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!

Armaf Club de Nuit Intense vs. Explorer

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Club de Nuit Intense and Montblanc’s Explorer are both often touted as cheaper alternatives to Creed’s Aventus. But, when it comes down to it, which of these colognes is actually the better buy? Which one lasts longer? Has the better sillage?

Tale of the Tape: Montblanc Explorer vs. Club de Nuit Intense

Explorer

Notes include: sage, bergamot, pink pepper, cocoa, vetiver, ambroxan, leather

Click here to try: MONTBLANC Explorer Eau de Parfum, 3.3 fl. oz.

Read my full review: Montblanc Explorer

Club de Nuit EDP

Notes include: lemon, apple, blackcurrant, birch, jasmine, rose, vanilla, musk, ambergris, patchouli

Click here to try: Club de Nuit Men EDP

Opening

Explorer opens up with a pretty sharp bergamot note. What I like about it, is the lack of pineapple that was always bothersome to me with Aventus. The bergamot gives you a bright quality, joined by sage, and a warm/spicy pink pepper.

Then, a second wave comes consisting of leather, woods, and ambroxan.

Club de Nuit EDP smells a lot like Aventus. It’s fruity, less smoky, and the birch comes across as more of a dry wood, without the same amount of leathery facets it will develop later.

The EDP comes across as being a bit smoother than the EDT version. Less of the lemon note, but with a more pronounced apple, which I enjoy.  Also, the birch here is smokier early on and does give it that leathery aroma to a greater extent.

Which is better in the opening? I actually like what Explorer brings to the table early on. I also like how it shifts and includes more of the leather note.

Edge: Explorer

Projection

Both of these start out with a very good ability to project off of the skin. To me, Club de Nuit Intense has a higher peak, and stays stronger throughout the wear.

Explorer isn’t weak, but it does moderate faster and stay closer to the skin for the duration of the wear. It’s not a huge difference between these scents, but the Armaf has a pretty clear edge.

Edge: Club

Longevity

Club de Nuit Intense EDP will go for 7-9 hours, on my skin. It’s solid, not a complete all-star here, but really not too much to complain about.

Explorer, on the other hand, gets 6-8 hours of wear. Usually, it’ll be 7 and occasionally squeeze out that extra hour.

So, it’s within most of the range of the Armaf, but that one can go into an extra gear.

Edge: Club

Versatility

There isn’t too much difference here, as they overlap a lot as fragrances. I’m not really going to give an edge here, maybe the Montblanc feels a bit more well put together, but the ingredients aren’t the same level of quality as the Creed original.

Either is fine in almost any other scenario, except for the days where it’s hot outside.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which scent is better? Personally, I’d rather go with Explorer, unless I just wanted a cheaper alternative to Aventus with a similar aroma. Sure, Explorer covers much of the same ground, but it is distinct enough to not be confused as the same.

The opening is smoother and fresher with Explorer. I like the added cacao note and how it plays off of the leather, sort of like the old Dior Homme. It finishes with a simple citrus, pepper, and woods.

With Club de Nuit, you basically just get a re-hash of Aventus, not as much depth or quality. If you want that or price is your only concern, you should go with the Armaf.

If you want a versatile and better smelling cologne, I think the Montblanc is simply better between these two.

Winner: Explorer

La Vie est Belle Soleil Cristal by Lancôme

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Soleil Cristal is a flanker of the best seller from Lancôme, La Vie est Belle. I received a sample of this with another order and had zero expectations of it coming in. I liked La Vie est Belle, so, was at least somewhat interested in trying this perfume out. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does La Vie est Belle Soleil Cristal Smell Like?

Notes include: iris, orange blossom, vanilla, ylang-ylang, coconut, pink pepper, orange, bergamot, jasmine, patchouli

Click here to try: Soleil Cristal

soleil cristal review

My Full Review

Here’s how Lancôme describes it: Happiness is more than a feeling, it is an aura that radiates all around like the sun on a warm summer’s day. La vie est belle Soleil Cristal (Crystal Sun) eau de parfum captures the essence of a sunny summer day – warm yet fresh, made for those who live to bask in the sun.​

Soleil Cristal opens up with a great freshness and sparkling bright feeling. The citrus and coconut notes are prominent early on, but it doesn’t ever feel like a super sweet tropical drink. It still is sweet, just not completely sugary or overwhelming to me.

