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!

Invictus Victory vs. Elixir Comparison

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Invictus as a series keeps rolling along. Now, the flankers are getting their own flankers, and have little to do with the original scent. Invictus Victory is one that has been popular over the past few years, and they’ve put out its flanker, Victory Elixir. I’ve tested and reviewed both of these colognes, but which one smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Invictus Victory vs. Elixir

Invictus Victory

Notes include: pink pepper, lemon, vanilla, amber, tonka bean, olibanum, and lavender

Click here to try: Invictus Victory

My Full Review: Invictus Victory

invictus victory review

Invictus Victory Elixir

Notes include: cardamom, black pepper, bergamot oil, lavender, incense, patchouli, vanilla, amber, and tonka bean

Click here to try: Elixir

My Full Review: Victory Elixir

Opening

Invictus Victory starts out really reminding me of the Pure XS line that Paco Rabanne had put out a handful of years before this. Victory has a lemon note up top, with pink pepper, and a dose of incense.

Sort of smoky, but not overwhelmingly so. Up top, it’s a bit of that lemon with a spiciness and smokiness. As it moves on, Victory will become more about the vanilla and amber notes.

Meanwhile, Elixir starts with a more immediate use of the vanilla and amber. The amber is more powerful here, with a distinct resinous quality to it. Pink pepper has been replaced by a spice mix of black pepper and cardamom.

What’s interesting about Elixir is that it gets sweeter, after a few minutes. It gets more of a tonka bean influence and the impression of coconut. Now, it doesn’t actually have coconut, but it does smell a good deal like it.

Which is better?

I really enjoy both opening acts here. The hint of lemon in Victory is one of my favorite aspects, but it is too short-lived.

With Elixir, it’s a bit more complex early on and the best parts seem to stick around longer. I’ll give it the opening.

Edge: Elixir

Projection

Both of these are above average with the projection and have the ability to leave a scent trail in your wake. Neither are super heavy feeling, but the performance is there.

While Invictus Victory is above average, it wasn’t massive projector when I tested it out. It has a very strong burst at the opening. Then, it becomes rather moderate for the rest of the way.

Victory Elixir is quite powerful. I’m sure it’ll be even better with a full bottle. This one leaps off of the skin and stays at a high level for most of the wear. Pretty much a beast.

Elixir takes this category.

Edge: Elixir

Longevity

Both of these fragrances don’t disappoint when it comes to how long they last. But, there is a clear winner between them.

With Victory, I got in the 8-9 hour range with it during testing. Not amazing, but well above average.

Elixir, was in the 9-11 hour range. It might actually be able to go beyond the higher end of that range for the right person, with a full sized sprayer.

Both Invictus Victory releases have good performances, however.

Edge: Elixir

Versatility

These two are about the same in their use case. Both are best in autumn and winter. Both are suited more towards younger men. Both are attractive fragrances that will get plenty of play in the nightlife.

No real distinction.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I prefer?

Honestly, if I’m just going off the smell of each alone, it’s basically a tie. Two of the best releases from the Invictus line.

The opening and transition into the middle, is when they are most distinct from one another. I slightly prefer Elixir during that stage of the wear. Not a huge gap, but if I have to choose, I’ll roll with it.

But, the performance and slightly more unique formula gives Elixir the nod. It’s a lot stronger and gives you a few more hours of wear. Yes, that coconut-like aroma gives it shades of Le Beau Le Parfum, but I think this Invictus is better.

If you liked the original Victory, you’ll almost certainly like Elixir too. Doesn’t mean that you need both, though.

Winner: Elixir

Kenzo Homme Intense EDT by Kenzo

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Kenzo isn’t a brand that I talk about much on the site. I’m going to try and change that, as they do have some worthwhile fragrances in their lineup. I recently bought a sample of their 2021 release, Kenzo Homme Intense EDT. How does this cologne smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Kenzo Homme Intense smell like?

