Description
Givenchy launched their fragrance for men in September 2008 and was advertised by pop star Justin Timberlake.
The modern and contemporary perfume named Play Intense was presented in a bottle shaped like an MP3 player. It is made of milky glass, with cafalonium frame and rubber button to press.
This fragrant creation Givenchy Play Intense is a work of perfumers Emilie+Coppermann and Lucas Sieuzac (Symrise), under direction of Françoise Donche, the perfume nose of the house of Givenchy.
The perfume in EDP concentration contains notes of bergamot, mandarine, pink pepper, coffee flower, amyris wood, labdanum, vetiver, Tonka and patchouli. It is available in amount of 100 ml.
Several commercials accompany this perfume. They were made in black and white, by Tom Munro.
Givenchy Play Intense was created by Emilie (Bevierre) Coppermann and Lucas Sieuzac.
uonpxhgsno – :
I get a flat tonka/marshmallow scent. No coffee. No pink pepper. A little citrus on top, then tonka bean. This is a 2012 batch and longevity and sillage are good, but the smell is lackluster to me. The sprayer lays down a good amount of juice and it is fairly prominent on the skin.
I love Michael Jordan Legend and Rochas Man, and my bottle does not measure up. The very positive reviews tell me my bottle is probably bad. So buy cautiously.
comischev – :
nothing interesting… just a fragrance for a coffee lovers
londau – :
Hi Knows2Nose – Yes, I tested this in the shop today – a wonderful fragrance, and I do get a plasticity-marshmellow vibe. It’s intentional and I really like it – masculine, musky and has staying power. Evolves to a sweeter vanilla musk – great!
fil0828 – :
Dufour is right, the projection isn’t as good as Uomo, it’s definitely on the weaker side but the scent itself is really good. Very versatile and not too sweet, can be worn anytime. It actually reminds me of A*Men Pure Tonka but this is softer and less in your face. The citrus in this also adds a nice little twist to it. One weird observation, I’m getting rubber mostly in the top notes and even lasts to the dry down. Is anyone else getting this rubber note too?
lstiv – :
Thanks Dufour, I’m picking up a bottle today. Ferragamo Uomo has been too sweet lately and looking for something more versatile, so this looks to be it.
Estophanistsa – :
@ Knows2nose,
They are differents.
Both smell good : Play intense is sweet and « dirty ». Uomo is mainly sweet.
But the performance of Uomo is better.
newsome338 – :
I already have Salvatore Ferragamo Uomo, which smells similar to a bakery/coffee shop and people love it. Would getting this be redundant? Or is it different enough to buy?
Xeroxoyjoo – :
A scentimental favorite of mine. I was homeless, had only lived in Seattle for 8 months and missed Maui, where I came from. I wanted something to bring me some comfort in my trials…The gal at Sephora, where I went to get out of the rain, suggested this new scent from Givenchy, I told her I was living in a shelter and couldn’t afford a bottle. She said “go take a walk, get an Orange Julius and then come back” So I did and when I got back to the store, she had a 30ml decant for me. It was till tight on the money but doable…I got sooo many comps from that, it’s warm, cozy, I have been told I smell like apple pie, gingerbread cookies, spiced latte…It will always have a place in my rotation….ALWAYS…I love it, it loves me, the chicks love it on me….
art4rik – :
The beginning is a little medicinal, smooth and sweet coffee scent with a slightly recognizable touch of mint. Avarage longevity and projection. The drydown is sweet, but musculan: tonka bean comes up and the coffe fades away a little. I think it’s rather a formal scent. In the winter, with a nice coat and a big scarf it can give you a soft, warming aura. Good scent, not outsdanding in any way but it’s nice.
chrison9 – :
This is my signature and will be for quite some time. I own other fragrances simply just to switch things up every now and then.
This fragrance was love at first sniff and I haven’t been without it ever since! Play Intense has the perfect blend of that Coffee Vanilla vibe that I crave with just the perfect amount of peppery sweetness that keeps it from being overtly feminine, even though I’m sure several ladies would enjoy this scent as well.
I’ve been searching 10 years to find a fragrance capable of matching its delight but they have fell short of my personal preference.
