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!

L’Homme L’Eau by Prada

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In today’s fragrance review, we have a flanker fragrance from Prada’s L’Homme line of scents: 2017’s, L’Homme L’eau. The question begs, how does this one stack up? What are the notes? What does it smell like? Does L’eau perform well? Pease continue below, for my full take, after wearing this one around.

What does Prada L’homme L’eau Smell Like?

Notes include: iris, amber, cedar, sandalwood, neroli, ginger

Click here to try: Prada L’homme Prada L’eau for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce

prada l'eau review

My Full Review of L’Homme L’eau

The opening of L’Homme L’eau is really quite fresh and features iris, neroli, and the wood notes also peak through at the start. To my nose, it doesn’t have as much iris as the original L’Homme, but it is fairly strong towards the beginning of the wear and is present throughout.

I get more wood in this one than its predecessor, with less amber, and some added ginger. I will say, on clothing, the ginger really pops and L’eau has a spicier kick than on my skin.

The is a cleaner and more refreshing take on the original cologne, the powdery accord is heightened, and it’s not as light of a fragrance as one might expect.

L’eau is an airy sort of scent but isn’t insubstantial and actually hangs around with its other L’Homme mates, quite well for the first 3-4 hours of wear. The amber in this flanker is light and doesn’t create a warm cloud of scent, like in others.

As it dries down, more I can pick up some of that light ginger spice, but I still get that baby powder/make up powder smell, that it has a few minutes in. L’eau is definitely a floral led scent, with the neroli and iris, becoming more balanced within the composition as it moves forward.

It’s a very straightforward cologne and you know what you’re going to get from this one in short order.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, as I said, the sillage isn’t bad but its not particularly strong. L’eau is a fragrance that you can spray plenty of and not really worry about choking out a room. It does eventually work its way into a skin scent.

It floats around with a refreshing quality that is better than its predecessors in warmer weather.

The longevity for me was somewhere around six hours. Again, not great, but serviceable. Although, I expect a bit more a Prada prices. That’s probably my main gripe with this cologne. I wish it lasted longer. I understand that it’s not a heavier fragrance, but six hours isn’t great.

L’Homme L’eau is sort of a year round scent for me. It doesn’t feel out of place nor does it get ugly in any particular season. Again, I do like it when it’s warm out, and I’ve been wearing this in the early days or summer to great effect.

It’s a very pleasant fragrance, that is great for office wear or more formal occasions, and could easily become a simple go to on the daily. If you want a light and fresh fragrance to wear to work, Prada L’eau really fits the bill.

Is it sexy? Eh, it’s clean, and inoffensive but not really ‘sexy’. This isn’t one to really reach for when heading to the club. But, it is attractive enough that one will receive complements and inquiries as to what it is you’re wearing. 

 

 

Overall Impressions of L’Homme L’Eau

Overall, do I like Prada L’Homme L’eau? I do. It actually smells very nice, if you’re into powdery scents. It’s yet another Prada, with iris and amber, so you might already know what to expect from it.

The performance is okay, but not anything amazing, and it is pretty linear also. It would be a really good office scent. As a daily wear, I’d also be into wearing it for much of the year.

Is it worth the price? Probably not for me, but if you really want a slightly different take on the Prada L’Homme line, it might be for you. For the price and performance, I like it, but probably not going to be worth it.

Update: I’ve come back to this one in 2023. I had a store credit at Macy’s, so I bought a full bottle with that. I like it a bit more now. Still, not my favorite, but I did want another clean and simple wear for the warm weather. This fits a similar role as YSL L’Homme does in my collection, but more refined and with better performance.

The performance hasn’t changed and everything is as I remember it during the first incarnation of this review, from years back. 

I don’t think this is one I’ll wear everyday. Though, I have really enjoyed it in the past week or so. Great versatility and stays low key.

Xeryus Rouge by Givenchy

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Xeryus Rouge is a fragrance that I’ve encountered, owned, and enjoyed over the decades. My experience this one definitely precedes this website or even my real interest in perfume. Givenchy released this back in 1995 and it’s one that is still being sold, despite completely flying under the radar of most people.

I bought a bottle of this within the last year to try Xeryus Rouge out again and see if I still liked it. How does it smell? Does the performance still hold up? Is this 1990s classic, still a worthwhile scent today?

What does Xeryus Rouge Smell Like?

