Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Jaune (Yellow)

One of the few things that I actually like about being in airports ,is the proliferation of duty free shops and luxury retailers, from which I can test out a few sprays of new colognes.

Today, while at El Prat in Barcelona, I got to sample Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Jaune and thought that I’d post a one-time wear review of this fragrance. Update: I’m coming back to this one years later, with more on Jaune.

Now for those of you who don’t know French, this is the yellow bottle of the series, and was released back in 2015.  As usual, I’m going to give my thoughts on how it smells, performs, and whether or not I think that it is worth a purchase.


What does Lacoste Yellow (Jaune) Men’s Perfume Smell Like?

Notes Include: grapefruit, pink pepper, cyprus, tonic, golden delicious apples

Click Here to try: Lacoste Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Jaune Eau de Toilette for Men, 3.3 fl. oz.


My Full Review

Upon first spraying Jaune, I immediately identified the first note as grapefruit. There is a slight spice to it, which when combined with the citrus overtones, creates an energetic and lively fragrance.

The opening is rather bold and instantly reminds one of a summer day with a hint of woodiness provided by the cyprus note, gives Jaune a somewhat unique feeling for this type of citrus fragrance.

There is a tonic note which gives this Yellow cologne, that slightly fizzy and upbeat kind of aroma. It’s like a cold drink paired with a peppery bite, with a fresh woodsy overtone consisting of cypress/vetiver.

One thing that I noticed about Jaune, is that, it doesn’t particularly develop beyond its initial scent. It’s very simplistic and straightforward. That initial burst is really quite good but this cologne lacks any real character, other than what it first shows you.

That in itself, wouldn’t be a problem. However, it becomes much more noticeable, when its other weakness is put front and center. Coming back to this perfume, multiple times, I still never really get any development so to speak of on my skin.

Jaune is sweet and citrusy, with a pleasant freshness that permeates the wear.


Sillage. How Long does it Last? Versatility.

The longevity of this one, like the other Eau de Lacoste scents I have reviewed, leaves much to be desired. Again, it starts off bold and seems like it’ll be a welcome addition to your cologne collection, but then fades relatively fast and is relegated to a skin scent.

It does project very well for the first 30-45 minutes of wear…which just ain’t enough. I also sprayed Polo Red Extreme, on my other arm at the same time, and that Ralph Lauren fragrance is still going strong. The difference is very noticeable in terms of performance.

As a weaker fragrance, it will stick around for maybe 4-6 hours, depending on the day. Not great for the retail price, but at a discount it could be a nice pick up, for those warmer days.

Update: Yep, right in that 4-6 hour range, is about what to expect from this one. This whole series from Lacoste, had pretty mediocre performance.

I don’t know that I like the scent of the Yellow bottle of Eau de Lacoste better than the White, but it might have the edge (or be tied) with Red.

Jaune is a bit different than the others, it’s a casual spring/summer scent, but I’d categorize it more towards the sporty end of the spectrum.

Again, it’s a simple scent. I’d say that it’s more geared toward younger guys, up through their 20s. It’s light enough to wear professionally. Smells nice, but isn’t sexy, nor does it have the power of a club beast.


Overall Impression of Lacoste Jaune

Overall, is it worth a buy? Maybe. If you can get a hold of a cheap bottle of Jaune, then, I would consider having a bottle. The scent is a really nice and energetic citrus, if that’s your thing, than this Eau de Lacoste edition is worth a look.

Again, I wish Lacoste would’ve beefed up the longevity of these scents because they are good casual colognes for the warmer months. Good smell, not so great performance.

I enjoy the grapefruit and the tonic, there are other summer colognes which do more of the straight lemonade vibe, so this was a slightly different take. An intense version would’ve been great, but that’ll probably never happen.

Update: This is still around on discounter sites, as of now, even if Lacoste discontinued it. I’m pretty sure they did, anyway. Jaune was one of the better editions of the L.12.12. lineup, in terms of smell.

The performance while not great, was also better than some of the others. Very pleasant, fresh, fizzy, and sweet. I just saw it for under $60 and somewhat cheaper with a promo code. In that $40-50 range, it might be worthwhile for some, while the stock of Jaune dwindles.

Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Magnetic Pour Lui

I’ve done a lot of reviews already for the fragrances in the Lacoste L.12.12 series of releases. There are some pretty good colognes under that label, but none that really stand out, as amazing to me. Today, I am going to review Magnetic Pour Lui, which was released back in 2016. I will share my experiences with this one. How it smells? The notes involved. When it should be worn? If it is even worth a try?


What does L.12.12 Magnetic Pour Lui Smell Like?

Notes include: juniper berries, amber, violet, patchouli, bamboo. tea, geranium, artemisia, vetiver

Click here to try: LACOSTE L.12.12 Magnetic Pour Lui Eau de Toilette


My Full Wear Review

At the very least, I want to give Lacoste some points for trying. The composition of this fragrance is quite different, from what you’ll get from most any other men’s colognes, on the market. It’s unique, certainly.

Even though, I don’t think the execution is there. To me, it is more strange, than ‘magnetic’. Not bad, just strange.

L.12.12. Magnetic opens up with a mix of juniper, violet, bamboo, and patchouli. It’s fresh and floral, the juniper is the strongest note, at the start.

However, the freshness of that note, gets diluted by the additional patchouli. While that’s not the strongest, it really does pair with the violet to create an outdoorsy sort of smell.

Further along, it has more of a woody/green herbal scent. Apparently, this is the bamboo and tea, going to work. Again, what an odd combination all of this is. I like it at this stage, though.

I start to pick up more and more amber, the bamboo is interesting, and I still kick a nice bit of juniper. I’m not a huge fan of violet, but it’s not bad.

Finally, what I ultimately get from the rest of this wear is: violet, amber, bamboo, a tad of the juniper, with patchouli/vetiver at the base. It’s got a light outdoorsy freshness, quite green, but not offensive or anything too extreme. It’s nice, really.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this stuff is pretty light to moderate. The sillage just isn’t very powerful. I actually broke the rest of my sample vial and it dripped on my living room carpet.

The thing is, the whole room didn’t smell all that strong from it. If I had done that with other fragrances, it would have coated the carpet in its aroma for days. So, not a powerhouse scent. On the skin, it’s noticeable, but not a huge radius of scent. Then, the last few hours sit close to the skin.

The longevity is like the other Lacoste’s in the L.12.12 series, 4-5 hours, and pretty pitiful. I don’t know what it is about this house, that they can’t ever put out a scent that gets to an elite or at least high level of performance.

Seasonally, I suppose this would be a year round type of scent. Honestly, it’s just a fragrance that doesn’t really fit into the usual categories. I’d say it’s more casual, but has enough freshness, to be considered attractive to others.


Overall Impressions of Lacoste Magnetic

Overall, do I like Lacoste L.12.12. Magnetic? Sort of. I don’t hate it. I don’t love it, either. Like I wrote earlier, I appreciate what they were trying to do, I just don’t believe they hit the mark.

It’s an interesting scent, yet blends into something sort of generic, and it really wouldn’t have mass appeal. With the violet note, I’m surprised I even mildly liked it. Still, it’s nothing that I really want to wear beyond the testing for this website.

The juniper, bamboo and amber aspect I actually sort of like. At least, it’s intriguing to me as a concept. The violet and light patchouli kind of dirty up and distract from it. Magnetic had some real possibilities.

The performance is also not very great. I’m not sure who this is for? I can see someone enjoying this, but I’d say find it for cheap, if you really want to try it out.

Update: This is apparently still around online here in 2023. Bottles don’t seem that pricey, but it’s still a pass for me. Lacoste Magnetic just isn’t a great scent.

7 Best Smelling Lacoste Colognes for Men

Lacoste is a sporty brand which has its roots in the tennis world from its very foundation. It is famous for its alligator logo which is often emblazoned onto polo shirts. Today, I’d like to take a closer look at their men’s fragrance line and present the best cologne options for guys by Lacoste. Also see: Best Lacoste Perfumes for Women


What are the Best Perfumes for Men by Lacoste?