Notes include: calypsone, pink pepper, Hatian vetiver, fig wood accord, Australian sandalwood

Click here to try: Kenzo Homme Intense

My Full Review

Here’s how Kenzo describes it: Inspired by the intensity of bamboo and the serenity of sea breeze. A marine, woody and warm signature.

Kenzo Intense opens up with its aquatic notes out in full force. It’s a calypsone note with some more generic sea breeze/water aroma blended in. Not super oceanic or anything, more like a watery aroma mixed with some melon juiciness.

At the start, you will also get a pink pepper fresh spiciness. It’s fine, but I’m kind of tired of pink pepper mixed in aquatics right now, as I’ve worn Light Blue Living Stromboli quite a bit.

Here, it’s going to be subdued eventually by the calypsone and the fig accord. So, Kenzo Intense actually feels like a colder freshness initially, that will warm up later.

The fruitiness here is that melon-like effect from the calypsone, but also the fig fruit itself in the fig wood accord. This gives Kenzo Intense a unique vibe, especially once that pink peppercorn has burned off.

It comes across as sweet, aquatic, with an almost menthol sort of coolness.

The next phase, will have Intense turn woodier. Here, the fig wood and vetiver really come into play. Much less fruitiness and this one starts to warm up and have a creamier profile. Fig and the later sandalwood note, lean into this a lot.

It’s a bit strange at times, with a wet woods smell. But, that is always blended with a creaminess and light sweetness. Not completely amazing, but it has its moments. Much less spicy and aquatic, in the dry down.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Intense is a breezy aquatic, so, it’s not going to be a heavy scent. However, the sillage is actually deceivingly good. You might not think that you’re leaving a scent trail or that it’s projecting off of the skin much, but it is.

Not a huge heavy cloud, but people will notice it. Sprayed on clothes, I could catch whiffs of this from 5-8 feet out during the first hour to hour and a half. Not massive, but above average, and kind of surprising.

I bet with a full bottle sprayer, this one wouldn’t require too many sprays to be effective.

On my skin, I also got good longevity. Intense maxed out somewhere in the 8.5 hour range for me. Much better than most aquatics on the market and eau de toilette concentrations. Kenzo didn’t skimp on this one.

Seasonally, Kenzo Homme Intense is all about the spring and summertime. It does have that interesting shift from being a colder scent to a warmer and creamier one. Still, that shift doesn’t particularly hurt it in the heat.

Kenzo Homme Intense is going to be a casual daytime wear for the most part. If you’re not blasting the sprays, it should be fine for most office environments during the hotter days. But, it’s not really a formal kind of cologne.

Overall Impressions of Kenzo Intense

Overall, do I like Intense? I like it well enough. It’s not the most amazing thing out there, but it does have periods during the wear, in which I really enjoyed it.

I don’t really care for the opening act. It comes across as annoying and kind of synthetic. Though, once I get less of the pink pepper, Kenzo Intense gets much better.

I like calypsone, even if it isn’t a naturalistic aquatic aroma. It’s fresh and does a good job in the mix. The fig accord and sandalwood, are the standouts to me. I like the middle act a lot, where it is a true woody aquatic. The later forest and creamy smell, is okay, sort of strange to my nose.

Performance here is great, especially for an EDT. Not elite, but it holds up for a long lasting experience.

Is it worth a buy? Maybe. I don’t think everyone is going to enjoy this cologne. Even I don’t like all of it. Overall, it is unique and does everything pretty well. For a casual spring and summer wear, it has its merits.

Kenzo Homme Intense is worth trying out. If you can get a discount on a bottle and it sounds like something you’d like, I’d probably go for it. Full price blind buy? Ehh, not so much.

Bleu de Chanel Parfum vs. Dior Sauvage EDP

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In this entry of the men’s fragrance comparisons, we are going to take a closer look at two very popular fragrance names: Bleu de Chanel vs. Sauvage. Naturally, each of these fragrances has three flanker scents, two of which I am going to compare today. I selected Sauvage EDP, as I think that it is the best of the Sauvage lineup.

