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!

Prada Luna Rossa Sport vs Carbon Comparison

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In this edition of this site’s head to head cologne comparisons, we have a battle between two Prada Luna Rossa flanker fragrances: Sport vs. Carbon. Both of these scents have been praised and enjoyed popularity, but which one smells better? Has greater performance? Versatility? Finally, which one is more of a joy to wear? Please continue below for my full take on these Prada colognes.

Tale of the Tape: Sport vs. Carbon

Luna Rossa Carbon

Notes include: lavender, ambroxan, metallic notes, pepper, patchouli, coal, bergamot

Click here to try: Prada Luna Rossa CARBON for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 ounce

Luna Rossa Sport

Notes include: vanilla, lavender, tonka bean, juniper berries, ginger

Click here to try: Prada Luna Rossa SPORT Eau de Toilette Spray 3.4 oz

Opening

Luna Rossa Carbon opens with a blend of lavender, ambroxan, bergamot, and pepper. Bergamot acts as the main top note and it all can come off, as another version of Dior Sauvage to many people.

However, the lavender note is heavier in Carbon than in the Dior. It feels smoother and cleaner in its opening act versus Sauvage EDT. Less spicy with a touch of citrus from that bergamot.

Sport, hits you with tonka bean, lavender, and vanilla. It doesn’t have that same bright citrus element as Carbon, nor does it share the metallic notes.

Beyond that, you get a slight ginger spice and the aromatic freshness of juniper. It’s a bit sweet early on, with enough spice to go with the cleaner elements of the fragrance.

Lavender is the shared DNA between these two colognes. I prefer the smooth and crisp clean feeling of Luna Rossa Sport over that sharp bergamot citrus blend found in Carbon.

Edge: Sport

Projection

Carbon starts off loud but then fades more to the upper end of moderate on the spectrum. Sillage wise, Sport is pretty moderate throughout and doesn’t hit the levels of projection that Carbon does.

Neither is an absolute powerhouse. Also, Sport isn’t weak. Carbon just takes this category with issue. Carbon just has a higher ceiling and greater consistency during the wear, than does Luna Rossa Sport.

Edge: Carbon

Longevity

When I wear Carbon, it can hit double digits in how many hours, it lasts on my skin. 10+ is pretty normal for this cologne, sometimes it may go less than that.

While Sport, is no slouch, is seems to only muster around 6-7 hours. It’s fine, just not something that’s going to last all day.

So, obviously, Carbon has the edge in this performance category. Sport just isn’t a beast and can’t match the levels of strength that Carbon can. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, depending on your own needs.

Edge: Carbon

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are highly versatile. That’s a part of the strength of each. It doesn’t matter if it’s casually, at the office, or on a date. The main differences come during the summer months and which one gets more complements.

Luna Rossa Carbon does a better job at holding up in the humidity of summer. Meanwhile, I like wearing Sport for dates or during evening outs, as women seem to notice it more. There doesn’t appear to be a clear cut winner in terms of versatility.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I like Luna Rossa Carbon. It’s nice, it has that Sauvage appeal, but is distinct when you get close and notice the details. It also performs extremely well and does everything you could ask it to.

BUT…I simply like wearing Sport more. It’s a very simple kind of cologne, but it’s damn good within that simplicity. The tonka bean goes perfectly with that signature Luna Rossa lavender and the vanilla flanking it.

Also, the ginger and barely noticeable juniper give it an extra undertone that I really enjoy. It’s crisp and has enough spice to grab attention. It’s in that same sort of mold as Code Profumo, which I also adore.

So, yes, Carbon has better performance and if you want something with more of a citrus profile, give it a look. The lavender clean and the metallic aroma during the dry down is actually pretty enjoyable. It’s still one of the better Luna Rossa releases.

However, I’m going to pick Luna Rossa Sport, as it is the better smelling Prada cologne in my mind.

Winner: Luna Rossa Sport

Venetian Bergamot by Tom Ford

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Continuing through my review of a whole lot of Tom Ford fragrances, we have a 2015 release, entitled: Venetian Bergamot. I want to take a closer look at this fragrance after I’ve been testing it out for a while. How does it smell? What are the notes? How does it perform? Is it worth a purchase?

