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!

R.E.M. by Ariana Grande

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R.E.M. by Ariana Grande is a review that I forgot to do last year, after testing it out. Luckily, I had another sample tucked away in a box, so I recently tried it once again in order to do a full write up of the perfume. This one was released back in 2020. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it actually worth a try?

What does REM Perfume Smell Like?

Notes include: fig, caramel, lavender, zefir, quince, pear blossom, salt, sandalwood, musk, tonka bean

Click here to try: R.E.M by Ariana Grande

My Full Review

Here’s how REM is described: An intergalactic dream of femininity and power, R.E.M. draws you in with a cosmic blend of Juicy Fig and Warm Salted Caramel. Lavender essence takes you to dreamy new heights, while sparkling Pear Blossom explodes like a supernova in the night sky. Intoxicating Musk wrapped with Sandalwood creates the perfect ending to your unforgettable journey.

R.E.M. opens up sweet, creamy, a bit juicy (sparkling), and familiar. It certainly has overlap with the styles and some notes of the other perfumes in the Ariana lineup. However, the aroma itself would be closest to Cloud, while still being a lot different with how it smells.

Here, the fig is the star early on. It is rich and sweet, while not being overpowering. It is joined by a light quince, that quickly disappears, and the creaminess of zefir. That note adds an additional sweetness also.

REM feels more substantial than Cloud, not overbearing, but thicker and bringing a definite warmth to the mix. Salted caramel thickens things up creating a further gourmand like sensibility.

As things progress, the opening creaminess will start to take a back seat. This one becomes more lavender dominant and has a powdery finish to it. That caramel note, is one that really burns off, mostly sticking around as a generic sweetness. Much less salty.

Lavender and musk have their moment in the spotlight together. The musk actually sticks around to the end, but in a weaker state. The lavender doesn’t weaken. It’s interesting how this becomes powdery, since the tonka bean/zefir have more of a creamy quality.

To me, it’s like a 65/35 split between powdery and creamy towards the back half of the wear.

Finally, the dry down is lavender with a sweet finish. Musky and some sandalwood, if you pay really close attention. Not super complicated at the end.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, I think this one is on the upper bounds of moderate. It’s not massive, but with a good amount of sprays, the scent trail lasts a while. Plus, the projection is solid for more than a few hours.

It’s not massive, but I can spray REM on a shirt and pick it up across the bedroom with ease. It does lighten up and dry down more to the skin. Still, I don’t find this to be one of the weaker Ariana perfumes.

On my skin, this one will go for 7-7.5 hours. Again, most of these perfumes don’t have great longevity. But, this one is pretty decent. Those last hours are skin scent level, but it is indeed still present.

REM is best worn from autumn through springtime. Much better in weather that’s somewhat chilly. Though, it gives you enough versatility to go day or night with it.

It’s not a formal fragrance. It’s good for casual, school, maybe some workplaces, or just going out on the town.

It’s not so much ‘sexy’ as it is pleasing and attractive to smell. This gets called a unisex fragrance due to the presence of the lavender note. To me, nope. This is feminine, there are plenty of lavender colognes for men, and they’re much more forceful than R.E.M. is.

Nevertheless, if you’re not a fan of the lavender note on yourself, you might want to skip this one.

Overall Impressions of REM

Overall, do I like R.E.M.? I do. It’s not the most amazing fragrance that I’ve ever come across, but it’s in the top half of the Ariana Grande releases, thus far.

I’m not usually a big fan of scents that use lavender heavily. Yet, this is one that I find enjoyable, in ways that I don’t with Cloud. In my opinion, it’s just better, even while that one gets all of the attention due to its overdone BR 540 comparisons.

I am, though, a big fan of using fig in fragrance. The one here doesn’t get all that much shine, but it’s nice while it lasts. I like the opening with the caramel, the sweetness, and that later back and forth between the creamy and the powdery.

Performance for me is decent. Not crazy good, but it seems to work on me better than what some people have reported.

R.E.M. is worth trying out. It’s not going to be everyone’s favorite, but there are a portion of people for whom this will be the best Ariana perfume.

The One Gentleman by D&G

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The One line has spawned a ton of different fragrances over the years. I have gone through and reviewed all of them except for today’s entry, The One Gentleman. This is actually an older release which came out back in 2010. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does The One Gentleman Smell Like?

Notes include: cardamom, vanilla, pepper, lavender, watercress, patchouli

Click here to try: The One Gentleman

My Full Review

The One Gentlemen starts off with a burst of the same cardamom note found in the rest of the ‘The One’ series of colognes. It’s pronounced flanked by a peppery spice and the underlying familiarity of vanilla.

