Le Beau Le Parfum
Jean Paul Gaultier (2022)

Well, it's better than the original, I'll give it that. Whereas the eau de toilette smells like a cobbled together super sweet opening that quickly disintegrates into a few clashing aroma chemicals, Le Parfum at least pulls off an impression of something richer, fuller, better rounded.

Still overly sweet for my tastes, perhaps more suited to someone younger. And I also get some weirdness in the dry down, that slightly sweaty or dirty note that could be mistaken for poor personal hygiene. It's probably on purpose, as Bisch isn't afraid to add a little skank to his creations, but it's not for me.

As someone who has been on a search for the perfect summer night out fragrance, I came across several Jean-Paul Gaultier lines but this one stood out to me the most. The ginger pineapple top notes reel you in but fade rather quickly to let the star of the show, the coconut, seen in the mid notes take over. With the right skin chemistry, this can easily be a good performing fragrance with around 6 hours give or take. You don't really see coconut in that many men's fragrances which is why I was a bit hesitant at first but it works so well, it is incredibly unique and sexy. The price can get expensive for some as it doesn't appear to be readily available to purchase. I would not suggest blind buying but sampling at first, to see if wanting to smell so bold is worth it. Side note, it is. Also, not suitable during the day or extremely warm weather as it can be suffocating to some.

I really like this, it's like a who's who of fragrance aroma chemicals and favourite notes over the last 20 years. Where things like PR phantom failed this release succeeds, it succeeds because its better thought out and less of a gimmick, the blending is of high quality with nothing feeling jarring and the quality while inferior to much higher priced offerings is still pretty enjoyable. The opening notes are incredibly playful with tinned pineapples and a dollop of coconut ice cream, if you don't like the opening then your probably not a fan of drinking sweet cocktails by the pool, the good news is the opening doesn't play out into a sickly mess, the floral notes clean things up and offer clever balance, things don't stop there either...the cypress and patchouli coupled with a pleasent synthetic sandlewood offer a woody masculine base, this fragrance was in huge danger of becoming washed out with florals and sweetness, the perfumer has showcased excellent crafmanship in keeping things incredibly well balanced, overall I think this is an excellent release.

Le Beau Le Parfum by Jean-Paul Gaultier (2022) is a new "upgraded" concentration of a fragrance I wasn't very kind to in my review, being Le Beau by Jean-Paul Gaultier (2019). I was just so sick and tired of sweet overworked clubber bombs that I think it struck a nerve, but I still stick by it as it's proof I don't absolutely love everything I smell. With Le Beau Le Parfum, not a ton has changed except maybe additional complexity and a warmer finish, bring a bit more sophistication to a fragrance otherwise dominated by sugary gourmand notes and bubblegum sweetness. I can't say I really take very kindly to Le Beau Le Parfum either, although at least this go around, I don't absolutely hate it. Ultimately, this is a slight revision towards something still irredeemable but slightly less-shoddy in design compared to its forebearer.

Key differences here between eau de toilette and this new "le parfum" amounts to some iris and sandalwood drying things up a bit, and patchouli adding some earthiness in the dry-down. The opening is still sickeningly-sweet pineapple and coconut, but the piña colada facets are not singular here with the tonka like in the OG Le Beau. Instead, the aforementioned iris via ionones enters to counter the coconut and ethyl maltol and allyl amyl glycolate. Tonka is uplifted with ambroxan, and then made more hay-like with the patchouli, further combating the sugar up top, while ginger, sandalwood and vanilla add an oriental touch. Performance is closer, but lasts longer than regular Le Beau too. Expect about 12 hours from this, but if you're already using something like the muc-better Versace Eros (2012) or any of its flankers, you don't need Le Beau Le Parfum

All told, this flanker moves the Le Beau DNA out of the club and into the fancy restaurant, being more reserved and romantic than its older sibling. Still, you really have to want a thick, sweet piña colada vibes in an other wise somewhat conventional modern oriental format to appreciate Le Beau Le Parfum, and that's where the buck stops with me, since I don't. Still, Quentin Bisch didn't totally slaughter this one and walked away with something that at least in the air, I wouldn't mind smelling, I just don't feel this is a scent that is right for me. I'd have given this a thumbs up too, as I don't usually dock a well-made scent for being not my style, however there is still a certain air of expedited creation with Le Beau Le Parfum, like it was a rejected idea for the original or a Frankenstein job to keep relevance up, and I can't abide that. Neutral