Best Men's Colognes

Best Men's Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with the different fragrances that I've owned, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, that new hobby grew into a consistent passion, helping millions of readers along the way. I have personally test out and written reviews for well over 800 perfumes and colognes for both men and women. This is along with writing hundreds of other in-depth fragrance guides. You can also follow me on: YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok!

Only the Brave Wild by Diesel

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Another sample that I received recently is from the Only the Brave line by Diesel, named, Wild. Flanker fragrances to original scents that have enjoyed popularity can be hit and miss. Sometimes, you get an improvement over the original, and many other times you get a complete dud. How does Only the Brave Wild stack up? Please continue reading below for my full take.

What does Only the Brave Wild Smell Like?

Notes include: citronella, lavender, nutmeg, black pepper, coconut wood, cedar

Click here to try: Diesel Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, Only The Brave Wild, 4.2 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Only the Brave Wild, is a mix of woodsy green notes and spice provided by the black pepper and nutmeg notes. It took me a few minutes to figure out what the nutmeg note was reminding me of and I finally placed it to Polo’s Double Black.

No, these two scents aren’t clones of one another, it was just that singular note which was drawing my attention. But with the citronella note in this one instead of the mango in Double Black, there is a vague resemblance lurking between the two scents.

Anyways, there is a fresh spiciness and warmth to this cologne from the outset. The grapefruit-like aroma (citronella) gives Only the Brave Wild an understated citrus aroma that blends rather nicely but ultimately weakens after about a half an hour.

There is also coconut wood as a note and not the coconut itself, which is interesting because it isn’t an intense coconut smell like found in Virgin Island Water.

However, you do pick up on that sort of tropical vibe underneath the wood and spice. As it moves along, I get more of the black pepper and nutmeg combo paired with the wood, and much less of the citrus/coconut combo.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this Diesel cologne, is kind of weak, but not a complete disaster. You might add an extra spray while wearing it to get a full effect. Still, not going to overwhelm.

It hangs in the air rather lightly but it does have a pretty good radius of projection for a time. The overall effect is pretty limited.

The longevity is also not so great, I’d say around 4 hours per wear, maybe 5 on occasion. The sillage is a bit better than how long it actually lasts, which isn’t saying much.

For a mainstream designer fragrance, that’s just flat out embarrassing. I tested it a few times and that’s what I got out of Wild. With a super cheap cologne, I might expect performance like this, but not for Diesel.

This strikes me as a fall through springtime scent. I wouldn’t like this in the summer and it would probably perform even worse in the heat. Even though it isn’t a heavy fragrance, has some citrus and tropical notes, I’d still pass when it’s hot out.

In cold weather, it could be fairly decent, as a casual or maybe office kind of cologne to wear. There are certainly more formal and better options, however. I wouldn’t wear this for a night on the town, a date, or anything else of the sort.

It’s not a very versatile fragrance outside of the range of climate that it can be worn in.

Overall Impressions of Only the Brave Wild

Overall would I recommend Only the Brave Wild? Not really. I don’t see it as useful in any meaningful way. It doesn’t smell terrible, but it’s just okay, and very forgettable.

The performance isn’t good enough for it to be a sneaky good fragrance, and I’m pretty unenthusiastic about wearing it any further. It is fairly unique, it just doesn’t do much of anything with that uniqueness.

Like, the performance is bad, even if you happen to personally like the smell. Coming back to this scent, I’m wavering on even that aspect of it. I still think that Only the Brave Wild is mid in smell and pretty lousy in almost every other aspect.

There are a ton of better options at this price point and below, so Only the Brave Wild is the odd man out.

Idylle by Guerlain

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I’m back with another review of a ladies’ fragrance. This time it’s Idylle, a release from Guerlain Paris which came out in 2009. It comes in a water droplet shaped bottle and features many floral notes. I’m going to explore how it smelled, performed, when it could be worn, and if it is worth a purchase.

What does Idylle Smell Like?

Notes: freesia, rose, raspberry, lily of the valley, musk, peony, lilac, patchouli, litchi

Click here to try: Idylle by Guerlain, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

I’m not a huge fan of the smell of roses, so when I saw that it was a not in Idylle, I thought that it might overpower the rest of the composition and make me not enjoy it. That actually wasn’t the case.

