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!

Omnia Pink Sapphire by Bvlgari

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When I bought my bottle of Versace Eros Flame, I also received some samples, as a part of the shipment. One of those samples was from the new Bvlgari perfume release, Omnia Pink Sapphire. I had no expectations of what this flanker was going to be, so, I decided to try it out. As usual, I will cover what’s inside, how it smells, the performance, when it should be worn, and if it’s even worth it.

What does Omnia Pink Sapphire Smell Like?

Notes included: frangipani, pink pomelo, musk, vanilla, pink pepper, tiara, wood

Click here to try: Bvlgari Omnia Pink Sapphire Eau de Toilette Spray, 2.2 Fl Oz

My Full Wear Review

Before I begin with my review, let’s see what Bvlgari has to say about Pink Sapphire: A new sparkling floral olfactive experience, inspired by a sensorial precious gem. A festive fragrance built on the solar and delicate scent of pink frangipani flower distilling daring notes.

So, in the description on their website, Bvlgari says this will whisk your imagination to faraway lands in French Polynesia, particularly Tahiti. Omnia Pink Sapphire definitely has that kind of exotic tropical scent.

It opens up with a sharp and tart citrus blast from what is pomelo, but there is definitely a grapefruit aroma, and possible note lurking in there as well.

The citrus top is paired with the frangipani flower and these two notes are going to be dominant throughout the wear. Yes, it develops somewhat from here, but pomelo and frangipani are what it’s mostly going to be about.

I think Pink Sapphire is familiar to other fragrances in a lot of ways, but the notes it uses instead, give it a unique aroma. Plenty of citrus floral perfumes, but I can’t think of any that combine these specific notes.

As it moves along, this Omnia perfume keeps up its sunny disposition, and the main changes that I notice are firstly the strengthening of tiare flower. Secondly, the musky vanilla note that sits underneath, both the citrus and floral notes.

The further along in the dry down I get, the less tart, and the sweeter this fragrance becomes. It’s a good mix at this point of frangipani, pomelo, tiare, pink pepper, and that musky undertone. This perfume is certainly sunny and has an upbeat energy about it, a very pleasant fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of this Bvlgari, starts off fairly moderate but turns quickly into a lighter or sort of airy perfume. It has a fresh almost ethereal quality and it isn’t going to be a powerhouse EDT.

The longevity on this one isn’t great, but it wasn’t unusably terrible for me, as it got around 5 hours of wear.  It’s pretty baseline average. It is a lighter warm weather fragrance, but don’t expect a marathon performer here.

For the price point, I do want more out of a perfume. So, maybe only grab a bottle that’s on sale and heavily discounted.

Pink Sapphire is spring/summer all the way. A casual daytime wear that is perfectly safe to put on for work or school, as it can definitely appeal to a younger set. It’s pretty enough, but not a sexy sort of perfume, I’d like to smell it but probably wouldn’t be captivated by Pink Sapphire.

For the warmer months, this is one that should get plenty of use. There are obviously sexier scents or more formal or more stylish options. Pink Sapphire does still fit in rather well, in a variety of situations, though.

Overall Impressions of Pink Sapphire

Overall, do I like Omnia Pink Sapphire? I like it. As I said, it takes a familiar citrus floral formula, and adds some lesser used notes to it. It’d be a solid option for those who want a more tropical version of that kind of fragrance, for the summertime.

The performance could be much better, but it isn’t awful. Pink Sapphire smells good, but doesn’t stand out, which could be a good thing for the right price. Again, maybe only blind buy this one at a heavy discount.

That opening act can be a citrus overload. The pomelo is already strong in the composition, on its own, but adding other citrus to it can be too much.

I do like frangipani and the dry down when everything gets mellowed out, with the inclusion of the vanilla note.

Apparently, Pink Sapphire wasn’t one of the more popular perfumes from the Omnia lineup. But, I don’t think that it’s a bad scent at all. Maybe it doesn’t have the most broad appeal, even if it’s a pretty good smelling scent.

