7 Best David Beckham Colognes for Men

David Beckham was one of the most popular athletes on the planet for many years. One of his side ventures is creating fragrances along with his wife Victoria, for both men and women. The men’s line offers some very inexpensive choice for guys on a budget and it contains some quite attractive colognes for often under $20. For this list, I have selected seven of what I feel to be the best scents of the lineup.


What are the Best Smelling David Beckham Colognes?

Most Popular Beckham Fragrance

David Beckham Instinct Cologne Spray for Men, 2.5 Fluid Ounce
A light and great blend of citrus and spice notes. Develops into a warm fragrance that is quite appealing for the price. Notes include bergamot, orange, amber, patchouli, pimento.

The opening is definitely a celebration of the citrus notes (bergamot and orange) which are accompanied by some great and somewhat spicy ‘earthy’ aromas. Instinct is a shower fresh sort of fragrance from the start and a while into the wear, amber and vetiver, which gives it a dry feeling.

This is warm woods, citrus, with spicy elements. Very nice and actually fairly unique versus so many other colognes in this price range. Full Review of Instinct

instinct


Smooth Option for Winter

Intimately Beckham By Beckham For Men, Eau De Toilette Spray, 2.5-Ounce Bottle
A bit sweet, smooth, with a hint of spice and a woodsy heart. It’s almost unisex in its presentation and its longevity can be an issue, though, its still a very nice scent.

Intimately Beckham features notes of sandalwood, amber, star anise, and bergamot among others. To me, feels best to be worn in the autumn or winter months.

It has a soft, somewhat powdery warmth, and fresh spice from the star anise and nutmeg notes. While a ‘cheapie’, this Beckham cologne can work well in a variety of situations, including dressed up for an evening. The sandalwood adds a layer of clean smoothness. Review

intimately-beckham-men-edt-50ml-30003492-0-1321522359000


Best Summer Scent by Beckham

The Essence– The Essence is a very clean and great use of grapefruit and pineapple notes, up top. Also, for the price, this is one of the Beckham fragrances which give me very solid performance while I was testing it out.

Essence is best worn in the spring/summer months, and features: lavender, tonka bean, and some greenish violet leaf. Not too complex of a fragrance, but one that smells good, and is easy to wear. The dry down is less of the citrus and starts to stray more towards an earthy woods scent.

I could get about six hour of wear from The Essence on my skin. I found this one to be quite enjoyable, and one that, you could thrown on any day. The Essence Review


Best Aquatic/Sport Fragrance

Beckham Signature By Beckham For Men Edt Spray 2.5 Oz
Another citrus blend, this one doesn’t have the same spiciness as instinct and has more of a casual/playful vibe to it. Signature is the Beckham line’s, sporty aquatic fragrance. Notes include: watermelon, amber, juniper berry, moss, and cypress.

It starts off with a light and juicy watermelon note that is paired with the familiar oceanic saltiness found in fragrances within the genre. It’s smooth and soapy fresh with some underlying woody notes.

A very light scent overall, sort of reminds me of one of the Ferrari colognes, with the watermelon note. Not going to be a powerhouse, but one you can spray on to freshen up and hang out with in casual situations.

signature


Top Spicy Cologne for Him

David Beckham Homme Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 2.5 Ounce
A fresh scent that has a spicy and woody profile with notes like ginger and sichuan pepper leading the way. Underlying that are citrus notes, like grapefruit, which brightens up the composition and is joined by a clean musk and patchouli accord.

David Beckham Homme is a wonderful smelling fragrance with the highlight in my mind being the wood notes and the whiffs of leather that come about during the wear. This one is more on the masculine end and is refreshing while having a moderate sillage. A very nice scent for the price point.

dbhomme


Under the Radar Fresh

David Beckham Inspired By Respect By David Beckham for Men – 3 Oz Edt Spray, 3 Oz It seems like the newer releases are becoming pretty sparse and they can be difficult to find. Inspired by Respect flew under the radar for me, since its release a few years back.

The price for bottles seems a little high, but I wanted to put it on the list, because it is one of Beckham’s nicer colognes.

Inspired opens up with a clean citrus blend that has a nice dose of lavender. Pretty familiar, but the pineapple note helps to set it apart. The juiciness gives it a water/semi-aquatic profile.

The dry down is woody and a bit of light spice, with the fruit notes still lingering. Not super complex, but worth a shot, if you can get an inexpensive bottle.


Top Newer Release

Refined Woods by David Beckham– After a while of not putting out much, Beckham fragrances have introduced a line of four eau de parfums to the mix. So, while Refined Woods is the one that I’ve experienced, I haven’t gotten to the others…nonetheless, Refined Woods is a very nice cologne.

