Best Men's Colognes

Best Men's Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with the different fragrances that I've owned, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, that new hobby grew into a consistent passion, helping millions of readers along the way. I have personally written reviews for well over 800 perfumes and colognes for both men and women. This is along with writing hundreds of other in-depth fragrance guides. You can also follow me on: YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok!

Cologne Intense by Houbigant

by

Drawing nearly to a close with my men’s fragrance reviews from the last order of samples, I come upon my second Houbigant cologne to take a closer look at. Today, it is the simply named, Cologne Intense.

This scent was released in 2015 under the Houbigant name and has a citrus and herbal character. In this review, I want to take a closer look at how it smells, how it performs, when it can be worn, and whether or not I think that it is worth a purchase.

What does Houbigant Cologne Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: petitgrain, bergamot, neroli, lemon, lavender, pink pepper, tarragon, mate tea

Click here to try: Houbigant Cologne Intense Eau de Parfum Spray, 100 ml

My Full Review

The opening of Cologne Intense is like a citrus based soap with a mix of green and herbal aromas. The mate tea not gives it that herbal feeling and kind of levels out the citrus notes and doesn’t allow them to become too acidic.

The petitgrain is pretty strong at first and definitely give this Houbigant cologne, it’s green sort of element.

After a few minutes, the tarragon note starts to emerge as one of the most dominant notes in this fragrance. It adds a bit of spiciness to the scent to go along with the citrus/soapy/herbal feel that has already been established.

The spiciness never feels all that ‘intense’ to me (nor does the cologne in general) and I think it gets tempered a bit by the lavender.

It does have a dryness to its scent, especially in the latter stages. Dry, greenish, spice, with like a post-shower soapy clean scent on skin, versus a rich lather.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I think this is pretty moderate, and not really intense. However, while it’s not a heavy scent, it is noticeable for most of the wear. It’s just going to be limited to that 2-4 foot range, from wherever that you sprayed Cologne Intense.

It does have fairly good longevity in the 6-8 hour range. So, it isn’t a crappy performer and will get the job done.

But, for the high-end price, it is rather disappointing to only get close to a full workday, while still possibly falling short of even that.

It seems more like a casual scent and geared more towards guys 30+ years in age. So, casual up to semi-formal wear in the warmer weather. It’s clean, fresh, with a soapy quality to it.

Cologne Intense isn’t going to be a club beast or even one that you’d probably reach for before going on a date.

Spring and summertime would be best with this Houbigant. Though, it would be pretty good in most of the year, outside of the extremes of the thermometer.

Overall Impressions of Cologne Intense

Overall, is Cologne Intense worth a buy? To me, no. I don’t think that it really smells that great. It seems so much like a hand soap or some sort of cleaner.

I don’t find it enjoyable and don’t think it is as good as Fougere Royale by Houbigant (which was good, but not my style).

Cologne Intense lacks intensity, which I think is a good thing, since I don’t enjoy the fragrance. It’s fresh and clean but has way too much of an herbal spice for me to want to wear it. It doesn’t smell atrocious, just not great either. Meh.

Also, coming back to this fragrance years after the initial review, the price is crazy high. Over $200 a bottle for Houbigant Cologne Intense, which moves this one into a complete ‘no’ for me.

8 Best Caramel Scented Perfumes

by

Caramel is a note that is often used in ladies’ perfumes, though, really isn’t the main focus all that often. It’s usually a nice touch, but also a note that some can find to be too sweet on the skin. Though, for all you caramel lovers out there, the note is found as the main attraction in plenty of fragrances. In this post, I want to present some of the best options on the market utilizing this note.

What are the Best Caramel Fragrances for Her?

Another Scandal

Scandal Le Parfum– While the original Scandal by JPG does have a caramel note involved, it is most prominent in the Le Parfum edition.

Here, we’re mainly going to get caramel with vanilla, for a long portion of the wear. Though, we do get a good dose of jasmine, up top to give this a further floral influence.

It’s sweet and salted, as the caramel dominates the middle act. The vanilla seems to have the upper hand in the dry down, even if the caramel never fully goes away.

Warm, gourmand, has aspects of the original just more heavily concentrated.

The Pure Caramel Shot

Demeter Caramel Women Cologne Spray, 4 Ounce– Alright, let’s kick things off with the simple pure caramel perfume play. Demeter produces a lot of these single note focused fragrances and this is their caramel contribution.

Honestly, there’s not much to describe. Sweet caramel with a syrupy-like aroma. Exactly the candy sort of scent that you’d expect from the name.

If you want straight caramel, without any other perfume fluff, this one can deliver the experience for around $30.

Caramel Topped Dessert

Lira by Xerjoff– Hyper expensive? Yes. Delicious gourmand? Absolutely. Pure caramel? No.