If you want Sauvage Parfum, there is my review, of that scent. How does Sauvage EDP compare versus Bleu de Chanel Parfum? Which has the better performance? Which smells better? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape

Sauvage EDP

Notes include: nutmeg, bergamot, ambroxan, vanilla absolute, lavender, Sichuan pepper, anise

Click here to try: Sauvage by Dior Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml

Read my original review: Sauvage EDP

Bleu de Chanel Parfum

Notes include: sandalwood, cedar, lemon, lavender, mint, bergamot, tonka bean, amber, geranium

Click here to try: BLEU DE C H A N E L PARFUM, 3.4 oz./ 100 mL

Read my Review: Bleu de Chanel Parfum

Opening

Bleu de Chanel Parfum opens up with the usual BdC citrus notes: lemon, bergamot, and lime. However, in this version, the citrus isn’t as sharp and is tempered by the woody notes.

The wood notes of sandalwood and cedar, are ever present during the wear, but the opening also has a fresh mint note. A bit later, the lavender starts to emerge. It’s citrus, fresh, woody, and a bit herbal.

It’s very similar to the others in the series, just with a different weighting of the ingredients and more woodiness.

Sauvage EDP comes with the usual ambroxan note, a smoky vanilla note, and lavender. It’s warm, clean, and has a lot less of the lavender than the original Sauvage. The bergamot, up top is lighter, and then you get spicy pepper later on in the wear.

But, that Sichuan pepper will share duties with both anise and nutmeg, which allows it to come across less harsh and more balanced than EDT.

Which is better? I really enjoy both of them and how they start off, for different reasons. In the end, I think I prefer the Chanel fragrance, a bit more. I love its depth and complexity. It is refined and smells really nice, up top.

Edge: BdC Parfum 

Projection

Bleu de Chanel Parfum starts off with a pretty strong sillage, in the opening act. Then, it tempers down, by quite a bit. It’s noticeable but not super powerful from far away.

When it transitions to its more woody phase, that’s when it doesn’t leave the same scent trail or project off of the skin to the same extent.

Overall, Parfum is pretty moderate once that initial citrus blast has faded away a bit.

Sauvage EDP is a beast. For me, it is a complete powerhouse, and easily outdoes the sillage of Bleu. It definitely has a greater strength than the original Sauvage, also.

Not only that, it sustains itself at a higher level for longer before it actually moderates. The Sauvage uses heavier notes, so it’s not really too much of a surprise that it takes this category.

Edge: Sauvage EDP

Longevity

When it comes to performance, neither of these fragrances, will let you down. Both of them, will go for over 10 hours, on my skin.

Yes, Sauvage is more powerful, but the length of time worn overall is equal with Bleu. Sauvage EDP might have a slight edge here, as I can sometimes get more wear out of it, but I’m going to call this a tie.

Parfum is lighter than Sauvage EDP, but it sticks around well.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Again, these two are on about the same wavelength, in terms of when they can be worn. I’d probably avoid each, on the absolute hottest days of summer, but they are good at other times. Maybe the citrus of the Chanel gives it a slightly better use case in the warmer months.

Both of them, are best in the autumn/winter. They can be worn at the office, casually, or for a night out. No trouble with either.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

For me, this is a pretty close call. I don’t think the original Sauvage EDT, can stand up to the Bleu lineup, but the EDP has that ability. Dior took what was great about Sauvage and made it better, and also, took away the more unpleasant aspects of it.

I love the ambroxan and vanilla. The smokiness and the emergence of the more varied spice, in the EDP, as it’s no longer just about Sichuan pepper. You also get anise and nutmeg. The performance is also enhanced and is outstanding, overall.

If I had to choose between these two, I would ultimately pick Bleu de Chanel Parfum. It is refined, smooth, and the sandalwood note is utterly perfect.

Parfum is warm, deep, and dark. You get a great blend of wood, with a zesty citrus profile. It’s dry, fresh, with an herbal/mint aroma up top. Not as strong as Sauvage, but a bit better.