There’s something a bit different about this opening though. I think it is the inclusion of the watercress note. A bit of a fresh herbal smell, not something I come across routinely, and not exactly sure if I like it or not in this mix.

That watercress aroma will tone down as we move along and basically have no influence thereafter.

After this initial phase passes, the lavender note comes in, to join the cardamom in being the main event. With the lavender, the vanilla note feels a bit powdery less of a creaminess here, and the pepper still commands some attention.

Patchouli sort of takes over for the watercress, giving this a greener/earthy influence. As it wears on, this is less spicy more of a classic creamy vanilla and the lavender note which stays strong throughout.

Gentleman really does turn into a lavender heavy fragrance the deeper you get into its development. It’s all pretty fresh and somewhat sweet, with a unique take on The One name.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatilty

Sillage wise, it’s above average, but its initial punch doesn’t last super long. About an hour plus of decent scent trail creation and projection off of the skin. After that, The One Gentleman is going to be closer to the skin, but with a few feet of projection.

After 4 hours, it’s basically a skin scent.

The longevity is okay. I get somewhere in the 5-6.5 hour range with this Dolce & Gabbana fragrance. It doesn’t go beyond that high end and can also quit a bit before it hits the five hour mark.

Pretty average to somewhat above average, sort of depends on the day for me.

Seasonally, I like this best in the autumn or winter. I’d avoid the high heat of summer, but it isn’t too cloying in a more moderate spring-like setting.

It does have a pretty great amount of versatility. It could be a daily wear, good for younger guys, and even venture into the nightlife. It’s not the most well put together cologne, so, I don’t think it lives up to the ‘Gentleman’ moniker. 

It’s not anything that’s going to jump out as being overbearing or cheap, but I don’t think it has much appeal as a formal sort of fragrance.

 

 

Overall Impressions of The One Gentleman

Overall, do I like this cologne? I don’t hate it, but it really doesn’t appeal much to me either. This is a scent that I thought I’d enjoy more based on the notes, but it doesn’t hit the mark. 

The vanilla and the cardamom are highlights of the experience. When it turns more into a lavender bomb, Gentleman sort of loses me. It’s fine, just nothing really impressive here. Gentleman ranks in the back half of The One colognes, in my opinion.

The performance is fair. Not a powerhouse and not something that’s going to last all day, while not being utterly useless either. 

For a lot of guys, this is going to be a pass, as there isn’t a distinct reason to own it. Some seem to like this one, but for most it’s just decent. If you can find it at a huge discount, then, why not? Otherwise, why?

5 Best Smelling Nicki Minaj Perfumes

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Nicki Minaj made a name for herself as a rapper, but then quickly gained a lot of mainstream appeal. As is often the case with many celebrities, once they get that pop star level of fame, they have to put out a fragrance line. Nicki’s is actually quite good and has some real gems among them. In this post, I am going to cover what I think are the five best smelling perfumes by Nicki Minaj.

What Nicki Minaj Fragrances Smell the Best?

Underrated Minaj Fragrance

Onika by Nicki Minaj– Onika is still kind of an under the radar pick from this line, but it is absolutely among the best of them. It is sugary sweet, but not overwhelmingly so, and that’s mostly during the start.

After that, you get a great pear note with musk and light floral ingredients. It kicks off with pear and starfruit, but the latter fades away. It brings a freshness, but doesn’t have that ‘little girl perfume’ style of hyper-sugar. It feels more well put together, has an awesome fruity profile, and a touch of orchid at the heart.

Best Summer Pick

Trini Girl by Nicki Minaj– Trini Girl does have a tropical fruit vibe, without going overboard with the fruitiness. It’s actually a pretty chill fragrance, with a light coconut, that is paired with blood orange and litchi.

The fruitiness and sweetness, is aided by a helping of sorbet, with a floral/musk base. It is light, fresh, with a watery semi-aquatic tropical sensibility, at times.

Trini Girl is probably has the juiciest fruit notes of any of Nicki’s fragrances. That tropical vibe without the vanilla, tonka bean, or other heavier notes that can be found in the others.

Creamy Fruity Gourmand

Nicki Minaj Minajesty Eau de Parfum Spray for Women 3.4 Ounce– The bottle with the pink hair, looks absolutely wild. But, like the others on this list, Minajesty gives you a healthy dose of fruits. Though, it pairs it with a sweet creamy middle of tonka bean and vanilla.

It kicks off with a tart cranberry, lemon, and some peach. It sort of reminds me of Polo Red for Men, when those first two notes hit. This is definitely not as sharp as that scent, actually the notes feel light, and subdued by the vanilla sitting underneath.

