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Le Mâle Eau Fraîche Popeye Edition 2016

7.7 / 10 306 Ratings
A popular limited perfume by Jean Paul Gaultier for men, released in 2016. The scent is sweet-fresh. It was last marketed by Puig.
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Main accords

Sweet
Fresh
Synthetic
Fruity
Aquatic

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
AldehydesAldehydes MintMint NeroliNeroli
Heart Notes Heart Notes
SageSage SclareneSclarene
Base Notes Base Notes
Tonka beanTonka bean VanillaVanilla SandalwoodSandalwood

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.7306 Ratings
Longevity
7.3278 Ratings
Sillage
7.0275 Ratings
Bottle
7.8295 Ratings
Value for money
7.694 Ratings
Submitted by OPomone · last update on 11/21/2025.
Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Le Mâle Eau Fraîche Superman Edition by Jean Paul Gaultier
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Le Mâle Eau Fraîche Gaultier Airlines Edition
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Allure Homme Sport Eau Extrême
Le Mâle On Board by Jean Paul Gaultier
Le Mâle On Board

Reviews

14 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Elysium

898 Reviews
Elysium
Elysium
3  
Sweet, Sugar, Candyman!
"I met him out for dinner on a Friday night
He really got me working up an appetite
He had tattoos up and down his arm
There's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm
He's a one-stop-shop, makes the panties drop
He's a sweet talkin' sugar-coated Candyman
A sweet talkin' sugar-coated Candyman" - Christina Aguilera

I recently gained it online for an absolutely fantastic price, blindly, trusting the fact I love both Le Mâle classic and Ultra Mâle. I can't believe my eyes, Le Mâle Airlines' Eau Fraiche is an oxymoron, a really fresh and delightful fragrance at the same time. The ultra-fresh notes of mint combine with the ultra-candy notes of chewing gum, it's like eating a soft and juicy Big Babol with mint! Do not let the guy in tank top bottle fool you into thinking that Le Mâle Airlines Eau Fraiche is just marketed to a particular generation of men. Jean Paul Gaultier made this suitable for everyone with its slightly sweet and very fresh profile, and Le Mâle Airlines builds around a sexy fabric softener accord, clean linen laundry smell, fresh like an impeccable tank top that you slip into. A few notes are dimmed, and some are amped up, but overall this is a summer version of the original thing, so read on if you're interested.

It rises heavily for me, but I can tolerate experiencing a delightful mellowing down into something fresher and sparkly. A blast of minty crisp, neroli blossoms and something airy opens the dance. Aldehydes are involved; however, I do not get them like in Chanel n° 5. Perhaps, the blend of aldehydes and neroli contributes to the uplifting airy bubble gum accord. I got big, and I mean huge, chewing gum vibe. As if it smelled like the original, but with a fresh chewing gum feel, I loved it. Nathalie Gracia-Cetto developed this new interpretation by using ingredients with impact wrapping the mint in a swirl of aldehydes and ozonic notes, with the mint grounding the less earthbound notes around it. That's the part that's lighter, so you don't know yet what to expect later.

The orange blossom leads into a heart dominated by sage, a place where keeping it lighter makes the overall effect better. Sage and orange blossom are brought to you on a warm breeze. Both sage and clary sage, here called Sclarene, are blended to release a woodier and herbal accord that works very well, especially for a summer perfume. If your nose is trained enough, you will catch Ambroxan in the background, and together with the aldehydes, add a delicate airiness and salty depth to the blend.

The more massive, powdery sweetness comes in next and dominates into the sensual dry down. The fusion of woods, tonka, and vanilla are still here from the original, with the Ambroxan as the principal source of woodiness. The vanilla and tonka beans are always there to make it close enough to the sweet woody foundation that defines Le Mâle. I guess that trinity is a Le Mâle DNA. Of course, a touch of creamy sandalwood cannot be missing, that's why I also get some light woody notes throughout.

