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!

Nirvana Black by Elizabeth and James

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Nirvana Black was one of the Elizabeth and James fragrance releases back in 2013. It’s been a while since I’ve had this one around, never wrote a full review of it, and decided that I should get a sample to do so. How does this Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen scent perform? How long does it last? Is it worth a buy?

What does Nirvana Black Smell Like?

Notes include: violet, sandalwood, and vanilla

Click here to try: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black Edp Spray Womens Perfume Nib, 1.0 Ounce 

My Full Review

Let’s see how this one is described: Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black is an addictive blend of alluring violet, sensual sandalwood, and rich vanilla that strike the perfect balance between masculine and feminine.

Nirvana Black opens up with a sweet blend of vanilla and violet. The violet note here is less of a dirty/earthy aroma and more toward the powdery side of the equation. These two come together with an air of smokiness surrounding them.

The early stages are where the violet is going to come through the most. It’s honestly not one of my favorite floral notes, but I really like it within this composition. It comes across as dark and a bit candied when paired with the vanilla.

As it moves along, Nirvana Black starts to get woodier with the sandalwood coming into its own. Very fresh, with a smokiness. I’m pretty sure the vanilla here is the Bourbon vanilla, found in the other Elizabeth and James fragrance, as it does add to that quality.

The final dry down is a powdery and slightly creamy aroma, as all of the notes have fully developed. Others seem to get more of a musky finish with Nirvana Black. On my skin, that doesn’t really come across. Sure, some is present, just most of it is our three main ingredients.

Nirvana Black isn’t highly complicated, which isn’t a bad thing, as this one delivers a great experience.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage with Black isn’t huge, pretty standard issue and middle of the road for me. It hangs around nicely and it can project itself somewhat, but it’s not a monster.

Initially, it actually projects pretty far and casts a decent radius around the wearer. After an hour, it’ll be more in that 3-5 foot range, getting closer during the duration.

On my skin, I can get about 6-7 hours of wear from Black. It’s solid, though, it doesn’t deliver a marathon performance. Maybe an extra half hour or so, if you spray a bit more. I can’t imagine that it would go much further than that.

Seasonally, autumn and winter all the way. This one thrives in the colder weather and I wouldn’t want to wear it in the heat at all. It sits perfectly in the air, when it is crisp and cold outside.

This is a unisex fragrance and doesn’t lean particularly feminine to me, versus some of the other E&J perfumes. Really can fit anyone’s style. That being said, I would prefer to wear this one out at night or casually versus having it be a daily office wear or something along those lines.

Overall Impressions of Nirvana Black

Do I like this fragrance? Yes, the whole Nirvana series is pretty underrated in my book. This one is simple, but great.

The performance isn’t insanely good, but it also isn’t bad. I had seen some people say things to the contrary. For me, the ability for Black to project was enough and felt really substantial at times.

But, the nuance of the aroma is a treat, especially only utilizing these three notes. I’m not even a violet fan in most cases, this one just works well. Not a violet leaf or too synthetically harsh. A good powdery representation.

It is kind of limited to cooler temperatures, but it sells at a very affordable price point, so you should still be able to get plenty of use out of it. Smoky, powdery, smooth, and somewhat sweet.

If the notes sound appealing to you at all, I would recommend giving it a try. This was one of the best of the Nirvana releases for sure.

Dolce Shine by Dolce & Gabbana

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Dolce Shine is one of the more recent releases from D&G’s Dolce collection of perfumes. This one came out in 2020, in a yellow bottle, with the standard black bow. I picked up a sample to test out recently for review. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it even worth a try?

What does Dolce Shine Smell Like?

Notes include: mango, grapefruit, quince, jasmine, solar orange blossom, salt accord, blond woods, white musk, and Australian sandalwood

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Shine Eau De Parfume Spray For Women, Blue, 2.5 Ounce

My Full Review

Before we get into my personal review, let’s see how D&G describes Shine: The accords of colorful juicy mango and bright jasmine combine with sundrenched blond woods to create the new solar and fruity floral Dolce Shine Eau de Parfum.

Shine does indeed open up with a juicy mango note, which is also paired with a grapefruit note, giving it a bright tropical feeling. Parts of this perfume really has a beachy sort of vibe. There are solar infused notes, a creamy suntan lotion undertone, and a dash of salt.