Top Lacoste for Summer

Lacoste Essential Eau de Toilette for Men, 4.2 fl. oz.
A fresh and fun scent that is a great casual wear during the warmer months of the year. Essential blends citrus and more woodsy/earthy notes to create a real memorable fragrance for men.

The citrus notes are most noticeable at the top, but the notes are none too sharp. Bergamot and tangerine give it that sparkling personality.

As it moves forward, Lacoste Essential takes on its super fresh and sort of soapy aroma. It features green leafy notes with a hint of peppery spice and patchouli. This is a lighter wear with a zesty citrus and an interesting tomato leaf.

The whole thing is pretty blended, so it can be difficult to distinguish notes at times. The projection is just okay, but the smell is great. Spring and summertime wear for casual or work days.  Lacoste Essential Review

lacoste essential


Great New Lacoste Cologne

L.12.12 Blanc Eau Fraiche– While this does have the Blanc name, Eau Fraiche is pretty different from the original. They share the grapefruit note, but this one also has lemon, ginger, apple, and lavender rounding things out.

It’s a very fresh citrus scent with some additional spice and dry woods in the base. Much less floral than Blanc. This is a great under the radar fragrance for the spring and summer months..

The dry down is mostly made up of the remaining citrus, cedar, vetiver, and the juniper note that still hangs around. Oh and the ambroxan, that isn’t too massive in this composition. Pretty good performance for this sort of grapefruit/lemon based cologne.


Fresh Citrus and Woods

Lacoste L’homme Intense Eau De Toilette, 3.3 oz Citrus and rhubarb open up L’Homme Intense by Lacoste, which sort of reminds me of Hugo Red, but this one is much sweeter than that Boss cologne.

I liked this one upon first trying, but it eventually grew into a fragrance that I enjoyed quite a lot. Lacoste calls it a woody spicy fragrance, but to me, it’s sweet/fresh spice/woods. Ginger and black pepper come through early on, but the spice isn’t overly loud.

As it dries down, it does become woodier, but the orange and rhubarb add a unique vibe to this one. Performance is better than L’Homme Lacoste, but still not amazing, and it’s sillage isn’t super ‘intense’. But for an all around wear for spring and summer Intense does a lot very well.


Best Pick for Winter

Lacoste Pour Homme Eau de Toilette for Men, 3.3 fl. oz.
A wonderful masculine blend of fruity and woodsy notes by Lacoste. It’s a light scent that will work great for guys in the springtime. Notes include: cinnamom, apple, juniper, rum, vanilla and plum. 

Lacoste Pour Homme kicks off with an awesome plum note, which is paired with citrus and crisp apple. The latter notes, aren’t particularly strong, but do complement the tartness of the plum very nicely.

It becomes warmer and sweeter, with rum and vanilla, peaking through a few minutes in. No worries about the rum note, it’s not powerful enough to turn this one into a boozy cologne.

The sillage is a lighter moderate, which makes it safe for office wear, and does have a fresher profile. Plum and vanilla, with some light spices, and a nice woody base.

lacoste


Most Unique Fragrance

Lacoste Style in Play Eau de Toilette for Men, 2.5 fl. oz.
A light, long-lasting, and refreshing smell that is a real crowd pleaser. It is inviting and and can strike a chord in a variety of situations. Notes include: patchouli, jasmine, green apple, cedar leaves, white musk, vetiver, and woods. 

Style in Play changes things up, from the rest of the pack, with its woodsy aroma blended with a similar apple note to Lacoste Pour Homme. However, that apple is amped up to give Style in Play a fruity balance to the greenish and fresh woods found in its heart.

The dry down, becomes muskier, but the pine and cedar notes remain to keep this one clean and attractive. This is actually a pretty unique cologne, for a mainstream brand, but doesn’t ever become unlikable.

in play red


Most Popular Lacoste

Lacoste Eau De Lacoste Blanc for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.3 Ounce
Blanc is not an overpowering scent by any means but one with a great deal of mystery and seductive allure to it. Blanc is a fantastic mixture of citrus and woodsy notes, that is wholly masculine.