Instead, you get the early impressions of vanilla, iris, and ylang-ylang. The coconut is stronger in this mix on my skin, than is the vanilla. It doesn’t give me that lotion-like creamy finish.

There is a bit of spice early on, from the pink pepper, but it’s not overly loud or very long lived.

The ylang-ylang has an inside track early on. It’s fine, but might be my least favorite note in the blend. It’s just giving me a slightly waxy aroma, that I’m not too into. Luckily for me, the iris becomes the stronger of the two on my skin, during the dry down.

So, this one doesn’t get all that complicated. The vanilla and coconut are the stars for the rest of the way. Those two notes sitting on a bed of floral notes and I don’t really get any patchouli.

The ylang-ylang and jasmine give it a slight soapiness. The iris, some touches of powder (but even that, isn’t too much).

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The strength of this one kind of mixed. Really, it’s more deceptive. The opening hour is certainly powerful and reaches a pretty high peak. But, for much of the wear, Soleil feels more like a skin scent.

The deception, is, the fact that is actually stays stronger than you might be able to detect. It’s kind of easy to go nose blind to it, at a certain point. But, when I sprayed this on clothes I had laying around, I could smell it hours later from a good distance.

So, I might be giving this one too low of a score, with how it projects.

The longevity for me, isn’t in dispute. I can get over 8 hours and even up to 9. I’d say the range is 7-9 hours, sort of depending on conditions.

Seasonally, this is spring and summer. That’s the impression you get, solar and beachy. Not crazy with the tropical drink vibe and none of the marine saltiness, so, it’s safer for daily wear versus something more oceanic.

To me, it’s more pretty than anything too sexy. I do have an attraction to this scent, but don’t expect any sort of nightclub beast or something like that.

Overall Impressions of Soleil Cristal

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I actually do find it enjoyable. It doesn’t have much, if anything to do with the original La Vie est Belle, but I thought it was a nice experience.

It’s a fragrance that has a similar style and aroma to something like Alien Goddess or Bronze. I like all three of those fragrances, not totally wowed by any of them, but I think that they can all have a place as someone’s daily wear for certain stretches of the year.

There are definitely stretches here, that I found to be really great to wear. I think that this perfume got some mixed reviews, but I’m pretty positive about it across the board.

It’s not something that is going to offend most people with its scent, but may be one that you want to try out first, before buying.

Flowerbomb Nectar by Viktor & Rolf

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Flowerbomb Nectar is another one of the flanker releases to the mega-popular perfume from Viktor & Rolf. This one came out back in 2018. I grabbed a sample of this, along with most of the rest of the series, in order to finally do a full review for the site. How does Nectar smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Flowerbomb Nectar Smell Like?

Notes include: gunpowder, benzoin, orange blossom, tonka bean, jasmine, blackcurrant, vanilla, patchouli

Click here to try: Flowerbomb Nectar

nectar review

My Full Review

Flowerbomb Nectar opens up in a way that is familiar to the original Flowerbomb, while also doing a bit of its own thing.

The osmanthus returns, just to a lesser extent, but is joined in its sweetness by a nice blackcurrant note and a very light bergamot. The latter is really only apparent briefly.

What you will notice that is different here, is the resinous benzoin note and the inclusion of gunpowder. To me, the gunpowder is slightly metallic, and only a bit smoky. It’s very much like the note found in the men’s fragrance, Luna Rossa Carbon.

I also get some of the orange blossom and patchouli early on, but neither of those ever feels to significant in the mix. The blackcurrant doesn’t appear to just be the berry itself, but also the cassis leaf, which gives a slight greenish aroma with the patchouli note.

As we get further along, it is still sweet, just less fruity and more of a syrupy quality. Vanilla and tonka bean are major players at this point. The blackcurrant is all but gone, but I do still get some of that osmanthus.

It’s a lot like the original Flowerbomb, just with amped up vanilla/tonka bean and the inclusion of that gunpowder. It doesn’t seem as bright and is colder, but the jasmine and osmanthus do sell the floral part of this fragrance like its predecessor.

That’s mostly what I get for the remaining of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Nectar does have a nice ability to project. I think that it’s slightly stronger than is Ruby Orchid, but probably a tad below the original Flowerbomb. You get a pretty powerful sillage in the opening act, but that will moderate.

Still, above average, in that respect.