Bleu Parfum is a more low key fragrance to wear, overall. As such, if you want something with some boldness and that Sauvage style of fragrance, go with that. I still think it’s a really good choice.

Honestly, if I had to rank Sauvage and Bleu de Chanel fragrances, my top 3 is: 1. BdC EDP 2. BdC Parfum 3. Sauvage EDP.

So, I’d actually go with Bleu de Chanel EDP, which is similar enough to Parfum. However, you get more of the citrus notes. But, in this head to head, the winner is Parfum.

You might consider getting the Chanel and one of the attempted dupes of Dior Sauvage for cheap. That way, two bottles for not that much more than one. I don’t think any of the attempted knockoffs of Bleu de Chanel have really nailed the essence of Parfum, as of yet.

Winner: Bleu de Chanel Parfum

Fame by Paco Rabanne

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Fame is a sample that I got from Paco Rabanne, when I ordered 1 Million Royal. It’d been a while since I have put out a new review from their women’s line, so, I was interested to see what this one was all about. It was released in 2022. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is Fame worth a buy?

What does Fame by Paco Rabanne Smell like?

Notes include: mango, jasmine, incense, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Fame EDP

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describes it: Fame pays tribute to a new era of femininity. Playful. Sensual. Empowered. The quintessence of avant-garde luxury…

So, with the opening of this fragrance, the main comparison that I can make is Alien Goddess. They’re not the same, though they have some of the same notes, It’s really about a similar style to one another in the beginning. That’s the sort of perfume that we’re working with here.

Personally, I like Goddess more after testing Fame out.

The similarities extend to the tropical feeling that each perfume provides. However, with the Paco Rabanne that vibe comes from a mango note, with perhaps a touch of sour bergamot. The coconut water isn’t here and after the start, the comparison is essentially over.

Actually, when I saw that this one was going to be a mango and vanilla-centered fragrance, I thought of Cruz del Sur II. Nope. That’s a much juicier mango note, a sharper sourness, and very milky finish.

With Fame, the mango feels more subdued and part of the mix. I do think that it is pretty and sets a nice tone at the start. But, a lot of the beachy or tropical feeling doesn’t stick around all that long.

The mango is quickly wrapped up in the jasmine, light incense, and vanilla which will grow stronger.

After 15-20 minutes, the jasmine note is totally in the top spot. Kind of fresh, with the fruity sweetness still lurking in the back. The mango does take an hour or two to really burn off, on my skin at least.

Jasmine, mango, vanilla that will shift more into a creamy jasmine with sweetness and a little bit of sandalwood. Nothing all that complex. The end is basically jasmine and vanilla with a vague hint of the former tropical smell.

It’s nice and never gave me any strange smells in the dry down. But, pretty basic stuff.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is moderate for an hour or so, before turning lighter. It wasn’t a skin scent until deep into the wear, though.

With full bottle sprays, you’d get a nice scent trail going. Spraying this on clothes, I was able to pick Fame up from the 4-7 foot range, but not much beyond that.

On my skin, Fame stuck around for 6-6.5 hours. Really, not all that great. I certainly would expect a few hours more, if I were paying full price for a bottle.

Seasonally, the tropical and floral aroma of this works well in the spring and summer time. It’s not a heavy scent, even with the vanilla creaminess, I never thought it was cloying or getting me bogged down in a cloud of sugary sweetness.

It’s more of a pretty daytime wear. Not a formal fragrance, but it could work for just about anything else you’d want to wear it for during the warmest days. It’s attractive without being super sexy, a romantic, or nightlife wear.

You could, but there are better options than Fame.

Overall Impressions of Fame EDP

Overall, do I like Fame? Yes, it’s a nice enough fragrance, that should have some mass appeal. I like it more with some distance. Like, if I press my nose to the skin where I sprayed, this one feels messy. Put some space in between and it is a pretty floral with a sweet creaminess.