What does Venetian Bergamot Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, pink pepper, black pepper, amber, sandalwood, tonka bean, ylang ylang, ginger, magnolia, gardenia, cedar

Click here to try: TOM Ford Private Blend Venetian Bergamot EDP Spray 3.4 Oz / 100 Ml Sealed

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Venetian Bergamot obviously features that familiar citrus bergamot opening, but this one definitely doesn’t take the familiar route with it. Not only is there a spice to the aroma, there are also floral notes, which create something that is quite unique.

However, even with the other elements being involved from the jump, it is still mostly the juicy and somewhat sour citrus smell with sandalwood peaking through. The start is much more of a tropical scent than what you get during the rest of the wear and I find it really enjoyable.

As it dries down further, Venetian Bergamot, becomes less of a bergamot scent and the floral notes being to take over the composition.

This is mainly gardenia with some ylang ylang. So, at this point it is the floral notes, pink and black pepper, sandalwood, and a fading bergamot. It is smooth and creamy with bright elements that really perk up the senses.

I think that the most interesting aspect of this Tom Ford fragrance is the spicy notes in here. They aren’t heavy spices however, the white ginger is a nice addition to the warm pink pepper, and the hint of sharp black pepper sprinkled throughout.

This is what keeps the fragrance in the unisex category, even as the white floral notes pull it toward the feminine side of things.

What I ultimately get from Venetian Bergamot when all is said and done is, a gardenia/ylang ylang combo sitting on top of sandalwood and cedar, with a mix of bergamot and spices floating around this core composition.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise it’ll be in the 3-6 foot range. The sillage of this one is pretty moderate, and works down into something light and close to the skin. So, the first 3-4 hours, it will be a moderate scent. Then for the rest of the time, VB is much more of a skin scent.

It does last in the 7-8 hour range on my skin, so the longevity ain’t too shabby. For a lot of that wear, it’ll be the woods with some light floral touches. The bergamot doesn’t completely last all that time, but the blend is fairly creamy and has a clean soapy quality.

Seasonally, Venetian Bergamot is one for the spring and summer months. Between the citrus and floral notes, it begs to be worn in the warm weather. As I said, it is unisex that leans more towards the feminine side of things, but this is still completely safe to wear for men.

It’s classy and has an expensive air about it. Not really a sexy fragrance but one that smells nice and can be worn in dressy casual or more upscale scenarios. It is completely office safe.

This one is better worn when dressed up or for at least more semi-formal occasions during the spring and summer.

Overall Impressions of Venetian Bergamot

Overall, do I like Venetian Bergamot? I do like it. It is a bit too floral for my taste and I wish it stayed closer to what it is at the opening, rather than, drying down to gardenia, ylang ylang, and magnolia.

That being said, it is still a very nice perfume, that has a unique scent and decent performance.

I do like the bergamot, ginger, and spiciness of that opening. With the name, I was expecting to get more of a pure bergamot, but it ends up with a greater use of the gardenia. That’s fine, just not what I was expecting when I first tried Venetian Bergamot.

It’s by no means a beast in terms of its performance, so at this price point it might be a pass. Though, it isn’t entirely terrible either. Value is okay, but that’s your call.

However, if you’re looking for a citrus or floral fragrance and want to try something different, Venetian Bergamot is worthy of consideration. It’s not one of the top tier Tom Ford perfumes, but it’s in the upper half or even third, for sure.

7 Best Smelling Polo Ralph Lauren Perfumes

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Ralph Lauren is an iconic American designer who has made the classic preppy look famous and fashionable for decades now. In the fragrance game, the brand has produced amazing and ever popular scents for both men and women over the years, whether it be under the Polo label or under the designer’s own name.

I have update this list to include some newer releases from Ralph Lauren, as well as, to purge some of the more difficult to find discontinued scents.

What are the Best Ralph Lauren Perfumes for Her?