The opening is like a bouquet of floral notes with some raspberry and litchi to give it a slightly fruity aroma. The main floral that stands out is the Lily of the Valley note which is accompanied by a tempered rose.

What I like about Idylle, is that, as a floral it doesn’t become to ‘green’ and plant like. Nor does it fall too much into the trap of overdoing it with white flowers.

It’s a great mix of several different floral notes that creates a bright and upbeat fragrance. It is a sophisticated and very feminine scent, that never strays into grandma or little girl territory.

As it dries down, Idylle picks up more of the musk note which I feel rounds it out and doesn’t overwhelm. Idylle seems to be very well blended and while the lily is the main player, it is more of a team effort between all of the notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection on this perfume falls somewhere between moderate and strong. It isn’t a beast but I was always aware of its presence.

I think that first hour or so is going to produce a nice scent trail for the wearer. After that, it’ll be above what the average fragrance provides, but not hitting elite levels.

The longevity is also solid but not insane, probably 6-7 hours of good wear. Testing Idylle out a few times, this is all that it seemed capable of. Better sillage and projection versus how long it actually lasts on skin.

Idylle is a bright womanly scent that could be worn in mostly casual or just daily wear situations. I honestly like it enough that I would want to smell it on a woman that I was dating. I don’t think I’d call it sexy, more like very pretty and attractive.

But, it is one that should offer plenty of opportunities to spray it on before you leave the house. Not a super unique standout, though it can certainly serve a function in one’s perfume rotation.

This is a warmer weather scent, so spring/summer. The florals, fruits, greenish qualities all make this Guerlain ideal for these two seasons.

Overall Impressions of Idylle

Overall, is Idylle worth a buy? If you like florals, yes. This Guerlain perfume does a great job at not becoming dominated by one note or just making you feel like you’re stuck in a garden. A good balance and very wearable.

Idylle is feminine and enjoyable while also being a pretty nice performer. If spiciness or sweetness is your thing, look elsewhere, but everyone else should like this fragrance and not be too offended by it.

Lily of the valley and some periods of rose, are really the two standouts from the balance of this fragrance. Even then, it’s a slight advantage over the other notes. A nice musky period to add to the cleanliness of Idylle’s floral arrangement.

To me, this is a pretty good scent across the board. I’m not overly enthusiastic about Idylle, while I do like it to some extent. It’s sort of a dumb reach floral scent. Easy to wear and will fit in many occasions.

Eternity Air for Men by Calvin Klein

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Eternity Air was one of the seemingly endless line of CK Eternity fragrances, that I had yet to properly try and review on the site. This one came out back in 2018 and I wasn’t too familiar with it.  So, I bought a travel sprayer’s worth of it to test out and share my thoughts on. How does it smell? How long does Air last? Is it worth a try?

What does Eternity Air Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, mandarin, sea notes, juniper, violet leaf, seaweed, patchouli, amber, apple

Click here to try: Eternity Air

My Full Wear Review

The opening spray of Eternity Air does bring an airy sort of aroma. Not that it’s weak, but more like a gust of wind carrying it’s notes on top of it.

Initially, the lavender is most noticeable, along with the freshness of the juniper. A light mandarin and seaweed/saltwater combination, that is sort of like Bvlgari Aqva. However, this one reminds me a lot of Maritime Journey by Tommy Bahama blended with Light Blue Eau Intense.

I like the concept itself. The air accord and the sea/aquatic accord being the two dominate themes in this one. So, once I saw the listed notes, I had pretty high expectations for Air.

There is definitely an accord of ingredients in this one, that produces an Light Blue Eau Intense aroma. It’s like a current underneath the main attraction of Eternity Air. Amber, sea notes, mandarin, and especially the juniper all overlap with these two fragrances. Air isn’t nearly as strong, nor as citrusy.

From here, I pick up some of the violet leaf. What Eternity Air ultimately becomes is about the amber, lavender, juniper, and seaweed. The other notes mostly evaporate away from my skin and this starts to feel rather plain and familiar.

