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!

Eternity Intense by Calvin Klein

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So, I saw that Calvin Klein had released a new fragrance, Eternity Intense, and figured that I might as well give it a try. Now, CK scents are a mixed bag for me, some smell good and perform well, while others simply don’t make the cut.

I like the original Eternity, as such I thought that this might be a welcome addition to the lineup. In this post, I want to give my impressions of this cologne, what it smells like, how it performs, and whether I think that it is worth a purchase or not.

What does Eternity Intense for Men Smell Like?

Notes: iris, vanilla, grapefruit, bergamot, orris, cedar, pepper

Click here to try from Amazon: Calvin Klein Eternity Intense Eau De Toilette for Men, 3.4 oz.

My Full Wear Review

So, right off the bat, I want to compare this to the original Eternity for Men. I like the original scent, though, it definitely isn’t my favorite by any stretch. It’s good, decently priced, but does have a bit too much of a soapy aroma to be an everyday wear for me.

But, it is a legit scent. Eternity Intense, on the other hand, I don’t really know what to make of it. It isn’t intense…like at all.

Secondly, it immediately has a heavy reliance on the iris note, whereas the older Eternity was much more lavender based. I think the floral notes are too heavily weighted in the composition.

However, I don’t want to bash the scent or give you the idea that the floral notes make this a ‘girly’ fragrance. It isn’t. The pepper note gives it a spice and a light smokiness is added to it for a masculine air.

There is also some light citrus that is reminiscent of the original but it seems really soft. I do get the black tea, for a short time, and I actually like it with this blend. Wish it stuck around for a longer period.

The bergamot and grapefruit pairing don’t even reach the same level as the old Dior Homme, which the citrus in that is also light. Here, it’s almost miniscule.

It’s somewhat like a poor man’s Dior Homme, which I love, but  this is not nearly to the same level. No real depth and the quality isn’t up to par either.

As it dries down, this gets some woodsy influence from geranium and cedar. Mostly it’s about the iris and some vanilla influence.

I actually think that it smells pretty nice and doesn’t have the same soapy quality as the original Eternity. Though, it isn’t great or all that impressive either.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it doesn’t live up to the title. It isn’t intense and is actually a fairly soft cologne. What the hell? This isn’t the first time that I’ve run across an ‘intense’ scent that completely lacks in this department. If it’s not going to be a powerhouse, just name it something else.

Also, the longevity is really weak. You might eek out a few hours with this scent or it will be gone within an hour. The original Eternity was pretty good in this measurement but the Intense version drops the ball.

I don’t know, if I’m the only one who has had issues with Intense, but the performance is really bad.

Eternity Intense would probably fall under the casual cologne family, in my opinion. That is, if it actually lasted and performed well. It feels like a springtime wear with the floral notes.

If you get a better performance than I, this would be a pretty easy on to spray on, in a variety of situations. Not the greatest or highest quality fragrance, but it’d work well enough for most guys.

Overall Impressions of Eternity Intense

Overall, is this a buy? No. I don’t get it. It smells decent but its performance sucks. Like, there are so many other options out there, there is literally no reason for this. It doesn’t do anything well enough for me to justify a purchase.

The dry down is pretty nice and I like the black tea, to the extent I get any of it. But, it just never hits a higher level. Maybe it’d be a fine pick up for really cheap, just to see if you get some performance from it. As is, I’ll pass completely.

If you like the original Eternity, just stick with that, and skip Intense. The other Eternity flankers are at least decent to quite good, this one just completely misses the mark. Not a good entry from Calvin Klein performance wise, which makes the rest of the fragrance pointless.

K EDP by Dolce & Gabbana

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K (King) EDP by Dolce & Gabbana was released in 2020 and I recently got a sample sprayer of this fragrance to try out. This was a complete blind buy for me. Which is good, because I could come at it without any preconceived notions on what it was. How does it smell? How does K perform? Is it worth a try?

