Le Male

#Fragrance Journey 20 One of the greatest scents ever made, and coming back to it now feels almost personal; I wore this yesterday and again today, sitting here in the office with that familiar trail in the air, and it just clicked. I don’t even own a bottle yet, which feels wrong considering how much history I have with it, but that will be changing very soon; some fragrances are optional, this one isn’t. This is pure nostalgia for me; my dad has worn this as his signature since it released, so growing up this scent was everywhere, embedded in my memory without me even realizing it. That minty freshness, the smooth vanilla warmth, the clean lavender barbershop feel; it became my reference point for what “put together” smells like. A few years back I bought him a bottle, yet never picked one up for myself, maybe because I knew it too well, maybe that’s why I explored the flankers instead; but coming back to the original now feels different, it feels essential. What really stands out is how unreal that mint, vanilla, and lavender combination still is; it shouldn’t work this smoothly, yet it does, effortlessly. Knowing it was created by Francis Kurkdjian only adds to that appreciation; the craftsmanship is obvious in every stage of the wear, and even now it holds its ground as a true all season banger. Checking the bottle added another layer to the experience; seeing “Made in France” with the 75116 Paris address immediately places it in that classic era. The early 90s bottles carried 75008 Paris before shifting in the late 90s to 75116, which ran all the way up to around 2015 and is often seen as the vintage range; around 2015 to 2016, production transitioned fully under Puig, and bottles began listing Barcelona instead. It’s worth noting this wasn’t an overnight switch, some 75116 stock continued being sold after 2016, which explains the confusion; and while people often debate performance in newer batches, that shift really traces back to the mid 2010s rather than anything recent, with even differences in juice tint adding to the discussion. This is more than just a fragrance; it’s history, identity, and presence in a bottle, something that connects generations while still feeling relevant today. Fresh, sweet, unmistakably masculine in its own refined way; a scent I need to add to my collection immediately. 10/10 I'm ordering a bottle right now!

I have had this fragrance for almost half a year, gonna try to keep my review short and simple: Fahrenheit has been my favorite fragrance since I've started my fragrance journey, but Le Male might be taking over that number one spot. It is such an addictive, amazing scent with just the right amount of masculine feel. When you smell this, you're almost certain it's a man wearing it; it has this underlying "musk" (I don't think that's the right word, but think of it as a type of musk you would smell from getting close to a man) that says "masculine." Right off the opening, the smell is so wonderful, with a powdery sweetness that literally makes me salivate. The sweetness is almost like being in a barber shop, where you've just had a great shave and they throw that powder on you, that powdery smell mixed in with a minty-lavender, added with the smell of the most stereotypical (but amazing) fougere-barbershop smelling aftershave, finished off with an ambery-vanilla sweetness that is just absolutely fantastic. When it comes to longevity, for me, it's absolutely a beast. 20 hours later it's still on my skin as a skin scent, but that is still absolutely crazy to me. Projection is great, moderate for about 6 hours in my experience, still noticeable in the air for a couple hours after that. So much for a short review, but this fragrance is just too good to not have a decent review! I'm not sure I'll ever "officially" say Le Male is my number one, because something about Fahrenheit keeps it at the top of my list. It's almost as if I feel like I would hurt Fahrenheit by denouncing it to second place or something! There certainly is a big difference in terms of those who love Fahrenheit or hate it, with the younger crowd disliking it most of the time (I say this while being only age 25, haha) and maybe the controversy is what makes me want to keep Fahrenheit at the top. To end my ranting: Le Male has been around for a long time, but it is without a doubt an absolute masterpiece, and a timeless fragrance. Even if it's not your cup of tea, I feel that every fragrance collector should have this in their collection!