Basically, these are available in the UK and most of Europe. I want to try Amber Breeze, as that one sounds like it might be a good pick up, also.

The copy describes this colognes like this: “This warm and sensual scent is a celebration of travel and discovery, where the journey is the reward.”

Anyway, refined woods gives you a clean and fresh blend of powdery/creamy notes (tonka bean and orris root) with the usual lavender and a woody base. Up top the fresh spice will be a sage and light cardamom, so things have some energy early on.

The dry down will be woodier, slightly sweeter, a nice use of the vetiver and cedar.

Not a powerful fragrance, nothing super ‘unique’, but honestly…it smells very good for the price which is still quite affordable.

Beyond by David Beckham

I have already reviewed multiple David Beckham fragrances for men on this site. For a line that hasn’t been in existence very long, it has already released quite a number of scents. Beckham colognes sell at a very attractive and inexpensive price point, which allows a greater number of people to try them out and not have to invest so much money to smell good.

Today, I wanted to review one of the newer offerings from this line, called Beyond. In this post, I want to explore a bit on how it smells, how it performs, and whether or not it is worth consideration for purchase.


What does Beyond by David Beckham Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, cardamom, leather, mojito, vanilla, black pepper

Click here to try: David Beckham Beyond Men’s Eau de Toilette Spray, 3 Ounce


My Review

One of the main draws of Beyond is its mojito note. Now, this excited me, as one of my favorite colognes to wear is Guerlain Homme which features a mojito accord as its main notes as well. If Beckham Beyond could act as a cheaper substitute for Guerlain, I would be quite pleased.

Unfortunately, the mojito feel in Beyond is completely subdued and not even close to being as good as Guerlain. You do get a sense of the mint but none of the rum or sugar. The opening is a woodsy blend with mint/leather/grapefruit providing a smooth and slightly spicy aroma.

During the drydown period, the cardamom/vanilla/black pepper becomes more noticeable and the mint become less prominent. Beyond does smell quite nice, however, it never really blows me away as a scent. It feels completely generic and uninteresting.

It’s an enjoyable cologne but don’t expect anything unique or special.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Beyond, is light to moderate. It isn’t a heavy hitter at all and feels like it’d be an everyday wear for casual situations. I’ve now tried this out a few times and it never has great sillage on my skin. For the first little bit, it is noticeable but not heavy

Longevity isn’t great either. I got 1.5-2 hours of solid performance before it became strictly a skin scent. This was just further disappointment, as it really failed to live up to my hopes of a cheap Guerlain alternative. and it offers nothing much that makes it stand out on its own.

Again, it’s pretty consistent in that range. During one test, it lasted a little more than three hours, in an air conditioned environment.

When should this be worn? Assuming it lasts on your skin, I’d say anytime except in the extreme heat or humidity. That seems to really mess with the staying power of Beyond. It’d be at its peak, on a brisk day.

It smells attractive enough, for a date or and evening out. Meanwhile, it can also totally be used for a daily wear. Again, it’s really up to what kind of performance you get from Beyond.


Overall Impression of David Beckham Beyond

Overall, can I rate Beyond a buy? Not really. I just don’t see the point of owning this Beckham cologne. It is pretty generic, though, it smells nice. It doesn’t even last long, so it doesn’t make up for its completely average scent.

It is inexpensive but there are better Beckham options available and choices from other brands.

Beyond is just a wasted effort in my opinion, if it had a little bit more intensity, it could be a serviceable cologne to wear at school or work…but it failed to even accomplish that. Upon trying it a few more times, I do appreciate aspects of the scent itself.

I like the leather and mint, but I want a stronger impact from that mojito accord. Really not a ‘bad’ smell, just held back by mediocre performance.

Intimately Beckham Men’s Cologne Review

I have already reviewed a few fragrances from the David Beckham line of men’s colognes (The Essence and Instinct) and thought that I’d tackle another one of the popular scents, Intimately Beckham. I want to take a closer look to answer some questions as to its particular scent and performance during wear. This is another really affordable everyday cologne but is it worth a purchase?


What does Intimately Beckham Smell Like?

intimately-beckham-men-edt-50ml-30003492-0-1321522359000

Notes include: Amber, sandalwood, cardamom, grapefruit, star anise, nutmeg, violet


My Full Review

Intimately Beckham is a bit of a change up from the two scents that I previously reviewed. It is a play between sweet and spicy but not in a heavy way, it is more of a refreshing spice and not overwhelming.