Notes include: red pepper, cactus, kumquat, cedar, geranium, musk, tarragon, sandalwood

Click here to try: Xeryus Rouge by Givenchy

My Full Review

Here’s how Givenchy describes it: Warm and intense, Xeryus Rouge is a classic, Woody-Oriental designed for a man who embraces his freedom and is a risk-taker at heart. His fiery, intuitive sensuality is irresistibly captivating with an underlying mystery that cannot be resisted. Succulent kumquat and green cactus are dusted with red pepper and crushed cedar wood for a seductive scent that lingers.

The word is that this one has been reformulated. Personally, I can’t really tell since I’m going off of memories from a bottle that I owned long ago. Memories I don’t entirely trust, so, I can’t really compared an older version versus what is offered today.

Still, my new bottle smells pretty much as I recall the old one.

I did notice that kumquat has been added to where it used to be mandarin orange. The kumquat reminds me of that one found in Gucci Guilty Love, just way tempered by the other notes in the mix.

The opening is bright, juicy, greenish, and herbal. Cactus is definitely in play, not letting the kumquat get too sharp or dominant in the blend.

While you do have this juicy/watery quality from the fruits up top, Rouge will always have this warm spiciness and freshness to it, even at these early stages. Red pepper and geranium start to show up big on my skin, 10-15 minutes after application.

Those notes are there from the initial spray, but some of the kumquat and cactus needs to back off before each really comes into their own.

The red pepper has the edge early, but that shifts quite a bit, and geranium starts to pop. It’s an interesting effect with the cactus note still hanging around. Much greener, fresher, and has more of a herbal undertone.

Rouge becomes drier, more of a classic aromatic and woody fragrance. The citrus really falls off, as does the red pepper. You will still have a slight spice, but this leans towards the fresh woods end of the spectrum.

Cedar, geranium, musk, cactus, and some light sandalwood. That’s basically the order of the notes by strength in the dry down. A sweet woodsy aroma, masculine, almost barbershop (minus the usual lavender).

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Rouge is pretty moderate with how it hangs in the air and the scent trail that’ll leave behind. This isn’t a heavy sort of fragrance. Lighter and fresher. Projects from the skin 5-7 feet at its max. Then, will slowly reel itself in, until it’s in skin scent territory.

I will say, it can be deceptive. You might not smell it on yourself and then someone will complement you.

On my skin, this one lasts in the 6.5-7.5 hour range. Those last few hours definitely aren’t powerful, but the fragrance is still there. I think I used to get a couple of hours more with my older bottle, so it wasn’t completely gutted. Just a step back.

Seasonally, I really like this one anytime other than the height of summer. That warmer opening, lends itself to the autumn and winter months. However, it becomes greener and fresher, which works in the springtime too.

I’ve worn it outside on warm days in the spring and Xeryus Rouge held up well.

xeryus rouge review

Rouge has a classic masculine style while still having its modern edge. This one can be a daily wear and venture out into the evening if necessary. It’s not a nightlife cologne per se, but it wouldn’t be totally out of place either.

It’s a likeable scent that I do get complements with. Not completely ‘sexy’, but it has its charm and appeal. The fresh aromatic smell that comes through past the opening act, is one that people do enjoy. It didn’t last for nearly 30 years, without reason.

Overall Impressions of Xeryus Rouge

Overall, do I like this one? Yes, it’s no one that I wear all of the time, but it has been a fragrance that I’ve come back to multiple times over many years. Though, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

That being said, it has been around since 1995, so it has plenty of fans. There’s nothing that smells exactly like Xeryus Rouge. That red pepper, light kumquat, aromatic freshness, the cedar, and the unique cactus note…what else has that?

Sure, Hot Water by Davidoff has overlap with its style, but even that just strikes me as being quite distinct from Rouge.

The dry down is more typical of other colognes out there. Though, this Givenchy just always seems to have its own unique aspects which come through.

The performance is pretty good. It was never a monster in terms of power or a crazy long-lasting scent either. It’s fine, I didn’t have to pay a lot, and the performance is good enough.

Xeryus Rouge is one that is worth checking out. I did notice that it is now no longer for sale on Givenchy’s website (maybe it’ll return). I pulled that description of it from the site many months ago before publishing, but there are plenty of bottles available online for a good price.

Try it out and experience this mid-1990s gem.

1 Million by Paco Rabanne

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Of course I was going to get around to eventually doing a review of 1 Million by Paco Rabanne and so I woke up this morning and said to myself, “Why not now?” After all, this scent is so very popular, especially among younger guys, that I think that’d I’d have to address it at some point.