What does K Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: pimento, fig, juniper, blood orange, lemon, cardamom, lavender, sage, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana K for Men Eau de Parfum Spray, 5 Ounce/150ml

My Full Wear Review

Before we get to my thoughts, let’s see how D&G describes this fragrance: K by Dolce & Gabbana eau de parfum reveals a fresh and spicy cardamom note, followed by a stronger woody base more sensual than ever with a fig milk accord, the fragrance is the essence of masculine seduction.

I haven’t tried the EDT version prior to getting a sample of the eau de parfum, so I really had no expectations coming into trying this one. I didn’t even know whether this would be a sweet fragrance, aquatic, or whatever.

Initially, there’s a lot going on here. Holy pimento! Not a note that you encounter a lot, but it is definitely present in the opening act of K. Fig and cardamom are also major players here but I really get pimento at first.

Underneath all of that, there is some citrus. I guess it’s mainly the blood orange, but it isn’t really that noticeable to my nose. After a few minutes, K is more of a hodgepodge of different spicier aromas: pimento, cardamom, sage, and some earthiness from the patchouli note.

It can be somewhat off-putting but I think that the fig note holds things together. The middle act is a bit messy to me, lots going on. The opening while loaded with that pimento, actually seemed to have a clear direction.

As it dries down, K EDP is woodier with some smokiness and it has a level of bitterness to it. This is a densely packed cologne  and one that kind of shocked me. Not a bad thing, as there are facets here that I do quite like.

The final dry down for me is fig, cedar, and vetiver. Vetiver really comes through at the end and makes this feel more traditional. I am surprised that the fig note, made it this deep into the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

On me, this doesn’t come across as a powerhouse. I’d say that it has above average sillage, just not a complete monster. I sprayed it on a shirt across the room, as well, and can’t pick up anything from 10 feet or so away. Not weak, just not insane.

On skin, it’s noticeable throughout. Towards the 4-5 hour mark, King will really start to sit close to the skin. It doesn’t fade away, though, and I do catch whiffs of it when I’m going about my day.

It also seems to stick around for 7-8.5 hours, give or take. Nothing to sneer at and I certainly wasn’t upset with its performance.

You could wear this casually to semi-formally to out on the town for the evening. Not really a summertime scent, but summer evenings would be fine. Probably at its best in more moderate temperatures, so, spring or autumn.

I could see this being a solid option to wear out to bars and clubs. Not the super sweet attention grabber like many others, but something sort of well put together without being overly formal.

It can be worn be younger men or older guys. It has a nice balance that should appeal to a wide age range. Having said that, it will be more polarizing than many other popular men’s fragrances. Not everyone is going to dig this, as those spices, may not be what you’re looking for.

Overall Impressions of K EDP

Do I like this fragrance? I sort of do. I’m not completely into every aspect of it, but I do find it intriguing. Ultimately, I don’t think that this particular Dolce cologne fits with my style. However, some guys are going to absolutely love this stuff.

It is something a bit different from the norm. Again, I haven’t tried the EDT as of yet, so I can’t compare the two. This starts out with plenty of depth and uniqueness, but becomes much more of a typical woody fragrance.

That pimento and cardamom combination is a great curve ball. Not insanely great, but I do enjoy that D&G took things in a different direction. Plus, I do like a good fig note. The one in K EDP really holds things together, as the various spices begin to compete for attention.

I think it’ll mostly appeal to guys in their 20s and early 30s, even if the scent itself has a much broader use case than that. The presentation and marketing feels geared towards that age group.

Nice and it doesn’t have any particular weaknesses. You might want to try before you commit to a full buy, though.

