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 test out and 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!

6 Best Smelling Antonio Banderas Colognes

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I haven’t covered a ton of celebrity fragrances on this site, at least not in a while, but I figured that I should give some more attention to these popular scents that are usually in the more affordable range versus the high end designers.

Antonio Banderas has actually established himself over the past 20 years or so in this niche, whereas, many other actors will put out one fragrance…Antonio has released dozens. For this post, I wanted to select six from his line which could be considered his best colognes, that he’s released so far.

What are the Best Smelling Colognes by Antonio Banderas?

A Familiar Scent

Antonio Banderas The Golden Secret for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 6.75 Ounce– There is a distinct similarity between The Golden Secret and 1 Million by Paco Rabanne, beyond the bottles looking closely related, they also share many of the same notes.

The Golden Secret is like a more subdued version of 1 Million, with slight differences that become noticeable, once you have worn both colognes. The apple note really separates the two for me. In the Paco Rabanne, it is more about the orange note. Also, 1 Million has more of a warmth and spice versus this one.

Even though it is toned down, the Golden Secret still has good performance when compared to many others in this line. 5-7 hours of wear, is probably what to expect, and that’s pretty excellent when you dip into the cheaper fragrances.

Clean Green Classic

Antonio Banderas EDT Spray for Men, Mediterraneo, 6.75 Ounce– Not sure if this is still in production or not (it sells on Amazon, at least), but Mediterraneo is a simple, masculine fragrance with citrus aromas combined with a slightly spicy mix of ginger and pepper. Good late spring/summer scent.

The dry down period, loses much of the citrus notes, and it is much more of a woody or green-ish type of cologne (vetiver coming through). Quite a bit different than many of the others on the list.

The fresh spices are really nice in Mediterraneo and pretty much make this scent go. The performance is actually solid, for something in this price range.

An Iconic Freshness

The Icon EDP– Icon EDP is probably the best of the Icon series thus far. It’s a fragrance with a fresh start, that will settle into a smooth amber-suede dry down period, and works well as a daily wear option.

Juniper, cypress, black pepper are going to give you a mix of punchy spice and woods up top. This, along with a grapefruit citrus up top make for a bold introduction.

Yet, we still get to the smoother parts of the wear. Very clean and attractive, with a slight creamy undertone, at times. Calming lavender and suede take over for the more aggressive aromas of The Icon.

This is a very versatile fragrance that really doesn’t feel out of place, saving maybe, the hottest days of the year.

Most Popular

Antonio Banderas Blue Seduction for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 6.75 Ounce An excellent summertime blend of sweet fruit and aquatic notes. It smells vaguely familiar to some other colognes out on the market but still a bit different and at an attractive price point.

A great choice if you enjoy the aquatic/marine type of scent. The melon note here is absolutely great, I think what does make this one distinct from those that it somewhat resembles, is the mint note. Adds a great layer of fresh crispness, on top of the aquatic base.

The opening is a blend of the citrus and melon, but the melon wins out during the rest of the wear. Performance isn’t great, but it can be serviceable. Great smell, though. This is one of the better inexpensive men’s perfumes, as with others on the list. But, this is one I like.

Fruity and Easy to Wear

Antonio Banderas King of Seduction Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Has some similarities with Blue Seduction, Invictus, and a hint of Aventus by Creed. Another summer scent with a vetiver and cedar base to prevent it from going too far into the aquatic category.

The scent itself smells like a batch of fruits, mainly citrus with pineapple. It is quite juicy and attractive. This is one that you will probably have to overspray, as it’s not really a powerhouse, but you can get some decent amount of wear time with it.

Not particularly unique or original, but it can absolutely be a good pick up.

Most Unique/Under the Radar

The Secret Temptation– This is a low key winner in the realm of affordable fragrances for guys. Now, it’s kind of soft in how it projects, but it does have pretty nice longevity and smells really good.

You might have to experiment and double the sprays to give it an extra boost but the pleasing cardamom, vanilla, bergamot, and pink pepper give The Secret Temptation a very solid formula.