The grapefruit note leads the opening and does so with a lot of energy. I love how positive and upbeat, wearing this one, makes me feel. It is joined by a cedar/suede combination and some light floral aroma, provided by tuberose and ylang-ylang.

Those florals aren’t too heavy, but it is nice to see them being used in a men’s fragrance.

I think that this is my favorite cologne from the L.12.12. line of scents. It has a bright grapefruit note, enough sweetness, and some earthy qualities to give it more substance. It really utilizes ylang-ylang and tuberose well, but keeps its smooth masculine bonafides, with leather and suede.  Lacoste Blanc Review

eau blanc


Best Spicy/Herbal Fragrance

Lacoste Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Rouge Eau de Toilette for Men, 3.3 fl. oz.
Rouge is a really great cologne for men that has a spicier profile than the other Lacoste fragrances on this list. It has notes from across the spectrum from citrus to woodsy to that spice. Not overpowering.

L.12.12. Rouge, opens up with a very unique use of fruity notes, that is paired with tea. Mango is a delicious note, it is joined by a syrupy orange liqueur, and an herbal tea note. This one feels quite clean and warm, cardamom is very present at times, with a spiciness from pepper and a bit of ginger.

My favorite part of this fragrance is the dry down. It becomes woodsy, earthy, and spicy. Still, the fruit notes hang around, but it all just works much better.

I wish this one had a bit more power, because it would be an excellent wear for the summertime. Though, if you can get it cheap, Rouge is worth a try.

It is interesting in that is uses mango along with orange liqueur and tea. This creates a unique vibe and summery opening, before being joined by spicy pepper and cardamom.  Notes include: Rooibos Tea, Mandarin Orange, Mango, Pepper, Cardamom, And Woodsy Notes. Lacoste Rouge Full Review

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Lacoste Essential for Men

When I think of Lacoste, I think of crisp and clean both in terms of the scents that they produce, as well as the clothing the make. The company with the famous little gator logo, is towards the higher end of things but not towards the more extreme price points of Creed and other design houses. Lacoste is sort of a high end moderate in that regard.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at Lacoste Essential and help determine whether or not it is a fragrance which should be considered for purchase. Also, check out my Best Lacoste Colognes post for further options.


What does Lacoste Essential Smell Like?

Notes include: sandalwood, citrus, black currant, black pepper, cassia, rose, tomato leaf

Click here to try: Lacosté Essential for Men 4.2 oz EDT Spray

lacoste essential


My Full Review

Lacoste Essential opens with a sweet, green, and slightly synthetic scent that is quite pleasant. It’s kind of hard to detect exactly which note is the most prominent, as they all sort of melt together into a fresh but indistinguishable scent.

The citrus notes, bergamot, and tangerine, do leave an impression on me but nothing is all that dominate in this mix.

What I think makes Essential unique from other mass marketed colognes is the inclusion of cassia and tomato leaf that gives it a sweetly green mix. I really like it when tomato leaf is included in scents, as I feel it doesn’t get used often enough, and presents something different and pleasant.

Also, since the citrus isn’t overwhelming it gives these other notes (along with peppery spice) a bit of a chance to present themselves once it dries down.

This fragrance isn’t rich, heavy, or all that complex. It is fresh, clean, and has a soapy quality found in other scents such as Eternity. This is a good thing in many respects, as the simplicity seems to make it hold up well during these warmer months of the year.

It is light and perfect as a daily cologne during the spring/summer. It does have a freshness and herbal spice quality to it, that gives it, that masculine edge. Still, it all comes together as being clean, and not ‘in your face’ with the power.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Now, projection wise it isn’t a beast, but it isn’t totally weak either. It’s pretty much, right dab in the middle of the strength spectrum. The first few hours are going to be decently powered, before it settles into being a lighter type of fragrance.

Lacoste Essential, also, isn’t an amazing long-lasting performer. I get 6 hours on average of solid wear and maybe more, depending on the circumstances.

The most is usually around 7.5-8 hours, in some lower humidity circumstances. I find that if the humidity is running high, I’m going to get about 6 hours of wear from this one.

