Prada Paradoxe Radical Essence by Prada

Totally different from the Paradox line. I tried it in-store and, instead of being floral-fruity, it turns out heavier and creamier, though still sweet. The pistachio and sandalwood give it a toasted note, and the flowers are well-integrated, not standing out separately. It’s pleasant, but not my style; it feels heavy and toasted.

As others say, don’t buy blindly. The pistachio is a very strong salty note that, along with the sandalwood, gives it a very masculine vibe. It could be unisex, but I prefer other notes. Definitely, even though it’s not ugly, it’s not for my collection.

As other reviews say, don’t buy this blind. The pistachio is a very prominent salty note that, combined with the sandalwood, gives it a very masculine vibe. It could be unisex, but personally, I prefer other notes. Definitely, even though it’s not unpleasant, I wouldn’t add it to my collection.

I received a free Prada sample (thanks) and tested it after noticing the OG evaporates too quickly. I don’t have a great sense of smell, but for some reason, it feels like a scent I’ve smelled a thousand times before. The only thing setting it apart is a fairly artificial salty note, which I believe is the pistachio. The sillage is massive; even with a tiny spritz, I couldn’t stop smelling it. It made me feel ‘dirty,’ so I washed it off, but it just mutated into a slightly more pleasant version. It reminded me of Black XS for women. Overall, it left me with the feeling of using a generic, loud product without any soul. I was disappointed because I expected something more androgynous and woody. It was a stark contrast to yesterday’s experience with Infusion d’Iris, which kept evolving. Beyond personal taste, the quality gap between the two is obvious. It’s heartbreaking how hard it is to find perfumes that justify their price or surprise you. When I was young, I was fine with gifts, but now that I can afford to choose, I have very few options.

This Paradoxe flanker is very different from the previous ones. First tip: don’t buy blindly. It doesn’t follow the floral line of its predecessors; instead, a salty pistachio accord dominates, emphasized by sandalwood. It finds some freshness in the opening with neroli, but that quickly fades, leaving just that salty note. I think if it had been paired with patchouli or vanilla (instead of sandalwood), I would have liked it more.

I hate the Intense version, but this one smells super balanced and pleasant 🥰, so I’ll definitely be adding it to my collection soon.

I saw it at Druni, though not on the website. It’s the most different Paradoxe of all. Basically, the typical ‘nut’ accord dominates, found in the latest This Is Her, the latest Devotion, Hermes Jardins de Cithére, and the Sol de Janeiro pistachio scent. Then, more subtly, there’s a hint of the original Paradoxe background. For me, this is an accord that’s starting to get tiring. You can create a layering with the first Paradoxe and any pistachio mist to get this. It doesn’t necessarily smell like pistachio; it’s that ‘nut’ or ‘dry fruit’ accord they’ve sold us as pistachio. When I buy a bag of actual pistachios, I don’t smell anything remotely like what they’ve tried to recreate in perfumes.