Lira will be out of reach for many folks, since it runs at over $200 a bottle. Though, based on how it smells, it just might be worth it. It opens with blood orange as the main citrus note, however, it also develops more of a lemony aroma. With a creamy cake like finish, full of caramel and vanilla.

The lavender heart really holds this thing together and it does develop into fairly different styles of dessert through its lifespan. Sometimes, it feels a bit spicier with cinnamon. Then the caramel not which tops it all comes through with its lovely syrup quality.

Really outstanding a one that dessert lovers should at least try a sample of once.

Summer Citrus Caramel

Acqua Di Parma Blue Mediterraneo Arancia Di Capri Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 5 Ounce– Arancia di Capri is actually a fragrance that is for the warmer months of the year, but still manages to use caramel extremely well. It kicks off with a citrus trio of orange, bergamot, and grapefruit to really deliver that Italian summer experience.

Later, the caramel and musk notes will become more prominent. They are both around for the entirety but the musk has just a hint of strength in this composition.

What you mostly settle down to is the mandarin and caramel note, with some additional warmth provided by cardamom and that musk. Arancia di Capri is one of the more simple Acqua di Parma fragrances, but also one of the best.

The only real downside to this perfume is the 4-5 hour wear time. The citrus notes are delicious, as is our target ingredient. If you can grab this at a good price, it’s worth a try. Arancia di Capri Review

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_0336-215x300.jpg

Candy Caramel and Flowers

Victor & Rolf Bonbon Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.7 Fluid Ounce– Like Arancia di Capri, Bonbon will use the mandarin orange and caramel blend to great effect. However, this perfume is thicker, more floral, and more substantial than the summertime scent above.

It’s actually not a heavy scent, but one that sticks around and can venture into colder weather. Jasmine and amber are added to the mix, giving this a blend of sweet candy, fruit, and warm flowers.

Bonbon kicks off things with a bright and delicious aroma of mandarin orange mixed with peach. Of course, there is the caramel note, which is present throughout but it’s a fruity affair up top. Next, I tend to pick up on plenty of orange blossom.

When the caramel comes in fully, it is joined by a warm and salty amber note. This pairing gets creamy with an added sandalwood, along with the peach note still floating around. The performance on this one will give one an 8 or so hour wear. A lovely sweet gourmand scent.  Bonbon Full Review

Sultry, Sweet, White Florals

Dolce & Gabbana Eau de Parfum Spray, The One Desire, 2.5 Ounce– The One Desire pairs caramel with vanilla and plenty of white floral notes. The citrus here is around, to give it that further gourmand quality, but the lychee, bergamot, and mandarin are not overwhelming.

The One Desire has a sultry and dark quality, with a sexier edge than others on the list. Lily of the valley and tuberose are the stars of the floral heart of the fragrance, doing a beautiful job at pairing with our caramel and that traditional vanilla note.

It’s a flanker to the original The One, but really does its own thing, with that base DNA. More of a cold weather scent, very cozy and delicious. Not too expensive and not just a ‘pure caramel’, but worthy of a shot.

the one desire

The Prada Candy Option

Prada Candy L’eau– Most of the Prada Candy line will deliver some kind of caramel experience. However, L’eau is the one you should go after if you want to focus on this note.

Though, I will say it is still more of a blend. It is like a powdery version of the original Prada Candy with a mix of Bonbon (listed above). There is a sweetpea note here to distinguish L’eau from the others, but this definitely has their signature.

L’eau is a lighter perfume with its sillage and overall performance. Not going to blow the doors off, but you’ll get a powdery, slightly fruity caramel blend, with a musky finish. Wouldn’t be my first pick from this list, but something that is worth considering.

Unique Gardenia Caramel Coffee

New York Nights by Bond No.9– This one is unique while being completely familiar. New York Nights has a pretty standard blend of caramel and coffee (which comes across as smooth and thick), while also having a patchouli/aquatic/banana (?) note mix that pops up from time to time.

A bit strange for part of the wear, but you will get those gourmand caramel latte vibes with a lovely gardenia note and some woodsy elements coming out from the base.

This is a lighter blend overall, so don’t expect some heavy winter gourmand. Actually, the versatility here is New York Nights strength. Unisex, though, really leans more feminine than anything. For the price, it might be one you want to try out first, but for the right person this will be a gem.

Broadway Nite by Bond No. 9

by

This will serve as my second Bond No.9 fragrance review. Update: This is an extremely old post, I’ve reviewed a ton of them since and also have updated this page. Last time out, I took a closer look at Riverside Drive, which while being fairly masculine could also serve as a unisex fragrance.

This time around, I will review Broadway Nite, which is a wholly feminine fragrance from this New York design house. In this post, I want to give my overall impressions of Broadway Nite, describe its smell, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if its worth a purchase.