JPG Le Male in 2026. Still going strong in my collection throughout the years. This is simply divine. There are not enough words to describe the feeling you get wearing this, its uniqueness despite being a fougere with fairly common notes in today's day and age of release. When I first bought this, I thought it was a 10/10. Then as I tried hundreds of more fragrances, I went back to this one again. Yeah, I still love this fragrance. Why not still give it a 10/10? Well my experience in scents have expanded immensely since I first bought this, but when I think about it, it's still my most-worn fragrance, going onto my third bottle of it, so clearly I still would give it a 10/10. Le Male is unique in its own way: it's herbal without being medicinal, vanilla without being sweet, fresh despite the woody base notes. This is lavender with smooth vanilla, concocted to give one of the freshest vanilla fougeres I ever tried. (is this considered a fougere? I would think so) When you take a step back and look at where the Le Male line has gone, you can argue that it "got with the times". Every big Designer line is releasing a flanker like "Elixir", "Eau De Parfum Intense", Absolu"... ...Le Male is no exception to it. However I'm sorry but no flanker in this line has taken the throne from the EDT. Le Beau is so sweet, headache-inducing. Le Male Le Parfum went too heavy on the vanilla for me (though I'm not surprised, everything seems to aim for gourmand releases now), and I could not stand Le Male Elixir, what an overbearing sweetness that had. It's like every time a flanker is released, I go back to Le Male EDT. It's a reminder of where the industry once was in the 90's, and how different things are now. 10/10 scent 6/10 longevity 9/10 value This scent will continue to stand the test of time.

This is piece od art. The bottle, the packaging, the name, the perfumer and most importantly the scent. This bad boy and I, know each other for a very long time. I started wearing it as a young guy in late 90s. We have been together in good and in bad. I remember the ladies reactions when they would smell this... They would go crazy. Compliment after Compliment wherever i would go. I was wearing Le Male religiously everyday and every night... Then came year 2006 and i met my second fragrance love. It was YSL L'homme edt. I started wearing L'homme and when i emptied last drops of Le Male i didnt rebuy again. Probably i got tired of it after wearing it every Day for more then 6 years. I was, and im still wearing YSL L'homme, but couple days ago i found an empty bottle of Le Male in my basement, i removed the stopper and tried to see does it have some juice left inside. I managed to squize half spray if that, and let me tell you... I fell in love again. Yesterday i had to buy it again. New bottle. It is the same scent like it was 23 years ago when i first smelled it. I have to say that it is not as strong and long lasting like before but hey neighter i am. Lol I got appriciation for discrete scents with Ysl l'homme and Le Male is still double the power compared to ysl. It still lasts decent amount of time from 7-10h, and it projects 3-5 foot i would say. Enough for me. I tried Le Parfum but it is just terribly sweet and unbalanced. Smells like everything sweet designers put out today without concept and without soul. Im gonna pass that one and stick to my old love one and only Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male... Cheers...

I have tested just about every one of the more popular JPG Le Male fragrances except this one so I have always had an idea of what to expect. Now that I finally got a bottle (blind buy) I really see how this line has stayed true to the DNA. For those familiar with Ultra Male this smells like a more mature lighter fougere version of that . I love it . I like Ultra Male and that really gets compliments but it's hard to wear daily. This times down the sweetness to something that can be worn daily with a clean barbershop smell that isn't offensive but is still bold in a tamed mature way. The main notes you get are mint, lavender, vanilla , cardamom,orange blossom,cinnamon ,cedar tonka then all the other stuff mixed around everywhere . It's powdery aromatic then the powder intensifies with the vanilla and the fresh spices provide a base. My only regret is not getting a proper sample and not just buying the 1.4oz. I'll eventually get the 4.2oz. Performance is GOOD. It reminds me of EDTs back in the 90s that were somehow crazy strong . 6 sprays one on each arm back of neck and 3 on the shirt chest. Projection is strong the first hour . It continues to project well for another 2 or 3 hours. It stays strong on skin for a good 5 to 6 hours. It doesn't get really close to skin or really fade until about the 7th hour. For work I'd suggest 4 sprays max. 8.5/10 . More people are familiar with Ultra Male, so this is ultra male that is toned down and easier to wear as a daily .