This is kind of an interesting scent, as it feels familiar, but I cannot think of anything that smells quite the same. Cardamom and pink pepper give it a wonderful warmth throughout that is only smoothed out by a nice vanilla. Then, there is the base vetiver note, tying it all together.

Lost Cherry by Tom Ford

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Lost Cherry by Tom Ford has pretty quickly become a best seller for the designer. It came out in 2018 and has been one that people seem to enjoy. Maybe it’s the unique use of cherry or the great looking bottle, that it comes in. I recently bought a decant of this perfume to test out. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Lost Cherry by Tom Ford Smell Like?

Notes include: cherry, almond, tonka bean, Turkish rose, jasmine, cinnamon, cedar, and more

Click here to try: Tom Ford LOST CHERRY 3.4OZ / 100ML

My Full Review

Before we get into my review of Lost Cherry, let’s see what Tom Ford has to say about it: “LIKE THE PLUMP FRUIT WAITING TO BE EATEN, LOST CHERRY IS POWERFUL AND INSATIABLE. NOTES OF CHERRY LIQUEUR AND A TOUCH OF BITTER ALMOND DRIP INTO ITS HEART, GLOSSING IT WITH CANDY-LIKE GLEAM.”

The opening of Lost Cherry immediately reveals a warm and sweet blend, naturally led by the cherry note. This opening is very much like a cherry liqueur, but, when combined with the other notes it reminds me of Cherry Dr. Pepper in the syrup form.

Like if you took that soda syrup and then ramped up the cherry aroma, you’d have the start of this perfume. Better yet, like that amaretto mixed drink that mimics the taste and character of Dr. Pepper. But loaded with cherry.

Personally, I dig it. Very sweet and has that gourmand appeal. That will fade away and more of the almond nuttiness will come through, eventually.

The cherry seems to come across in two waves. First, the cherry liqueur. Then, a more naturalistic smelling cherry note. Less overtly sugary sweet and fresher.

This is somewhat different from Lost Cherry, but the La Petite Robe Noire fragrances have a similar aroma to this one, as well. I can’t remember which perfume is the closest to Lost Cherry, but one of them is pretty darn close.

As it dries down, you will be able to better detect the other ingredients beyond cherry. Tonka bean, almond, and some spiciness (cinnamon, mostly) are there and create a delicious aroma. It feels powdery, warm, and with a sweet booziness present throughout.

It stays in that soft and gentle mode from the remainder. Yes, there are some light floral touches from jasmine, and a detectable smokiness…it just doesn’t develop into numerous phases beyond that, on my skin.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty light to moderate. It seems like it’s going to have a strong projecting ability at first, then it quickly falls in line as a lighter scent.

Don’t expect a bomb, like so many other Tom Ford scents can be, Lost Cherry is pretty subtle.

For me, it does still seem to hang around in the air. Not reaching across the room, but Lost Cherry has a bit more projection than it gets credit for.

The longevity actually isn’t bad on my skin. I’ve read some reviews, where people said it doesn’t last. For me, it lasts pretty well, just not at a strong level. I can get 7-7.5 hours of use out of this one. Great? No, but not a complete joke, by any means.

Seasonally, I’d stick to autumn and winter. It will be great in colder weather, probably up to something more temperate. Anything hotter, I’d pass.

It is a unisex fragrance, but has more of a feminine quality. I mean, one of its strongest comparable scents is a Guerlain perfume for women. But, I’ll still wear it without issue, and it is fine for almost anybody.

Lost Cherry actually has a sexy quality to it. It does grab attention when initially sprayed and is very appealing up close, when it settles. Great for nightlife and casual situations, but not too out of place for something like the workplace. 

 

Overall Impressions of Lost Cherry

Do I like this scent? I do enjoy the smell a lot. Sure, it leans more feminine than most of the fragrances that I usually wear, but it still sits in that unisex category.

I love the smell of cherry and that sort of Dr. Pepper and amaretto aroma, that comes out of the base here. The performance could be better, than what it is. Again, it’s not atrocious, just not a marathon runner.