What does Broadway Nite Smell Like?

broadway nite review

Notes include: rose, honeysuckle, iris, musk, amber, vanilla, heliotrope, violet

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Broadway Nite by Bond No. 9 For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3-Ounces

My Full Review

From the very start, Broadway Nite hits you with a bouquet of floral notes. The rose, iris, and heliotrope are definitely detectable and quite distinct.

Just to throw this out there, if you aren’t a big floral fan, stay away from this perfume, as this one isn’t a fragrance with ‘universal’ appeal.

Some folks will utterly hate this juice. Also, the vanilla and musk notes help to create a very powdery aroma, and that’s essentially what you’re going to get with Broadway Nite, a very floral/powdery perfume.

This perfume feels like a scent from a previous time period. It’s older and mature yet it can be very loud and in your face at the same time.

Those aldehydes in the opening act, are going to create that sort of vintage feel. More brands seem to be getting back to using aldehydes in their perfumes recently, but they still can throw people off.

That opening is a blast of the violet, aldehydes, and violet leaf. Sitting with a bunch of rose and the powdery aromas of iris and heliotrope.

As the scent wears on, the rose note begins to recede and the violet and powdery vibe becomes more prominent.

Broadway Nite, is more tolerable in the back half, if you enjoy the violet note. Still some rose and the aldehydes aren’t too noticeable. Basically, a powdery blend of floral notes, musk, and a bit of a fresh undertone.

It does have plenty of life and energy to it, though, I don’t think this would be the right fit for most younger women.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Broadway Nite is heavy. I think that any more than a few sprays, would be way too much to handle in an enclosed space.

Broadway Nite does tone down, obviously. Though, it still does have a pretty far reaching radius, even a few hours after spraying.

It does have very good longevity and I could still smell the perfume on my skin, from a distance, in the late evening (after a morning application). So, 10+ hours with this one, is certainly well within its abilities.

This is one of the better performing fragrances from Bond No. 9 for sure, even if its not one of my personal favorites.

This is more of a nighttime wear, I don’t think it’d be all that great for office wear, as it is a ‘beast’ so to speak in terms of its strength. It can be worn during the daytime, as well, but stick to lighter applications of it.

Overall Impressions of Broadway Nite

Is Broadway Nite, worth a buy? It is if you’re a fan of floral/powdery perfumes and want something with a lot of strength. Otherwise, I’d go with something else.

This is kind of a niche scent, in my opinion. Though, it also feels completely traditional as a floral scent.

I think it smells pretty good, it’s definitely not my favorite and I’d get a headache if someone wore too much of this stuff.

Then again, I’m not too into rose and violet notes in fragrance, but to each their own. Really, it’s the violet that bothers me more. However, this isn’t a terrible example and you do get your money’s worth out of this Bond perfume, if you’re one who likes its scent.

Versace Eros vs Pour Homme Cologne Comparison

by

Here is my latest installment of cologne comparisons on this website. Today, we have another battle of Versace scents between, Eros and Versace Pour Homme. I have already reviewed both of these fragrances individually and now will break down each for those trying to decide between these colognes.

I want to give an overview on how each one smells, how it performs, when it can be worn, and which scent is better overall. So, let’s get into Eros vs Versace Pour Homme.

Tale of the Tape: Eros vs. Versace Pour Homme

Versace Eros

Notes of Eros: mint, green apple, tonka bean, madagascar vanilla, vetiver

Read my Eros review

Shop Amazon for: Versace Eros Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

Versace Pour Homme

Notes of Pour Homme: bergamot, bitter orange leaves, geranium, sage, oud wood, mineral amber, tonka bean, musk

FullSizeRender (40)

Read my Versace Pour Homme Review

Click Here to try: Versace Pour Homme by Versace for Men – 3.4 Ounce EDT Spray

Opening

Versace Pour Homme is really intense up front. The bergamot and bitter orange really pack a wallop from the very start. It’s honestly too much for me.

I do think that Pour Homme gets better, thereafter. I’ve just never been a fan of the opening act.

Eros, is also strong out of the gate but it feels much more well done than Pour Homme. Versace does calm down minutes after spraying but it definitely goes hard and it isn’t amazing enough to compensate.

Newer bottles of Eros seem to go harder with the lemon than the original. To me, there used to be a greater use of the tonka bean, vanilla, and mint up top. Still, I prefer Eros over Pour Homme.

Edge: Eros

Projection

After the opening, Pour Homme calms down into something more on the moderate side of things. It still projects itself better than most colognes, though.

Eros is a beast in this regard, I cap myself at two sprays when I wear it because more than that and it just seems overbearing.

Eros has lost a step, over the years, but it still has an edge.

Edge: Eros

Longevity

Again, I’ve always gotten good wear out of Eros, and it usually lasts for a long time (update: now, it’s like 8 hours).  Pour Homme, is good for 6-7 hours, and then fades out.

