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!

Chelsea Flowers by Bond No. 9

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Bond No. 9 is an American niche brand that has released a ton of very successful fragrances for men and women over the years. One of the early ones, is Chelsea Flowers. I rediscovered a sample vial of this perfume, that I got back in who knows when. So, it was time to test it again and give this a proper review on the site. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is is worth a try?

What does Chelsea Flowers Smell Like?

Notes include: musk, peony, hyacinth, rose, tulip, sandalwood, magnolia

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Chelsea Flowers Eau De Parfums Spray, 3.4 Ounce

chelsea flowers review

My Full Review

Before getting into my review, let’s see how Bond No. 9 describes it: The Scent of the Ingenue: dewy, freshly-picked blossoms, gathered in a paper wrapper, worn to perfection at New York’s newest art gallery-club-restaurant scene. An exuberant but slightly insolent all-day floral bouquet.

True to its name, Chelsea Flowers, is all about those floral notes. Early on, this one is dewy and has greenish qualities. Later, it is more like flower petals in a shampoo-like composition.

Opening up, I get a pretty big dose of magnolia. That along with a tulip note. It is pretty aquatic smelling, not completely watery, but more than a sprinkling of dew.

I’m concluding that this early dew/green aroma is coming from the hyacinth and tulip. It never takes a pole position, but sits underneath the top two throughout this opening act. Pretty distinct.

The next phase sees the rose and peony notes emerge. On my skin, the rose really isn’t all that heavy. I get a lot more peony, than I ever do from rose, which might be the fourth or fifth strongest of the floral notes.

Chelsea Flowers becomes much more appealing to me, once the hyacinth has calmed down. It becomes a fresher and muskier floral, that’s actually very pretty with its soapy vibe.

The final dry down is an amalgamation of the floral notes, on my skin. None of them feel all that separate from one another. Maybe still some magnolia and tulip I can pick out…sometimes.

But, the rest of the notes really bring home the dry freshness and shampoo aroma. Musk, vetiver, and moss. A greater dose of the moss and musk. The watery side of the perfume is basically gone.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this will leave a scent trail for the first couple hours especially. It’s not a massive cloud of scent, but Chelsea Flowers, is above average and projects itself very well. 

At it’s peak, it’ll project itself to around seven feet or so. That’s about where I could pick it up from, after spraying the fragrance on a shirt.

The longevity is good, not elite. Somewhere in the 8.5-9 hours of wear range, on my skin. Is that amazing? No, but really no reason to complain for most purposes.

Seasonally, it would best be served in the spring and summer. Though, it can be used during the more temperate days of autumn, as well. Keep to wearing it above a certain temperature, since this doesn’t fit in for winter.

Chelsea Flowers isn’t a sexy scent, nor is it a nighttime party animal. However, within the daytime, it is very versatile.

It can be worn by girls or older women, without issue. It’s fine for office wear, casual, or pretty much wherever else one might need it. Not the most formal scent, but it’s clean aroma wouldn’t be out of place.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Chelsea Flowers

Do I like this fragrance? It’s pretty good, but nothing all that unique or special. It’s not among my favorite from the Bond No. 9 line, though, you could do worse.

The opening act isn’t all that great, the hyacinth is somewhat bothersome here. I like the dewy and aquatic aspects of this scent. But, this really comes alive when the rose, peony, and musk have their turn taking the reins. 

The latter stages are like a dry floral shampoo. Fresh and very presentable, just nothing super memorable or groundbreaking. It’s not bad, just know what you’re getting here.

The performance is solid, on the whole. It lasts a good amount of time and really doesn’t need to be super powerful.

I don’t really want to recommend this to everybody, since it might not have the most exciting scent out there. But, if this sounds like your type of perfume, Chelsea Flowers is a good example, and worth trying. Buying? Maybe not.

L’Immensité by Louis Vuitton

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I’ve been gradually making my way through the Louis Vuitton line for review purposes, with most of them that have been released in the books. L’Immensité is one that I’ve already tried before, but I grabbed a sample of more recently, do give it a full testing. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does L’Immensité Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, bergamot, grapefruit, sage, rosemary, geranium, watery notes, amber, labdanum

My Full Review

Here’s how Louis Vuitton describes it: A whisper of fresh ginger speaks of an infinite inner journey. To open your arms so wide it’s as if they were wings deployed to take flight. Like a response to a vast, beckoning sea that nourishes fantasies of total freedom. Sometimes, finding yourself before a limitless horizon that stretches to the sky is all it takes to make your heart beat faster.