Not sure how true the rumors are of this being discontinued but this fragrance does seem to be creeping up in value, especially the 5.0 bottles, so I take it upon myself to add a bottle here and there when it can be found at a decent price.
slawa_khv – :
Makes me weak to my knees when a man wears it. I love it so much I don’t care if its marketed towards men i’ll wear it
ZagirovaIR – :
The first formulation in the darker bottle without the bottle is a love for me.
A lovely Aromatic fragrance with airy coffee note with tonka and some patchouli.
Oddly, I find this smoother and not really more dense than the first version. I find the difference is that this one is a has more sweetness in the base from vanilla that helps the fragrance last longer.
I do not find this a fall only fragrance, especially not a winter fragrance. Comes off sophisticated, yet modern !
Better for spring and fall. I think this would work on summer nights and winter days, but it wouldn’t be the best.
Love this and a real sleeper for me. last 5 hours with fair to poor projection, but we all don’t have to shout.
I use it when I travel or am going to be close to people in cool weather.
RFMyles – :
The one out in the market has great longevity but projection not the greatest.
I hear the vintage ones from 2008-2010 maybe 2011 were serious beast in the performance category.
This smell is so good, really seductive. This and la nuit de l’homme are awesome dark seductive fragrances I think in the designer world, much better than the one in my opinion.
Im on the hunt for the first formulation!
Bob EXHIDOWEX – :
Reviews like the one below are what makes me buy perfumes blindly online when they are relatively cheap and no where to be found to try them out.
Unfortunately I don’t get the same experience, skin scent immediately after applying it, to me it smells similar to rubber and I don’t smell tonka nor coffee at all. If at least it would perform well for me to wear it occasionally for a change of pace but not even that. I dislike it completely because it doesn’t offer me anything.
acid – :
I go head over heels over the smell of this fragrance. This is one of the best smelling fragrances in my honest opinion. Such a gorgeous coffee, tonka bean, and pink pepper fragrance. Very sweet and opulent with this very nice freshness from the pink pepper. This also lasts for 8-9 hours with a great 2-3 hours projection. I am so glad that this fragrance performs off of me. I say this because I get to smell it on my self for the whole day haha. Extremely well-done fragrance, also very different from other mainstream designer fragrances. I am not sure if you will love it as much as I do. But, I do hope that you appreciate this fragrance for what it is. A semi-fresh gourmand. How crazy haha.
Guflalp – :
This scent turns into a skin scent right after you have applied.
Please guys, I am begging you. Do not buy this.
75$ wasted.
kinston – :
I’m wearing Givenchy Play Intense, a fragrance I have owned for a number of years but for some reason forgot about due to trying out new fragrances, etc.
This is a nice fragrance. The opening is nice with a sweet citrus opening, but it evolves pretty quickly to its true character – coffee, tonka, vetiver and patchouli. This fragrance is nicely blended and while I wish it had some stronger sillage (my bottle is about 4 years old – not sure if this fragrance used to be stronger), I do appreciate its more subtle nature.
This is the kind of fragrance you can wear on a cool Fall or winter day. It is a sweet gourmand and while I used to wear A*Men more than this fragrance back in the day, I think I would prefer this fragrance – it’s just more subtle but appealing.
kisysy – :
Fantastic coffee and patchouli-vetiver, with a boost of tonka sweetness and a hint of spicy pink pepper. Alluring and masculine. Close enough to the coffee note of brewing coffee or fresh ground beans that I’ve been craving. Unfortunately the sillage is very poor. After only two days, I’ve used a tenth of a 100ml bottle. Which by the way, the bottle design is a fantastic, though now dated, approximation of an mp3 player. I don’t pick up on any bergamot or other citrus, but there is some woods, which on the bottle is listed as amyris wood. I compared test strips of this and Michael Jordan Legend. Legend is far “brighter”, the citrus and florals in it really stand out in comparison to the “darker” notes in Play Intense. Legend is sweet, more vanilla than the tonka in Play Intense. Legend has way more projection, and three sprays of each have both endured on the strips for over 24hrs, though Play Intense became faint almost immediately and Legend projected for a few hours.
Paired well with Givenchy Pi, Burberry Brit Rhythm, Bvlgari Man and Man Extreme, CK Shock One (though I can agree that maybe that is too intense a combo).
