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!

Eau Sauvage Cologne by Dior

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Eau Sauvage Cologne is a flanker of the 1966 classic Dior fragrance, which was released back in 2015. I bought three of the Eau Sauvage scents to test out and finally do full reviews on and Cologne is the last one on the list. How does it smell? Is it long lasting? Is Eau Sauvage Cologne worth a try?

What does Eau Sauvage Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, mandarin orange, bergamot, galbanum, hedione, petitgrain, pink pepper, and vetiver

My Full Review

Right away, one thing that is noticeable is the resemblance of Eau Sauvage Cologne with Dior Homme Cologne. Now, this one is more complex than that fragrance, but the bergamot and grapefruit are the shared commonalities.

However, the differences are also very noticeable. Eau Sauvage Cologne is spicier, greener, and has a good amount of orange in the mix. Galbanum and petitgrain really give this one a green and somewhat bitter smell early, while the pink pepper kicks in the spice.

A bit further in the galbanum and pink pepper will subside a lot. It’s still more green than spicy underneath the influence of the citrus. The hedione gives it a light floral feel, with an additional stem-like smell, and the bergamot and grapefruit take charge in the citrus accord.

The rest of the way, this gets drier and fresh, rather than herbal green. I mean, the petitgrain stays for the duration, but everything else has pretty much burned off save the bergamot, grapefruit, and increasingly strong vetiver. That’s essentially the dry down.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one doesn’t come across as huge or having some long trail sort of sillage. It is though, one that creates a nice and somewhat far reaching aroma for that first hour to hour and a half.

There after it is a lighter moderate, but I don’t find it to be weak at all. Of course in the latter stages, it will sit closer to the skin. That’s not a problem because it does hold up better than similar colognes.

On my skin, this one lasts somewhere in the 6.5-7 hour range at its best. For this sort of summer scent, that’s not bad. I wasn’t expecting some long-lasting powerhouse, but I did get enough power and time to spend with Cologne that I was pleasantly surprised.

Seasonally, again, this is spring and summer all the way. It’s suited for that environment and is actually very nice in the warmer weather. I’ve had some days like that to test it out in during this winter. Eau Sauvage Cologne is awesome with a light breeze going.

This is more of a casual daytime scent or a fresh garden party sort of wear. You can also wear it during business you may have during the summer. It has a clean and fresh appeal, while still holding a level of maturity.

Overall Impressions of Eau Sauvage Cologne

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I do. It might have a slight edge over Dior Homme Cologne, due to its depth and slightly better performance, though it isn’t crushing its compatriot in terms of enjoyment.

The herbal green element here gives a nice change of pace and you still get the great citrus notes found in the other Eau Sauvage scents. It’s a very nice pickup for the spring and summer months, when you want something well put together but isn’t going to fall apart in the heat.

The citrus notes are great, I like the orange, but I actually prefer once it has settled and I get more of the grapefruit and bergamot. It might have to do with the galbanum taking a back seat, as well.

This is worth getting, if you’re in need of a summer cologne. Fresh, cold, and clean. Really one of the better designer warm weather citrus fragrances. Better than Allure Homme Sport Cologne, also, which shares plenty of overlap too.

Musk | 12 by Kayali

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Musk 12 is another perfume that was included in the Kayali sample set that I bought by Huda Beauty. This is one which was released back in 2018. I wasn’t too sure if I was going to really like another musky perfume, but I wanted to test it out and review it anyway. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Musk 12 Smell Like?

Notes include: lotus, jasmine, musks, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Musk 12 from Sephora

My Full Review

The opening here is interesting. You get a burst of fresh floral notes, led by the lotus, with a bit of that watery cleanliness sitting underneath the main aroma. But, you will also get hints of vanilla, plus a powdery grouping of the musk notes.

It’s very soft and clean. Becomes more of a blend of white floral notes. The jasmine doesn’t really stand out much on its own, but I get its influence on the entirety of the scent.