L’Immensité opens up with its potent ginger note being joined by the bergamot and grapefruit. Initially, that sharp and juicy bergamot is stronger on my skin than is the grapefruit, but that will flip as it moves along.

Underneath all of that is an aquatic accord, which helps adds to that summertime vibe, but this one never completely veers oceanic. A bit salty, that’s about it.

The ginger is the star of the spiciness within this mix. Sage and rosemary might make up around 30% of the rest, at their peak. Sage sticks around for a while, though, neither is too big of a player.

Most of this one is about the amber note coming in. The ginger and grapefruit sit on top of all of that amber, which gives it a warmer vibe. The style is similar to Bleu de Chanel EDP, but ultimately fairly different fragrances.

The drydown is a fresh and slightly citrus amber. Very little of that aquatic accord is still present.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage is actually pretty strong for this type of fragrance, for the first few hours. It gets softer, thereafter, but that amber note really sticks out to me when wearing it during those late stages.

It does have a nice 6-7 foot projection or so, at its peak. It will leave a scent trail for like an hour to and hour and a half. After that, this one moves in much closer to the wearer, but isn’t as soft as you might think. Seems like it has a tendency to sort of make you nose blind to it, at times.

On my skin, I can get up to 8 hours from this Louis Vuitton scent. It actually fluctuates between 6.5 and that 8 hour mark, so, expect about 7 a good portion of the time.

Seasonally, it’s mainly going to be a spring and summer play. But really, any time the climate is pretty moderate, it’d be fine too. Great in the warmer temperatures, but probably not my go to in the wintertime.

L’Immensité isn’t an offensive or super loud fragrance. It’s well put together, so it has enough style to fit into a pretty wide variety of situations. The versatility of this cologne, is probably its greatest strength.

Overall Impressions of L’Immensité

Overall, do I like L’Immensité? I do like it, but there are better options from Louis Vuitton or just in general with this sort of fragrance. It was formerly a part of my best LV men’s fragrance list, but just barely, and got pushed aside by Imagination.

That’s got some similarities to this one, but Imagination is ultimately better.

The opening act is where this one shines. That fresh citrus, ginger, other spices, and the aquatic-like feel of it…is all something that I enjoy.

Later, the amber and citrus just kind of gets on my nerves. It’s fine, nothing too exciting, but it does get old for me while wearing it.

The performance is good. Not amazing, but not terrible either, on my skin. Still, I do want a bit more from the fragrance, if I’m paying Louis Vuitton prices.

L’Immensité is worth trying out. You may indeed like it and want a full bottle. Personally, the brand has better options to sort through during the warmer months of the year.

Fahrenheit Parfum by Dior

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Fahrenheit was a late 1980s hit for Dior and has been a part of their lineup ever since. Naturally, they have come out with waves of flankers and special editions. In 2014, the design house released, Fahrenheit Parfum. I got a hold of a decant of this fragrance a while ago and have been testing it out, taking notes. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Fahrenheit Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: violet leaf, rum, suede, vanilla, cumin, orange, licorice, and more

My Full Review

Parfum opens up sweet, smooth, and fresh. It’s strange how you get the booziness of the rum, but the spice doesn’t hit you like it does in something like Bvlgari’s Man in Black.

Instead, you get a light orange and licorice sweetness combining with the warmth of the rum note. Yet, it isn’t at all cloying. Suede and violet leaf keep things light and with a leather like refinement.

The violet leaf compared to the original Fahrenheit is toned down. You do still get some greenish qualities early, no gasoline smell, but a light aquatic feel to Fahrenheit Parfum.

This is a fairly big departure from the original Dior release, so, don’t expect to smell something similar in this flanker. There is some overlap, but a lot of that will be in the background.

On me, that sweetness subsides in about 10 minutes. The top citrus note does have a bit of a sparkle to it. The style of this fragrance actually reminds me of Armani Code Absolu, just not nearly as thick, and with a fresher aroma.

The next phase is a rummy vanilla scent with the suede and violet leaf sitting underneath that. I do get some licorice and very light spice, but a lot of the top is basically gone. At this stage, it also seems to acquire a bit of a fizziness.

The final dry down is a dark vanilla suede and violet leaf blend. Those are the notes that I can still pick up. It’s very smooth, not really all that sweet, and well-balanced.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is above average, on the whole, and starts off fairly strong. Though, Fahrenheit Parfum doesn’t project all that hugely, especially after the first wave begins to wear off.