Popular Versatile Floral Wear

Ralph Lauren Romance Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Fluid Ounce
Elegant and sultry floral perfume that will set off a romantic mood. Romance starts off with some citrus to lead one it to it’s main floral composition. Rose is prominent but not entirely dominant, as this Ralph Lauren fragrance, is much more akin to walking in a blooming garden than being spritzed with rose water.

It has a very feminine air, it’s sophisticated yet upbeat, and the florals are flanked by pink pepper and musk. The latter two notes add enough spice to make things interesting and seductive, otherwise, you might just be left with another boring floral perfume.

Romance adds other floral notes such as marigold and jasmine to add to the bouquet effect. It’s blended so well as to make it quite clean and more difficult to discern the individual notes. It’s not overly strong but has good longevity. It seems best used on spring and summer days, but with a name like Romance, it can be fantastic on a date night too. Romance EDP Review

romance

Clean Pear and Hazelnut

Woman by Ralph Lauren 3.4 oz Eau de Parfum Spray– Woman is the newest addition to this list, having been released after I posted the initial version, some years back. It starts with a fresh out of the shower vibe, with a clean pear note, that is flanked by soapy elements.

After a bit of time, the beautiful floral notes emerge, mainly orange blossom and tuberose. It has a spring/summery vibe with more of an outdoorsy smell than many of the aquatic types that get associated with the warmer months of the year.

I really enjoy the orange blossom here, with the hazelnut that comes in, Woman provides a very enjoyable sensory experience. The aromas form a fragrance that has grown on me, the more I have smelled it.

During the dry down, sensations of hazelnut and woody notes pop out, but never take things over fully. It’s a moderately strong perfume, that is pleasant, and safe enough to be worn in an office or at school. It strikes me as a definite day time wear, particularly in a casual to semi-formal setting. Woman Full Review

Raspberry and Vanilla Beauty

Beyond Romance from Ralph Lauren– Beyond Romance is a great sweet and sugary perfume. It kicks off with the raspberry note, that is joined by some light citrus touches.

Black vanilla, rose, and cashmeran gives this one a slight powdery hint…that sort of comes across like marshmallow for a part of the wear.

Raspberry and vanilla are the dominant notes, with musk and cashmeran finishing things off. The floral notes are rose, jasmine, and lily of the valley. Though, none of them play too major of a role in Beyond Romance.

Decent power and performance, just not spectacular. The scent itself, is. If you enjoy this sort of perfume, it develops a nice balance without becoming too childish with its sugary aroma. Beyond Romance Review

Fresh Semi-Aquatic

Ralph Lauren Blue by Ralph Lauren Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 oz Women
A moderate and everyday wear that is highlighted by white floral notes similar to some Michael Kors fragrances. Ralph Lauren Blue is definitely for those who love notes such as gardenia, lily, and jasmine.

There is an element of an aquatic feel, as the name might suggest, but its pretty subtle and never comes close to taking over the floral composition. Blue is super fresh, with a slight powdery aroma, and underlying musk and sandalwood to give it more depth.

The watery feeling comes from flowers like lily and lotus, with some light fruit touches of juicy melon underneath. Lots of jasmine here, which pairs absolutely beautifully with the gardenia.

ralph blue

Great Fruity Floral Fragrance

Ralph by Ralph Lauren for Women, Eau De Toilette Natural Spray, 3.4 Ounce
A bright and sexier type of floral based fragrance that pairs with fruit notes such as apple and mandarin. The two fruit notes are the main event, so this is a good choice for ladies who don’t want a perfume completely dominated by flowers, like Ralph Lauren Blue.

Ralph is a warm weather scent, that has a sporty edge, and aquatic underpinnings. This is pretty sweet (fruity sweet) and has a fantastic crisp freshness about it. Ralph has more a youthful vibe and isn’t very complex, by any means.

However, it is a really good fragrance, and has a well earned spot near the top in its niche.

ralph

Sweet and Tart Scent

Ralph Lauren Polo Big Pony Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, No.2 Pink, 3.4 Fluid Ounce
Very soft and sweet perfume containing notes of cranberry, tonka bean, and some floral ingredients. Big Pony 2 is a simple and straightforward wear. One must have an appreciation for the sharp sweetness of cranberry and the smooth creamy tonka bean.