The lotus will settle down a lot and just be a part of that more generic floral blend. The stars here are the musk and vanilla. Powdery and slightly sweet with a decent amount of sandalwood appearing for a time.

Musk isn’t a very complicated perfume on its own. It’s one of the stronger candidates from Kayali for layering though.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Musk 12 is pretty moderate as a fragrance, even during the initial sprays. It’s not going to project super far nor leave much of a scent trail. Well, maybe that first hour, you’ll have some of that going on.

After, it will be much more of an intimate fragrance and is going to stick to that 1-3 foot range from the skin.

The longevity is also pretty mid-range, the lower end of that spectrum. On me, it will stick around for maybe 5 hours total. That last hour or so, is very light, but it is actually still there. You may just need to press your nose closer to detect it.

Seasonally, this perfume is wearable year round. The versatility is probably its greatest strength, as it isn’t too heavy for the heat, but also has an aroma that does well when it’s kind of cold out.

It can cover a lot of bases on its own. If you want a low key daily wear, Musk 12 can probably fit the bill. Light, smells nice, and isn’t going to beg for attention. Plus, you have the optionality of successfully pairing it with a host of perfumes.

Overall Impressions of Musk 12

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I do. This is one of the Kayali scents that I wasn’t too sure that I would enjoy, but it is actually one of the better options from the line.

Again, a simple scent that will probably get a lot of use as one to layer with other perfumes, but it actually holds up well enough on its own.

I like the softness, the powdery aspects, vanilla, and how clean Musk 12 feels without being heavy or off-putting. It’s got a great balance and is absolutely one of their better releases.

The performance isn’t all that great, so just be aware of that before you commit to a full bottle. On smell alone, I think that it is nice and pleasant. A perfume that should get plenty of use in one’s rotation.

Girl of Now Shine by Elie Saab

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Girl of Now Shine is one of the releases from the ongoing Girl of Now series by Elie Saab. I bought samples of some of these scents many months ago, for testing and review. Shine was released in 2018, but is it a fragrance which deserves more attention?

What does Girl of Now Shine Smell Like?

Notes include: almond, white flowers, orange blossom, patchouli, vanilla, pistachio, pear, pineapple

My Full Review

I actually came into this test expecting that this was going to be a super fruity fragrance. On me, not so much. Sure, it has a sweetness, sort of a syrupy vibe.

However, the pineapple isn’t a juicy attention grabber. The pear stands out more, but I get a lot of almond from the jump. This time, it is paired with a pistachio. Add to that, orange blossom is very noticeable early on.

Yet, I do recognize the Girl of Now formula here. The almond is still great and the floral notes will shift more towards an iris, with vanilla taking over for most of the initial fruitiness. Really, that iris seems fairly massive on my skin, but it will then fade almost entirely.

The dry down is where I feel this one is most similar to the original. It’s sort of a fresher and sweeter take on that formulation, with a hyped up vanilla in lieu of tonka bean.

The floral notes in the end, are pretty blended together, and I can’t really pick them out entirely from one another. Aside from that, a touch of patchouli, and maybe wood of some sort.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Shine has a similar ability to project to other fragrances in the series. It too, starts off with a pretty powerful blast, that will create a not too thick cloud around the wearer before moving back in closer to the skin.

Yet, it has a good amount of time staying above average with its sillage. Then, it’ll fully mid-range, but doesn’t ever come across as a weak perfume.

The longevity is somewhere in the 7-7.5 hour range on my skin. Maybe an hour less than what I get with Girl of Now Forever. Still quite decent performance and I didn’t have any tests in which it completely disappeared early.

Seasonally, this one feels more autumn and springtime than anything. Not super heavy, but probably still a bit much for the heat of summer. In the cold, it’d be fine, but Shine is at its best when it is slightly chilly to temperate.

Shine does strike me as being a slightly more mature scent than Forever. Still, skews to being something worn more by the younger set. But, this isn’t nearly as youthful as the other one. It’s a nice daytime scent that can be worn casually or semi-formally.