Acqua Di Gio vs 1 Million Paco Rabanne Cologne Comparison

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For this edition of the head to head fragrance match ups, I want to do a comparison between two of the most popular men’s colognes, from the past few decades: Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani vs. 1 Million by Paco Rabanne. Which scent smells the best? Which has the better performance? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: AdG vs. 1 Million

Acqua di Gio

Notes include: bergamot, tangerine, neroli, jasmine, rosemary, patchouli, rock rose, hyacinth, persimmon, marine notes

Click here to try: Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my review: Acqua di Gio 

1 Million

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

Read my review: 1 Million

Opening

1 Million opens up with a blend of leather, rose, and citrus of blood orange and grapefruit. It’s quite sweet and bold, and creates a grape bubble gum like aroma from the jump.

Some folks aren’t too enthusiastic about the opening, but I like its charming beginning. This is all surrounded by a warm amber note. That amber warmth is enveloping and I really like the cooling sensation of the mint note that starts to peak through.

As it moves forward, it goes from sweet and cooler freshness to warmer spices, and a balanced period in between.

Acqua di Gio starts out with tangerine and bergamot citrus notes and a sea breeze note, which provides an upbeat and refreshing aquatic scent. There is also a floral aroma, provided by the jasmine. Some neroli and hyacinth, as well.

The citrus really comes across as a lemon and lime-led aroma. The newer bottles really have a nice amount of jasmine, when I wear it. Very nice.

Which is better? I really do enjoy both of these colognes and how each starts. Acqua di Gio has plenty of nice qualities, but I think I prefer the bold start of 1 Million. It is somewhat more interesting and has greater depth.

Though, coming back to both here recently, I have a great appreciation for wearing Acqua.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

Acqua di Gio isn’t a powerhouse fragrance. It is solid but moderate throughout the wear. 1 Million is pretty legendary, at this point, with its sillage and how it performs. 1 Million can fill a room, with not too many sprays, it’s a beast. This category isn’t close.

Update: 1 Million doesn’t have that same level of pop anymore, but it still does extremely well in comparison, and didn’t lose too much of a step. AdG is still about the same, but it gets lighter quicker.

Edge: 1 Million

Longevity

Acqua di Gio gets me a consistent 6-7 hours of wear, each time I use it. Again, that’s a very respectable number, and good enough for most purposes.

Update: Newer batches that I’ve tried, are much more in the six hour range, maybe 5.5 hours much of the time. I can still get 7 occasionally.

1 Million, has always been 10+ hours, on my skin. Like, 13-15 hours into a wear, has not been uncommon. I haven’t tried newer bottles, so, I’m unaware of any reformulation. However, it’s always been top tier for me.

Update: Newer bottles only hit around 8, on my skin. Still, better than the current AdG offering.

Edge: 1 Million

Versatility

This is where AdG has an advantage. This stuff can be worn in a wide variety of situations and climates and still work. It is a great starter cologne, daily wear, and is still versatile enough for dates.

It skews towards younger guys, but so does 1 Million. 1 Million is a colder weather scent with serious nightlife vibes. In fact, it’s a club staple, and has been since its release. It can be worn elsewhere, just have to go easy with it.

Edge: Acqua di Gio

Overall Scent

Acqua di Gio is a really great scent and has been for a long time now. It’s just one of those colognes that you can throw on without thinking about it and feel comfortable that it won’t let you down.

It is a classic aquatic and will undoubtedly be a best-seller for a long time to come. If you’re in the market for an everyday wear, this will probably be a better option.

However, which is a better fragrance overall? I think 1 Million is superior and I prefer wearing it to the Armani cologne. It has a playful demeanor and women seem to really react positively to it, especially younger ladies.

I love the mint, leather, rose, citrus, and amber warmth. It’s so sweet and still smells really good to this day. Yes, it has more of a limited versatility than does AdG, but it makes up for it with the aroma and superior performance.

But again, if you want a greater use case all around, go with Acqua di Gio. The citrus, wood, and marine aquatic breeze is still amazing to come across after all of these years.

Winner: 1 Million

Uomo Intense by Valentino

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In this review, I am going to take a closer look at the flanker release to Valentino’s Uomo, called, Uomo Intense. I have give it a few wears now and want to share my thoughts and experiences with it. I will cover what’s in it, how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worthwhile to try out.