Ocean Royale by James Bond 007

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So, today I am going to review my second fragrance from the James Bond 007 lineup by Eon Productions. I have already tackled Quantum and have the original 007 review on the way. This entry is that of Ocean Royale, an aquatic take on the James Bond image and namesake. Is Ocean Royale worth it? What does this cologne smell like? Does it last long? Please continue below for my full wear take.

What does 007 Ocean Royale Smell Like?

Notes include: tonka bean, lime, iris, bergamot, coffee, sandalwood, seaweed, and anise

Click here to try: JAMES BOND 007 ocean royale, 4.2 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Ocean Royale is quite nice. What I get is an oceanic blend with a mix of lime, iris, and tonka bean. The smooth sort of powdery aroma reminds me of a cheaper imitation of Luna Rossa Sport. It is a very fresh and clean scent and has that aquatic sportiness.

Ocean Royal when compared to the Prada fragrance, is much more citrus based, and definitely not as high of quality. That’s just the category type that this James Bond cologne inhabits.

Ultimately, Ocean Royale has a sweetness, thanks to the citrus notes. It sort of sits on top of the powdery scent and provides a very pleasant tropical kind of experience. The oceanic accord maybe has a hint of seaweed, but it is more of a generic blue freshness.

This 007 scent is pretty darn linear after that, so don’t expect much in the way of depth. Pretty much the lime and bergamot mixed with tonka bean and iris. Some sandalwood peaks through, but I don’t get any of the other listed notes.

The sea notes pretty much fade from what they were, as being pretty heavy in that opening act. So, the dry down is basically the other notes minus the ‘ocean’ part of this cologne.

Sillage, How Long it Lasts, When to Wear

Projection wise, Ocean Royale is soft and airy. I wish it was more intense, as it would be an absolute steal, for a cheap price. It doesn’t pack enough of a punch, to be a must have.

The longevity isn’t great either. I get a few hours of that light wear from it, when applied rather heavily, before it descends into a skin scent. Even when you apply a lot of it, the performance just drops dramatically.

That’s a shame, because Ocean Royale has one of the best scents of the 007 series. But, as with the rest of them, they weren’t given much concentration of the actual fragrance. All of these are too weak to really ever be all that enjoyable.

Ocean Royale is a cologne for the warmer days of the months. It’s inoffensive and can be worn safely at work or in a casual situation. It’s not earth shattering but it is clean as hell and makes a solid impression.

I actually like it quite a bit when it’s warm outside and I can just go walk around. At least for 2 hours or so, Ocean Royale delivers most of what I would want, in a clean citrus summer cologne.

Overall Impressions of Ocean Royale

Overall, is Ocean Royale worth a buy? If you can get a bottle for cheap and need something casual for the summer, I’d say yes. However, the longevity isn’t very good. I wish it lasted longer, then, it’d get more support from me.

The actual fragrance here is nice for a cheapie. I like the use of citrus, the iris and tonka bean powdery elements, and the early oceanic aromas. It didn’t need to be too complicated, but the performance should be better.

It can be a little sharp with the citrus and isn’t of the highest quality. I’ve definitely come across a lot worse, however.

It’s a very straightforward cologne and quite simple. That’s not always a bad thing and for what it is, neither is Ocean Royale. The 007 lineup could have been a great inexpensive scent line, if the quality was just beefed up somewhat.

Eon Productions kind of dropped the ball with these. The lower end of the market has plenty of room for fragrances that are actually appealing and can last more than a few hours.

I really like the way this smells, just the performance is lacking. For under $10-15? Maybe. More than that? Not for me.

Black Opium EDP by YSL

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In addition to the recent men’s cologne samples that I’ve gotten a hold of as of late, I also managed to pick up a lot of ladies fragrances, to give my review of. Today, is an entry from Yves Saint Laurent and is a name inherited from the classic perfume Opium, Black Opium eau de parfum.