What is there to be said about a best-selling cologne that comes in a bottle shaped like a gold ingot? Well, plenty is to be said because it is an interesting scent, in my opinion. Now, let us take a closer look at 1 Million and see what makes it such a draw.

What does 1 Million by Paco Rabanne Smell Like?

Notes include: Mint, Grapefruit, Rose, Patchouli, Amber, Cinnamon, White woods, Blond leather, Blood orange, Spice notes

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million By Paco Rabanne For Men Edt Spray, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Take on 1 Million 

Here is how Paco Rabanne describes it: Fall in love with danger and grand gestures. Obey no one. Except your fantasies. The 1 million fragrance eau de toilette for men is a beautiful spicy leather scent for insolent gentlemen.

Let me start off by saying that, I enjoy this fragrance. I know that there are plenty of people who don’t because of various reasons, either perceived rightly or wrongly, but I find that it is a very good scent.

I think that many people’s problem with this fragrance stems from its sweet, candy-like opening and its sheer popularity.

Sometimes, things get hated on simply because it is popular, whatever. Anyways, the more valid criticism is it’s really sweet opening notes, which gets compared to bubble gum or fruity candy.

It is important to understand that this initial burst fades after 10-20 minutes before the fragrance starts to reveal itself fully. On my skin, I get more spice and warmth than some other folks, it seems. This is especially true with newer batches of 1 Million

The opening takes on the bubble gum sort of aroma because of a mix of leather, rose, and citrus (orange and grapefruit). This together with the other underlying notes, create a bold and very sweet scent from the start.

It’s just the way things all come together, at first, which produces that smell. However, once you get into the wear the notes become more distinct and identifiable.

That initial sweetness is surrounded by a warm and thick amber note. This is a major part of 1 Million’s boldness, in my view, because it creates a sort of enveloping cloud around the wearer.

The amber note actually reminds me a lot of later (though weaker) releases, such as Dylan Blue. There is also a hint of mint in there which adds a refreshing spice and tinge of coolness, to a very warm composition.

As time moves on, the cinnamon, spices, and amber notes start to come out fully to add some pep and masculinity to the blend and this is where 1 Million really starts to shine. The dry down is spicier and full of leather bouncing off of the cinnamon dominant part of this cologne’s life cycle.

Woody notes also sit at the base and help to solidify the fragrance as something other than the hyper sweet start it’s famous for. In the end, I get: cinnamon, rich leather, amber, rose, wood, and other assorted spices.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, 1 Million has always been an absolute sillage king. It can fill a room and command attention for itself. I can’t speak for the most recently released bottles, as to if they have been reformulated or not, but it’s power has always been a major selling point.

Beyond that, is the longevity that has always garnered me 10+ of wear, and usually much further along than that 10 hour baseline. It’s an all nighter and into the next morning kind of fragrance (again, not sure if newer ones have been weakened).

Update: I’ve grabbed a newer batch in 2020 (and again in 2023) and it seems like 1 Million has lost a step. It hasn’t been terribly weakened, but it doesn’t have that same monstrous sillage and longevity. Probably 85% of what it was, which is still great.

million rabanne review

I still get a very strong opening sillage, but that will quiet down much more quickly than it used to. Nowadays, it will last somewhere in the 8 hour range. Still not bad, but it doesn’t seem to touch those vintage bottle highs.

Seasonally, this Paco Rabanne is best for the colder parts of the year. In the heat, it can get really messy, really fast. Particularly, when it is humid out. This isn’t one for office wear, though, it’s not too heavy with one spray.

This is a nightlife cologne and one that is geared for young men from their teen years through their twenties. It has a playful and youthful vibe, not at all serious or demure.

So, it’s versatility in practice, isn’t all that great. It’s limited to colder or moderate temperatures, more casual situations, and a younger audience in general.

Overall Impressions of 1 Million

All in all, if you are looking for a fragrance that can be used when you go out partying and whatnot, then 1 Million is definitely worth a try.

However, understand that it is not necessarily the most versatile fragrance around lots of people used to wear it, but I really don’t smell it as much anymore. I cannot remember the last time that I came across it, when out on the town.

It’s loud, warm, sweet, and spicy. It’s still a very good scent and I can put it on from time to time and really enjoy wearing it. I do think that 1 Million Prive, has taken the crown, as the best from the Paco Rabanne line. However, this one is still a great grab.