Le Mâle Airlines is something substantial! It has the same DNA as the original, no doubt, when you catch a whiff you can not associate it with Le Mâle classic, the similarity is too substantial. An interpretation of that hit that overall it feels a bit of lighter, and updated through the addition of ambroxan. It smells like a very refreshing combination of mint, tonka bean, and vanilla. Even though it is aimed at the warmer seasons, it might be too cloying for some like myself in too hot weather like Italian summer. In fact, it has the typical bubblegum vibe of modern fragrances, such as Paco Rabanne One Million and Invictus, Rochas Man, Nikos Sculpture, or Versace Eros.

Le Mâle Airlines is a sweet fresh scent, but not cloying, very playful that shines from early Spring throughout late Fall, casual daytime and not too sweet for warm weather. It's not a powdery scent to me, it's definitely on the watery side, but you won't find marine notes either. It might come as a bit naive, but like I said, it's a fun fragrance, something for fun events, parties, summer activities, etc. The bottle is pretty shabby, but the juice is excellent and lasts a long time, longevity is very good for a summer fragrance, and the projection is reliable, so beware of over-spraying! Do not blind-buy this one if you do not like the sweetness in modern fragrances, or you are not intimate with Le Mâle species. Sweet and fresh, what else?

This review is based on a Le Mâle Airlines tester 75ml I own.

Stay well; stay healthy.

-Elysium
1 Comment
Basti87

1091 Reviews
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Basti87
Basti87
Top Review 17  
Le Mâle has fallen into the fountain of youth
Year after year, Jean Paul Gaultier releases a flanker. Almost simultaneously with Le Male Essence de Parfum comes this Eau Fraiche Popeye Edition. One must say, many flankers are quite insignificant. I haven’t tested all of the seemingly 1 million flankers, but some were indeed very unremarkable. Besides the original, I own Fleur du Male, which I love and have used often. The rest is often an attempt to make the fragrance classic relevant again with a flanker. As with many classics, this rarely succeeds. I absolutely wanted to test this Popeye because the concept is quite interesting. Since this is a limited edition, you never know when it will disappear again.
It comes again in the well-known metal tin. The most famous bottle in the world greets you. The Popeye image looks slightly trashy, but I find it quite cool. It has something. Popeye is a likable character, popular with young and old. It appeals more to the younger clientele, as Popeye represents strength.

After the first spray, a strong mint note dominates. A very fresh bubble-gum mint. It becomes clear that this was primarily created for the younger audience. Due to the mint, it reminds me of Versace's "Eros." The sillage is similarly good. This sweet mint is a commonality with Eros. Whether this was intentional, one does not know. Furthermore, the typical Le Male note is immediately recognizable. Quite well executed and well modernized for the year 2016. Neroli and sage are not very noticeable. As for sclarene, I must say I don’t even know what that is or how it smells. Later, the tonka bean comes in, adding sweetness to the whole. I like it, and the teenage girls and young ladies will surely like it too. Also wearable around the age of 30, but it has to match the style. It definitely doesn’t fit with a shirt and suit...
For me, it is certainly not just for summer. Since it can be quite intense in sillage and scent, it can also be worn well on somewhat cooler days. 1A-suitable for parties as well, since it has some similarities to Eros. Thanks to the mint, it is a fresh scent for warmer days. Not necessarily suitable for all activities.
Sillage and longevity are similarly good as the original Le Male. The sillage is reminiscent of Fleur du Male. It radiates similarly. Comparisons can also be made to Eros, but due to the Le Male note, it clashes significantly less.

Conclusion: Those looking for a young, modern scent and have no issues with the Le Male note might find this interesting. If you like Eros, you might enjoy this intense fragrance. A successful flanker of the greatest fragrance classic.
0 Comments
Leimbacher

2873 Reviews
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Leimbacher
Leimbacher
Top Review 19  
High Pitched!
I am so tired of the minimally different summer versions of major perfume bestsellers. Almost more than the people who punish a flanker like this one before they have ever seen, smelled, or held it. So, two good reasons, along with the little hype around it, to test the new Le Male Popeye Edition more closely. Without spinach or Olivia, but at 30 degrees in bright sunshine, while eating ice cream & in the gym.