The opening act? Sure, it’ll give you 5-7 feet worth of projection or thereabouts. But, it moves in much closer.

On my skin, it lasts somewhere in the 8.5-9.5 hour range. Kind of depended, when I was testing it out. Not really something that hits double digits for me, but came as close as you can get.

Still, the performance really isn’t disappointing and quite good, if you’re into how this one smells.

Seasonally, obviously with the notes, this is best in autumn and winter. The thing is, Parfum isn’t all that heavy or super cloying. It can venture into the springtime (early part), since it does have the freshness from the violet leaf and citrus.

I wouldn’t go too hot with the temperatures while wearing this, but it’d be fine for a good chunk of the year.

This is a well put together scent that has a maturity about it, is attractive, and is very wearable. I like it more for nighttime engagements, but it wouldn’t be out of place to wear during the day. Maybe go easy at work or something like that, since it does have a rum note prominently featured.

Overall Impressions of Fahrenheit Parfum

Overall, do I like Fahrenheit Parfum? I do. It’s more enjoyable for me, than is the original Fahrenheit.

However, it’s still not a complete love for me. I almost blind bought a full bottle, but I’m kind of glad I didn’t and got a decant first. I like it, while not being super enthusiastic about wearing it.

The opening is interesting and that’s when I feel Parfum is at its peak. The blend of rum, citrus, suede, spice, and violet leaf is very well done. It’s such a great mix of different notes and is stitched together beautifully.

After that? Fahrenheit Parfum smells good, it’s just not all that exciting. It feels much flatter than how it started out and I’m not too into any longer. I said that I was reminded of Code Absolu and I’d rather have a bottle of that versus Fahrenheit Parfum.

The performance and everything is solid. No worries there. Fahrenheit Parfum is a scent that is well worth a try from Dior, but with the price and limited availability, may not be worth a blind buy.

Very good, but doesn’t cross the great barrier.

Nude by Rihanna

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It seems as if almost every celebrity eventually releases a fragrance or a line of fragrances. With pop stars, it’s pretty much a given that it’s going to happen, and not always successfully. However, Rihanna is one notable exception, who has put out well received perfumes over the years. In this post, I want to do a full review of Nude. What does this fragrance smell like? How does it perform? Is it worth a try?

What does Nude by Rihanna Smell Like?

Notes include: pear, guava, orchid, mandarin orange, gardenia, sandalwood, orange blossom, musk

Click here to try: Rihanna Nude Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

Nude opens up with a gorgeous array of fruit notes, led by guava, with pear and orange following.  The orange is a blend of mandarin and a rather distinct orange blossom aroma, which will come into play more, later on.

The guava is the real star, up front, and it provides a juicy sweet and tropical sort of smell. The overall fragrance, probably isn’t tropical per se, but the opening act sure feels like its heading that way.

Nonetheless, it starts out as a fruity floral, which will later reverse more into the floral/fruity arena. For me, the start is mostly a guava and pear affair with an emerging gardenia and orange blossom.

As it moves along, I do start to get much more of a floral smell, as I said. It comes in waves. First, is the gardenia and orange blossom. Then, it is more about the vanilla orchid.  When the gardenia comes in, there is a bit of creaminess from the sandalwood, with a hint of vanilla. 

 

Finally, the dry down is a blend of orchid, guava, sandalwood, musk, and the other floral notes. It is clean and still pretty sweet, but not nearly the same intensity, as the sweetness at the start.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage isn’t all that heavy, but the initial sweetness, can project itself fairly well. However, I don’t think you’ll bomb out a room, unless you severely over-spray this perfume.

The good news is, that it does leave a nice scent trail and create a fairly substantial scent bubble. For a celebrity perfume, the performance here is actually quite good, if somewhat inconsistent. 

It seems to hit a max of around 7 feet in projection, when I sprayed it on a shirt in my room. It’ll move in closer, but wasn’t ever a skin scent, until the very late stages. 

The longevity is good here, not amazing. On my skin, it’ll hit somewhere in the range of 5-8 hours, at varying strengths. It’s kind of a wide mark, but this Rihanna scent, does linger around.

Seasonally, I cannot really place it exactly. I’d lean more toward the warmer weather, due to the fruits, but it really wouldn’t be terrible in the cold. Trying it outside, on a fairly mild day, it held up well and never felt cloying. 