I love the composition of this fragrance, but because of the sillage issues, I will likely opt to try Rochas Man when I run out of this. Will update if I notice sillage does better in warmer weather (writing this during the coldest bit of winter).
Update: In less than a month, I’ve used 60% of the bottle. Apparently the sillage and longevity issues I noticed may be some nose problem I have because when I wore this to the store, all the ladies in the bakery could smell it from feet away over the bakery smells and they all loved it. Still plan to replace with Rochas Man when I run out. Adds a delicious clinging sweet tonka to sweaters and jackets that lingers for days after a spray.
Lrn-9 – :
smells frickin amazing!! it smells similar to dior sport 2017 edition but with less citrus
Семьянихин.В.Е – :
Bought it last spring to add to my fall rotation. First time wearing it yesterday and was disappointed in the weak sillage. First application was 3 sprays on chest and could barely smell anything. Waited few hours. Still nothing. Added 3 sprays to shirt. Okay, I can detect subtle hints of coffee and tonka bean that reminds me a little of Michael Jordan Lengend and Rochas Man. However, those two fragrances absolutely kills Play Intense in sillage and projection. It’s a shame because the coffee in play intense is delicious. At mid-day added 2 more sprays to shirt and 2 behind neck. Walked to the break room and asked a few lady friends if they could smell my cologne. Both said they could barely smell it and had to literally get inches away from my chest to get a whiff. On the positive side both enjoyed the coffee note. In the early evening I arrived home and added 3 more sprays before entering the house. Entered the house and waited for my wife to comment on my SOTD like she usually does. But she said nothing so I asked her if she could smell it. She too had to literally put her nose inches from my chest to get a whiff. That did it. I’m convinced there is nothing intense about this Givenchy. The scent is nice however and would be a very nice gourmand if only it was stronger. In fact, it might even rival Legend and Rochas Man if only it performed better because it has a superior coffee note compared to the other two.
622 – :
Christmas in a bottle! 🙂
darbent – :
This is kind of a hidden gem, that is in plain sight. Reviewers never really bring this one up, it never makes top 10 lists or favorite fall/winter/spring lists. I never even thought to try this one, as it didn’t seem to be that great if nobody is talking about it. Boy, was I wrong to ignore this fragrance. This is an amazing fragrance. It smells fantastic, has above average longevity and projection and can be found for cheap online.
This is one of my best purchases, I am glad I finally bought this. The spicy, manly coffee smell is pretty unique and is just plain delicious! It may be a little synthetic, but don’t let that discourage you.
Trust me guys, you need to at least try this fragrance, but try it on your skin and give it a few minutes to dry down, you won’t be sorry!
marine.tta – :
After all this time this cologne is still a favorite of mine and is easily in my top 5 most complimented frags in a collection of 200 + …. also my gf LOVES this and it’s 1 of her favorite on me in the fall and winter months.
The smell on this is gorgeous ! It’s a smooth,semi fresh,slightly gourmandish,slightly sweet smell that to my nose smells very similar to a coffee shop that also serves pastries! With that said it also has a very masculine edge to it making it appealing and quite sensual. This to my nose has a great balance of sweetness and freshness that it is also quite original and unique.
Performance on this is great ! It has great projection that is easily noticeable to those around you without being too cloying or loud and this leaves a very nice scent trail. Longevity is 6-12 hours. ( generally in the 8-10 hour range)
Overall rating — 8.5 out of 10 ! Amazing scent that will always be in my collection and is a great intro fragrance for those looking to get into gourmands
Sidenote: For those that love dark temptation by AXE and want to upgrade to something more grown up and classy this would be an excellent choice !!!
доктор_хирург – :
On my skin, smells like this coulda been a lighter Pi flanker…possibly a L’eau version. It’s definitely killer but i would have liked it more pungent with an added combo of cypress, juniper or absinthe, etc.
Рик – :
This Juice is very seductive. I would say this is not for guys under 30 yld even if there are notes of sweetness in it. The coffee mixed with the vetiver and patchouli gives a deep sophisticated vibe. Perfect for men in the 30’s and 40’s. Great for work and for a date even clubbing.
ros5550 – :
I had just left a review for the new Armani ‘Stronger with you’ which is just another typical girly sweet mess (Avoid) that made me crave something like… Play Intense.