Versace Pour Homme isn’t as heavy of a scent as Eros, so I would expect it to not live up to it in this department. Although, it does still perform quite well.

Update: Eros doesn’t last as long as it used to, but will still get a few hours more than its competitor.

Edge: Eros

Versatility

Here’s where it gets more competitive. Eros isn’t an office wear in my opinion, in fact, it is best in the colder weather and more geared to romantic wear. Although, it could be still pulled off casually when applied lightly.

Versace Pour Homme, could be worn in lots of situations and works in pretty much every season. It’s a citrus cologne that can totally be worn in spring/summer and still feel right at home in winter.

Edge: Versace Pour Homme

Overall Scent

I really like Eros, as a smooth and complex gourmand type of fragrance. Yes, it is loud and heavy but there is definitely something quite appealing about its rich blend of mint, vanilla, tonka, and green apple.

Versace Pour Homme, is a pretty good citrus based cologne. It feels a lot like Eau Fraiche but I think that one is better. I also like Dreamer from Versace, better than Pour Homme.

Update: I’m changing my decision on this one. Over the years, Eros has been diminished in a lot of ways performance wise. Add to that, the scent itself has changed somewhat, as has my enjoyment.

Heck, even the aforementioned Dreamer is a newer formula.

Factoring in all of that, I’ve also come to like Versace Pour Homme, a bit more than I used to. I used to really love wearing Eros. Now, I can do without. Still, not a massive Pour Homme fan, but I’ll give it the nod here.

Winner: Versace Pour Homme

Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens

by

I’ve been meaning to get around to writing this review for months, but just never buckled down and did it, for some reason. Well, here we are, and I am going to be taking a closer look at Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens.

This is a fragrance that came out back in the 1990s and has had fans ever since. As usual, I will cover: what the notes are, how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it is even worth a purchase.

What does Ambre Sultan Smell Like?

Notes include: amber, resin, benzoin, sandalwood, bay leaf, coriander, patchouli, vanilla, oregano

Click here to try: Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 50 Ml

My Full Review

Ambre Sultan opens up with the amber note, that is joined by quite a resinous aroma, and a healthy dose of spice. Coriander, bay leaf, and some herbal spices are fairly heavy at the start of this fragrance.

I was expecting it to be a warmer and sweeter fragrance than it is, but I instead get, a lot of sandalwood and the aforementioned spice notes. It does get somewhat sweeter, as it wears on, but it’s nothing super dramatic.

Ambre Sultan actually has a oriental smokiness to it (incense) and the distinct smell of myrrh. I pick this up, at about 10 minutes after spraying, and it reminds me a lot of other scents that I know I’ve review on this site but cannot recall the name of.

Anyway, as it dries down, it actually does become drier and a hint of vanilla peaks through to make things feel creamier with that sandalwood.

After this first hour or two of wear, you pretty much know what you’re going to get from this Serge Lutens fragrance, as it is pretty linear from here on. It is a dry and smokey resinous smell from the base notes, with some sweet vanilla, a sandalwood, and spice led by a dominant bay leaf note.

Seriously, the bay leaf is much stronger than I figured it’d be in this composition, so be aware of that before you buy.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage isn’t huge but it’s solid. Ambre Sultan is strong enough to get noticed, by people close by, but not across the room.

The longevity is also quite good, clocking in at around 7-8 hours, on my skin. No performance issues with this scent.

Seasonally, this is cold weather all the way. Not necessarily dead of winter, but at least a brisk fall day.

Wearing Ambre Sultan outdoors in such conditions, was a great experience. It has enough power to hang in the air around you, not getting completely blown out by the surrounding smells of the environment.

It has a refined and classy aroma, one that is appropriate for business, semi-formal, or formal occasions. This is a unisex scent and has a certain appeal to it, but I wouldn’t really call it sexy.

It is cozy enough to throw on, if you’re just lounging around the house and are in the mood. Especially, when you get to the dry down phase of the wear.

Overall Impressions of Ambre Sultan

Overall, do I like Ambre Sultan. I do. It’s a really good amber based fragrance and one that is quite different from the norm, in this category. I think it is much more substantial than something like Grand Soir by MFK.

Is it for everyone? No, it’s not a mass market crowd pleaser, but isn’t so niche that everyone around you will hate it.

The bay leaf was a surprise with how much it popped, on my skin. Not anything crazy, but I enjoyed that along with the resinous and smokier aspects of this Serge Lutens perfume.

That opening spice, herbal quality and resin are an interesting start that will transition into a smoother and calmer finish. Plenty of depth and different facets to enjoy here.

It’s just a very well put together scent, for those who want an amber scent with some spice and ‘dirtiness’, but not to the extreme.