So, the oceanic feeling is gone, except for the seaweed. Then, the ‘air’ fresh breeziness doesn’t hold up throughout either. Again, the two main attractions are all but neutered by the end.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it’s pretty moderate. On the lower end of the middle of the pack. For me, it actually holds up decently, but never feels like a powerhouse or anything.

Again, this is an airy aquatic. As such, Eternity Air isn’t going to be a heavy sillage bomb. Some scent trail and projection, but it’s going to be lighter with how it hangs in the air.

Longevity is okay, but not amazing. 5-6.5 hours with a few sprays, on the skin. On an old t-shirt, I got some more hours out of it. So, if you don’t mind damaging some clothing item, it’ll go further for you.

This one suffers the same fate as many other recent releases from this brand, it’s middling in the performance. Even if you like the smell of the fragrance itself, it kind of disappoints anyway.

Eternity Air is a spring/summer wear. Though, I’ve worn it in January, and it really wasn’t bad at all. It’s not a super citrus scent and the airy freshness didn’t feel too out of place.

Mostly, I would wear this as a casual scent. It’s not particularly offensive, so the office wouldn’t be a problem either. Not a club beast. It’s somewhat attractive, but nothing to call sexy.

You can at least wear Eternity Air in a variety of situations, which I guess is its strength. It’s just not very formal or anything that is well put together, even if it is something that one can get use out of.

Overall Impressions of Eternity Air

Do I like this fragrance? It’s okay. There’s nothing all that unique about it, nor anything attention grabbing. It smells like plenty of others out there, doesn’t have insane performance, but it isn’t revolting.

I thought that I would really like this one going into it. I do like fresh aquatics and with that added ‘air’ accord, this cologne sounded like something that’d be an under the radar gem. However, it doesn’t ever turn into anything special.

From the Eternity series, Air, is one of my least favorites. Eternity Now and Aqua are both better warm weather colognes. As such, what’s the point of getting this one?

The opening act is probably it’s most attractive point, but that’s short-lived. Everything else about it is completely middle of the road. Kind of a forgettable experience. Again, Eternity Air isn’t a bad fragrance, I just can’t see myself wanting to or needing to wear it.

Alien Aqua Chic by Thierry Mugler

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Beyond getting a sample of Pure Malt to review, I also picked up a fragrance for the ladies by Thierry Mugler, Alien Aqua Chic. Now, this is a flanker fragrance to the ever popular, Alien, and while they do share some similarities, Aqua Chic is quite a different perfume. In this post, I want to give my full impressions of this scent, on how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a purchase.

Alien Aqua Chic Overview

alien aqua chic

Notes include: freesia, wood, ginger, amber, lemon verbena

Click here to try: Thierry Mugler Alien Aqua Chic Light Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 2 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Alien Aqua Chic is somewhat reminiscent of the original Alien perfume but this one is decidedly more floral/aquatic with a slight spiciness provided by that ginger note.

I actually like the way the freesia and lemon verbena blend together to create a fairly unique floral fragrance and a welcome departure from the usual rose or violet that many perfumes have.

I would say that the aqua name fits as the floral notes do seem ‘juicy’ in that watery sort of way. I like this perfume but am not overwhelmed or really wowed by it.

The ginger note does feel like the highlight of this fragrance. It is a very fresh and crisp aroma, that comes across as being confident without being gaudy.

There isn’t too much development with this one. More freesia, less spice, some amber, and light woods in the base. As it moves along, it also loses some of that initial freshness. Basically a floral/aquatic/spicy/citrus blend to one that is more floral/amber.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on this one is pretty good. Aqua Chic is a moderate fragrance in my opinion and I don’t think there will be a problem with choking people out while wearing it, unless you really go overboard with the sprays.

It has a lighter and fresh tone, rather than being heavy. But, that projection does hold up, without overwhelming. I think the initial strength is above average and then gradually decays into something more middle of the road.

The longevity is very good and lasted on my skin for 6-7 hours before I washed it off…it was still going strong, so my guess is this one will hit 8+ hours pretty easily. It wouldn’t shock me if some can get to 10 hours with Aqua Chic.

Alien Aqua Chic isn’t really a nighttime or sexy kind of scent. I would say, that it is best for casual wear during the spring or summer months of the year. I think that it is an interesting contrast versus most of the summery type of perfumes out there.