Play Intense is Rich, bold and sweet. It projects and lasts ages!
The smell itself isn’t unfamiliar, I believe its been cloned by Lynx in their Dark Temptations body spray, so you may not be blown away on first sniff… But once you have this on you will feel confident and people often compliment.
arturik30 – :
I have the 2 that this is being compared with, namely MJ Legend and Rochas Man. With MJL, there is a striking similarity on top notes, but with RM, the middle is quite similar and they differ on the dry down. RM has that coffee-powdery scent, this has coffee spicy, more manly scent than RM. MJL can’t be compared with these 2 with regards to projection and longevity as that lasts on me for 3 hours tops with 2 sprays, while RM and GPI are both beasts in that regard.
This is one of my top scents and my go to bottle when I want that spicy gourmand sweetness, otherwise my RM is alpha.
(2 sprays)
Longevity: 8/10
Silage: 8/10
hhhdddttgbyh – :
My wife loves this one, which is good because I put this one firmly in “date scent” category, meaning it projects moderately well within the first hour, but retreats to a skin scent from that point forward. As a skin scent it lasts about 3-4 more hours on me.
The scent itself is pretty soft and sweet; my wife loves powdery and balsamic scents, so this is a cinch winner for our nights out together, or just for our nights together at home. I’d also recommend it for office wear, but be prepared to re-apply if you want it to last a full workday.
I’d say it’s pretty linear, and none of the notes outside of the Tonka steps over the others too much – I think the notes are well blended to present themselves as a cohesive accord – and I’d say it’s very similar to that powdery accord that Givenchy also presents very well in the Pi series, so I tend to use this one in warm weather and Pi in cool weather for a more spiced take on that core Givenchy accord. I get a comforted vibe from this, so that’s probably the coffee working on a subconscious level on me, as it’s one of my favorite aromas.
Meenx317Bessinepome – :
I enjoyed this one. I actually just bought a new bottle because my wife loves the smell of it and it reminds her of when we first started dating. Although this is one I had already I would definitely say it’s worth buying if you don’t have it. I did come across something that smells exactly like this in the form of the new Prada Carbon. With Carbon you are probably going to be spraying less and getting more out of your cologne, however, you will be paying more because Carbon is new. Me personally, I would buy Play Intense. This is a solid fragrance, safe to where anywhere, during any season, or time of day. Also, you can by a 3.4 oz bottle on Fragrancenet.com for like 35 bucks. I give it an 8 out of 10.
valeryko – :
I have not previously hooked with Play Intense, but decided to give it a go again. I now discovered that the projection and duration are actually rather good. Two sprays on the chest lasted from early morning till evening. However, I also confirmed that this frag is not for me. It smells good freshly sprayed, but it’s then all downhill from there. On my skin, Play Intense progresses to a cloying, strange and stale mess. I won’t be wearing it again. You can’t love’em all… Anyone needs a 90% full bottle of this?
mhg208speagoessenda – :
This is the shit.
I love the smell of this fragrance.
It smells like Rochas Man…A lighter version of it…This is perfect for the spring time & summer.
While Rochas Man is more for the fall and winter..Rochas man is a beast and this is it’s little kid brother.
I LIKE IT!
Would buy another bottle if I finish this before the summer ends.
If you Rochas Man, La Nuit de l`Homme,
Jaguar Classic Gold, Uomo Salvatore Ferragamo, Joop! or
Superdry Dry Oil…This is a Must buy people, must buy!
I bought a 150 ML bottle for $30.00, Worth it.
Great blind buy.
I used seven sprays…both wrist, behind my ears, back & front of my neck and chest.
SKU Number: Don’t have the box.
Batch Number: 4W01 (Production Date: 2014-09)
Age: Any
Scent: 7/10 (Great)
Value: 7/10 (Only cost $30.00 for a 150 ML)
Sillage: 6/10 (Arm’s length at best)
Longevity: 8/10 (About eight plus hours)
Creativity: 7/10 (Sweet citrus)
Projection: 5/10 (An hour tops)
Versatility: 10/10 (Anytime during the spring and summer & anywhere)
Compliments: 4/10 (4 Comments thus far)
snifer – :
Used to be my signature. Sweet cappucino feel. Patchouli at the base. Synthetic but gets compliments. I have the original formulation. Good one for cold days. Don’t over spray it or it will give you a headache
coocs – :
A pleasant night fragrance that says confidence, rather than an attention-grabbing club scent.