Minajesty is warm, sweet, and has a floral touch provided by magnola and frangipani.

Most Popular Perfume

Nicki Minaj Pink Friday Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday perfume, leans more towards the fruity side of things, but has a smell that is quite similar to the often more expensive, Viva La Juicy.

Pink Friday is really girly, starts off with pear and starfruit, which gives it a crisp fruity juiciness.

Beyond that, there is the orange and blackberry note, which makes this a super juicy fruit scent at the beginning. Later, the familiar vanilla/caramel come in, to change things up. Decent longevity, not amazing, but quite good for this price point.

A lot of celebrity perfumes, mimic this same sort of style, so it won’t be the most unique fragrance to wear. But, it is a nice example.

Another One to Check Out

Queen by Nicki Minaj– Queen gets attention nowadays, because it has some resemblance to Cloud by Ariana Grande.

But, there’s plenty to like here on its own and it’s not an exact match of that scent either. This is kind of a stripped down and cleaner version of cloud. More use of fruits, less creaminess, and a greater use of the musk note later on.

You get a bright opening of bergamot citrus and sparking pear. That sweetness is enhanced with the same praline note, that is found in Cloud. With those sweeter notes, you get a floral heart and woods in the base.

Queen doesn’t top the list, but it’s worth trying out, if it sounds interesting. Onika and Trini Girl are for sure ahead of this one, in my opinion. But, Queen could be as high as third or fourth.

Nautica Voyage vs Voyage N-83 Cologne Comparison

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Now, that I have completed reviews for both Nautica Voyage and its N-83 flanker fragrance, I thought that I’d do a comparison post and lay out which cologne I think is better and why. Nautica specializes in aquatic themed scents and especially one’s that are great for the warmer weather months. In this post, I want to take a look at each cologne and determine which is the better candidate for purchase for most men and how each scent performs as a daily wear.

What Smells Better Nautica Voyage or N-83?

Nautica Voyage Tale of the Tape

Notes include: apple, musk, cedar, green leaf, amber, mimosa

NAUTICA-VOYAGE

Read my original review here

Try Nautica Voyage: Nautica Voyage By Nautica For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 oz

Nautica Voyage N-83 Tale of the Tape

Notes include: cardamom, petitgrain, mint, lavender, sandalwood, nutmeg, sea notes

Read my original review here

Opening

The difference in the opening between Voyage and N-83 is a matter of the sea notes contained in N-83 and how it has less of a fruity quality. N-83 is much more oceanic/salty than Voyage, which while semi-aquatic, is highlighted by apple/citrus notes that seem rather juicy.

If you want an actual aquatic, then N-83 is a potential play. Outside of that, I’d give the opening act to the original Nautica Voyage.

It does have a greenish and refreshing quality thanks to the mint. A classic clean, with the lavender note. But, it doesn’t have anything that is all that intriguing. Nice enough, though.

Voyage is just much more noticeable and pleasant. From the start, you get that crisp and watery apple note, with added sweetness. Then, the unique addition of mimosa, cedar, and musk really set Voyage apart.

Greenish, floral, musky, but refreshing. Voyage is usually interesting, despite not being among my favorite fragrances to wear.

Really, it’s quite amazing how such an inexpensive fragrance like Voyage, has set itself apart from almost anything else on the market. Nothing smells exactly like it and even its flankers, don’t strike the same chord.

Edge: Voyage

Projection

N-83 has a tendency to be rather on the weak side, it isn’t completely a fade away in five minutes cologne but it isn’t strong either, and it has a limited range.

Voyage isn’t super powerful but it is noticeable and projects pretty well. I’ve noticed that a lot of the Nautica flankers don’t match up to even the decent sillage of Nautica Voyage. Which is a shame, because some of the better smelling ones could be nice cheapies.

N-83 isn’t one of the worst offenders, but doesn’t match what Voyage provides. It’s going to be sticking rather close to one’s skin for much of the duration.

Edge: Voyage

Longevity

Again, Voyage takes the cake. N-83 has a tendency to fade and turn completely into a skin scent. Voyage holds up and performs well on a summer day. If it’s between the two, Voyage wins.

With Voyage, I max out with 7 hours. It will usually fall into the 5-7 hour range. N-83 can be in the 3-6 hour range, on my skin. That’s what I’ve found it capable of with more testing.

Usually, it’s closer to the lower end. If it could hit that higher end with a bit more power, it could be a much more useful scent. Really, I’d expect 83 to reliably hit 4, and maybe you get an extra boost.