Overall Impressions of Shine 

Overall, do I like Girl of Now Shine? It’s fine. Close to being as good as Forever or the original Girl of Now, but a small step below both. If I only had the notes to go off of, I probably would’ve said that this would’ve been my favorite of the lot. That’s not the case in reality.

I thought it was going to be way fruitier than it is. That’s not necessarily a bad thing and you do still get plenty of sweetness.

Almond, pistachio, and orange blossom with a mostly pear influence coming from the fruity accord. It’s likeable, the heavy iris comes and goes, and then you’re pretty much left with the original scent of Girl of Now.

So, it’s a few hours of something different before you get most of the same.

The performance is solid and the scent itself is very wearable, even if not being completely amazing. It’s worth a try if you like the others in the series. I might try to test it out before buying a full bottle, unless you get a huge discount. It’s pretty safe, though. You just might not love it, but I don’t think it’d be a complete scrubber for most.

Eau Sauvage Extreme Intense (2010) by Dior

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Eau Sauvage Extreme Intense is one from Dior that I have not tried. It actually first came out back in the 80s and was updated for release back in 2010. Going through the list of Eau Sauvage fragrances, this was one that I was excited to try out. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a buy?

What does Eau Sauvage Extreme Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, cedar, lavender, elemi, mint, basil, jasmine, patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver

Click here to try: Eau Sauvage Extreme Intense

My Full Review

Cold, bright, and fresh. There is the usual Eau Sauvage citrus notes, this time however, they are sitting underneath a blend of basil and mint up top. I actually get a bit more of the basil on my skin, then I do the mint note. Herbal, sort of a menthol kind of effect, when put together.

I like it. The fresh spiciness doesn’t overwhelm and still has balance within the composition. It’s held in check by the lavender note and the resinous elemi, which was also a big factor in Eau Sauvage Parfum. Here, it has less of a long-term influence.

After a while, the basil and mint will calm down and the citrus starts to come through more clearly. Lavender, elemi, cedar start to follow in gaining strength. Less green than the opening act, but the basil and mint do stick around at a lower level.

Patchouli breaks through a bit after this. It’s not heavy, but it does dirty up the scent somewhat, for at least a little while. Nothing too intrusive, but it plays well with the general green and woody aspects of Extreme Intense.

For me, the rest of the way is a cedar, lavender, elemi, and citrus affair. Very little spice and patchouli left. More of a clean and somewhat fresh aroma. Some moss thrown in for good measure.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

After having both this and Parfum at the same time, the performances are essentially identical for me. Fairly strong sillage when initially sprayed, then, staying more inside a 3-5 foot radius of the skin.

Again, like Parfum, Extreme Intense hits the 8-8.5 hour territory. Those last hours aren’t super powerful, but it does indeed stick around. With the name Extreme Intense, you might expect something with a lot more kick, but it’s not bad overall.

Seasonally, I really like the versatility of Eau Sauvage Extreme. It’s great in the slightly warmer weather, but doesn’t feel completely out of place in the cold either.

Autumn and spring are probably the best time to wear it. It might be too fresh initially for the dead of winter, but outside of that, it’s not really a problem.

Day or night wear. It’s attractive, somewhat sexy, but one that’s easily enjoyed without having to completely stand out. Could absolutely be a daily wear for some guys. Very versatile, not overly formula but can cover a lot of bases.

Overall Impressions of Extreme Intense

Overall, do I like Eau Sauvage Extreme Intense? I like it well enough, but I prefer Eau Sauvage Parfum from this series as a regular wear, and the Cologne version as a summer specific fragrance.

That opening with the basil and mint is nice. Those two combined with the underlying citrus (bergamot) is one of the highlights for me. It resembles some of the Eau Sauvage scents thereafter, but I just like those others more than this.

Not to say that this is bad, it’s not at all. I like it. This one might suit you better, particularly if you want a greener and woodsier take on this Eau Sauvage DNA.  The performance is good enough and it is wearable in plenty of scenarios.