A little bit sweet. I wish the coffee notes would come in a more bitter, sour, deep shade.
Projection is soft, but its lasting power is amazing. It stayed on my skin even after I had a ride in the rain.
faton – :
I always get compliments wearing this fragrance. Its not a projection monster, but it does last a very good while. And with enuff sprays on your shirt, people will smell it just fine.
Although it is on the darker side, it just doesnt do the best in cold weather. This one shines the very best when it is warm. The sweet resinous woodiness is so deep and intriguing. The intense version as well as the original, both seem a little generic at first sniff. And maybe the original version is boring and generic, idk, bcuz I dont own it…but the intense I do own and it is completely deep and interesting and lovely as fuck.
Its one of the many frags that absolutely HAS TO BE WORN, before you decide yay or nay. Tester strips or even small sample tube dabs will not let this perfume tell its whole story. Play Intense is a super under the radar heavyweight in the designer realm.
Babeboy – :
This is one of my top five best smelling Fragrances…. Fantastic stuff.. Just wanted the performance to be a little better.
4evgen – :
Much better than Play, Play intense is still one of my going out / clubbing fragrance. Always got a lot of compliments with that one, it projects well and lasts a while on me. I get coffee and tonka mostly. Not a groundbreaking fragrance, but I enjoy it a lot.
Scent: 7/10
Projection: 8/10
Sillage: 7/10
smelov – :
I don’t care what anyone says as far as this being an immature fragrance. Whenever I wear this I get an INSTANT compliment, it never fails and it always makes me giggle like a little school girl, unbelievable! This, besdes YSL’s L’homme parfum intense, is one of my most complimented fragrances!A Masterpiece!
Yes it is sweet, yes it is a bit synthetic (ok, a lot) but who cares, it smells so good!
I am trying to horde thsi stuff before the dreaded reformulation strikes! I can guarantee you it will!!
dima3076 – :
Although the ratings suggest this is a winter cologne, i used to wear this in the summer when i owned it years ago! it has a pleasant and inoffensive sweet smell but it never seemed to last very long at all. You can spray lots of this on and it still not be over-bearing so it is an all round safe & reliable scent, its just the longevity that lets it down.
karbofos – :
EDP???
my GPI bottle says Eau de Toilette.
Are there 2 versions of this?
Think the EDP belongs to the woman’s section…
sam198327 – :
Anyone worried about performance issues with the new “Oversized” bottles of GPI shouldn’t be, imo. Surprisingly, the new bottles do not signal a reformulation. I get the same 12+ hours of longevity and moderate/large projection as before, and it still smells the same.
Anyone disagree?
kkk111 – :
If you wanna attract girls, definitely try this cologne. I love it when my boyfriend wears it… it is so amazing. 2 of my friends also commented that my boyfriend smells really good when wearing it.
It’s sweet and warm, yet masculine and sexy.
LiSnIk – :
This is an interesting fragrance and the only way I can describe it is as a synthetic gourmand. I’m not saying it smells bad, it really doesn’t. But this is synthetic as ish! It’s composed in the same vein as Rochas Man and Thallium though not as synthetic as the latter.
Next, the coffee note is too familiar. I think Givenchy could have done better here. Once again not a bad scent. Longevity on this one isn’t the best either and silage is…so-so. The scent doesn’t inspire me to ask anyone if they smell it or get whiffs of it so go figure.
On to what I do like about this fragrance. There is a lot going on here, at least to my nose (reason why I called it “interesting”). It seems as if Givenchy was aiming for the best gourmand award here…they failed and they failed horribly! Anyway, here’s what I get:
Stage 1:
A bergamot opening so strong it wreaks of alcohol. This quickly dies down into a warm cinnamon bun with a hint of sugar cookies.
Stage 2:
The cinnamon bun fades away, the sugar cookie all but dies, and a hot blueberry muffin takes center stage with a backseat driver composed of tart blackberries and hot cup of cappuccino as a sidekick.
