Spray and Pray Experiment #0002: Club de Nuit Intense Man + Paco Rabanne Pour Homme
Let’s begin by introducing the two fragrances that I used in the experiment. The fragrances (in spray order) are:
Fragrance #1: Club de Nuit Intense Man (EDP)
(Image from Parfumo.net)
Club de Nuit Intense Man (CDNIM) from Armaf does not need any introduction to anyone within the fragrance community. However, for anyone new, CDNIM is a popular clone of Creed Aventus. (Creed Aventus is the most popular male niche fragrance in the 2010s, and is still a top ten men’s fragrance today.)
On the great side, CDNIM has a smoky heart and base note that is masculine and versatile. Also, said smoky scent is fantastic.
On the downside, the opening is harsh to many people. Some people like the opening, but I am personally on the record for negatively comparing the opening to lemon-scented cleaner.
Fragrance #2: Paco Rabanne Pour Homme
(Image from Parfumo.net)
Paco Rabanne Pour Homme also does not need an introduction, especially to fragrance lovers who are also historians. For anyone unfamiliar, Pour Homme put Paco Rabanne on the map as a fragrance maker in 1973 as a fresh fougeré. Without that success, it is possible that other successful fragrances such as 1 Million, Olympēa, and Invictus (and all of their flankers) are, at best, picked up by different fragrance companies/houses, or at worst, do not exist at all.
On the great side, it is a fresh masculine scent that reminds people of being in a barbershop. For most men, that is a positive association.
On the downside, it contains sharp notes reminiscent of a fragrance from 1973. Younger people and some middle-aged people may shy away because of the sharper fougeré notes.
The Details
This is how I handled the variables in the experiment:
- I sprayed the fragrances in the order listed. Fragrance #1 (CDNIM) goes first, followed by the spray of Fragrance #2 (Paco Rabanne Pour Homme).
- I sprayed each scent once on two pieces of paper. One goes in a fridge at 40° F / 4.4° C to simulate a cooler environment. The other remains in a heated and humid bathroom temperature of approximately 86° F/ 30° C to simulate a warmer or tropical environment.
- I also sprayed each scent once on a pulse point where the skin is clean and unscented to see how it works on me.
The Hypothesis
- From cooking experience, the herbal notes from Paco Rabanne Pour Homme (specifically, the sage and rosemary) should calm the sharp lemony opening of CDNIM and make it more palatable.
- The smokiness of CDNIM in the heart notes (coming from the birch) should decrease the sharpness of the fougeré notes (specifically, the geranium) in Paco Rabanne Pour Homme.
- The overall fragrance will be a smoother blend that may appeal to younger men. However, it will likely come at the cost of weakening the fougeré aspects that make Paco Rabanne a classic throwback fragrance.
- Both fragrances work best in moderate to warm weather, but also perform in cooler temperatures adequately, nor become nauseating in the heat. I do not expect that factor to change.
The Result
- The herbal notes in Paco Rabanne calmed the lemon note in CDNIM within seconds and allowed the other citric and fruity notes to be noticeable. A person does not have to wait 15-20 minutes to leave the house for CDNIM to relax during the opening. It smells delightful!
- The smokiness of CDNIM is present during the heart note. However, the fresh notes of Paco Rabanne Pour Homme blend well and create a combination reminiscent of opulence and energy, while also maintaining the mature vibe from both fragrances.
- Speaking of the mature vibe, I suspect that this combination is still not ideal for teenage boys, but anyone beyond college age is likely to enjoy the scent.
- The CDNIM notes are still a performance beast, but they also make Paco Rabanne Pour Homme ride shotgun for a long ride. This lasted about twelve hours in the cold, and sixteen hours on the skin and in the heat!
Afterward, the smokiness of CDNIM lingered for an additional two hours in the cold, and three hours on both the skin and in the heat.
- The projection is above average. It will not announce its presence upon entering a large room, but it absolutely will turn heads as the wearer moseys along to a destination.
- Both fragrances alone work well as versatile scents. Combined? Three words that immediately come to mind are confidence, grace, and style.
- The combination creates a unique fragrance that starts fresh and lightly sweet, then transitions to a smoky primary heart note, while adding more fresh elements and maintaining the light sweetness.
Overall: Success! 😁
Normally, I would only say the fragrance is an excellent fusion, and that this is something I would recommend layering.
However, this combination takes it a step further. The blend is a versatile behemoth that has incredible durability, and projects reasonably well, but not enough to suffocate people nearby!
Then there is the scent.
The mixture enhances the best aspects of Club De Nuit Intense Man and Paco Rabanne Pour Homme, while knocking out or severely restricting the harsher notes that make people think twice about using each fragrance alone.
The result is a blend that is smooth and goes beyond expectations as an absolute olfactory delight from start to finish!