Overall Impressions of Aqua Chic

Overall, I think that this Thierry Mugler perfume is pretty good. The performance is exactly what you would want from a perfume. The smell is pleasant, but it isn’t really mind blowing to me.

It’s quite similar to Alien, but with a fresh ginger note, and and aquatic aroma. Less woody, smooth, and vanilla overall. Pretty simple and linear without too much development. Basically, you like Alien but want something more wearable in the heat.

That’s not a bad thing for a spring and summer wear, because you do at least get solid performance from this one. Which, is pretty much the case with every Mugler perfume, and this doesn’t mess up the Alien namesake with poor performance.

If you need a solid casual scent, like slightly spicy florals, and can get a good price on a bottle, I’d say go for it.

Update: It’s not as available as it once was, but I’ve seen bottles of Aqua Chic still floating around, just much more sparingly. I don’t think you’ll be able to get it at a cheap price any longer.

Astor Place by Bond No. 9

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In this incarnation of the ongoing fragrance reviews on this site, I want to turn my attention to another ladies’ perfume from Bond No. 9 entitled, Astor Place. This one came out back in 2009, so it’s an older option from this brand. I will cover what’s in it, how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Astor Place Smell Like?

Notes include: violet leaf, freesia, red poppy buds, mandarin zest, teakwood, amber, musk, orris

Click here to try: Bondno.9 New York Astor Place Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Astor Place gives off a blend of violet leaf, red poppy, and freesia with a slight mandarin zest. This isn’t a citrus takeover, as in Bond’s Little Italy. Rather, it does feel as if it’s just a bit of zest on top of the floral arrangement.

The floral notes have some sweetness to them, as well as a fine powdery feel supplied by the orris. Mainly, it feels a bit wet/dewy and greenish with the violet leaf, and layer of citrus on top.

That’s what it’s going to be for most of the wear. The light citrus will be the first to fall off and the other notes will jockey for position. Mostly, the violet leaf and freesia with red poppy being the weakest of the bunch.

As it dries down, Astor Place has its musk note emerge along with the unique teakwood note. There is usually an hour or two before the initial floral aromas give way to the clean and simple scent that follows.

The freesia becomes more dominate over the other floral notes and at this point, the perfume become much more interesting and pretty, in my mind.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on this isn’t huge, it’s kind of a scent that sneaks up on you. Like, it’ll go unnoticed and then you’ll suddenly catch a whiff of it and be drawn in.

It’s not going to leave a huge scent trail, even during that opening hour. However, I will say that this is a bit above average with its ability to project and Astor Place does float around for a good amount of time before going into skin scent mode.

While it isn’t super strong, it is one that lasts a long time like 8+ hours, which is well above average. Depending on the climate and your skin, you might be able to get over the double digit hour mark with Astor Place.

This is a spring/early summertime fragrance for casual or other daytime wear. It fits right in at an office, as well, since it won’t be choking anybody out while one is wearing it. This is less along the lines of being a ‘sexy’ fragrance and one that is just bright and beautiful.

So, it’s a pretty versatile fragrance. Probably won’t be a go to scent for the colder months or for a night out. Though, for just about anything else, it can work. Astor Place has easy daily wear perfume, written all over it.

Overall Impressions of Astor Place

Overall, would I recommend Astor Place? I like it. Actually, the further it gets into the wear, the more I like it. The initial opening is easy to dismiss as just another floral but this one has some depth and it’s quite pleasant.

I usually like freesia, but I’m not a big fan of violet leaf. I wasn’t expecting much coming into testing this Bond No. 9 out. Though, the violet leaf really didn’t bother me and I thought that this had a good balance and charm in its simplicity.

Is it amazing? Not really. But as a casual floral, it’s good, and has great performance. Astor Place is not for everybody but there will be those who adore it.

The price point could be a deciding factor for many people. Is it worth paying Bond No. 9 prices for something that isn’t all around outstanding?

I’d say no, but it has good enough performance that if you actually enjoy this sort of scent more than I do, it could be well worth grabbing a bottle. There’s nothing that it does poorly and is a solid scent all around. The question is, is that enough to warrant a purchase?