popular fragrances doing this style of fragrance first like Dior L'Homme and Valentino Uomo. Rather than using cocoa notes though, L'Homme Prada goes with a slightly citrus direction. This makes it a more of a "safe" soapy scent, while the other iris fragrances come off more seductive for nights out or dates. Some others comment that the iris note really is the only similiarity. I personally haven't got my nose on Dior L'Homme, but I do have Valentino Uomo Intense, and I must say VUI is much sexier than L'Homme Prada, but do you really want sexy for the office?

Not much else to add here. It is powdery and fresh, and if you love iris like I do, then this is worth checking it out. Yes, the projection sucks, so the value might not be there for you, but for the office? I give it overall a 6/10 for general use, but 8/10 for the office.

And for some reason, this was playing in my head while I was writing this, so take that as you will.

Signature Work Scents, Part 1 - L'Homme Prada by Prada
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