The question really comes down to price. At $300+ per bottle, is it worthwhile? That’s going to depend on your personal preference. I’d want a bit more strength, if I were going to splurge on a bottle of this.

Update: Instead of Lost Cherry, I went with the ‘inspired by’ Popped Cherry from the Dua Brand, which is a lot less expensive. A very good take, on this fragrance, I reviewed it here: Popped Cherry Review

Plus, this isn’t one I’d wear on the daily. So, I’d have an expensive perfume, with middle of the road performance, and limited use for me personally.

Your case may vary, but I couldn’t justify it. I do enjoy this Tom Ford fragrance, it’s just a bit too much money for one bottle.

5 Best Smelling Fendi Perfumes for Her

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Fendi is a leading luxury brand with a reputation of style and quality. The original Fendi fragrance for women was an amazing scent that was highly popular but is now discontinued. With that in mind, I want to create a list of the top Fendi perfumes that are currently available for purchase.

I have chosen five of them to represent that brand and in my mind these are the best of the bunch. Update: The brand hasn’t put any new perfumes out in years, as of 2023.

What are the Best Smelling Fendi Fragrances?

An Interesting Rose

Fendi L’Acquarossa Eau De Parfum Spray – 75ml/2.5oz–  A newer fragrance from Fendi, L’Acquarossa, has already made a name for itself as a versatile perfume for women which stands out in the crowd.

You do get the traditional rose note here. But, before that and blended with it is a lovely blend of citrus and tart plum. It also has a light spice and woodiness at the base. The dry down is when the woods and musk, really come through in L’Acquarossa.

It’s not too heavy but one that is crisp and memorable. Notes include: calabrian bergamot, prune, Sicilian mandarin.

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Spicy and Smoky 

Fendi Furiosa Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.7 Ounce– Furiosa isn’t a fragrance for everyone. It opens up with its pink pepper note on full display. It has an oriental sort of construction with lots of amber and an incense-like smokiness that permeates it.

Furiosa is a darker perfume with a unique floral heart, which is placed in the middle of oud, amber, and the pink pepper. Fairly powerful scent with plenty of depth and nuance. Again, probably one that you’ll want to try out before committing to.

Most Unique Fendi

Fantasia By Fendi For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.7 Ounces– Fantasia has nice dose of vanilla, while note being overly sweet, and balanced with a powdery aroma from the floral notes like hyacinth.

This Fendi perfume dates back to the 1990s. It opens up with a light citrus aroma, with that vanilla note. Then, comes the floral phase of hyacinth and rose (which is very soft). Finally, we get to the woody base, a warm wrapping with the creamy/powdery notes that proceeded it.

Still, it isn’t a heavy fragrance and Fantasia has a great fresh quality that lingers throughout. Update: This is one of them that might be pretty tough to come by, especially at anything approaching a reasonable price.

Most Popular Fendi 

Fendi Fan Di Fendi Women Edp Spray, 1.7 Ounce– Probably the most popular ladies’ scent by Fendi. Fan Di Fendi is a sexy yet subtle fragrance for those women who need something that can be worn to work or school and still attract in the evening.

You get a citrus opening with tangerine and other fruit notes like black currant and leather. The dry down brings in floral notes and patchouli. Plenty of leather and dry sweetness.

The latter stages are particularly rich with that leather note. It’s very nice and plays well off of the remaining fruits and jasmine, especialy.

Notes include: tangerine, jasmine, rose, soft leather.

fan di fendi

Fresh Summertime Wear

Fendi Fan Di Fendi Eau Fraiche Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 2.5 Ounce– A lovely and fresh floral scent from the Fan Di Fendi line. Eau Fraiche is probably best worn during the warmer months of the year, as that is where it really shines.

Fendi Eau Fraiche has a cooling sensation from the start. Tart citrus touches blended with herbal green tea and clean and delicate white floral notes. It ends up being a green-ish fragrance with a good deal of jasmine coming through.

Soft, refreshing, and clean for the summer. Notes include: bergamot, Italian lemon, white flowers, green tea.

fendi eau fraiche

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Cologne Intense by Houbigant

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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

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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

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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.