The longevity is somewhere in the 7-8.5 hour range. I got a few different outcomes while testing it, but each time it fell within that spread. Again, a little better than Ruby Orchid, at the high end.

Seasonally, this is best in the autumn and winter. But, I don’t think that it’s too heavy to be relegated to just that time period. It’s fine to venture into the springtime. Really depends on how warm it gets where you live, during the part of the year.

Like the rest of the series, this isn’t a formal sort of fragrance. But, it can work as a daily wear in most situations, smells attractive enough for the nightlife, and doesn’t come across as being too much of a teenager’s perfume.

I think it has more maturity than Ruby, but still has a playful personality. 

 

 

Overall Impressions of Flowerbomb Nectar

Overall, do I like Flowerbomb Nectar? Yes. Again though, the original Flowerbomb is still the best in the series, to me. Nectar and Ruby Orchid, are the next in line, and basically a tie for that second spot. Perhaps, a slight preference for this one.

I like the metallic and greenish aspects here. Plus, the resinous benzoin. The vanilla and tonka bean, are the notes that are really going to separate this from Flowerbomb. Do you want a scent that’s less fruity sweet and floral? This is one of the flankers that you should consider. 

The performance is good, just not elite, by any means. Though, I don’t have any real complaints on that front.

Flowerbomb Nectar is one to try out, it’s likeable and one of the best versions. The gunpowder note is more hyped up versus what you actually get. Yet, it’s an interesting touch.

Phantom vs. 1 Million Comparison

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1 Million is a fragrance which has been a best seller for a long time for Paco Rabanne. One of the brand’s latest releases, has also become very popular, it’s called Phantom.

1 Million is a scent that I’ve very familiar with and I’ve tested out and reviewed Phantom EDP, too.

Which cologne is better? Lasts longer? Is the one to buy?

Tale of the Tape: Phantom vs. 1 Million

1 Million

Notes include: grapefruit, blood orange, rose, mint, cinnamon, amber, leather, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Paco Rabanne 1 Million Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

Read my original review: 1 Million Cologne Review

Phantom

Notes include: lemon, lemon zest, lavender, patchouli, vetiver, apple, smoke, and more

Click here to try: Phantom by Paco Rabanne

Read my review: Phantom

phantom cologne review

Opening

Phantom kicks things off with apple and lemon notes, creating a juiciness that is quite nice. The aroma is semi-tropical and sweet, with the way it ties together. Under that, is lavender and vanilla, further pushing the aromatic creaminess.

That juicy citrus fruit opening will be pushed out by a drier and earthy aroma. The juiciness fades, and patchouli will have its time to shine, with an herbal sort of spice coming together. It dirties it up, and yes, there is a touch of smoke.

The original 1 Million has this grape bubblegum-like opening that has become pretty infamous. This candy scented start is one reason I think this fragrance has pushed some people away from wearing it. Personally, I think that it works just fine and actually enjoy it.

1 Million opens up with leather, citrus, and rose. Together, they create that bubblegum sort of smell. It’s actually a really smooth leather, juicy orange and grapefruit. This is surrounded by a warm and bold amber, with hints of cooling mint.

Overall, which is better? The initial somewhat tropical and juicy aroma of Phantom is enjoyable enough, but after that I’m not too into the earthy lavender scent.

I prefer 1 Million,  it’s still bold and has more depth and a better overall scent, here at the start.

Edge: 1 Million

Projection

Phantom kind of stays true to its name, in terms of how it projects early on. It initially seems like it’s going to be fairly massive, but then will moderate quite a bit in quick succession.

It will then, stick closer to the skin, to create a nice scent bubble.

1 Million is a fragrance which was always massive. But, the last batch I had from 2020, seems to have lost some of that power. It was still around 85% of what it once was, just not nearly the same extent.

However, it still outdoes anything that Phantom can conjure up.

Edge:1 Million

Longevity

With Phantom, I was really only able to get 6 or 7 hours of wear out of it on skin. That’s not bad, maybe a tad above average. It’d be useful for most purposes.

1 Million nowadays, reaches around 8. Sometimes, it might be 7, but my last batch was getting to 8 pretty consistently.

The older batches would hit double digits for me, easily. Those days are gone, but it is still a bit better than Phantom. It just doesn’t have that same overwhelming edge in the performance categories, like it used to.