Edge: Voyage

Versatility

Both of these are great casual fragrances that can be worn to work, school, or wherever. I wouldn’t put either as a date night cologne really, though Voyage would get the edge.

Actually, N-83 is less intrusive, so it might actually serve as a slightly better office cologne. However, since Voyage isn’t a beast, it would be perfectly fine. As far as cheapies go, both have a good deal of use. No, neither are super high end in quality, but they can be useful.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

N-83 is a good scent don’t get me wrong, it just pretty linear and not anything all that special. It has a nice and clean scent that is oceanic/soapy/smooth, especially from the lavender note.

Voyage is an aquatic that has a great citrus aroma and has been a long time favorite and best seller. For the price, Voyage, is a great addition to anyone’s collection, while N-83 probably isn’t even one of the best Nautica colognes.

Voyage seems to be Nautica’s high water mark. It’s a fragrance that they can’t seem to outdo. Even when they use its name, the flanker never really holds up to a comparison. It’s usually outright disappointing. Honestly, both of these are cheap enough, that you could just get both for some variety. If only one, it’s gotta be Voyage.

Winner: Voyage

11 Best Smelling Guerlain Perfumes for Women

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Guerlain is a French design house which has been around for seemingly ever. They have a ton of fragrances for both men and women, many of which are simply fantastic.

Seeing as they have had decades upon decades to put out work, it is no wonder that any attempted list to capture the best would be incomplete no matter what.

However, for this one I have selected eleven of what I feel are the best smelling perfumes, that are available today, representing different styles and levels of popularity.

Favorite Ladies Fragrances from Guerlain

Most Popular

Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum–  Mon Guerlain has become a best seller since its release over the past few years. The EDP opens up as a very sweet and warm fragrance, in a similar vein to both, Black Opium and BonBon.

As it moves along, it moves away from those two, but the opening are quite a bit alike.

What Mon Guerlain ultimately becomes, is a blend of vanilla, lavender, and jasmine notes. The perfume is very smooth and a sweet floral. It isn’t too heavy of a fragrance or overly complicated.

Mon Guerlain is a scent that is great for daily wear and obviously enjoys a mass appeal. Even with its moderate sillage, this is one that can indeed last a full work day and go beyond. Great balance and an easy choice. Mon Guerlain Review

Sunny, Salty Ylang-Ylang

Embruns d’Ylang by Guerlain– This one is a high-end ylang-ylang fragrance from Guerlain. The company itself, seems to be the only one selling full bottles right now. With the price, you’d do well to track down a sample on eBay or somewhere else.

That being said, Embruns d’Ylang is a bright and coastal yellow floral fragrance. It has a beachy sea salt ‘spray’ note that gives the perfume a nice contrast with how it plays off of the ylang-ylang note.

I have only smelled this once, but I didn’t find it to be all that salty. Beautiful, just not heavy on that aspect.

It’s a bit sweet, but that saltiness seems to pair with the wood, upon first applying. Then, some jasmine. The ylang-ylang feels pretty thick in this and it has a rather strong sillage, at least early. Still, I’d try before buying to see if it vibes with you.

Springtime Floral 

Champs Elysees By Guerlain Eau-de-toilette Spray, 1.7-Ounce– A moderate floral fragrance featuring notes of mimosa, black currant, lilac, and almond wood. A green powdery type of scent reminiscent of a spring day.

It opens up with soft and sweet fruits, with that light almond note poking through the aroma. Then, the floral notes being to emerge, mainly lilac at first. Mimosa follows with lily-of-the-valley, before the whole thing blends together in a beautiful oneness.

Leans more floral than fruity, but it does have enough balance, to actually enjoy the fruit notes. Champs Elysees has undergone a few incarnations, over the years, and this latest iteration has been a well-loved edition for over 20 years now.

The Orange Blend

Aqua Allegoria Nerolia Bianca– One of my newer entries to the list, from the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria collection. The orange blossom note here actually shares the spotlight with neroli and bitter orange notes.

Very orangey and each seems to get its own time to shine in the top weighted spot.

Petitgrain joins the mix, but the overall scent is pretty darn linear with how it presents. Bitter orange early, orange blossom middle, and neroli is probably the most prominent during the ending stages of Nerolia Bianca.

This has a great freshness of orange and has a definite greenish aroma in the beginning. The soapiness isn’t to the same degree as some of the others on the list. Nice performance for this style of scent, also.

A Classic Guerlain Perfume

Samsara By Guerlain For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces– One of the most popular choices on this list. Violet, vanilla, sandalwood, rose, and iris. Floral, woodsy, and slightly spicy. Oriental in its aroma. Feminine floral with sandalwood.