As always, I want to give my thoughts on how the fragrance smells, performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not it is worth a purchase. Note: I have come back to edit and update this page, a few years after the initial review.

What Does Black Opium EDP Smell Like?

black opium perfume review

Notes include: coffee, vanilla, patchouli, pink pepper, orange blossom, cedar, pear, jasmine, bitter almond

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, Black Opium, 3 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Black Opium is somewhat of a jumbled mess, in my opinion. For the first 10 minutes or so, it feels like a very synthetic blend of vanilla, flowers, and a hint of cedar.

However, despite this poor start, once it settled down Black Opium was quite a lovely experience. I get more of the pear sparkle coming through, once some of the other notes have taken their place in the composition.

This stuff is sweet, so if that’s not your bag, don’t bother with this one. The coffee note begins to emerge after the start and forms a lovely duo with the vanilla. I happen to really like coffee and vanilla (both in fragrance and in beverage form), so Black Opium appealed to my sensibilities.

One thing that I definitely detect in this perfume is the pink pepper note, which reminds me of the men’s cologne, Guess Seductive Homme. It was a part of that messy opening act, but gets more breathing room within the composition, later in the wear.

This Yves Saint Laurent perfume, isn’t all that complex to my nose. The final dry down here, is the vanilla and coffee, with a jasmine background. At the base sits: pink pepper, patchouli, and a bit of fresh cedar.

I was surprised that the patchouli note wasn’t stronger on my skin. Also, that almond note barely shows up for me. I think it’s more apparent on other people, but for me, not really getting much.

It’s warm and sweet, with a slightly powdery quality to it. It isn’t baby powder or anything, just gives off that sort of aroma.

While this is another fragrance that uses the ‘Black’ title and isn’t all that dark in its presentation, I’ll give it a pass, since it seems to be a dark roast coffee at least. Black Opium is such a warm scent, that sort of envelopes you as you wear it, and the light floral notes in the background give it an added layer of complexity.

Sillage, Longevity, Seasonality, Versatility

Projection wise, Black Opium is some pretty strong stuff. Honestly, a few sprays would do it. It also has good longevity, as I could detect it all day on my wrist.

I also sprayed it and a few other ladies’ perfumes onto a sweatshirt a few days ago, and the Black Opium is still the strongest, whilst others have faded completely.

At least with this original formulation, the reach of the perfume could be detected from 8+ feet out, at its height. This is one of the more powerful designer scents, in its early stages, to my nose.

For me, it easily goes 8 hours, and can hit double digits. I wouldn’t call it an absolute beast with the sillage, but the strength/performance overall, is very good and has a time where it is close to being great.

This is more of a fall and winter type of scent. I would avoid wearing Black Opium in the heat or high humidity, as it will fall apart, and feel pretty gross. It could absolutely be an everyday wear during the winter, but also double as a date night kind of fragrance.

In an office or classroom type of environment, go easy with the sprays, 1-2 should suffice. This isn’t a formal sort of perfume, so, you probably don’t need to worry about it for those occasions.

It is actually quite sexy, and as a man, I can say that I would want to be closer to a woman who was wearing Black Opium. This perfume has a really cozy and enveloping scent, with its sweet gourmand aroma, being pretty appealing. It’s not something that drives me wild or anything, but I can say, it is enjoyable.

Overall Impression

Overall is it worth a buy? Maybe. While not the greatest thing I’ve ever smelled, Black Opium is still a very solid fragrance, that does smell very good. It’s not for everybody, especially not those who don’t enjoy sweet gourmand perfumes.

Plus, it is limited to the colder months of the year, and not for those living in certain warm climates.

I’ve tried a lot of the flanker fragrances that have been released since this original came out and this is still among my favorites of the line. See: Neon, Intense, Nuit Blanche

The coffee and vanilla dry down is where this one shines. Nice floral contributions from the jasmine and orange blossom. This is when Black Opium really achieves a balance in its composition and is at its most attractive.

