Jean Paul Gaultier · 2023

Le Male Elixir

Mid-range$$, 2 of 5

The houseFor men

VersionParfum

In a few words: lavender , vanilla , sweet

Cool mint and lavender over sweet tonka bean and warm, resinous benzoin.

Jean Paul Gaultier says

You’ll smell lavender, Tonka Bean and benzoin.

More from Jean Paul Gaultier’s description

It also mentions Mint.

The house’s page

Press one to add its card to your shelf.

The drawn Le Male Elixir bottle

Top noteswhen you spray it

Heartas it settles

Dry-downwhat stays

Le Male Elixir’s scent picture, a draft: lavender, tonka (coumarin), benzoin, mint, bergamot, patchouli drawn so far; dashed outlines where nothing is drawn yet

Top noteswhen you spray it

Le Male Elixir, top notes: Lavender, Mint, Bergamot

Heartas it settles

Le Male Elixir, heart: Tonka (coumarin), Geraniol (rose), Cinnamal (cinnamon)

Dry-downwhat stays

Le Male Elixir, dry-down: Benzoin, Patchouli, Iso E Super (pencil shavings on velvet), Galaxolide (musk), Vanillin (vanilla)

Wearers say

From Reddit · Read what they say

How far it carries

An arm’s length

only 1 source

How long it lasts

6 to 9 hours

only 2 sources

When to wear it

Fall, winter

only 2 sources

Where to wear it

Office

only 1 source

Mass appeal

Broadly liked

Compliments

Compliment getter

What’s inside it

Wearers say

Wearing it

Wearers report a strong sweet scent that draws compliments and belongs in cold weather. Lasting power splits, from 4 or 5 hours to 14.

How far it carriesStrong, though some find it faint
An arm’s length

Perfumers call it sillage.

Wearers report that a few sprays already overpower, though one wearer says it neither lasts nor projects.

“I just bought this and I sprayed it 4 times and that was way overpowering.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes
More from wearers · 2 themes, 4 quotes

A few say

A few wearers report that three or four sprays are already too much.

“But I also get flamed if I use over 3 sprays cause this stuff is nuclear!”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes

“I cannot imagine more than 4 sprays.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes

A few say

A few wearers report that it stays close to the skin and barely projects.

“I bought le male elixir and it just does not last or project for me at all.”

Reddit post, r/Colognes, 2023

“Lasts around 4-5 hours and projects like a skin scent.”

Reddit post, r/Colognes, 2023
How long it lasts6–9 hours
6 to 9 hours

Wearers report about 7 to 8 hours, with some getting 12 or more and others only 4 to 5.

“Longevity: solid 8 hours but it becomes a skin scent after that.”

Reddit post, r/Colognes, 2026
More from wearers · 3 themes, 5 quotes

Some say

Some wearers report about 7 to 8 hours before it fades to a skin scent.

“I let it macerate for like 2 and a half weeks and now it lasts around 7 hours”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes

Some say

Some wearers report it lasting 12 hours or longer.

“It lasted easily 12 hours.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes

“But a month later, it exceeds 14 hours on skin.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes

“I took a shower like 12 hours later, and I still smelled it for a few hours after it.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes

Some say

Some wearers report it lasting only about 4 to 5 hours.

“My le male elixir struggled to reach 5 hours at first too.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes
When and where to wear itCold weather; heat turns it cloying
Fall, winter
Office

Wearers say to wear it in cold weather because heat makes it cloying, and one reports a warm welcome at work.

“Definitely cold weather use only. It's very sweet so it'd end up being super cloying in warmer weather.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes
More from wearers · 2 themes, 2 quotes

Some say

Some wearers report that it turns cloying in heat and belongs in cold weather.

“I wouldn't wear it during summer and mid-late spring because it can get cloying in hot temperatures.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes

A few say

A few wearers report wearing it at work, where it was welcomed.

“I just got my hands on a bottle of this a few days ago, and it received a very warm welcome at work.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes
Appeal and attractionDraws compliments; one got none
Broadly liked
Compliment getter

Some wearers report steady compliments, and one reports a ton on Le Parfum but none on Elixir.

“I have the Elixir and it never fails to get me compliments.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes
More from wearers · 3 themes, 2 quotes

Some say

Some wearers report getting compliments while wearing it.

“Yesterday I went out and wore LME. I got compliments from 4 girls.”

Reddit post, r/Colognes, 2026

A few say

A few wearers report getting no compliments on the Elixir, though they got many on Le Parfum.

“I got both le male le parfum and elixir, I got a ton of compliments on le parfum and zero on elixir.”

Reddit comment, r/Colognes

A few say

A few wearers report that people at work welcomed it warmly.

Nothing on who it suits, as a blind buy or layering in what we read.

From Reddit.

Wearers say

Smells like it

Wearers also name as cheaper copies: Fragrance World Urban Man, Armaf Lionheart Man, Armaf Lionheart, Bujairami Power. We hold no page for these yet.

Shoppers call a cheaper stand-in a dupe.

What wearers say, set beside the price each house asks. Noses differ.

Our match of the notes

Shares its notes

ElixirRayhaan · shares lavender, tonka, benzoin and mintabout $41 for 100 ml · about a quarter of Le Male Elixir’s $178
Hawas ElixirRasasi · shares lavender, tonka, benzoin and mint
CK BeCalvin Klein · shares lavender, tonka and mint
More from Jean Paul Gaultier12 more perfumes

Matched by the notes each house names. A shared note is not a promise they smell alike.