Not to say that this is an aquatic or anything, it definitely isn’t. However, the vibe of a sunny day spent along the beach is totally there. The ‘solar’ notes have been used by a lot of fragrances over the past handful of years and the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing.

The creaminess of the floral notes and sandalwood is a really great addition to the composition. I know the jasmine is supposed to be the main attraction out of the floral notes, but I honestly get a fairly equal amount of the orange blossom. Particularly, early on in the wear.

Then, there is also a tuberose which seems to overtake the jasmine note, as well. By that point, the orange blossom for me is almost non-existent. Which isn’t great, since that is one of my favorite floral ingredients.

That’s about what I get for the rest of the way.  A somewhat tropical floral scent with a creamy/buttery finish and fruity undertones. Not a super complicated one, but I like the smell quite a lot.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Dolce Shine isn’t a heavy fragrance, nor does it really project itself all that far. It’s soft and sunny, but does manage to hang around, so that you catch whiffs of it during the wear.

But, on the whole, I’d say that it’s a touch above average, especially early on. You do get a 45-60 minute period of time, in which it does have decent amount of projection. Maybe 4-6 feet from the skin, at its peak. After that, much closer 1-3 foot radius for the rest of the way.

On my skin, it lasts 6-6.5 hours. Not great, but fairly standard. Shine isn’t a powerhouse or a workhorse, so don’t expect something that’s going to be an all day wear.

Seasonally, spring and summer. I’d go more with the summertime versus spring, as you’ll probably have a greater number of casual daytime opportunities to wear it. It doesn’t come across as something to wear in the colder months. Many other options for that.

It is a versatile wear. Shine isn’t going to offend nor blow out the room, so, you could wear it to work or school. It’s great as a casual daytime wear or for many other occasions. It’s pretty and attractive, just not a sexy nightlife monster kind of perfume.

Mostly going to serve as something to wear around town or whatever daytime function that you have to attend to.

Overall Impressions of Dolce Shine

Do I like this fragrance? I do enjoy the scent, particularly the opening act with the mango. I don’t have many complaints about the aroma itself, but the performance isn’t all that great.

I would’ve liked it to be a bit stronger and hang around for at least a few more hours. If that were the case, this would be an excellent value play for warmer weather. As it stands, it is interesting and has its merits, but not something that is a must have.

The good news, is that this will probably be on sale at some point fairly soon, and could be added to someone’s rotation. Good, but not something that I’d necessarily want to come back to again and again.

Shine is one of the better smelling D&G releases from this line. The performance is mid, but the aroma itself is worthwhile. Just don’t overpay and it should work out fine.

7 Best Smelling Kayali Fragrances

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Kayali is a very popular line of perfumes from Huda Beauty. It is known for having a variety of scents, that are easily paired and layered with other fragrances, both from the line and other designers.

But, what are the top scents from this brand? Which ones are actually worth getting a hold of? This page serves as my updated list for keeping track of the perfumes to check out.

Favorite Smelling Kayali Perfumes

The White Floral

Deja Vu White Flower | 57– Before testing all of these scents out, I wouldn’t have thought that Deja vu would be one of my favorites, but it absolutely is.

Up top you get a very nice tuberose and the sweetness of vanilla wafting up. The floral mix doesn’t just get dominated by the tuberose note, you also get some fruity facets, and periods of jasmine and gardenia.

Deja Vu is a good option for those who want a floral perfume, that doesn’t have a straight garden smell throughout. The fruity and vanilla aromas really help to make this one a joy to wear.

Not super heavy, but has a pretty solid longevity versus others in the series. Deja Vu Review

Cherry Love

Lovefest Burning Cherry– One of the more popular fragrances from the Kayali lineup and also one of the best. Lovefest Burning Cherry brings you a lot of similarities with Lost Cherry by Tom Ford, while still drying down differently.

The opening is a syrupy cherry with some incense like smoke (the burning cherry note) with a touch of raspberry and praline sweetness. Somewhat powdery, but dries down into a smokier amber and woods.

Yes, it’s still sweet, but the cherry isn’t nearly as overwhelming in the latter stages, versus what you get early on. Lovefest Review

Brown Sugar Vanilla

Vanilla | 28– Vanilla 28 is another sweet perfume from Kayali, but easily ranks among there best, in my opinon.

It opens up with tonka bean and brown sugar, actually being heavier than the vanilla orchid, at this stage. It’s actually not too cloying or nauseatingly sweet, the musk and amberwood help to keep it that way.