The cranberry note brings to mind Polo Red for men, that is upbeat, fun, and has a sunny demeanor. The main difference is that this doesn’t have a  lemon note complementing it. Cranberry paired with tonka bean is very unique and actually comes together surprisingly well.

ralph pink

A Classic Ralph Lauren

Lauren Perfume by Ralph Lauren for Women 118 ml / 4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray
A vintage type of fragrance which dates back to the late 70s. Lauren is youthful but a little more refined than something like the entry above.

This fragrance features more earthy notes to go along with sweet fruit and floral. If one can still find a vintage bottle, Lauren is an excellent blast from the past.

The updated versions are still very good, though, somewhat different from what the older ones brought to the table. It seems drier, with a greater emphasis on the sage note, for some of the wear. Later in the dry down, Lauren brings out some softer dewy floral petals of lilac and lily. Performance is good, and this still has that classic sort of feeling.

ralph lauren

Prada L’Homme Intense EDP

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So, today I have another entry from the Prada line of men’s fragrances, and one of the flankers to the original Prada L’Homme: Prada L’Homme Intense. In this post, I am going to cover what’s in it, how it smells, when it should be worn, how long it lasts, and if it is even worth a buy?

What does L’Homme Intense by Prada Smell Like?

Notes included: amber, leather, tonka bean, iris, sandalwood, patchouli

Click here to try: Prada L’homme Intense Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

Prada L’homme Intense starts off with that familiar iris note, with its powdery aroma, and a warm amber plus smoothly rich leather. It’s very nice and has a noticeable darker profile than does the original L’Homme.

This scent is clean, warm, and sweet with the inclusion of a roasted tonka bean note for good measure. I like how dry the composition is and how the amber sort of soaks the iris.

Further along in the wear, we get to hit a base of sandalwood and patchouli. I really appreciate how subtle these later notes are and how they simply enhance the overall vibe of an already fantastic smelling cologne.

It’s really at this time, that I am reminded of Dior Homme and Dior Homme Eau, as L’Homme Intense fits right in line with that series. However, this is stronger on the iris and doesn’t have the leather to the same extent, nor any cacao. The overlap isn’t too extreme.

What it ultimately dries down to is an incredibly rich blend of mainly the iris and tonka bean. It’s so classy and smooth, with the leather and amber, being the next most powerful notes.

Though, I’d put the amber at number three. From here, it is pretty linear, and doesn’t develop much beyond this.

The powdery iris and the mix of woods, sweet notes, and leather are truly fantastic together. Not a super complicated fragrance in its development, but is definitely enjoyable throughout.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I find the sillage to be on the upper end of moderate. It’s not a heavy scent, but it projects well, just not crazy so. The performance is very good, regardless, and you or other people will notice this juice on you.

The longevity for me hits around 9 hours, which is great for just about any purposes. Not exactly top tier level, that goes on for seemingly ever, but this Prada isn’t going to disappoint. Truly, for most purpose Intense is going to work perfectly.

Seasonally, L’Homme Intense strikes me as a cold weather scent, with the ability to be worn in more moderate temperatures. I do feel it is a bit more limited than the original L’Homme, in this regard, but if you want to wear it at its absolute best, is should be colder.

This Prada cologne, does have a more mature profile, which isn’t to say that younger guys cannot wear it. However, it’s one that works extremely well dressed up, or out for an evening on the town. It is fresh and elegant and doesn’t have any of the overly youthful sweetness.

It is an excellent choice for men in their mid-20s and above, is completely safe for work, while being completely attractive enough for dates.

Overall Impressions of L’Homme Intense

Overall do I like Prada L’Homme Intense? I think it is an amazing fragrance. It’s got enough similarities to the original to be familiar, while also adding new elements, to stand on its own.

It does occupy that same sort of space that the Dior Homme’s of the world do, which might prevent me from getting a full bottle in the near future.

Though, since Dior has reformulated Dior Homme in 2020, maybe this would be a nice alternative.

This Prada is a clean, classy scent and the iris note is simply great. It’s not one to get, if you don’t really enjoy floral or powdery fragrances. The leather and patchouli rough it up and masculinize it, but there is a very good balance at play here.