This is one of Kurkdjian's masterpieces. Let's appreciate how well this fragrance has aged although lacking in some aspects that's making new enthusiasts to pick the newer Le males. The hate it's receiving is absolutely unjustified. Kurkdjian thought of making the aromatic fougere a little more modern and bold by introducing a deep tonka vanilla note in the dry down. What starts minty and aromatic (barbershop-ish lavendar) at the start is ever so slightly retained in the creamy tonka, sandalwood vanilla dry down. This is an absolutely comforting scent profile on a man. It's in no way a clubbing fragrance but a very easy to like and wear office fragrance too. Owing to reformulations, this scent has suffered mighty in the performance department. I can say this by comparing a 2019 batch as well as a 2025 made batch. Expect about 3-4 hrs on skin and about 6-7 hrs on fabric, indoors. The projection and sillage are intimate as well making it the perfect office fragrance. Even otherwise, except summer mornings, this is a versatile fragrance. I wish a clone brand comes in to make a very high quality, longer lasting clone of this.

One of the first 2 fragrances I bought was a clone of JPG Le Male; it was called "G for Men". Now having smelled the original, I can say they smell nothing alike, haha. This *actually* is a barbershop scent. Most of the time when people describe a fragrance as such, it couldn't be further from that label. Whereas Le Male smells exactly like the Equate Sensitive Foam that I use to shave, and I love it. Though that being said, *the* JPG Le Male just smelling like shaving foam is kinda... disappointing. I had expected it to be a deeper or more complex scent. Perhaps shaving foam smells like Le Male, and not the other way around. But I wasn't even born when this came out, so I will never know. As it stands, it's a simple and commonplace scent. I don't think it's worth buying a full bottle. I will likely buy a clone or get a 10mL decant, and call it a day. I don't see how this was a pioneer, either. In the sense that, Le Male is (allegedly) the reason why modern men's fragrances are so sweet. And that doesn't make sense to me because I wouldn't call it "sweet"; it's clean and musky.

My absolute all time favorite cologne...a shame what the reformulations have done to it over the years but I still have and am cherishing a couple of bottles from the late 1990’s batches where this was just a gorgeous, beautiful, monsterously projecting piece of confidence inducing perfumery. Minty vanillic lavender with just the right amount of powderiness...calm cool and collected...just makes me feel like the best version of myself that I can be whenever I wear it. I still enjoy the current formulation of it but it is much more subdued and tamer in its performance and punchiness when compared to the older version(s). Will always have a bottle regardless of formulation variations as long as it is available and not discontinued. An absolute classic and legend that changed men’s fragrances during its introduction and one of those that deserves to be in the fragrance hall of fame.

I absolutely LOVE this fragrance, definitely my top 3 JPGs of all time! This is a super fresh, masculine, '50s barbershop scent that has a strong smell of lavender, vanilla and mint for the main show - but I mostly just get the lavender and mint. It lasted quite a decent while on my skin, I still smelled it on my wrist after about six to seven (no pun intended) hours with four sprays. I think longevity varies though, this isn't a super safe blind buy and isn't as potent as Le Male Le Parfum, Le Male Elixir or Le Beau Le Parfum. Still, it's scent profile is definitely my favorite among all the JPGs, I found Elixir too sweet and not safe blind buying, Le Parfum is amazing but I have Dior Homme Intense which is similar, and I have Le Beau Le Parfum already. I just adore the fragrance overall. Easily an 11/10👍

The original Le Male is, in this day and age, arguably the most underrated fragrance of all time, and consistently forgotten in the JPG lineup. It’s vastly overshadowed by its newer, admittedly much better and stronger evolutions such as the elixir and parfum, but that doesn’t make the original bad. In fact it is a fantastic versatile easy wearing fragrance. There is a reason it is still a staple choice to this day. You cannot go wrong with it, it’s warm, sensible, good projection (on me at least) and has an almost powdery texture. The lavender is very noticeable the second it lands on your skin. It is lovely, I would say arguably the safest blind buy ever, if you need a consistent, strong inoffensive all rounder for the day, you cannot go wrong with the original Le Male.