Intoxicating jasmine and iris create that familiar powdery aroma with a creamy finish. It’s been around for decades, so, there are different formulations at this point…which yield slightly different results.

Samsara still opens with it’s fruity notes of peach and citrus, leading the way, and its light floral ingredients just beginning to come through.

That phase is short-lived and the flowers really take on a stronger role, with ylang-ylang, iris, rose, and jasmine being the major players.

Finally, the rest of the wear becomes sweeter and warmer, with tonka bean, vanilla, and our sandalwood note. Powdery, fresh, warm, creamy, and sweet. Beyond that, a fantastic performer, that will last for many hours.

Creamy Sweet White Floral

L’instant De Guerlain By Guerlain For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.7 Ounces– Another floral that is sweetened by a honey note. Definitely a feminine scent for daily wear. L’Instant de Guerlain opens up with its fruity notes soaked in a honey sweetness.

Light citrus and apple, which soon fades in favor of the floral ingredients, iris and magnolia. It is super smooth and warm, at times powdery from the iris, but more about the honey and magnolia. Plus, a creamy vanilla note, which only adds to the appeal.

Coconut Awesome

Aqua Allegoria Coconut Fizz by Guerlain– A unique smelling coconut dominant perfume, that seems to be getting tougher to track down in stores, nowadays. Yet, it is a great option from Guerlain.

Rather than the usual vanilla creaminess getting paired with coconut. This one has a fresher and watery element to it. Bergamot, coconut fruit, coconut water, and what I think are melon notes? Something smelling sort of like watermelon, at least.

Light and airy, freesia delivers the floral aspect and some of the watery elements to this one. It doesn’t go too aquatic for that long and you do get some of the usual creaminess between the coconut and later tonka bean in the base.

I imagine this one will be pretty expensive soon. I wouldn’t pay a very high price for a bottle as it becomes scarce, but if you can find one at a lower cost, it can be worthwhile to pick up.

Bold Smoky Classic

Guerlain Shalimar Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3 Ounce– An absolute classic of a scent. Shalimar is an exotic blend of vanilla, citrus, rose, jasmine, leather, and musk. It’s got a nice bit of citrus, that floats around in the smokiness of incense, and plays well off of the leather note.

The citrus is pretty strong up front, but then the smoky, vanilla, and leather trio will move in and push the fruits aside.

The EDP is still my favorite. I like Parfum Initial, also. EDT is good, but not to the same level as those two.

At times, you will get more of a powdery feel from Shalimar, then, the smoky and warmth with sweet vanilla. It’s been around forever, still appreciated, and still a great performer.

There have been many flankers of Shalimar, that have been released over the years, but I have to give the original its due. Shalimar EDP review

Powdery Berry Scent

Insolence By Guerlain For Women, Eau De Toilette Spray, 1.6-Ounce Bottle– A sweet blend of juicy berries and floral notes like violet, iris, and orange blossom. Insolence is long lasting and has a pronounced powdery finish, as is to be expected, when violet and iris get together.

Nonetheless, it isn’t a stuffy or overly-heavy fragrance, the raspberry and other berry notes keep things dynamic. Towards the end, there is a light musk, and a great sandalwood note at the base. This is a great floral fruity wear, rather simple, but delightful.

 

Pear Delight

Pera Granita– Pera is another one that I’ve tried and enjoyed from the Aqua Allegoria series from Guerlain. And, I’m not even a huge fan of pear as a note.

It starts off with a host of citrus note. Lemon, bergamot, and grapefruit. Those notes will have more power than the pear, in the very opening of the scent.

It’s a sour/tart beginning, but it will become sweeter rather quickly. Sparkling pear, jasmine, and cedar notes will be the main attraction. The tail end is the pear, musk, and floral notes coming through.

Not super complicated, but a really nice wear for the spring and summer months. Bits of spice and greenish aspects are also hear, but plenty enjoy with the pear alone.

Best Woodsy Perfume

Mitsouko by Guerlain 75ml 2.5oz EDP Spray– An earthy/woodsy type of scent which dates back to 1919. This is another classic, which has been somewhat modernized, over time.  Has a bit of spice up top and some sweetness provided by peach. More of a mature scent.

The oakmoss and vetiver, are the real stars of the show, providing a fresh woodsy dryness to the wear. As it dries down further the spices, including cinnamon, really support the woodsy notes well.

Hints of floral ingredients, such as rose, have their time in focus before they recede back into the mix.

Nevertheless, even with updating, Mitsouko is still going to be a niche wear for many who aren’t used to the older styles. It is a big time performer, with a loud sillage, that can take a while to settle in.