Again, the performance is good and the price isn’t too bad. It’s a solid choice, I’d just caution those who want to avoid the super sweet stuff, because this can be that kind of perfume for much of the wear.

However, as a popular mass market option, Black Opium will do the trick and could be a signature scent for some ladies.

Black XS by Paco Rabanne

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I recently got another order of fragrances which included the very good, 212 VIP. Also in the box, was a bottle of Black XS by Paco Rabanne for men. I have already reviewed other scents by this brand, 1 Million and Invictus, and so I thought that it was time to tackle Black XS. In this post, I want to present my opinions on how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it i worth a buy or not.

What Does Black XS Smell Like?

Notes include: Kalamanzi, Calabrese lemon, patchouli, praline, cinnamon, black amber

Click here to try: Black Xs By Paco Rabanne For Men, Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4-Ounce Bottle

black xs paco rabanne review

My Full Review

The opening of Black XS is hardly reminiscent of anything ‘black’ or dark for that matter. I suppose it takes on the name because of the black amber note, which is strange, since it isn’t one of the main noticeable ingredients.

You initially get a pretty pungent blast of lemon. sweetness of praline, and a spicy/leathery sort of aroma from the cinnamon and patchouli.

The cinnamon note actually reminds me of 1 Million. Much like that other Paco Rabanne fragrance, Black XS’s notes take on a different kind of fruity smell than its ingredients would suggest.

In 1 Million, you get the sensation of warm, leathery grape bubblegum. While in Black XS, it smells a lot like a strawberry flavored candy of some sort blended with praline.

When I wore this cologne the other day, I really didn’t like the opening at all. It was too sweet and harsh for my tastes and I felt like I was getting a headache. However, I decided that I’d chalk that up to being really sleep deprived and not feeling good in general.

Today, I consider it to be much more pleasant, though it still doesn’t blow me away with how it starts. In fact, I can detect the separation of the notes much better, and it doesn’t smell like such an intense strawberried mess which bumps it up a few points in my mind.

As it wears on, Black XS does indeed get ‘darker’. It still isn’t a dark scent in my opinion but it definitely isn’t as bright as the opening. It does retain its sweetness and grows into something that is rather warm and more woodsy. I detect more of the cinnamon and patchouli during the dry down period of this fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Black XS starts out pretty strong, but not nearly anything like 1 Million. It does lose some of its power as time wears on, so don’t expect a beast scent throughout.

That opening is pretty sharp and loud. So, because it stays at that level or a while, it drags up the overall average of Black XS’ sillage. Really, once it’s toned down this one is moderate.

Longevity is pretty good but again not spectacular. I’m getting 6 hours of solid use, so far, and maybe a little longer as a purely skin scent. Update: Yes, 6-7 hour seems to be the norm with this one. Which can be surprising when you’ve experienced that bold start.

Black XS is yet another cold weather scent. I think it could be alright in the spring but definitely not during the heat of summer. It is much more of a youthful type of fragrance, think, early 20s and below. It’s kind of playful and not stuffy and serious like some other scents.

It also strikes me more of a nightlife kind of cologne but it wouldn’t totally be out of place in a casual situation. For the close quarters of an office or something like that, it’s not the best option. It can be too sharp and cloying, which will bother other folks.

Overall Impression of Black XS

Overall, is Black XS worth a buy? Perhaps. This isn’t a fragrance for everyone and I don’t even know if it’ll be one for me (at least on a regular basis). I picked up a bottle on sale for $20, so, I’m not entirely disappointed with it.

It is definitely an interesting scent and is attractive in a lot of ways. You will have to enjoy sweet fragrances, obviously. Plus, lemon and patchouli are ingredients you’ll have to like, otherwise stay away.

Black XS is a very solid fragrance but not anything insanely impressive. It might find a home in your collection but I don’t think it’ll become a signature scent.