What does Valentino Uomo Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: sage, iris, vanilla, leather, tonka bean, mandarin

Click here to try: Valentino Uomo Intense by Valentino EDP for Men, 3.4 Fl Oz

My Full Review

The opening of Uomo Intense is like a more leather heavy version of Dior Homme. It is darker, the iris isn’t as fresh as in that Dior, and there isn’t the sweet cacao note in there.

It is interesting, the Valentino Uomo colognes are so similar to the Dior Homme line, but Uomo Intense didn’t manage to retain the amazing start of the original or go with a Dior Intense opening.

So, the opening 10 minutes or so, it strikes me as a worse version of Dior Homme. However, it does begin to shift into its own thing, thereafter. There is plenty of leather but the vanilla not and a bit of mandarin orange peak through, and give it a different take.

During this stage, Uomo Intense, is really dominated by leather and vanilla. The iris is still there, but it isn’t a strong, as it later becomes.

As it dries down further, the iris emerges fully, and the powdery element comes in. It’s not a super baby powder smell or anything, but that natural iris aroma. With that is a creamy sweet vanilla/tonka bean combo, as the secondary layer.

Then, the final layer is that dark leather note, with sage. Kind of weird how I didn’t even get a bit of sage with my nose, until way later into this wear. This later part of the wear, is much more like Dior Intense than the original Dior Homme. It’s like Valentino made some hybrid of those two colognes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s really not that strong. The sillage isn’t weak in my mind, but it doesn’t hit the same level, as either of the Dior scents. It might be right around the original Uomo’s strength. Possibly, a bit greater reach off of the skin, just not by much.

Longevity is about 6-8 hours, depending on the day. Not terribly amazing, but it doesn’t quit on you, too early. Again, the Dior fragrances just perform better. Still, I find it to be perfectly usable and nothing really to complain about.

Seasonally, it works in anything other than hot and humid weather. Mostly, I like it as an autumn and winter wear, Uomo Intense is very nice in the cold air. It’s a more mature fragrance, can be worn to the office or for a night out, but doesn’t have too much of a casual vibe.

It’d probably be best worn by men in their mid-20s or up. Smells very nice, fresh, and attractive but not really a super ‘sexy’ cologne. Though, I’ve worn it out at night and it held up well.

Overall Impressions of Uomo Intense

Overall, do I like Uomo Intense. I really do enjoy it. The vanilla and leather are a really great combination within this fragrance. This is a really smooth and well put together fragrance.

On the other hand, I like the original Uomo, better. The opening of that is just amazing to me. I also wear Dior Homme, so I have no place for something, which smells like a slightly different mix of that and Dior Intense.

Plus, the opening of Dior Intense is the part that I like over Dior Homme the most, and it doesn’t exist in Uomo Intense. It is a great fragrance, it’s just that I’d put it fourth out of those colognes, personally.

As such, there’s really no need for me to own it, since it doesn’t do anything special. Very good cologne, without a spot of its own.

The dry down is probably my favorite part, when it really begins to show off the iris note. For some, this might be preferable to at least one or the other fragrances, I mentioned. Especially now, that you can’t find bottles of the old Dior Homme easily. I’d still go with Uomo EDT or Dior Intense, but check this out too, before it completely disappears from market.

7 Fragrances Similar to Mon Paris

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Mon Paris has been a fun and popular fragrance from YSL, with its blend of fruits and floral notes. A classic combination to be sure, but it’s sweetness and depth has made it a perfume with plenty of mass appeal. But, what if you’re looking for something similar, less expensive, or along the same lines as Mon Paris? This page will be dedicated to my running list of scents that are alike.

What Fragrances Smell Similar to Mon Paris by YSL?

She is Mine by La Rive– She is Mine comes within striking distance of the aroma of Mon Paris, at a much cheaper price point, but not exactly.

