Spray and Pray Experiment #0008: Pour Homme Lion (EDP) and L'Homme Ideal (EDT)

In today’s world, there are various opinions about masculinity. Should someone hold on to the traditional values of the classic gentleman? Should someone adopt the current values expected of the modern gentleman?

When someone asked me this question, I responded that both the classic and modern gentleman have positive aspects. After explaining what they were, I said there was nothing wrong either.

With that thought in mind, I sought this experiment on purpose to combine one fragrance with a classic gentleman atmosphere, with a fragrance that adds to the ambiance of the modern gentleman. 

Fragrance 1: Pour Homme Lion (EDP)

In 1997, Lalique introduced Pour Homme Lion to the world. It starts off as a combination of citrus and herbal spiciness. When the fragrance dries down, the citrus goes away and the woody notes come alive. The fragrance throughout the duration evokes a classic green barbershop vibe that is decisively masculine.

Fragrance 2: L’Homme Ideal (EDT)

In 2014, Guerlain put out L’Homme Ideal for retail. The fragrance begins with a touch of sweetness from the citrus and orange blossom combination. The dry down develops the scent into a sweet and gourmand combination with tonka bean and almonds, with other scents such as cedar and vetiver smoothing out the sweetness into a soft masculine scent. 

Strengths and Weaknesses:

Pour Homme Lion and L’Homme Ideal are nearly opposites of each other in terms of usage but share some similarities.

Both fragrances have seasonal versatility, but shine the best in milder weather of spring and autumn. (Pour Homme Lion doing better in Spring because of the herbal notes, L’Homme Ideal doing better in fall due to the gourmand notes.)

Both fragrances also possess a significant amount of depth that the fragrance connoisseur will appreciate. Those seeking affordable fragrances will appreciate that both are available for less than 100 USD combined if one knows where to look.

With Pour Homme Lion and the positives, the scent has an incredible amount of depth and uniqueness, which stands out more against the trend of the recent trend in the late 2010s to currently with sweet fragrances. The scent is something I would recommend wearing to a formal black-tie gala, but it works as daily or office scent. If one is bold enough, it is useable as a date night fragrance.

The only complaint that I have about Pour Homme Lion is that the herbal spices may be too much for some noses, especially for individuals not familiar with the classic fougerés from the 1960s to the early 1980s.

WIth L’Homme Ideal, the pluses of the fragrance include the smooth sweetness that is not in a person’s face. The fragrance is something I would recommend for daily usage, but it also works as a business or date night scent. If one is bold, it is useable as a formal fragrance.

The only drawback is that people who loathe the modern trend of fragrances would scoff at the idea of a sweet fragrance, or a fragrance that is unisex.

Yes, I openly acknowledge that the major drawbacks of both fragrances are generational issues or personal preferences, and not the performance or scent. In the end, Pour Homme Lion appeals to the classic gentleman, whereas L’Homme Ideal appeals to the modern gentleman.

The Details:

Now that I went into detail about the fragrances, this is how I handled the experiment variables. This rarely changes with each experiment, but I always add in the information:

• I sprayed the fragrances in the order listed. Fragrance #1 (Pour Homme Lion) as the stronger fragrance goes first, followed by the spray of Fragrance #2 (L’Homme Ideal).
  
  
• 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 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 Hypotheses:

1. Both fragrances have citrus elements in the opening. I expect this opening to become more prominent.
    
   
2. The potential of a stronger citrus opening may smooth out some of the herbal spices in Pour Homme Lion, and perhaps bring out some of the floral or powdery notes in the heart note. This may make the combination more feminine.
    
   
3. The herbal notes in Pour Homme Lion may soften the sweetness of L’Homme Ideal. This may make the combination more masculine. (Which contradicts the second hypothesis.)
   
   
4. It will be soft, but the vanilla and ambergris from Pour Homme Lion with the Tonka Bean from L’Homme Ideal may produce a softer version of a familiar modern combination in multiple fragrances.
   
   
5. I do not expect changes in performance. Pour Homme Lion is a durable fragrance, and L’Homme Ideal (despite it being the EDT version) is no slouch.
   
   
6. Both fragrances are useable in all seasons, with preferences for milder weather. I also do not expect this aspect to change.
   
   

The Result

• While more noticeable, the citrus notes in both fragrances did not improve to a significant degree.
  
  
• While still the dominant note in the opening, the herbal spiciness from Pour Homme Lion toned down significantly and is no longer as sharp.
   
  
• As the combination dries down, the soft floral notes from the iris and jasmine in Pour Homme Lion dance with the Tonka bean and almond, creating a unique gourmand and powdery blend. However, this makes the fragrance more unisex.
   
  
• The ambergris and vanilla in the base note combine with the tonka bean and almond to extend the gourmand aspects of L’Homme Ideal. Meanwhile, the wood notes in both fragrances extend the floral aspects of Pour Homme Lion.
   
  
• The combination lasted eight hours in the cold before it gave way to the last remnants of Pour Homme Lion for an additional two hours. On skin and in the heat, the combination lasted for ten hours before giving way to Pour Homme Lion for the remaining three hours. The combination performed as a long runner.
  
  
• Projection and sillage did not change. The combination is noticeable within walking range, but it does not overpower a small room.
   
   
• The combination keeps the versatility of both fragrances and is usable in any social situation or season. However, the stronger presence of soft floral and powdery notes with light sweetness means that the fragrance will perform better in the spring.

Overall: Shocked! 😮

Pour Homme Lion is a decisively masculine fragrance. L’Homme Ideal is masculine but leans closer to unisex usage.

The combination created a sensual and enticing fragrance that is decisively unisex.

I based this experiment on the idea of combining traditional and modern masculinity and getting the best of both worlds. The result rejects the perception of gender roles.

While it was not what I expected, I love the result! (I will also love the conversation that will ensue with my friend.)