Seasonally, as I’ve already said, spring and summer. If you live in a warmer or tropical climate, it will have a year round availability. Again, I like to wear it as a casual scent or something for semi-formal or office situations.

Is it a date night fragrance? Not really. I wouldn’t call it a ‘sexy’ cologne, but it will draw some complements, so it wouldn’t be out of place really. Essential is not a club beast or something for when you really want to stand out in the crowd.


Overall Impressions of Lacoste Essential for Men

Is Essential worth a buy? That depends. It is an above average scent and if you need a casual, daily wear fragrance during the warmer months, this might be your go to.

However, if you’ve got that covered, you could definitely skip it since you aren’t missing out on anything amazing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very nice scent, but it won’t blow anyone away.

I like the tomato leaf and citrus. It does have a rather unique profile, but still isn’t crazy good. I do enjoy wearing Essential and for the right price, wouldn’t be opposed to having a bottle.

Essential is very fresh with a blend of woods and herbal notes, in the dry down. Nice spice and it is very versatile. Better than many scents, but not elite.

Eau de Lacoste L.12.12. White

This is my second review of Lacoste’s L.12.12 cologne series. I already covered Rouge and my thoughts on it: here. This time around, I am covering Eau de Lacoste Blanc (White), and testing out this floral/woody cologne for men. As usual, I am going to overview how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not this casual fragrance is worth a buy.


What does Lacoste Blanc Perfume for Men Smell Like?

lacoste l.12.12 white

Notes include: cardamom, grapefruit, ylang-ylang, cedar, rosemary, suede, tuberose, leather

Click here to try: Lacoste Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Blanc Eau de Toilette for Men, 3.3 fl. oz.


My Full Review

With the opening of Lacoste Blanc, I am immediately reminded of daytime in the spring. It’s a very clean floral and woody opening, with the main note of grapefruit taking charge.

I detect the cedar note but it seems to be smoothed out and tempered by the suede/leather combo, which is surprisingly quite mild. This fragrance definitely starts out with a bang, as it both projects well and also brings a lot of energy. Blanc is very upbeat and bright.

The is a slight herbal spice to this, light rosemary, and some cardamom. However, it never makes all that much of an appearance for me. Cedar and leather? Yes, the others? Not so much.

The floral notes aren’t really the ‘girly’ kind of scent, more earthy, and get hidden some by the citrus of the grapefruit. The interplay between these two is quite nice. It’s tuberose, which is hardly ever used in a men’s fragrance, and ylang-ylang.

There is also a layer of sweetness in this cologne that doesn’t take over but lends itself well. It feels like everything about this fragrance is just blended the right way. The grapefruit is mainly responsible for it, especially when it gets paired together with the ylang-ylang note.

What I’m ultimately left with a very wonderful blend of citrus and cedar. It’s fresh and uplifting. Though, this does go in more of a unique direction, with those floral notes. It comes together as being super clean and a delight to have on.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on this one starts out fairly strong, but begins to weaken pretty quickly. It does transform more into a floral/woodsy cologne during the dry down period but that is again, brief.

The longevity on this one really isn’t all that great, it’s better than L.12.12. Rouge, but still taps out to the 4-6 hour range and more towards the low end.

This is a warm weather fragrance that is great for office, casual, or even some dating type environments. It’s appropriate for any age group, but has more of a youthful sort of vibe. I wouldn’t be wearing this during the winter or autumn, but it is great when the weather starts to improve.


Overall Impression of L.12.12 White

Overall, I think that L.12.12. White is a very good cologne and an interesting floral based scent for men. I do prefer it, to the Red version from Lacoste (which I also like), and think that it can be a really good casual choice for guys.

I wish the longevity was a little bit better but aside from that Blanc is a quality cologne that is fresh, clean, and energetic. Coming back to this scent, years after my initial review, I can say that this is the best of the L.12.12 lineup, from my perspective.

Blanc is the only one that truly delivers a great smell and has at least decent performance. This line from Lacoste, really had plenty of mediocre and unmemorable scents. This is a bright spot. Smells quite good, average performance, and a good pick up if you can get it cheap.