This perfume does, skew towards the younger set. Like around college age, through the mid-20s. More of a casual or something to wear out and about, rather than, a formal or office type of setting. Nude is attractive, but has a playful vibe about it.

Overall Impression

Do I like this perfume? I really do. Now, some may not care for the sweetness of such a scent, but I like it. I especially like the guava, pear, and orange opening. I think that it’s great.

It’s a fairly simple, clean, upbeat, and fruity celebrity perfume. Nude probably won’t end up being a daily wear, for an older woman, but could very well be for someone younger.  As far as celebrity fragrances go, this is one of the better examples, and it’s pretty hard to go wrong with.

The performance is pretty good, and the value for the price, is quite high. It smells very attractive. Is it completely unique? Not really, but it is distinct enough and highly enjoyable. 

Nude is a perfume that I don’t think has any glaring weaknesses, while also not being the most amazing fragrance out there. That being said, it is worthy of trying out, and safe enough for a blind buy.

La Panthere Legere by Cartier

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I’m doing a whole new batch of reviews on the site, which will include dozens of perfumes and colognes, that I’ve been testing out. One such fragrance is the subject of today’s review, La Panthere Legere from Cartier. How does this one smell? Does it perform well? Is it worth a try?

What does La Panthere Legere Smell Like?

Notes include: musk, gardenia, tiare, oakmoss, fruits

Click here to try: Cartier La Panthere Legere Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Ounce 

My Full Wear Review

La Panthere Legere opens up with a fairly sweet floral and fruit blend. I can smell some citrus and perhaps some peach in there, as well. Mainly, what I pick up is gardenia.

The gardenia sits absolutely beautifully in the presence of the fruit notes, which have a drier, rather than juicy aroma. Joining this flower is both the tiare flower and musk. To my nose, the musk is light, and doesn’t get in the way of the rest of the ingredients.

What I do really enjoy is the tiare notes, which is delightful when it blends with the soft fruit mix, that’s sitting in the background of this scent. It gives this Cartier perfume, a very faint tropical kind of vibe.

Though, it doesn’t stray too far into that territory. I don’t think the fruit mix is actually too tropical, but it gives you some nice sweetness to contrast against the floral earthiness of this perfume.

As I get further along into the wear, this starts to take on a clean oak moss scent. Between that, the musk, and the florals it can have a somewhat soapy aroma, at times.

Ultimately, it straddles the line between that and powder. Nonetheless, you’re going to get something that is clean, and different points with either gardenia or tiare dominance.

Longevity, Sillage, and Versatility

The projection on this one is fairly strong. It’s capable of being over-sprayed, but it doesn’t come across as a heavy bomb. It’s light enough to not be annoying (with normal spraying), but still has enough sillage, to make itself known.

The longevity is really good. I got about 9 hours on my skin. It also, doesn’t just crap out and become a weak scent, but remains pretty consistent during the entirety.

I don’t know if it’s capable of going beyond nine hours or so. That should be enough for most purposes though.

Seasonally, it feels more like a springtime fragrance, but it would be fine in anything other than extreme heat. Find something else for summer. But, when it’s warm and even slightly breezy, this one really came alive during my testing of it.

This could be a good option for daily wear at the office, casually, or for more formal wear. It is attractive and somewhat pretty, but not really a ‘sexy’ sort of perfume.

Legere is a perfume that exudes a good deal of confidence and is well put together. So, that’s the style I’d lean towards wearing it with.

If wearing in an enclosed space, I’d go lighter on the sprays with this one. Again, it’s not a monster with the projection, but it can be deceptively strong. The moss and musk are great outside, though.

Overall Impression of La Panthere Legere

Do I like this perfume? Yes, I actually think that it’s better than La Panthere, from what I can remember of that perfume.

The opening act, is the best aspect of this scent. When the fruit notes are around at full strength, to go along with the gardenia and tiare, it’s a really great experience.

The dry down is good, much more geared towards oak moss and musk, but there is still the floral notes hanging around.

I tend to like the parts in the dry down that feel more powdery rather than being soapy clean. Nonetheless, it still never feels like it’s straying too far one way or the other, to my nose.

Performance is very good and you get a very wearable, pleasant fragrance. Legere is a scent that will probably appeal to those in their late 20s and up. It’s not stuffy or out of date, but is one that has a certain maturity level.

La Panthere Legere is a Cartier fragrance that is worthy of trying out, if this all sounds like something you might be into.