It is a summer scent, no question about it. And a powerfully potent, intrusive & high-pitched one at that. But I somehow like it for its brash, piercing synthetic overkill style. It combines the Le Male mint-tonka combo with the currently popular frozen bubblegum chic - resulting in an extremely bright, citrusy & artificial refresher that should appeal greatly to those under 20. It redefines the word cool, combining it, in my opinion, somewhat with the word "cheap." But as I said: it’s a Le Male, it’s better than reheated summer nonsense & it’s hip, sleek & easy to wear. So hats off briefly to Ms. Gracia-Cetto! No flop, no hit, but also not worth any of its hasty criticisms. You might not like it & find yourself too mature for it, but as a scent, it comes damn close to what young women find sexy these days.

Bottle: the Popeye gives the already somewhat kitschy Le Male bottle a run for its money... not very pretty anymore. Unless your name is Geissen.
Sillage: strong, especially because it will mostly be worn in summer.
Longevity: due to the sweet base, it even lasts over 6 hours at 35 degrees.

Conclusion: those who are young, have a brutal taste in perfume & consider themselves good-looking due to excessive self-confidence shouldn’t go wrong with this Mr. Spinach. And one should generally not be averse to Le Male. Definitely better than the fifteenth summer version!
3 Comments
DonJuanDeCat

2047 Reviews
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DonJuanDeCat
DonJuanDeCat
Very helpful Review 12  
As a comic fan, I don't have to like everything!
My title refers to the Superman edition of this fragrance, where you can see Superman on the bottle. Otherwise, it is of course the same scent as the Popeye edition.

Anyway, I had a sample of this fragrance from a nice perfumer who knows I like comics. I think Superman is quite alright, even though he shouldn't be my favorite character (that's Batman!!! :DD), but I still enjoy reading the occasional Superman comic,… and I must admit, I especially like Supergirl… from the new TV series,… I could endlessly rave about the sweet actress… *sigh* but well, I’ll leave it at that :D

Well, be that as it may, before I bore everyone with comics (although… this is a men's fragrance… but okay, I’ll refrain from mentioning them further *sigh*…), let me get to the scent, of which I don't expect much, as I have never really been a big Jean Paul Gaultier fan and most of the fragrances from the Le Mâle line haven't appealed to me much.

The scent:
The fragrance starts with fresh notes. There is relaxed neroli, mixed with mint, which provides a nice start, if it weren't for the synthetic aftertaste that is already noticeable from the beginning. That said, sweet notes quickly blend into the fragrance, which are clearly coming from the tonka bean.
However, despite the tonka bean, the scent is not heavy-sweet, even though the sweetness should continue to rise. The mint keeps the fragrance smelling fresher for longer, while herbal notes (sage and generally herbal scents) contribute to a more spring-like or summery atmosphere. Overall, the heart note and initial base still smell quite nice.
The tonka bean gradually mixes with vanilla in the base, which increases both the sweetness of the fragrance and its powderiness. Normally, this scent combination, the "dream team" of tonka bean and vanilla, is often a very nice combination for the base. Unfortunately, the synthetic notes, which can be very clearly smelled in this fragrance, become extremely stronger now in the base, so that the scent starts to become less pleasant from the base onwards, which is a shame, as this phase of the fragrance lasts the longest.

The sillage and longevity:
The sillage is quite good, and thus the fragrance can be smelled from a distance for a longer time. Even though the fragrance is not particularly heavy, one should still be careful with the dosage, especially on warm days.
I also find the longevity very good, as the fragrance lasts easily over ten hours.

The bottle:
Since I tried the Superman edition, I will of course describe the Superman bottle instead of the Popeye bottle. So, the bottle has the well-known shape of the male torso from the Le Mâle fragrances and is shiny silver or chrome, except for the lower part. On the front, you can see Superman as if he is about to break through the bottle wall. It’s a nice motif for Superman fans or comic lovers. As is often the case, these bottles have no cap, fit well in the hand, and are easy to spray. And of course, there is also the "tactile" feature at the bottom, which didn't necessarily need to be sculpted that way :D
And as I said, I tried the Superman bottle edition here, so the expression "The Man of Steel" takes on a whole different meaning! :D

Hmm… so how do I find the fragrance now? To quote the (disappointed) words of Caesar from "History of the World, Part I" by Mel Brooks, after receiving an alabaster bathtub:

"Nice. Quite nice. Not wildly exciting, but nice!"