I adore this. It’s like being shot by vanilla and lavender but still maintains a generally masculine undertone. Amazing 5 mins and later. Initial spray is eh, everything past is incredible. And I mean “everything past” because this WILL last you the full day and night. Honestly, I just love all of the main notes listed here. I was skeptical of the mint, but it’s a fresh, natural note. nothing feels synthetic in here. Versatile, fresh, floral, clean. Edit: First 5 minutes of this makes me feel like I just stepped into a barbershop ran by one guy that’s fully off the books and cash only. However, the guy running it is kinda cute. Rating: 9/10 Blind Buy: Go for it

Flankers of this suck ass but... this one just has to be my favorite mens perfume. OG isn't as worn anymore though sadly One man (half fuckboy honestly) I had a close relationship with, wore this; it still makes me feel butterflies almost 8 years later, even thinking about this smell makes me crazy. If he didn't wear this I think some of his attractiveness would have been gone to be completely honest, this scent was absolutely intoxicating; this thing in a hotboxed car was an experience that I will never forget but also wouldn't want to repeat. But I digress. In short, if you want to seduce a lost early 20s lonely woman, this is probably your best choice lmao

A fragrance before it’s time. A classic that is bright, sweet, fresh and clean. It was excellent then and great now. The quality of a good fragrance doesn’t change with age. Going with trends is for fun. Trends are what become “old” and undesirable. It’s important to have a mind of your own when choosing a fragrance. It should be a personal experience. At 20 you may think it’s cool to smell like a barnyard indolic mixture of sweat, sand, apple, and incense, but in 10 years? This cologne is well done and timeless. Perfect for a handsome young gent, with excitement in his eyes and adventure in his heart.

Utilizo o Le Male há mais de 15 anos e ele carrega para mim um forte valor nostálgico. Fragrância marcante, que combina um tom fresco e limpo a um fundo quente e adocicado de maneira bastante harmoniosa, sendo ideal para a noite e para climas mais amenos. Sua performance é excelente, apresentando ótima fixação e projeção tanto na pele quanto nas roupas, fazendo-se notar sem a necessidade de exageros nas borrifadas. Ainda que a linha conte com flankers mais recentes e muito bem avaliados, considero a versão tradicional a mais equilibrada para o meu gosto. Um verdadeiro clássico. Recomendo! Nota: 4,5/5

JPG Le Male. This is my 2nd JPG Fragrance. I was skeptical about getting into JPG because a lot of people recommended me Le Male Elixir, because I like darker scents. I'm not a crazy fan of Le Male Elixir. I feel like it is overrated. I'm trying to get into having seasonal/ocassion fragrances. I got.into this because of it's clean, almost barber like scent. I've gotten compliments from this. During the first 2-4 hours it projects really well, about 3-6 feet. After about 5 hours it get a bit intimate. Nonetheless it is an amazing scent. I believe its a good all round fragrance.

I first smelled it at Macy’s when I was just getting into fragrances, and boy, something about the lavender just blew my mind. I wasn’t around during its hay day, and I’m glad as I’ve only ever smelt this on a buddy of mine and myself. To me it just smells like a man, one who’s gentlemanly and strong but also sweet and emotional. It’s attractive and garnered me quite a few compliments from men and women alike. It leaves quite a trail and projects too, never had so many girls my age say I smelled nice. A very solid choice for the right guy, but definitely not for everyone.

i love this. im going crazy but when i was a child, i used to visit some friends house with my family, and there was a specific smell attached to it, and i didnt knew what it was untill i smelled this many many years after, apparently it was a room freshner that smelled identical to this, its really nostalgic for me, fresh and sweet at the same time , late august afternoon, hot, everything yellowish from that dazzling sun, playing ps4 video games in the attic room n then chilling under those thick big ah trees & staying outside till sunset

When I first smelled it, I was like, "wtf, why did I waste my money on this?" But after giving it another chance, it's really grown on me, and I totally love this fragrance now. Some other influencers might say it's outdated, but trust me, this fragrance is super special and unique. So much love for this scent! If anyone smells it, please don't judge right away; wait and smell it again. It's such a lovely fragrance. But to be honest, all the flankers are better than the original, so I'd give it an 8.5/10.

When I first got my hands on the Le Male at first I felt like this was a great fragrance! Not something perfect, kind of fresh smelling and didn't get me going all that well. Over time it's grown on me and I've learnt to appreciate the beautiful combination of the fresh and aromatic notes with the warm base, an excellent combination the makes an iconic all round fragrance. If I would need to only wear one fragrance all year round, this would be a strong contender. Simply said, it's popular for reason.