I like it. If you can try before you buy, I would do so. That’s harder to do, since I’m not even sure that this is still in production. Extreme is at least worth trying out and may be a great addition to your collection.

Y EDP Intense by YSL

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Y EDP Intense is the latest offering in the series from YSL, after being released here in 2023. I purchased some samples in order to test it out and see whether it holds up to the rest of the line. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is Intense actually worth a try?

What does Y EDP Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: sage, patchouli, ginger, geranium, lavender, cedar, juniper berries

Click here to try: Y EDP Intense

y edp intense review

My Full Wear Review

Here’s how YSL describes it: This clean scent amplifies the iconic blend to the extreme by spicing it up with juniper berries and rich, woody patchouli. A deep blue sexy and fresh scent, with all-day-long intensity in a spray

The opening of Y EDP Intense is pretty familiar, in terms of what you get with the rest of the series. The same blue-ish aroma is there early, along with the powerful sage note from Y Eau de parfum (review).

Intense, doesn’t have the apple note, so, people who weren’t a fan of its sweetness may be pleased. It is replaced by a much shorter-lived juniper berry. I like its pairing here with the sage and other ingredients.

Early on you get a light bergamot, to go along with the cooler fresh spiciness. Geranium, ginger, and that sage note are all present creating a nice aromatic aroma.

I personally get around 20-30 minutes of this phase of the fragrance, before it begins to shift quite a bit. Things get earthier, warmer, less spicy.

The patchouli note is actually a large influence in the composition. This next phase is basically that, lavender, and geranium. Sage and juniper essentially fall off of the map.

This lasts for another hour or so, before it hits what you’re essentially going to get the rest of the way. However, during the shift the vetiver note, increases in strength until it eventually overtakes the patchouli.

The dry down is dry, woody, somewhat earthy, with some lavender hanging around still. Vetiver and patchouli are the main attractions, flanked by cedar, geranium, and lavender.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

So, that opening hour or so has pretty strong sillage. I might call it above average, just nothing insane. Especially, that first 30 minutes or so. It projects well and will leave a trail in your wake.

After that, it is a pretty intimate cologne after the first hour. By the third or so, it’s a skin scent. Really, I haven’t been getting great performance with this one.

The longevity is around 6.5 hours, on my skin. It’s strange, as I can get well into the double digit hours with Y EDP, much of the time. I have a full bottle of that and comparing these head to head, it’s really no contest.

Intense doesn’t have the Y EDP sillage or longevity.

Seasonally, EDP Intense actually has great versatility. Outside of the height of summer, this one could probably be worn without issue. I’ve worn it out on an extremely warm winter’s day and it did well. Also, have sprayed in the cold, and it fit in fine.

Stripped of its apple note, this has a slightly more mature profile than the original EDP. It’s not too intrusive, has a pleasantness about it, but I really wouldn’t call this one ‘sexy’ in any meaningful sense.

Casual to semi-formal, can go nightlife if need be. The fragrance’s versatility is where it can actually score higher marks.

Overall Impressions of Y EDP Intense

Overall, do I like Y EDP Intense? Eh, it’s okay. The opening is intriguing, but it doesn’t really do anything for me thereafter. I have to say, it’s my least favorite Y scent, as of now. Even Eau Fraiche, was more enjoyable, even with its limited use case.

Once past that opening, it’s pretty bland. Lots of patchouli, then more of a vetiver-led dry down. Which isn’t bad, but if you want a woody aromatic or fougere, there are better options out there than this.

Y EDP Intense isn’t even great with the performance. The sillage and longevity of the original EDP are way better than this. Sure, that apple note with the sage bothers some people. But, it lasts long and projects like a beast. This, not so much.

Personally, I don’t have much use case for this. It isn’t terrible. However, at that price point, I’d rather buy a lot of other scents. In this series, I’d rather wear pretty much any of them before coming to this one. A pretty mid-range release all around from YSL.

If you’re a fan of the Y line, but didn’t really like the apple, maybe this would work. I’d test it out for sure, before committing though.