The opening is fairly woodsy/earthy from the violet, sandalwood, cardamom, and of course the nutmeg note which highlights this cologne’s start. I’m honestly not too big of a fan of the opening 10-15 minutes of this fragrance, it’s kind of weird and synthetic to me but I think that it develops pretty well from there.

There are some light citrus notes in the opening, but they don’t particularly stand out, to my nose. It’s a bit sweet, but I mostly pick up on cardamom and nutmeg, paired with those notes such as grapefruit.

When it finally does develop, I get a total late autumn to winter wear vibe from this scent. It would probably be awful to wear outside on a hot day, as it’d just become an overheated mess.

On the other hand, when used in its element, Intimately Beckham provides a warm amber and slightly powdery aroma that vaguely reminds me of a lower grade version of The One by D&G.

The sandalwood base, really begins to take hold for me, about 20 minutes in. At that point, any citrus is pretty much gone. Violet and amber emerge, the spice of anise/nutmeg/cardamom, pretty much surround these notes.

Finally, we get to what we’re left with for the remainder of the wear. Sandalwood is a major player in the latter stages. Frankly, the major player. It is soaked in a nice amber note, with a nutmeg spice.

It’s warm, fresh, with enough underlying sweetness to prevent it from going too heavy into the spiced category. It’s actually very smooth and refined, at this stage. Intimately smells much more expensive than its low price tag would otherwise indicate.


Sillage, Versatility, and How Long Does it Last?

Intimately Beckham actually projects itself better than Instinct, in my opinion. It does seem to have more strength although like Instinct, doesn’t shave the type of longevity I want out of a cologne.

I’d call the sillage moderate, for the first hour or so. Then, fairly light thereafter. On skin, it seems to go 4-5 hours. Sometimes, a little less, but usually it will hit those metrics just fine.

It’s safe and non offensive and does smell very pleasant for casual wear on the cooler days of the year. Again, avoid the heat with this one. It’s a warmer, fresh, and cozy sort of cologne. Not going to hold up well in the summer.

It is, however, quite an attractive fragrance. For younger guys, this can be an all around wear for autumn and winter. It is mature enough, to be used for dates or evenings out, as well.


Overall Impression of Intimately Beckham

Overall, this fragrance does smell good, but it isn’t a standout must have, for me anyway. For the price, it isn’t a terrible buy but it won’t set you apart much from the crowd.

It is attractive and the people around you will probably like it, while it lasts. If it were more expensive, I’d say no but at this price point, I don’t think it’s a bad buy at all.

Intimately Beckham is a good pick up for the younger set. It’s dirt cheap, but you get a very nice aroma from it. Performance isn’t great, but you can certainly re-apply or over spray, without breaking the bank. If this lasted a 6-8 hours on skin, it’d be an absolute steal. As is, it’s not a bad bargain.

The Essence by David Beckham

I have been on a cologne testing kick recently and one of the new scents that I have tried out is The Essence by David Beckham. The former footballer has released many fragrances over the past few years and has created a niche for himself in the inexpensive cologne category. How does The Essence stack up? What is its composition? Is it worth a buy? Keep reading while I go in depth about this cologne.


What does The Essence Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, tonka bean, pineapple, apple, lavender, kashmir wood, and more

Click here to try: The Essence for Men, 2.5 ounce


My Review

The opening is very fresh and citrusy. I can definitely detect the interplay between the grapefruit and pineapple notes. The apple note is there as well, but I find it to be on a tier below the other two fruits.

It really reminded me of a Nautica scent, somewhere between Voyage and Blue with a grapefruit twist. So, yeah, the opening is quite aquatic-like in character with that citrus accord which works well for spring and summertime.

The citrus notes are very nice, but ultimately kept in check by the lavender, tonka bean, and cardamom notes. It’s got that clean lavender scent, for much of the wear, and the warmth of cardamom, coming in an hour or so into things.

The dry down period is where I think that The Essence really begins to shine. It begins to take on a more earthy/woodsy type of scent and still remains just as fresh but much smoother.

The Essence has a noticeable violet leaf, that mixes with the lavender, and woody base notes. So, at this point, the fragrance is a toned down fresh grapefruit with clean earthy ingredients rounding it out.

Again, this cologne is reminiscent of many other fragrances, like Azzaro Chrome and even somewhat like Drakkar Essence with its grapefruit and lavender notes. Which means, if you’re looking for something unique, you’ll need to look elsewhere.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

It’s projection is moderate. At first, the grapefruit opening comes on somewhat strong, before it settles down into something much lighter. Overall, it’s not a beast with its sillage, but it will be very noticeable for at least a few hours.