The tonka bean lessens and you get more of the vanilla, while the brown sugar sticks around. This one is none too complicated, while being delicious and easy to wear. Vanilla 28 Review

 

 

Soft Super Clean

Musk | 12– Musk 12 is one that is softer and a simple sort of perfume. It kicks off fresh and floral, with its opening lotus note. There’s some vanilla sweetness and the musk notes which gives this a powdery finish.

It does become more generally floral, with the lotus settling in to blend with other floral notes, like jasmine. The vanilla and musk notes, will take over and be the main focus. Still providing that clean and powdery aroma.

Musk is a Kayali scent that’s going to be pretty low key on its own, but still enjoyable for some people. It is also a prime candidate for layering and adding a bit more to other fragrances. Musk 12 Review

The Other Vanilla

Utopia Vanilla Coco– Utopia is another Kayali that utilizes plenty of vanilla. However, that’s not all that it is.

It opens up with a pear blossom note and some light citrus. The coconut will also be out already in the opening stages, flanked by a bit of jasmine. As we move further, the coconut and vanilla will play a larger role.

To me it is a fresh perfume, but one with a distinct dryness from the sandalwood base. The floral notes are strong enough here to prevent this from being a tropical sort of scent. It’s sweet and would actually work best in moderate temperatures. Utopia Review

Nice New Release

Yum Pistachio Gelato– This is a new release for 2023 and I think it deserves a spot on the list, especially if you’re partial to nutty gourmand perfumes.

Opening up, I actually get a pretty hefty dose of cardamom spice, to go along with the fluffy sweetness of marshmallow and whipped cream. It’s easy to draw Ariana Grande fragrance comparisons, since those two notes are involved in a whole host of her releases.

But, this one does stand out more thereafter. The nuttiness of the pistachio (supported by hazelnut), will have an increasing role to play here. The initial spice fades away and this one goes full on sweetness and nutty, with a hint of rum for at least a period of time.

Milky, creamy, a hint of powder. Feels colder and fresh versus being a completely overwhelming warm/cozy gourmand. Can work well in warmer weather and has some more depth than many other Kayali releases.

Silky

The Wedding Silk Santal 36– This is a lighter and fairly airy fragrance at times. But, it’s a really beautiful smell.

The opening has a champagne note (or at least the fizzy effect) which is paired with nectarine, freesia and the ever-present vanilla note.

In the dry down, it’s got a mix between powdery and creamy depending on which part of the wear you’re going through. Though, the whole mix is sweet with praline and sugary touches.

So, the name is somewhat misleading. The sandalwood and other woody notes are present and substantial at times. Wedding Silk Santal is mostly going to be a light and sweeet vanilla blend with other facets of the blend popping in and out. 

 

Dreams EDP by Coach

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Dreams eau de parfum was released by Coach in 2020. I received a sample vial of the fragrance, as a part of a batch from Macy’s. I hadn’t heard of this scent beforehand and had no expectations of what it was going in. So, of course I started testing it out for a review for the site. How does it smell? Does it last a long time? Is it worth a buy?

What does Dreams by Coach Smell Like?

Notes include: gardenia, cactus flower, bitter orange, Joshua tree, pear, woods

Click here to try: Coach Dreams 1.3oz Eau de Parfum Spray

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Coach describes Dreams: Coach Dreams is inspired by the freedom and adventure of a road trip across America. The scent combines radiant bitter orange with the sensual warmth of gardenia, cactus flower, and Joshua Tree.

The opening of Coach Dreams is led by the fruity notes. However, it really is more of a blend of those with the prominent gardenia and green-ish impressions coming from the base. A bit of dew.

Initially, I pick up some citrus from the bitter orange note, but later it will be more of a fresh pear smell with some sweeter mix of other fruits. Dreams strikes me as being very upbeat and having a bright clean feeling to it.

As it moves along, Dreams becomes a traditional white floral fragrance, with the gardenia doing its thing. Though, I think what separates this perfume somewhat is the desert inspired notes, that give it an airy green/woody aroma.

I suppose it’s the cactus flower that’s giving the gardenia support during the floral middle act. That greenish dew/juicy aroma. Not a note that I’ve come across a lot, but it fits well enough.