But, I really have no negative things to say about Intense. I enjoyed wearing it thoroughly. This is an elegant scent, that performs well, and will appeal to a wide variety of people. Yes, there is plenty of overlap here, but still an outstanding scent to put on.

Lady Million EDP by Paco Rabanne

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This will be my first review of a fragrance from the Lady Million line by Paco Rabanne. I have already covered some other women’s scents from this brand, but weren’t from this particular silo of scents. As usual, I am going to cover what’s inside, how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not Lady Million Eau de Parfum is even worth a try.

What does Lady Million EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, gardenia, patchouli, orange blossom, neroli, bitter orange, raspberry, honey, and amber

Click here to try: Lady Million by Paco Rabanne Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 2.70 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

When smelling Lady Million EDP, I was trying to detect if there were any parallels between it and the men’s version. Other than being sweet, nope. Even the sweetness, is a completely different sort of aroma.

From the start, I get a lot of white floral notes, mainly gardenia and orange blossom, with a hint of jasmine. As it moves, along it sort of reverses and I detect more jasmine than the other two floral notes.

Also, the raspberry adds a layer of juicy sweetness to the composition. It is sort of muted versus some of the other perfumes that feature a really strong and bright raspberry. In Lady Million, it is tempered by florals, honey, and some patchouli.

So, the honey note is the main attraction here, once you hit the 30 minute or so mark. The raspberry takes a back seat to the sweetness of the honey. It is rich and warm and supported by a lovely amber note. It all does have a ‘golden’ sort of smell that resembles the bottle.

It’s an enveloping white floral fragrance with a sweet thickness, which hangs around for essentially the entire wear. Not what I’d call heavy, but syrupy might be the better term.

The final lineup of notes ends up with honey, jasmine, raspberry, patchouli, amber, and some gardenia. A gourmand floral fragrance, that is pleasant, and well blended. There’s a richness, juiciness, and also a bouquet effect all wrapped into one.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection and sillage wise, Lady Million is actually fairly moderate. This is a change of pace from the men’s version, which is super loud. Lady Million isn’t like that, it’s much more wearable on a daily basis.

It’s probably toward the upper end of the moderate range, but never feels extreme, in the slightest. Reading the notes before trying it out, I was actually surprised that it didn’t project itself off of the skin or clothing even more.

Even without a large radius of projection, this Paco Rabanne fragrance, does last a long time. You can get through a full workday with this perfume without issue. Depending on the day, it seems to settle in the 8-10 hour range.

Is Lady Million versatile? Yes, it works best in the colder months of the year, but it can also be utilized during spring and summer, as well. Lady Million can be worn at the office, school, casually, or out for an evening.

But, it does also skew younger. So, probably best served for those in their early to mid 20s. Not that others can’t wear it, but it isn’t the most formal or grown up fragrance out there. Though also, not just for teens.

I would probably keep it to the indoors or nighttime during the warmer months. Again, it’s not overwhelmingly powerful or too rich, to the point that it’ll just flat out melt.

It’s nice, safe, but also has a delicious/sexy side to the composition. This is one of the greatest strengths of this scent, is its ability to be worn nearly universally, and without being overbearing at all. Sweet, syrupy, and fairly youthful…yes, just not overbearing.

Overall Impressions of Lady Million

Overall, do I like Lady Million? I do. It’s not the most amazing scent out there, but it does smell good, has good performance, and is a safe bet for women looking for an everyday perfume. Some won’t enjoy the gourmand qualities, white floral notes, or somewhat synthetic aroma.

So, if that’s definitely you, this one should probably be skipped. However, most women will enjoy wearing this one, as evidenced by its popularity over the years. It’s an all around very good scent and a fair value.

Versatility and the longevity are the strongest aspects of this fragrance. Personally, I enjoy the honey, amber, and orange blossom the most…as far as the actual smell goes. Not blown away by it overall, just an above average perfume.

You just need to expect the sweetness and honeyed floral presentation. If that’s your type of thing, this is a pretty decent example.