The berries, pear, and general fruitiness of the YSL is all there. However, this one doesn’t have the same floral or musk levels as found in our target. Plus, the vanilla note is pretty prominent here.

The sweetness is ramped up here it seems, just less depth, and overall staying power from this La Rive. Not exactly the same, but this one does a pretty good impression versus what you pay for it.

Ciao by Vince Camuto– Ciao isn’t among my personal favorite Camuto scents, but it does give us much of what we’re looking for in comparison to Mon Paris. Not to say that it’s a bad perfume, it certainly does have its charm.

This is another one that is in the same ballpark as Mon Paris, while for sure not being an exact match. Here, you get a mass of berries to kick things off. To me, the YSL has a mix of berries and pear up top, that is reminiscent of what you find here.

Ciao is sweet and jammy, more so than our target fragrance. Peony and rose are coming along to aid in the similarities, but in the early stages the lily and passionflower give the Camuto its real distinction.

It’s nice enough, solid performance, and a closely related to style to what we’re looking for. Worth a try, if you can get it for cheap.

212 Heroes Forever Young– The fruitiness is basically what you get with Mon Paris, the biggest difference will be in the floral accord. 212 Heroes Forever also lacks that pear note, that hits early in the YSL.

Forever moves away from the rose, peony, and datura found in Mon Paris. It does have the same jasmine note, just occupying a much bigger place in the composition than our target scent.

A fruity clean white floral fragrance with some added orange blossom and light woods. I like its freshness and while not a one to one match with Mon Paris, Forever gives you plenty to like with a similar style.

Pink Me Up by Atelier des Ors– Pink Me Up is a nice little fragrance, that has Mon Paris Intensement similarities.

However, the champagne note in Pink, sets it apart from either of the YSL perfumes. The notes are different, but the structure is very much alike. Here blackberry and champagne early on, with the rose (like Intensement) playing more of a role, as it dries down.

Towards the end, both fragrances are sweet, musky, rose-dominated floral blends. Not exactly the same, but liking one, will likely mean that the other would work for you as well. This is sweeter and more dynamic than Intensement.

Note that Pink is much more expensive and you pretty much need to order it online. So, not going to be one for those on a tighter budget.

Coach Coach New York, 1 Fl Oz– Coach EDP is one that has a very close fruity and floral profile similar to Mon Paris, but it also does things quite enough differently to be distinct.

This one features notes of pear and raspberry, going less floral, but still including notes such as rose.

The raspberry here is very dominant early, giving it a sweet aroma, with a smooth suede note included. In the dry down, it is a slightly fruity mix with a lot of clean-ish smelling flowers. At this stage, it is more about the pear with a bit of a powdery aroma from the floral notes.

Performance wise, Coach EDP is solid with 7-8 hours of wear and a good ability to project, without the sillage being too massive.

Valentina Pink by Valentino– Valentina Pink is another one using berries and roses to create a closely related style to Mon Paris. This one, goes with blackberry like some others on the list, but the strawberry will be the biggest factor in the mix.

The rose is heavier with this perfume, also. While it has the same peony and musk notes, they don’t seem to have the same level as Mon Paris. It’s sweeter (praline), has a more linear use of the floral notes, and a powdery quality to it.

Pink isn’t my favorite on the list, but it could also work quite well for someone who wants a perfume of this type, with nice performance.

Kate Spade New York– Kate Spade New York is highlighted early on by a strawberry note that is paired with a citrusy mix. It’s bright, fresh, and somewhat naturalistic fruity notes versus something that is synthetic sugary.

A bit sweet, a bit tart in the beginning stages. Then, some greenish notes and the rose essence will come through. The rose really isn’t heavy in this perfume, it’s there, just never punching you in the face with its presence.

The strawberry retains its hold for the duration, along with some cashmeran wood, floral notes, and the ambroxan note.

This isn’t one that’s an exact replica of the Mon Paris formula, but this perfume will give you a lot of the same style if you’re a fan of Mon Paris. Kate Spade New York review