Update: I’ve had this cologne for a few years now and the bottle is still almost completely full. I just never could get into wearing it. The lemon, praline, and patchouli combination is just too much for my nose.

Sharp and sweet. I don’t hate it, but it’s not my style. I think Pure XS is a better option, but the performance on that one, isn’t great. The fragrance can be quite acidic to the nose and it’s pretty limited in when I ever wanted to wear it. There was always a better fragrance option.

I Love New York for Him by Bond No. 9

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For my second review in this series of Bond No.9 scents, I will tackle, I Love New York for Him. This is of course, one of the male fragrances from the ‘I Love NY’ line that came out 5-6 years back. As usual, I am going to cover my impressions, how it smells, how it performs, when it could be worn, and whether or not I think that this cologne is worth a buy or not.

What Does I Love New York for Him Smell Like?

Notes include: patchouli, leather, musk, grapefruit, ginger, geranium, lavender, amber, sandalwood

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 I Love New York For Him Eau De Parfum Spray 50ml/1.7oz

My Full Wear Review

The opening of I Love New York for Him, seems to me to be an intense burst of mainly the grapefruit and patchouli notes, with just a hint of musk. Frankly, I don’t find it to be all that enjoyable. It smells quite acidic and concentrated and too overpowering at this stage for my tastes.

It usually settles down within 5-10 minutes, and becomes a much more enjoyable blend of citrus and spice. Though, I really don’t like that initial part. The ginger note comes in, which makes this feel fresher, along with a light juniper berry ingredient.

The thing that I noticed most about this Bond No. 9 fragrance is how much it smells like Just Cavalli Him. They share the ginger and geranium notes and the Cavalli exchanges the grapefruit for bergamot but, man, there is a lot of overlap here.

I Love New York does have better performance and the patchouli/musk combo sets it apart but these two are definitely related in many ways.

The middle part and the dry down gives you periods of lavender and leather, coming through stronger underneath the citrus. The geranium is still present and kind of sits in the middle of the lavender and leather cycling back and forth between second strongest.

The base is pretty much musk, with some sandalwood. Eventually, what I’m left with is: grapefruit, ginger, lavender, patchouli, leather, and musk. The freshness stays but much of the spice and stronger intensity of the leather is gone.

Sillage, Longevity, Versatility 

The projection with this one is rather moderate. Although, I will say I enjoy it more during the dry down stage than in the beginning, it simply isn’t as intense.

I Love New York for Him does have really good longevity and I can detect this cologne all work day. Maybe 9-ish hours, in total. So, it does actually deliver on the performance aspect. Decent sillage paired with the type of longevity that you’d want.

If anything, this cologne is good for casual wear during the warmer months of the year. It is a clean kind of fragrance but I wouldn’t call it sexy in the slightest. But, on these warmer days it does have a pleasant enough aroma to draw me in.

I wouldn’t ever think to wear this scent on a date or out for a night at the bars. I guess it’s more of a casual or perhaps office-type of wear. Rather clean and inoffensive.

Overall Impressions of I Love New York

Overall, is I Love New York for Him worth a buy? I’d say no. It’s not terrible by any means but it’s so generic and simplistic to me. Plus, the price is the usual high end of the spectrum that Bond No. 9 is known for. If you’re going to spend that much, at least get the best colognes of the brand.

The immediate opening isn’t good at all. I do like the citrus, geranium, juniper and ginger laden fragrance that follows. But, with the leather and patchouli, it just doesn’t fully work for me.

Even if you did dig this scent, I’d simply buy Just Cavalli Him for cheap (update: that’s not really an option anymore) and buy some other scents in conjunction with that. Otherwise, I don’t really see a purpose for this cologne.

The performance is good, the smell is decent, but unless you can score a cheap bottle, why? To me, this isn’t among the brand’s best scents and really offers nothing unique. I’ll pass, as I have no real place for it, in my rotation.