Also, you’ll get around 6 hours of life on your skin, maybe a bit more than that. Now, this six hour time frame isn’t spend entirely at full strength. The latter half of the wear is going to sit really close to the skin. It’s still there, you may catch whiffs, but not going to feel like a constant.

I would say that it is a safe scent to wear, for just about any occasion, and not offend anybody. Seasonally, spring or summer is when it’ll be at its best. It’s fresh and bright with an upbeat citrus zest.

I’d say this will skew younger. Probably appropriate for men in their early 20s. If older, you can definitely wear it on casual occasions, no problem. It doesn’t come off as a ‘kids’ cologne.

The Essence is clean and subtle. Not really a club type of fragrance or for dates or evenings out. Simple, clean, daily wear.


Overall Impression of The Essence

Overall, is The Essence by David Beckham worth a purchase? Yes, if you’re in the market for a warm weather wear and on a tight budget. It has shades of many other scents, so it is kind of generic. However, for the price it is clean, fresh, and effective.

The overall smell is nice. I like the grapefruit and pineapple notes, the tonka bean, and the lavender. The performance isn’t amazing, but a full bottle is less than $20, so I can’t complain too much. There are plenty of expensive colognes, that don’t even reach this level.

Probably won’t be amazed by this fragrance, but it is a deal, and easily enjoyable to wear.

David Beckham Instinct Cologne Review

David Beckham is a world famous former footballer who is also well known for his personal style. Along with his H&M clothing partnership, Beckham also has his own line of affordable fragrances for men. While these scents aren’t on the level of quality of something much more expensive, such as Creed, they do offer very pleasant colognes at an attractive pricing point. In this post, I want to take a closer look at Instinct from the David Beckham collection of fragrances, and see if this one is worth a purchase.


What does Instinct by David Beckham Smell Like?

instinct

Notes include: Amber, mandarin, orange, anise, bergamot, cardamom, patchouli, vetiver

Click here to try: David Beckham Instinct EDT Spray For Men, 2.5 Ounce


My Full Review

The opening of Instinct for me really highlights the citrus notes of this fragrance. I’m not always a fan of orange in colognes, particularly the bitter orange note in Terre D’Hermes.

However, in Instinct, I rather like its paring with the lemony bergamot and the underlying earthy notes which develop quite nicely later on. This scent does have a nice warm slightly spicy air to it that vaguely reminds me of L’Homme Libre (it must be the star anise and perhaps the patchouli/cardamom that gives off that vibe).

The opening citrus is very bright and clean, with a somewhat soapy cleanliness, thanks to the vetiver note, which will get stronger as it moves along. Also, this will start to get quite dry over time.

That’s not to say that the colognes smell alike, they don’t, just a similarity that I picked up on…Instinct is much less spice and more woodsy. Though, the anise and other spices, give it a slight kick.

The opening isn’t powerful, nor is the dry down. It is subtle and has a freshly washed, masculine aroma. The citrus notes that take precedent in the start, calm down and give way to the vetiver and amber notes.

I really enjoy the richness of this scent and how it smells so clean and refreshing while keeping it’s dry woodsy/spicy profile intact. The latter half of the wear, is still sweet with a great freshness of anise, and some light touches of cardamom.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Instinct is not a heavy fragrance nor one in which someone will be able to smell you across the room. I would put it on the lower end of moderate. It definitely becomes a ‘skin scent’ so to speak and one in which requires someone to get closer to you.

Longevity wise, Instinct does not impress me. That’s really the only major flaw in this cologne. I might get 3-4 hours of solid performance out of it before it dissipates almost completely.

I get that it’s available for less than $15, but this would be an amazing pickup if you could get a few more hours of wear from it.

Seasonally, this could pretty much work year round. It’s best in more mild to moderate temperatures, not really fantastic in the high heat and humidity.

It is also very versatile. It’s works well for daily wear at work or for class. Its subtlety is a selling point, as you could wear it casually, or even out for an evening. The aroma doesn’t feel too youthful or anything like that. Instinct is appropriate for any age range.


Overall Impression of Instinct

Overall, I really like this scent, especially at the price. I think that a guy could definitely add this to his collection and enjoy its use. Yes, it does have issues with longevity but if you can keep a bottle around for reapplication, I don’t see why you couldn’t have use for it.

There are definitely better options out there, but Instinct is a very good smelling fragrance in my opinion. The price is super cheap and versus other options in this range, Instinct smells better than almost anything.

This is still a useful scent, but if it had more staying power, it’d be an absolute classic cheapie. It’s worth a try, seeing as it costs so little.