That's exactly how the fragrance feels to me. A scent that initially smells somewhat nice, but due to its rich synthetics, in the end, doesn't really appeal to you, unless you have lower expectations or are still quite young, as this fragrance could certainly be a good going-out scent on warmer days for younger people.

Without the distinct, even (at least for me) annoying synthetic aftertaste, the fragrance would surely have turned out much nicer, but as it is, it’s simply not my scent, and therefore I cannot really recommend it. I would anyway suggest the wonderful Essence de Parfum, which smells many times better, but unfortunately, that fragrance is not suitable for warm days and can only be used in autumn and winter…

… alternatively, one could also consider Nikos Sculpture, which smells wonderful, also contains orange blossom and tonka bean, and is somewhat suitable for summer and parties. Of course, Nikos is also a bit synthetic, but it is also proof that synthetic fragrances can be well made… at least in my opinion :)
2 Comments
MrNiceGuy

70 Reviews
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MrNiceGuy
MrNiceGuy
Very helpful Review 7  
neither Popeye nor Superman
I have now spent a few days with the new Le Mâle Eau Fraîche Superman, which is supposed to smell just like the Popeye version!
Now, if it were up to me, I would call it Le Mâle Eau Fraîche Spiderman (since it sticks quite well to the skin!) or even Le Mâle Eau Fraîche Superboy.
I find the names Popeye or Superman, as well as some reviews of the fragrance, exaggerated; I would expect something stronger, more distinctive from Popeye or Superman (which is not the case!).

At the start of the fragrance, a sweet mint greets you, which initially reminds me of women with hairspray and chewing gum, but that fades away in the first 5 minutes.
After that, the sweet mint becomes more subtle, and tonka and sandalwood slowly come to the forefront.
Another scent development only occurs after hours on the skin; after 5-6 hours, I perceive the typical Le Mâle DNA (just with a bit more vanilla).

Le Mâle Eau Fraîche Popeye / Superman is certainly not a bad fragrance and will find some lovers here.
Even though it is primarily designed for summer, I wished for slightly better attributes, so it’s quite nice but unfortunately not a top fragrance (especially not a powerhouse or beast mode scent).

Longevity: on my skin about 10 hours / on fabric a bit longer (but no comparison to Le Male / Vintage)
Sillage / projection: for the first 30 minutes, it can fill a small room, after 45 minutes it’s only close to the skin (for me).
2 Comments
More reviews

Statements

76 short views on the fragrance
3
Fresh, sweet, minty... great for summer!
0 Comments
4 years ago
2
Of a quality similar to Versace eros. A rather persistent mint coated with Classic Male
0 Comments
1
This scent really surprised me! Has nothing to do with Le Male, its a very youthful, sweet, minty, bubblegumy allrounder. Compliment magnet
0 Comments
1
Chemical mess. JPG should pay people to wear this garbage. Even worst than the original
0 Comments
5 years ago
Fresh fabric softener with a chewing gum touch
0 Comments
38
29
When Fresh Green Train departs at 6:50
Mint Express leaves Tonka City at 8:15
You meet at Licorice Bridge at 9:32
When is the swimming pool full?
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29 Comments
12
9
Popeye now consumes mint leaves
Along with a shot of aldehyde
Olivia prefers snacking on tonka beans
A balsamic relationship
In Sweethaven Village
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9 Comments
12
1
Great performance.
Initially very minty, later sweet with tonka/vanilla. Le Male DNA always present.
Lasts easily 10 hours with amazing sillage.
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1 Comment
11
Really great for summer! Especially when you're walking through the city at 30° degrees. Say what you want, it gets a good reception.
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0 Comments
10
1
Freshie with mint + sage, LM-DNA and typically good H/S for synthetics
Closer to Le Mâle and AHSEE than to Le Beau Mâle
You can - but you don't have to!
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1 Comment
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