I’ve been wearing this around in 2020, with a travel sprayer, and have really enjoyed coming back to this cologne. Is it my favorite? No, but it does have an appeal, that I’ve always appreciated.

It doesn’t have the same level of performance that it used to. That’s one drawback of the modern 1 Million experience. Though, I still like coming back to this scent every few years to relive the memories.

If you’re in the appropriate age range, check it out, as you might get to enjoy it as well.

Wanted EDT by Azzaro

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I recently sampled a fairly new fragrance release from 2016, Wanted by Azzaro. The bottle struck me as unique but also kind of lame, with it’s gun barrel shape and motif. Anyways, I don’t particularly care about the bottle, as long as the juice inside is attractive. With that in mind, I want to do my latest review of a cologne on this one from the house of Azzaro.

As usual, I am going to cover what’s in it, how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not I think that Wanted is worth a purchase. Note: I am revisiting this post a few years later, to update my thoughts, after trying this again recently.

Azzaro Wanted EDT Overview

Notes include: tonka bean, lemon, cardamom, vetiver, juniper, ginger, geranium, mint, amber wood

Click here to try: Azzaro Wanted Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Before getting into my own thoughts, let’s see what Azzaro has to say about Wanted: Lauding a new free and vibrant masculinity. A woody, fresh and spicy EDT with an addictive trail.

The opening of Wanted, provides a burst of the lemon note, which is actually quite pleasant and not too overwhelming. Almost immediately, one is struck by how it resembles Paco Rabanne’s, Invictus. 

It mimics that bubble gum sort of smell, that you get with Invictus. However, Wanted gives you some ginger, mint, and more woodiness. In some ways, it is very similar, and then I can completely detect differences.

It is fresh and the citrus note is kept in place, by the cooling spices, and smooth tonka bean. A few minutes in, I start to get a lot of cardamom. The warmth of that note is an interesting play, off of the rest of the aromatically fresh ingredients, in this cologne.

I mean, you have: mint, ginger, juniper, and vetiver (which does become more prominent). The further you get away from the opening, the less it smells like Invictus, and Wanted really becomes its own thing.

One thing that does sort of bother me with this scent, is how some notes smell particularly chemically synthetic, like in the way a candy flavoring doesn’t resemble the actual underlying scent that it is trying to replicate. It’s not bad or anything, just something I noticed.

My love of tonka bean, is satisfied more as the scent progresses, in it’s life cycle. It is joined by, a dash or apple and juniper berry, that gives Wanted a lovely and smooth fruitiness. It all strikes me as fresh and only slightly spicy, as the ginger note only complements and never takes center stage for itself.

While it does have the fruit notes as the main draw, Wanted remains completely masculine, and doesn’t stray into the unisex or women’s category. Sure, it has its sweetness, but nothing crazy. I think that it is bolstered by the woody and plant notes that play the background and keep the overall composition in check.

The last part of the wear, does get quite dry, and woodsy. Vetiver, amber wood, ginger, and mainly tonka bean; is what I get, when it’s on its last legs.

How Long Does it Last? What’s the Sillage Like?

Projection wise, I didn’t find Wanted to be all that loud or heavy. It’s towards the strong side of things, at the start. But, not much more than moderate, thereafter. People close by will be able to smell you but not across the room, unless you’re just pouring it on.

Wanted surprisingly has good to great longevity. For something that isn’t overpowering, it sticks around. Not to the upper echelon levels of 12+ hours but 7-9 hours seems to be within range. It’s been very consistently in this range, each time, that I wear it.

When Should it Be Worn

Wanted feels like a non-descript cologne, in that, I could see wearing it in almost any season (except maybe extreme heat) and it would still be appropriate for nearly any occasion. It’s quite fresh, clean, and attractive enough for a night out but not too crazy for the office.

It has a nice balance in terms of its use. It should be pretty popular and be an easy grab for guys.

Is it Good Overall?

Overall, do I like Wanted? I actually do, but only somewhat. It’s not my favorite thing ever, but I think that it does what it sets out to do well. It’s affordable, has a nice smell, and good performance.

It’s not earth shattering but it gets the job done. For me, I really have to be in the mood to wear something like this, and that mood doesn’t come around too often.

I’d say if you’ve tried Invictus and hated it, stay away from Wanted. On the flip side, if you’re an Invictus fan, you might actually like this one more. For many guys, this will be a very solid option, as a daily wear/nighttime cologne.