I do wish the mango note would’ve gotten some more time to shine on its own. It kind of gets consumed by the vanilla and jasmine. Still works well, I just was expecting more from that note.

Fame EDP isn’t all that complicated. If you like jasmine and vanilla as a combination, this one should be a nice pick up, as that’s a lot of the dry down. It’s good for the warmer days, has some versatility, and is basically pleasant.

I don’t think it hits the ‘avant-garde luxury’, that the ad copy was talking about. Plus, the performance could be better.

I think that Fame is at least worth a try. Maybe not a blind buy at full price, but with a solid discount, it probably wouldn’t be a complete disappointment. Fame didn’t break any new ground for me, but it is a perfume that I found enjoyable for the most part.

A Midnight Stroll by Gucci

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Gucci, like other luxury brands in this space, has their regular popular fragrance line and a higher end niche options. For Gucci, The Alchemist’s Garden, is where they stash their most unique offerings. I recently received a sample of A Midnight Stroll, from this line, in order to test it out and see what this perfume is all about. How did it do? Is it worth a buy?

What does A Midnight Stroll Smell Like?

Notes include: incense, cade wood, cypress

Click here to try: A Midnight Stroll by Gucci

My Full Review

Here’s how Gucci describes it: An Incense-scented fragrance celebrating the allure of the night.

A Midnight Stroll opens up with a really unique aroma. The key here, I think, is the cade oil. Essentially, juniper and its resin distilled into an oil form. What does this smell like? Mostly, it’s a tar-like aroma with hints of leather and even some rubber.

Weird. Not bad, though.

The incense note itself, is actually toned down early on. To me, the smokiness doesn’t really come through all that much in the opening act. That will change, later.

The other aspect of this is the fresh woodiness of the cypress note. It definitely sits behind the cade oil, but there is a good amount of cypress kicking things off. Sort of smells like a cypress tree that’s been covered in this tar substance. Very resinous and balsamic.

As it dries down, the cypress is the note that fades the most on my skin. The overwhelming dominance of the tar and rubber aroma will also lose its grip. At this point, it becomes more of a straightforward incense and cade oil blend.

The only really difference in the dry down, is the continuing shift towards the incense note, in terms of strength.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

A Midnight Stroll is not a powerhouse. Even early on, it’s pretty moderate with its projection and any scent trail that it’s going to leave behind. Now, I’m sure with a full bottle, you can spray enough to boost its profile.

However, it’s still pretty middle of the road for much of the wear. In the back half, it’s actually a pretty light fragrance.

The longevity was right about six hours. At that point, I pretty much had to press my nose up against my skin in order to smell it. But, it was still there. Pretty standard issue and not going to go above and beyond.

Seasonally, I’d only want to wear this in autumn or winter. A Midnight Stroll is best left for the cold. It is July here, currently. I stepped outside with this on, in the summer’s heat and it was just kind of strange and out of place. This Gucci didn’t adapt well.

While this is listed as unisex, it is a perfume that leans very much into the masculine end of the spectrum.

I guess you could wear this in the evening, as the name suggests. Not very formal, but not a complete party scent either. I’m not sure where or when to try it, exactly.

Overall Impressions of A Midnight Stroll

Overall, do I like A Midnight Stroll? It’s decent. This is very much a niche scent and is going to have a limited audience who will actually appreciate it. Still, even among incense-based fragrances, this isn’t all that amazing.

I’d much rather wear something like Encens Satin. Though, this one does come across as being much more unique with its tarry leather aroma. For me, that’s not enough to want a full bottle of this Alchemist’s Garden release. Especially, at the near $400 price point.

That opening act is interesting. It’s such a weird blend of leather, wood, amber, tar, rubber, and smoke. There’s nothing that I can think of that smells just like A Midnight Stroll. Even so, the aroma itself, isn’t anything that’s a must have for probably 99% of people.

If you’re really interested in this one, I’d track down a sample first. Then decide if it’s worth spending all of that money for it. You might be in that niche group who will be in love with A Midnight Stroll or be like me and just think that it’s okay.