I wore this classic fragrance to work today and one of my co workers asked what I was wearing because he said it smelled really good. Don't listen to people on line saying that this fragrance is dated or not relevant because it's all a matter of taste and preferences. I often get compliments when I wear Le Male EDT but that's not why I love it, I love it because it smells great to me and it's a timeless classic that's still being sold 30 years later so that gives credence to my entire commitment.

I'm such a perfume snob most of the time. But the sad sad truth is this stuff works like catnip, old bottles especially. There is something about the fresh aromatic top notes that smell good on most chaps and the base notes grab onto your skin smell and enhance it. It's miles away from the synthetic musk smells teenage boys used to douse themselves with in the 90s and thus has the nostalgic appeal of that guy who wore this as their first grown up cologne. Ah young love!

Despite reading all the other reviews I still think this is my signature day time scent, it just has that cozy resinous feeling that also smells fresh in a way, look.. I'm 18 and I wear this, it's a classic and no one will change my mind, great bang for buck too, I've picked up way more expensive fragrances that I don't enjoy as much as this. So please don't diss a 30+ year old fragrance because if JPG is still producing these then obviously there on to something good.

Absolutely love the smell of this fragrance, however I discovered I am allergic to it and broke out in a rash. Doesn't matter where I spray it always ends up causing a rash, Googling this has revealed the reformulations are the cause. Make sure you try Le Male in person FIRST before purchasing to make sure you don't end up doing what I did and buying it purely on smell from a test strip. Ended up giving my bottle to a family member who enjoys it.

Lavender, mint and vanilla carry this from start to finish, giving a soft, creamy barbershop vibe that feels more nostalgic than modern. Projection and longevity are now moderate rather than beastly, so it works best in cooler weather or evenings instead of as an all day signature. It still smells pleasant and instantly recognizable, but more like a comfortable classic in the closet than something you’d buy today for cutting edge style.

It is agreeable this feels old and dated and may feel synthetic,but it is actually reallt underrated and its the do it all cologne.Cannot be too weak to be a winter cologne cannot be too powerful for a summer cologne and its the perfect balance because of that fresh and winter notes combo.Bought it not because just to waste money and ik flankers are better but nothing exepts swy classic herod and naxos can pass the versitility of it.

As mentioned below, the current iterations are a far cry from what this fragramce was originally. Easy +12 hours and the projection was simply ridiculous. So much so that I had to be careful and leave it at two sprays to keep it tasteful. Anything more than that was just asking for trouble. Beautiful profile which really changed how mens fragrances were looked at. I wish I could get my hands on the original.

Le Male used to be my reason for getting up in the morning in the early 2000s. I craved the rush from that lavander-vanilla-mint bomb. It was so so beautiful, rich, expensive, niche quality. Whenever I spray this on my wrist from some bottle sitting on a Free Shop shelf I feel so nostalgic and sad, because now it’s just a cheap copy of a copy of what it used to be.

I don't know what's up with people using a fragrance's ability to "fill a room", or whether or not it's "beastly" as a legitimate critique of it's worthiness. Scent should be an accessory, not an air freshener. This is why alot of people don't like fragrances. It's like you're forcing yourself on people and they don't have a choice other than to be suffocated.

Honestly the fragrance is really fresh with the classic jpg dna in it. I prefer to wear at spring time, but it can be an all year around. Its safe for the day and night. Also in my personal experience you can wear it anywhere and that's what makes it unique. In a party is going to be great, gym as well, even as a fragrance in your work. Have to say I love it

I finally got this from the DutyFree in Spain and my goodness its really freaking nice. It smells like lavender, vanilla mint and cinnamon, basically like a soapy barbershop smell 🧼 It’s really bold and unique Its also no joke better than almost all LV fragrances, I am not joking when I say this 😂 Longevity: 6-7 hours with moderate projection, 9/10 🪻

This one has actually a barbershop vibe, and it smells good - and that's we are waiting for. Its not a clone, like many fragrances today... It's not an "old man" or "grandpa" scent too, but just a classic one, often complimented... Mint, lavender, tonka bean and vanilla. Wear whatever you vant and whatever you like, don't mind about the hype...