Really, Dreams doesn’t develop all that much. It shifts from being slightly fruity/floral to being much more of a white floral with hints of fruit. Gardenia, other flowers, wood, and some ambroxan thrown in for good measure.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Dreams isn’t a sillage bomb. It’ll project itself decently, but really isn’t ever going to overwhelm. Very middle of the road, but definitely not a weak scent by any measure. It doesn’t feel heavy. Dreams is softer with a naturalistic feeling.

The longevity is above average but not elite. 7-8.5 hours is what is seems to hang around for on my skin. A full workday for most folks and I didn’t find any aspect of its performance to be disappointing.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summer wear. Within that frame, it has a nice amount of versatility. It is pretty and unobtrusive. Can work casually, at the office, or a daily wear for those who are still in school.

I wouldn’t rule out some days in autumn or winter too. I’d say that Dreams is at its best in the warmer part of the year, however.

It does have a somewhat youthful vibe, but isn’t completely a perfume for teenagers. It is well put together and can be appreciated by older women, as well. Easy to wear and not really going to offend.

Overall Impression of Dreams

Do I like this perfume? I do. It’s a nice fragrance, with a good blend of gardenia and other notes. Dreams has a sunny disposition, some light fruity touches, and green-ish desert scents which distinguish it somewhat.

The pear and the bitter orange in the opening act is a highlight for me. I think that it pairs well with the slight dewy aroma coming up from the base.

The second half is fine too. Basically a standard gardenia-led floral fragrance with bits of that pear note still coming through. Performance is above average, so that gives Dreams a boost as far as its usefulness.

It’s not an amazing fragrance, just one that’s quite pleasant and gives a good performance. So, I wouldn’t say that it’s a must have. But, this Coach perfume is one that could readily find a spot in your rotation because it is easy to wear and versatile.

More of a like, not a love. Though, it is a perfume that I have no real complaints about either. Nice release from this designer.

Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper | 25 by Kayali

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Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper 25 is the last of the perfumes from the Kayali sample set, that I had to review. Totally forgot about this one over the past few months and so have revisited the scent for that purpose. Wasn’t one of the options that I was particularly excited to try out, but does it actually exceed expectations?

What does Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper 25 Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, pink pepper, saffron, Bulgarian rose, vanilla orchid, sandalwood

Click here to try: Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper 25

My Full Review

The opening of this one really goes heavy on the spice and bergamot note. Pink pepper and saffron come in and make a bold, warm, and peppery statement up top. With that strong citrus brightness from the bergamot.

It’s a bit too much for me. This does improve as it settles. The Bulgarian rose will start to take over and this one loses a lot of the shock of the top notes. At this point, it’s the rose and saffron and patchouli heading things.

That pink pepper sticks around, but it is at a greatly diminished level.

For basically the rest of the way, this is a dry rose and saffron fragrance. Sure, there is some woodiness and musk floating around, but the two main attractions dominate.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one does start out with some nice power and can leave a scent trail in ones wake. That spicy impact early on will carry well in the air and leap off of the skin.

Even beyond that, I still get to spend plenty of time with Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper, as a moderate fragrance that doesn’t hit skin level status until the latter back half of the wear.

While it isn’t too complicated of a perfume, Sweet Diamond actually sticks around fairly well for a Kayali scent. 7-7.5 hours, on my skin. Obviously, the vast majority is when it is in its saffron and rose phase, but I still pick it up.

Seasonally, this would work better in the colder to milder temperatures of autumn and winter. It’s fine in spring, also. I would probably skip wearing Sweet Diamond in the summer, outside of some evenings perhaps.

Within that time frame, it’s pretty versatile. I don’t find it to be sexy or formal, but it could work for most other occasions or a daily wear. Also, since Kayali perfumes are so layer-able, you can get some addition use out of Sweet Diamond by going that route.

Overall Impressions of Sweet Diamond

Overall, do I like this fragrance? It’s okay. I don’t think that it’s terrible on its own, but it also isn’t a perfume that wows me at any time. It is about what I expected from Sweet Diamond. It might be a better bet for layering than for solo use.

I usually enjoy saffron and pink pepper separately. However, together in this scent, it’s too overwhelming early on. Sweet Diamond does improve some, as it dries down, but it’s not that complicated of a fragrance to truly make a difference.

The performance is good for this brand, however. So, if this ends up being one of the scents that you like, you at least get some value out of it. I don’t hate Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper, but Huda Beauty has released better.