Edge: 1 Million

Versatility

Phantom works at its best in the chilly weather of autumn and winter. But, it does have the ability to go deeper into the springtime than does 1 Million.

1 Million is pretty limited to colder or moderate temperatures, more casual situations, and a younger audience in general.

I think Phantom has a bit of an edge here. It is better in the warmer climate and as a daily wear too. Both are for younger guys, but Phantom has a tad better use case overall.

Edge: Phantom

Overall Scent

Overall, which one of these do I prefer?

Phantom is kind of a weird cologne. It’s got so much that is recognizable, but it doesn’t smell exactly like any scent in particular. The opening that is citrusy and apple is decent. I like the semi-tropical aroma that it puts out, when combining with the vanilla and lavender note.

After that, it’s not nearly as enjoyable. It becomes earthier with the lavender and a faint smokiness. But, it will shift to being lavender and vanilla dominate with a dry/grassy vetiver and the fruit notes kind of stage a comeback. Just, at a not to the same strength.

1 Million just smells better to me. Also, performs better. It’s sweet, spicy, warm, and still has a boldness to it, even if it has lost a step over time.

Phantom EDP has been followed by a few more releases thus far in the series. I think that Phantom Parfum is somewhat better than the original, but I still would prefer wearing 1 Million EDT to that.

1 Million is a more pleasant experience and gives me higher highs and more consistency. I’m picking it over Phantom every time.

Winner: 1 Million

Flowerbomb Bomblicious Edition by Viktor & Rolf

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Flowerbomb’s popularity has spawned a ton of flankers and special editions of the original formula. In 2019, they released Bomblicious Edition of Flowerbomb, I’ve been recently testing it out to do a full review for the site. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Flowerbomb Bomblicious Edition Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, orange, blackcurrant, patchouli, rose, jasmine, bergamot, cashmere wood, musk

bomblicious review

My Full Review

From the first spray, I can tell that Bomblicious Edition isn’t going to be as thick as the original Flowerbomb formulation. The citrus notes and blackcurrant give this one a bright sharpness early on.

Still, some of that jam-like aroma of the original remains. On my skin, this one really throws off a lot of patchouli in the early stages of the wear. It’s mainly a grapefruit, bergamot, blackcurrant, and patchouli affair at this point.

After a while, the initial sharpness and that patchouli subside. Flowerbomb Bomblicious gets woodier and fresher. Not as sharp with the freshness, but clean and cold. I really don’t get much in the way of florals, aside from the rose note.

The jasmine is almost non-existent here.

The dry down is simple enough, a citrus and wood combination with a musky rose undertone. A fresh and clean scent, with some light citrus, and a somewhat soapy smell. Not a complete lather, but it is there.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, you do get a nice strong pop at the opening. It’s not super bold, but very noticeable. Perhaps, a tad weaker than the original, even at this stage. On the whole, it is a notch below Flowerbomb.

But, it is overall firmly above average with how it projects from the skin. It’s not going to take over a room, for the most part. However, it will create a nice scent bubble and trail behind you for at least a few hours.

The longevity itself is a little bit better than average. I can get it to go close to 7 hours, but it usually falls closer to 6. Nothing super here, but Bomblicious is certainly passable.

Seasonally, this is a Flowerbomb that is built more for the spring and summer. A nice change from the others that are autumn through spring. Nice change of pace and gives you an extend use case.

Still Bomblicious is a casual or daily wear type of perfume. Nothing super formal or sexy with this one. It’s pleasant enough, nice in the daytime, while not really having that attention grabbing ability for the nightlife.

Overall Impressions of Flowerbomb Bomblicious

Overall, do I like this scent? I actually like the beginning quite a bit. It made me start to think that Bomblicious Edition was way underrated. But, as it moved along it almost completely loses my interest.

All in all, it’s not terrible, but not much above your average perfume. It just doesn’t hold up over the long haul.

The grapefruit, blackcurrant, and patchouli notes are surprisingly captivating. I really dig the way that this blend comes together. Sure, it’s sharp, but it’s got enough of the original Flowerbomb spirit to keep me into it. I like the cold inhale that I get while wearing this.

The lighter citrus and wood based dry down isn’t all that amazing. It’s fine enough, I suppose, just nothing all that great. Performance is also decent.

This is a fragrance that might be worth trying, if you can get a good deal. At full price, I’d probably look elsewhere. Bomblicious Edition has some enjoyable aspects, but never fully comes together.