I don't get when people say "everybody is wearing it, so this is bad, so I don't like it, bla bla bla...". When a designer create a fragrance, he expects that fragrance become POPULAR and SELL. I really don't care how many people are wearing it. If you want something "exclusive", go to a very obscure niche brand. Le Male is AMAZING. Period.

Soapy minty barbershop/clean shaven smell. Projection is still very good despite formulation but I would say this works better indoors at parties etc these days. Got mega compliments on this indoors but outside less so much. This really does stick to your clothes, you can smell it for ages. Ignore negative reviews this still works in 2021.

This just blows out of the water all the current JPG's. How can this be dated, you kiddo? Ah, you only know current stuff and use that to diss other parfums because they aren't close to today's. This is art! Not the sellout stuff they take out today. This feels timeless, like a good suede jacket in the fall or a solo Bill Evans take.

Reminds me of YSL L'Homme in a way (the bergamot/vanilla oldschool combo I believe). I like wearing this to the gym but it has decent versatility really. When I got this it made me think I had first smelled it maybe +15 years ago, but it remains timeless. Really nice, clean, and masculine profile- definitely crowd pleasing.

9.3/10 Really reminiscent of Amouage reflection man and Gucci guilty elixir. Obviously this came first. A timeless, classy, tranquil fragrance. Makes me think of being in a fancy hotel in the country side somewhere. It does smell slightly dusty, which makes it drop a few points, but this is still really good.

While a bit dated, this is a great fragrance. This is a clean/soapy, classic scent reminiscent of a barbershop. The vanilla and lavender are key notes in this fragrance that are still used in modern scents. It just shows how meticulously this fragrance must have been composed. 8/10.

4.01 😡C'mon ....much much higher than that. Even the brand new batches are so so good! Almost unbelievably good, but it is believable because for thirty years, we 've been believing it😄 If a new one is this good🤔, how good was a vintage 1990's bottle🤯 Even reformulated its GREAT!

This one is a classic for a reason. Open up with a nice fresh barber shop scent like you just got out the barber after a clean fade. Then it drys down to a nice vanilla amber. This one is timeless 9/10 certified banger 🔥 there’s a reason this one has a a lot of flankers.

As a beginner in fragrance using and collecting i find this easily one of the best yet its good for all seasons, fresh, aquatic. My favorite fragrance of all i tried. Its over hated but i don't get it its prob the best jpg they made.

5 years ago, I had to ask my colleague what perfume he used and it was Le Male. I bought it and use it as a woman. 2 years ago we became a couple with that colleague and now we have several bottles of Le Male in our bathroom.

I’ve blind bought this fragrance. This smells like a skin cream. I mostly get vanilla and lavender, mint fades away quickly. It’s more of a linear scent. I’ll try to wear it a bit more, but I’m not a fan at the moment.

Very nicely blended powdery vanilla, lavender mint scent. The performance is awful however. Very poor projection, you need many sprays for it to be noticeable, and application every hour for it to stay noticeable.

Very nice, oddly refreshing sweet scent, reminds me of a luxurious pleasant smelling - somewhat slightly salty on the opening - sunscreen, that's to my nose though, dunno. The OG is goated.

Smells amazing, but the performance is ass. Still love it though. Would I recommend buying it? Absolutely, especially if you can find it on discounters, just don't expect to fill a room

Smells fantastic, performance good, can't believe i never tried this one before my new favourite, bought 75 ml bottle for 650 sek including shipping that's about 60 dollars.

Ok unpopular oppinion, it smell exactly like Enchanteur Charming but more mint. Popular pleasant fresh smell. Just have the vial pack and it already the iconic Enchanteur

So i have the older batch of these it's really good and balanced it's just OG classic been using it for months but i recommend not using it during summer times

Legendary lavender. And what really makes it special is the longevity and thickness of the fragrance. This one hasn’t been killed by reformulation.

Really amazing year round scent IMO, but yeah it does smell like a barbershop so if you’re not into that, don’t buy.