A Different Kind of Prada L'Homme
For those of you who enjoy layering, this was one of those combinations that actually shifted the character of a fragrance in a noticeable way. Bath & Body Works Bourbon hydration body cream under Prada L’Homme. Bourbon lotion is built around white pepper, dark amber, and Kentucky oak. It comes across as warm, slightly spicy, and woody. Prada L’Homme opens with neroli, black pepper, cardamom, and carrot seed, moving into that iris/violet/geranium core, and dries down into amber, cedar, sandalwood, and patchouli. On its own, Prada L’Homme on my skin has always come across very iris/violet-forward, with that powdery, soapy feel. Some liken it to the scent of a freshly pressed dress shirt making it the quintessential office scent. With the Bourbon lotion underneath, what I noticed right away was a retreat in the intensity of the iris and violet. They didn’t disappear, but they stepped back enough to let the base show earlier. As it developed, there was a subtle sweetness and smoothness coming through that resembled that slightly sweetened leather tone I really enjoy in Tom Ford’s Ombré Leather. My sense is the dark amber and oak in the lotion are doing the heavy lifting, adding warmth and depth right from the start and taking the edge off the sharper iris/violet profile, which I don't care for when I wear L'Homme alone. It doesn’t change the DNA of Prada L’Homme, but it redirects it in a way that feels more grounded and, for me, much more desirable, more more wearable for an occasion other than the office. Its a different kind of L'Homme.