Stage 3:
Powdered cocoa and coffee (think of Rochas Man but softer)
Stage 4:
Blueberries, sweet cookie dough and um…more coffee. Really? Does this fragrance really need more coffee? Ugh!
Longevity: Not the best on my skin even with skin prep. 3/5
Silage: N/A, haven’t tested
Versatility: Odd…weird…not an office fragrance because it’s too harsh. Not a casual fragrance because the coffee note is too strong. Not a date fragrance because the coffee note is over-powering and too sweet. Not an occasion scent because it will scare people away. Seriously, even a coffee drinker would get tired of this. Givenchy should have considered a balancer like….lavender? Or chucked it somewhere between stage 1 and 2 and left it there.
For now, this is something to leave on your shelf and wear only when you have nothing else. It’s sweetness can be extremely nauseous (personal testimony) yet I love the sweetness in Rochas Man…maybe it was the lavender. Givenchy should have added lavender to this fragrance or something to balance it out. Sickly disgusting.
ndry2006 – :
Unfotunately I am not very pleased with this perfume: very pour sillage and longevity, I wasn’t able to sense any clear note of cofee, just smoked tonka and some rum flavour at first, than all the smells disapear in less than 2 hours. Givenchy can do a lot more than this. Dissapointing.
axakal – :
I heard this fragrance on every discussion about most complimented fragrances. I tried it 2 months ago and loved it. Today I had a 20% special discount at Sephora(maybe you have too, ask about it, they said it will expire in few days) and decided to buy this scent. I imminently sprayed it on me and on my friends wrist. She loved it and joked about she got wet. So, this is a great fragrance. I think it’s a must in your collection.
bertBEST87 – :
Im not sure what I smell in this one. I dont get any citrus. I can see what people mean by coffee and donuts but I also get a good cigar smell. Maybe its just me. A great scent for the evening and/or cooler weather.
Kusja-savlskva – :
scent : 9/10
sillage : 8/10
longevity :8/10
80% night / 20% day fragrance
nice coffee scent
shkuprin – :
correction: it’s not available in EDP
nikoly2 – :
I cannot speak to warmer seasons, but this truly does shine on a cold day with a thick fog – it permeates the air around you and lingers in your sinuses like having your own flavored air. It may sound strange but it was quite wonderful! To open, I find a fruity note, that isn’t quite citric, that melds with the dry, nutty tonka and faux sandalwood in this fume. The scent does a fantastic job of creating the scent trail of a freshly brewed black coffee without smelling like actual coffee…there is the nuttiness and a dry bitterness that permeates the air. If you inhale closely and deeply, it does evoke a dry cacao note as well. All in all, it is another designer fume that is oddly alluring and quite enjoyable to wear. May you all have more success with your life’s quandries than I and may we all smell like we own the world!
Day 15 – Coiled in question
Listening to: Agnes Obel – September Song
diamond137 – :
It smells like Angel Men without the tar note.
TITAH – :
Captivating and intriguing…
Givenchy’s Play Intense is a beautiful gourmand fragrance that should be added to any collection. This morning, I was reminded of the dominant patchouli and tonka bean notes that comprise this fragrance. Well done, Givenchy. There are many similarities to Bond No. 9’s New Harleem and Rochas Man – I have both of these alternatives and add that all three are great fragrances, with each adding a “different twist”, establishing uniqueness.
The performance of Play Intense is above average, lasting 8+ hours on me, longer on clothing, and all at greater than arm’s length distance. Based on the warm and inviting note structure, Play Intense is well rounded and versatile for wear to any event and across seasons. While I am not sure I get the bottle design, it is unique and definitely a conversation piece. My final tally for Play Intense is 4.3 stars with a solid “love” for the fragrance community. Given the modest pricing, Play Intense is a “steal of a deal” for those looking for a solid tonka bean gourmand fragrance.
Enjoy your day and happy fragrance hunting…
hgr680InsuffBooni – :
a nice, fresh, fruity latte type-scent. the coffee note wasn’t quite what i was hoping for, as i much prefer the coffee note in armani attitude for example, which is more of a roasted coffee bean than a barista-made cappucino. nice scent nonetheless, performance was mediocre.
utyyflbqltvxer – :
easily forgettable, dimensionless fragrance. almost linear and boring with weak performance. it does not worth the current price tag and with this amount you have much better options.
vormiks – :
If this fragrance is reformulated then i am very lucky : i bought GPI one week ago (on fragrancex) and i received a november 2009 batch. But i don’t think it has been reformulated because when we read the currents reviews a lot of people talks about the great longevity.