Update: Honestly, I now think that this is the weakest fragrance of the Wanted lineup. Wanted by Night surpassed this. Which was then in turn surpassed by The Most Wanted colognes. I would buy any of those before this original release.

None of those existed back when I originally wrote this review, so I felt that I should add this part as an addendum.

It’s kind of crazy how the flankers got better over time, from this original formula which was pretty much only decent. Wanted EDT has its strengths, but there are just better options, based on this concept.

Just Me for Men by Paris Hilton

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Paris Hilton has enjoyed lots of success lending her name to a line of fragrances. Originally, the line was for women’s perfumes before she expanded into male fragrances. One of the colognes is pretty nice, while another one is pretty terrible, so going into trying out Just Me, I was rather unsure as to what I would get exactly.

As a pretty inexpensive cologne, it could go either way as to the quality of the product. Is it worth the price? Let us take a closer look. Note: I have updated this review, years after the original, to edit and add more depth. This is after spending more time, with this fragrance. 

Just Me for Men Overview 

Notes include: Amber, Lime,  Tangerine, Grass, Clary Sage, Blueberry, Musk, Incense, Lotus, Woods, Moss, Patchouli, Sea Breeze, Clove

Click here to try: Just Me by Paris Hilton for Men – 3.4 Ounce EDT Spray

My Full Wear Review

Just Me opens up with a mix of sharp citrus notes and blueberry. Almost immediately, one is going to recognize the similarities between this Paris Hilton cologne, and Acqua di Gio. Yep, the do smell quite a bit like one another, except some slight differences (and the huge price difference).

Updated note: The original AdG can often be found on sale a lot of times now. This scent is still much cheaper, usually. However, the price difference isn’t so extreme anymore.

Mainly, it is that blueberry note, at the top. Just Me has a sweeter overall profile, and there is the inclusion, of a grassy note mainly in the beginning. It’s slight but noticeable, when paired with the sea breeze accord, found in both this and the Armani cologne.

So, you get a citrus/blueberry opening, with fresh grassy notes, and an oceanic vibe. Very nice and these will still be the dominant notes throughout, but Just Me will develop more.

The second layer of this scent, brings in the spice and smokiness, and pairs it with underlying floral notes. Lotus is the main floral and reminds me a bit of Nautica Voyage, which shares that not.

However, this comes with incense, clove, and sage; which brings some much needed depth and sexy spice.

The base is full of wood, amber, and patchouli. It solidifies and adds to the depth and what you could call, ‘darkness’, of this cologne, without becoming overbearing. These base notes really do enhance the sharp citrus top, and don’t distract any from those ingredients.

Ultimately, what you get from Just Me for Men is: a sharp citrus aquatic with hints of blueberry, smoky incense, spice, and a woody/outdoorsy base with lotus being a stronger note. It’s actually very well put together for such an inexpensive fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage on this one is pretty strong for an hour or so, it then moves into moderate territory. Again, for the price it is really good, just not a complete monster performer.

You’ll notice it’s there and others around you, will pick up on it too. It just isn’t going to overwhelm a room. Ultimately, it’s one that you catch whiffs of sort of unexpectedly deeper into the wear, instead of a consistent cloud of scent at that stage.

The longevity seems to be in the 5-7 hour range, depending on the climate that day. The price dictates that you can always spray more and not worry about having to find money to buy another bottle.

Seasonally, it works year round, but I like it the best in the spring and summer months. Citrus and sea breeze, tend to bring those months to mind, but it’s fine to wear otherwise also.

It works casually, is office/school safe, and can be worn on nights out. Oh, and this stuff gets complements. It’s a real crowd pleaser. Pretty much the same use case as the more famous Armani. Probably not quite as well put together, but it can do many of the same things.

Overall Impressions of Just Me

Overall, is Just Me for Men, worth a try? Yes, it is one of the better buys for under $30, that you can get. If you’re someone who like Acqua di Gio, this is a great substitute for that.

The more times that I wear this, the more I enjoy it. I completely dig that fruity opening, especially the blueberry note.

I would get this and another AdG fragrance, like Profumo or Profondo, if I were in the market for a fragrance along these lines. Rather, than getting the original AdG for a higher price.

You will need to like the sharp citrus and aquatic sort of scents, to enjoy this one, but that’s a large swath of the population. It performs well, smells good, and is super inexpensive. Give it a try.