I love this fragrance (caramel spicy). Probably my top 3.
Longevity : 12 hours.
Projection : ok.
It’s a perfect intense version of Givenchy Play (than i love too).
Finaly, i find GPI versatile : day, evening, diner, work, etc. Altought, i am not sure about this fragrance in the heat of the summer.
lkugufdSAZn – :
If your into gourmand/semi gourmand scents…IMHO this is one of the best.(along with Valentino Uomo, Bond NY For All and the incredibly cheap-but great Choco musk) Also I definitely find it more masculine than the others I mentioned.(with the exception of the Bond perhaps because of it’s strong “roasted” nut accord)
I’ve got a older bottle and while it does give me very good longevity, I don’t get very good projection from it at all.(which is contrary to what some others say for the older formulation) Come to think of it, it might be down right poor after the first few hours. Unless someone was right next to you, I wouldn’t think they would be able to get into your “scent bubble”. Still, projection issues aside…the smell itself is terrific IMHO:)
Alex 70 – :
I own both the Play and the Play intense, this is a fresh smelling, little bit playful and kind of unique frag. I tend to wear this inon days that I know I’m going to be working late or heading out straight after an appointment because the 2 fragrances compliment each other well, the Play in the morning then Intense before I head out.
bigmazi – :
Dark alluring gourmand sweetness.
Great sillage Great longtivity.
Beautiful sweet opening followed by an intense coffee note.
My first choice for clubs, but beware its very easy to overuse.
akkovlasov – :
Very good designer frag had for cheap. Don’t get any coffee notes in this like a lot of people do. I do get a warm/spicy leathery vibe like a high end leather upholstery in a car. Good longevity and sillage.
Similar scents include Prada Luna rossa extreme (the very end of dry down)
Rochas Man but this is less sweet and sugary
MJ Legend which is more creamy/gourmandish than this.
Scent 9/10
Sillage 7/10
Longevity 7/10
Overall 8/10
Can be had on most sites for under $50
rodnaya – :
If Givenchy Gentleman is a “Stairway to Heaven” (although a slightly begrimed one), then Play Intense is “What goes around…comes around”. And it’s just as alpha male as Justin Timberlake compared to Robert Plant. It’s also like the difference between entering a mouldy basement rehearsal room and entering a noisy mall with a greater than usual ratio of patisseries and sweet shops. Yes, there’s noise and smells in both places, but only one of them has the potential to make a legend out of them.
I don’t know if that’s the case with other countries too, but seeing samples delivered in cheap plastic sachets instead of glass phials (let alone miniature bottles) gets on my usually stolid nerves. Especially when they require a crowbar to be pried open. I guess that Justin’s check swallowed all the glass available, just like those guys in sideshows of yore did. Or maybe it’s just a hint that plastic is here to stay, slowly casting out all natural ingredients and burying them in polymer caskets.
Now, I DO NOT like so-called gourmands. Don’t get me wrong, I love the smell of coffee and all these little pieces of heaven that usually come with a cup. It’s just the fact I believe that the only people who should smell like candy are the ones exiting a candy workshop, and that coffee without the smell of smoke is like Bonnie without Clyde. And I don’t really understand why a fragrance containing coffee and caramel is a gourmand, while one containing lemon and sage isn’t. Did herbs and citruses ceased to be edible at some point?
Anyway, let’s skip culinary debates and talk intensity and presence. Well, my take on playing intense goes like this.
I still use an antediluvian CEC turntable and a Wharfedale amplifier/receiver for listening to music when at home. They both come from the ’70s, and despite being heavy, bulky and by no means portable, they’re made of wood and metal and they have something that no iPod will ever have. Soul. They behave in the selfsame way that their contemporaneous fragrances used to do. By filling a room with their presence. Visually, acoustically and olfactorily. Yes people, music does have a smell. Or at least it used to. It’s the smell of the vacuum tubes being heated, the smell of air perturbed by monstrous speakers, the smell of a brand new vinyl record, the smell of sweat mixed with no